Tuesday, 6 September, Evening

It was a quiet, overcast evening at the Dojima residence. Souji had wandered outside, while his uncle read a bedtime story for Nanako despite a call from the office. Awkward though he still was, Ryotaro Dojima was finally making an effort to be a good father for his only child.

"Heh, she made me read the whole thing." Dojima settled himself on the porch next to Souji. "That phone call was from Ichihara-san, my former senpai on the force," he said. "I've been having him run tests for the hit-and-run investigation."

It was clear where he was headed. "This is about Aunt Chisato," Souji said quietly.

Dojima nodded, his expression solemn. "He was calling to tell me the test results are in." He sighed. "I doubt they've found anything the police didn't at the time, and I know going won't change it, but. . . ." He shook his head. "It was a white sedan, probably large and of American make. No such car is registered in Inaba, as I expected."

"A dead end," Souji murmured.

Dojima nodded again, glumly. "Odds are it's already out of the country by now, and that scares me." His expression tightened. "Scares me that I'll never catch the perp, that I'll never have an outlet for this. That I failed Nanako when it mattered most." He took a long, shuddering breath. "And I can't escape it. Whenever I look at Nanako, whenever I see more of her mother, it's shoved in my face."

Souji looked up at the cloudy sky. "You're not alone, Uncle Ryotaro," he said. "Getting bounced around so much, I've spent a lot of my life alone." He smiled slightly, realizing how silly it sounded coming from him. "Of course, I'm only seventeen, so that doesn't really mean much."

"No, I get what you're saying." Dojima managed a soft chuckle. "I never thought I'd be talking about something this serious with you."

Souji's lip twitched. "Never know how things will turn out. I had no idea I'd be making friends with a celebrity when I came to Inaba." He leaned back, lacing his hands behind his head. "If there's anything I can do, please let me know. You've done more for me here than I had any right to expect, especially with the murder case."

"Don't sell yourself short, Souji," Dojima said. "You've done more than repay us. Thanks."

Wednesday, 7 September, Early Morning

The strong sun of late summer made it easy to forget that school was back in full swing. Souji was grateful for the warm weather uniform; he'd have been sweating profusely with the heavier fabric and longer sleeves of the winter version even early in the morning.

Just like in that sauna, he thought, then sternly took himself to task. That's long over; don't even think about it.

"Mornin', Senpai," a familiar voice called. Souji turned, nodding a greeting to Kanji and Yosuke.

"Yo," the latter said, smiling lightly. "You ready for the school trip? This goof," he jerked his head at Kanji, "won't shut up about the whole thing."

Souji shrugged. "Ready as I'll ever be," he said. "I'm kinda curious about Port Island and that school we're going to be visiting, but I have to wonder if we're going to enjoy anything Sloth-Face came up with."

Especially with Kashiwagi involved. Souji had to suppress a shudder at the very idea; given his homeroom teacher's idea of proper behavior, they'd be lucky to escape the trip with their minds intact. Boredom, he thought morosely, would almost be preferable.

Kanji merely rolled his eyes. "Yeah, well, Yosuke-senpai here isn't even packed yet. He's all 'Is that tomorrow?' What's up with that, anyway?"

It was Yosuke's turn to roll his eyes. "And you are way too excited about it. Seriously, wondering how many boxes of animal crackers to bring? Dude, I'm pretty sure they have convenience stores in Port Island."

"Really?" Kanji wore a look of almost comical befuddlement. "I mean, I've never really been away from Inaba before, so I wasn't sure."

"Believe it, Kanji," Souji said, forcing himself not to grin. "It's actually easier to find that kind of stuff in the city."

Yosuke lifted an eyebrow at that. "You sure you'll take Inaba over the big city?"

"Partner, if there's anything I've learned over the last year or so, it's that peace and quiet is sometimes worth sacrificing a little convenience," Souji said. "Place like Tokyo or Kyoto, you can barely hear yourself think."

"If you say so."

For his part, Souji planned on traveling light. A couple of changes of clothes, some spending money, a couple other odds and ends, and he was set. Anything else he needed, he'd be able to buy in Port Island.

Kanji was looking unusually serious. "Y'know, I wonder if the murders got as much play over there. Like that Mitsuo Kubo kid. Bastard's still all over the news here,"

"I've noticed," Souji muttered. "My uncle's been complaining about all the sensationalizing."

Kanji grunted agreement. "Tell me about it. Every time I switch on the tube, there's his face. They keep ranting on about what he wrote in his yearbook, stuff like that. Make me wanna punch through the TV." He shook his head. "Damn media are slapping together everything they can find to make him look like a born criminal. They think they can say whatever the hell they want just 'cause the kid's a murder suspect. Just not right."

"Reporters," Souji said with a snort. "Bottom-feeders, most of 'em. Ask Rise about it sometime, she'll give you an earful."

"A teen idol? I'll just bet," Kanji said knowingly. "I mean, I still hate Kubo's guts. Son of a bitch deserves whatever he's got coming. I just . . . getting caught up in this mess made me start to realize just how off-base most rumors are."

Souji nodded. "We'd heard you were a major hardcase; even my uncle thought so," he told the younger student. "It's rarely that simple."

"Yeah, the news can be pretty out there," Yosuke agreed. He turned, evidently hearing what Souji had already spotted. "Hey, here comes Naoto."

The petite detective nodded a greeting. "Good morning," she said, but was able to go no further before Kanji interrupted.

"Sorry, guys, just remembered I'm on duty today," the delinquent said, an uncharacteristic nervous laugh escaping him. "Gotta run!"

Still has issues, Souji mused, watching his friend go. Would he be more or less uneasy if he knew Naoto is a girl? Probably no different, he decided after a moment's thought. Kanji's issues had little to do with that, though his interest in Naoto specifically occasionally made Souji just a bit uneasy. Perhaps fortunately, Naoto herself was from all appearances unaware of it.

"He's the messed-up one," Yosuke muttered.

Evening

To Souji's surprise, what little packing he needed was already done by the time he got home. Dojima and Nanako had taken care of it, the former explaining that Souji had already done so much around the house, so it was only fair they made the trip a little bit easier for him.

He had only one addition to make, a book to read on the train. It was the same one Naoto had recommended near the end of summer break, a good way to pass the time. Souji had wondered how she knew he taste in reading material, but only for a moment. His involvement in the murder case, even if Naoto didn't know the details, was a clue the size of Mount Fuji.

I wonder if she's ever been to Port Island, he thought distantly.

Thursday, 8 September, Afternoon

The train ride was predictably boring. Souji had spent it with his nose in a book, while Yosuke took refuge in his headphones (which was better than bickering with Chie), Yukiko looked out the window, and Chie took a nap for once. From the lack of commotion, Kanji at least had behaved himself.

Arrival was a minor culture shock. Though it had been less than a year, Souji had long since grown used to the quiet of the countryside, which meant the noise level in a place like Port Island nearly blew his eardrums. At least that was what it felt like.

"Whoa," Yosuke gasped, looking around wide-eyed. "What's up with this place!? It's way too big!"

Souji had to agree. While he'd seen larger schools, none had been quite as obviously fancy as Gekkoukan High School. Everything was shiny and mostly new, the uniforms of a similar cut to Yasogami's but noticeably better tailored. It seemed that at Gekko High, only the best would do.

The principal, a man who looked to be in his early fifties, cleared his throat. "Well, uh, next I will explain about our fine educational institution and the reasons for its establishment! I'll, uh, start with a proverb, 'If a job's worth doing, it's worth doing well.'"

Pompous blowhard. Souji firmly stifled a yawn. A fifteen-minute speech, and he said absolutely nothing. He should go into politics.

"Is this guy in love with his own voice, or what?" Chie muttered.

"Chie! He'll hear you!" Yukiko hissed back.

Fortunately, he didn't. "Ahem, our school is closed today, but, ah, because of this rare opportunity for cultural exchange, some of our students will walk you through these halls. First, however, a student body representative will say a few words."

He nodded to a young woman in the uniform of a Gekkoukan third year. A bit shorter than Souji, with long, dark brown hair and large glasses, she moved with poise and confidence. The kind of person you'd expect at a place like Gekkoukan.

"Thank you, Principal," she said, stepping forward. "Welcome to Gekkoukan High School. My name is Chihiro Fushimi. I'm a third-year student, and Student Council President here at Gekkoukan. It's an honor to meet you all today!"

Yosuke whistled. "Man, she's unbelievable!"

"Cute, too," Kanji agreed.

