Truth
Naoto opened her eyes, but saw nothing. Her vision blurred, colors mixing together, the sound of electronic beeping ringing in her ears. She tried to stand, only to stumble back down. "D-damn it... Focus!" She took in a deep, calming breath and allowed her lungs to hold it... before letting it out in a slow, steady rate.
She mentally retrace her steps, recount how she ended up here, and where here even was. It was a simple, if risky, plan. She had used herself as bait, and dipped herself in the metaphorical waters. She waited for the kidnapper to strike, and she believed that to be the worst part at the time.
The waiting. She was sitting there, waiting for a murderer to come to her home. She remembered checking her watch repeatedly, ignoring the racing of her heart as she tried to focus on novel in hand. It was a fruitless effort. She remembered the look of fear on Narukami's face, her own guilt at pushing him away...
Guilt? No... I don't feel guilt. Narukami had his chance to help me and he chose not to. I will solve this mystery, I will apprehend the killer, and I will not spare him another thought! She swallowed spit up, before taking another look at her watch. It was getting late. Despite her own inner turmoil, it was just another quiet night in Inaba. She was alone, left with own anxiety and wandering mind.
Enough, Naoto. You need to calm down. Do not allow your thoughts to be distracted by your fears, or by Narukami. The kiss. The memory reared its ugly head and she felt her cheeks flush. Damn it! Stop it! Narukami... Ever since she had came to this town, ever since she met him, he had been a constant thought. A thorn in her side!
Yet the kiss... The memory made her short of breath, made her cheeks crimson, made her heart race... The memory of their arms around each other, their lips pressed against one another, and their tongues..
Damn him! she thought, holding her head and digging her fingers through her blue hairs. Damn him... She tried to chalk the kiss as merely a result of their inebriated states, though she wouldn't be surprised if Narukami attempted such things when sober. She knew that she was an accomplice to it, she hadn't denied him, in fact at the time she was teasing him by sitting on his lap, but... but she never wanted THAT to happen.
It wasn't just the alcohol, though. There was more to it. Some part of me actually wanted to kiss him. She shuddered at the thought. Try as she might, she knew she could not deny that some small, microscopic part of her actually wanted to kiss him. She was, to her shame, the one who kissed him. Hormones. Curiosity. Stupidity. Had I not been inebriated, I would have never done something so idiotic! She squeezed her eyes shut, rubbing the bridge of her nose with her hand. She could feel the familiar mix of resentment and regret bubble inside her.
Before coming to Inaba, she was in perfect control of herself. She was calmer, in control, but Narukami... He changed her, and she hated it. I need to solve this case, both for my credibility as a detective and for my own, emotional sake...
She shook her head in attempt to rid her mind of Narukami, the kiss, and the feeling of his lips against hers, the electricity when their tongues met... Stop it!
When the doorbell rang, it came as almost a blessing. The feeling didn't last long, though. She felt someone grab her and her mind was divided. The logical, Detective Prince analyzed the arms, even as a foul smelling rag was pressed against her face. They most certainly belonged to a male. The heavy footsteps as she carried the weakening sleuth just added more evidence to the assumption.
Despite her calm demeanor, she felt a pang of dread. Terror as she was taken from her temporary home and dragged to who knows where. She could hardly breathe, which just made her struggle harder, which just made her weaker faster. The chloroform drenched rag was pressed harder against her face, making every labored breath a betrayal to herself.
She was scared. Stupid girl... They... ashamed... you... Her thoughts were slurring into each other. She was weakening. She could feel herself being lifted up and carried now. Her last thoughts weren't coherent, more like raw emotions. She was afraid, and that fear filled her with shame. She had to solve this case. She had to be worthy of her parents' legacy...
That brought her to this place, or rather, her kidnapper had brought her here. Her vision was finally returning to her and she examined the room she had been thrown in. To say, it was not what she was expecting was an understatement.
It reminded her of her childhood, as embarrassing as that was to say. In her youth, she would often wake up early and watch the adventures of the Phoenix Rangers, and other tokusatsu shows. She would marvel at the advance laboratories the heroes used, or the villains hid away in. This place resembled those laboratories, almost as if they were plucked from her memories.
"You're awake! Excellent, excellent! Please, sit down and we can begin!"
Naoto laid in bed. She wasn't asleep. Her eyes darted around her room, finding another serving of food beside her bed once more. That wasn't what caught her attention, though. She heard footsteps outside. Someone was in her apartment. At first, she had assumed it was Rise Kujikawa. Naoto's memory was foggy, but she did remember telling the girl where her spare key was.
