Monday, 20 June, Early Morning

"Excitement," she said. That's one way of putting it. Souji had a pretty good idea of what was going to be making its way through Yasogami's rumor mill. After all, it wasn't every day that a celebrity came to a sleepy little town like Inaba.

That reminds me. He thumbed his phone on. Before going to school, there was an important call he needed to make. A certain someone was doubtless itching for a proper "I told you so," and not making the call would merely delay the inevitable.

His former classmate picked up on the first ring. "Good morning, Souji-kun," Reika said. "You saw the news last night?"

"I did," Souji acknowledged. "An up-and-coming teen idol taking a rest in this backwater town. That's what you meant by 'excitement,' right?"

The first reply was Reika's familiar musical laugh. "That was it. I thought you might like a nice surprise for a change."

"Define 'nice'," Souji countered. "A celebrity in a town this small, practically everyone is going to be hungering for the slightest glimpse."

"Except you, of course," Reika said. There was a definite smile in her voice. "You'll just be studying the way you always do."

Souji grunted. "Unless Yosuke decides to drag me along. He can be a little excitable sometimes."

"Maybe it'll help you relax some. Talk to you later, Souji-kun."

For a long moment he just stared at his now-silent cell phone. I am never going to figure that girl out.

Overcast, but no rain. Bit on the warm side, but that was usual for late June. Souji barely noticed the heat as he ambled into the school zone. His mind was elsewhere, on his brief conversation with Reika, and the news report from the previous night.

Note to self, bring extra books. If this is as crazy as I think it'll be, I'm going to need the distraction.

"Mornin', Senpai." Kanji came up at a trot, then slowed to match Souji's leisurely pace. He yawned. "Sorry, guess I'm not finished waking up."

"Don't worry about it," Souji said, waving a hand. "Maybe I can ask my uncle to make you some coffee."

Kanji snorted. "Sure, if he doesn't arrest me on the spot." He took a half step to the side, allowing a pair of energetic first-year girls to pass. "Things have been kinda bustling this morning."

Souji looked at him in the corner of his eye. "Bustling? How so?"

"Buncha people in the shopping district," Kanji explained. "I mean, sure, some times we'd get those kinda crowds before Junes opened, but not this early in the morning. 'Cept for those damn biker gangs, anyway."

Souji's lip twitched. "Smells like a case, don't you think?"

"Smell? You sound like Teddie." Kanji rolled his eyes. "Didn't see any cops, though. I'll ask around at school, see if anybody's heard anything." He scowled briefly. "If anybody'll talk to me."

"Don't be so hard on yourself," Souji admonished. "Let me know if you hear anything."

"You got it, Senpai."

Celebrities were at least temporarily pushed out of Souji's mind by the time he got to class. First class of the day always felt like a lead weight around his neck, however interesting the subject matter might have been under other circumstances. Kinshiro Morooka tended to have that effect on people.

He listened with one ear to Yosuke, Chie, and Yukiko chatting while he set his books in proper order. No sign of Morooka yet, fortunately.

"Yo."

Chie smiled. "Well, look who's here. You've actually been coming pretty often lately."

"It's this annoying thing called the mandatory attendance policy," Kanji said with a grimace. "'Sides, I'm no good to you guys if I get expelled."

"Just like the school campout," Yosuke said with a sigh.

Souji raised a hand, not wanting things to go too far. "Let it lie, Yosuke. So, Kanji, you hear anything?"

"Not here," Kanji said with a brief shake of the head. "Remembered something I saw last night, though. You guys see the news?"

"You mean the bit about Rise Kujikawa taking a break from showbiz?" Chie said. "Yeah, it's all over the news. I really wonder why, though. It seems so sudden; she was just getting popular lately."

"I caught part of the press conference last night," Souji murmured. "She was looking pretty tired."

Yosuke nodded. "Just goes to show you, being an idol is tough work. It's not something just anyone can do, and Rise's one of the best."

Souji lifted an eyebrow slightly, amused by his friend's enthusiasm. "She's that big a name, eh?"

He had to firmly suppress a laugh at the look Yosuke gave him. "Huh? Dude, what are you talking about? She's been hitting the big time for months now. And you're saying you haven't seen her!?"

"Just a couple of diet drink ads," Souji said, allowing himself a chuckle. "I've never really cared about celebrities."

Yosuke shrugged. "Your loss, man." He quickly brushed it off. "It actually hasn't been that long since her debut, but at this rate she'll be number one in no time flat." A grin crossed his face. "I'm a fan, too. She's such a cutie pie."

It took all of Souji's self-control not to facepalm at that last line. "Cutie pie"? Did you actually say that?

Chie appeared to be thinking along much the same lines. "A cutie pie?" she repeated, looking at Yosuke as though he'd grown an extra head. "What are you, eighty?" She ignored the aggrieved look she got in return. "I heard she used to live right here in Inaba, so she probably has a lot of local fans."

"Hometown girl," Souji agreed, jotting down a quick note. "Anything else?"

"I heard her grandmother runs a tofu shop here," Yukiko put in. "I wonder if they mean Marukyu." At Souji's questioning look, she explained, "It's a well-known place in the shopping district. Our inn was serving their tofu until recently."

Souji nodded, quickly scribbling a few more notes. Bear-related puns aside, he was already beginning to suspect Rise Kujikawa's imminent arrival was going to impact their investigation. It was the most newsworthy event since the double murder two months before.

"Marukyu?" Yosuke said, oblivious to Souji's musings. "That place in the shopping district? I pass it all the time." His eyes went wide. "Hang on, does that mean we can meet her in person!?"

"Breathe, Yosuke," Souji said, unable to keep a smile off his face. "You're not going to impress anyone if you pass out."

Yosuke shot him a dirty look, then noticed the notebook. "What's up with that? Didn't you just say you don't care about celebrities?"

"I don't," Souji acknowledged. "It's still something we should keep any eye on, just in case."

Yosuke frowned. "You think Rise is the next target?"

"We can't rule out the possibility," Souji said. "It may seem far-fetched, but what about this insane case isn't? People being thrown into TVs isn't exactly normal."

"Besides, you're the one who said the connection might be the TV in the first place," Chie added, giving Yosuke an annoyed look.

Yosuke appeared taken aback. "Well, yeah, but it's not like Rise just started appearing on TV recently. Besides, how could she be connected to the case? She hasn't even been in Inaba for years."

That, Souji noted, was a good question. As he'd said, he'd barely even heard of Rise Kujikawa, much less known she was from Inaba. It was true they couldn't discount the possibility, but there remained the question of why the killer would go after her in the first place.

Unless, of course, they'd been wrong about their adversary's motives from the start.

"I was wondering that, too," Yukiko said, "so I did some checking online. As far as I can tell, she doesn't have any personal connection to Ms Yamano. They've just happened to be on the same show a couple of times."

"Could be coincidence, but it's enough to look into," Souji said.

Chie nodded. "And while it's true she's been an idol for a while, she's the talk of the town thanks to that news report last night."