"She's the most bewitching bespectacled beauty I've ever beheld!" Yosuke breathed.

Souji covered a wince. Bad poetry there, partner. And how do you think Chie's going to take it?

The question was answered an instant later. "Stop overreacting, you two," Chie bit out.

Oblivious to the exchange, Chihiro continued, "This is the first time our school has invited another student body for a true cultural exchange. To learn about others is to learn about oneself, and is the first step on the road to self-betterment. That's what I believe."

Sounds like a mouthful of nothing to me.

"To ensure a worthwhile experience for each and every one of you, we will do our best to help you accomplish that," Chihiro said. "So let us enjoy our time together. Thank you very much!"

Chie groaned softly. "She has me beat in every category."

"Not every," Souji said, sotto voce. "Not many people can do what you can," he said, referring to their adventures in the TV world. That seemed to cheer Chie up just a bit.

"All right, everyone, get into groups with your classmates," Kashiwagi instructed.

Souji was only too glad to obey, if only to put some distance between himself and his homeroom teacher. He looked around, wondering where Rise had disappeared to. If he recalled correctly, she and Kanji were in the same class.

"Oh, no!" That was Chihiro, looking around in some distress. Her eyes landed on Souji, and she approached with a hint of trepidation. "Excuse me, could I bother you for a moment?"

He tilted his head slightly. "Is there something wrong, Fushimi-san?"

She held out a stack of papers. "This is today's schedule for everyone. Could you hand it out later? I'm afraid it slipped my mind." She smiled a bit nervously. "Sorry for being so disorganized, especially after you all came so far."

"Don't worry about it," Souji said, shaking his head. "You're actually doing a good job, given that this is the first time your school has had an exchange."

"Not really," Chihiro demurred. "I didn't even write that speech on my own. A former Student Council President helped me with it. She was President during my first year, and I really looked up to her. I'll have to call her later and tell her how it went." She seemed to catch herself. "Oops! Sorry about going on about myself like that. I tend to babble a lot when I'm nervous. Anyway, your group is scheduled for a special lecture today. The classroom is on the second floor. I have some arrangements to make with your student council, so please excuse me."

With a hint of trepidation, Souji looked at the schedule Chihiro had given him. Sure enough, they had a special lecture in just fifteen minutes. This has Sloth-Face's fingerprints all over it, he thought morosely.

"Did I hear that right? 'Special lecture'?" Yosuke asked of the world in general, as though he was having trouble believing his own words. "We came all this way to be lectured!?"

Yukiko peered over Souji's shoulder. "Let's see. . . . We're going to be listening to a Mister Edogawa. He'll be giving a talk on the Qabbalah."

Chie, as usual, looked puzzled. "Huh, what?"

"You don't know?" Kanji said. "It's a casino."

I really, really doubt that, Kanji, Souji thought. A big school like Gekkoukan wouldn't be teaching about that kind of thing.

"Don't look so disappointed," a new voice interjected. "Edogawa isn't exactly normal, but he knows how to make things interesting."

Souji felt himself go rigid. No way. That just isn't possible. Feeling like he was in a dream, he slowly turned around.

A girl his own age, clad in the uniform of a Gekkoukan second year. Medium height, black hair that went a bit past her shoulders, light green eyes, and a slightly mischievous smile he could easily call from memory. Impossible thought it was, there was no mistaking her.

"Reika!?" he choked out. It was quite possibly the first time he'd been visibly put off-balance in front of his friends. "You . . . what are you doing here of all places?"

She laughed. "Isn't it obvious? I'm a student here at Gekkoukan. Transferred in around when you got to Inaba. You didn't know?"

Souji took a deep breath. "If I knew, I wouldn't be making an idiot of myself right now." He waved at the others gathered around him. "This is Yosuke Hanamura, Chie Satonaka, Yukiko Amagi, and Kanji Tatsumi. Everyone, meet Reika Sakamoto, the girl who I almost got engaged to a year or so back."

Yosuke was, predictably, staring. "You're insane, partner, you know that? You get set up with someone like her and you back off? Talk about missed opportunities!"

You want Chie to kick you in your weak spot, partner? "It's not that simple, Yosuke," Souji said. "We just didn't fit together for a number of reasons."

Reika, fortunately, appeared more amused than anything else. "What Souji said. Right now, I'm just happy to see an old friend." She nodded at the main entrance. "I'll show you the way."

"Hang on a sec," Yosuke said, eying the schedule. "When's our free period?"

Chie leaned past Souji's arm, and her shoulders slumped. ". . .We don't get one," she said. "Classes all through today, and we stay at a hotel tonight and tomorrow." She managed a smile. "It's not all bad. We have free time tomorrow and the next day until we leave at noon."

Yosuke groaned. "Seriously? You have got to be kidding me."

"Now, now," Yukiko interjected. "Let's just focus on our studies for now, so we can enjoy our free time later."

"Better listen to her," Reika said with a grin. "And like I said, Edogawa's pretty interesting, even if he's a bit of a weirdo." She tugged on Souji's arm. "C'mon, follow me."

Reika, it soon developed, wasn't kidding about Edogawa's eccentricities. He wore rectangular glasses and a lab coat; apparently he doubled as the school nurse, which made Souji wince in sympathy for what the Gekkoukan student body endured. Looking at the man's perpetually mysterious expression, he decided Reika had been understating things.

"It's nice to meet you all," Edogawa said. "A meeting is only the beginning stage of a parting, the Alpha and Omega. My name is Edogawa, and I'll be keeping you company for this period."

And I thought Sofue was weird. What's this guy getting at?

"You are all from Yasogami High, are you? A school of many gods." Edogawa smiled. "I had considered a lecture on Qabbalah philosophy, but I have a better idea." He let out a soft, unnerving laugh.

Why do I have a bad feeling about this?

"Since I was able to meet you all today, I will tell you a story of partings." Edogawa rubbed his chin. "One could say it is Japan's oldest tale of curses. You all know about the gods who created this country, I presume?"

Souji did, in fact. He had his doubts about some he knew (Kanji, probably Daisuke Nagase), but for him it was pretty basic stuff. He hadn't read about it in some time, having grown fixated on detective novels of late, but he certainly recalled the essentials well enough.

"The two gods who gave birth to this country are the god Izanagi and the goddess Izanami," Edogawa said. "They got along very well, until one day Izanami died giving birth to Kagatsuchi, the fire god. Saddened beyond words by this, Izanagi went to the land of the dead to bring Izanami back. Yes, Yomi, the endlessly dark underworld."

Now Souji remembered why he seldom read about the creators. Way too depressing.

"There, Izanagi asked Izanami, who had become a dweller in that land of shadows, to come with him to the world above," Edogawa went on. "The goddess replied by saying she would negotiate with the god of the underworld, and asked Izanagi to wait for her. However," the teacher's face was somber, "Izanagi broke his promise. Curious as to what was going on, he set his comb alight to look around."

Souji winced. He recalled all too well what came next.

"What he saw . . . was the goddess Izanami, whose body was covered in filth and maggots!" Edogawa ignored the sounds of suppressed nausea. "Terrified, Izanagi ran away, but the enraged Izanami chased after him!" Edogawa had a solemn look on his face. "After dodging countless demons, he at last reached the entrance to the underworld, Yomotsu Hirasaka."

Just like the Western story of Orpheus and Eurydice, or close to it.

"He set in place a large boulder between the two worlds, and got away unharmed," Edogawa said. "When the dreadful goddess reached the bolder, he said his sad farewell. This, my young listeners, is the curse known as 'kotodo.' Curses beget more curses, and Izanami said: 'If you're going to treat me this way, then I will kill one thousand humans in your world each day!' Izanagi accepted with regret that their bonds were severed, and replied, 'Then I shall give life to 1500 each day.' Thousands die, and tens of thousands are born. This is the curse upon our country."

I wish he'd stuck with the Qabbalah. At least then maybe we wouldn't feel like the world was ending.

"Now for the etymology. The names Izanagi and Izanami both come from 'izanau,' which means 'to invite.' I would be delighted if you accepted this story as an 'invitation' to acquire more knowledge." Edogawa smiled. "There was a time people took this story seriously. Things like lighting only a single fire at night and throwing combs were taboo."

Souji traded glances with Chie. She actually seemed to be paying attention for once, in part, Souji suspected, for the same reason he was: his first Persona was that creator god, Izanagi. Which led to a single burning question.

If my first Persona was Izanagi, has someone out there manifested Izanami?

