A/N: Man, it's been a while since the last update. I'm finally out of college and about a few days away from flying out to my grandparents' village (deja vu, anyone?) to visit them.
Anyway, here's another chapter that I rushed to finish in the last few days... and honestly, I'm not very proud of this one despite it finally covering Naoto's arc. If it actually seems rushed, I'm sorry! If anyone had been following my AO3 account, you'd realise I posted another fanfic there that I would honestly rather be writing than this (interests die, some renewed, the usual) but I'm not that irresponsible to leave this fanfic behind, not when I'm this close to actually reaching an arc my old self had been wanting to write when she first started writing this story.
I promise you, I'll finish this fanfic and give those two dummies their happy ending! I just need to keep pushing myself ;w;
Also, before you complain (or wonder) if I'm making things up about some parts of the battle scenes (which I genuinely suck at), while I try to write it in a more real-time based kind of thing, most of the targeted people (aka the ones who got attacked by the Shadows) are actually what happened when I played through the battle. The battle this time genuinely surprised me and even gave me some good ideas, hahah.
PerdonaLover (Guest) - Oh, it's coming alright. With Naoto's arc out of the way, I plan to finally get things going... after all, everyone in the team finally got their shit revealed. Things can only escalate from here, huehuehue-
Yukai Yami (Guest) - Damn, how did I miss that typo? My eyes fail me even though there's already a pair of glasses helping them... well, like I said in the last chapter, this story ain't beta-read, we die like men. As for that other thing you mentioned, it'll get some mention here, but it's not the right time... you'll see what I mean. I hope you enjoy this chapter despite the rushing I did for this chapter =w=||
On with the chapter, then!
First off, where to?
Well, it might be best to ask a student in Naoto's year would know more about that boy's situation… so Yu decided to walk all the way back to school and ask around – until one female student perked up at the query. "Naoto-kun? He's gotten pretty popular, hasn't he? Well, I heard a rumour that there's this girl who saw something peculiar about him… I think she usually hangs out in the Practice Building after school. Why don't you go talk to her?" she suggested.
Off to the Practice Building, then.
He barely got into the place when he seemed to have found the girl that first-year student talked about. A question about what she saw easily prompted her to gush out over it— reminding Yu of what Yukiko mused about a while ago… that people would spread rumours among themselves that were about others, true or not.
It's a bad thing, of course.
But for now, he'll have to take what he can.
For Naoto's sake.
"You want to hear about Shirogane-kun? Oh, this is interesting! I saw him get really angry. I'm not sure what it was about, but he was with a policeman. I wonder what happened to make him shout like that. This was in the shopping district a little while ago."
"Hm… thank you for telling me this." The silver-haired boy raised an eyebrow curiously at this titbit of information. If Naoto was with a policeman earlier… he should try to find a policeman and ask about Naoto's whereabouts then.
Maybe the shopping district would yield better results.
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
As usual, the police refused to say anything.
"What do you want? I'm in the middle of something here, so don't bother me. If school's out, go home already. I swear, kids these days…"
Or maybe the man just wasn't in the mood to talk…
…what can be done to change his mood?
A change of plans may be needed.
In the meantime, before heading off to anywhere else, Yu went to go visit the fox at the shrine for the next ema request: of a man so scared of cats that he had trouble writing the word itself, having to space each letter out to form 'C A T S'… yet jotting his wish down to no longer fear the little furry creatures. The teenager accepted it like he always did, but he can't help but wonder what kind of traumatic (if it even was traumatic) event that caused this poor man to be so terrified of cats.
He'll probably find out once he found the guy somewhere in town.
Now he needed to figure out how to get that policeman to spill the beans…
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
The flood plains always had this peaceful air to them, especially with the cries of the cicadas that faded into the air – it was no wonder Yu eventually wandered off to this place while wracking his head for a way to talk to the policeman, soon bumping into Chie who seemed just as troubled as him.
Once he told her about the block in the road to finding out more about Naoto, the brunette sighed and nodded in understanding. She hasn't been able to get much information either, but apparently even Yu had trouble with that aspect too. "Yeah… I guess it's no good unless we act like we're Naoto-kun's friends and we're worried about him… like, 'Naoto hasn't been to school recently and we're getting worried. Is he busy with police work?'. Why not ask them something like that?"
…That actually sounds reasonable.
"Huh… thanks, Chie. I'll try that out." Yu almost felt like hitting himself in the forehead for not thinking of that. Hopefully the policeman would buy it, if the man held some sense to tell a 'friend of Naoto's' about what was going on with the young detective. If that could even work with his own past reputation lingering around like a set of chains.
"No problem, Yu-kun. I'll keep asking around!"
Waving their goodbyes, he started his return back to the shopping district…
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
…and approached that same policeman once more.
"You got some business with me, kid?" The police officer questioned as he turned around to face Yu again, a stern look in his eyes. He still remembered the silver-haired teenager from a while ago, obviously. "…Just because I don't look it, I'm busy, you know."
With a small bow, Yu showed his respect for the man. "Excuse me, officer… I was just wondering about something. Naoto-kun hasn't been coming to school lately and I've been worried about his absence…"
Please work.
"Shirogane…? Do you know him?" The policeman must've been briefly wondering why a kid like Yu Narukami would know Naoto from the way he was scrutinising over the teenager… but he shrugged the thought off and decided to answer. "I haven't seen him at the station lately, either. Funny, it wasn't that long ago that he'd be around well into the night, looking through the files. Even if he wasn't satisfied with the case's outcome, he seemed to be so focused that I thought he was obsessed with it."
Finally.
That aside… obsessed?
Interesting to know… he should look for another policeman to ask.
But… he hasn't seen any other officer even to and from this shopping district.
He'll just have to try again tomorrow, then.
"Mm… thank you for telling me this, officer."
Recalling that Saki's brother had been standing by the school entrance before he left to meet up with the others at the Junes food court, he walked the whole way back to school in hopes that the first-year was still there – he was a little curious about the 'cute' handkerchief given to him on that day, which he still had to give back eventually.
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
"Hello, Konishi?"