"Which means she could really be the next target," Yosuke said, catching on. "So we can narrow the killer's methods down even more." He looked at Souji. "What do you think, partner?"

Souji rubbed his chin. "It's the only real lead we have right now," he said. "If the killer really is going specifically for people who appeared on TV, then Rise is a huge target."

His fellow juniors nodded in unison. Kanji, however, looked blank. "Uh, what's that supposed to mean?"

Closing his eyes in evident exasperation, Yosuke sighed. "Kanji-kun, listen carefully, willya? If Rise is next, that lest us rule out our theory that victims are connected to the first case. Which means the killer is targeting people who appear on TV, for some crazy reason. Got that?"

Kanji shrugged. "Okay. Yeah, I gotcha."

Good enough, Souji thought. "We should keep an eye on things for now." His lip twitched at Yosuke's visible excitement. "Save Marukyu for later; I don't think Rise is even in town yet, and we'd attract too much attention." They probably would anyway with Kanji tagging along, but there was no sense worrying about that.

"You got it, partner," Yosuke said, his enthusiasm undiminished by the delay. "Let's do this!"

Chie shook her head. "He's already pumped up," she muttered.

Do I detect a note of jealousy in your voice? Not that Souji was insane enough to say that aloud. Getting kicked in a vulnerable area wasn't on his to-do list, after all.

Morning

Mrs. Nakayama's class. Generally unremarkable, save for the teacher's habit of complaining about her personal problems in class. Granted she was nowhere near as bad as Morooka, but it was still an annoying distraction.

"I've been hearing a lot of gossip about Rise Kujikawa." Nakayama sighed. "Those idols have it made; they don't have 'normal people' problems."

Case in point. Complaining rooted in stunning ignorance; Rise's visible exhaustion at the press conference proved to Souji's satisfaction that she was as normal as anyone else.

"They have money; they'll never have to compromise in marriage." Another sigh. "What should I make for dinner tonight?"

Sensei, with all due respect, you don't know what you're talking about. Celebrities may have more money, but they're still human. Rise looked half dead last night.

"Taxes, marriage, kids. . . . It gets so frustrating sometimes, but it's not like I'll ever escape."

And aren't you a nice ray of sunshine. I'm amazed half the class aren't slitting their wrists listening to you.

"You, Seta-kun!" Nakayama said. "You're looking especially slack-jawed today."

Covering a grimace, Souji obediently stood. Every day, it seemed, he got hit with a pop quiz. Was Morooka's fondness for tormenting the city boy contagious or something?

"Who said, 'Law is the correct judgment of the state'?"

He recalled his mother being a bit snide about that story. "Socrates," he said promptly.

Nakayama offered a rare smile, albeit briefly. "Correct. Socrates accepted his own execution, even though it was the result of an unjust law. That's the kind of thing I'm talking about; sometimes you just have to accept things as they are, even when it's a pain."

And sometimes you don't, Souji mentally sniped, sitting down. Seriously, a week of this and even I'm going to need antidepressants.

"Are you all chit-chatting and ignoring me now?" Nakayama said, annoyed. "This is going to be on the test, you know."

Heaven help us.

After School

As was usual when he didn't have any particular activities, Souji lingered along the Samegawa flood plain on his way home. Lately he'd considered taking up fishing as a hobby, if only to add variety to the dinner menu. It seemed like a good way to branch out a little.

His cell phone beeped; pulling it out, his eyebrows lifted in surprise. "Father?"

"I'm sorry it took so long to get in touch," Hironobu Seta said. "My workload has been even heavier than your mother's over the last few weeks. I trust you're doing well?"

"Mostly, yes," Souji confirmed. "Uncle Ryotaro has been busy a lot, but then you've probably heard about it."

"Both from your mother and the evening news," the elder Seta acknowledged. "I'm glad you've stayed safe despite all that. And now I'm told your stay could get even more exciting."

Must've been Reika telling tales. "Yeah, with Rise Kujikawa coming here to rest," Souji said, his lip twisting. "One of my classmates is practically over the moon at the chance to meet her."

His father laughed. "I can imagine. She's garnered quite a following over the last few months." He paused. "I trust things have gone well at school?"

"One of the murder victims was a student at Yasogami, but there's no indication anyone else is in danger." Unless you count five of us battling manifestations of the human subconscious, but I can't exactly say that out loud. "My homeroom teacher hates me, but I get the impression he hates everyone. Hasn't affected my grades any, at least."

"I'm glad to hear it," the other said. "I know you're still uncertain where you want to go in life, but a solid education will serve you well no matter what path you take."

Cliche, but no less true for all that. As long as Souji could remember, his parents had stressed the importance of doing well in school, and not only for the usual reasons of their culture. "Education is Freedom" was practically their family motto.

"I apologize for being so brief, but I'm afraid work won't leave me alone," his father said. "I'll call again as soon as I can. Keep well, son."

"I will," Souji promised, and the line clicked off.

That was out of the blue. Not that he was complaining; if nothing else, it was always reassuring to know his workaholic father hadn't forgotten him. Feeling just a bit lighter, Souji resumed his walk home, whistling along the way.

Thursday, 21 June, Evening

School blessedly went without incident beyond Morooka's usual sniping. The weather being what it was –pouring rain– Souji was just as glad. He did not need any headaches when there was an all too strong possibility of someone appearing on the Midnight Channel.

Almost time, he thought, glancing at his watch. Sliding his curtains briefly aside, he saw no sign of the rain letting up. With a growing sense of trepidation, the young leader turned back to face his TV.

The clock struck midnight, and the screen lit. It was somewhat blurred, suggesting whoever it was had not actually been thrown in, but clearer than Yukiko and Kanji had been. A girl in a two-piece swimsuit, waving at the screen.

It was hard to see her face, though; the camera kept zooming in on her chest and thighs. Souji had seen enough to get a good idea, though it left a sour taste in his mouth.

Rise Kujikawa. So we were right.

His cell chose that moment to beep. "You saw it, too?"

"Hell, yeah!" Yosuke gushed. "That was Rise for sure, Rise Kujikawa!"

Souji didn't know whether to laugh or facepalm at his friend's excitement. After a few seconds of contemplation, he compromised, rolling his eyes while at the same time chuckling. "Breathe, Yosuke," he said. "I agree, that was almost certainly Rise Kujikawa. You know what that means."

Yosuke sobered almost instantly. "Yeah, she'll probably be the next target. I shouldn't get so excited." Which he promptly did anyway. "What was the place called, Marukyu Tofu? We should go right after school tomorrow. See ya then!"

Shaking his head, Souji dropped his cell phone on the table. He had a feeling tomorrow was going to be a bit more interesting than he was comfortable with. Hopefully he would be able to save Yosuke from putting his foot in his mouth.

Wednesday, 22 June, After School

There had been rain that morning, but it had stopped hours before, though the sky remained overcast. School was once again uneventful, leaving Souji free to concentrate on the upcoming mission. They would have to be careful, as it was rather more public than usual.

"Did you hear? Rise Kujikawa is right here in town!"

Case in point, two of his classmates were already gossiping about it.

