Chapter 62 / Suffer

July 28th, 2012 / Early Morning
Takura Productions - Conference Room

SETSUKO'S POINT OF VIEW

It had only been two hours since then but a heavy fog had already rolled in through Tokyo. Not just that but there were reports of that fog covering the country, and it was moving quickly. After running some calculations based on the speed of its expansion, it would only take around fourteen hours to cover every part of the planet. Mitsuru had quickly acquired the equipment I needed and I moved most of it here to the conference room to show the severity of the situation as the last of the Shadow Operatives had arrived. Narukami Yu and his friends, along with Kujikawa Rise, had gone and gotten a deserved meal. Despite the turn of events they had still ended one crisis.

That, however, had been part of our enemies plan. And it revolved around using my brother as his weapon. It took every part of me to keep focused on the task at hand. Everyone was gathered now. Even Rise who watched the projection with a serious look.

"Fourteen hours and around twenty seven minutes is all it will take to completely cloak the world in fog. As you can all guess at this point, the epicenter and location of where the fog comes from is Inaba," I look to Mitsuru. "We only have vague intentions, but clearly we're on a time limit before he succeeds."

"Thank you, Kasamatsu-san," Mitsuru took over. "I've used the Shadow Operatives to take control of this area. As you can likely imagine, panic has already begun to spread. No one can explain the fog and its rapid spread. Riots and mass hysteria won't be far behind as it grows and covers more land. So we'll act now, and fast. That is where this gets tricky."

Hm? What did she mean?

"His name is Nyarlathotep," Hamuko moved to the front of the room. "Over a year ago, before the formation of the Shadow Operatives, we faced off against this Shadow. He took the form of my dead twin brother to manipulate our Uncle to essentially give him the power he needed to undo the Great Seal. The Great Seal is what protects us from an event called The Fall. It was why my brother gave his life. He was a Persona user that was capable of calling from the Universe Arcana. Or so I'm told. But the point was, this Nyarlathotep referred to himself as the origin of Shadows, that he was all Shadows. Even as we defeated him, we knew that he would return in some form."

"But we weakened him," Kana spoke up next. "No doubt he needed time to gather strength."

"So he attached himself to someone in a weakened form. And a Persona user," Rise's voice was shaky but her face was determined. No one was going to stop her from being a part of this. "And he continued to leech off of Kayane and his power."

Hamuko nodded, "You're probably right. Not to mention he likely took an interest in the development in the TV world. As that kind of place would have a direct influence on the Sea of Souls."

"The Sea of Souls," Naoto who was standing against the wall on the far side pulled up his hat. "Mikuratana-no-Kami also mentioned that. And so this Nyarlathotep is also a representation of an aspect of mankind. Specifically a Shadow... which means... he can't truly be defeated, can he?"

"Weakened, yes. Completely defeated? No," Mitsuru interjected. "This is because there appear to be aspects of the human unconscious that develop into higher beings, Shadows in the Sea of Souls. Meaning, as long as there's life, these things will always be. But that doesn't mean there isn't a way to prevent these disasters from becoming reality. We don't have time to debate. Unlike the Midnight Stage, we know that within the TV world we will have to fight. And that he will likely use that world to slow us down, and do so by utilizing how the TV world was used before."

"If that's the case, then he'll likely mold its environment after Kayane. It was his power that he wanted after all," Rise spoke up.

"Was his aim... Kayane's unique skills?" Naoto suggested.

"Symphonic Discord... and Last Symphony. It's possible he might be using those very things in the fog. If he warped that kind of effect... that would explain what he said. A world that will lash out in anger, violence," Yu said.

"If he is capable of combining effects, isolating only the things he wants, that kind of thing is more than feasible. And using the TV world to amplify that. And an added effect that as panic spreads it would likely give him more power needed to succeed," Naoto's eyes widened. "If that is the case then..."

"That is likely the assumption we should have moving forward. We don't have the luxury to find out the truth. The clock is ticking. Helicopters will be here within the hour. I want a team to..."

"-Excuse me," Rise cut in. "No offense, but the team going in has to be everyone connected to Kayane. Kana, Hamuko, Yukari, Setsuko, Aigis, Labrys, Yu, Yukiko, Chie, Yosuke, Kanji, Naoto, me and Kayane himself."

"What?" Mitsuru was shocked.

"No, she's right," Hamuko added. "What we face will no doubt relate to Kayane. He is the linchpin to his new power and plan. And he used our own memories of Minato the same way when we faced him. It stands to reason he will do the same here. Plus they are the resident experts of the TV world. No matter what our fighting prowess is, we only know so much about that place."

"You have a point, but what would be the reason for bringing Kayane? He's in a coma. Apathy syndrome, without his Persona, he won't be of any help," Mitsuru pointed out.

"Because we'll need him," Yu spoke up.

I blinked, "What do you mean?"

"Nyarlathotep wanted those unique skills, but no matter how he twists those powers, it is Kayane himself and his feelings behind them that gave birth to them. And well, who knows what he'll come up with when he comes to," Yosuke chuckled.

"That's right. Senpai is always pulling crazy stunts. He might turn it around on this asshole," Kanji added his support.

"I remember his fight with Minazuki Sho," Kana said. "He even used a weapon that wasn't his own and won. That was when he came up with that power, because of his desire to show Minazuki what he had done to others."

"It's pretty cool to have a cousin like that," Hamuko grinned.

"I know Minato would have loved to meet his cousin," Yukari added, juggling her daughter Kokoro in her arms. "Plus Nyarlathotep used the image of my husband again. You aren't leaving me out of this."