"You should know that at Hana no Iwaya, the grave where Izanami is said to have descended to the underworld, people still decorate it with flowers when festivals are held nearby." Edogawa gave a fractional shrug. "Perhaps it's merely ceremonial, but everyone wants to look beautiful."

The bell chose that moment to ring, mercifully in Souji's opinion. "Ah, is our time together already ended? I may have gone a bit too long." Again the eerie laugh.

"Too long" is an understatement. Reika was right that you weren't exactly boring, but there's only so much we can take.

Evening

All in all, their afternoon at Gekkoukan had proved almost as exhausting as a major Shadow encounter. Even Chie, usually the most energetic of them, seem dead on her feet. Souji, for his part, was just looking forward to a good night's sleep, though he was more than a little uneasy about sleeping in a hotel Noriko Kashiwagi picked out.

"Here we are," the teacher said. "The Seaside Clamshell Inn. We'll be staying here tonight."

Gazing warily at the hotel front, Souji felt his stomach tighten. He'd stayed in a number of hotels, of course, what with the way his parents moved around, ranging from lavish to rustic along the lines of the Amagi Inn. None, however, had been as garish as the Clamshell.

"Is this . . . really a normal hotel?" a girl he didn't know wondered uneasily.

Kashiwagi didn't seem to hear. "What do you think, everyone? I found it myself, just opened recently. It has that modern look, and the price was right."

I was afraid of that. Souji didn't have to turn his head to know his friends were having much the same reaction. A normal hotel, this isn't.

"We're staying here?" a male student said incredulously, almost visibly sweating. "It opened recently, and it looks totally like a—"

"Don't just stand there, keep marching in!" Kashiwagi interrupted.

Soon it was just the six human members of the Investigation Team waiting outside. None of them were in a hurry to go in, despite Kashiwagi's instructions. Sleep, they were finding, wasn't necessarily the top priority. Dignity, in Souji's opinion, sometimes rated higher.

"Isn't there something strange about this hotel?" Yosuke said hesitantly.

Chie tilted her head. "You sure? We don't have these modern hotels in Inaba, so I don't really know."

Rise, unusually for her, was blushing madly. "Um, guys, this area is called Shirakawa Boulevard, and it's—"

"Thanks, Rise, but I don't really wanna know," Yosuke cut her off hastily.

Red light district. Great. Trust Kashiwagi to come up with a plan like that. I actually wish Sloth-Face was here.

"Hmm, faster than I expected. This is quite the hotel." The voice was soft, male, and very familiar. "If they were to meet me. . . . I wonder what the look on Yosuke's face would be?"

Souji spun around. That voice. . . . That's impossible! What is he doing here!?

"Up there!" Chie pointed to a rooftop across the street.

Sure enough. The figure was in shadow, but enough details were visible to leave no room for doubt. A rotund, furry body with round ears, huge eyes, and stubby legs, there was only one being it could be. What he was doing there, in that suit, was anyone's guess.

"Ha!" The mascot took a flying leap from the rooftop, landing with a crash in a nearby dumpster. Unperturbed, it picked itself up and strolled over, humming cheerily.

"Teddie!?" Souji said incredulously. "What on Earth are you doing here!?"

Teddie sighed deeply. "The lonely bear inside of me went stir crazy."

Rise, by contrast, was practically hissing with fury, though whether at Teddie or herself Souji couldn't tell. "If only I could detect people in the real world! I hate being caught off-guard like that!"

"Enough about that!" Chie said. "How'd you get here? Do you have some kind of special ability?"

Teddies reply was almost hilarious in its ordinariness. "No, I took the train." He shrugged. "I swore off Topsicles and saved up all the money I earned working at Junes. I already knew where you were going, thanks to Yosuke's Trip Guide."

He took the train. Of course. Souji mentally kicked himself for not thinking of that. Teddie was a very strange being, but there was no indication he had any unusual abilities in their world.

"So, you have free time tomorrow, right!?" Teddie said. "I already know, so don't bother denying it."

I have a bad feeling about this.

"Before we talk about free time, how in the world did you get here looking like that?" Yosuke countered. "You seriously wore the bear suit the whole way!?"

Teddie let out a groan. "I almost got thrown in the trash a few times."

That I can believe. Wearing it at Junes is one thing, but he really should've come in his "normal" look, even if his clothes are a bit outlandish.

"I've been here before, so I can show you around," Rise put in. "Might as well go shopping first; I know a good place for later on."

Souji almost groaned at the mention of shopping. It didn't normally bother him, but he'd already been shopping with Rise at least once before, and he knew how long she could take. Toss in Chie and Yukiko, and there would be a veritable spending spree. And he knew perfectly well who would be carrying all the bags.

"Sounds good," Chie said. "The others don't know Port Island, so they'll probably just go wherever the school recommends."

Yosuke thought for a moment, and finally shrugged. "Well, I guess a shopping spree beats a factory tour," he conceded. "Okay, count me in."

"I'll go, too," Souji said reluctantly. He edged closer to Yosuke and lowered his voice. "Let's try and keep Teddie from meeting Reika, though. No way that would end well."

The Junes Boy winced. "And how. Got it, partner." He sighed. "First, we gotta figure out what to do with him."

"Why not just sleep outside?" Kanji suggested. "Suit outta keep you nice and cozy."

Teddie was having none of it. "Cruelty to animals!" he protested. "Do you have any idea how much trouble it was getting here in the first place!? I took the slow train all the way! The slow train!"

Which explained why they hadn't run into him earlier. A cartoon bear mascot would have stood out even in a place as big as Port Island. For that matter, so would Teddie's human appearance; he didn't exactly look Japanese. Blue-eyed blonds were less than common in their country.

As though someone had summoned a demon, the hotel doors slid open, and Kashiwagi stepped out. "What's the holdup?" she asked, looking them over. Her eyes lit on Teddie. "And what's this, hmm?"

"A souvenir I picked up after the lecture at Gekkoukan," Souji improvised.

"Is that so? Seems there's more to you than meets the eye, Souji-kun," Kashiwagi said. She returned to the hotel without another word.

With almost comic simultaneity, the Investigation Team let out a shaky breath. "That was too close," Yosuke said. "Dunno about you guys, but it's time for me to hit the sack." Not waiting for a reply, he followed their homeroom teacher inside, the others trailing behind.

Now alone with Teddie, Souji frowned, wondering exactly what to do. The bear wasn't moving, evidently having caught on to the ruse (and perhaps showing a bit of fear of Kashiwagi). He tapped Teddie's head, but Teddie didn't even twitch. Now, how to get him inside. . . .

Friday, 9 September, Evening

There were few things more tedious and exhausting, Souji decided, than a shopping spree with three girls. After a good six hours of scouring Paulownia Mall, relieved only by a half-hour break for lunch, his feet were killing him. He made a mental note to buy shoe inserts before their excursion.

Rise's idea of a good place to hang out was an interesting one, he had to admit. His upbringing had kept him away from clubs, so he didn't know what to expect when they walked into Club Escapade. The music wasn't really to his taste, and the flashing, strobing lights could give one a migraine, but for all that it was an intriguing change of pace.

Kanji was looking around wide-eyed, his usual tough guy facade almost completely absent. "So this is a club! It's really somethin'."

"Heck, yeah," Chie agreed. "I am totally ready for this!"

"There's nothing like Escapade back home," Yukiko agreed. "I'm looking forward to it."

Souji nodded absently, turned his head a bit to the left, and froze. The last person he would have expected in a place like Escapade had just stepped off the stairs to the upper level. He'd known she was in town, of course, since she was in the same grade as Kanji and Rise. Still.

"Is it permitted for high school students such as yourselves to be here?" Naoto Shirogane asked, looking them over.

Souji merely lifted an eyebrow. "I'm pretty sure you got here before we did," he said mildly, getting a slight nod of acknowledgment.

"I've merely been checking things over," Naoto said, reminding them obliquely of her occupation. "The clientele here seems to be above-board, so there shouldn't be any issues." She nodded again to Souji and turned to leave.

Yukiko held out a hand, stopping her. "Hey, why not join us?"

Naoto looked at the inn heiress as though she'd grown another head. "Are you . . . asking me to stay?" she asked carefully.

"Sure. We didn't get a chance to talk last time," Yukiko said, oblivious to the detective's consternation.

The younger girl looked away. "I, ah, I just had some important matters to attend to at the time."

"I remember," Souji said. "I'll second that invitation; it would be nice to have some company for once, wouldn't it?"

"And I'm eager to talk to you," Rise added. "I'd love to hear how someone my age can be an ace detective. It's really neat, y'know?"