She had been assuming she was the one leaving her food out for her, but the sound of the footsteps destroyed that theory. They were heavy, far too heavy for such a petite, young woman like Kujikawa. They were a male's footsteps, and from the rate of the footsteps, she had a rough estimate of the height of the person. A young man?
The murderer? She wanted to kick herself for even thinking such a thought, but she couldn't help it. It might have been days ago, but the fear and terror of being kidnapped and taken away like that... It weighed heavily on her heart, even now. She reached out towards her nightstand and opened it, slowly pulling out the drawer.
When it was open far enough, she stopped and slipped her hand in. She continued to hear footsteps outside. They were approaching her door. She let out a quiet gasp, before she found exactly what she was looking for. Naoto pulled her hand out of the drawer and looked at the pen in her hand. With a rush of courage and adrenaline, the Detective Prince quickly and quietly slipped out of her bed.
She did her best to match the footsteps, hiding her own behind them. The figure was approaching the door. So was she. She held the pen tightly, wielding it like a knife. The figure stopped in front of the door, so did she. From her angle, she could make a stab to the trespasser's arm, or if she wanted to risk it, a fatal stab towards the neck. She had to make her decision quickly, because she could hear the turn of the knob. The sharp click.
She pulled back her arm...
"Naoto? You awake?"
"Narukami?!"
The two were face to face with each other, Naoto was armed with her pen, Yu standing there with a glass of water and some napkins. They stared at one another, neither sure what to say. The sleuth's eyes glanced at her weapon, and his eyes followed. She slowly lowered her arm and cleared her throat, hoping to save face.
"W-wha... What are you doing here, Narukami?"
"Oh, you know..." He stood there, uncharacteristically nervous. Naoto glared at the lack of an answer, and he noticed it. "What... .I... Um..." Wow. Come on, man! Put on a mask and- Yu's eyes met hers and he crumbled under it. No. Speak honestly. Honest. Right. I can do honest. "I was worried about you."
"What?" Naoto sounded surprised. He glanced up, and his guess was proven correct. She looked at him with confusion, and he smiled.
"I was worried... about you. I'm glad you're okay."
Naoto stared, noticeably perturbed by the older boy's attitude. Gone was the chauvinistic, womanizing attitude, but it was more than that. He was meek, almost scared, it seemed. She stared at him, closely inspecting his face. He struggled to meet her stare. He's different. Something's changed... "Worried? Why would you...?"
It rushed back, like a tidal wave. It crashed and consumed her. The memory. Her doppelganger, her words, what she said... Narukami was there. He knew, he saw, heard everything!
Yu watched Naoto with a trembling heart. She looked like her world was just shattered. Considering what her Shadow had said, what Naoto had said, it might have just been. She stumbled back, before falling towards the ground. He moved towards her, catching her in his arms and helping her stand. "Whoa, hey. Naoto? Come on, let's get you back to bed."
"You... What she said..."
"Shh... It's okay." He lifted her arm and slung it over his shoulder. He then wrapped his arm around her and began to walk, helping her every step of the way. "I know you have a lot of questions. I'll explain everything, I promise, but you're still weak. Let's get you to bed, and get some food in you, beautiful."
Yu felt his cheeks burn as soon as the word slipped off his tongue. He was talking without any mask, speaking the whole truth and nothing, but the truth. And the truth is she really is beautiful...
Naoto was reminded of something her father had taught her when she was young. He would tell her that logic, science, knowledge, all were important for a detective, but there was one talent that could not be read in a book. He explained that there was something beyond cold, simple facts that a detective needed. Her father called it, his Detective Sense. Her mother chose the simpler term, calling it 'intuition.'
Here and now, looking at the silver tongued devil that once plagued her mind... Naoto's intuition told her something had changed with him. She wasn't sure what, but... things were different.
Naoto tried to ignore what her senses told her. She focused on her memory, foggy as they were. "You... That thing, it-"
"She. That thing was you. You admitted it yourself, Miss Shirogane." For a moment, Naoto felt anger. Just like that, was he back to teasing her again? But one look at his face told her otherwise. The solemn frown, the glint in his silver eyes... He wasn't here to fight, it seemed. "She was your Shadow. The part of you that you repressed or denied..."
He helped her sit on the bed and he sat on the far end, away from her, giving her her space. "I know it's a lot to take in. The other world, the Shadows, Personas, all of it... I want to help. I will. So I'm going to explain everything I know to you, from the murders, to the other world, to Shadows, to... to stuff not even the others know about. Stuff, only I know about."