"You know about that tofu shop in the shopping district, Marukyu?" the girl continued excitedly. "Well, I heard the owners have the same last name: Kujikawa!"

Souji felt a rush of sympathy for the idol. Rise had come to Inaba specifically to recuperate, but it was highly likely the local fans, male and female alike, wouldn't let her. Fame, as all too many people failed to realize, had ita downside.

"Seriously!?" a male student said. "I live practically next door!"

Shallow was the kindest description Souji could think of just then. Let the poor girl get some rest already. She's been through enough without rabid fans crawling around the shop.

"I've heard there's a big crowd at Marukyu today," Yukiko murmured. "Has been since early this morning."

"No surprise there," Chie said with a faint snort. "But was that really her on the Midnight Channel last night? I thought she looked kinda different."

Chie may well have been right, but it was hard to tell with entertainment personalities. Sometimes they were the same on and off the stage. Others were as different as night and day, and telling which sort a given celebrity was could be nigh impossible without speaking to them.

"Oh, it was her, all right," Yosuke said, looking slightly dazed. "Her beautiful curves, her long, shapely legs, her– "

Souji held up a hand, stopping him. "Yosuke, please, you're starting to creep me out." The Junes Boy subsided, shooting a glare at Kanji when the younger student snickered. "Now. After last night, we do need to at least check up on her. We almost made it with Kanji; I'd like to save ourselves some effort for once."

"Dude, I'm down for it," Yosuke said with a grin. "What about the rest of you?"

Chie shook her head. "Sorry, but me and Yukiko have other plans. Call us if anything happens."

"I'll make sure it doesn't get out of control," Souji assured the girls as they left, earning a brief dirty look from Yosuke.

"No skin off mine," Yosuke murmured. "How 'bout you, Kanji?"

Kanji shrugged. "I don't care about celebs, but what the hell. I'll tag along."

"Great," Yosuke said. "But remember, this isn't just a sightseeing trip. We're there on an important mission."

Take your own advice, partner.

There was indeed quite a crowd when the trio arrived at Marukyu Tofu. Not just teenagers, either; there was a suit-clad man in his late twenties near the main door. Souji found that more than a little disturbing, but he supposed it was inevitable.

What really drew his eye was Tohru Adachi directing traffic. His uncle's partner appeared nervous, but from what Souji had seen that was the man's usual state.

As good a place as any to start. "Excuse me, Adachi-san," Souji called raising a hand.

Adachi started. "Huh!? Oh, it's just you." He wiped his brow with his free hand. "Damn, it's been crazy all day."

"Is something wrong, Mister Detective?" Yosuke asked.

"Dunno if I'd say wrong," Adachi replied. "See, you guys must've heard about Rise Kujikawa coming to town. Since she's a celebrity, that means crowds even in a backwoods place like this, and we're understaffed, so here I am." He perked up. "Hey, do you know if she's really here?"

I thought you would.

"We're just wondering why a plainclothes detective is doing traffic control," Kanji said, eyeing the older man curiously.

Adachi clearly didn't like such scrutiny. "Well, like I said, we're understaffed. Anyway, I've gotta get going."

That was informative. Souji shook his head. He liked Adachi, certainly, but the man always seemed out of his depth at even the most basic police functions. Which went far to explain Dojima's frequent impatience; having to deal with that on a daily basis was undoubtedly frustrating.

Speak of the devil. Souji's uncle chose that moment to emerge from the tofu shop, looking decidedly harried. "Dammit, this is insane. Where'd Adachi get off to?" He then spotted Souji and his friends. "What are you three doing here?" His tone wasn't as hostile as when Souji had stumbled across the first crime scene, but it was a little too close when he saw Kanji. "Kanji Tatsumi? You're friends with them now?"

Kanji glared at him. "Like it's any of your business," he muttered.

"Kanji really has turned over a new leaf, Uncle Ryotaro," Souji put in. "His mother seems to think I'm a good influence." Which was actually true; the owner of Tatsumi Textiles had spoken highly of him after a recent visit.

Whatever the reason, Dojima appeared to take it at face value. "All right. I'll ask again, why are you here?"

Potentially dangerous territory, but with an easy answer. "Some of us," Souji was careful to emphasize the first word, "are interested in seeing Rise Kujikawa. I'm tagging along, thought I'd pick up some tofu while I'm here."

Dojima sighed. "Fine. Just remember, this is her home. Try not to bother her too much."

There's one disaster averted. Souji had to fight sagging from sheer relief. Nothing he'd said had been a lie, of course, except by omission. Yosuke was indeed the only "Risette" fan in their little group, and Kanji had turned over a new leaf.

"That's your uncle, huh?" Kanji said. "Guy even makes me nervous. Must be cold as hell at home."

Souji shook his head. "He's just stressed; this kind of thing on top of an unsolved double murder case is making him a bit twitchy." He nodded at the shop. "Come on, let's get this over with. Quietly; like my uncle said, this is her home," he added, giving Yosuke a pointed look.

The crowd was just then beginning to thin, much to Souji's relief. What they had come to do wasn't for public viewing, after all. Although. . . . He frowned. The onlookers seemed disappointed, one murmuring that Risette wasn't there after all.

"What!?" Yosuke almost shrieked. "She's not even here!?"

Kanji smirked, amused. "Dud, you look like the world's about to end." He turned to Souji. "Might as well pick up something, so this ain't a complete waste of time."

"Ganmodoki is good," Souji said, keeping an eye on Yosuke. "I don't usually care for tofu myself, but sometimes I make exceptions."

He had to firmly suppress a chuckle while Kanji gave a slightly befuddled Yosuke a brief lesson in various kinds of tofu. It turned out the Junes Boy wasn't usually overfond of tofu, but would probably be able to eat ganmodoki without gagging.

The shop's interior was nothing special. Which, Souji suspected, suited Rise Kujikawa just fine. It was, in theory, a place of refuge, out of the limelight for a time.

"Guess they were right," Yosuke said glumly. "Nobody's here but the old lady."

It was not, however, the old lady who replied. "Can I help you?"

The voice was young and female. Behind the counter, just straightening from where she'd evidently been stocking a cabinet, was a teenage girl. Clad in a white apron and matching kerchief, she was apparently at least trying to look ordinary. However, the redhead's face was still recognizable. It was, unmistakably, Rise Kujikawa.

Yosuke asked anyway. "Are you Rise Kujikawa?"

She tilted her head. "Yeah, why?"

For a moment, Yosuke appeared at a loss for words. It was fortunate, Souji supposed, that Chie wasn't present. "Um. . . Oh, yeah! Some tofu, please."

"What kind?" Rise appeared tired. "If you're going to eat it straight, you should go with silken. Momen's better for cooking. Really depends on how you use it."

Yosuke was again at a loss. "Um, what was I. . . ." He looked at Kanji. "Hey, order something!" he hissed.

"Three ganmodoki," Souji put in, taking pity on his friend.

"Okay."

Souji maintained a casual air, but inside he was frowning. Rise appeared even more exhausted than she'd been at that insane press conference. It didn't necessarily mean anything, of course; if nothing else, the crowds outside could have explained it.