Naoto looked from one to another, apparently struggling with something beneath that mask of hers. "Well, if you insist," she half-mumbled.

"What's wrong?" Yosuke asked. "Hey, you look a little red."

The detective glared at him. "I do not!"

Souji shook his head at the byplay. He had to watch his words carefully; it was easy to forget he was the only one present who knew Naoto was actually a girl, and he had no intention of betraying that trust. The way some of his friends were behaving (Rise especially), it would be all too easy for that inconvenient little fact to come out by accident.

"Wait here, guys," Rise said, unaware of Souji's musings. "I'll go reserve the area upstairs."

"Sure thing," Yosuke said, then did a double take. "W-Wait, reserve?"

The idol grinned. "Yep. Don't worry, I should be able to pull some strings."

This could be interesting, Souji thought.

Rise was as good as her word, and a few minutes later they were all gathered upstairs. The music was notably quieter, to Souji's relief; after months in Inaba his ears had gotten rather sensitive. Overall, he was enjoying the ambiance, though the décor was perhaps a bit too gaudy for his liking.

"You sure about this?" Chie asked, staring into her drink. "Isn't it expensive?"

"Chie has a point," Souji said, looking at the idol curiously. "I know you have money to burn, but that was quite a shopping spree you went on earlier." One my back won't soon forget, he added silently.

Rise waved a hand in dismissal. "Nah, it's fine. Two years ago when I was doing a show here, the power went out and the gig was canceled. They still owe me for that, so here we are."

Chie grinned. "Okay, then I'm gonna order more."

"I'm not holding back, either!" Teddie said with a whoop.

Kanji looked at the bear uneasily. "Man, you're sounding even weirder today."

You said it, Kanji. This does not bode well at all.

"Ah, you're sho cold, Kanji," Teddie said, his voice slurring just slightly. "Hmm, Kanji. I Kan-jecture that shomething's up!" He laughed. "Now that was a good one!"

Souji had a sudden, intense feeling of being in the midst of a slow-motion multi-car pileup on an icy highway. Teddie was . . . odd at the best of times, but this was bizarre even for him. Kanji, Souji thought, had hit the nail on the head, possibly more than he realized.

He looked over at Naoto. The Detective "Prince" appeared a bit nonplussed, but not particularly alarmed. That, Souji thought grimly, was likely to change soon enough. She doesn't know them like I do, especially Teddie.

Yukiko, of course, found it hilarious. "Kan-jecture. . . ." Swaying slightly, she burst into one of her uncontrollable laughing fits.

"She's looser than usual, too," Kanji observed, looking more than a little nervous.

Something's definitely not right here. Souji took a tentative sniff of his drink. No particular smell that he could detect, and a quick sip had no bite of alcohol. He recalled his grandfather allowing him to take a sip of sake once, leading to him almost throwing up. Alcohol, he mused, was unlikely to ever be among his vices.

Yosuke was evidently thinking along the same lines. "Hey, wait a sec! Are these liquor!?"

"I told them to just give us soft drinks!" Rise protested. Her face was unusually flushed. "Really, I did! They should be non-alcoholic!"

Chie sighed. "Guess that explains why it's so hot."

Multi-car pileup was exactly right. Rise and Yukiko were both acting intoxicated, and Teddie was, well, being Teddie, only more so. Yosuke and Kanji appeared sober enough, albeit visibly unnerved by the whole thing. Naoto was . . . perplexed.

"Is this seriously booze?" Kanji wondered, staring into his drink. "Doesn't smell like it."

Alcohol or not, Souji decided taking further chances was a very bad idea. Resolutely, he set his own drink aside; if two of his friends were losing their minds, the least he could do was ensure they didn't hurt themselves. Such was the responsibility of a leader.

Rise then went and made his job that much harder. "Kiiiiiiing's Game!" she cried.

What.

"Times like this, adults play the King's Game. It's the law. . . ." She trailed off with a hiccup.

At that moment, Souji wished he was back fighting a Shadow. Any Shadow, save possibly Kanji's. Several times. Alone. After a five-kilometer run. This was seriously getting out of hand, and he didn't have the least idea what to do about it. He made a mental note to ask his uncle how to properly deal with amiable drunks. Assuming he lived that long.

"What's their problem, anyway?" Rise lamented, half to herself. "They make me act like a ditz, call me 'Risette,' and then they say I'm just a kid." Souji thought he saw Naoto twitch at that, but he wasn't sure. "It's so obvious, the wrap parties get a lot funner when I go home." She hiccuped again. "Well, I'm gonna play the King's Game now, and those morons ain't gonna stop me."

I wish they could. Souji had no idea what the "King's Game" entailed, but Rise's behavior suggested it wasn't going to be pleasant.

Yosuke pinched the bridge of his nose. "Yet another side of Rise exposed for all to see. Does she even know what she's saying?"

As drunk as she looks? I doubt it. Odds are she'll forget the whole thing by morning. I hope.

Rise shot a glare at their resident delinquent. "Kanjiiii! Get the chopsticks ready!"

"Uh, why me?" Kanji stammered, looking like he wished he was anywhere else.

Rise, of course was having none of it. "The King's word is law! Go on, chop-chop!"

We are so doomed.

Visibly quaking with tension, Kanji obediently retrieved eight chopsticks. Souji almost laughed at the infamous tough guy fearfully taking orders from a teen idol. Only almost.

"Okay, what exactly is this 'King's Game' thing again?" Chie asked with obvious trepidation.

Disturbingly, Yukiko of all people had the answer. "Well, one chopstick makes you the King if you draw it, and the others have numbers on 'em. The King picks a number and says what that person has to do." She swayed. "But who has which number is a secret until the King gives the order."

There was no way, absolutely no way, this could end well. Yukiko and Rise were, somehow, drunk out of their minds, not to mention Souji probably wouldn't have trusted Rise's judgment on this even if she was sober. And Teddie, the very idea provoked a shudder that thankfully went unnoticed.

"Okay, everyone, draw!" Rise said.

Breathing slowly and carefully, Souji obeyed. Looking at the "1" on his stick, he moistened suddenly dry lips, wondering what awaited him.

Rise scowled briefly. "Soooooo, who's the King?"

"Mine's red!" Teddie said, coming to his feet. "Does that mean Teddie's the King?"

Souji and Yosuke looked at each other in horror. It was their worst nightmare realized, worse even than the trauma of Mystery Food X. Only the accursed sauna they'd found Kanji in even compared to Teddie having actual power, however fleeting.

"We're already doomed from the get-go," Yosuke groaned.

Which turned out to be an understatement. "I, the King, command thee to smooch the King without delay!"

I can't look. His "leader" facade slipping just for a moment, Souji buried his face in his hands. He heard a muffled cry of protest (from Kanji, in a downright Freudian twist), a thud, and then silence, save for Yukiko's incessant giggling. This is not off to a good start.

Next round. Souji had to force a calmness he didn't even remotely feel in order to draw a chopstick. The red mark staring back at him seemed very much a double-edged sword. On the one hand, as King he could at least delay further insanity. On the other, there was no telling how their drunks would respond.

Chie breathed a sigh of relief. "Someone decent. No crazy orders this time."

"Aw, that's no fun," Yukiko said. "If the last King demanded a smooch, then the next one's gotta be more extreme!"

Maybe I should've finished that drink after all. They can't exactly rope me into this if I'm unconscious.

"The person who gets picked should rest their head in the King's lap," Rise said, slurring just a bit.

No mystery where that came from. Rise hadn't even attempted to hide her interest in Souji, to the others' chagrin. For his part, Souji had since summer break been searching desperately for a way to gently let her down. Thus far, he had met with little success.

"Nah," Yukiko disagreed. "Make 'em sit on his lap."

Yukiko, you are really pushing things here.

"Or hug him!" Rise piped up.

"Better, a piggyback ride!" Yukiko said, almost keeling over.

I am going to wring both your necks if you keep that up, Souji thought darkly. Seriously, what the hell is going on here?

Both girls looked at him. "C'mon, King, who's gonna do what?" Rise pressed.

Wondering if his decision was about to get him killed, Souji took a deep breath. "Number two sits on my lap." There, that should be harmless enough.

"Harmless" appeared to be a relative term, as a visibly embarrassed Chie moved to comply. Souji's first thought was sympathy for his friend, his second was relief that months before he'd had the foresight to tell Yosuke he didn't see Chie that way.

Next. Yukiko burst into her familiar hyena-like laugh. "Ooh, I'm the King! Or Queen, actually."