Naoto wasn't sure what to say in response to that. She opened her mouth, but despite her best efforts, nothing came out. She shook her head from side to side, shaking the sudden fatigue off of her. The adrenaline of terror was wearing off. She gently, if warily, placed the pen back on the nightstand, before picking up the food left for her.
"Here." Yu handed her the water, which she took with a mumbled thanks. "Um... I hope you enjoy the food. I made it. There weren't a lot of ingredients in your fridge, so I went shopping and stocked it for you." Stupid! She doesn't need to know that!
"Oh... I apologize. Do you require me to repay you?" Narukami's been caring for me this whole time...? Why would he do that? After everything I've said to him... After not believing him, or trusting him... Naoto bit her lip at the memory. Had I only believed him all those months ago... I wasted so much time fighting him...
Naoto's train of thought and shame were thrown off course when the silverette spoke. "No! No, no, no. You're good, babe." Yu kicked himself a second time for the slip of the tongue. Naoto seemed to hear the word, but he wasn't sure what she was thinking. Was she annoyed? Embarrassed? Shy? Scared? God, this being honest thing is awful. Who does this?! "S-sorry."
"What for?"
"Calling you... that. Old habit." A moment of awkward, tense silence...
Naoto opened the container, choosing to avoid the elephant in the room, and focus on filling her growling stomach. She blinked, marveling at the fried rice in it, complete with honey coated shrimp. She grabbed chopsticks Yu left her and dug in, taking a bite of the delicious seafood. The taste was spectacular, and it brought buried memories back to light.
Their time in the park... Their 'date.' The date that led to Naoto believing, if only for a moment, that there was more to Narukami than a perverted flirt. This time she controlled herself, only taking one more bite before her gaze fell upon the older boy. She wasn't smiling, but she wasn't frowning either. She just stared at him, and he stared back.
"Before I came to Inaba, I dated this girl, Kaiyo. I pretended to be this nice, sweet, shy guy, and she fell for it. I even gave her this silver bracelet and told her it was a family heirloom. 'My dad gave it to me, so I would know what to give to the girl I fell in love with. That girl is you, Kaiyo.'" He donned a mask, but neither of them were fooled by it. He tossed the mask aside and Naoto stared at his disheartened expression.
"She bought it. Meanwhile, I was off reciting the same garbage to her best friend. I made out with them both, and neither knew. I told them that 'they were the one,' and that I 'loved' them." Yu sneered at the memory, shaking his head. "I'm telling you this because I know who I am. I'm not a good person. I'm a scumbag, but I want to change."
He was looking at her, and his eyes revealed the fear in his heart. Her food was untouched as he held her gaze, her mind contemplating and examining him as though he was case file. "When I first saw you, I thought you'd be fun to mess with. You were a game. I know that's insulting, but it's true. I thought you'd be fun to get with, and just like everyone else I got with, I was going to ditch you when I moved away. I used use for my own fun, because I was sick of playing the leader and nice guy around everyone else. But you weren't like everyone else! You saw through my bullshit and..." I fell in love with you.
"You made me realize I wanted to be a better person, or- or you make me want to be a better person. It's hard to tell the difference." He let out a bitter chuckle, more to calm himself down than actually laughing at anything. Naoto hadn't said anything, she just stared at him. "I'm sorry." He let shaking, unsteady sigh. "I'm sorry for lying, for being, well, me."
Silence. He hated it. He opened his mouth to apologize again, only to be cut short by the blue haired detective. "You are not completely at fault here."
"Huh?"
"Had I taken your warning seriously, given you the benefit of the doubt, all of this could have been avoided. Had I not been so stubborn, I could have helped you solve this case sooner, rather than mistrust you and foolishly put my own life in peril. I was stupid... I'm supposed to be a detective, and yet I couldn't see the truth when it was standing right in front me!" Naoto let out an exasperated groan as she rubbed her forehead. "I was so stupid!"
"Hey, hey, whoa! Hold on!" He had to stop himself from referring to her with some kind of pet name. He reached towards her and placed a hand on her shoulder, ignoring the slight warmth on his face as he spoke. "Come on, a world behind the TV? Shadows? A magical killer? None of this is normal. It's unfair to think you could have seen any of it coming when you took this case. Besides, I didn't exactly give you a lot of reasons to trust me back then. It sucks, but both of us were pretty stupid back then. Er- N-no offense! Sorry!" Shit! I am awful at this talking from the heart crap... "Sorry. I'm not really good at being honest. Never was with anyone."