Turning around, the light brunet found Yu standing behind him – his face betrayed nothing, not even a hint of surprise… neither did his own voice that remained just as calm and composed. "Oh… Yu-san. Is there something you want?"
Well, returning the handkerchief is one. "Not really… I just want to return this handkerchief you gave me the other day. Thank you for that, by the way." Taking out said item from his pocket, cleanly washed and dried for good measure, Yu held it out for Saki's brother to take while smiling politely at the boy.
"Oh, this is…"
Those pair of dull grey eyes averted away.
Unwilling to look at the face, nor the handkerchief.
Instead, they stared at the old and worn wooden boards.
"…You could've just thrown that away…"
Silence hung in the air.
"…This was my sister's handkerchief. My mom put it in my bag by mistake..."
If this was Saki's handkerchief… that would explain the design.
Oh…
"No one ever uses it anymore, so… I'm sure the handkerchief is glad to have been able to fulfil its duty." Saki's brother took a moment before finally lifting his head, a smile of gratitude directed towards Yu – which was unexpected, just like the next word that came out of his mouth: "...Thanks."
Blinking once, the silver-haired boy stared back. Thanks?
"Thanks for what...?"
A light chuckle, as the younger boy scratched the back of his head in a somewhat sheepish manner. "No... it was just... I was happy. It's been a while since I talked to someone without the conversation immediately becoming awkward..." Eventually his smile fell, and he was back to being the same old stoic first-year. "Oh, I'm Naoki Konishi," he then introduced himself, upon realising that he hadn't told Yu his name yet. "Um, I apologize for saying I hated you when I first met you."
Right… Naoki, was it? Naoki said that he hated him back during that day.
Eh, it didn't really bother him that much now.
"I didn't mind, no worries." Yu shook his head and smiled reassuringly at Naoki, to which the light brunet smiled back in relief.
"…Thank god."
…Did it worry him that much?
Nevertheless, they could probably be considered acquaintances now… it seemed that Naoki is struggling to cope with his complicated situation, what with losing a sister the way she died.
With that, whispers resonated within Yu's mind of the formation of a new Social Link, one of the Hanged Man Arcana. Thankfully they had faded out by the time Naoki spoke up again, though he shook his head slightly for good measure just to throw those voices out.
"Last time, when I came to that meeting, I made everyone feel uneasy, right? After that, I was officially 'fired' from the Association. They told me not to come to meetings anymore." Naoki looked away after telling his senpai that, a bitter expression on his face. "Well, it's my own fault... left behind again." He didn't say anything for a small while, until he gazed at Yu again with no hint of that bitterness in his eyes. "If it's okay with you, maybe we can have fun together. I'm usually by our liquor store at the beginning of the week. I'm helping out there..."
Yu nodded in understanding. "Alright, I'll keep that in mind."
"Well... I'll be going."
While walking through the flood plains from school and to the shopping district to continue the investigation the next day, Yu passed by a young man who sighed heavily.
"Miyoko-san..."
Said man soon glanced at the silver-haired teenager, a bit flustered at the sigh he let out. "...Oh, d-did you hear that? Ahahaha, well... i-it's okay, right?! People have the right to think of their beloved!" That bravado eventually fell away though, and let out yet another heavy sigh. "I'm getting married..." He didn't notice the questioning look he received from Yu – one that wondered the reason for his melancholy about his wedding… wasn't it supposed to be a happy occasion?
Unless there's something else…
"Dammit... everything would be great if it wasn't for him..."
"…Um, sir? Who are you talking about?"
The man stared at Yu sharply. "Who am I talking about? That horrendous furball... the c..." He quickly trailed off and shook his head, squeezing his eyes shut in genuine fear. "Argh! I'm scared! I can't even say it! Those fanged demons are terrifying!"
Huh, a 'c' letter word?
If this man is the one who wrote the ema request…
Might as well ask.
"Is it a cat?"
"Arrrgh! D-don't say the 'c-word'!"
…The guy was actually physically trembling at the sheer thought of cats. What did the furry little critters ever do to him? Either way, there was no doubt now that he was the one who wrote that ema request the fox showed… apparently, he wanted to overcome his fear of cats.
In the meantime, the man continued to ramble off about what he thought was so scary about cats. "The meowing, and the whiskers, and the evil little claws! It's all just so scary... of all the pets, Miyoko-san wants to have a c-c-cat... she said we can't get married if I won't let her have one. Arrrgh! Why must you put me through this horrible test, Miyoko-san?!"
He was almost in tears, how sad.
What would be a good way to force the guy to overcome his fear…?
Bring a cat here?
Remembering the ginger cat that always roamed this particular flood plain, Yu had only taken a step towards the little kitty when the man beside him screeched in a panic.
"S-stop it! Stop that right now! What do you want? Money?! I'll give you money, just get away from meeeeee!"
At this rate, the guy was absolutely terrified about cats…
…he'll need another way to help this guy out.
Backing off, Yu decided he'll try some other way another time.
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
Later, Yu found himself in luck when he spotted another police officer in the southern section of the shopping district, one that wasn't in a bad mood like the one from yesterday. A polite bow and an explanation about how he was worried about Naoto not coming to school lately already had the man talking.
"That kid is skipping school to do his investigation…? What's his problem, really? The department has all but closed the case. Just because he's not satisfied… sheesh. All we wanna do is shut the book on this thing so we don't have to deal with it anymore… I wish he'd let it go already. No wonder the whole department treats him like a kid. He's getting all worked up over nothing. That's why everyone gives him the cold shoulder, ya know," The police officer explained with a small shrug of the shoulders.
And just like that, all of the pieces of the puzzle were in hand.
He just had to piece them together to form the full picture.
From what Yu had gathered, it seemed that Naoto had a fervid obsession with the investigation. Yet, apparently his obsession was not well received, and the police treated the young detective like a child. Naoto must have been really serious about this case… hm, this is should be enough information for Rise, but he felt that today should be a day for the others to prepare before taking on the TV world tomorrow.
It's been a long two days of searching, after all.
Maybe he could spend the rest of the afternoon working at the day care centre… how was Eri doing…?
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
The children were all active and boisterous as usual, including Yuuta himself.