"You didn't even draw a chopstick," Yosuke countered, sounding more resigned than anything else.

Yukiko, for her part, was unperturbed. "Okay, then, let's have someone talk about something really embarrassing that they'd never want to tell anyone!" She blinked her bleary eyes. "Ooh, how about Naoto-kun!"

Enough is enough. "Yukiko, you're going a bit far," Souji said, keeping his voice even. Whether it would penetrate that drunken haze or not, he did not know.

Naoto held up a hand. "No, Senpai, it's all right. However," her gray eyes locked on each of them in turn, "there is one stipulation: in return, you must reveal 'something' as well."

She was good, no doubt about it. With Yukiko and Rise thoroughly inebriated through unknown means, Naoto had backed them all into a corner, and clearly knew it. And was Souji mistaken, or was there the barest hint of an evil gleam in those eyes?

"Nothing particularly embarrassing comes to mind," Naoto said. "Would a simple discussion of my life be fair game? It's rare for me to have call to speak of such things."

Despite the evening's mayhem, Souji was genuinely interested. He and Naoto were friends of a sort, he was sure of that much, but there was little he actually knew about her. Indeed, as far as he knew the only thing he was aware of that the public at large was not was the fact that Naoto was a girl.

"The Shirogane family have been detectives for several generations," Naoto said. "From time to time, we have lent our skills to the police."

Chie leaned forward. "Several generations? Sounds kinda like a movie I saw a while back. Kuzunoha, I think it was."

"There was a time when consulting detectives were considered more valuable, before the advent of proper crime scene investigators," Naoto went on. "As such, my grandfather still retains a number of connections with the police, and looks after me despite my youth and inexperience." She frowned, just slightly. "However, modern crime scene investigators are well versed in science and medicine, so I must broaden my studies."

After a moment of silence, Yosuke nodded. "Sounds tough. . . .No punch line?"

"I fear you have the wrong person for that," Naoto said, sounding just slightly embarrassed.

Yosuke looked from Yukiko to Rise and back. "I wanna go home."

I'm with you on that, Yosuke.

"Phew, I'm sleepy," Rise slurred, before lapsing into faint snores.

Naoto spared her only a glance. "Now, it's your turn. A straight answer, please: What is your true involvement with the murder case?"

Dismaying, but hardly a surprise. Naoto had made very clear she did not consider the case truly closed, and it was undeniable Souji and his friends had turned up at very convenient times and places throughout. It was only through sheer luck and some fast talking on Souji's part that his uncle hadn't gotten wind of it.

Equally clearly, she did not find Souji's oblique explanation from the summer even slightly satisfying. Before he could think of a cover story, though, Yukiko took it out of his hands. "Weeeeell, we go rescuing people who've been kidnapped by jumping into the TV!" she exclaimed. "And then we go all 'Persona!' and beat the stuffing out of the Shadows."

"You idiot!" Yosuke hissed.

If there was any silver lining, it was the unlikelihood that Naoto would believe something so outlandish. The look on her face confirmed it, skepticism mixed with vague disgust. "Are you making fun of me?"

Rise chose that moment to wake up. "Ish true!" she protested. "Personaaaaa!" With that, she slumped back, again sound asleep.

And I thought the King's Game stuff was crazy, Souji thought, mentally wincing at what Naoto was likely thinking. Her expression wasn't promising.

Chie groaned softly. "Someone put these two drunks to bed already."

Ignoring her, Naoto set her teeth for a brief second. ". . .I see you never had any intention of telling the truth. But I have to ask, how did you all become so inebriated? This isn't alcohol."

Yukiko, of course, thought she was joking. "Good one, Naoto-kun!"

"No, I confirmed it when I was checking before you arrived," Naoto said. "There has been no alcohol served here since a rash of drunk-driving accidents a year ago."

Which made Naoto's question a very good one indeed. Souji himself wasn't feeling anything beyond a mild tension headache, something easily explained by the night's events. Which still left Yukiko and Rise unexplained.

"Huh?" Chie held up her drink. "Does that mean we're just drunk off the atmosphere?"

Yukiko yawned. "Who caaaares? Good night." Relatively even breathing showed she had followed Rise.

"H-Hey!" Kanji said anxiously. "Senpai, how the hell are we gonna get back with two passed-out drunks!?"

And avoid Kashiwagi's wrath along the way. "Very carefully," Souji said, wishing desperately to be somewhere, anywhere else. His head was starting to pound.

So was Yosuke's, apparently. "All this is giving me a hell of a headache," he moaned. "Is this what a hangover feels like!?"

"Teddie's still okay!" the bear piped up. "Let's keep it up till morning!"

Souji shook his head. It was time to take control of the situation. "Really, really bad idea," he said. "Maybe you're okay, Teddie, but the rest of us have to worry about the faculty. I'd prefer not to get on Kashiwagi's bad side right now, thanks."

Naoto, of course, was looking at them like they'd all gone insane. "As I told you, you haven't been drinking alcohol!" She sighed in visible exasperation. "Are you a pack of imbeciles!?"

Sometimes I wonder. "Perhaps we're a little crazy," he allowed, nodding to Chie. She took one of Yukiko's arms while Souji gently grasped the other. Yosuke and Kanji did the same for Rise. "Then again, who isn't?"

He had to fight the urge to laugh at the look Naoto gave him.

Naoto Shirogane was frustrated. Also irritated, exasperated, and other words to that effect. Her attempt at ferreting out some solid information on exactly what Souji and his friends were up to had been a truly embarrassing failure. The boys (save for the mysterious Teddie) had been courteous enough, though less than informative. The girls, at the least Naoto was convinced Amagi and especially Kujikawa were mocking her, though how they had gotten so inebriated remained a mystery.

One for later. Muttering under her breath, she dug out her cell phone. The one clue she had was Amagi's reference to "Persona." Naoto knew at least one person who had experience with the bizarre, was close enough to have him on speed dial.

It picked up on the first ring. "Arisato," the familiar voice said. "What's my favorite cousin calling about this late?"

"Frustration with my current case," Naoto said. "Have you heard about the double homicide case in Inaba, Minato?"

"It's been on the news a lot," Minato acknowledged. "Didn't they catch the killer last month?"

"The police think so, but I am . . . unsatisfied." Naoto frowned. "Have you ever heard the term 'Persona'?"

There was a pause, long enough to tell her she'd struck something. "In what context?" Minato asked carefully.

Perhaps now I can get an answer. "I spent the evening with a group of Yasogami students I am convinced are somehow involved with the case," Naoto said. "Not that I consider any of them suspects, but some of their actions are a little too convenient. In any case, with two of them in a bizarre state of inebriation, I asked what their connection was. The response, however, made no sense. They spoke of 'jumping into TVs' and using 'Personas' to battle 'Shadows.' It sounded like gibberish, but the reactions from a couple of others suggests something more."

Another, longer pause. "I know about Persona and Shadows, though the 'TV' bit is new," Minato said carefully. "Guess there's no hiding it now; my old club at Gekkoukan was all about that stuff. Whole team used Persona, including the dog."

"The dog?" Naoto repeated.

"Long story," her cousin said, sounding just a bit embarrassed. "Anyway, I wouldn't be telling you this at all if you weren't so convinced it's connected to the double murder. As it is I'm gonna have to talk fast to keep my old club president from 'executing' me."

Naoto smiled, though Minato couldn't see her. "I'm not sure what you mean by 'execute,' but just knowing this is valuable. Would your old president be averse to you giving me a bit more detail?"

Minato sighed. "Under the circumstances, probably not. Where are you now?"

"A rather . . . strange hotel in Tatsumi Port Island," Naoto said with a chuckle. "The class trip this year was a visit to your old school."

"Gekkoukan? And you're staying at a strange hotel. If that's what I think it is. . . ." She had a very clear impression of a shudder. "Never mind. I'll email you the story; should be ready by the time you get back to Inaba."

At last, progress. "Thank you, Minato," Naoto said, meaning every word.

"Just make sure you put it to good use, or Mitsuru will put me on ice," Minato said. "Literally."

"I will," Naoto promised. "Give Yukari-san my regards."

"Will do."

Naoto set her phone aside, feeling more energized than she had since Mitsuo Kubo's arrest. With confirmation of the "Persona" issue, she had another lead on what Souji's group was doing. That, she felt instinctively, was the key to cracking the murder case wide open. All she needed was a plan.

