Yukiko - Fake Royalty
How could she not fall for him when she saw him?
When he led the charge to save her from her demon, when he risked life and limb for a stranger? He did it for her. He wanted to save her.
She remembered how he stood over her, concern in his silver irises. "Amagi-san, are you okay?" The monster that had her face, her so-called Shadow, had fallen. It fell apart within a fire, crumbling into ashes as a hand was held out to her. He stood before her fallen body, the fire radiating behind him, giving him a halo of light that shimmered and glimmered before her dark eyes. His eyes, though, his eyes were a beautiful silver, like the armor of a knight who had climbed the tallest tower of the tallest castle... For her. "It's okay. Everything's going to be okay now... I promise."
How could she not fall in love with him?
And how could she not feel jealousy when she saw the way Naoto looked at him? She and Yu had only just met, and suddenly they were sharing eye contact and acting like best friends? It didn't make sense.
Yukiko and he had known each other longer. She knew the real him, like how he knew the real her! They had spent days together, as friends, on countless dates and ventures together. It didn't make sense...
What did make sense was that Naoto had done something to the man she loved. Why else would he suddenly change? He didn't like her Prince Charming anymore. He acted like Teddie and Yosuke instead. He'd act like a fool, he'd make off-color jokes, he became a different person, ever since Naoto came into their lives.
Yukiko didn't understand it... Why did Naoto take away Yu's true self...? What was happening to her prince...?
Yukiko Amagi stared at the water, her gentle fingers creating ripples in the warm liquid. She watched the water flowed and waved, distracting her mind from the problem that stood behind her.
"Wow! Naoto, is that you?!" Her best friend gasped.
She could hear little Nanako do the same, before cheering in that sweet, naive tone only a child could speak in. "Wow! Naoto's so pretty!"
"P-please, both of you, I-"
"Wow! Your skin is so smooth! What lotion do you use, Naoto?"
"R-Rise! Please, stop!"
"I wanna feel! I wanna feel!"
"N-Nanako-chan, please! Do not follow Rise's example! P-please, stop touching me!"
"Yukiko? Are... are you okay?" Oh. Her best friend remembered she was there. How considerate. Yukiko rose up from the edge of the pool, staring at the starry sky that flickered above them.
"Yukiko-senpai? I-I was hoping we could talk about what happened earlier? The altercation at school...? I don't understand what I did wrong, but I apologize for it and-"
"N-Naoto, maybe you shouldn't-"
"No, Chie." Yukiko rose up from the edge of the water, her back to the other girls. "Why shouldn't she ask? I mean, I have questions for her." Her tone was harsh, biting, scathing like hot water being flung at the girls. "Like why she's always hanging off of Yu's arms like some eye candy."
"W-what?! I don't-"
"Or how about how you're always running off with him to God knows where!?"
"S-Senpai, calm down!" Rise pulled Nanako close to her side, trying to shield the poor girl from the growing tension. She pulled her towards back to the changing room, but the small brunette refused to move. Her feet were planted as she trembled in terror.
"Or why you're always stuck to him like some kind of leech!" Her words struck Naoto again as she finally turned around. Yukiko's dark eyes, typically warm and gleaming, were sharp and spiteful. She stepped forward, the towel hugging her body as she stomped towards the younger girl. "Or what the hell you did to ruin him?!"
"Yukiko!" Chie placed a hand on her friend's arm, only to be smacked away.
"Ever since you joined our group, he's been a completely different person! Why?! What did you do to him?!"
"N-nothing! I haven't done anything to him! He and I are simply-!" Naoto tried to argue, only to go silent as Yukiko's hand slammed into her cheek. The detective felt a blistering pain infest her body. The sound was audible, deafening almost as the bluette nearly stumbled onto the ground. Her hat fell to the ground, laying forgotten on the warm, stone floor as Naoto lifted a hand to her stinging, scarlet cheek.