"Man, she's nothing like she is on TV," Yosuke murmured, echoing Souji's thoughts. "Maybe she's just tired. Still, it's really her! Mission– wait a sec." He shook his head. "Forgot why we're here. Um, excuse me." When Rise looked up, he braced himself. "Have you heard anything weird lately?"

Rise's puzzlement showed through her fatigue. "Weird, how? Like stalkers? Are you fans of mine?"

Kanji, Souji noticed, had an evil glint in his eye. "Dunno about that, but this dude here is a big fan." He smirked, visibly enjoying Yosuke's sudden consternation. "'Her beautiful curves, her long, shapely legs.' Missing anything?"

That, Souji thought, covering a smile, must be payback for the campout. Kanji's enjoying himself too much to be anything else.

"Whaaaat!?" Yosuke all but screeched. "Dammit, you're doing this on purpose!" He shot a desperate look at Rise. "I never said that! Not one word of it!"

Fortunately for Yosuke's dignity, the idol appeared more amused than anything else. "Don't worry about it," she said with the barest hint of a smile. "You're funny."

Embarrassment was instantly driven from Yosuke's mind. "Hey, she actually smiled!" He sobered. "Anyway, you've heard about the double murder case here, right?" Rise nodded. "Well, we think there's more to it than even the police realize. Have you heard any rumors about rainy nights?"

"You mean the Midnight Channel?" Rise lifted her eyebrows.

"Yeah– wait, what?" Yosuke's jaw dropped. "You mean you've seen it!?"

Rise nodded. "I heard about it from some friends of mine. I couldn't sleep last night, so I decided to try it out." She sighed. "It looked like me, but I've never been photographed in that swimsuit. And the bustline," she blushed faintly, "mine aren't that big."

Yosuke nodded. "Yeah– oops! Sorry." he coughed. "Anyway, we just wanted to make sure you were okay. Like I said, we think the Midnight Channel is connected somehow."

"I understand," Rise said. "I'll be careful." She came around the counter with three bags. "Here's your order, plus a little extra. A thank-you for worrying about me."

"Our pleasure," Souji said. "I'd better get going." He gave Rise an apologetic smile. "Detective Dojima is my uncle, and I'm staying at his house while I'm in Inaba, so I have to watch my step."

Rise giggled softly. "I understand. It was nice to meet you."

"Likewise."

Well, that puts the final kibosh on the "soul mate" theory of the Midnight Channel. Not that it ever made sense in the first place, but Rise seeing herself seals it. One thing he'd learned from their visit was that Rise Kujikawa was far from the typical airhead idol type. There was a very sharp brain behind that bubbly exterior.

Which reminded him of something else. He'd placed a special order at the bookstore not long before the Kujikawa story broke. A text had alerted him of its arrival, but their little excursion at Marukyu had driven it out of his mind.

"Ah, Seta-san," the shopkeeper said when he walked in. "You've only been here for a couple of months, and already you're one of our most loyal customers."

"I'm an avid reader," Souji said with a small smile. "I understand my order has arrived?"

The shopkeeper ducked behind the counter for a moment. "Yes, just this morning," he said, laying a hardbound book next to the cash register. "You certainly have unusual tastes, Seta-san."

Souji passed a handful of bills over. "It keeps life interesting," he said. "See you later."

He was grateful for the excuse to delay going home. Though Dojima had appeared to buy their improvised explanation, Souji was uncomfortably certain he was going to receive at least a minor grilling over dinner. Hopefully Nanako would be able to deflect at least some of it, though he disliked using her in such a fashion.

It helped that he'd been looking forward to his new book for some time. Part of the reason he had no solid plans for the future was that he had so many interests, leaving him somewhat at a loss. Case in point, the Sherlock Holmes novel he'd just purchased was in English, a language he was at least conversant in because of its economic importance. Stretching his mind, his father often said, was good for him.

Just as he was leaving the shop, he almost collided with Yukiko. "I thought you'd be back at the Inn," he said.

"There's something I want to take care of first," the heiress replied. "I've been studying to get a job license?"

Souji lifted one silver eyebrow. "What for?"

"No matter where I go, I need to be able to take care of myself," Yukiko explained. "I talked with the school guidance counselor a few days ago."

That explained some rumors he'd been hearing. Good grades aside, Yukiko wasn't known for branching out very much. Something like that was bound to spark comment, especially given how popular she was.

"If you're that set on it, I know where you can find some job openings," Souji said at length. "There's a bulletin board next to Souzai Daigaku. It changes from time to time, but you should be able to find something there."

Yukiko smiled almost ear to ear at that. "Thank you, Souji-kun. I'll make sure to check it out as soon as I'm done here. Are you heading home?"

He suppressed a grimace. "Yeah. We were able to see Rise Kujikawa, but we had a close call first. My uncle was in charge of crowd control there; Kanji's juvenile record didn't help."

"At least you were able to smooth things over," Yukiko observed. "See you tomorrow."

Souji waved briefly, and with a hint of trepidation resumed his walk home.

Evening

Dinner was, inevitably, tofu. Lots of tofu. Indeed, if Souji hadn't made a point of preparing ramen on the side it would have been nothing but tofu. He wasn't that big a fan of it as it was, though he didn't share Yosuke's distaste for the stuff.

"We sure have a lot of tofu tonight," Nanako said. If she hadn't been six years old Souji would have made a snide remark about a keen grasp of the obvious.

"Yeah. It's good stuff." Dojima didn't sound as sanguine about it. Recognizing the tone, Souji braced himself. "You visited Rise Kujikawa today. What exactly did you talk about?"

The truth, just not the whole truth. "General gossip," Souji said. "Actually, I was there mostly to keep an eye on Yosuke; he's a major Risette fan."

"I see." Dojima didn't look entirely convinced, but clearly didn't see anything he could legitimately take issue with. He sighed. "Forget it. I shouldn't have brought it up."

Nanako was looking between them, eyes wide. "You guys met Rise-chan!?" she gasped.

Souji blinked. He hadn't realized his cousin was such a big fan. "We did," he said, hoping to head things off at least a little. "She was nice, but also very tired."

"Oh." Nanako seemed a bit disappointed.

"Show biz is hard work," Dojima explained. He looked at Souji. "You'll probably be seeing her again, actually. She said she's registered for school at Yasogami."

Oh, that'll be fun. A teen idol at a school like ours? I'll be lucky if I ever make it to class on time. Sloth-face is going to have a field day with this.

Nanako looked back and forth, apparently picking up on something in her father's tone. "Are you . . . fighting again?"

"No, not at all," Dojima quickly assured her. "Go on, finish your dinner."

Souji carefully did not look in Dojima's direction, concentrating on finishing his own meal. It was best, he thought, if he went upstairs relatively early, in order to ease the tension at least a little. Besides, judging by the sound of rain, the Midnight Channel was going to be on.

He had a feeling he knew what he would see.