When it came down to Eri picking him from the day care centre, however…
"Yuu-kun, let's go home, okay?"
Yuuta was quiet for a moment, not facing the woman that was his stepmother. "...I don't wanna go home yet! I'm playing with Mister!"
At this, Eri frowned. "But doesn't that bother him?"
"No!"
"Okay... fine. I'm going home." The brunette woman turned around and left with that frown still on her lips, missing the sight of her stepson's shocked face. Even Yu was slightly surprised that Eri was leaving Yuuta just like that – he expected her to be waiting a little further down… but she truly did leave the place.
The kid had fallen silent.
Well… how should he handle this?
"…Hey, Yuuta-kun, show me again that strength you had when we played arm wrestling a little earlier. I want a rematch." Attempting to lift the mood up, Yu tried to lessen the blow with distracting Yuuta's mind by playing with him for a bit. He'll walk him home soon, since it doesn't seem like Eri was coming back.
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
They eventually saw Eri sitting at the resting hut when they arrived at the flood plains.
"...Is she mad at me?"
Yuuta's quiet voice made Yu glance back at him – finding that the young boy was staring back, an unidentifiable expression on that small face. Perhaps there was something in those eyes, something resolute and unchangeable— as if whatever he would say in response wouldn't change what the kid already concluded in his own mind. He answered softly, nevertheless: "Just apologise to her, Yuuta."
The boy looked away.
"…She hates me."
That was the face of a kid who genuinely thought this was all his fault.
"But she has to take care of me... I feel sorry for her."
Falling silent at Yuuta's words for a moment, Yu wondered if there was more to this problem – could it be just a misunderstanding? Eri thought that her stepson wouldn't— couldn't love her, for she was his stepmother. Thought of it to be fate, as if damned from the moment they first met to fail at gaining Yuuta's love. At first, maybe the kid himself was just stubborn or uneasy at being with someone who wasn't related by blood yet related by the law to be his mother… until then.
Has the idea of his stepmother hating him been there all along, or something caused by what happened earlier? Yu wasn't sure, he might just have to dig a little deeper into the problem… but for now, he decided to answer with: "She doesn't hate you."
Eri may not be able to answer confidently of her love for her stepson…
…but Yu had a feeling there was still a glimmer of hope for that love to flourish, and to be loved back.
When Yuuta didn't reply back, the silver-haired teenager started walking towards Eri— forcing the brunet kid to follow.
Arriving at the resting hut, Eri finally noticed the two there. She attempted to muster up a smile for Yu but it only ended up appearing forced. "Oh... thank you. You walked him here?" Upon receiving a nod in response, she let out a weak laugh (that almost sounded lifeless). "...Maybe I should have you walk him all the way home. Ha ha..."
Then, she too looked away.
"He looks so happy when he's at day care. Today he yelled, 'I don't wanna go home!' Well, obviously not. Haha..."
Her hands gripped the fabric of her skirt.
"Even if he goes home, it's just the two of us. He'll forget his father's face at this rate. Poor thing..."
How… odd.
The two are unknowingly pitying each other... but it seems both are distancing themselves from the other.
Perhaps the possibility of them caring for each other like a mother and son would wasn't so impossible after all.
Eri's face then lightened up, and she gazed at Yu. "...I'm glad he's going to the day care centre. He looks like he's having a good time, and I have time to myself, too. He seems happy even after he comes home, especially on the days you're there." She smiled wryly. "...Of course, since we don't talk, I've never actually heard him say so." But it eventually changed into a smile full of gratitude. "Please take care of him."
…The Temperance Social Link became ever stronger.
With that, the brunette woman stood up. "Yuu-kun, let's go home. Mister Yu has to go home, too."
Yuuta's shoulder hitched for a moment, though he relented.
The two awkwardly went home together, and Yu headed back home for the night.
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
Oh yeah…
…he took up that tutoring job earlier today.
The memory of him taking up the job (once he was qualified for it) filled Yu's mind once he arrived back home, and with nothing better to do aside from readying himself for tomorrow… he decided to go out that night and visit the home of the kid in need of a tutor.
He partially did not expect to find a woman dressed in a wine-red skirt suit greet him at the front door.
Her son looked like how the media always represented the quiet, smart kids.
Kind of geeky.
No, that's not him insulting the guy.
It's just a comment he will never ever speak out loud.
"...I'm Shu Nakajima. Nice to meet you," The boy introduced himself quietly. With straight, short brown hair and eyes of the same colour, he wore a dark blue plaid long sleeved shirt, black pants with a brown belt and shoes. To top off the 'smart' look were a pair of black rectangular glasses on his face.
The mother smiled apologetically at Yu. "I'm sorry, he's just a shy boy. But he's so smart, you know? He got the highest score in his class on his last test, and the teacher—"
"Mom!" Shu stopped his mother from rambling on further. "...E-Enough of that. We're going to study now, so get out."
"Oh, of course, dear. I don't want to bother you while you're learning. But, still... Yu-kun, was it? I hear Yasogami High's score are starting to climb up there. Shu's already in his second year of middle school, so we need to start thinking of applying to high schools. Well, knowing him, I'm not worried about getting into a good school. But, when it's time for college..."
Shu had to stop her one more time, this time seemingly embarrassed. "Mom! That's enough, I said...!"
"Oh, my. I guess you're right. Well, then, Yu-kun, please make sure you teach him well. Study hard, Shu-chan, okay?" With a gentle stroke to the back of her son's head, Shu's mother moved to leave the room – giving a small, yet trusting nod to Yu before she exited through the door… leaving both Yu and Shu alone inside.
They both remained silent.
At least, until Shu broke it.
"...Yu-san, right?" Once he got a nod of confirmation from the silver-haired teenager, his face turned serious. "Let me tell you up front: I have no intention of attending Yasogami High. The cram school I was going to wasn't that good, so I decided I needed to switch to private tutoring. You were the only one available, so..." He paused for a few seconds. "If I think you're inadequate, I'll have you replaced immediately. Remember that," he continued, bluntly telling the older boy before him those words.
Harsh, much?