This had escalated so quickly. Before I had even been able to meet my brother for the first time he was already within the clutches of that Shadow.

"I haven't known my brother for very long. Our lives were entwined with the world of Persona and Shadows since we were children. I had forgotten all about him. It's funny, when I figured out I had a brother, there was a hope that he had grown up in a good environment. He was supposed to go with our Uncle after all. What better place to be than with family, right? But all of you know how that turned out. Our Uncle decided that my brother was at fault for our parents death. Kay-chan suffered abuse both physical and emotional. All this time that has passed and he is still suffering. All of you care about him. I've seen it in the short time I've been acquainted with all of you. Most of all Rise-chan. I know this might be strange to say but I feel like I still haven't met my brother yet. Not the real him. The person he's been has been to protect the people around him. He hasn't let himself be him. Does that make sense?" I said and found my eyes meeting with Rise.

"You're right," Rise smiled. "You haven't met the real Kayane yet. The one that is waiting for us to free him. This Nyarlathotep is using his past and insecurities to do what he wants with his powers. But it took him time to do it. So we head back to the TV world, bringing Kayane with us. If I were to guess he'll change the TV world to better accommodate the power he is trying to absorb. I'm not sure what it will look like, but I expect it to be much more massive than his original place in the TV world."

"Yeah I agree," Yu added. "I would imagine all the aspects that give him his power are what will be made manifest. Meaning there might be multiple locations we have to take on at once. This won't be like anything we've faced before."

"But it's for our Senpai. Our precious friend who has become a very important part of all of our lives. And more than that we want to see him happy. To live the life he has never been able to," Yukiko said with a resolute look.

"Having seen what Kayane-san has endured up close I can concur. The incident involving the red mist and I was taken hostage, it was clear how fixated that fake Shadow was on him. It could only be described as torture. Using the fake Shadow of Rise to further it. To be that close and be so powerless to help. Believe me, I understand that helplessness more than most," Mitsuru's voice was softer than a moment ago. "Years ago, our dear friend and Yukari's love, Arisato Minato, got to his feet when the rest of us could not. And he faced the terror of death head on. All we could do was watch as he took that burden on himself. I will never forget that image, that pain I felt then."

"Yeah, it's forever etched into my soul. That moment where he fought in a place we couldn't follow," Yukari had walked to Mitsuru. "That's why, we'll do everything we can now. To protect the world that he left for us. He gave everything, because he loved us. He desired more than anything to preserve this world. Going against the very desire of those wishing for death. That's why we will save Kayane-san. I've learned so much since those days in high school. Having a daughter and the harsh reality of how no one will ever know that the world has nearly ended. Nobody will know what my husband did for this world. I wonder if he's alright for me marrying him when he doesn't have a say in it."

"I doubt he intended to leave you pregnant though," Mitsuru commented. "The point is, I agree with your consensus Kujikawa. The team to deal with this will be the Investigation Team, along with Hamuko, Kana, Labrys, Aigis, Setsuko and Yukari, as long as everyone approves. Kujikawa, I believe you are the one that should be in control of this effort."

Rise looked surprised for a moment before she recovered, "I'll do the best I can. I can't say I won't make any mistakes. And I'll be relying on everyone to make sure I keep calm."

I turned to Yoko, who had been standing at the side of the room. Upon our eyes meeting she beckoned me over and so I walked over to her. And then without saying anything she pulled me into a hug. "Y-Yoko?"

"Don't think I haven't noticed," Yoko chuckled. "How badly do you want to run to Inaba to find your brother? You think because of how little time you've been a part of his life that you can't want it just as much as everyone else."

"No, that isn't it at all," I shook my head and backed up from her, leaving her embrace. "Years, Yoko! If I had only remembered my brother then..."

"You can't change the past, Nee-san!" Yoko yelled, grabbing the attention of everyone else.

"But..." I lowered my head, tears forming that I didn't know I had. "I remember now. I remember Labrys playing with Kayane and I. He was only three years old and I remember pulling him around everywhere with me. He would talk to me, and I..."

"What good does thinking about any of that do? Kayane needs your help right now!" Yoko walked towards me. I went to step back but I stumbled. I started to fall. I hit something with my robotic leg. I had always been like this. In moments where I allow my emotions to overwhelm me I lose track of my surroundings. It's why I always tried to stay focused on the task ahead of me. Yoko was always there, silently looking after me. Her useless older sister who can only do anything when it comes to a lab or computer. Years fighting against the Shadows as a kid, thinking I had to protect her. Never knowing there was someone else that could have used my protection.

I never hit the ground, instead I was caught by Rise. She steadied me back to my feet.

"Kayane is trapped," Rise spoke softly. "He's been trapped for a long time. And I don't mean in a physical sense. He has been his own worst enemy for quite a while. I think that took me far too long to see that. Despite that it was Kayane who rescued me. Maybe it's just because of who he is. It's also his greatest fault. He thinks about others more than himself. When I met him, I thought I could support him just like I had anyone else. But that wasn't true at all. You see unlike me, Kayane never truly hid who he was to people. He dressed the way he wanted, did what he enjoyed, but he avoided people. Avoiding speaking his feelings. And yet he could see right through me. Just by listening he knew if I was telling him the truth or being insincere. Even after awakening to my Persona and facing myself I realized that it wasn't so simple as that. Our Shadows were only one aspect of ourselves. The part of us we tried to deny. Kayane reminded me that there is plenty about ourselves that we don't deny that make up who we are. Life is a struggle, and happiness isn't earned in a day. Even rescuing Kayane today is just a first step. I realized if I truly loved him then I had to commit to helping him and that his heart will take time to truly mend. But he's worth it. I've seen glimpses of him, the real him that isn't bogged down by his insecurities and pain that he's dealt with in his life. When he loses himself to his music you can see it. So I know I have to create a place where he can always be himself. Where he doesn't have to be afraid. Setsuko-san, let's go get Kayane back."

