A/N: Finally, we're reaching the main parts of the game now. Though the main parts of this fanfic is still further away... if you know what I mean, wink wink nudge nudge. Anyway, fourth chapter! Man I'm writing a lot.
Also, thanks to the two reviews I got since the fanfic got posted. Of course, more are always appreciated... except flames. I mean, you know better if you don't like the story.
Shiranai Atsune - I'm definitely updating more, haha. I'll try!
Guest - Well, my explanation in the A/N for the 2nd chapter should explain that but you got the gist of it, hehe. As for the reaction to Yu's true gender, I'll tell you, I have a basic idea all planned out. It's inspired by a little fangame for Persona 4, so don't worry. You'll get that dash of angst and shock when the time comes... which is ages and ages later because damn this game has a lot. Well, more for me to have fun seeing how Fem!Yu would do this, so stay around! As for the friendship, I hadn't thought much about it but I'll think of something. :D
Alright, on with the chapter!
Teddie led both Yu and Yosuke to their destination, which looked like a run-down version of Inaba's central shopping district… the sky was a constant alternating of red and black lines, everything had a dull yellowish colour to them, and the atmosphere just felt… heavy.
The two boys looked around in confusion. "What is this place…? It looks just like the shopping district…" Yosuke wondered as he kept looking around. "What's going on here!?"
"Some weird places have appeared here recently. Things are getting so tangled, I dunno what to do…" Teddie told them.
"Uh… by the way, why are you standing so far from us? …You better not be planning to high-tail it if something does come up."
"Of course not! I mean. Uh, I can't stand too close, you know. I'd get in your way…"
"Hrrrm… man, they really went all out on this… but out of all the places in town, why'd they replicate this one?"
"How should I know? This is reality for the one who's here."
The brunet sighed. "As usual, nothing you say makes any sense… but if this is our shopping district, we're not far from Saki-senpai's…" He then ran off towards a place, at which Yu and Teddie quickly followed him.
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
They eventually stopped at some kind of liquor store with a strange red light pouring from the door, with the same black and red lines alternating from it… somewhat like a portal.
"I knew it…! This is the liquor store that Senpai's parents run." Yosuke looked at the store, recognizing it easily despite the run-down appearance it had. "Does this mean… Senpai disappeared here? What could've happened…?"
Teddie then noticed something in that very moment. "W-Wait a second. Th-They're here!"
"What?"
"…Shadows. I had a feeling they were going to attack…!"
Yu then looked at the doorway, sensing something too. Soon, two blue masks emerged from the portal which fell out to the ground, some sludge attached to the back of the masks. Once they landed, the sludge grew bigger until it formed a body for both of the masks.
"Wha…!" Yosuke fell back, horrified at the sight. Yu remembered how Teddie had talked about Shadows being the other things that lived in this TV world… and he now knew what that bear meant. These Shadows looked merely like blobs of darkness, yet they did not retain that form for long.
The two Shadows began to move towards the two at a fast pace, when the sludge from both masks floated up to form large spheres of darkness. The dark colour of the sludge cleared up to reveal black and white stripes, before the Shadows spun around to also reveal a pair of red slit eyes and a large mouth that bore red lips with a giant tongue.
Yu stared at the Shadows with wide eyes… then something snapped inside of him.
"I am thou… thou art I…"
"Nnghh…!" He held his head in pain, bending over slightly as his eyes shut tightly. Not this throbbing sensation again… his ears were ringing with a high-pitched tone, but that voice…
"The time has come… open thy eyes and call forth what is within…!"
…The pain soon faded.
Yu opened his eyes and felt something in his hand, so he looked at it. That 'something' was just like one of the tarot cards Igor used… he flipped it over, which showed only a dark image. Yet, the card began to glow a bright shine and he couldn't find it in himself to look away.
A word came to his mind.
He knew what it was.
What it is.
In a whisper so quiet, he said it.
"…Per…so…na."
The card promptly burst into blue flames as a silhouette appeared from where the black image used to be. He held it in front of him, a small azure blaze now in his hand… and he gripped it tightly, further intensifying the fire. Yu felt a burst of power come forth to him, and with that he screamed.
"Rrggh…aaaahhhhhhh!"