Two minutes to midnight. Souji pulled the curtain aside, gazing out at the rain-swept street. Idly, he wondered if their mysterious opponent was enjoying the weather. It would certainly fit such a person, in a perverse way. The perfect cliché to round out Inaba's insanity.

His clock chimed, and the Midnight Channel appeared as expected. Also as expected, the image was a swimsuit-clad teenage girl, unmistakably the same as the night before. Despite the camera's continued focus on her chest and midsection, this time there was no mistake.

Souji was reaching for his cell phone even as the image faded. "It's me," he said without preamble. "We were right; that's definitely Rise Kujikawa."

"Hell, yeah," Yosuke said. "Looked a lot creepier than the real thing, but that was Rise, no mistake. Let's get together after school tomorrow." The line clicked off.

Souji was beginning to wonder if he would have to rein his "partner" in. Yosuke's enthusiasm for the case had nearly tripled since Rise's homecoming was announced. He just hoped it wouldn't impair his friend's judgment.

Thursday, 23 June, After School

The sky was overcast, and there weren't many people at the food court when Souji arrived. Not surprising, really; anyone who wasn't busy was likely keeping an eye on Marukyu. Such was the power of celebrity. After meeting Rise Kujikawa, he couldn't help feeling sorry for her.

"You're late, partner," Yosuke greeted. "We almost started without you."

Souji took his accustomed seat and lifted an eyebrow. "You'd start without the leader? I'm surprised at you, Yosuke," he deadpanned, then smiled. "You might as well get the ball rolling."

Yosuke rolled his eyes, but quickly sobered. "Anyway, about the Midnight Channel last night, that was definitely Rise Kujikawa. The image was a lot clearer, even showed her face this time."

Yukiko nodded agreement. "So now we know at least one thing. What the victims all have in common is. . . ."

"They all appeared on TV recently," Souji finished, nodding. "Which means this isn't about Mayumi Yamano at all."

"I checked on Marukyu this morning, and Rise was still there," Yosuke said. "So it looks like that freaky TV show doesn't actually appear until after the victims have been thrown in."

Yukiko frowned thoughtfully. "I remember Teddie saying it might be the victim's own creation when they enter that world. It's your other self that appears on TV, so maybe the victims' feelings are being displayed unconsciously. Or something like that."

"It makes sense," Souji said. He pushed to his feet, making sure to stay within earshot. "We still don't know for sure."

Chie was still looking puzzled. "What about the blurry image that appears before the victim is actually kidnapped? Any ideas there?"

"It always appears a couple of days before," Yosuke said. "Like it's some kind of advance notice."

"Or a ransom note," Chie said darkly. "But who's it for, and why?"

Yosuke shrugged helplessly. "Got me. Have to ask the killer for something like that. I've still got a lot of questions about that crazy world myself."

Souji set a tray on the table and handed each teammate a soda. "My treat," he said before any could object. "I think we could all use the pick-me-up right now."

In a way he considered such things his duty. If he was to be the team leader, then he had an obligation to do what he could to ensure they were all in top form. That included keeping morale up, and even a small gesture could help.

"Thanks, Souji-kun," Yukiko said. "Could we be seeing those images for the same reason?" At Chie's puzzled look, she explained, "If the Midnight Channel shows the victim's true feelings, then maybe it does the same for the culprit. Maybe what we're seeing is his true intention."

It was a disturbing thought, one which unfortunately fit all too well with what they knew of the TV world and the Midnight Channel. While they still didn't understand how or why it happened, there was a definite emotional resonance with that world.

Chie appeared to be catching on. "So we're seeing who the killer has decided to attack next?"

"Heck, we might as well say that kind of thing is the basis for that whole world," Yosuke said, though he sounded uncertain of it. "Like some kinda mixture of minds, if that makes any sense."

Souji shook his head. "It sounds plausible, but we still don't know enough. Not even Teddie does, and he's lived there as long as he can remember."

Kanji, he noticed, had said nothing at all during their discussion. Indeed, the delinquent first year had barely even moved for almost half an hour. Either he was a really good listener, or there was something else up.

"Hey, Kanji, you with us here?" Chie asked, eying him suspiciously.

"Huh?" Kanji looked up, blinking in confusion. "Yeah, 'course I am."

The martial artist's eyes narrowed dangerously, enough that Souji surreptitiously edged away from the table. This was not something he wanted to get caught up in. "You weren't sleeping, were you?"

"N-no!" Kanji clearly recognized the danger. "I was just . . . lost in thought, that's all."

Chie wasn't convinced, that much was plain, but she apparently was willing to let it pass for the time being. "I wish I knew what that place was all about," she said with a sigh. "Teddie's explanations have so many 'maybes' in them that I can't make heads or tails out of it."

"Why would the culprit throw someone into the TV in the first place?" Yukiko asked the burning question.

Yosuke shrugged. "They have to know people die when they're tossed in there. It's attempted murder, no doubt about it. The TV's a handy way to do it, since it doesn't leave any evidence. It's the perfect crime."

This time, Kanji was actually following along. "Murder, huh? Some sick bastard with a grudge against certain people. Hell of a lot of people who've got my number, I can tell ya that." He looked at Yukiko. "How 'bout you, Yukiko-senpai? Anybody hate you so much they'd want to get rid of you forever?"

"No." Yukiko's denial came without hesitation or emphasis, perfectly calm.

Let's not jump to conclusions here.

"Um, Yukiko," Chie put in hesitantly, "it's always possible there is someone and you just don't know it."

Souji waved a hand. "The motive can wait. For now, what matters is we have a good idea of who's next. Maybe this time we can catch this scum in the act."

Chie's face lit up. "So we're going on a stakeout?" She seemed excited by the prospect.

As did Yosuke. "Hell, yeah! This time we'll nail the bastard!"

Knowing they were likely to be busy for some time, Yosuke insisted on buying "supplies" before they went to Marukyu. By which he meant snacks and drinks, which in turn took them to the Shiroku store in the shopping district. When asked why they couldn't just buy what they needed at Junes, Yosuke had responded that Shiroku was close to Marukyu, so they could get there in a rush if they had to.

Souji contented himself with granola bars, not wanting anything particularly bulky. Besides, it would help him keep his strength up.

"We gotta go with donuts and milk," Chie said, lifting a carton off the shelf.

"You said it," Yosuke agreed. "No better meal for a man on a stakeout."

Souji looked over his shoulder at them. "Don't get carried away," he said mildly. "We don't want to weigh ourselves down too much."

"Eh, don't worry about it," Yosuke said, waving a hand dismissively. "Chie knows her stuff, being a martial artist and all."

And I'm pretty sure this is the first time you've mentioned that without looking afraid for your life. Or your ability to reproduce.

"Oh, and throw in some disposable diapers, too," Yosuke added.

What.

If the look on her face was any indication, Chie was having similar thoughts. "Say what? I don't think they even have those here."

"We've got 'em at Junes," Yosuke replied, unperturbed.

Chie shuddered. "Too much information."

"I agree with Chie," Souji interjected, walking to the counter and setting their purchases in front of the old lady who ran the place. "Besides, I really don't see how something like that would be of any use to us."

