This story is a work of fiction. Any similarities to events or persons living or dead in your world is purely coincidental.
5/18 Saturday
After School
Aiko knew what slums looked like. Growing up in Akihabara had taught her the kind of areas that were best avoided unless you wanted to risk disappearing the old fashioned way. This, she had been taught, was especially true for attractive teen girls, qualifications which she felt both she and Mirambela fit into nicely.
She was relieved to see that Tosashimizu's idea of a 'slum' only barely approached Tokyo's most troubled spots. Well-lit, but not in a garish sort of way. No gang signs marred the walls here, and the alleys didn't reek of used opium pipes. While there were a few disheveled vagabonds seated on the pavement and the occasional broken bottle or trash pile, overall she felt much safer here than she might have if asked to walk down a similar street in Shinjuku's districts late at night without any kind of defense.
"Of course it has to be here of all places", Mirambela complained, clutching her friend's hand tightly for security against what she must have seen as the very embodiment of the reason her father didn't like his children going into the city. "Of course. Why wouldn't it be?"
An unseen voice called down to them then. "In my admittedly limited experience with human society, gun shops are forbidden from claiming a public space on a main street, because the people are concerned that children might-"
"It was a rhetorical question, Pela-chan", Aiko cut him off quickly. Pelagio was the one who had spotted the shop whose fanciful neon gold logo peered down at them now, reading 'Bird of Hermes' in cursive text. The only other alternative was a shop much further away from the bus stop, and in an even more run-down area of the city than this one. It was the relative size of Tosashimizu city that made such areas stand out all the more, she decided. Tokyo had them too and dozens of gun shops located within that vast darkness, but it was so big that you could go your entire life without ever needing to come within sight of them.
Of course, the same had held true for Tosashimizu until the time had arrived that demanded they purchase model guns from a shop to save a friend. To save Julian. To bring him back from that strange Land that was forged from his dreams.
The store itself contrasted with the gritty exterior, boasting a pair of clean-lined counters running down a long room, both bracketing shelves of well-lit weapons both genuine and obviously fake. There was much more than just firearms on display as well, she noticed. The ceiling lights were both numerous and diverse in color, so that the storefront felt akin to walking through a psychedelic rainbow.
Instead of a bell, an electronic series of tones lifted from some video game announced their arrival. In the space of a breath, an aged man in a fancy blue vest wearing a thin-chained monocle emerged from the darkness of the back room. His round, sallow face looked enthusiastic enough until he saw his customers, running one white gloved hand across the counter as if he felt they had already dirtied it with their presence, though his voice was well-mannered enough to take her aback.
"Ladies, I am afraid that you have taken a wrong turn. I will have to ask you two to leave."
Mira quavered at his words, but Aiko had come expecting to do the talking. "Not if this is the Bird of Hermes", she countered the man, refusing to be pushed out after they had sacrificed their entire day just to get here. "You sell model guns, right? We want to buy some models. Realistic-looking ones, please."
But the wrinkled proprietor seemed to be the only one minding the store, and he eyed her with an expression of pure disdain. "This is not a pretty salon or manicurist, young miss. This is a professional shop for adults. These weapons are dangerous to be carrying around, and you two are clearly minors. I doubt you could even afford any of the merchandise here. Go away, before I call your parents."
"How rude", Mira commented, trying to copy her friend's brazen approach, flicking a hand towards a katana as if its presence were an insult to her sensibilities. "Appearances can be deceiving."
"To some", the man growled now. "Not to me. But very well. Prove that you are veterans in my chosen field, and not merely a pair of brainless mall rats who got lost on the way to their next facial appointment." Moving outside of the right counter, he pointed to a weapon- a pistol- displayed on the left. "Do either of you know what that is?"
"A... gun", Aiko said, knowing before she said it that it wasn't the right answer. He wanted the model and make, and any other details they could provide to impress him with their hardcore experience with weapons and armor. Their non-existent experience.
The man made a gloating expression, turning his finger on a strange-looking military helmet with a digital visor. "And that?"
"...A helmet", Mira volunteered miserably. 'A metal helmet."
"Yes. Very good", he joked in mock joviality. "For amateurs, that is. The gun is a Sig-sauer P229, a popular choice for various military organizations all over the world. Extremely modular and flexible. Modified, naturally with recoil suppressing components as well as a night sight. Enough wasting my time. Get out, the both of you."
Mira was already fleeing for the door when Aiko gritted her teeth and decided to deploy their last resort. "Fine. We'll just have to go over to Xtriqation and see if they're not so snobby."