Pillars of blue flames rose around him, blinding everything in a blue light… until finally, a shadowy figure appeared behind him. Although he wasn't sure what it was exactly, he knew that it was on his side.
The two Shadows grew enraged.
They attacked.
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
Yu found himself in battle with the two Shadows, armed with only a golf club. However, with his newfound strength, he may be able to turn the tide in his favour. He heard Teddie call him from nearby. "Hey, stay calm and listen!"
The silver-haired boy nodded while still keeping his gaze on the Shadows. "What is it?" he called back.
"Some Shadows have weaknesses, and these Shadows definitely have one! If you can pinpoint that weakness and take advantage of it, the battle will be a lot easier! Try stuff out and see what works!"
"I'll keep that in mind." Yu focused on the battle now. He decided to attack one of the Shadows, swinging the golf club as hard as he could at it. "Haahh!" He swung it against the Shadow, inflicting some damage, but not much.
"I'll keep track of how attacks affect the enemies!" Teddie added. Yu's turn had already ended, and currently he needed to try and hold off the attack.
Now it was the Shadows' turn, and both swung their tongues at him which had a burning sensation when it touched his skin. "Gah!" He stumbled back, flinching. These Shadows are really seriously trying to kill him…
Then Yu remembered.
He smirked.
"Come forth, Izanagi!" He called to his Persona, who appeared behind him with a strong presence. Like instinct, he pointed at the Shadow he had attacked earlier and shouted, "Zio!"
With the sound of thunder came a bolt of lightning that struck the Shadow, and it dissipated into dark mist as it disappeared. "You got its weakness!" Teddie told him. Yu nodded again, and since he had gained another chance to attack, he quickly cast Zio on the remaining Shadow.
This time, it fell onto the ground, weakened. He finished it off with a swing of his golf club.
The battle has been won.
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
Izanagi floated in the air before Yu, staring down at him. A moment after, Izanagi disappeared and turned back into a tarot card that faded back into the depths of his heart. Yu has faced his other self… and has obtained the façade used to overcome life's hardships – the Persona Izanagi.
Then exhaustion hit him.
Yu bent forward, holding himself up by placing his hands on his knees while he panted. Upon hearing footsteps, he turned his head to notice Yosuke running up to him. "Whoa… wh-what was that?!" he asked with wide eyes. Of course, he would be shocked; it wasn't everyday one was in a television and see a kid fight crazy tongue monsters with a golf club and supernatural powers.
"Did I hear you say 'Persona'!? What was it- I mean, what did you do!? Hey, you think I can do it too…?" Yosuke kept asking but Yu was out of breath to even answer them all at the moment. "Calm down, Yosuke. You're troubling Sensei!" Teddie scolded him.
"S-Sensei…?"
Teddie now focused on Yu. "Gosh almighty! You're amazing, Sensei! I am one impressed bear! I can't believe you were hiding such an amazing power! No wonder the Shadows were scared of you!" Then he gasped. "Are you the one who's able to bring people into this world?"
Yu could only nod. It was because of him they were able to pass into the TV.
"Hah! That's what I thought! This is really something. Don't you think so, Yosuke?" Teddie looked at the brunet who now got annoyed. "Dude, you call him Sensei and then don't show me any respect!?" Yosuke complained, pushing Teddie down.
The bear easily got up this time since he could recoil the push to get himself up immediately. "Sorry…"
"W-Well, your support wasn't bad, though. I gotta give you some credit for that."
"Huh? R-Really…? Heehee."
"All right, you two keep it up, and I think we'll be fine from here on out," Yosuke commented with a confident smile. Yu soon managed to catch his breath and straightened up, which the brunet took as a sign that they were ready to continue.
"Now, let's get back to the investigation! Man… I wonder what could have happened to Senpai here."
The three of them approached the door… and suddenly, voices began to speak from all directions.
"I wish Junes would go under… it's all because of that store…"
Yosuke looked around, startled. "Wh-What the…?"
"Oh, I heard that Konishi-san's daughter is working there." "Oh my… How could she, with her family's business suffering like it is…? I heard their sales have gone downhill because of Junes."
"S-Stop it…"
"That poor father… to have his own daughter working for the enemy. What a troublesome child…"
This unsettled the brunet. "H-hey… hey, Ted! You said that this place is reality for those that are here, right!? So... does that mean this was Senpai's reality when she wandered in here…?"