Comparing Shu and Naoki, he wasn't sure which one was the franker guy.
As tempting as it was to comment along the lines of 'You sure are a little prick', Yu decided against it— he's dealt with worse, seen worse, heard worse, a lot of other shit than just some kid in middle school talking down to him. In fact, he was kind of impressed at that kind of strength. If only he had it when it came down to his grandfather… nonetheless, he smiled at Shu (whilst hoping it didn't appear amused) and nodded at the younger boy. "Nice to meet you, Shu."
Shu nodded back. "...Same here." Looking back at his study desk, he then asked: "...Then, what should we start with? I don't have any subjects that I'm particularly bad at."
With his kind of physique, maybe he needed some exercise to put muscle in those limbs.
"PE."
Fixing an icy glare at the older boy, Shu shook his head. "...That's not funny."
Oh well.
All of that aside, they both began the tutoring session with another subject. Shu grasped the concepts quite quickly, as expected of a smart student – he even answered the problems Yu had for him in no time at all. This drove the silver-haired teenager to work hard in explaining the subject to Shu in an easy-to-understand manner.
This kid was pretty good at it.
"We'll continue next time," Shu announced once the time for the tutoring session ended. He was quiet for a small while, as he gathered his thoughts. "…You were a good tutor. It was easy for me to understand what you were talking about. I'm sure my natural intelligence had something to do with that as well, of course… you're more than welcome to come again whenever you have the time. I'll keep working at my own pace, as well," he admitted to Yu. "So, uh... please come teach me again."
Yu had officially become Shu Nakajima's tutor.
It paid off in the end.
They were acquaintances, now.
Whispers, murmurs echoed within his mind— and with the voices' declaration, the Tower Social Link of the Tower Arcana was formed.
Hm… another one, huh?
Saying goodbye, the night passed on.
Sunday came with clear skies.
Today, they will venture into the TV world.
As usual, Yu gave all the information he got prior to this day to Rise, in hopes of it being enough for her to find out where Naoto was within this other world. Thankfully, her Persona was able to get a better sense of the detective's whereabouts and led the Investigation Team to the place.
They ended up stumbling upon a bunker.
Quite sci-fi'ish.
So far, they had the shopping district, a castle, a sauna, a strip club, a game dungeon… wonder if this will top those off?
"What is this place…?"
Kanji's query (which was accompanied by a bewildered expression on his face) about the sight before them – the others turned around to face him, having that similar question in mind. Yosuke glanced back at the bunker and grinned, casually crossing his arms like he always did. "It's all sci-fi… heyyy, doesn't it remind you of those secret hideouts in live action shows?" he commented, which was pretty accurate – a lot of spy or superhero shows, if it involves a villain, expect to see a secret lair with an entrance similar to this.
"Oh yeah… hehe, I used to watch Featherman all the time when I was a kid." Kanji chuckled at the memory. Good old days.
"I hear that those are really tough shoots. A lot of the actors do their own stunts, like jumping through fire themselves," Rise added. Being involved in the world of entertainment, she had probably heard a bunch of stories about these kinds of stunts.
Jumping through fire was just one of many.
Yu wasn't sure if his grandfather's company ever dealt with outfits for shows and movies. The main sector the company dealt with was the fashion world, while providing custom outfits for idols if requested… but if it did deal with that other sector of entertainment and said show or movie was an action-oriented one, those outfits must've been through hell and back.
Yosuke shrugged. "Well, it's every man's dream to do that stuff."
Looking cool and tough… of course.
"Yeah, I can understand that. They're action-based, like kung fu movies," Chie said her piece for the conversation, smiling at the topic being spoken about. "And just the phrase 'secret hideout' has this exciting ring to it!" She got a noise of agreement from Yu on that (who doesn't love secret stuff?) and made a 'crane' pose for the next part of her little tale. "Actually, when I was a kid, I had my own secret place near the mountain by Yukiko's house. I'd pretend that a legendary kung fu master was teaching me special techniques. Hwataaa!"
Staring at the brunette weirdly, Yosuke sighed. Oh, Chie. "You got it all wrong… but hey, so this secret hideout thingy came from Naoto's mind? I guess our proper boy detective isn't as grown up as he looks." He shrugged and uncrossed his arms. "Alright, let's get going."
They all nodded in agreement.
Time to start.
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
Upon entering the secret hideout, an ominous green atmosphere filled the air (one would almost think it to be poisonous, but that wasn't the case) and metal walls with red and gold banners lined the halls. A mechanical voice rang out as the Investigation Team entered.
"Unknown intruder detected inside facility…
Threat Level: Yellow.
Deploying guards inside the facility.
Warning! Warning! Attention intruders! Leave the facility immediately!
I repeat: leave the facility immediately!"
Rise looked up at the ceiling, seeming confused at the blaring alerts throughout the place. "Huh? Intruders… that means us, right?"
The rest of them glanced among themselves.
This would be harder than their previous ventures, no doubt.
When they reached the second floor, another set of alerts echoed.
"Warning! Warning! Attention intruders! Leave the facility immediately!
I repeat: leave the facility immediately!"
"Does this mean… Naoto-kun doesn't want our help?" Rise was beginning to feel uneasy. This was the most blatant 'go away' they've received since she joined the team… but soldiered on through the feeling for the sake of helping the team navigating through this uncharted area. "I-I don't really get it, but let's go on for now!"
That warning seemed to be looping in the first three floors, like it was just an automated system.
It wasn't going to deter them, of course.
They were here to save Naoto!
Once the third set of warnings finally ended, Rise came to realise something. Approaching Yu, she tugged on the hem of his sleeve to get his attention before he led the team onwards. "Hey Senpai, when Naoto-kun appeared on the Midnight Channel… he said he was going to undergo a 'body alteration operation'…" she murmured, only for her eyes to widen. "Did that mean Naoto-kun's going to be altered here!?" Her words caused the silver-haired boy to raise his eyebrows at the same realisation: if they took too long to go down…
"Crap, we need to hurry!"