That claim elicited a disgusted grunt from the owner. "I'd advise against going there. Not only would it be highly dangerous for children your age, but their prices alone are criminal extortion, and the owner is a fat corporate fool who probably knows less about quality weaponry than you do. The real professionals know that there is only one place to go in all of Tosashimizu city if you desire a diverse selection of quality weapons for a fair price, and that is THIS store."
"Then give us a chance!", Aiko demanded with more intensity than she thought possible for someone her age. She could actually sense Mira's fear without looking back at her. "We have the money. We want something to protect ourselves. Haven't you heard about the disappearances at Koashimizu academy lately?"
"Everyone has heard of those", the man waved her objections away dismissively. "It made the news even back in Tokyo. Two girls mysteriously disappeared from Koashimizu academy without a trace... and now, one boy. Suicides, no doubt."
"Yeah?", Aiko argued back, starting to get legitimately angry now. "What makes you so sure about that?"
"Koashimizu's reputation", the owner sniffed as if the answer was obvious. They had both taken care not to wear their school uniforms for this, but he seemed inconveniently sharp and then some, his monocle eye peering at her as if like Igor, it could read her very thoughts.
"The very school which foreign exchange students were invited to flock to has become a difficult place for them to exist. Teen suicides in that area are at a record high. Now do you understand why I cannot sell to minors, miss?"
That excuse sounded ridiculous to Aiko, but she noticed that Mira wasn't laughing. "You think that we're going to go and shoot... but they're just models!"
"Realistic models", the owner echoed complacently. "But even if your intentions are what you say, the answer is still no. Perhaps Hex will save you if you get into trouble, hm?"
"Maybe Hex will pay you a visit", she said threateningly before remembering where she was and who this man was. He didn't seem like a criminal, but the sort who had been required to deal with criminals in a violent fashion many times. Numerous painful sparring sessions with Mr. Umaeda had taught her never to underestimate the elderly- if she trained with him for the entire year, she would still never even get close to his level of swordsmanship. This cultured-sounding man seemed to be of a similar breed, and the threat blew past him like the harmless breeze of his AC.
"We'd better get going, Ai-chan", Mira advised her once they were outside again, less dejected by their failure than her roommate. "It's not long until it gets dark. No going to Xtriqation, alright?"
"No way", she agreed slowly, making the turns through the alleys towards the bus stop on autopilot. "I only said that to try and get him to sell us stuff. And he's right- Xtriqation is way pricier and way more scummy. Not going there unless we really have no other choice."
"We might not", Mira admitted grimly. "That guy seemed determined not to sell to us. I wonder how many customers he actually has?"
"Adults", Aiko provided simply. It didn't quite sound like a curse. "I guess I kind of understand. He doesn't want to be the one who enabled Tosashimizu's first ever school shooting. If only there was someone who could-"
"Please end that train of thought right now", Mira ordered, strangely adamant. "No adult in their right mind would do that for us. We'd at least have to tell them why we needed them, and I don't think that 'protection' excuse will work any better than it did here."
"No", Aiko agreed regretfully. "But we can't give up. We have to do this. We're the only ones who can.
Mira's reply was cut off by a howl rolling down the alley that took several seconds to register as human produced. Some perverse instinct overrode the wise move to stay away, and the two found themselves following it to a spot near a trash pile where a pair of young men around Bartholomew's apparent age. Aiko didn't recognize either from school, but the signs of injury couldn't be missed. Both were writhing from the pain, muttering curses under their breath.
"No blood", Pelagio commented stoically from above them, falcon eyes staring at the injuries from his lamp post perch. "Merely precision fractures of bones in the arms, chest and legs. Painful, but not fatal."
"I'll call the-" Aiko trailed off with her cell phone raised to eye level, her voice stuck on the final word 'hospital'. If I do that, they'll ask questions about what we were doing out here so late.
Then she saw Mira's anxious eyes and scoffed, revolted by her own cowardice. What the hell am I doing? These guys need help. I guess this is what 'bystander syndrome' means. She didn't know their story. Saving them might be just as important a task as saving Julian.
She started dialing.
5/18 Saturday
Evening
"It was Hex", Mirambela announced, switching off the TV when Aiko entered the room from a tense dinner. "That's what they're saying on the news. Those two guys were delinquents, and Hex showed up and busted them harassing a woman."
"Good for Hex, I suppose."
Mira looked uncertain about that opinion, but she also knew that wasn't what was really bugging her roommate. If anything, seeing another sign of Hex was a reminder of their own responsibility. Our own extralegal responsibility.