"I… only know about what's over here…" Teddie could only answer that much.
"Fine… whatever's going on here… we'll find out ourselves!"
They entered the liquor store.
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
The voices started up again once they got inside.
"Dammit, not again…" Yosuke gritted his teeth as he was forced to hear what the voices said again. This time, it was a man yelling.
"Saki, how many times do I have to tell you!?"
Yu looked up at the ominous ceiling - though appearing unfazed by the voices, he was unsettled too. Yosuke blinked a few times. "I-Is this… Senpai's dad…?"
"You know what the neighbours say about you, right!? Aren't you ashamed of yourself? You're the eldest daughter of a family who's owned this store for generations! Is it the money? Or did you meet some guy there? Just tell me why you have to work THERE, of all places!"
"I… I can't believe this… she seemed like she had fun at work… she never said anything like this to me… you're telling me THIS was how Senpai really saw things!?"
The voices stopped again.
"We should look around some more, Yosuke," Yu told him. Yosuke could only nod in response, then they approached the table in the middle of the store. There were a bunch of pictures on it… "These photos… hey… is this…?" The brunet noticed something, picking it up. "It's the photo we took the other day with the other part-timers at Junes… wh-why's it cut up like this…?"
The scrap of photo showed Saki Konishi smiling… with Yosuke standing next to her.
This time, it was Saki's voice that spoke out.
"I… never had the chance to say it…"
"Is that… Senpai's voice!?" Yosuke looked around, trying to find where the voices were coming from.
"I always wanted to tell Hana-chan…"
"Huh…? Me…?"
"…that he was a real pain in the ass. I was nice to him just because he was the store manager's son, that's all… but he takes it completely the wrong way and gets all enthusiastic… what a dip."
"P-pain in the ass…?"
"Who cares about Junes, anyway? Because of that store, our business is ruined, my parents hate me, the neighbours talk behind my back… I wish everything would just disappear…"
"I-It's a lie… this can't be… Senpai's not like that…!"
A different voice spoke from behind the two, this time sounding very familiar. "It's… so sad… I feel so sorry for myself… boo hoo…"
Yu and Yosuke turned around in alarm, seeing something emerge from the shadows… and it was another Yosuke, except he didn't have the glasses, a menacing dark blue aura surrounding his form… and his eyes were a striking yellow. "What…" The silver-haired boy looked between his friend and the one that just appeared. There were two Yosuke's?
The one from the shadows crossed his arms smugly, a smirk on his lips. "Actually, I'm the one who thinks everything's a pain in the ass. Hahaha…"
"H-Huh? Two Yosukes…?" Even Teddie was confused at the sight. The real Yosuke grew cautious. What the hell is that guy saying? "Who are you!? I-I wouldn't think that…"
"Hahaha… yeah, right. How long are you going to keep deluding yourself? Screw the shopping district, and Junes too! You're sick of everything, especially living out in the sticks!" The fake Yosuke spoke with such a condescending tone.
"What're you saying…? That's not true, I-"
"You put on a good show of being carefree and happy-go-lucky 'cause you're so terrified of being alone. The more the merrier, right? You've gotta be surrounded by people to block out the pain of isolation. And what's this about checking out this world for Saki-senpai's sake? Hah! I know the real reason you came snooping…"
"S-Stop it!"
"Hahaha! Why so panicked? I thought I was just spouting bullshit! Or maybe… I DO know everything you're thinking! Why's that…? Because I AM you! You just came because you thought it sounded like a good time! What else is there to do out in this shithole? A world inside the TV - now that's exciting! You didn't have a single other reason for coming here, did you!?"
"That's not true… stop… stop it…"
"You're just trying to act like a big shot… if all went well, hey, maybe you could even be a hero! And that Senpai you were so sweet on? Her death was the perfect excuse!"
"That's not true! What are you!? Who are you!?"
The other Yosuke merely chuckled. "I already told ya. I'm you… your Shadow… there's nothing I don't know about you!"
"Screw that! I don't know you! You can't be me, you son of a bitch!"
Those words were a mistake.
The Shadow merely began to laugh maniacally. "That's right! Say it again!"
Yosuke gritted his teeth, unnerved at the sight. "Y-you're not me… you're nothing like me!"