Her cobalt eyes lifted up from the floor, staring into the ebony eyes of the older girl. Yukiko's eyes, for a moment, betrayed her. Naoto could see the regret in her eyes. She saw the tears forming in the corners of her dark pools, revealing the pain that anger hid. Despite the pain in her eyes, Yukiko's voice dripped only with hate. "Don't you dare try to tell me you're just friends with him. Why would he want to be friends with you...? Why would he pick you...?"
"P-please, stop!"
Nanako's tearful plea fell on deaf ears Yukiko glared into Naoto's eyes. The raven-haired woman's hand just trembled as she lifted up her hand again. Naoto stood her ground, her hands tightening into fists as she stood ready to defend herself. She fought the urge to close her eyes, the sight of someone she cared about looking at her with such hatred and fury... It stung almost as much as her red-marked cheek.
"Stop!" This time, Chie was the one begging them. Her hands fell upon them, one on Yukiko's shoulder, the other on Naoto's. She pushed the two apart, but neither lost the tension in their muscles. They stared at one another, a cacophony of emotions in the air.
"Hey! We heard yelling! Are you guys okay?"
The thump of footsteps forced Chie and Naoto's head to turn. The boys were quickly approaching them. Kanji ran to Rise, placing a hand on her shoulder and glancing between her and the crying Nanako. Yosuke, Yu, and Teddie rushed to the other girls. The four boys were still in their robes, having ran down straight from their room to the girls.
Yu's eyes quickly took in the scene, analyzing and taking in the details. He soon understood the situation, not even needing to hear what Chie was trying to say. He saw the spite in Yukiko's eyes, her glare darting between himself and Naoto. He saw the way Naoto stood, her body rigid and alert, as if she was in the middle of a fight. Her eyes refused to meet his silver orbs, avoiding the questioning looks. Finally, he saw her cheek. The skin was still red, a stark contrast from Naoto's moonlight-kissed skin. He saw the way Naoto seemed to shy away from anyone even standing close to the discolored cheek. His eyes slowly drifted from Naoto, slowly staring at the quaking hand Yukiko had raised.
"What did you do?" His voice dripped with venom, like a snake that seemed ready to strike. Yukiko didn't answer. She turned her head away, as if she could just ignore him. "I asked you a question." His hand shot forward, biting down on her wrist and tugging her closer. His other hand turned into a blur, latching down on the raven-haired girl's face, nails stabbing into her cheeks. "What did you do?!"
"You're... hurting me," she gasped.
"I'll hurt you a lot worse if you ever touch Naoto again!" He twisted his hand, bending her arm painfully. He turned his body, pulling Yukiko down and onto the hard ground.
"Narukami, stop!" Naoto placed her hands on his chest, pushing him back as he tried to approach the fallen girl.
"Why did you hurt her?!" Yukiko stood up on shaky legs, her back to the infuriated man. He felt two more pairs of hands on him, trying to pull him back again as he glared at the girl. "What the hell is wrong with you?!"
"Narukami!"
"Dude, stop!"
She said nothing as she skulked away, holding her towel tightly against her body. She walked past Kanji, Rise, and Nanako. She walked through the open doorways that led into the spa. She kept walking, seemingly blind to the enraged glare Yu gave her. She retreated away, leaving the others to feel the void she left behind.
"Naoto." Yu pushed Yosuke and Chie off of him, ignoring the hurt in their eyes to focus on the bluette. "Are you okay?"
"Narukami." His hands fell upon her shoulders, gently turning her so he could inspect the mark. "I'm fine," she sighed, pushing his hands away. "You should-"
"What the hell is wrong with her?" hissed the silverette. "Why the hell would she hurt you? Has she lost it or something?!"
"Hey!" Yu and Naoto turned their head to Chie, her eyes now seething with the same outrage Yukiko had worn. Her hazel-eyes burned for a moment, glaring at the team's leader. Instead of the wisdom and compassion she had come to expect from him, all she saw was contempt. "Look, Yukiko was wrong to hit Naoto, but she's right. You've been acting weird ever since Naoto joined the team..."
Without another word, Chie walked away from the others. She marched after her friend's trail, leaving her friends with the two voids they left behind.