I turned to her as she extended a hand to me. I looked at her hand then up to her eyes, "I'm glad my brother has you to support him." I then took her hand and shook it. "Please, allow me to accompany you."

"Everyone, the helicopter is arriving in the parking lot in twenty minutes. Kukino will meet you in Inaba and have your equipment. Kujikawa, please assist the ones securing Ikakure-san for the journey," Let's get moving," Mitsuru gave her final orders. The world was being covered in fog and we had to move quickly before mass panic started. More importantly, to save my brother.


July 28th, 2012 / Morning
Shadow Operatives Helicopter - On route to Inaba

RISE'S POINT OF VIEW

It all started on October 8th of 2011. A year and nine months ago. It was a TV special about troubled teens is where I first saw him. I was so irritated by it I wasn't sure why I had watched the whole thing when it just angered me. But I think on some level I was trying to figure out if I had ever seen him before. It was such a distinct outfit even compared to my friends. Even Kanji didn't stand out as much as the way Kayane was shown to be dressed as. Baggy black pants with chains that crossed each other, it might seem to be constricting but the pants were designed to look that way. They were known as bondage pants as I would later find out. He also had on a long sleeve undershirt and he wore a black straight jacket that was left unzipped, and on his right hand, his index finger had a silver claw ring. There were a lot of small details about his outfit, such as a silver necklace with skull like imagery on the pants and jacket. The TV special was quick to label him as troubled, and associated a lot of things with how he dressed without any attempt to reach out to him. People were always quick to apply labels to individuals that went against what was considered normal.

Had I been that different as an idol? Would I have looked at him that way if I hadn't been thrown in the TV world and faced myself beforehand? I had put a lot of stock into how people viewed me. More than I should have. I had forgotten as to why I had become an idol to begin with. The death of my Uncle, who had been a major reason for me becoming one, was the source of that discontent in my heart. When I moved in with my Grandmother I had been lifeless. I lost my view on life, my smile and any joy I might have believed I felt. For so long I had acted happy, sold it as if it was the truth. I did so to make myself believe that it was true.

No one saw me for who I really was. I was just an idol to them. Somebody that sang, and gave them something pretty to look at. So I quit being an idol. Officially I was said to be on hiatus for an undetermined amount of time. Public Relations phrased it as me wanting to focus on education before resuming my work. I agreed with whatever bullshit story they wanted to feed the public because it didn't matter to me. I was done.

I knew that having a quiet life would be hard even out in Inaba. And there was definitely a lot of reaction to me showing up and starting time at Yasogami High School. And a bunch of people showed up at my Grandmother's Tofu shop just to see me. I just wore the clothes Grandma gave me. I no longer cared about how I looked to others. That was when I met Kanji, Yosuke and Yu. It was not an orthodox meeting either. I hadn't paid much attention to it but there had been a pair of deaths in Inaba that had been unsolved. And those three guys had shown up to warn me that I could be targeted for a kidnapping. It sounded ridiculous but it wasn't exactly the kind of interaction I expected to have with the local boys. I was more surprised I wasn't being hit on, which is what I assumed would occur. Did I take them seriously? No, of course not. I spent my time as an Idol. I was already paranoid about interactions with people to begin with. But more than anything I had the thought that it didn't matter if I had been kidnapped. I wasn't about to struggle against it. Who was I anyway? Did anyone really care? Nobody knew who I really was. That was what I believed.

So I had been kidnapped and thrown into the TV world. I hadn't been scared until I had to face myself. It was a place that didn't allow you to run from those problems. I was rescued by my important friends, Chie, Kanji, Teddie, Yosuke, Yukiko and Yu. They supported me as I faced myself, and I was able to face my problem, that I felt that nobody saw who I was. But in reality they were all aspects of myself, but I just lost sight of that.

I joined the Investigation Team. Learned the truth of what had been happening and had grown the confidence I had lost after my Uncle died. Gaining your Persona, as I had, meant that I had accepted what I had been denying, but that was really just the first step. But I didn't really learn this until shortly after Naoto had joined the Investigation Team. That was when the TV special aired and I learned about Ikakure Kayane.

I hate to admit that at first I wanted to save him just because of a desire to confirm that the TV special was wrong about him. As if there was a reason to prove that. The truth was I was tired of the media and how it so often misrepresented people and showing it as if it was the truth. So much time as an idol had in a lot of ways skewed my outlook on media and how it worked. There were so many lies and half-truths given in the name of profit. I didn't know Ikakure Kayane. Some investigation around town led us to discover that he was a senior at Yasogami High School. So, naturally, I asked other seniors about who he was, thinking that I would learn something. We couldn't learn enough. It was too late, he had already been thrown into the TV and I could still remember what his Shadow said on the Midnight Channel.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to my execution. I have been found guilty of murder, so it's time I pay for my crimes. It's no less than I deserve after I stood by and allowed it to happen. Stay tuned as this coward finally gets what he deserves. A swift unfeeling death in a prison of cold. And all of you out there will want to watch me agonize every second along the way. I'll be performing my own execution, so I hope you stay until the end. But I won't know... cause I'll be dead!"