Clamping down on the source of her own discontent was even easier. Extralegal, like Hex... is what we're doing actually illegal? I mean, there's no law against hurting, threatening, and even killing Shadows... because most humans have no idea that they exist.
Even in the few times they had traveled together into Faraway Lands, Mira had witnessed Aiko do all of the above to Shadows, even going so far as to extort money from them with the stick of further violence. The repeated mantra that these victims were far from human only went so far towards quelling that unease. She treats Shadows just like I imagine Hex treats human criminals. Never showing mercy unless they offer to join her, becoming a new mask for her. And that ruthlessness... that is what scares me about her.
"Can't sleep", Aiko announced almost matter-of-factly from her spot on the bed, arms folded behind her head. "Not until I figure out what we're going to do about this."
Mira leaned back, inwardly amazed that sheer exhaustion wasn't helping them escape to the land of nod for a few hours at least. The day hadn't been much better, with an assembly about the latest disappearance nearly causing them to miss the bus completely and a barrage of new homework assignments and topics in every class.
"Julian's mom", Aiko shot the idea out in desperation. "She'd do anything to get him back. Even help us buy model guns. If we tell her-"
"If we told her, she would call the police", Mira cut in rapidly. "Look at it from her perspective. For all she knows, we might actually be out to get him. And even you have to admit, the only way to connect the model guns with rescuing him sounds like an anime plot."
"Huh. I didn't know you watched anime."
"Occasionally", Mira admitted with a shy chuckle. "Actually, that was one of the reasons originally I chose to study aboard here. Some of your artists are truly gifted. I never saw anything like that back home."
A brief smile lit up her friend's face, pushing the topic at hand to the background for a few lovely seconds before it came back. "Hey. If we save Julian, I'll take you both to an animation studio. I think he would like that kind of stuff, knowing what we know about him now."
"What we know about him", Mira acknowledged more reservedly. Just like her own Land, Julian's western-themed dream world had been a detailed work to put any anime artist to shame. Artists tried to capture life or subconscious images in pictures, but the Lands were the subconscious, in living color.
Of course, behind both of these living works of art had been a sinister force. Mirambela had watched many shows since arriving in Japan two years ago, both for her own enjoyment and to familiarize herself with local popular culture. But none of the villains she'd seen in those shows even came close to how scared she'd been around Julian's Shadow. Her own Shadow had been just as nasty and painful for her to behold once the truth had been revealed to her.
Mira frowned up at the blank ceiling. "Ai-chan... were you ever scared of my Shadow?"
She winced right after, believing it to be a stupid question, but calmed when she sensed Aiko genuinely thinking about the answer. "...Yes. Yes, I was. The worst was when I first saw her, before I knew exactly what was going on. She had your face. Your voice. But..."
"Yeah", Mira echoed, neither needing or wanting further elaboration. Unlike Julian's black-hatted Shadow, who could easily pass for a human if he were to hide his reverberating voice and searing golden eyes, her own Shadow had been an eight-foot pillar of gleaming technology, all armor plating and wiring and lights that suggested a being that was far more metal than flesh. Seeing a familiar face atop that monstrosity had to have been terrifying, especially when the Shadow had painfully ripped her own flesh face off, revealing a revolting automaton beneath it.
All that had been bad enough without her also knowing that everything that Shadow had said was something she'd thought privately in her weaker moments. And I owe it to her not to hide my opinions, my true thoughts, from her now.
"Maybe... maybe this is too much for us."
To her immense relief, Aiko didn't immediately sit up from her bed and denounce her. Of course not. She wasn't that type of person, and for a moment Mira felt embarrassed at her own crippling fear of that reaction. What she did do was close her eyes and roll to one side, releasing the air of her sigh into the wall.
"...Maybe."
"I never knew Rosea-kun much", Mira followed up hastily. "I saw him in class when we were both in our first year, but he never really said much to me. Then he moved on to his second year, and I... I didn't."
Stop making this all about you, idiot.
Quickly reconsidering her approach, she leaned down to study Aiko's prone form. "What I'm trying to say is... I really do want to save him. You saved me from my problems. Whatever he's got going on in his head right now? Can't be worse than my stupidity."
"It doesn't matter", Aiko whispered sadly. "If Kujou was lost in there... I think I'd still try to pull her out, no matter how much I hate her. We don't judge people that way."
"Of course", Mira acknowledged. "I'm just saying that Julian's Land is so much bigger, so much more dangerous than mine was... maybe we can't do it after all."
"We have Personas on our side", Aiko protested, still unable to face away from the wall and see the fear in her friend's eyes. "I'm pretty sure they reason we got them is to save people from that place."