"I suppose I can relate to that," sighed the detective. "I've been told I have a tin ear, before." He chuckled, and she responded with a weak smile. "Regardless. I am sorry. I apologize for the insults, the mistrust, my own stubbornness, and... um..." Naoto felt her cheeks warm with embarrassment as she stuttered. "I-I apologize for punching you."
"I don't want to hear it."
Naoto's expression fell, her heart feeling a pang of guilt as she nodded. "Of course. I suppose I would need to do more than simply apologizing for such a stunt. I-"
"No, I mean, I deserved it. Some of it, at least." He shrugged, unsure of what else to say. "I know I wasn't, I know I'm not an easy person to deal with."
"Narukami..." Naoto let out a low sigh, shaking her head as she placed her food aside. "If you would allow it, perhaps we should... start over?"
Yu blinked at the idea, stunned by the simple suggest. Start over? Can we even do that? After everything I've done to her? Can I just act like everything's okay, when I'm in love with her? His gaze fell to the blanket as his mind raced, before daring to glance at her face. She's so beautiful... She's like no one I've ever met before! I love her! God, I love her... "Hi."
"Huh?"
Naoto's confusion was met with a smile as Yu lifted up his hand to her. "I'm Yu Narukami. I used to be happy with who I was, before I met a pint sized detective who helped me realize I was kind of a jerk. Now I'm trying to be better..."
She blinked, staring at the offered hand, before she gently took it with her own. His hand was larger, and for a moment Yu feared hurting the sleuth. Then she squeezed his hand and gently shook it, making him chuckle. She's got quite a grip...!
"My name is Naoto Shirogane. I understand you have information relating to the Inaba murders of late?" Yu nodded, a pleasant grin forming on his features. Naoto returned the grin, nodding her head at him. "I wish for you to tell me everything you know so I can assist in solving this case."
"I'd be happy to." Yu suddenly stood up, standing by her bed as he took a deep breath. It was his first, true breath as a new man. "Alright! Today's a new day for both of us, Detective Prince! No more shameless flirting from me!" The silverette paused, before chuckling. "Less flirting from me. I promise. And I'll work to become a decent human being!" He dramatically turned and pointed at Naoto with both of his hands. "And together, we'll close this case and save the day! You and me, partner!"
Naoto gawked at the older boy, baffled by the sudden change in mood. "Sitting around feeling sorry for myself ain't gonna help me, and it ain't gonna help you! So I'm declaring my goals. You know, like they do in Phoenix Rangers Feathermen R," teased Yu. He took a mental picture of her blushing face. "Yeah, I saw that lab. Looked a lot like the labs in a certain televised masterpiece we both know."
He chuckled again, before punching the air. "I'm going to help you solve this case, I'll learn how to be a better person, and-" Maybe you'll fall for me along the way? Maybe you'll love me as much as I love you? "We'll do some third thing along the way!"
"You seem rather confident all of a sudden..."
"The confidence ain't a mask, if that's what you're thinking. I really am just that amazing. Besides, like I said. Moping ain't gonna get us anywhere. Actions speak louder than words, after all," he explained. "Besides, you don't hate me, I hope." He paused, giving Naoto an inquisitive stare, before continuing. "And I know I-" LOVE "like you! What's the point in staying on the past?"
"I suppose you have a point."
Yu grinned at that, before nodding his head. "Great! We're on the same team now! You're Sherlock Holmes and I'm your Watson. Happy to play sidekick for you, Detective Prince!"
"Please, do not refer to me by that title..."
"Right. Sorry. Naoto." Inside his head, Yu knew he was being slightly overzealous, but he was too happy to care. He had gotten what he feared was impossible. Naoto didn't hate him! In fact, it looked like they were friends now! This case was all easy street from here on!
Meanwhile, the bluette watched the grinning boy with a bemused expression. All of that, weeks, months of animosity and distrust, just gone with one conversation? And what he said... A better person...? It would seem we both have much more to learn about ourselves... Naoto let out a tired sigh, closing her eyes for a moment to calm her storm-like mind. "It would seem things have indeed changed..."
"You say something, Naoto?"
"Nothing. Just mumbling to myself. Please, Narukami, sit down. I wish to discuss matters regarding the case with you."
"You got it, pal!"
Naoto Shirogane was soon back to full strength in a manner of days. She would have been out sooner, but Narukami was insistent on her being careful. While she appreciated the concern and knew he did not think her weak, she still found the insistence annoying. The only reason she allowed it was because he was still willing to fill her in regarding the case and the many 'unusual' factors ascertaining to it.
Once she was back to full strength, he requested her company on a short walk. When asked why, he merely explained that it was for something important. She donned a her cardigan coat and blue, plaid pants and (after reapplying her sarashi, she thanked her stars he didn't seem to notice that) the two were on their way out.