Yu's eyes narrowed into a glare as Naoto tugged on his shoulder. He glanced at her, watching as her eyes returned to the stoic detective she trained to be. "You should go talk to her," she whispered. His eyes narrowed, and she could read the emotion in them like a book. "She needs to understand."
"Dude?" The near silent conversation ended as Yosuke called out to his friend. "Maybe you should go talk to her? I mean, she thinks there's something between you and Naoto." The brunette scratched the back of his head, his fingers combing through his hazel locks. He missed the slight flush on his two friends' cheeks, and the shared look they gave the other. "I've never seen her so pissed..."
"I'll go." Naoto's dark-blue eyes narrowed slightly, not out of anger, but concern. Her eyes met his as she silently asked him if he was prepared to do this. He could tell she was ready to follow and offer her support, but he rejected the other with the slightest shake of his head. He walked away from the group, leaving them in search of Yukiko and Chie.
It was not an especially difficult task to find the the two, or at least, find Chie. The girl had taken the time to adorn her emerald, green jacket and skirt, leaving the towel behind. She stood outside a room, Yukiko's bedroom, he assumed, calling out to her friend.
"Yukiko, please! Let me in." Yu walked towards her with a grimace on his face as the martial artists continued to knock on the door, despite the futility. "Yukiko!"
"Let me try." It sounded more like an order than he would have liked to admit. Chie turned to him with a scowl on her face, her hazel eyes filled to the brim with blame. His own eyes reflected a mix of shame and frustration, but also a driving force behind him. "Please?" She glanced at the silent, closed door leading to her best friend and sighed. She stepped back, allowing him to take her place. Without another word, she walked away, leaving the two to their own privacy. "Thanks," he muttered to her retreating figure.
He placed a warm hand upon the cool, wooden surface and sighed. This door, unlike most in the inn, was more modern. It wasn't the paper-thin doors the old-fashion inn was filled with. He only hoped she could still hear his voice as he called out to her.
"Yukiko." No response. Of course, no response. "I've come to talk." You'd think I'd be used to this by now. "I know why you hit Naoto. I know what's probably... I get what's probably going through your head." He paused a moment to sigh, his fingernails gently scratching against the smooth wood. "There isn't anything going on with me and Naoto. Nothing real." He spoke quickly, stabbing her with his words as painlessly as possible. "But there won't be anything between you and I either. I'm sorry."
"You probably fell for me thinking I came out of a storybook or something. I'm not. If fact, I'm nothing like the man you saw." Yu chewed the inside of his cheek as he slid down, soon sitting in front of the door. "I smiled at you and made you think you were special to me, when in truth, I just thought you were easy to trick. You bought my act and filled in the blanks, making you think I was this perfect man. I'm not a good person. I manipulated and lied to you..."
Silence.
"Yukiko, I'm sorry." He sat there, his voice filled with remorse and sympathy, but he couldn't fight the growing frustration as his only reply from Yukiko was silence. "Say something? I mean, I just want some kind of idea of where we sta-" The door opened, creaking open just a crack to reveal her cracked and dried eye. He stood up, meeting her eye as he tried to think of what more he could say. "I'm sor-"
And then her fist connected with his face, knocking him back and nearly sending him onto the floor. He stumbled back, using the wall behind him to support himself as his eyes spun. "Okay... I deserved that," he sighed, rubbing his cheek. He felt a sharp pain when he touched his lip, scowling when he realized her fist had pushed the back of his lip into his tooth. "Ow."
"Why?" He looked at her still trembling form. She had traded her towel for a scarlet, long-shirt and raven-colored skirt. She glared at him with tears in her eyes, her teeth ground against one another.
"Because I was a bad person." He rubbed his face and straightened his body out. "It's just that simple."
"I don't understand," she admitted, eyes falling to the floor.
"I wouldn't expect you to," he muttered. "We need to talk, though. Will you listen to me?" He extended his hand out to her, but she refused to even look at it. She began to walk, travelling down the hall, leaving the silverette behind her. He let out a quiet sigh, before following after her.