"But they're not enough", Mira emphasized, fighting back tears now. "If we were stronger, if we had more time, maybe we could... but how can we go back there, knowing that we won't win? If we lose, we die. And then Rosea-kun dies, the same as if we did nothing."
The image of Julian seemed to manifest itself in front of her blurred eyes as she spoke, and she understood who she was really saying this to. "One death, or four deaths... It's not an easy decision, but... you saw what it was like. We can't win. The Shadows are just too strong for us." Turning back, she rolled into the covers, as if they were protection against Julian's accusing gaze.
"I'm so scared of them, Ai-chan. I don't want to die. Not when I finally found someone... when I'm finally starting to enjoy school again."
Their leader remained silent for a long time. Just when Mira thought she had gone to sleep, the whispered words reached her. "Thank you for being so honest, Mira-chan. I totally understand it. I'll... think about it."
Against all expectations, Julian did not haunt her dreams that night.
She had no dreams at all.
5/19 Sunday
Afternoon
KS: still no sign of Rosea?
AT: none. I talked to his parents.
AT: I'm worried
RH: prolly sleeping in the mall. The night watchman there is kind of lazy
AT: don't think so
KR: ill ask the soccer team if they saw him did you try texting him
AT: couple times. no reply
RH: damn
KS: will we still have fencing tomorrow? :'(
AT: I think so. besides if we skip Umaeda-sensei will prolly just shut it down. don't want to disappoint him
KR: cu there tsuruga
RH: try not to let this get you down too much. he's prolly doing something stupid cos he didn't get what he wanted. I was like that once
KS: u ran away from home? =:O
RH: kinda. It's private
KS: o
RH: how are his parents taking it?
AT: not well. They're talking about suing the school.
RH: adult's response to damn near everything -_-+
RH: u think it's related to Furusato?
KS: tsuruga-chan?
RH: k enough with the damn honoriffics in texting pls
AT: no, I don't. But I'll keep looking for him. Promise
Pelagio was willing to play along with Aiko on the next day, pretending that they were getting together to fulfill his wishes alone, and not so that she could talk to him about last night's conversation.
Besides, a wide-open plot of well-kept grass such as the Tosashimizu sports park felt like just the thing she needed to clear her head of the worries that had made it difficult to perform well at her job, though thankfully the work hadn't been as demanding as her boss' threats had first indicated. Some people above her own age were playing baseball, and some of the boy's faces inevitably reminded her of the topic at hand until she could hold it in no longer as they watched from the bleachers framed by a flat river bend.
"So", the falcon considered from his perch further up, not too far and not too near her or any other spectators. "Miss Sorano fears that continuing this quest will end in our deaths if we are not able to acquire the model guns we sought."
Subtly, so not to alarm anyone who might take issue to seeing a girl talking to herself, Aiko nodded. "You almost died. I was so worried that we might lose you. Now that stuffed-up weapons shop owner won't even sell us anything because we're 'too young'."
Deciding not to comment on that, Pelagio turned back to the ball game to spot the first home run. The teams seemed imbalanced to her, but no one cared. They just wanted to play. "I remain your sworn protector, my lady. Whatever your decision in this matter, I will remain by your side and aid you in your goals."
No one, least of all her, could deny that he had done exactly that. The cache of money that they had uncovered remained locked away in their dorm room, waiting to be used. She'd seen the prices at the Bird of Hermes and while they were steep, they certainly had enough funding to buy more than one model gun, with enough left over to get a helmet or two as well. The only obstacle left was the owner, and being so close yet so far was frustrating her beyond belief.
"And... if I ordered you to tell me which option you preferred?"
Pelagio seemed mildly offended by the idea, but not so much as to take off. "In my humble opinion? We should strive to finish what we have already started. Unfinished business is always so... so untidy."
She nodded back, having expected nothing else.
"Well, Mira-chan thinks that we should quit before any more of us get hurt. That we're too young to be dealing with something like this, risking our lives constantly." Locking gazes with the falcon's she regarded him carefully. "And after what nearly happened to you, I almost want to agree with her."
Pelagio's own raptor eyes remained difficult to read as ever, but his tone was unmistakable. "Forgive me, but from what I have observed, miss Mirambela seems to be unsuited as an accomplice for your chosen task. She is weak."
Aiko stood, ignoring the game to stomp over closer to Pelagio, the anger she'd felt when he'd lacerated captain Byzael coming back more easily than expected. "Mira-chan is many things, but she is not weak. Watch your tongue... uh, or your beak. Birds have tongues, right?"