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
After much hardships traversing through this secret hideout (that was turning out to become much like a laboratory) and dealing with ID cards (researchers' and a leader's card, the former forcing the Investigation Team to fight a minion of sorts) to open doors on two floors just to advance (not to mention finding that said minion ended up becoming one of the Shadows they could encounter on the final two floors) further into the place— finally, they've reached the deepest level of the base.
Once the door panels slid open, they ran inside to find grotesque machinery fit for a horror movie… attached to the ceiling above as they loomed over a platform that acted as a table, lights the size of spotlights illuminating it. There was Naoto facing his Shadow, who was currently crying into its arms, sleeves of its lab coat dangling from them.
"Naoto!" Kanji called out to the blue-haired boy, eyes wide.
The detective turned around at the noise, facing the group.
He didn't seem disturbed by his 'doppelganger' in the slightest.
In fact, he was probably the reason why his Shadow was currently like this.
"Ah. It's about time you arrived. Dealing with this child has been quite a pain…" He moved to join the rest, but stopped when his Shadow whined out in a voice much softer and smaller than it used back on the Midnight Channel— like a child.
"No! No, no, don't go!"
Sighing, Naoto faced his Shadow once more. "It's useless speaking with you. I need to go back now…"
"Why? Why're you leaving me here!? Why am I always left alone!? It's so lonely… I don't wanna be alone!"
"Naoto-kun…" Yukiko gazed at the blue-haired boy sadly.
Naoto only shook his head, frowning at his Shadow. "You wear the same face as me… it's as if you're implying we're one and the same. But the difference between me and you is…" Yet, before he could finish his sentence, his Shadow had stopped sobbing and instead glowered at him with those sharp golden eyes, the shade over the top half of its face giving off a menacing appearance.
"Why delude yourself? I am you." It spoke with that same tone it used on the Midnight Channel – as if it were a mastermind, a madman speaking like he was to reveal something so amazing, so breath-taking that it was nothing short of grandness. "These childish gestures are no mere affectation… they're the truth. The fools all say it, don't they…? 'You're only a child', 'Keep out of our business, kid', and so forth. No matter how many cases you spend hours cogitating over, no matter how many crimes you solve, you're a child in their eyes."
The sleeves of its lab coat swayed as the Shadow moved its arms, continuing its speech which revealed the ultimate truth hidden within Naoto's heart. "It's your brain they're interested in. The grey matter locked up in that skull. As long as they need it, you're an ace detective! But once you're done, it's back to the playpen with you. You haven't the means to deal with society's two-faced nature…"
Acid yellow met deep cerulean.
"You're just a lonely child."
The detective broke off the stare, gazing down at his feet as his Shadow began crying again.
Possibly, a sore spot was hit with those words.
"I wanna be a grown-up… I wanna be a big boy right now… then they'll see who I am… I… I want a reason for me to stay…"
Naoto held strong, somehow.
"That's enough. I can find my own reason for living…"
His Shadow smirked. "Hah… I'm telling you that's impossible. You are but a child. How can you change that essential truth?"
It got worse, and worse.
He was starting to crack under the Shadow's pressure.
"S-Stop it…!"
"At your core, you admire the sort of 'strong' and 'cool' men who populate detective fiction. But in trying to emulate them, you must know that in truth, you're nothing of the sort— you're a child. There's no avoiding first principles… admit that you're a child, and admit that there's nothing you can do about it." The machinery slowly whirred to life behind the Shadow. "Now then! Our analysis is complete. Let us begin the body alteration procedure. You have no objections, do you… 'Naoto' Shirogane?"
"Stop it!"
"'Naoto'… such a cool, manly name! But a name doesn't change the truth. It doesn't let you cross the barrier between the sexes. How could you become an ideal man when you were never male to begin with…?"
And that was the ultimate truth.
"Wait, what…? Did he… did I hear that right!?" Blinking a few times, Yosuke stared at the detective's back— it always did seem a bit odd that Naoto had a small frame and short stature, similar to that of the girls in his (her?) year. Unlike guys like Yosuke and Kanji… hell, even Teddie in his human form… Naoto was significantly shorter than them both.
If what the Shadow said was true, then… didn't that mean…?
"H-He's not a guy!?"
Kanji's exclamation took the words right out of Yu's head, who was rendered speechless at the fact.
He wasn't the only one hiding behind the mask of a man.
He wasn't the only one among them who dressed and acted as the opposite sex.
He wasn't alone.
But this wasn't the right place, nor the right time.
Taking a deep breath, Naoto forced himself— herself to calm down. "I won't throw a tantrum… that accomplishes nothing…!"
Hearing that, the Shadow laughed maniacally. "Hahahaha! How often I've heard those words from the adults. 'Throwing a tantrum won't solve anything, Naoto-kun', and other such bilge! They made you cry, didn't they? Yet here you are, mimicking those same men. What exactly are you trying to justify?"
"What…?"
"It's all right. You needn't suffer anymore. That's why you're undergoing this body alteration procedure to begin with. You throw a tantrum, but it fails to change the situation a single bit… I can quite understand the feeling. After all… I am you."
"That's not true!"
Uh oh.
"Don't say it!" Chie tried to stop Naoto from saying those three words that would immediately worsen the situation, but Kanji shook his head at her, as if saying it was of no use. They all looked at him, puzzled as to why he reacted that way.
"It's okay… let the kid spill the whole thing. If not, Naoto's just gonna keep hurting…" Getting into a battle-ready stance, Kanji's gaze hardened. "We'll just do our job and kick the Shadow's ass, yeah?"
Naoto's Shadow cackled. "Ahahahaha! As if you know anything about me! You'll kick my ass, huh? Fine… go ahead and try, you lizard-brained imbecile!" The dark aura surrounding its form deepened, until all one could see was fumes of darkness—
"Save the discussion for later!" Yosuke suggested, getting ready to fight like the rest.
"Here it comes!" Rise stood back—
As Naoto fell unconscious, strength leaving her form…
…and a giant cyborg of Naoto emerged, fit with jet wings and a pair of toy-like laser guns in its hands.
Pointing at the Investigation Team, the battle began.