The two walked until they found a place to continue their conversation. They eventually ended up on a balcony, overlooking the path leading to Amagi Inn. The stars and moon offered them all the light they needed as their eyes adjusted to the dark. A cool breeze blew by, but while Yu shuddered at its' bite, Yukiko felt nothing. They stood on the balcony together, blanketed by cold winds and a starry night sky as they talked.
Yu spoke about his past, and explained his feelings and experiences, but she still hardly spoke. She nodded her head and offered the barest, most emotionless words to show that she was indeed listening. It was impossible to talk about his life and not mention Naoto, sadly. When the topic came up, he watched her already deflated mood fall even further.
"I... I don't... You lied to me?"
"Technically, I lied to everyone." Yu did not need to think long to realize how poorly that sounded. Man, this being honest thing still gets me... "But yes. I lied, because that's what I did. I manipulate and take advantage of others, and I would have done the same to you, had Naoto not come around and gotten me to change..."
"So, really, I should be thanking her...?"
Huh, never thought about it like that.
"I feel like such an idiot." Yukiko's hands fell upon the wooden railing, trying in vain to crush them as she stared down at the distant ground. "I... I can't believe I hit her. She didn't deserve that, she... she must hate me..."
"Hey, look, if it weren't for me, you'd never have been in that position anyways." Yu moved to her side, placing his own hands on the railings as he glared into the night sky. "And don't worry about Naoto. She doesn't hate you."
"That doesn't make me feel better," the girl lamented. "She should..." Yu was about to speak out against the statement, only to find her shadow-colored eyes staring at her. "You love her, don't you?"
"Huh?" He blinked in response, staring at her with wide, uncharacteristically hesitant, eyes. "I... never said that."
"You didn't have to. It's obvious." Her gaze fell back to the ground below them as he heard her mutter, "Painfully obvious."
"I... Yeah," he sighed, nodding his head. "I love Naoto." He could tell the words stabbed at Yukiko's heart, but there was nothing he could really do to numb that pain. Was he supposed to offer some sort of consolation prize? Tell her that if Naoto wasn't around, she would have had a chance? He wouldn't say that; he knew that no matter how hard Yukiko tried, he would never have cared about her as much as he did the detective. It was a painful truth, but one they could both see. "She makes me happy. She drove me to be a better person..."
"And I didn't...?" He wished she hadn't asked him that, because he knew the answer would just cut at her already broken heart. Instead, he was silent, which was more than enough to answer her. "Is... is there something wrong with me?"
"No. You just... You saw something that wasn't there, and it's my fault you ever thought he did exist." He shook his head from one side to the other, then back again. "You saw this amazing, princely guy. You thought I was this stoic, but compassionate hero." He didn't see it, but there was a flicker of light as Yukiko's gaze drifted off. His words still reached her, but her heart put the words he said on someone else...
"You saw someone and fell in love with the mask, not the person wearing it. You filled in the blanks with this perfect fantasy, but that's not who I am, and I'm sorry for that. I-"
"I'm not who everyone thinks I am." He looked at her with confusion in her eyes. She stared back at him with a new glint of understanding in her raven orbs. "I think I understand." Her eyes dug into his silver orbs, peering into his very soul as he watched her. "Yosuke-kun hasn't asked me out since May." Now Yu was staring at her like she had lost it, obviously not following her train of thought.
"I remember him telling me he wanted to ask me out. Before the case, he seemed... infatuated with me. A lot of the boys were like that. They'd all ask me out, but I'd never... I mean, I just couldn't say yes."
"The Amagi Challenge. I remember," he nodded.
"R-right. Well, Yosuke-kun hasn't asked me out for months, and I think it's because he's seen the real me. He knows the girl he had a crush on, the one he wanted to take out for dinner and date never existed." Her hands tried again to crush the wooden railings. "He heard me laugh, he heard me joke, he realized I wasn't the wife-material he thought I was. I couldn't even cook curry," she cried. Her vision began to blur as tears formed in the corners of her eyes, only continuing after a sympathetic hand fell upon her shoulder.