His Shadow's laugh was cold, unfeeling. It was so unnerving. I wish I could forget it, but even now it wouldn't leave my memory. However, it also served as a reminder of how horrible the incidents in Inaba had been for us. And the difficulties that Kayane had faced through his life. We went to the TV world to save him. I was faced with a unique problem that came from being in his section of the TV world. Every part of that place was tailored to the individual that was thrown in. In the case of Kayane, it had become modeled on a house covered in a constant frost. The moment I summoned my Persona, I felt something else. Regret and hatred. Something about that place pulled me in and didn't want to let me go. And I was overcome with a need to get to Kayane. Yu felt it was because the core of my own issues had been identical to Kayane's. We were both lonely individuals. But while I sought to fill that void, he did the opposite. Maybe that is what it was. The night before though I had learned about how Kayane had been abused growing up, as well as the death of his childhood friend, Miyuki. I had nightmares about it, how horrible it must have felt... How lonely it must have been to face that kind of pain and feel like you had no one you could go to.

He hadn't really been alone. His adopted Mother had done all she could to support him, and give him all he needed. But as I would find out later that most of those that he went to only cared about what he had gone through and not how he could recover. He became numb to those that reached their hands out to him, to the point that he rejected them and simply said what he was expected to say. Because of it, his adopted Mother stopped taking him to therapy and she didn't know what to do to help him.

We saved him. But just like all of us before him, he had to face and accept himself. He gained his own Persona then. And all I had done then was cry. Hearing him admit to such painful thoughts he carried had been too much for me in a lot of ways. It was why our first real interaction was when I was in tears. His first words to me was asking me why I was crying and that I shouldn't waste them on him. I couldn't understand then why he would ask such a question. Wasn't it natural when feeling things like that? How could someone not sympathize with what Kayane had gone through? But that wasn't the real reason he had said that. It was because he didn't want to be pitied. No, it was because he presumed there was no point in it, as we would abandon him later. We saved him, but he saw no point in being saved when he would be forgotten about. Because even then he didn't believe he was worth the effort.

Our continued interactions with him after we saved him only seemed to confuse him. And stranger yet to me was how he didn't realize who I was at first. It isn't like I expected everyone to recognize an idol on sight but when I caught him on the roof he was listening to my music. But it wasn't something that just anyone could have. He was listening to one of my demo tracks. My initial track I had used in my audition and eventually gave me the chance to become an idol, it is called "Starbright." He was a fan of my music, but he had never watched any performances or gone to a concert, so he didn't know what I looked like. In that way he definitely was not a normal fan. And there was a definite reason for that. His adopted mother was Tsukio Nanase, a renown agent and Producer in the music industry, specifically among idols. And the one responsible for me having a chance as an idol to begin with. Or so I thought.

As it turned out it was not Nanase but Kayane himself that was responsible for my big break to become and idol. Shortly after rescuing him I got the chance to know him because of the culture festival after he agreed to do a performance with me. It was definitely something I had only teased doing, and thought it would be a fun moment. After all I felt that the performance we put on at Junes for Yosuke's Dad had suffered because that was when Kayane showed up on TV and then thrown in. After learning that Kayane himself played music I just wanted to hear it for myself. And that was how it really started for me. My attraction to Ikakure Kayane.

I had already been physically attracted to him at that point, and had done little to hide that fact. I know I'm a little flirty and a part of me just enjoyed the fact I had someone to flirt with that wasn't the others. At one point I thought I had been in love with Yu, but he had been dating Yukiko before I had even entered the scene. It was all a factor into why I gravitated towards him at the beginning. Maybe some part of me also hoped that after everything that he had gone through that I could be a factor in healing his broken heart that seemed to be in constant pain. But I didn't understand what that meant then. About the dedication and love needed to persevere against something like that. I think it only started to become clear after our performance at the culture festival. While on stage he played and sang beautifully, but the moment we were back in the makeshift dressing room out of everyone's eyes he had started shaking and crying out of a relief and fear he had felt on stage. His social anxiety and likely related PTSD of his past made it hard for him to function like that in front of a crowd. And it broke my heart knowing that someone of such talent being unable to enjoy his own gifts and share with others. I held him in my arms for the first time there, as he cried and his most vulnerable.

Kayane's songs and his use of the piano reminded me of why I had become an idol to begin with. It reached parts of my heart that I had forgotten. And due to that and me wanting to ensure what I felt for Kayane was genuine, I did nothing. I spent a lot of time with him, and I learned more about him as time continued to march onward. And then Nanako was kidnapped. More than that, Kayane had been there with her. So he pursued the kidnapper and then followed him into the TV world. He didn't give any regard to himself and chased after Nanako, to save her. Meanwhile, we had no choice but to wait for the next day to give chase after them. I could barely sleep that night. Nanako and Kayane were in danger. And we had no way of knowing how they were until we could get into the TV world.

We went in, found the new area that had been created, and rushed in to save them. I also desperately searched over and over to be able to connect with them, to talk with them. But Kayane had been unconscious. We got to them, faced off against Namatame. Kayane joined in the fight, unleashing a new power to help us. We thought everything had been solved, but as we left the TV world, Kayane collapsed and wouldn't wake up. We took him to the hospital and informed Nanase. Then one of the most agonizing times in my life started. I couldn't stand it. Every day that went by that he was in that bed just brought more dread to my heart. Would I never hear him sing again? Would I never have a chance to perform with him again? Would I never be able to witness him smiling? In such a small amount of time since I met him, I could not deny the integral place he had in my heart. He would occasionally have small moments of consciousness, and I had resolved to be there when he woke up.

The doctors couldn't figure out why, but he kept slipping in and out of a coma. They were positive that if something didn't change that he would likely die. And those words held a vice around my heart day in and out. I could still remember one of those times he woke up.