Pelagio opened his beak up to prove the affirmative. "I understand that we come from very different worlds, of course. I merely state that she may not be suitable for mine. I have oft-noticed her reluctance to fight as we do, to strike at Shadows with the intent to kill except when there is no other option. When I fell against that jailer Shadow, you were the one who became angry and tore that beast asunder with your power. As you have already seen, my lady, Personas are directly linked to emotion."
"Kind of hard not to notice that", she said more quietly. She wasn't proud of that moment, when she'd lost all control and assaulted the enemy with wave after wave of magical fire until only ashes remained. It felt wrong. Like an outburst of temper in class that made everyone else stop and stare, which so far she'd avoided doing no matter how much Mattora annoyed her.
"Yet, all that she did was cower before that enemy", Pelagio reasoned. "She supported us with her spells, but even then, she lacked the courage to commit to a direct assault with the daggers she had been given by her Persona for that purpose."
Turning back to the game to take her mind off it and failing, Aiko sighed. "Maybe Ishinagi-sensei is right about me. Maybe I really do have anger issues."
Pelagio scoffed at the idea though. "Hardly. Do you truly believe that we would have been given that emotion if its only purpose was for us to suppress it? Much like those daggers, anger has its uses. It has aided me in many a battle."
And that, she reasoned, was the problem. Pelagio had spent his entire life up to this point in Faraway Lands, a nightmare world of 'eat or be eaten'. He was used to fighting Shadows alone, and only looking after himself. While his loyalty to her was unquestionable, he wouldn't hesitate to ditch any other ally that he felt wasn't pulling their weight.
He seemed to be thinking something similar as well when she turned back to him. "I have watched you humans for weeks now. In this world, you use games and competitions such as this 'baseball' to channel your aggression. You live in a world where it is considered bad to express your anger naturally. Where such expressions are even punished harshly."
Thinking back to the two injured thugs, she could only nod. "That's the law. You can't just let people get violent with each other whenever they want."
Pelagio didn't sound dismissive, merely curious. "Is that the definition of human 'harmony'? That is another term I have heard come up. Violent humans, or humans who do not share the opinions of the majority, threaten the 'harmony'."
"Sort of", she admitted uncomfortably. 'Harmony' was a term more used by JCAP's expert speechwriters than anyone else these days. To be a successful country, its citizens must be in perfect harmony, united in the same goal. Outsiders and outside ideas disrupt that harmony, and weaken the country. Masayoshi Shido's dream sought to bring harmony to the country, and make it truly great.
She'd heard that kind of speech enough to remember, even while trying to avoid having to listen to it too often.
Probably because I count as being one of the ones who 'disrupts the harmony', even if I could potentially be full Japanese. It wasn't her nationality that was disruptive, but the things she did at school.
Wouldn't have it any other way, she decided easily. If doing what I've done goes against the harmony that Mr. Shido strove for, then too bad. I'll apologize to all the people who feel like I'm breaking their precious unity.
"It is our own harmony that I am now concerned for, my lady", Pelagio carried on. "While a crew of three is preferable to a crew of two, your friend's lack of aggression may also lead to mistakes in battle. One of those mistakes could be our death."
"Which is all the more reason why I seriously considered her idea", Aiko contended, feeling faint with the realization of the edge they were tipping on now. The edge of surrender. "We can try telling the adults about it. Maybe one of them will listen, and take action to save Rosea-kun in time."
"Perhaps", Pelagio admitted grudgingly. "However, I consider such a result unlikely, considering how they have reacted previously. And... please consider that it could potentially put you in danger as well."
Her face went pale, feeling like they'd flown over the metaphorical edge already, now that they were actually talking about it. "Huh? How come?"
Wings folded, he turned to the clouds. "If you were to give the police, or any adult, a reference about where Mr. Rosea has gone off to, that would give them cause to view you as accomplices. They would have reason to question you more harshly, demanding the truth from you while their own minds refuse to grasp what the truth really is. Thus, they would continue to believe that you both are lying to cover something up, and possibly involved in whatever has happened to the boy. It could go very badly for you, my lady... and for miss Sorano."
That mental picture rocked her and she nearly fell from her seat. The police had questioned Mirambela already about her own disappearance. A scenario like the one Pelagio had described would likely go worse for Mira than it would for her, due to her role in the previous incident. While she had been completely honest in her earlier words about watching all the TV news specials about police corruption being routed out after the surrender of Masayoshi Shido, her statement towards the cops who had questioned her at school about Noel was also genuine.
No. Can't trust them with this. Can't let them hurt Mira-chan.