Saturday, 10 September, Afternoon

Hagakure boasted of serving the best ramen in the Home Islands. After his first bite, Souji decided it was an exaggeration, but not by much. It had been quite some time since he had ramen quite that good. He made a mental note to see if the cook was willing to reveal any secrets.

Chie hummed contentedly. "This is really something!" she gushed.

"Hagakure has the best ramen in town," Rise agreed, grinning. "Whenever I was filming in Iwatodai, I'd try to come here for lunch instead of having the boxed lunches." She glanced at Rise, who had barely touched her lunch. "You're not hungry?"

The brunette shook her head. "I'm just a little confused is all. Having trouble remembering last night."

"Eh." Rise shrugged. "I think the two of us fell asleep pretty quick. Heard it got wild, though."

Seated at a table opposite Kanji, Souji pinched the bridge of his nose. "Wild," she says. Maybe they really were drunk. Hard to imagine them forgetting the King's Game craziness otherwise.

"Ah, this flavor never changes," Rise said after another swallow. "I couldn't eat here very often, too high in carbohydrates. This is like a dream."

Through it all, Souji kept half an eye on Naoto. She'd met up with them at Hagakure, having apparently had the same idea as Rise. Her words had been courteous, with no sign the previous evening's insanity had affected her, yet there had been something in her eyes that Souji couldn't quite interpret.

Now she was eating a bowl of ramen with restrained gusto, contradictory though the idea seemed.

"Another bowl, please! Keep the noodles hard."

That was Teddie, on at least his third bowl of ramen. He was the only member of their team whose appetite rivaled Chie's, though why he was wearing his bear suit no one could guess. At least the mouth opened.

"Hmm, I'll have the Hagakure Bowl."

It seemed just a normal order from a random customer, but Rise made a sound of outrage. "The Hagakure Bowl's a regular menu item now!?" she sputtered. "Urgh, I should've asked!" She swiftly calmed, taking another large bite. "Oh, well, this is good, too."

Souji looked over at her. "Are you sure you should be out in the open like this?" he asked. "You're a celebrity, and you have done work here before."

She waved a hand. "Nah, it's fine." Rise gestured to a line of signing boards. "See that? My signature is up there, too, but the cook doesn't look twice. And anyway, I'm barely wearing any makeup."

There were quite a number of autographs on display. Hagakure, it seemed, was a popular spot for the rich and famous when they happened to be in the Iwatodai area. Certainly lent credence to the shop's "Best ramen in the Home Islands" tag line.

"You know what I think?" Chie said. "I think the real reason no one's paying attention is Teddie." She jerked her thumb at him. "That bear sticks out like a sore thumb."

Kanji frowned. "Isn't it steamy in there? He's had more ramen than the rest of us combined."

At that, Yukiko looked down at the counter. "Huh?" Souji couldn't see her expression from where he was, but her suddenly rigid back spoke volumes. "Where's my bowl!?"

Uh-oh.

Souji knew he and Kanji were safe; they were hardly in a position to steal it even if they'd wanted to. Chie would never do such a thing, ditto Naoto, and Rise was engrossed in her own meal. Yosuke was too smart, which left. . . .

I give it even odds Yukiko tries to set his fur on fire.

"You didn't eat it . . . did you?" Yukiko's voice was soft, but with an underlying tone of menace.

Even concealed by his costume, Teddie gave a clear impression he was sweating profusely. "You, ah, you didn't finish it, so I, hehe."

"I was going to finish it!" Yukiko snapped.

"And didn't you order another bowl like a minute and a half ago?" Yosuke put in. "Just how much did you eat?"

Teddie swallowed. "I, uh, I dunno how to count," he moaned. A weak excuse indeed.

One which didn't fool Yosuke for an instant. "You little. . . . Lemme see that check!" He skimmed it, and his eyes went wide as dinner plates. "One, two . . . t-ten bowls!?"

"Yuki-chan's makes eleven," Teddie choked out.

Not helping your case, my furry friend.

Naoto pushed her empty bowl aside. "Apologies for the interruption, but it's close to the meeting time," she said.

"Already?" Chie said, disappointed. "Y'know, I thought this trip was gonna be a bore, but it was actually pretty fun."

"If a bit crazy," Souji agreed. "C'mon, Teddie, we need to get moving." No response. "Teddie?"

The bear was completely still. With the size of his costume, it was hard to tell if he was even breathing. Frowning, Souji stood and slowly approached the counter. Acutely aware of the other customers, he paused by Teddie's seat and looked over at Yosuke.

"Yo." Yosuke tapped Teddie's forehead. "Ted." Still no response.

Kanji glared. "Don't make me rub that fur the wrong way," he growled. ". . .Hey, is he hibernating or something?"

"Because he's been in our world too long?" Chie said, swallowing.

Souji stilled them both with a look. The last thing they needed was for that to come out again, especially with Naoto present. He gently tapped the bear's head, hoping to get some kind of reaction.

At last, Teddie gave a stifled groan. "I can't move. I think I ate too much." A belch. "Someone carry me."

Six teenagers facepalmed as one. Of all the ridiculous. . . . It served Teddie right, really, stealing Yukiko's lunch and then having the gall to complain of overeating. Still, they couldn't exactly leave him there, especially since he'd already said he had no money for a return ticket.

Yukiko seemed to disagree. "Just leave it," she said, stalking out.

And that's why you don't make Yukiko mad.

Yosuke put his hands together. "Farewell, Teddie," he said solemnly. "We will leave you here, along with our memories of youth."

Jokes aside, that means it's up to me, Souji thought darkly.

Evening

On the way to the station, Souji had stopped to buy a souvenir for Nanako; Iwatodai Mochi sounded like something she would like. The trip back was blessedly uneventful, though Yukiko notably refused to be anywhere near Teddie. Souji spent much of the train ride (after paying for Teddie's ticket) dozing.

It was a bit past seven in the evening when he finally stepped through the front door, tired but in good spirits. He didn't see his uncle, but Nanako was there to greet him as usual. "Welcome back!" she said with a bright smile. "Did you have a good trip?"

Souji dropped gracelessly onto the couch. "It was fun," he said. "Got a bit strange, but no more than it's been in Inaba over the last few months."

Nanako nodded eagerly. "I've seen them talking about Port Island on TV," she chirped, and chattered on about what she'd learned.

Speaking of which. "This is for you," Souji said, holding out the bag he'd been carrying.

"Really?" Nanako looked inside and grinned. "Thanks! I'm going to eat it right away!" She headed for the door and almost collided with her father. "Oh, hi, Dad!" She held up the bag. "Look what Big Bro got me on his trip."

"That so?" Dojima smiled. "Did you say thank you?"

"Of course!"

It was nice, Souji reflected, to see his uncle and cousin acting like a proper father and daughter. The wounds left by Chisato Dojima's death would never completely heal, he knew, but at least they were finally able to move on. Souji was glad to have played at least a small role in that.

"That must have come out of your own pocket," Dojima said. "Thanks."

Souji shrugged. "Least I could do under the circumstances. You took me in, and things have been rather busy lately."

"There's an understatement," Dojima conceded with a wry smile. "So, how was Port Island? Must've been old hat for a city boy like you, eh?"

"Not sure how much of a city boy I am anymore," Souji said, mouth quirking. "I did learn it's apparently possible to get drunk on soft drinks, though."

Dojima's eyebrows tried to clime into his hairline. "Come again?"

Souji chuckled at his uncle's expression. "We wound up at a club not far from Gekkoukan—don't worry, there was nothing really 'adult' going on—whose management happened to owe Rise a favor. So we all ordered soft drinks, seemed normal, until Rise and Yukiko started acting a little . . . off."

"Stranger things have happened," Dojima said. "That reminds me, if the first years went on the trip, Naoto Shirogane must've been there. You talk to him?"

"Some," Souji said. "Actually, I met him a few times over the summer. Turns out we have some interests in common." And Naoto's actually a girl, but Uncle Ryotaro doesn't need that little detail, at least not yet.

Dojima nodded slowly. "I'm glad to hear it. He's, well, you might've heard he was sent as a special investigator. Smart kid, but the top brass are losing patience with him. Keeps going on about holes in the case, even though we have Kubo in custody. At this rate he's just going to get himself booted off the team."

That at least partly explained why Naoto hadn't simply moved on to another case. Come to think of it, she's said something to that effect when school resumed, though Souji had thought she was no longer in direct contact with the police.

"What do you think of him, Uncle?" he asked after a moment.

Dojima sighed. "Sometimes he gets on my nerves; I'm sure you remember the time I came home drunk. All in all, though, I think his heart's in the right place. Really just needs to work on his people skills, come down to it. I get the impression he hasn't spent much time with kids his age." He tilted his head. "So you actually made friends with him?"