He was just handing over the payment when the store's bell rang, announcing another customer. To his mild surprise, Tohru Adachi walked in, looking bored out of his mind. On seeing Souji and his friends, the detective immediately smoothed his face into a professionally bland expression.

Yosuke tilted his head curiously. "Mister detective? What brings you here?"

"Me? I'm just doing leg work," Adachi said, scratching his head nervously. He looked away, adding to himself, "Damn, what did I do to deserve babysitting detail?" Catching Souji's regard, he hastily amended, "Not that it's really a big deal. Dojima-san didn't order me here or anything. What about you guys?"

Souji eyed him carefully, trying to gauge his reaction. "We're on our way to Marukyu to pay Rise another visit," he said. "She seemed to like us, so we thought we'd introduce Chie and Yukiko."

"How 'bout that," Adachi said, smiling weakly. "Just so happens I'm heading there, too."

"How about we go together, then," Chie suggested. "I mean, it would probably be safer if we're with an official detective."

Adachi had no objection, so the five members of the Investigation Team trailed behind him on the short walk to Marukyu. On arrival they split up, Adachi going in to talk to Rise, Chie and Yukiko standing watch outside, and Souji himself accompanying Yosuke and Kanji on a casual walk around the neighborhood.

Fortunately for Souji's sanity, there wasn't such a huge crowd like the day before. His group did attract some notice, but he suspected it was a combination of Kanji's reputation, Yosuke's general unpopularity in the area, and his own relative newness to Inaba itself.

Throughout, he kept his eyes open. Most of the people he saw he'd already met; unlike Yosuke, the reactions he got in the shopping district were usually positive. They stopped at the bookstore, a mere two doors down from Marukyu, before returning to the tofu shop, where Kanji came to a stop, looking bored.

"Hey, don't stop!" Yosuke hissed. "The culprit might catch on!"

Kanji snorted. "You mean he hasn't already? Come on, we must've walked by here a thousand times by now."

"Kanji's right; this isn't getting us anywhere," Souji said. "Yes, I know having a lot of us here makes things suspicious, but we can pretend to be fans of Rise." He smiled slightly, and glanced at Yosuke sidelong. "Well, not all of us have to pretend."

Yosuke glared at him. "You'll pay for that one, partner."

Marukyu's door swung open, revealing Adachi. "Come on out you bastard!" he bit out. "We're ready for you."

Corny, was Souji's take on it. He half expected a burst of laughter from Yukiko, but she wasn't even paying attention. Indeed, she appeared to be staring at nothing, her gaze angled slightly upward. She squinted, as though she didn't believe what she was seeing.

Then her eyes went wide, and she gasped. "Look! Up there!"

Souji spun around. A pudgy man with a camera hanging from his neck was clinging to a telephone pole, roughly on level with Marukyu's second floor. Seeing that he was discovered, the man hastily slid down the pole and took off at a run. Adachi and the Investigation Team were on his heels in an instant.

The brief chase took them to a busy intersection. "Don't come any closer!" the man yelled.

Stalemate. If their target ran any farther, odds were good he would end up as roadkill. Such an outcome would mean Souji and his friends would have blood on their hands, to say nothing of his uncle's likely reaction to his involvement.

"Damn, this is bad," Adachi muttered. "If he gets hurt, we're all in deep trouble, not to mention it'll hurt the police department's reputation."

Their target seemed almost heartened by this. "I'll do it," he warned, edging backward.

Yosuke clenched a fist in obvious frustration. "Dammit, now what?"

"Take him head-on," Souji murmured. "I don't think there's any other way."

Yosuke grimaced, but nodded. "All right." He looked at Kanji, got a nod from him, and pointed upward. "Look, a Martian!"

It was such a ridiculous ploy that Souji only barely suppressed a facepalm. Nevertheless, it actually worked; the pudgy man did a quick one-eighty, looking around wildly. Not much of a gap, but it was enough for Yosuke and Kanji to subdue him.

"W-What's going on!?" the man demanded once they had him secured.

Adachi produced his badge. "Save it, pal. We'll hear your story down at the station. Heh, I always wanted to say that."

"Hope you're ready for some hard time, murderer," Kanji said icily.

"Huh!?" The pudgy man waved his arms. "Hey, time out! What do you mean, 'murderer'!?" He gestured to his camera. "I just wanted to get a look at Risette, take some pictures! That's not a crime here!"

This time Souji couldn't restrain the facepalm. Is this guy really that stupid? We've got some of the toughest privacy laws in the world; anything that can take pictures has to make noise while operating. Everyone knows that.

"Well, case closed," Adachi said, cuffing the man. "And I couldn't have done it without you guys. Thanks a lot."

"Hey, no prob," Chie said with a grin.

Though he didn't show it, Souji didn't quite share his friends' enthusiasm as the peeping tom and possible kidnapper/murderer was led away. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but it seemed just a little too easy. Too simple for a case that had literally taken them into the realm of the human subconscious.

"Hey, let's go tell Rise-san the good news," Chie suggested. "Maybe she'll sleep better tonight."

The feeling of unease grew as they walked back to Marukyu. Adachi was naturally oblivious, prattling on about how happy Dojima would be to finally have the case closed. Chie and Yukiko were making vague plans about an outing of some kind, while Yosuke was just excited about seeing "Risette" again. Kanji from all appearances didn't much care, simply noting it was up to the police now.

Marukyu's front door opened, but it was Rise's grandmother who existed. "Are you here to see Rise? I'm afraid she seems to have gone out."

Souji felt a chill run down his spine. "She was just here a few minutes ago," he said, forcing his voice to remain even.

"This has happened before," the elder Kujikawa said. "She'll just sometimes wander out without a word. Please forgive her; she's very tired, in many ways."

I have a bad feeling about this. "Kujikawa-san, how long has it been?"

"No more than ten minutes, I think."

Adachi waved a hand. "Hey, don't get so worked up. She probably needed some air is all. We've got the killer right here," he said, gesturing to the peeping tom.

Feeling as though he had ice water running through his veins, Souji looked at his team as the detective left. "Everyone, split up," he said. "I hope Adachi-san is right, but if he isn't. . . ." There was no need to finish.

He'd been in Inaba long enough to learn at least some of the byways, and if she had simply walked out Rise couldn't have gotten far, not when she was so exhausted. Unfortunately, this helped not at all; scouring the alleyways didn't turn up so much as a trace.

Meeting the others back at Marukyu, Souji could tell their searches had also been fruitless. "Anything?" he asked anyway.

"Not a damn clue," Kanji said bitterly. "Dammit, and we were so close."

"I knew the peeping tom was too easy," Souji said half to himself. "All right, next step. There's nothing more we can do here, so everyone make sure to check the Midnight Channel tonight."

Privately, after seeing Kanji's Shadow he was deeply dreading what would appear next.

Evening

It was with some dread that Souji went up to his room that night. He was unfortunately certain Rise Kujikawa (or rather, her Shadow) was going to appear on the Midnight Channel, which meant she was in very real danger. On top of that, after Kanji's Shadow he wasn't sure how well he could stomach their antics. Each seemed more disturbing than the last.