"…Hmph. Yeah, that's right. I am me now…! I'm not you anymore, see?" The Shadow gave Yosuke an eerie smirk. The brunet took a step back, fear settling in as a bright light took over the Shadow's form with black smoky-like darkness pouring out from the seams.
It's like the Shadow was absorbing hundreds of other Shadows… and when the light faded out, it revealed a freakish frog monster with a giant maniacal grin. Yosuke stared at it, horrified at the sight. Then he suddenly collapsed, leaving Yu and Teddie to fend for themselves against this threat.
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
Yu definitely was scared, but he didn't let it show.
He was either going to win or die in this fight. But in some way, Yu had to be thankful he didn't encounter something like this. Yet, or never. It would not be nice to have his secrets be revealed in such a way… not when those secrets can ruin the act he had been forced to carefully set up since he was young.
Wielding the golf club again, he witnessed as the Shadow that looked like a giant creepy frog with a swaying upper body approached him, ready to do whatever it takes to kill Yosuke, even if it meant going through the silver-haired boy first.
"I am a Shadow… the true self… I'll crush everything that bores me… starting with you!"
Yu firmly gripped his only physical weapon, though he knew he had his Persona to back him up. "I'm not going to go down that easily. I'm not going to let you kill him…!" he said loudly, determined to save his friend no matter what. He may have not known Yosuke for long, but that doesn't mean he'll abandon him at this time of need.
"Oh yeah? Let's see you try!" The Shadow retorted in a demeaning voice. Its voice still sounded like Yosuke, but with a layer of distortion to them. This time it had the first attack, and it unleashed a wave attack with a green tint to them.
The silver-haired boy felt a rush of pain hit him like a train when the wave hit him, knocking him down to his knees. "Agh!" Was this his weakness…? This can't be good. Looking up, he noticed that the Shadow decided to use the extra chance it got to charge itself up. "How long can you survive this?" it said smugly.
"This one's much stronger than the last type! Be careful! Whenever you feel threatened, just defend yourself!" Teddie shouted from nearby. "Alright…!" Yu nodded and managed to get up. Lifting his weapon and arms up, he tried to defend against the Shadow's next attack.
It swung at arm at him, though dealt little damage as the boy had defended himself at the last minute. "Bastard…!"
"My turn. Izanagi!" Yu called Izanagi again from the depths of his heart before casting Zio on the Shadow. He smiled as the tides were turned in his favour upon witnessing the Shadow flinch at the electricity attack, losing its balance and falling onto its back.
He did not lose focus however, and used his Persona to cleave the Shadow to deal more damage.
"Argh, you 'effing ass!" Once that was done, Yosuke's Shadow got up and decided to defend itself, using its giant front legs to cover its face and upper body. "It's guarding its weak point!" Teddie told Yu, who would do the same thing, feeling like the Shadow is going to attack his own weak point next.
As Yu had expected, the Shadow unleased another wave attack, but since he guarded, the pain wasn't as bad as the first time. He used this chance to cast Zio and attack the Shadow once more. The Shadow still hasn't lost its pompous attitude despite the damage he was causing. "Heh, that's it…? Boring…" It attacked Yu again who wasn't able to block it in time. "Ghkk!"
Either way, the silver-haired teenager was finally getting the rhythm of the attacks the Shadow would do. He continued to attack Yosuke's Shadow with the ongoing determination to win.
The Shadow was now getting quite frustrated… "You're getting to be a real pain… alright, I'm gonna crush you with everything I got!" It growled and attacked Yu with even more ferocity. The boy has been dealing with the onslaught of hits and punches the Shadow threw at him fairly well, but even now he was feeling a heavy pain throughout his body as he breathed deeply.
He knew the Shadow was in the same situation as him though, seeing that Yosuke's Shadow has slumped down weakly, barely holding up. Deciding to take the risk, he used the last of his strength to call forth Izanagi once more and cast Zio, before cleaving the Shadow right in its face.
The last hit caused the Shadow to recoil with a pained yell, before it fell down onto the floor with darkness pouring out of it and its appearance turning to stone, which broke down to reveal its original form – looking just like Yosuke once more.
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
"You did it, Sensei…!" Teddie cheered upon Yu's victory over the Shadow. The silver-haired boy weakly smiled and tried to remain upright, utter pain burning in his limbs. "I… I did it…" He can't show weakness now… not when Yosuke's Shadow was still here.