"He wasn't the only one. There was this boy, Takeshi, who saw Chie and I eating lunch together. I never even noticed him, but he said he spoke to Chie about me. He said..." The words obviously pained her to recall. All Yu could do was squeeze her shoulder in silent compassion, quietly motioning for her to go on. "He said, I was better gloomy. That I was prettier when I was sad, and not doing that 'weird' laugh. He only saw me as this quiet, but beautiful princess. A faraway prize for him to seek, not a person."
"They fell for the me they saw, not the me that I really am." She lifted her eyes to look at him, finding only sympathy and understanding in his eyes. She prayed it was real as tears streamed down her flushed cheeks. "I-I did the same to you, and I hate it. I hate everything about this...!" She pulled away from the railing and fell forward, into his arms. He caught her, placing his arms on her back as she wept into his chest, burying her head in him. It pained her to realize how nice it felt to be held and comforted by him. "And I think I hate you."
"That's... understandable." He didn't ask her to forgive him. He just held her in his arms as she felt her insides being cut apart by the shards of her heart. Her fingers dug into his back, digging in through the fabric to pick at his skin. He said nothing about the slight stinging sensation. "I hope you can forgive me one day." She didn't say anything in regards to that. "Do you want to hit me again?" He meant it partly as a joke, but he was ready to give her the chance when he felt her pull away.
She looked at him, her eyes once again returned to a state of discoloration, cracks of scarlet and crimson ruining her once beautiful gaze. She stared at him for a moment, and he prepared himself for another blistering punch, only to feel nothing as her head fell back onto his chest. "Can... can we just stay like this for a little longer?"
"Sure. Whatever you want..."
Maybe one day they would be friends. Maybe one day she would forgive him for breaking her heart. Maybe. For now, he accepted her feelings towards him, both romantic and spiteful. They stood there for a long moment, drawing out the hug for as long as Yukiko needed it to be.
"There you two are!" They lifted their heads, and Yukiko wiped away the last remaining tears that soiled her face. The doors had been slid open, and both saw the familiar faces of Yosuke and Chie standing in the doorway, basked in the light of the Inn. They walked out of the illuminated hallway and towards the two, who began to pull away from one another.
"Yukiko, are you-?"
"I'm okay, Chie," she interrupted. She didn't sound very convincing, but the brunette didn't even have time to argue the point. Yukiko fell onto her, wrapping her arms around her friend's body. She squeezed her as Yosuke walked over to the silver-haired boy.
"Dude, I saw you hugging her. You two together now or what?" he teased. Yu could see the corners of his grin from the light of the stars and moon. He couldn't return the gesture, merely meeting Yosuke's smile with a slight frown.
"No, we're not." Yukiko and Chie were already walking back into the inn, and Yu did not give Yosuke another moment of attention. He followed after the girls, a weight off his shoulders, but a sense of guilt in his heart.
Naoto had returned to more appropriate garb after the incident by the spa. She sat in the guest lounge, quietly clicking her pen as she tried to calm her nerves. Her eyes glanced to Rise-chan and Tatsumi-kun, watching them play with and entertain Nanako-chan. Both seemed adept at caring for the innocent youth and helping her forget about the recent incident. Naoto's hand briefly touched her cheek, feeling the phantom sensation of Yukiko's slap across her face.
What she said... She must think Narukami and I are-
"Naoto?" The sleuth silently cursed her distracted mind, lifting herself up from the cushioned chair to meet the speaker. To her shock, she found Yukiko Amagi staring at her, the older girl's eyes aimed downwards, towards the tiled floor below them. "Can I... talk to you?" Her eyes glanced towards Rise, Kanji, and the giggling Nanako. Neither seemed to notice she had returned. "Please?"