"Kujikawa?"

His voice startled me, although I stood next to him, hoping for him to wake up. I frantically grabbed the remote next to the hospital bed and pushed for the nurse. "How are you feeling?" I ask him, trying to sound calm but I know I didn't. Kayane didn't seem to notice this though.

"I dunno," he seemed to have so much difficulty just saying this much. "Can't feel anything. Is there something heavy on me? I can't move my legs."

I didn't know what to do. The nurse had to be coming so I just needed to keep him awake. I leaned in, his eyes looking at my own. And then I saw a smile across his lips and heard words I didn't expect from him.

"Did you know how beautiful you are? You have the most amazing eyes," he said it with a sparkle in his own eyes. Or perhaps it was because of the tears that started falling from mine.

You have to live, this is the real you isn't it? The one who sees me. You were never deceived by the fake smile I put on my face for others. You knew when my heart wasn't in my music only by listening. I can't lose you, I can't lose the one person that truly sees me for not just who I am but who I could be. "Shh... Senpai. Save your strength, please," I begged him.

He shook his head, it was subtle but I could see it, "Call me Kayane. If you do... I'll call you Rise. Okay, Rise?"

I had been teasing him for so long to get him to call me by my first name. To have him ask me in such a state just made the tears come faster as I felt I was about to lose him to the coma again. "Yes," I frantically nodded. "Yes, Kayane." I did my best to smile for him. I needed to be strong.

"Good... That's good," he said. "I think... I am gonna sleep a bit more. Will you be here when I wake up?" His eyes sought mine.

I brought my hand to his cheek, having a hard time seeing him through my tears, "I will be here, Kayane. I promise. Everyday... without fail."

He attempted to say something else but he had fallen back into the coma before he could get anything out. I didn't make the connection of what I was feeling until I was on my way back to the hospital with Kayane's adopted Mother, Tsukio Nanase. She pointed it out to me, clear as day.

"Rise-chan, don't think I haven't noticed the way you look at him. I've been in love a few times and I know it when I see it. Especially in the eyes of a young woman like yourself. I tried to warn you... getting close to him would be painful. But this isn't something you can predict," Nanase's voice was full of emotion and conflict.

I didn't hesitate in my answer, "It doesn't matter if I get hurt. I know there are a lot of problems that Kayane and I would have to work through. I know it is going to be equally as hard for him to keep pushing forward when so much tends to remind him of what happened to him in the past. But anything that hurts me... I know it will be more than worth it in the end. I want to see him. The real him. The one he only shows when he gets lost in the music. I don't know if I can but I want to help bring that Kayane to the surface. So he no longer has to hide within himself. Or hide from the world around him. I do love him and I plan to stay with him for as long as I can."

Love. How can someone my age ever claim to know what love is? To begin with, the commitment involved in a relationship is not something that is easily explained in a few words. And I would say that before meeting Kayane, I had never thought much about it. I suppose that goes to show how different my feelings had been between Yu and Kayane. With Yu, it had been more of a passing attraction and I thought that romance could be fun. That was it. But with Kayane it was just all inherently different. I certainly hadn't intended to fall in love with him. I just wanted to support him, to help him break out of his shell. I thought that after facing his Shadow that it would be like the others but I was wrong.

Maybe for the others, simply facing and accepting your Shadow was enough to overcome the pain attached to it, but in truth it isn't that simple. You awaken to your power when facing yourself, Persona is what we gain to have the power to face our troubles. That doesn't mean we've conquered them. No, if anything the fight had only just begun. The truth was that Kayane had found his own way to live his life in a relative peace in his eyes. He could live like what his Mother wished for, and he could simply do the minimal amount with his music to escape to and not bother anyone around him. However, his awakening to a Persona and being brought to that world meant he couldn't do that. He had to face the pain of his past, and the thoughts he once avoided thinking about for so long. And I... I so naively believed that I could help him. By doing what? I thought it would be like anyone else. A smile here, maybe a hug or two and he'd be smiling himself. Even now I can't stand how naive I had been then.

Kayane had been abused by his Uncle as a child. Blamed for his parents death, despite only being a 3 year old kid when his parents died. Both he and his older sister survived the accident that claimed the lives of their parents. In court it was decided that their Uncle would take Kayane, as he was the one that could move forward with the family name. So the siblings were separated. His older sister had lost her leg and was traumatized by the experience. So she had forgotten about him. His Uncle beat him in the privacy of their home, but presented him as some sort of musical prodigy with the musical lessons that his Uncle paid for. Kayane's only refuge was his childhood friend and neighbor, Miyuki. As if the two were twisted together by fate, they both harbored such horrible things. While Kayane was physically abused... Miyuki was being sexually abused by her own Father while her Mother was away and working. Yet she sacrificed it all to not just expose her Father, but what was happening to Kayane as well. It wasn't her plan to die in her attempt to expose her Father and Kayane's Uncle. But either way she had written a detailed diary with the incidents in question. Not only with dates and times but also injuries and other issues that she had suffered. Along with that she also put in equal accounts of Kayane and his own abuse.

