"So… Do you have a theory about what could be going on?" Souji was calm as ever. He needed to talk to Adachi and figured it would be easier if he didn't force Nanko to come along this time.

Adachi seemed so happy to have company. Souji felt guilty sometimes for not visiting very often. "I mean, it's not much. But I was thinking… What about that girl you were friends with back then. The cute brunette with amnesia. The weather girl, right? She was there, she was a part of it all back then."

"Marie?" Souji asked, one eyebrow raised. "What makes you think she has anything to do with it?"

Adachi took a breath before he continued. "I'm not trying to accuse a friend of yours, Souji, I know you were close. But she was a part of Isanami. Kusumi-no-okami, the piece of Isanami with control over the fog. That's what she goes by now, isn't it? Mariko Kusumi? What an interesting choice for someone who's trying to leave the past behind."

Souji frowned. "Huh. You have a point. There's really no evidence that she's involved though, so it's all just speculation. I should probably talk to her, just to be sure." He winced when he thought about how Rise was going to react when he proposed the idea.

Adachi laughed softly. "You're thinking about how mad that girlfriend of yours is going to be, am I right?"

Souji shot him a dirty look. "I mean, yeah. She isn't going to be happy. But I'm the only person she'll be honest with, so it has to be me." Adachi laughed again. "I'll come and visit you again, if I live through it."


"Ok, let me get this straight," Miwa said. "All those times your cousin and his friends came to my uncle's shop, they were buying weapons and armor to fight in this world? I always thought they were just really into RPG's or something."

Nanako shook her head. "Nope, they were really using the weapons. I know," she said, reading Miwa's expression. "But now here we are, too."

"So now what?" Maika asked. "We all have personas. How are we going to figure out how to stop whoever's doing this?"

"I wish there was a simple answer to that. Souji's following a lead, but I'm not sure it's going to amount to anything."

Miusagi was pacing back and forth in thought. "Kanji said that they had to pretty much wait for someone else to show up on the midnight channel. Back then, the person would appear there before they were taken, so they had a chance to intervene before it happened."

"Right," Kiyotaka agreed, "but you said it was different this time."

Teddie nodded. "Absbearlutely correct! Last time it was like the person in the TV was starring in a TV show. Their shadow was on the midnight channel saying crazy stuff they wouldn't normally say!"

"Like the things our shadows said in the tv world?" Emiko asked.

"Yep!" Teddie replied. "Exactly like that!"

Takeyoshi looked thoughtful. "I wonder what's so different this time around."

"That's definitely the problem, isn't it?" Sanae commented. "When will we know what Souji finds out, Nanako-chan?"

"Tomorrow evening. All of us and the former Investigation Team are going to meet at Kanji and Naoto's house, so let's all get some rest until then."

When the others headed home, Teddie placed a hand on Nanako's shoulder. "Poor sensei," he said. "Hopefully Rise-chan doesn't hurt him!"


Souji wasn't sure this was worth it. While he still wasn't entirely sure why his friendship with Marie bothered Rise so much, the last thing he wanted to do was hurt her feelings. Still, did she have to throw things at him? And all that yelling…

"I told you I don't like it when you talk to her, Souji!" A small lamp flew past his head as he ducked to the side. It was a good thing he had fast reflexes.

"And I told you, I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't have to. It's for the investigation-" something else flew by him. Was that a watermelon? "Rise, come on! I have to help Nanako-chan!"

Rise took a breath. Things stopped flying through the air. "Fine! For Nanako-chan, but then that had better be it! No more Mariko! Rise stuck her tongue out, then sat down on the floor, finally out of fight.

Souji shuddered at the memory. His tiny girlfriend was one scary individual when she wanted to be. He had sent Marie a text the night before, and she had agreed to meet him at the tv station at lunch time. "Souji-kun!" she exclaimed when he walked through the door. "I-I mean, it'snotlikeIwaswaitingforyouorsomethingyoustupididiot!"

Souji sighed. This was turning out to be a rough couple of days. "Hey, Marie, how are you?"

"Good, good, want to go grab some steak skewers for lunch? I'm starving!"

He had promised Rise this wasn't some sort of date. But he needed to find out if she knew anything. "Uhh, sure. Sounds good."

They went to Souzai Daigaku and grabbed some skewers. After a couple of minutes watching Marie enthusiastically work on her very chewy lunch, Souji figured it was now or never. "Hey, Marie?"

"Mmmfff?" she responded, still chewing away.