He looked out his window at the driving rain, then back at his TV. With the usual crackle of static, the screen lit with the latest on the Midnight Channel. The background was some kind of stage, almost all of it in neon pink. His gut started to clench in anticipation.

Sure enough, a swimsuit-clad girl walked into the camera's line of sight. "'Maru-Q! Push Risette!' Good evening, good evening! I'm Rise Kujikawa1"

Okay, not as creepy a beginning as Kanji's. Maybe it wouldn't be quite so outlandish this time.

"Rise" crouched, peering into the camera. "This spring, one young girl levels up to become a high school idol. . . . Yay!"

Say what? More puzzling than anything else so far.

"So today, I'm gonna celebrate by pushing the limits of Standards and Practices!"

That does not bode well. Souji felt himself tensing again. If anything, that sounds worse than Kanji's.

"Rise" grinned. "Does everyone know what time it is? Showtime!" The grin turned devilish. "Show what, you ask? E-very-thing!" She drew out the last word, giggling.

Souji took deep, slow breaths, afraid to do anything else. There were a number of ways her last comment could have been taken, none of them good.

The girl on the screen ran back to the stage, laughing now. "How embarrassing! Is this too hot for TV!?"

You're making me sweat. And I somehow doubt you're the real Rise Kujikawa.

"Well, if it's worth doing, it's worth doing all the way! I'm gonna bare it all for you! Stay tuned!"

I really, really hope her agent never finds out about this, Souji thought as the image faded, then scolded himself. Bad publicity was the least of Rise's worries right then.

Right on schedule, his cell phone beeped. "Seta."

"D-Did you see Risette on TV just now!?" Yosuke stammered. "Is she really serious about 'baring it all'!?" He was gasping. "Is it just me, or are these shows getting crazier all the time!?"

"It's not just you, and you need to calm down," Souji said as evenly as he could manage. "We can handle this."

The breathing on the other end evened out. "Yeah, you're right," Yosuke said. "Going off half-cocked won't solve anything. But man, if we don't move soon her Shadow's just gonna go wild." He hissed briefly. "Dammit, we couldn't prevent the kidnapping even when we knew the next target. That detective was no help."

"Uncle Ryotaro would agree with you," Souji said dryly. "I sometimes wonder how he puts up with Adachi-san."

Yosuke managed a brief laugh. "Yeah, it's up to us. Again. See you tomorrow."

Souji dropped his phone on the work table. A fifth disappearance, and still no closer to the source. What was it about Inaba that was attracting the paranormal? Until they found the answer, he was sure, there would be no end to the abductions.

Friday, 24 June, After School

With Rise's disappearance confirmed, they wasted no time in heading for the TV world after school. Souji silently breathed a prayer of thanks at the lack of business in the electronics department; even though it was a Friday afternoon, they didn't see a soul when they arrived.

Teddie was there, of course. There was something off about him, though; he offered no greeting, indeed he wasn't even facing them. In stark contrast to his usual posture, he stood silent with his hands clasped behind him, his ears drooping.

"Uh, Teddie, you okay?" Chie asked nervously.

"I wasn't crying." Teddie's tone strongly suggested otherwise, an impression confirmed when he dropped to his knees. "Everyone was having fun outside. I was just here, abandoned, forgotten."

Chie shook her head. "No, we would never do that!" she protested.

Souji covered a wince. In point of fact he had largely forgotten about Teddie in the press of recent events. After what the bear-like creature had already done for them, it was really a cruel oversight.

"You're the one who said he wanted to live a peaceful life here," Yosuke said. Apparently he wasn't feeling as sympathetic.

"That's what I thought," Teddie said. "But I heard voices outside, sounding like they were having so much fun, while I was here alone, bored. The more I thought about it, the more listless it made me. It tried to cry, but I couldn't. That somehow made it even worse."

This time Souji couldn't help wincing. Unfortunately, there was no time to commiserate. "Has there been anything knew here?" he asked. "We think a girl named Rise Kujikawa was thrown in sometime yesterday."

Teddie frowned. "Rise Kujikawa?"

"Can't tell?" Yosuke said, voice softening. "Sounds like your nose is getting more stuffed lately."

Teddie sighed at that. "Yeah, I'm a pretty shabby bear. Pretty soon I won't be of any use to you at all. It's the trash heap for me then."

Souji shook his head. "That's not true at all. Right now, you're our only chance for finding her. We saw her Shadow on the Midnight Channel last night, so we're short on time."

It wasn't clear if it was the urgency of the situation or merely the fact that he still had some value to them, but Teddie perked up some. "Hmm, I do kinda sense someone here. Maybe if you could find me some kind of hint, like with Kanji. If I could understand Rise a little more, I should be able to sniff her out."

A start, at least. "You heard the bear, people," Souji said. "Let's dig up some dirt."

You'd think, Souji grumbled to himself roughly an hour later, it would be easy to find information on a celebrity. But no, it has to be rumors, gossip, and tabloid-level trash.

In some ways it was even more frustrating than Kinshiro Morooka's interminable lectures. Rise's grandmother had at least provided some insight, noting that Rise had been having trouble with paparazzi on occasion, and one was reported to be in Inaba. Unsurprising, given Rise's status.

Finding the reporter in question was proving more daunting; Souji didn't have a name, or even a description beyond "male of average build," which described roughly half of Inaba's population. Finding information on Kanji had been a cakewalk by comparison.

Also not helping was the near certainty that Rise's public persona was a facade, leaving them with even less to go on. The only solid lead they had on her personally was the fact that she was exhausted, something made obvious to anyone who spent more than ten seconds in her presence.

That aside, everyone seemed to think they knew about Rise, but in practice it invariably came to nothing. It was almost a relief when his cell phone beeped. "Seta."

"You find anything yet, partner?" Yosuke asked.

"I wish," Souji growled. "I haven't been given a runaround this bad since I was in middle school. Rise's grandmother suggested I look for a n out-of-town reporter, but I haven't seen anyone like that."

He could almost see Yosuke's grimace. "Me, neither. Somebody like that would stick out like a sore thumb in Inaba. Everybody knows everybody else, you know how it is."

"Too well," Souji grumbled. "What about the others?"

"No dice," Yosuke said darkly. "Yukiko even asked around the Inn, but nothing. And it's getting late; I need to get home before my Dad starts asking questions."

A very good point, that. "Same here," Souji acknowledged. "If Uncle Ryotaro finds any reason to be suspicious, we're effectively sunk."

"That's the breaks," Yosuke said. "See ya tomorrow."

Not quite ready to go home, Souji meandered to the Samegawa shoreline. Earlier in the month, he'd taken up fishing as a hobby, at the recommendation of an old man who frequented the place. Thus far, all he'd managed to catch were a couple of small fish.

Maybe this will take my mind off things for a while. Glancing at his watch, Souji noted roughly an hour before he had to be home for dinner. That should be enough.