The truth was that there was no easy way to tell anyone what was going on. They were only kids, and not many would believe them if they just attempted to come forward with it. Miyuki deceived her Mother and timed it such that she would catch it happening. But there was an argument, a struggle, and Miyuki's Father shoved her hard, tripping her and causing her head to smash against the corner of a table, killing her instantly. The following investigation led to them finding Miyuki's diary, and the investigators were quick to follow up on Kayane's Uncle. After all, Kayane's Uncle was a politician so it was a huge scandal at the time. It was also why Kayane's case became so well known. If you look up his name on an internet search you would find details all about it. That was how much controversy it had brought up at the time. And now his Uncle was in prison, and he was adopted by Tsukio Nanase, Miyuki's Mother. She had cared a lot for Kayane beforehand. When she wasn't working she had taken both Miyuki and Kayane out to enjoy things, like an aquarium, the zoo or even the beach. And no doubt felt an immense guilt that she had never realized what the two had been going through. But the years of attempting to get him to go through therapy did little to help him.

He had to carry the weight of all of that on his mind. After awakening to his Persona he could no longer forget it... and we had pushed him to open up more. Especially me. In the battles we fought together since we met, we've grown closer, and I know that I truly love him. No matter what pain and difficulty our road together will involve, I want to face it. I want to be with him. I need to tell him all this. I want him to know the full truth of my feelings. That's why I was going into this fight with this determination.

Who would have thought I would have been on a helicopter to head back to Inaba? And laying in the center on a stretcher was Kayane. He was wrapped and secured snuggly to it. As unorthodox as it was, we were bringing him into the TV world. I had a hunch that it was important to bring him into the TV world with us to face the fake Shadow. Nyarlathotep was using Kayane's power, but he also didn't kill Kayane after getting it. Something about that point seemed important. And the manner in which he tricked Kayane into denying his Shadow bothered me.

I couldn't help but lean over and adjusted the noise blocking earmuffs on Kayane, ensuring they were good and snug on him. He was unconscious but the sound of the helicopter was really loud. The rest of us had noise reduction headsets so that we could all still converse. But we had all been rather quiet while traveling. Or perhaps it was because I had just lost myself in my own thoughts. I wanted to feel responsible for what Kayane was going through. That somehow I could have prevented it, but I know that was not the truth. And Kayane himself would never allow me to take any of the blame to begin with. Kayane was targeted because of his power. And that comatose state had likely been a result of Nyarlathotep's initial attempt to claim that power for his own. Failing that attempt he changed his tactics for a more drawn out and in a lot of ways more effective manner. So it was hard to say if there was anything that anyone could have done because this entity had attached itself to Kayane.

Kayane and I, we had a lot to face in the future. I know that even conquering this wasn't the end of our problems. Kayane wouldn't get better in a day, or a week or even years from now. It was something that required constant effort. But we would face those problems together, as a couple. That's what I wanted. I loved him, after all. And after all the things we've been through, that only grew stronger. I wanted him to smile, to truly be happy. And I would do anything to make that happen. That is the main difference between me, when I first met Kayane, and the person I am now. The glimpses I've had of the real Kayane, the one that was too scared to show himself, that only comes out when he thinks no one is looking. I'm going to make that place for him, the place that is safe for him to be himself. And that place is by my side. And I'll do anything to protect that.

"Kujikawa, we're approaching Inaba. You should strap yourself in for the descent," Kikuno, Mitsuro's persona maid, told me. I did as she asked and sat back in my seat and buckled back in again.

"Thank you, everyone," I found myself saying as I looked at the others that were all in seats and strapped in themselves. "I'll make it up to all of you."

"Don't worry about it," Yosuke said with a grin. "If we can get you and Kayane back on stage on time for the concert it'll make all of this more than worth it."

"I can't let my cousin miss his own showbiz debut," Hamuko added, who was sitting just a few seats away from me. "Plus I have my own score to settle with Nyarlathotep."

That's right, Kayane. You have become an important part to so many people other than myself. Of course to the rest of the Investigation Team, that was a given. He had reunited with his sister, Setsuko. But also Hamuko and Kana. Not to mention Labrys. Any one of them would give their all to save you. But also the members of Synchronicity. Perhaps they are the ones you least expect to have your back. But you couldn't be more wrong.

"Rise-chan, what is happening? And where is Kayane-san?" Mitsuragi Saya demanded as soon as I came into view. The other three were behind her, Ichide Tsubasa, Aizawa Reiko and Osagawa Taro.

"We know he's been under a lot of stress, and that he has difficulty due to his social anxiety, but he's never disappeared for this long of time," Taro normally didn't say much but even he was wanting an explanation.

"You're right," I admitted but did my best to not look away from them. What should I tell them? I didn't exactly want to lie to them. "Do you remember what happened to him not long ago?"

"You mean when he was in the hospital in that coma?" Tsubasa's eyes widened. "Don't tell me that..."

I nodded, "It's possible he could be having a relapse of sorts. So, I came here to tell all of you that he'll be taken to a place that has the highest chance of saving him from it. And I'm going with him. Don't worry as soon as I learn anything I will call and let you all know."

"Oh no," Reiko put her hand up to her mouth. "Isn't there anyway that we could go to?"

I shook my head, "Helicopter has limited room, and we're hoping for a quick resolution if what we were told is true." A bit of a stretch. It was only a hunch on my part that this will be the solution and answer to the problem we faced. Despite my inner turmoil that wanted to break down and allow the sorrow I felt to overtake me, I couldn't do that. Right now the best thing I could do was move forward and do everything in my power to bring Kayane back.

"Call us the moment you find out anything. No matter what time it is," Saya's determination reminded me of my suspicions that she had feelings for Kayane as well. Likely before I had, years ago. She and Tsubasa had known Kayane since he moved to Inaba, although they had never been close. But now we're all working together to a common goal. Playing music together, and in that regard the four of us, plus Kayane had gotten to be something close to family. Yeah, I wanted us to pursue that future as a group... as Synchronicity.