Slowly turning his gaze away from the Shadow, he noticed that the real Yosuke had finally woken up, standing up with hesitance. "I… I…" The brunet just didn't know what to say now. Yu and Teddie approached him quickly, the former attempting to keep up with the bear despite his injuries.
"Yosuke, are you okay!?" Teddie asked the taller boy worriedly.
"Y-Yeah… what… happened…?"
Yosuke's question went unanswered but when he saw where both Yu and Teddie were looking, he turned around to see his Shadow there. His Shadow had gone back to its original shape and had a blank look on its face as it stared back at him in silence.
He shook his head, still hesitant to accept what the Shadow had said about him. "You… you're… not me…"
"That thing came from you, Yosuke… you have to admit it… or it'll go berserk again…" Teddie advised him softly, which caused the brunet to look down in silence. Yu had to nod slowly in agreement with Teddie. It doesn't matter what some dark part of him said – it doesn't change who he was right now. "You're still yourself, Yosuke…"
Yosuke looked at the silver-haired boy and turned to face him. "Myself…" He looked down again, a pained expression on his face. "Dammit… it hurts to face yourself…" He glanced at his Shadow for a moment, then gradually approached it. "I knew it wasn't lying... but I was so ashamed that I didn't want to admit it… you're me… and I'm you. When you get down to it, all of this is me."
The Shadow nodded, seemingly happy at Yosuke finally accepting it.
The strength of heart required to face oneself has been made manifest… Yosuke's Shadow faded into a persona that bore a white body with yellow boots and hands, and a flowing red cape, alongside the same frog-ish grin on its face but this time looking much happier.
It then turned into a tarot card that faded back to the depths of Yosuke's heart. He has faced his other self... he has obtained the façade used to overcome life's hardships, the Persona Jiraiya.
He quietly began to speak. "This is my Persona…" he murmured as he turned to face Yu and Teddie. He nearly worried the two when he suddenly squatted down, exhausted. "When we heard Senpai's voice… I wonder if that was something Senpai had been keeping deep down inside… haha… 'He was a real pain in the ass,' huh? What a way to find out… geez, this is so embarrassing…"
Yu just gently smiled and got closer to his friend, placing a hand on Yosuke's shoulder despite the pain in his body. The brunet looked up to him, grateful for his friend being here. "If you weren't here, I don't know what woulda happened… thanks, Yu."
"C'mon…" The smaller boy then offered a hand to his friend, who grabbed it. Yu then pulled Yosuke up, seeing that the brunet was dealing with his exhaustion quite well. Yosuke took a look at Teddie, an idea popping into his head. "Hey, Teddie… could Senpai have been attacked by her other self here? Like how it just happened to me?"
"I think so. The Shadows here were originally born from humans. Sometimes the fog clears. Then they all go berserk… and you saw what happens next. A strong-willed Shadow draws others to it. And the big mass of Shadows kills the host," Teddie answered. His words had easily made the events that has happened moments ago make full sense.
"So that's why people die when it gets foggy in our world… huh…"
The bear could only continue to look at Yosuke with worry. "Yosuke's pretty worn out… this world isn't made for humans. It's not comfortable for you here. I don't hear any more voices… I think we're done with this place. Let's go back."
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
The trio returned to the 'studio', standing in the middle of it once they arrived.
Luckily they didn't run into any Shadows on the way there. Yu and Yosuke were looking worse for wear, but the former was dealing with unsaid injuries just because he didn't want to worry the other two with him. The brunet has suffered enough already – Yu would rather suffer alone than to let others worry for him.
Besides… in the end, he'll be all alone once his time in Inaba ends. No one will be around to help him or take care of him. That's the reality he lives in right now, for a future where he lives a lie created from youth to lead a company he wasn't so sure he even wanted to inherit.
Yosuke was too tired to notice anyway as he looked at Teddie. "Hey, Teddie. You said that this place is reality for people who enter, right? So that shopping district, and the weird room we saw before… did they exist because the ones who died entered this world, and it became their reality? I guess what I'm trying to ask is… did those places form because of the people who entered this world?"
Teddie didn't have the exact answer either. "I don't know. It's never happened before… but that's probably where they were when the Shadows attacked them."