Watching as one of the younger players struck out, she carefully nodded back to him. "Thanks. I didn't imagine it might end up that way, but you're probably right. If we say something, that makes us look suspicious. We might even end up being the ones held accountable for the disappearances."
The white falcon did not preen, continuing to watch the game play out. "Hmph. I still have a lot to learn about you humans, but I have also spent quite some time watching the behavior of those entrusted with protecting the innocent from criminals. While I have seen admirable behavior in many of them, I have also seen others who do not share that same devotion to their duty. Furthermore..."
The way he'd suddenly cut off only worried her more. "Pelagio? What's wrong?"
But his stare had returned to the clouds. "It is... nothing, my lady. Nothing you should concern yourself with during the current crisis. Just know that whatever course you should decide is best, I shall stand with you always."
"Same here", she promised. "And thanks for the honesty. I never thought about it that way before."
Now, if only that made making this decision any easier.
But it was still her decision to make, she knew now. Mira and Pelagio had both chosen her to lead, to be their captain. That meant they both felt the safest, the most confident with her making the decisions for the team.
If only I felt the same way...
5/19 Sunday
Evening
She still hadn't made a decision by the time she returned to the dorm. The game had provided some welcome distraction, especially when one player had left and the call had gone out for a substitute. She had been only too happy to accept the request; even if she wasn't very good, it kept her mind off the decision.
The walk back held no such luxuries. She'd deliberately chosen to take the route going along the beach, its cooling breeze full of memories and feelings. Previous decisions made through fear of the consequences.
No one will know. No one will know, except us. And that's the only ones who really matter.
Maybe it wouldn't turn out as badly as she envisioned. Maybe the guilt wouldn't hang over them whenever they got together, a lowercase shadow drawn across their interactions, plaguing their dreams forevermore.
Or maybe she was leading them all to their deaths.
She would have given a great deal for Byzael's ship to be there waiting for her, so she could ask the captain his advice on the situation. There was one adult that she didn't mind confessing her deepest secrets to, knowing that he would keep them safe. Instead, she had to be content with only her memory of his words.
The captain is responsible for the livelihood of the entire crew, not merely himself. If the risk is too great, a new course should be set across safer waters.
But I have no idea what these safer waters could be. Either path leads to death. Captain... please help me.
The clash between the two courses had manifested into a headache by the time she was done dinner. Stepping through the door to their room, she knew that Mira deserved a decisive answer tonight... even if she herself wouldn't know what the final answer would be until the final moment she uttered it.
Xtriquation. We can try going there. Sure it'll be risky, but it doesn't guarantee anyone's death. We'll be careful. Pelagio can watch over and make sure no one gets the drop on-
The desperate theory stopped then, as she saw that Mira wasn't alone. There was another figure seated on her bed, adult-size if only just, dark brown hair falling down a police uniform.
As they turned to their new arrival, she saw it was detective Nijima.
"Mira-chan", she whispered in the stuffy room, suddenly feeling her feet fall away and her skin turn to ice. "Tell me you didn't..."
The young detective regarded her carefully, as if seeing her for the first time. "So this is the one. The one who saved you, correct?"
She did. She told the police. Shit... now what?
But the officer seemed to have sensed her fear, and gave her best comforting smile to try and alleviate it. "You can close the door, miss Tsuruga. I promise that whatever secrets are shared tonight will remain with the three of us."
Confusion compounded fear and surrender, and she could only obey the direction until feeling came back into her hands and feet. So it's over. I don't have to make the decision. Almost a relief, really.
Scratch the almost. Whatever happened now, it was out of her control.
"You're Saber, correct?", Nijima asked cautiously. "We were just talking about how you used your Persona to save her life."
Not sure what to say, she turned to Mira, who nodded back. "It's okay, Ai-chan. She said she'll keep it a secret. I believe her."
"We don't have a choice now", Aiko replied, too tired to reprimand her. "We have to believe her. If she's lying, well... I won't blame you."
"This was my decision", Nijima clarified sternly. "I got the records of her questioning, but no one else in the department believed it. Why would they? None of them have ever seen a Persona before, or a Shadow."
Aiko stared back, aghast. "Huh? Are you saying that you have?"
Nijima chuckled. It wasn't the bad kind, but so courteous that it was comforting. Maybe this was what a real mother did for their children, trivializing their foolish worries with a simple sound of amusement until they understood what was really important.
Regardless of if it was, Aiko figured that detective Nijima would make an excellent mom if she ever chose.
"My name is Makoto Nijima", the older woman welcomed her kindly. "But there was a brief time of my life when my name was 'Queen'. That time... it changed me forever. It made me who I am today. If it makes you feel more comfortable, you may also address me that way."