"O-of course. Please, lead the way, Amagi-san." Naoto quietly cursed herself again, this time for referring to Yukiko improperly. Then again, it is doubtful we are friends after this incident. The sapphire-haired girl followed her senpai, until the two of them stood at the end of an empty hall that branched off from the lounge. Naoto fixed her hat for a moment, nervously awaiting for Yukiko to begin speaking. Or am I supposed to speak? Should I apologize? Perhaps ask how she is doing? Ugh... Grandfather, help me, I don't know what to do in situations like this!
"I'm sorry."
"E-excuse me?" Naoto blinked, nearly floored at the words she heard. Surely she had misheard...? But no, Yukiko stood in front of her with her hands over her lap. The raven-haired woman bowed her head, eyes refusing to meet Naoto's.
"I'm sorry for hitting you. It was stupid and selfish of me. I... I hope you can forgive me," her voice nearly broke when she spoke, and Naoto could detect the hoarse and soreness her voice carried. She had obviously had a long, difficult night. Rather than inquiry about it and sate her growing curiosity, Naoto merely bowed her head.
"Please, Amagi-san, you have nothing to apologize for."
"That's not true. I hit you," she growled, more out of her own frustration than any malice towards Naoto.
"Be that as it may, I..." Their eyes finally met and Naoto, despite her tin ear, could feel the silent plea in her eyes. She begged for her to accept the apology and let this night be left in the past. With a small sigh, the detective nodded her head. "If it is what you want, very well. I accept your apology."
"Thank you," she sighed, her voice dripping with gratitude. "I should probably go..."
"Of course, Amagi-"
"Yukiko. You can still call me Yukiko, Naoto."
"O-of course, Yukiko-senpai." The navy-haired girl thought the conversation had officially ended and she took a step to begin to leave. She was surprised when she felt the older woman's hand clamp onto her wrist.
"Naoto?" The sleuth swiveled her head so she could look at her senpai, who had a look of command in her raven eyes. "Be careful, okay?"
She paused, unsure why the young woman requested this of Naoto, but decided against asking. She nodded her head, instead. "I promise, Yukiko-senpai..."
Yu Narukami sighed as he fell upon an empty seat, resting his body on the soft, cushioned surface. His head fell back, resting on the chair as he mulled over tonight's events. Here's hoping I was able to get through to Yukiko... And Naoto... The young man's eyes traced over the room, sighing again when he realized the detective was nowhere to be found. Of course.
"Senpai?" Yu lifted his head and to his surprise, he found Rise and Kanji looking down at him. Both of them appeared concerned for their mutual friend, and it was at this moment Yu realized something. He had friends, actual friends, who cared about him. Friends. Plural. Huh. "You okay?" asked Rise.
"Yeah, I'm alright. Just been a long night," he muttered in reply. The two nodded their heads in understanding, before Yu glanced at the child that stood away from him. Nanako looked back at him, before glancing at her fidgeting hands. "Nanako, are you okay?" he inquired, standing up. He walked towards her and kneeled down in front of her. She lifted her timid gaze up to him, meeting his silver eyes.
"Is Yukiko okay? She sounded really upset."
"She was upset, but she's okay now," he said, gently stroking the girl's hazel locks.
"What happened? Why was she so mad?"
"It's complicated, and it wouldn't be right for me to say," he added, shooting down the question that he knew his little sister was going to ask.
"Oh... Is Naoto okay?" wondered Nanako.
"Why don't you go make sure? I'm putting you in charge of helping her, okay, sis?" Yu smiled at the girl, giving her his blessing as she nodded her head, excitedly. She quickly dashed away, leaving the three teenagers to their own company. "How was Naoto while I was gone?"
"Quiet," answered Kanji, shrugging his shoulders as he sighed. "But you'll never guess what the hell she said while you were gone." A smile pulled at his lips, confusing the silverette. Yu was only more confused as he saw a similar expression form on Rise's face.
"Yosuke said that Junes was holding a Halloween party tomorrow night."
Halloween? Shit, that is tomorrow...
"And Naoto was actually insistent we all attend!"
"Wait, Naoto? Our Naoto?" Yu blinked, staring at his friend with wide, surprised eyes. "She wants us all to attend a party? A dress up party?"