"S-so… this world killed them, basically…?" Yu asked, his voice suddenly gone quiet. That was a terrifying thought to bear…
"The fog does lift here sometimes. The Shadows get really violent then. I always get so scared. I have to hide when it happens… I sensed people here twice before. But both of them disappeared after the fog lifted…"
"So let's get this straight…" Yosuke tried to piece the evidence up. "Senpai and that Yamano lady were thrown in here, and since they couldn't get out, they wandered around… after a while, that Shadow thing came out of them. The fog cleared, it went berserk, and it ended up killing them… does that sound right? So if I'd been here until the fog cleared, I woulda been in much deeper trouble?"
"Yeah. I'm pretty sure. You were lucky. Sensei and me were here with you."
Yosuke gritted his teeth. "Dammit…! Senpai and that announcer… they were stuck here all alone… no one could save them…"
"Yosuke… they disappeared when the fog lifted. But they were safe before that. No Shadows attacked them. They attacked us, though… maybe they've been keeping a close eye on us. They might see people who investigate this place as enemies… it'll be dangerous, but we might be able to fight them! We might be able to save people!"
This seemed to strike a realisation in both boys.
"Are you saying, if anyone else gets thrown in here, we can save them before they disappear!? Like how you guys saved me!?" Yosuke asked, eyes wide with hope. "That seems to be the case." Yu agreed with him. The brunet nodded at him in response. "Anyways… we need to catch the one who's throwing people in here and make him stop. Yeah… I'm finally starting to understand what's going on."
"U-Um… hey, can I ask something too…?" Teddie meekly spoke up. "If Shadows are born from humans, what was Teddie born from?"
"You don't even know where you came from!? How should we know?"
"I know some things. Mostly about this world… but I don't know anything about myself. To be honest, I never thought about it until now…"
"Are you serious…? No wonder we couldn't get a straight answer out of you…"
"Will you guys… come back here…?"
"Of course." Yu smiled weakly at the bear. He won't go back on his word now, even if he is reluctant to involve himself in all this. Better a finished deal than an incomplete one.
"R-Really…?"
"Well, you're the one who said you weren't letting us out unless we do," Yosuke added. Teddie got slightly flustered at that. "Oh! Th-That's right! Okay, I'll let you out. But there's one thing. I'll be waiting for you guys here. You need to come in from the same place every time. So we can meet up."
"So… from the same place…?" Yu guessed. If that was the case, then they could only enter this place using the television at Junes. The exact one.
"You could come in from somewhere else. But then you won't end up here. You might show up somewhere I couldn't get to you. Then you'd be doooomed… got it!?"
"Well, pretty much… alright, can you show us the way out?" Yosuke then asked.
"Roger that! One exit comin' right up!" Teddie went further back and tapped the floor twice, causing a stack of TV's to appear. Yu and Yosuke walked towards it, the latter murmuring. "Cool… first we need to make sure there aren't any employees milling around out there…"
But Teddie began to push them both in. "Okay! Go go go! Squiiiish!"
"Argh! Hey! Stop squeezing, you little- whoa!"
Again, they were falling.
However… Yu felt like as if they have forgotten something important.
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
The two landed unceremoniously onto the tiled floor of the electronics department of Junes, with Yu practically collapsing onto the floor with a muffled gasp as pain shot up his body. He would have to apply some medicine to his wounds back at home later… for now, he forced himself up alongside Yosuke who landed on his bottom.
Then he saw Chie, still on her knees. Holding half a rope.
"Ah…!" She was so shocked upon seeing the two boys, she was almost crying. "Y-You guys came baaack…!"
"Huh? Chie? Whoa, what's with that face?" Yosuke finally noticed her too. Chie's expression of relief immediately turned to anger, throwing what was left of the rope on her side at him that caused the brunet to fall back down. "Ow!"
"The nerve of you guys! You are such morons! I can't believe this! You guys suck! The rope got cut off… and I had no idea what to do… I was so worried… I mean scared stiff, dammit! I hate you both!" Chie promptly stormed off after that.
Yosuke got up after that, crossing his arms. He looked sheepish. "I… I think that might've kinda sorta been our fault. Maybe we did go a little too far… let's apologize to her tomorrow. I'm completely wiped out… I'm gonna go home, soak in the shower for a while, and get some sleep. I think… I'm gonna sleep well tonight."