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
"I am a Shadow, the true self…"
Honestly, they've seen a lot since they discovered the TV world: ninja frogs (Yosuke's Shadow, it's been so long since that day), leather chicks sitting on other chicks (that's Chie's, quite the dominatrix), big flaming birds (Yukiko's… still can't forget what they saw on the Midnight Channel) , big flaming dudes (Kanji's, that was an experience), oil-paint strippers (Rise's, still the weirder experience), giant hellbears (who knew Teddie had a side like that?), and evil babies (who turned out to be a big fat lie), but a giant cyborg Naoto was a whole new one.
"…What? Are you sick of yourselves too? Very well… then let's begin the special operation!"
"Bring it on, man… I'll pull you through this!" Gripping his weapon, Kanji vowed to himself that he'll get this Shadow down to save Naoto— even if he'll have to go through a world of hurt for it. He glanced at Yu who stood prepared for battle near him, and felt courage pool within his chest.
Time to do what they did best.
"O-Operation?! I hate ouchies!" Teddie shivered at the thought. Being cut and opened up definitely hurt, but he most likely didn't know that anaesthesia was usually applied for such procedures… he's from the TV world, after all. Nonetheless, he got ready too, for the Shadow was about to attack.
"Have you made up your mind? Then let us commence!" Naoto's Shadow proved to be the toughest enemy the Investigation Team has faced yet, for it held a myriad of powerful skills alongside physical attack ones— namely, Garudyne, Agidyne, Bufudyne and even Ziodyne, also known as the more powerful versions of the elemental spells their Personas could learn. It even knew the group versions of the spells, though it rarely used them… which if it weren't for one of Yu's Personas knowing Masukukaja, they truly would've been in for a world of hurt.
Ah, but the Shadow had more up its sleeve.
"No, no, that will never do. Patients must lie still for me to drill proper holes into them." With a swing of its mechanical arm, the Shadow cast a new spell: Element Zero. It seemed harmless at first, yet it didn't take long for the members of the team that were up against the Shadow to realise what it had done.
By negating all of their Personas' elemental resistances, they were at risk of getting further damage from elemental spells.
That wasn't all.
Yu felt his heart drop—
"Argh!"
Now on the brink of death, Kanji was targeted by Naoto's Shadow with another spell they hadn't seen before, namely Galgalim Eyes which had instantly weakened him and damaged him to the point of near-death. He fell to one knee and shifted his weight to the shield that was his weapon, gasping for air as his chest squeezed—
"Kanji! Hold on!"
Yu's voice.
He felt strength fill his body again.
Before he could lift his head—
A pained yell.
The clatter of a blade against the ground rang out.
Whistling, the roar of wind on the battlefield. A voice, yelling out "Persona!" following the Magarudyne that had been used, only to be countered by the chill of Bufudyne and yet another Garudyne— he only glimpsed Teddie ("Nooo! Sensei! I'll save you!") and Yosuke ("Get up, Kanji!") covering them both.
It was hectic.
Naoto's Shadow proved to be a challenge to beat.
However, nothing felt worse than seeing Yu on the ground again.
Just like the last fight against a Shadow gone berserk, his Senpai had to come to his rescue and paid the price.
Even worse to know that he ended up feeling that way towards the guy…
"H-hold on, Senpai!" Despite the blur in his vision and the muffled voices of that Shadow and the other two, Kanji forced his limbs (which no longer felt like dead weight) to move, to plant themselves firmly on the ground, to get himself up because if he spent another damn moment being weak, Yu was potentially going to die in his place. Grunting as he finally got back up, he took a quick glance at the Shadow (currently being distracted by the bear and that brunet, it's almost like déjà vu) and took his chance.
Running over to the discarded katana, he picked it up with his free hand and hurriedly closed the distance between himself and the silver-haired boy – he heard that distorted voice speak ("Ugh… why must you struggle so much?") barely managed to reach that downed figure before the Shadow acted again.
"Why won't you lie down and die!? You children can't do anything at all!"
Element Zero again…
…one of those group spells are coming up next.
"Come on, Yu-senpai…" Kanji grabbed Yu's hand and pulled the older boy up by the arm, managing to spot a smile of gratitude once Yu was back up on his feet. Oh, he could already feel his face burn up at the sight— "Here." He also gave the silver-haired boy the katana before he started moving to a better spot to continue attacking Naoto's Shadow, just because they were currently in battle and so his senior wouldn't see his face redden slightly. Goddamn it, why now?
With a small shake of his head, Yu firmly held the katana's hilt in his hands – all while the smile on his lips turned into a determined smirk. It was partially directed at the Shadow, but it was also because he held it the urge to grin. "Just like last time, huh…?"
He hasn't forgotten what happened last time.
As if a recording had been played back.
Save, and be saved in return…
"My hero."
Time to focus back on the fight.
"Just a little more, guys! Keep at it with your attacks!"
Yu's own ears seemed a little red.
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
Eventually at the point of defeat, Naoto's Shadow began twitching— as if glitching out, before crashing to the ground in a cloud of darkness. The gathered Shadows in its form dissipated into the fog, and all that was left was the darkened form of a cyborg… until it shrank, leaving her Shadow in its original form.
It was a tough fight, but thankfully they managed to overcome it.
The Investigation Team took a few moments to regain their breaths, especially the ones directly involved in the fight – but once they did…
"So… Naoto-kun was a girl." Chie stated the fact that had shocked them all earlier.
Naoto Shirogane was a girl, cross-dressing as a guy.
Things have surely become way too bizarre these days. Yu wasn't sure if his team would calmly take in the fact that their leader was in a similar situation, if the secret ever got out. Sure, one could rationalise that because his team seemed not too overly shaken by the fact, he might be able to reveal the truth to them as well… but Naoto was just someone they saved. He was their leader. Those were two very different roles, and reactions could differ solely because of that.
Nevertheless, he hoped that his own secrets wouldn't get revealed like this, or ever – he wouldn't know how to explain; he wouldn't know how to deal with the fallout.
He'll take this secret to the grave, most likely.
"Ngh…"
Yukiko looked over at Naoto who was starting to regain consciousness, surprised to see that the detective was waking up. "Are you awake!?"