"You know all that stuff that happened before, when I was in high school?"

"Which stuff?" she asked, trying to look innocent. He hated asking her about this. He knew she felt really bad about her part in it.

"The stuff with all the fog, and people being thrown in the tv."

"Oh, that stuff," she said, and took another bite of meat.

"Well it's happening again. Do you happen to know anything about it?"

Marie nearly choked on her skewer. "What do you mean it's happening again?"

"People are being thrown in the tv, Marie. My little cousin and her friends are involved, and I'm going to do everything I can to keep them safe. Now what do you know about it?"

Marie just stared at him in disbelief for a moment, before launching into one of her embarrassed fits. "WhatdoyoumeanwhatdoIknowaboutit? WhywouldIknownanythingyoufreakingmoron?" She took a breath. "Little Nanako-chan? She's in danger?" she asked quietly.

Souji nodded. "Yes. I mean, she's not so little anymore, but still. It's my job to protect her, and someone is making that really difficult right now. If you know anything, please, please tell me."

Marie gave him a sad smile. "I'm sorry, Souji. I really don't know anything. All I do these days is the weather. Any requests for tomorrow?"

He just looked at her for a while, trying to get a read on her. "How about sunny, with a little of that crisp, fall air?"

She smiled at him and he smiled back. "Sounds perfect."


When Souji arrived at Kanji and Naoto's house that evening, he found Maika and the fox sitting outside at the curb. "Mai-chan!" he called out with a smile. "And Mr. Fox?! It's so good to see you, buddy!" The fox greeted him, running circles around him.

"Yip yip!"

"Hello, Souji-san!" Maika said cheerfully. "Mr. Fox wanted to see you! He said it's been a long time!"

"It has," Souji said. "We should probably head in, but I promise to come see you really soon." He gave the fox a quick scratch behind his ears before entering the house.


He expected to find everyone waiting tensely inside, but Kanji had made snacks. Everyone was scattered about the large living room with plates, many sitting on comfy cushions scattered about the floor. Naoto had a knitted blanket wrapped around her. Souji didn't fail to notice that the fall air was already creeping in. Rise walked up to him and put her arms around his neck, and gave him a soft kiss. "Welcome home," she said sweetly.

"Thanks," he answered. "We don't live here though."

She laughed. "Well, welcome home to me, then. I'm sorry I was such a drama queen last night."

"It's fine," he said. "Let me grab a plate before I update everyone." He took her hand, leading her to the kitchen.

"SENSAI!" Teddie exclaimed, wrapping his arms around Souji's waist. "Bear hug!"

Souji turned to Nanako. "Can you please… take him back."

Nanako laughed. "Come on Teddie, Souji needs to get a snack before some bear eats it all…"


Once they were all settled, Souji relayed his conversation with Marie to the others. Yosuke seemed deep in thought. "Well what do you think, partner? Is she telling the truth?"

"I got the impression that she was," Souji answered. "But I still don't think we can rule her out completely. Last time she had no idea she was involved, either."

"That is true," Naoto said. "She had amnesia until the moment she changed forms. She could simply be unaware of her involvement."

"Maybe we should keep an eye on her, just in case?" Kanji suggested.

"No way, I've had enough of my boyfriend having little lunch dates with another girl!" Rise exclaimed. When everyone was silent, she said "what? You all knew already anyway, didn't you?"

"Pretty much!" Yukiko said with a laugh. Naoki tried to quickly calm her down before she got hysterical.

"I agree with Kanji, but I also think Rise is right. We should handle this through the proper channels. Chie-san and I will take turns checking up on her," Naoto decided. "We will let it be official police business."

"This is all great, but now what?" Miusagi asked. "What should we be doing in the meantime?"

"I was wondering that too," Nanako answered. "I think the answer is probably that we should be keeping to our normal routines. Going to school, training, and enjoying some down time so we're ready when we know more."

"That's exactly right, Nanako-chan," Souji replied.

"So no more cutting school," Kanji growled, looking right at Miusagi, who rolled his eyes.

"Ted and I can pop into the tv at work periodically to keep an eye on the situation," Yosuke added.

"Is everyone in agreement?" Chie asked. Both the old and the new Investigation Teams agreed. "Good, then that's the plan!"


Notes:

So I guess this story is back on? There's been a lot of interest in it recently so I'm going to try to finish it. It's been awhile and I don't remember where exactly I was going with some of this story, so please bear with me while I get back on track!