"Yep! She said, it'd be good for all of us to try and have some fun."
"You must be having a hell of an effect on her, man," Kanji commented, elbowing the older boy. Despite the smile on his face, Yu could see the traces of jealousy and sadness in his blue eyes. All the same, he appreciated the effort. Yu returned the smile with a nod of his head, before his silver eyes stared across the lounge. Naoto was walking out of a hallway, Nanako by her side.
The detective was smiling, but Yu could tell it was for Nanako's sake. The silver-haired youth watched her try to be strong, doing her best to not let the young, empathetic girl see her true feelings.
A Halloween party, huh...? Yu knew what he needed to do. He waved at Naoto, offering a wryly smile. She saw it and clearly hesitated, before waving back. She didn't approach the three. Instead, she seemed to bid Nanako goodbye and walked up a nearby flight of stairs. It looked like Naoto was off to bed. He briefly considered following her, but decided against it. From the pageant, to the Haunted Halls, to this... The day had been utterly draining.
He needed sleep, and he would probably go to bed soon, but before he did he made an oath to himself. Tomorrow was Halloween, and he swore to himself that he was going to make sure Naoto was going to have fun. He would see the girl smile and hear her laugh, even if it killed him.
"Hm... The Priestess and Fool have forged a new bond with one another," Igor acknowledged. He picked up the card, admiring the sheen and complexity of the artwork. His gloved fingertips stroked over the card's smooth edge, admiring the new strength that flowed from it like a river.
The bond was new, even weak, but unlike the bond before it, it was true. It felt different to hold it now. Before it was cold, and touching it almost felt like grease leaking through his gloves. It would have felt repugnant, almost as much as the Fool that had infected it in the first place. Now, though, it shimmered with a brilliant light and felt warm to the touch. He swore he could feel a light, rhythmic beat flow from it.
He placed it back onto the table, admiring the way it glowed with the Emperor, Lovers, and Fortune tarot cards.
"He continues down the path of healing."
"But is it enough?" Igor lifted his head, his eternal grin meeting his assistant's scowl. Her ruby lips bent downward, betraying her typically stoic soul. "Dark days are coming. Is he ready?"
"Perhaps." His shoulders raised and fell in a simple shrug. He picked up the Fool card and admired it. Truly, he was nothing like the previous guests that Velvet Room had the honor of housing. He was different. Rougher. More enigmatic. Odd. But certainly one of the most interesting guests he had met. "Dark days are indeed coming, but for now, let him enjoy his youth. Let him fall in love. Let him forge his bonds. Time will soon tell if he is strong enough."
"A liar seeking the truth, I cannot tell if fortune smiles upon us or not," Margaret lamented. Instead of commenting on her words, Igor just dropped the Fool back onto the table. It laid there, crooked and uneven atop the Fortune card as the Velvet Room traveled on through the fog.
END
I would just like to thank all of my amazing fans and reviewers who left me such wonderful feedback last chapter. Really, thank you, guys. You're all too good for me. I love you, guys, and this story wouldn't be where it is if not for you. You're all amazing.
I hope Yukiko's focus was okay. I didn't want her coming off as bad or obnoxious, but I still wanted her to come off as realistic. That's why she hasn't just forgiven Yu and became friends with him like Rise and Kanji have. Don't worry, she'll come around in due time. I did have fun pointing out how Yukiko did see Yu as a prince, much like how other boys make up a Yukiko in their heads. Both are disappointed with the real thing, though the big difference is Yu manipulating her. He was a jerk.
I debated including next chapter or not, but I have made my choice. I will say, the next chapter will be the last fully 'happy' chapter for a while. That's right, folks. We're going back into the murder mystery. Sorry it took so long, but we all know the plot of the game, don't we? Me making up original, romantic, drama is stuff I need to come up with, and it is what makes this story different from other adaptions of the game.
But I digress. Yu and the gang attend a Halloween party! Fun and games and fluff await as Yu and Naoto become even closer! Get ready for the next chapter, Feather Change!
And then after that, well... Murder mystery time! You all know what happens after!