"I kept secrets from people, I have been since I was young. Hell, my own parents don't even know that much about me," chuckled the boy.
"Senpai? Where are we going?"
"Whoa, hold on." Yu came to a grinding halt suddenly. He glared at Naoto with his arms crossed as he sighed. "Look, since we're friends now, may I make a friendly request? Please, don't call me that. I get enough of it from everyone else younger than me. Just keep calling me what you always did." He winked at her, an obvious physical quirk that refused to go. "Narukami."
"Very well, Narukami. Where are we going?"
Naoto did not even acknowledge the wink, which for some reason made Yu smile. She was looking around them. They had entered the shopping district of the town, and as luck would have, there weren't many people on the street. Thank goodness for quiet afternoons. "We're here, because I want to prove to you that I've changed. I'm not going to keep secrets from you, Naoto. You're my friend."
The declaration brought a slight warmth to her cheeks and made her heart rate quicken just a bit, but the sleuth maintained her composure. "Oh? Um... I appreciate the sentiment, Narukami, but I do not understand what secret you could be keeping that involves coming here."
The silver haired teen just reached into his pocket and produce a key. It was rather simple, made of a light blue material with an odd design of a face at the end of it. The tip of the key, likewise, had an unusual tip to it. She couldn't imagine the lock it was used to open. "
"That is a peculiar key, but I fail to-"
"Naoto Shirogane, prepare to know something no one else in this town does, but me." He walked towards a nearby wall and press the key against it, as if he was trying to open a lock with it.
"Narukami, what on earth are you-"
He was gone. The words, 'deja vu,' came to Naoto's mind as panic and confusion struck her once again. He was gone. There one moment, gone the next, but this time there was no TV for him to enter. As ridiculous as that is, at least I've established that such a thing is possible, some calm part of her mind thought. Naoto ran to the wall, pressing her hands against the stony texture as she struggled to understand the engima.
"N-Narukami?! Narukami! Yu, where did you-"
Her hands were suddenly against his broad chest. Her face turned a crimson hue and she jumped back, shocked to find the boy returned to her.
"Welcome to the Velvet Room. Well, the front door of the Velvet Room."
END?
So... a lot of things to say, so let's get it over with.
1. There will be more of this story. This is just the end of Arc 1. There's a lot more for both Naoto and Yu to face, both from the game and original stuff that I'm writing. This is just the end of the first part of their journey.
2. It was important to me that Naoto and Yu did not just fall in love at the end of this chapter. The truth is, Yu doesn't deserve it. He's trying to be better, but he has a lot of work ahead of him before he's worthy, not to mention the simple fact that Naoto doesn't love him. Not like he loves her. Some of you might be upset at this, and for that, I apologize.
3. The ending. To me, a big part of Yu's arc is going from lying jerk, to heroic, seeker of truth. Not only that, but he's sick of all the lies he's had to spin, both to Naoto, himself, and to everyone else. So he's trying to avoid anymore secrets between him and Naoto, at least. Thus... that's where this ending came from. I hope you find it to be a good extension of the story.
4. This chapter was hard because I had to write a decent apology scene for both of them, especially Yu. I hope I accomplished that. If you don't think I did, please, call me out. I hope none of you found it too easy, and if you did, please note that Arc 2 will continue a lot of stuff from Arc 1. Yu is trying to change, but as we all know from the game, accepting yourself, improving, and being a better person is not that easy.
5. Arc 2 will focus on several things, including: The beauty pageant, Naoto accepting her feminine self, Yu continuing to seek self-improvement, more Rise X Kanji, much more Yu X Naoto, Halloween, and the confrontation of our heroes versus the murderer. Yep, you all know what that means. Two big boss fights and a certain something involving everyone's favorite little sister. Expect drama, blood, violence, and more!
I will NOT just be reusing Naoto's Social Link. There will be no Phantom Thief. Naoto and Yu will fall in love over the course of some hopefully original events that I write. They'll bond during the hospital check up, the pageant, and more.
6. Thank you. From the bottom of my soul, thank you. Thank you to all the kind, wonderful people who reviewed this story, who favorite it, and who follow it. Thank you so much for everything, guys. I never would have gotten here without you. Thank you. Thank you to Zanmat0, Originaljuan92, Kabuto, and many more of you. All of you. Thank you.
Thank you.
Arc 2 will begin in due time. I need to get my notes straight and make sure everything will work out alright. If you have any questions, comments, or critiques, please leave them in a review and I'll get back to you. Thank you all, again. Have a wonderful day and take care.