Slowly, Naoto got back up to her feet… looking around, seeing the concerned gazes directed at her. "Where am I…?" she murmured weakly, attempting to regain her senses as she stared at the ground, piecing her memories together prior to herself losing consciousness. "I remember you all arriving, and…" Faint recognition dawned on her facial features. "That's right… you saw everything…" She fell silent, her feet moving to leave her facing her Shadow who had become quiet as well.
Her lips moved to speak—
"I lost both my parents in an accident. I was still young, so my grandfather took me in. I was inept at making friends… so I spent my time reading detective novels in my grandfather's study."
As if in tune with her emotions, her Shadow spoke like a child would.
Like a young Naoto Shirogane would.
"When I grow up… I'm gonna be an awesome, hard-boiled detective…!"
"…My parents were proud of their job. I had no qualms about following in their footsteps… an inherited occupation can feel stifling to many, but I welcomed it. I yearned for the day I could be a detective myself… perhaps I inherited that desire from them as well. I was always alone… seeing that, my grandfather must have believed it was his duty to help me realize my dream. I secretly aided my grandfather with his clients… and before I knew it, people started calling me Junior Detective. At first, I was delighted. But not everything went so smoothly…"
Yukiko quietly asked in the following pause during Naoto's explanation: "What was that you said about 'You're only a child...'?"
"Not everyone welcomes my collaboration when it comes to solving cases… my status as a 'child' was sufficient to offend many of those whom I worked with. Were that the only issue, then it would have resolved itself with time… but though I will one day change from a child to an adult, I will never change from a woman to a man…"
It must be difficult.
Even with all of her efforts to prove herself as a detective, to be worthy of the family name Shirogane that had a line of great detectives— Naoto still feared the possibility of failure to achieve her dreams, all because of something she could never change.
Of course, it was different.
Similar of a situation as they may be, Naoto still did it out of her own free will.
She even had a dream of her own.
Yui Narukami was neither.
"Do you not like being a girl…?" Yukiko asked again, seeming sympathetic with Naoto. "Is that why you always dress like a boy?"
At that, Naoto nodded and turned to face the black-haired girl. "My sex doesn't fit my ideal image of a detective… besides, the police department is a male-oriented society. If they had the slightest 'concrete' reason to look down on me, no one would need me anymore…"
"You don't know that."
Kanji was right – they couldn't just assume things from get-go.
This is a modern world, after all.
Yukiko's then expression lightened up. "Hey… you must know already that what you yearn for isn't to become an adult or become a boy…"
For a few moments, Naoto sighed softly… and nodded in agreement. "You're absolutely right…" She faced her Shadow once more, who remained silent all this while – and as their gazes met, the detective chose to finally admit the truth. "I'm sorry… I kept ignoring you, pretending you didn't exist. But you are me… and I am you. You've always been inside me. What I should yearn for… no, what I must strive for isn't to become a man. It's to accept myself for who I really am…"
The strength of heart required to face oneself has been made manifest… Naoto's Shadow nodded at the recognition it finally received from her as well as her understanding that she needed to stop trying to be something she never could, before fading out to reveal her Persona, Sukuna-Hikona, small in size yet heroic and sharp in appearance.
Eventually, the Persona reverted back into a tarot card and faded back into the depths of Naoto Shirogane's heart.
Along with it, she collapsed onto her knees in exhaustion—
Everyone else surrounded her in concern at the sight.
She chuckled despite it.
"…In any event, you're a devious bunch… I can't believe you kept something like this hidden for so long…" To think that the 'drunken' (or it was, despite the lack of alcohol in the drinks at the time) rambling back in Port Island was actually true… Naoto could only weakly smile at the memory. It all slipped right under her nose – yet, it was such a farfetched idea that no one could believe it until they saw it. "Haha… no wonder the perpetrator has eluded the police… but it's apparent now… this case is far from over."
This explained so much.
"That's right… and you proved it, Naoto." With a small grin, Yosuke was glad Naoto still had the strength in her to react like that. "Anyways, we can talk more later. We need to get you out of here."
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
They returned to the real world.
Emerging into the electronics section of Junes from the TV, they let Naoto down gently so she could catch her breath— the journey back must've been hard on her, what with the long walk back from that secret laboratory… she was breathing deeply.
"Hey… hey!" Kanji was squatting so he could see Naoto's face, although feeling worried for her, he too still felt… annoyed… at the detective for pulling off something as reckless as this. That small bubble of feelings he once had for Naoto may be gone now, replaced by something way worse towards one of his senpais (who was a guy!) that had helped him so many times and ongoing— he still regarded Naoto with concern, as any person should after the experience she went through.
Watching the blue-haired girl heave and heave, Chie sighed and shook her head. "Sheesh… she really put her life on the line for this…"
"But without her efforts, we'd never have realized… that the culprit is still at large," Yukiko told her best friend, seeing the better side of this incident. They'd all been fooled into thinking it was all over with Mitsuo Kubo's arrest… when he was merely a copy cat of the actual murderer.
This was followed by everyone nodding, agreeing with Yukiko.
The Investigation Team was still needed.
Truly, this wasn't over yet.
"You're too frickin' reckless, dammit…" Muttering that at Naoto, Kanji stood up and straightened himself.
He was still pissed at the whole thing, but a little less now seeing that Naoto was barely keeping herself together at the moment.
Naoto slowly lifted her head to gaze at the blond boy before her.
"…I never doubted that you'd all come for me… although the reality turned out to be far beyond what I'd imagined."
Eyes of greyish blue widened.
As quick as it happened however, Kanji had already huffed and looked away from the detective. "Tch… what a dumbass. You're no genius at all." He glanced back, his eyebrows furrowed. "We were tearing our hair out over you…" And that was kind of the truth— it was difficult enough dealing with the police and finding the relevant information for Rise.
Rise smiled when she heard Kanji say that, giggling. "So you did worry about her, Kanji! Awww…"
The tease only agitated the blond boy – though the faint red in his cheeks betrayed the slight embarrassment he felt. "Shuddup! M-Mind your own damn business!"
All of that aside…
"I'll take her home. I don't think she can go back by herself," Yukiko offered.
"It's… all right… I can…" Naoto tried to get up, only to be stopped by Rise.