He bent to scratch a cat that frequented the spot, then took his usual place. The day was sunny, so he didn't really think he would catch anything of note. Of course, it was always possible he would get lucky, and there were rumors of a huge fish known as the "Guardian" swimming about in the Samegawa.

Humming softly to himself, he set down to wait.

Evening

"Welcome home, big bro!"

Souji smiled at his cousin's greeting. "Glad to be back," he said. "Is your father at work still?"

"Yeah." Nanako's face fell slightly. "He's really busy right now." She brightened again. "But at least you're here!"

Dropping his school bag on the couch, Souji set his other burden on the kitchen counter. "You know he's doing it to protect you," he said, knowing she wouldn't really accept it. Not completely, not yet. "I've got something special for dinner tonight," he continued, turning the stove on. "Inaba trout, freshly caught from the Samegawa just this afternoon."

Nanako's eyes widened. "Really?"

"Least I could do with everything going on," Souji said. He set two trout in a frying pan. "Mind getting the table set, Nanako-chan?"

She leaped to her feet. "Okay!"

Soon the room was filled with the smell of frying fish. This particular recipe Souji had learned from a paternal uncle, whose love for fishing was very nearly an obsession. It was one of the few things to leave much of an impression on him before he met Reika Sakamoto.

"That smells so good!' Nanako gushed. "I can't wait to dig in."

"Give it a few minutes," Souji said with a laugh. "It's almost ready, but you don't want to burn your tongue."

Nanako was practically dancing with impatience by the time Souji set dinner on the table. He'd actually been just a bit nervous about how it would turn out, but his cousin tore into it with gusto. Her look of simple bliss was more than enough reward for his efforts.

"Can you teach me how to make that?" she asked when they'd finished.

Souji winced slightly. "I'm not sure your father would let me yet," he said. "He'd probably say you're too young to work with that sort of thing."

Fortunately for his conscience, Nanako wasn't really disappointed. "We really should have this again sometime," she said.

"I'll try for it next time your father is home for dinner," Souji promised. "I can't be sure exactly when, but there's time." He stifled a yawn. "Sorry, Nanako-chan, but I've had a long day." Longer than he dared tell her or anyone else outside his group. "I'll help you clean up, but I think we both should go to bed soon."

"Okay."

Saturday, 25 June, Early Morning

Having awakened to a major downpour, Souji made a point of checking the weather forecast first thing. To his relief, there wasn't much chance of fog for the next few days, so they still had some time. Nevertheless, it was a stark reminder of the urgency of their task.

He still found it soothing on one level, though. Casually walking to school with umbrella in hand, it felt as though things had slowed down for the duration.

"Morning, Souji-kun."

Except for Chie, who very possibly wasn't capable of slowing down. "Morning, Chie," he replied. "Nice weather, eh?'

The look on her face made plain what she thought of that line, under the circumstances. "I heard it's supposed to last all day, but should clear up by tomorrow. There shouldn't be any fog for a while, but. . . ."

"I heard the same thing," Souji said. "We should be fine for now."

Chie's nod was a bit shaky, but unhesitating. "Yeah. If we just go in half-cocked, we're no good to anyone." She winced, evidently remembering the time she went in half-cocked. "Stay calm and do it right, that's the way!"

Souji smiled. "You're really learning."

After School

If anything, the rain had strengthened by the time the last bell rang. Snatching up his umbrella, Souji nodded briefly at Yumi Ozawa before stepping out into the deluge. There was a good chance the reporter he was after was out there despite the weather; such people were often dedicated to the point of obsession.

First, he scouted the most obvious place, Marukyu Tofu. Logically, anyone wanting information on Rise Kujikawa would go there first. A quick chat with Rise's grandmother confirmed the reporter had indeed been there, but left before Souji's arrival.

It was annoying, but far from a total loss. Souji now had a description, and an idea of where the reporter had gone. He was mildly chagrined to learn his "quarry" was likely at a place Souji himself went through at least six days a week, the Samegawa flood plain.

And there he is. "Excuse me!" Souji called, raising his free hand. "Can I talk to you for a moment?"

Even through the driving rain, the reporter's surprise was plain to see. "You have something for me, kid?"

"It's about Rise Kujikawa," Souji said, ignoring the "kid" remark. With a few carefully chosen omissions, he explained the situation.

"So I'm not the only one," the reporter said. "You'd think it would be easier in a place like this. Anyway, let's try an information trade. Maybe you have something new."

Fair enough. "I met her briefly the day after she arrived," Souji said. "She's a lot different from what we see on TV."

"A lot f them are like that," the reporter said, nodding. "The face we see in public is a painstaking construction, almost never the real person. Anything else?"

"She seemed really tired," Souji said, hoping it would be enough. "Practically dead on her feet, really."

Another nod. "In some ways the entertainment industry is just as grueling as a factory job. Maybe even worse, since you don't have much privacy. Every day is planned to the smallest detail." The reporter grimaced. "It's not much, but it's more than I've had in days. Thanks, kid."

Souji didn't bother to watch him leave. He already had his cell phone out, punching in a quick group text. This could be just what we need. A constructed face, Rise must be worried about her true self, maybe wondering if she even has one.

Twenty minutes later, they were in the "hub" of the TV world. Souji related his conversation with the reporter to his teammates, making sure not to miss any details. Even Teddie listened without comment, his expression intent, round ears twitching.

"Her true self, huh?" the bear murmured. "She's just like me, the delicate, sentimental type."

Teddie, I'm not sure I would ever use "delicate" or "sentimental" to describe you. He kept those thoughts to himself; no sense disturbing Teddie when his services were most needed. Their mysterious ally was already sniffing around, a look of deep concentration on his face.

Teddie's eyes abruptly went wide. "I've got it! She's that way!"

"That way" took them to the kind of place Souji had often heard of, but would never have been caught dead visiting. The pink stage from the Midnight Channel was there, complete with female silhouettes in seductive poses. While the stage itself was brilliantly lit (painfully so), the tables were largely in shadow.

Chie rubbed her eyes. "Damn, there's way too much pink here."

"It's too bright, too," Yukiko said with a grimace. "Even with the glasses, it hurts my eyes."

Yosuke, by contrast, was looking around with interest. "Hey, I've seen this kind of place before. Don't they have these in resort towns?"

In the shadier parts, sure.

Kanji, as usual, was blunt about the whole thing. "A strip joint, huh? Figures."

"Strip?" Teddie said. "Like a zebra?"

That's "stripe," Teddie, and this isn't the best time for your puns.

"It doesn't matter," he said before either Teddie or possibly Chie could build up a head of steam. "What matters is Rise is here, and we have a limited time to get her out." He looked at the rest of the team. "Any questions?"

No one answered.

"All right," Souji said. He looked to the back of the stage. "Hang on, Rise. We're coming."

Author's note: Apologies the rather extreme lateness; as a Florida resident, I had a bit too close a look at Hurricane Irma, and while I wasn't directly impacted much, it was still quite a ride. It may also have contributed to this chapter's relative shortness, though the lack of a convenient stopping point later on was also a factor.

All that aside, I hope this was at least worth the wait. ~D.S.