I'd like to think so. "Hard to say," Souji said, lip twisting. "He lets me call him by his given name, so I guess we're friends. He's complained about working with the police once in a while, but usually we talk about books we like to read."

"That's good," Dojima said, nodding. "I think a friend is exactly what he needs, and you've got a knack for that kind of thing." He shook his head. "But I shouldn't be rambling on when you're tired. How about a bath?"

"A long soak might do me some good," Souji conceded, stretching.

A few minutes later, half-dozing in the tub, Souji pondered his uncle's words. More and more, he was finding Naoto intrigued him. Easily the smartest person in his age group he had ever met, but the only sign she usually displayed was speech patterns more sophisticated than was normal for a teenager. Combined with a dry wit, while most people his age (especially boys) would have found her intimidating, Souji felt relaxed in her company.

If she needs a friend, then I'll be her friend, if she'll let me.

Monday, 12 September, Afternoon

School resumed on a fairly light note; apparently the teachers thought it wise to ease the class back into the normal routine after a trip to a place like Port Island. No assignments were due that day, and even Kondo's usual exuberance was at least somewhat muted.

Which didn't make listening to Noriko Kashiwagi any easier.

"I hope you all enjoyed the school trip," she was saying. "Didn't visiting a more urban area make you feel just a little bit more mature?"

I've spent most of my life in urban areas, Sensei, Souji thought, annoyed at her patronizing tone.

"By the way, that bear Souji-kun had, I wonder where you got that," the teacher went on. "I always find animals with a unique design very tempting."

Souji made a mental note to turn Teddie into a bearskin rug if he pulled a stunt like that again. If there was anything he wanted less than fighting more Shadows, it was attracting more of Kashiwagi's attention. It was enough to make him think longingly of Morooka's lectures.

"Speaking of bears, some species feed on salmon," Kashiwagi said. "And speaking of salmon, here's an interesting bit of trivia for you. Salmon is actually a white fish; the orangish color comes from the shellfish they eat. Salmon roe is also affected by shellfish pigment. Thus, a salmon's color is affected by its environment."

Okay, that was actually kinda interesting.

Kashiwagi giggled. "Same goes for girls, really. I hope the trip brought you young ladies a little closer to becoming women."

And that's almost as disturbing as the bathhouse we found Kanji in. Still, he almost laughed; beside him, Chie made a choked gagging noise. Whatever Kashiwagi's idea of a real woman was, Chie clearly wanted no part of it. Smart of her.

Evening

Drama club turned out to be a bit more dramatic than usual. Souji had found himself sitting in the hospital waiting room with Yumi, offering what support he could over her family problems. Though depressed, she was grateful for his presence, and even apologized for dragging him into it. Souji had assured her no apology was needed.

Now he sat opposite Nanako in the living room, watching TV just as the news came on. Expecting more dry follow-ups, Souji sat up straight, eyes widening slightly. Seated across from the usual news anchor, clad in a Yasogami uniform, there was no mistaking Naoto Shirogane.

"Good evening, and welcome to Niteline's special Nitewatch Report," the anchor said. "A suspect in the Inaba murder case was recently arrested without incident. But what few people know is the mastermind who brought him to justice is actually a high school detective." The anchor smiled blandly. "Tonight's report will focus on the Detective Prince, Naoto Shirogane, whose handsome looks are sweeping the nation."

Souji wasn't sure what surprised him more, the "handsome looks" line (knowing that Naoto was actually a girl), or the fact that she was on TV at all. She'd never struck him as someone who actively sought out publicity. Then his eyes narrowed. Something more was going on, he was sure of it.

"Thank you for coming tonight."

Naoto shook her head slightly. "No, the pleasure is all mine." Again, something about her tone.

Blinking, Nanako looked from the TV to Souji. "He's wearing the uniform from your school."

"Yeah, he enrolled as a first-year at the start of second term," Souji said absently. "He's the one your father came home drunk complaining about a few months ago."

The anchor cleared his throat. "First, I believe congratulations are in order to both you and the police for arresting he culprit. The mysteries surrounding this case are well-known, and you did a great job clearing them up."

Naoto pursed her lips. "I would hesitate to say it's been 'cleared up' as such," she said. "It's true he was behind Kinshiro Morooka's unfortunate death. However, when I look over the case as a whole, a few things seem out of place."

The anchor looked at her curiously. "Such as?"

"Unfortunately, I cannot go into detail at this time," Naoto said. "But this matter claimed three innocent lives, so I believe even the smallest inconsistency must be investigated." Though it was impossible, she seemed to be looking directly into Souji's eyes.

Or maybe not quite impossible. She has to know I'd be likely to see this.

"I . . . see." The anchor nodded just a bit shakily. "Anyway, in our next segment, 'The Detective Prince's True Identity,' Naoto-kun tells us a little about himself. Amazingly, this young man has solved a whopping twenty-four cases."

Souji lost track of both the news story and Nanako's voice. His mind was focused on Naoto. What was she doing? Why appear on a TV special so suddenly? Her vague wording made Souji uneasy. She was up to something, and he had a strong feeling it had to do with him and his friends.

With a brief good-night to Nanako, he went up to his room. With luck, he'd be able to find Naoto at school. Hopefully she'd be willing to talk.

Tuesday, 13 September, Early Morning

A deceptively bright and sunny day. If he hadn't been so concerned about the news, Souji would have been whistling on the way to school. From the weather, and the general ambiance of Inaba, by rights he shouldn't have had a care I the world. Instead, he felt a sense of impending doom.

"Morning, Senpai," Rise's cheerful voice said from behind him.

He paused and looked back. His school teammates, minus Kanji, were just catching up with him. "Morning, everyone."

"Yo," Yosuke greeted with a lazy smile.

"Did you guys see the news last night?" Chie asked. "They had Naoto-kun on!"

Yosuke rolled his eyes. "Sure did. What's up with that, anyway? We're the ones who caught that little creep."

"Can't exactly publicize it, can we?" Souji countered. "Trust me, Yosuke, you don't want to see what it would be like if my uncle got wind of it." The "Junes Boy" shuddered visibly at that.

"The police did identify Kubo," Yukiko murmured. "And Naoto-kun was working with them, so he at least deserves some credit."

Chie frowned slightly. "It's kinda surprising, though. I never thought he was the type to go for the spotlight."

Exactly what Souji had been thinking since he saw the special. He started to say as much, but movement in the corner of his eye forestalled him.

It was Naoto, out of uniform. "Good morning," she said. "I've been waiting for you. There's something I needed to discuss with you regarding the murder case."

I knew it. Souji was instantly on guard. "What about the case?" he asked carefully. "We don't have much time just now."

"This won't take long," Naoto said. "Would you please indulge me in a little theorizing?"

Souji glanced at his friends. "Go ahead."

Naoto turned slightly away, gazing at nothing. "First of all, as far as commonalities among the victims, all were kidnapped before they were murdered. All were locals who became the focus of media attention, becoming suddenly well-known. That is the most likely scenario based on the available evidence. I doubt there is anything intrinsically unique about them." She looked back at them, her gaze lingering on Souji. "Haven't you all reached the same conclusion?"

She's sharp. "Early on, yes," he said slowly.

Naoto nodded, unsurprised. "Then I shall get to the point. Would you admit a number of you fit those same circumstances?" She didn't wait for an answer. "Much time elapsed between the second and third deaths. But after I applied those criteria, I discovered several more such disappearances." She looked first at Yukiko, then Rise. "Yukiko Amagi. Kanji Tatsumi. Rise Kujikawa. All of you disappeared shortly after television appearances. You either escaped death, or faked your disappearances in order to divert attention away."

"What are you getting at?" Souji asked.

Naoto met his eyes. "Since several of you had ties to the victims," she nodded at Yukiko, "I at one point suspected one of you was the killer."

"You thought one of us was the killer!?" Chie said incredulously. "That's crazy!"

Naoto waved a hand. "A prior theory, since discarded. Putting together everything I have learned up to this point, I now believe the exact opposite. You aren't the culprits. On the contrary, you may well be the only ones who can catch the true perpetrator. Seen as a joining of forces between the rescued, it all falls into place." Again she looked at Souji. "There is, however, one flaw in that theory."

Souji's eyes narrowed. "That being?"

"It does not account for Mister Morooka's murder," Naoto said simply. "He never appeared on television, nor did he disappear. We must also consider the condition of his corpse. The first two victims are listed with cause of death still unknown, but Morooka was killed by an easily identifiable blunt force trauma to the occipital cranium."