"That's fine", Aiko offered, still fighting the instinct to run and hide from all this. If Nijima was going to arrest them, she wished she would just get it over with already.
Nijima shrugged. "Whatever you'd prefer, Saber. Dancer has been telling me about your current dilemma, and how you need some model guns to survive the obstacles before you. Otherwise, Julian Rosea will die. Am I correct so far?"
She nodded, dumbstruck.
"She gave me the impression that you were out of luck. That you could see no other choice but to give up." Chuckling again, Nijima leaned back on the bed, eyes closed. "I can't even count the number of times where it seemed to be that way for us. Where it seemed like there was no way left for us to complete our objective, and all we could do was wait for tragedy to strike. Looking back, I count ourselves blessed for the number of lucky breaks that we received. Perhaps it truly was fate... or maybe justice?"
"Please", Aiko whispered pleadingly. "Enough with the dramatics. I don't think my heart can take it much longer. Who exactly are you, again?"
Nijima blinked in mock confusion. "Didn't I tell you? I'm detective Nijima, on loan from the Tokyo police department to investigate the sudden rash of disappearances that has plagued Koashimizu academy. I'm also Queen. A member... of the Phantom Thieves."
5/19 Sunday
Evening
At some point during their talks, Aiko's skin thawed from its ice. Maybe it was when the woman before her revealed herself as a Persona user. Or maybe when she revealed herself as one of the legendary Phantom Thieves who had become such a phenomenon in Tokyo six years ago that Phantom Thief merchandise was now a collector's item.
Maybe it was just the way Nijima acted, the way she talked. There was a confidence in this adult that some of her teachers lacked, a strength of purpose that she could only remember sensing in captain Byzael before. Regardless, there was no choice left now but to trust in Nijima, and listen to her story.
"Our Personas allowed us to penetrate the deepest parts of criminals' Palaces", she was explaining to her two rapt listeners. "By stealing their Treasures, we could cause them to have a change of heart, and repent their crimes. The calling cards that so inflamed the media were actually a necessary step to cause the Treasure to materialize."
She nodded back, finally starting to comprehend. "You were all the news networks talked about for half a year. Even when people thought you had murdered president Okumura at that press conference."
Nijima's sharp face fell, wondering if yong Aiko had personally seen that horrifying sight like so many others. "Yes. That was perhaps our darkest time... but even then, we were eventually able to pull through and reveal the truth of that murder. It was caused by Masayoshi Shido, with the intent to frame the Phantom Thieves."
Mira's eyes widened, standing up off the bed. "Was Mr. Shido a Persona-user then?"
Nijima's laugh was different this time, far more of a mockery... and a fair bit of sadness. "No. As usual, he acted through his subordinates. He only ever had a single Persona-user under his command, but a very skilled and ruthless one. Even when we finally caught up to him, it took all eight of us working as a team to win."
"He must have been very powerful", Mira observed, a bit disturbed about the very existence of such a dangerous enemy.
"He was. But he's gone now, don't worry." Folding her arms, Nijima regarded Aiko anew. "Enough about us then. I don't yet have the full picture of why this is happening again, and in a completely different way from before. We Phantom Thieves destroyed the cause of the Metaverse as our final act, which we believed would be the end of Shadows as well. Clearly, this isn't the case."
The rest was fairly straightforward. Nijima's assuring presence made confessing all the secrets that Aiko had kept locked up for over a month easier than she would have believed, and once she started, it was like a flood.
"A sea", the detective considered thoughtfully once everything was out in the open. "An endless sea of stars that contains the worlds of people's dreams... or at least, where they subconsciously wished to live. Fascinating. Mementos took the form of an underground subway tunnel, but this sounds like something else entirely. I'd like to meet this Pelagio you spoke of. He grew up in Faraway Lands, so he might have more information."
"We can talk to him tomorrow morning", Aiko offered, knowing that she would need to be there to referee such a meeting. If anything, Pelagio was more wary about sharing their secrets than she was.
Nijima shook her head. "My apologies, but I can't. I still have work to do tomorrow."
Aiko raised a brow politely. "More important than this?"
"Actually, yes", Nijima explained. "Comparing notes on the other world can wait... but saving Mr. Rosea can't. I will get you the model weapons that you need. I guarantee it."
She stared back, not daring to believe what she was hearing. "Seriously? You mean it?"
Standing, Nijima regarded her more seriously. "I am an officer of the law. If I ask to inspect a shop's merchandise for clues on a case I'm working, then it will be permitted. Trust me, it won't be the first time I've had to bluff someone."