"The very moment I have news, I will call you. Okay, Saya-chan?"

The helicopter touched down in the parking lot of Junes, and several vehicles seemed to have blocked it off. There seemed to be a lot of people in black suits and... I suppose this was all part of the Shadow Operatives. Mitsuru must have mobilized them quickly to prepare for our arrival. Considering the Shadow activity in the area it wouldn't surprise me if there were Shadow Operatives on stand by in the area ever since the fake Shadows and Minazuki Sho's incident happened here. It was Aigis and Labrys that took charge of carrying Kayane on his stretcher and into the building. We all followed and into the electronics section of the store.

"Oh geesh, I wonder how Mom and Dad are taking all of this," Yosuke commented as we all stopped in front of the large TV we used to get into the TV world.

"I'm sure they were told a believable story for the sudden take over for the store," Yu chuckled.

"I doubt they would complain much," Hamuko shrugged. "I bet you Mitsuru compensated them with more than enough to cover any potential loss of yen. And we're only monopolizing a section of the store, and ensuring the rest of it can continue as normal."

"If it isn't the crew of the hour. I heard its going to be quite the party," A guy with a baseball jersey and backwards cap, it was Iori Junpei. Next to him was Sanada Akihiko.

"I guess my training will have to wait. Where's Mitsuru, Kikuno?" Akihiko asked, looking at the maid.

"She should be arriving..."

"I'm here," Mitsuru comes walking in and looking fully geared.

I blinked for a moment, "Huh? Mitsuru-sama, I thought you were staying at Takura Productions."

"That was the plan, however..." Mitsuru looked away.

"Tsukio Nanase insisted that those with the power to help her son should go where they are most effective," Setsuko spoke up. "With Ochimizu Kyoka back as well as the rest of Kanamin Kitchen they are capable of handling the situation and also deal with the extra day that the Kirijo Group added to the festival. Basically, she got kicked out and told not to come back unless Kay-chan is with her."

I couldn't help but laugh, which trickled out to everyone else.

"Yes, well," Mitsuru seemed to be blushing a bit. "It seems there are still people I can't win against. Besides, it didn't sit well with me to not go after him. I saw what they did to him before. And all this just to gain his power. I want to save him."

"We're glad to have all the help we can get," Yu said. "I think we should get started. Naoto, why don't you tell the others what you speculated on the trip over here."

Naoto moved so that everyone could see her, "For those that remember the fighting tournament we had to fight due to Labrys' Shadow then it should be easy to explain. More than likely once we enter the TV world, we will all be separated rather than landing in the entrance area of the backlot. And the fog is still spreading around the world, so likely the tactic is to delay our potential to stop the plan for as long as possible. Meaning the more of us there is, the better chances we have."

"So he'll divide us and try to take us out that way," Akihiko huffs. "Sounds like this is going to be interesting after all."

Mitsuru sighs and shakes her head, "That aside, Yamagishi will stay on this side and hopefully should be able to keep us all connected."

"It took me a while to get through last time due to my unfamiliarity with the TV world. However, I am better prepared and more familiar with it, so it shouldn't be a problem. While I can't promise anything once we move into action," Yamagishi Fuuka had apparently shown up at some point. It seemed all of the Shadow Operatives we had met before were here. All except Amada Ken and the Persona using dog Koromaru.

"It will have to do," Yu says as he turns to the TV.

"Oooh! It's Teddie's time to shine! I have glasses for everyone!" Teddie, who had gotten back into his usual outfit walked around and handed out glasses for the TV world.

There were so many people here... about to charge in to save Kayane. I wish he could see this, about how much he means and the effort people would go to help him. That was why this was going to work. We wouldn't let the world be covered in fog. It would cause the world to erupt in violence and anger if this Nyarlathotep had his way.

"We'll try to work together if we can, but we don't know what to expect. Assume we will be completely separated and try to just keep moving forward until we can meet up. Yamagishi will try and keep us in contact and direct us if able. Rise will focus more on fighting this time. We'll have Setsuko, Rise and Labrys be the ones responsible for Kayane's body in the TV world, assuming it can stay with any of them. I know we're doing this mostly blind, but we don't have time. Is everyone ready?" Yu took charge and went to move us forward.

Everyone agreed, and so one after another we all entered the TV world.


July 28th, 2012 / Morning
TV World - Unknown

KANA'S POINT OF VIEW

None of us knew what to expect. Even after making that fact clear it still didn't make this any less surprising. I was all alone. After the sensation of falling into the TV world I had come to a stop, landing on my feet in a place surrounded by fog. Thanks to the black glasses given to me by Teddie my vision wasn't as impaired as it likely would be without them. But there was nothing to see here. I started walking, not having a means of knowing if any direction was the correct one.

"A Shadow with a will of her own? And yet you choose to live with these people? And desire to save the life of some meaningless man?"

"And what right do you have to say any of their lives are meaningless? Even your existence is dependent on them, Nyarlathotep!" I called out.

"Hmm, and because of that I owe them something? Ha! I am the Crawling Chaos, the destructive potential of the collective unconscious. I exist because the very core of mankind wishes for its own ultimate destruction. And what more fitting an end for such a race than to have it destroy itself with the very power it gave birth too? And a beautiful end it will be. Neighbor lashing out at their neighbor, family against family, lover against lover! Violence without thought or need for justification! All possible because of the power of the individual you seek to save. Why do you believe he has such a power? The power of Persona and Shadow is that of the heart. Yet you charge into here thinking you would save him with brute force? Even the presence of the wild cards will not be enough," Nyarlathotep laughed, his voice seemingly coming from all directions.