"No way, missy! Don't think that doing everything on your own is the 'adult' thing to do!" The idol and Yukiko moved over to Naoto, adamant at helping her out. "C'mon, let's go. Grab on!" They both offered a hand to the detective who stared at them both uneasily, only to relent and grab hold of both Yukiko and Rise's hands.
They were successful in saving Naoto… and it seemed that the case wasn't over just yet.
The murderer was still out there, somewhere.
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
"I'm home…"
Emerging from the hallway that led to the entrance of the Dojima's residence, Yu was a little surprised to find not only his uncle was back home (which was expected, as Naoto's disappearance was 'solved'), lounging on the sofa with a beer can in hand. Nanako was sitting on a chair at the dining table and swinging her legs slowly, but also Adachi himself who sat at the table in the family room that had food and more beer cans set on top of it. This time, the roles were switched— Adachi seemed inebriated already, while Dojima was taking it slow.
Perking up at seeing the silver-haired teenager inside the house, Adachi waved a hand at Yu as he swayed to and fro where he sat. "Heyyy, welcome baaack!"
"Sorry, we got off early today…" Dojima explained, sighing slightly at Adachi's drunken behaviour.
"C'mon, take a seat."
Although he felt kind of awkward at the atmosphere in the place, Yu wordlessly approached the table in the living room and sat across of Adachi— before he could say anything (not that he was planning to), the young man had already begun rambling off about Naoto's case.
"They found Naoto-kun! Oh, uh, do you know who Naoto-kun is?" When the teenager nodded, Adachi continued talking. "He just up and vanished without a word, but it looks like he's back now. Way to put a scare into everyone… yeesh!"
Thankfully so.
With their efforts, Naoto could be saved.
Not that the police had any idea of the truth.
Yu smiled at the news, hoping it sounded like he was just hearing this news right then. "I'm relieved that he's been found."
"…You don't seem surprised."
Shit.
Turning his head to look at Dojima, Yu found his uncle staring at him questioningly.
"You didn't already know he was found, did you?"
What does he say to that?
Noticing that Yu was acting uneasy at the question Dojima raised, Adachi commented on his superior's attitude with a carefree grin. "Awww, you really oughtta do somethin' about that habit of yours, Dojima-san. They go to the same school. Rumours spread fast out here, y'know."
That… was a true fact.
Dojima frowned, forced to let it pass as he took a swig at his beer.
He couldn't argue with that logic, despite how it frustrated him sometimes.
In the meantime, Adachi began running his mouth… like crazy. "But man, why'd Naoto-kun disappear? I guess he can be a little difficult… maybe he got sulky after being given the boot and ran away from home? But I tell you, I was shocked to hear that he up and vanished like that. If there'd been a fourth kidnapping and murder, we'd be back to square one again…" He didn't hear Dojima call his name as a warning. "You know what sucks? We still don't have proof that the Kubo kid murdered anyone besides Mr. Morooka. How're we gonna make a case like this? I wonder if Dojima-san's instinct is right… maybe there really is another perp out there. The real one…"
"Adachi!"
Oh boy.
"How many times I gotta say it!? Quit running your mouth like that!"
Adachi immediately snapped out of his drunken daze, whipping his head to stare at Dojima in alarm. "Whoa! S-Sorry!"
But the damage had already been done.
"Alright, see here!" Getting up from the sofa, Dojima spoke sternly to Yu who straightened up upon noticing that his uncle's gaze was directed at him – including what he was about to say about the case. "Don't worry about the case. Just go study like a normal student. If you don't…" The unspoken warning was there— and taking one glance at Nanako who seemed uncomfortable at how her father was acting made the man sigh again. "…I'm going to bed." He soon left for the staircase, bringing his (now empty) beer can with him.
The mood was pretty much killed at this point.
"Sorry… I killed the mood there." Adachi scratched the back of his head, feeling ashamed that his tendency to ramble a lot about the cases got him into trouble yet again. "But yeah, I can totally understand why Dojima-san's worried. Just leave the case to us police. You know the problems it could cause if something happened, right? Like, if it happened you were mixed up in it, we'd be real worried…"
That would be the right thing to do…
…except the police have no idea about the TV world.
If the Investigation Team didn't exist, back when it began with just Yu and Yosuke— then every single member of it would be dead.
A harsh truth, but it is the reality of the matter.
When he heard the quiet shuffling of feet against the wooden floor, Yu glanced behind himself to find that Nanako had gotten off the chair at the dining table and approached him and Adachi. She had a worried expression on her young face, as she timidly asked: "Are more scary things going to happen…?"
That caught Adachi by surprise.
"N-No way, Nanako-chan! Everything's all right now! We caught the bad man, so no more scary things will happen. Right? Everything's just fine."
"…Okay…"
"A-Anyways, your dad's just a worrywart. Leave it to me! You might not know to look at me, but I got the most brains in the whole police department! Oh… was that too hard to understand…? Did you get it…?"
Whether Nanako understood it or not, Yu had a feeling she wasn't convinced despite her nodding in response.
Neither was himself.
Adachi was a little of a… scatterbrain.
With Dojima upstairs, the young man had no reason to stay in the residence any longer. He stood up, smiling sheepishly at the two youngsters staring at him. "W-Well, now that Dojima-san's gone, I should get going too… g'nite!" Then, he walked towards the entrance of the house— the sound of the shoji doors closing signalling his exit.
In the silence that followed, Nanako moved to stand beside Yu.
"…What does 'got brains' mean?"
Oh.
Guess she didn't understand that part…
"It means he's smart, Nanako," Yu answered her with a small smile. He couldn't exactly blame her for not knowing that – she was still young, after all. Kids don't usually understand the more tricky parts of a language until they get older.
"Huh… so things'll be all right…?"
…He didn't have an answer to that.
The night passed on with the awkward mood hanging in the air. On the other hand, Yu now knew, along with the rest of the Investigation Team (and Naoto) that the true killer of this mystery was still on the loose— and they were clever enough to avoid the suspicion of everyone who was looking into this case.
How will they ever find them?
One can only turn to their own efforts now…