"Good for you then." Yu chuckled quietly before wincing, clutching his abdomen where he got hit a lot. It's going to bruise overnight… "H-hey… you alright?" Yosuke finally noticed how his friend was in pain this whole time. "What happened when I was out, Yu?"
"It's… it's nothing much. I'll be fine tomorrow. Go and get some rest, Yosuke. Y-you earned it."
"…Well… see you in the morning then, Yu. Be careful."
The silver-haired boy nodded. He'll feel a lot better after applying some ointment and medicine to deal with his injuries later.
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
While Yu slowly limped his way back home from school, he was passing through the flood plains with an umbrella over his head when he saw someone familiar sitting at the small resting hut amidst the slight fog from the rain. He recognized the person as Yukiko Amagi.
She had noticed him too apparently as she called him over. Yu guessed that a rest from his slow walking – or limping - would be good for his legs for the moment.
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
"Hey." Yu got himself over to the hut and sat down at the seats next to Yukiko. He noticed that she was dressed in a soft pink kimono with a green sash. "Oh… are you surprised to see me dressed this way? My parents sent me out on an errand…" she explained. "Um… are you getting used to your new town and school?"
"Well… somewhat, but… I think I'll like it here." This was the most exciting thing to ever happen in his life despite what he had seen in that TV world. He was still getting used to school and life in Inaba, but this place was… well, the calmest place he has ever been in. It might just be his favourite.
"Really...? But… it must be difficult, moving to a place you know nothing about. I've never been out of Inaba, so I wouldn't know what it's like to transfer to a new school…" Yukiko then remembered something. "Oh! Are you getting along with Chie? I mean, I always leave early, so… umm…"
…If Yu were to assume that Chie would ever talk to him and Yosuke again, he guessed that things could go well. Or maybe not. "I… uh… w-we're getting along."
Yukiko didn't notice the slight stutter in his voice and smiled happily. "I'm glad to hear that. Chie's very supportive, you know. It's always her who gives me the little extra push I need. We had homeroom together last year too, and I still remember how we'd cut class sometimes."
However, that smile fell as she remembered something. "Oh… I should get going. I need to make tomorrow's arrangements with our head chef. Our inn can't function without me right now." She got up. "Um… I'll see you at school, then."
"Okay." Yu nodded. He watched as the black-haired girl took her red umbrella and opened it, using it to walk through the rain without getting wet and soon left the flood plains. Yu felt that he was still a little tired after all that and sat there for a bit longer, letting his legs ease up on the dull ache he felt in them.
The rain was making the air colder though… he shivered at the chill, pulling his school jacket closer.
Damn it… his body was not made for this.
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
When Yu did finally reach home, he was thankful for the welcoming warmness of the Dojima residence. It soothed the ache in his body which had acted up because of the chilly air outside, and it was still raining heavily.
He did notice that Dojima wasn't in the house. Only Nanako was there, sitting at the table while watching TV. Setting his bag down nearby, he walked towards the table with a slight limp and sat down quietly. Nanako kept staring at the clock. "Dad's late…"
The news report was a continuation of the murder cases, saying that the police are assuming that the incident may be a serial murder case related to the reporter's death. Saki Konishi's time of death was an hour after midnight and had gone unnoticed until today's morning due to the heavy fog that blanketed the area.
"Another incident…Dad won't be coming home tonight." Nanako looked worried. Yu wanted to reassure her that she'll be safe here, at least. "I'll be here with you, Nanako. Don't worry."
The little girl was quiet for a moment. "…I'll be okay. Can you help me do some stuff around the house?"
"…Sure." Yu had thought that his cousin was very reliable for her age. It should be of no trouble for him to help her – he'll just have to be careful not to strain himself at the moment. He was taken out of his thoughts however when he heard the name of the famous inn in town.
The news report was now talking about the Amagi Inn… and Yukiko was being interviewed on TV. The reporter was a real creep, now that he noticed the questions the guy was asking. It just went further and further off subject.
Nanako huffed a little. "…This is boring. Oh, I need to do the dishes…" She got up and went to the kitchen. "I'll help," Yu told her as he got up too, albeit with a pained grunt. His cousin did ask if he could help her do some housework… better get a move on, then.