Chie looked blank. "Um, what?"

"Someone bashed the back of his head in," Souji translated.

Naoto inclined her head briefly in acknowledgment. "The police have yet to satisfactorily resolve this, yet they are desperate to close the case. Further action is needed to obtain decisive evidence."

Suddenly it was all clear. Naoto's sudden TV appearance, going out of her way to meet them, the fact that she wasn't wearing her uniform. She was so intent on getting to the bottom of things, she was willing to go to extreme, even insane lengths.

Like using herself as bait.

"Regardless, the evidence should come to light," Naoto said, and made to leave.

Souji held out a hand, briefly stopping her. "Since you've already figured out we're uniquely suited to tracking down the real killer, let me warn you, you are in way over your head, in ways that neither you nor the police have any way of comprehending. This could all too easily get you killed."

She merely looked at him calmly. "This is not a game to me, either," she said, and was gone.

Souji gazed after her, his stomach tightening. As he'd unconsciously suspected, it wasn't over yet.

Wednesday, 14 September, Evening

Dinner was brief and quiet. Souji was preoccupied, though he didn't dare say why. For two days in a row, there had been no sign of Naoto. Assuming she was right, and there was still someone out there, it had him very worried. If she was really offering herself as bait, there was a good chance something was about to appear on the Midnight Channel.

Souji had to force himself not to pace his room restlessly, if only because the noise would disturb Nanako. He glanced at the wall clock; two minutes to midnight. Two seemingly endless minutes.

Midnight arrived, and his TV screen came to life. Just as he had anticipated, there was a human silhouette visible. The image was blurry and indistinct, but appeared a bit on the short side, and if he squinted Souji thought he saw the outline of a cap.

I knew it.

His phone beeped, right on cue. "Did you see that?" Yosuke asked in a slightly quavering voice. "We still have to worry about the Midnight Channel even after we caught the killer?"

"I've been thinking for a while it was a little too convenient," Souji said. "Not that Kubo is innocent or anything, but there seemed to be something missing."

Yosuke seemed to digest that. "What is the Midnight Channel, anyway? Does it really have anything to do with the murders?"

"Someone in our class saw Mayumi Yamano on the Midnight Channel before her body was found, and we both saw Saki-senpai," Souji reminded him. "We don't have all the facts, but there's a definite connection."

The other ground his teeth in frustration. "Dammit, this is driving me nuts. Say, did you recognize whoever it was?"

Souji closed his eyes. "I think it was Naoto."

"Naoto?" Yosuke repeated. "Why would he show up?" There was a slight rustling sound, a head-shake perhaps. "Ugh, this is just gonna keep nagging at me. Why don't we talk about it tomorrow; you can bet the others saw it, too. 'Night." The line went dead.

Souji wasn't ready to sleep quite yet. There was too much buzzing around in his head; worry for Naoto, muted anger that she did something so crazy, wild speculation as to who else might be involved. All mixed together in a jumbled mess, impossible to truly sort through.

You're not going to do her or anyone else any good if you don't get enough sleep, he told himself, and turned out the lights.

Thursday, 15 September, After School

As near as Souji could tell, the rain hadn't lightened even slightly overnight, drenching Inaba throughout the following day. It was a constant reminder of just what was at stake every time they passed through the TV screen.

They waited for most of the class to leave before broaching the subject, Kanji and Rise coming in at more or less the last minute. "So, about last night," Chie began.

"I definitely saw someone," Yukiko said, "but I couldn't tell who it was."

"Teddie says no one has entered the TV," Yosuke said. "Maybe he's not much of a guide anymore, but he can still sense if someone's in there."

Rise waved a hand dismissively. "Well, yeah, the killer's already in jail," she said.

It wasn't so cut and dried. Souji was more sure of it than ever. Kubo was Morooka's killer, that much was clear; as he attended a different school, there was no other reason for his fingerprints to be on the body. The answer was there, just beyond his reach.

"Yo, Kanji," Yosuke said. "Get with the program. You saw the Midnight Channel last night, didn't you?"

The delinquent started, then shrugged. "Got nothin' to do with me. Killer's already behind bars, guys. Naoto wasn't making much sense, either, so there's no use getting all worked up about it."

Yukiko lifted her eyebrows. "What about Naoto-kun?"

Flustered, Kanji scratched the back of his neck. "I, ah, I dunno how to put it, really."

"Is that why you were out of it?" Yosuke said. "So, you're still hung up about all that stuff."

Kanji bared his teeth. "I ain't hung up about it! Tch, I got other stuff to do." With a last glare at Yosuke, he spun on his heel and left.

"You really need to lay off that, Yosuke," Souji said, picking up his bag. "It isn't funny."

Rise looked interested. "Ooh, did something happen between Kanji and Naoto-kun?"

"Nothing important," Souji said, wanting that dropped as quickly as possible. "Something on your mind, Yukiko?"

Yukiko pursed her lips. "Is it just me, or does Inaba feel a little strange lately? Everyone's in high spirits, and they talk about others, but never themselves."

Chie shrugged. "Seems natural enough to me. The murder case is solved, so people are more relaxed."

"Chie's right," Rise said. "People want to be in on the latest trends; that's just how society is. You'd know, right, Senpai?"

"I've seen it a few times," Souji allowed, standing. "Yukiko may have a point, though, especially since the Midnight Channel is still active. Don't forget to watch tonight," he added over his shoulder.

Junes first, he decided as he left. Talk to Teddie, pick up some groceries, see if there was any gossip to be had. Perhaps a visit to Tatsuhime Shrine, if he had time. The Velvet Room, too; it had been a while since his last visit, and if he was right about what Naoto was up to he would need some additional power.

Just another day at the office, he thought half-whimsically.

Evening

If anything, Souji was even more anxious than he'd been the previous night. He could feel in his bones that something was about to happen, and he knew he wasn't going to like it. He only hoped they could make it in time.

The clock struck midnight, the TV screen lit up, and Souji found himself staring at what looked like a science lab from a low-budget science fiction program. Implements of unknown but undoubtedly unpleasant nature lined the wall, while the foreground was dominated by a sinister-looking operating table.

A short, slim figure walked into view. Sure enough, it was Naoto (or more likely her Shadow), clad as Souji had last seen her with the addition of a lab coat that looked about three sizes too large for her, the sleeves long enough to hide her hands.

"Good evening, everyone," the image said. "I am the Detective Prince, Naoto Shirogane. Welcome to 'Experiment of the Century: The Genome Project.'"

That does not bode well. Not even slightly.

"I will be experimentor and experimentee both, in a forbidden yet wonderful body alteration procedure!" the Shadow continued. "You shall witness my departure into a new realm. . . . The moment of a new birth!"

Souji's mouth went dry. That really didn't sound good.

"From the chosen day forth, I shall walk a new path in life!" The Shadow gestured grandly. "And I will share this momentous occasion, this glorious moment, with all of you! Do stay tuned!"

Souji only barely registered the screen fading to black. Seldom in his life had he so devoutly wished he'd been wrong. Naoto was indeed in the TV world, and while her Shadow wasn't as disturbing as Kanji's or Rise's, it was in its own way far more ominous. "Body alteration" was not a phrase he cared to hear under the circumstances.

His cell phone beeped, right on schedule. "T-That you, Senpai!?" Kanji said without preamble. "Naoto, he was just. . . ." The delinquent was barely coherent. "But we caught the damn killer!"

"Calm down," Souji said for what felt like the millionth time.

Against all odds, it worked. "Yeah, yeah, you're right," Kanji said after a few deep breaths. "But man, ace detective, solving cases, doesn't mean a damn thing if he gets kidnapped like that."

"I have a good idea of what he's up to," Souji said, careful to keep his voice neutral. "We'll discuss it tomorrow after school."

Kanji breathed in and out a few more times. "Got it, Senpai," he said. "Thanks for not losing it the way I did."

"That's what friends are for," Souji said, his lip twitching in a brief smile.

"I guess so. See you tomorrow, Senpai."

Souji clicked off his phone, looking back at the blank TV screen. Naoto. . . . What are you thinking?

Author's note: With regard to the scene just after the King's Game event, I am well aware of Minato Arisato's canonical fate. I just don't like it, and also don't think it makes much sense in light of some of Igor's remarks. And yes, Minato/Yukari is my preferred P3 pairing.

That should be all. Finally getting close to the reason I started this fic three years ago. ~D.S.