"That...", she felt a relieved smile tugging at the corner of her mouth now. At last, a moment where it looked like everything would be alright after all. Feeling the weight of those problems slide away, she bowed. "That would be incredibly helpful, Miss Nijima. Thank you! Thank you so much!"
The detective didn't share her smile however. She stared out the window into the night sky. "If something similar to the Metaverse is preying on the despair of human hearts, I can't say no when other Persona users have appeared to take up our torch. Anything that I can do to aid you, I shall. Besides... I owe you."
"What? What do you mean?"
Turning back, Nijima addressed Mira directly, looking more aggrieved than either girl had ever seen her before, even bowing. "I'm sorry, Miss Sorano. I'm sorry for everything that you've been through. The Phantom Thieves were supposed to reform society. We even changed the heart of Masayoshi Shido, the man who, I believe, was seeking to turn Japan into his own personal empire. We discredited Shido, along with many of his top supporters, but... the ideas that he promoted in order to gain his fame are still very much alive and with us today. If anything, they have become even stronger."
"She's talking about JCAP", Aiko provided when Mira looked too stunned to answer. "They publicly condemned Mr. Shido's crimes, but claim that his dream for a rich, perfectly harmonious country is still worth fighting for."
Nijima grunted angrily. "Their exact wording was, 'he went too far in pursuit of his dream'. Yes. I've seen the rallies. They just don't understand that they were being duped the whole time. I myself saw Shido's dream- his Palace- and it was a dream that no one ever wished for except for him and those closest to him. Shido cared for no one."
She shivered, and Mira stepped off the bed to look into her more closely, sensing her sorrow and frustration. "Please, don't blame yourself officer Nijima. You've done nothing wrong. The Phantom Thieves did their job. They stopped lots of awful criminals, and if what you say is true, you stopped an evil man from gaining power over the entire country. You can't be expected to change people's minds, or their beliefs."
"I appreciate that, Sorano", Nijima accepted in a discipline that seemed to natural to be the result of police training. "But... isn't that exactly what my friends and I did as the Phantom Thieves? We acted to change people's hearts. However, many of the people who are now prominent leaders of JCAP- Murama Gouki, Hanae Oda, Daisuke Kujou, Yuji Oeda... none of those people were part of Shido's original criminal conspiracy. No, they merely believed in his message, and joined his support base of their own free will without any evil intent or desire for power." Putting a hand to her head, she closed her eyes as if reflecting back to a moment long ago.
"Even if the Phantom Thieves could still do something about that, I honestly can't say if we should. That might cross the line. We can't force people. Not if they don't have a Palace. We always made sure that our team was unanimous before we made the decision to take down a target."
"That's a good idea", Aiko affirmed respectfully. "The truth is, we were just discussing whether we should give up on our objective. I didn't want to do it unless everyone on the team agreed. You just stopped us from giving up completely, Nijima-san. For that, you have our gratitude."
Nijima smiled back at her, heading to the door. "Don't thank me yet. What I'm doing for you is the easy part. You kids are the ones who are going to have to fight Shadows and save your friend, as much as I wish it wasn't needed."
"Huh? What about you?", Mira asked imploringly. "You have a Persona, right Nijima-san? Can't you come along with us?"
"Not tomorrow", she explained apologetically. "I'll already be putting off work to get you the models in time for the afternoon. If I do that too much, my partner, Iaji, will get suspicious. If he sees me working with you..."
"Got it", Aiko understood, feeling her resolve return to her, bracing a tired body. "We can handle it, Nijima-san. All we needed was a chance. We won't waste it. I promise."
Nijima smiled genuinely this time, changing her focus back to the team's leader. "I know you won't. I see it in your eyes, miss Tsuruga. That absolute determination to help a friend in need... You look a bit like him when you're all confident like that, you know?"
She raised an eyebrow, not sure what the detective meant. "I look like who?"
"You look like Joker."
A/N: Apologies for the delay. Flood damage isn't fun, and that's all I will bother saying about that. I also felt the need to rewrite this one along with a few others to match certain plot ideas I've decided to change.
ANYWAYS, I'm glad to finally get a meeting scene between former and current Persona-users.
I am aware that Makoto intended to become a police commissioner rather than a cop, but it stands to reason that some field experience is needed before that can happen, even with her grades. Even her sister was working a lower-level position, trying ineffectively to climb up the ranks no matter how biased her bosses were. While she is of course always useful ally to have, don't expect her or the other Phantom Thieves to be able to solve all the Voyagers' problems.
I normally use Persona OST songs for chapter titles, but for this one I decided to use a song from RWBY more fitting to the subject that I also enjoy.