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
By the time Yu had finished helping Nanako out, it was pretty late. His body still ached with pain from all the movement he had done since fighting Yosuke's Shadow but he's dealing it much better now. Since it was also raining… he supposed that he could check on the Midnight Channel again while applying medicine to his injuries.
With a bid goodnight, he went up to his room.
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
Dressed in her night clothes, Yui spent her time applying ointment to all the bruises that appeared on her body. Surprisingly, they didn't look and feel as bad as they did hours ago. She wondered if all injuries suffered in the TV world easily heal as opposed to ones suffered in the real world…
She won't be having a nice sleep tonight with all those bruises anyway.
After applying the medicine, she slowly got up from the sofa and went to check the windows, parting the dark curtains slightly to look outside. It was still raining tonight… will something appear on the TV?
The television in her room was still on, showing the weather forecast for the Inaba region. From what she heard, it seems that the foggy days have been occurring since a few years ago, and that this year would be just the same. As the report ended, the reported said that the time was now midnight.
She turned off the TV.
As she had expected, a dull glow emanated from the television as the Midnight Channel began to play, this time displaying someone else hidden through the static. Seems like as long as it was a rainy night, she could see the channel as many times as she wished to.
Yui focused on the task at hand first, trying to see the person on the channel. One thing she could tell was that it was a girl, and that she was wearing a kimono… but it was too out of focus to see the image properly. Somehow, that person looked… familiar.
Then a thought hit her.
What if she touched the image on the Midnight Channel? Would she be able to touch the person on screen…? Determined to find out, she reached out to touch the screen, yet her hand went through it all the same and she felt nothing inside. "Darn…"
She pulled her hand out, seeing that the image has disappeared.
Sighing, she brushed a stray lock of her short front hair out of her face. She'll have to speak about this to Yosuke and Chie tomorrow… she'll just go to bed for tonight now.
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
…Yu found himself in that limousine again, with Igor and Margaret inside like last time.
"Welcome. Do not be alarmed. You are fast asleep in the real world… I have summoned you within your dreams," Igor told him with a grinning smile. "And so we meet again."
"This is a space that only those who have, in one way or another, entered into a contract may enter… In your daily life, you subconsciously heard the call to awaken, and you chose to follow the destiny of your inner voice…thereby enacting your glorious awakening to your power," Margaret explained.
"Hold on to this…" Igor then spoke. Yu looked up and watched as a blue key emerged from thin air, descending gently into his hands.
Igor still fixed the silver-haired boy with that same grin. "From this night forth, you are out guest in this Velvet Room. Your destiny will require you to hone your power, and for that, you will inevitably require our help. There is but one price for this assistance… you must abide by your contract and assume responsibility for all decisions you may make."
Yu nodded. His training to take over the company has taught him that much. "I understand."
"Very well. The Persona you have acquired… it is a side of yourself that shows itself when you face the world around you. Perhaps you can think of it as… a façade of determination you wear to face various difficulties in life. Your Persona ability, however, is that of the wild card… compared to that of others, it is very special. It is like the number zero… empty, yet holding infinite potential within itself."
This time, Yu could barely understand that whole explanation. "Empty…?"
"The Persona ability is the power to control one's own heart… and the heart is strengthened through bonds. As you form bonds by becoming involved with others, your own Social Links will gradually develop. The power of these Social Links is what will determine your Persona's abilities."
…It sounded like as if he's saying that by making friends with people, one could gain vast supernatural powers. That sounded absurd. Yu could only raise an eyebrow in question. "Control one's heart…?"
"Social Links are necessary for more than strengthening your Persona. At times, they will help light the way to the truth you are searching for," Margaret added. "Where will your awakened power of the wild card take you…? I look forward to traveling the road of your destiny together…" Igor continued before chuckling. "'Til we meet again…"
Yu felt like he was growing unconscious within the 'dream' as his vision began to blur and darken…
Yui woke up in silence, no longer hearing the pattering sound of raindrops against the roof of the house.
…The ache in her body has nearly disappeared.
With a small grunt, she sat up. Rubbing her eyes of sleep, she got out of her futon and began to undress from her night clothes to dress up in her school uniform. She has a lot to talk about with Yosuke and Chie at school today.
From the looks of it, someone in Inaba may be on the brink of murder again.