"And you're a fool if you believe there isn't a chance for us to succeed," I turned around, looking for a source to his voice.

"Try as you might. You'll have to reach me first by navigating the labyrinth made of Kayane's heart. This is the true potential of the TV world. But I would hurry, the world only has so long, before it's too late," Nyarlathotep's presence was gone, and everything shifted around me. Instead of endless fog I stood in a corridor, the walls and floor suggested to be like that of a research facility. And I could already sense the presence of Shadows, many of them.

There was still nothing from Fuuka. Maybe she couldn't get through? However, there was no time to delay or hesitate. Nyarlathotep was trying to use Kayane's power to affect the whole world.

When we fought him the first time I thought things would have been better if Hamuko had never remembered me. I am a Shadow, and only existed because of my interactions with Hamuko. So when I had the power I took the form of who I thought was the strongest, and that was Hamuko herself. I did what I could to protect her, covering her escape from that Kirijo Group testing lab on the night the Dark Hour came into being. I didn't understand enough about the world. I never considered that my own sacrifice could hurt Hamuko. And I think that a part of her is still hurt by my decision back then, to erase her memory and allow myself to be taken in her place.

I think in a lot of ways I saw that aspect in Kayane when I met him. He would take all the pain upon himself in order to protect those around him, believing that him being in pain is okay, as long as it isn't anyone else. He doesn't see how the pain he takes upon himself hurts those closest to him. He still saw it that way, didn't he? How could we get through to him? How could we get him to realize that we didn't want him to take on anything like that alone.

He was one of my first friends outside of Oneesama and those in the Shadow Operatives. All this time I had tried my best to be helpful to the others, but I continued to be in debt to everyone for teaching me how to live in this world, to be more than just a Shadow that had gained an ego. I was here because of everyone else. Even Kayane had helped me in the short amount of time I've known him. That's why I had to save him.

I moved forward down the corridor that I now had to traverse. If what Nyarlathotep said is true then this place might be made of more than just the things that he denied... but created of all the parts that make Kayane who he is. The heart of Kayane was laid bare... and festering in these halls like a disease, were Shadows. I felt my Persona, Eurydice, ready to fight, and I pulled the whip sword from its resting place around my waist.

"It doesn't matter if people accept you," Kayane's voice could be heard all around me. "What does that even mean anyway? I accept that you have a shitty life? How does that help anyone? Why do people believe that talking about it is somehow a method of making things better? Words don't bring people back to life. Words can't undo or change things that have already happened. Words are worthless."

"Kayane-san..." I speak softly as I turn a corner of the corridor and find myself standing in front of a door.

"You'll hurt me with every word you say. They are nothing but lies and promises that will be broken," Kayane's voice echoed as I opened the door.

A Shadow welcomed me on the other side. This place would be a labyrinth of everything in Kayane's heart, this had to be part of his insecurities. I will do all I can to get to you, Kayane. I know that we'll save you. After all this, I know you'll be able to finally be happy.

I spun, using my whip sword to make the Shadow unable to move forward I brought the evoker to my head. I know that within the TV world the evoker wasn't needed but I felt more used to it as a tool than not. "Come to me! Eurydice!"

Nyarlathotep would not win. We would find a way through this. No matter what.


A/N:

So we're finally entering the last part of Last Symphony. It has been a long journey to get to this point. And my life has definitely changed significantly over the course of writing this fic. I've gotten laid off from my job and rehired a few times too and real life has a tendency to disrupt my creative side along the way. But I'm determined to finish the story, one way or another.

Persona is one of my favorite game series for its focus on characters and the effects decisions can have for people and those around them. Also how one place can change due to the events that happen. It has been a little crazy over the series though. Like a whole city is basically replicated in the DEVA system in the original Persona. Or the fact that Persona 2 had to have a second game due to the outcome of Innocent Sin. But within each of those games are individual decisions of characters that can change things. Maki is clearly a big part of the original Persona when dealing with SEBEC and the DEVA system, because she is hooked up to the whole thing. Gameplay wise this is more obvious with Persona 2 and it's rumor system, being able to make certain things true by just spreading a rumor. With even causing crazy things like bringing back Hitler and him obtaining the spear of destiny. Which has actual historical relevance as Hitler was known to have believed in the supernatural and had dedicated resources to actually search for the spear of destiny. The best example of this is the Persona 2 duology, and how the world ended and a new one had to be created. With the second game, Eternal Punishment, is dedicated to Nyarlathotep trying to cause the world to go back to the original fate of Innocent Sin. Which is funny thinking about the fact that Persona 3 onward happens in a recreated world.

I think one of the things the newer games are missing is the connection that the first two games shared. Characters from the original Persona showed up in Persona 2, sometimes even as party members for a time. An aspect that was lost moving forward was the sense that it all happened in the same world. But if you played Persona 3, 4 or 5 without any knowledge of the rest of the series as a whole, you'd never know that. Instead references to previous games are often regulated to easy to miss mentions. Persona 3 did mention members of the Persona 1 and 2 cast by listening to checking the TV in dormitory. So unless you made a habit to check the TV it was likely missed by the majority of people. Even the TV show was hosted by Trish, which is also a character herself from the two original games. This was the only insight we got as to what happened to them. And this approach was continued in the games to follow.

Persona is still all in the same world. Or so we're told. I think a lot of these details bother me. And a lot of the reason I started writing fanfics to begin with is because I just feel like all of this can be more intimately and more meaningfully connected. Well... even as Last Symphony is coming closer to its end I hope you'll stick with me to its conclusion. And I hope you've enjoyed my little slice of the internet.