Cruel Heaven
Naoto stood beside Narukami in utter silence. She opened her mouth to try to speak, only to fall short as his uncle slumbered. She wished she could describe Dojima as resting peacefully, but it was quite the opposite. He looked sick. His skin was pale and his veins seemed to protrude through his thin skin. His every breath seemed labored, a battle to stay alive that grew more and more strenuous as the seconds ticked by.
If she was affected so drastically by Dojima's state, she could only imagine how Narukami was taking it. The young man was uncharacteristically silent throughout their discussion with Dojima, leaving her to promise they'd save his daughter. She had known the silverette long enough to know that silence was rarely a sign of positivity. She glanced at him as Dojima fell asleep, and she saw the stone-like state of his face, and the fire that crackled in his eyes.
"Narukami..." What could she say? How could she even think about comforting him when she was the responsible for his and Dojima's suffering? Their pain, Nanako's kidnapping, both were her fault. Their pain was because of her incompetence. Naoto grew silent as he stared at her, awaiting her next word. "We should head home. Tomorrow, we will meet the others and plan the rescue operation." He nodded in response, and the two exited the room one by one, walking down separate paths.
With each step away from him, Naoto's shame and disgust for herself grew stronger and stronger. By the time she had reached her home, in her eyes, she was as responsible for this as Namatame. If Nanako perished in the other world, it would have been as if Naoto had pulled the trigger.
She tried to get her rest that night, but once again, she failed. Her slumber was fraught with nightmares and terror as she tossed and turned.
"Nanako... She's… my reason for living... If I lose her... I might as well be dead."
Dojima's words echoed through Yu's head. The sight of his uncle laying on what seemed like his deathbed, the man's body aching with every muttered word. He could still see the fire in his uncle's eyes.
Namatame... Yu felt his fingers curl and twitch erratically as his brow began to wrinkle and furrow. He was angry. No. He was infuriated. He couldn't remember a time he felt so enraged. He kept trying to ease his mind, to control the inferno in his gut, but every time he closed his eyes he saw Naoto's bruised cheek or Dojima's unconscious body. He could see the dwindling spark in Nanako's eyes as the fog swallowed her up, devouring her and leaving nothing but a corpse behind.
"You can save Nanako, right...? I trust you... Please... save her for me...! You're the only ones I can turn to right now... Please!"
He came home late that night, the cold air brushing past him, but for a moment, he couldn't bring himself to enter his supposed home. The place that he had spent months living suddenly felt foreign. The place felt rented, cheap, temporary, and in the end, artificial. He opened the door and there was no greeting from his little sister. His cousin wasn't there in front of the TV, and his uncle wasn't at the table reading a newspaper.
There was no one there, but a blond boy who was awoke from his sleep by the sound of the door slamming shut. Teddie hopped onto his feet, off the couch, and nearly fell onto the ground, before he stared at Narukami with shimmering, sky-blue eyes. "Welcome home, Sensei! I made you dinner and-"
"Not hungry," he muttered back, walking past Teddie, towards the stairs.
"Oh." Teddie's face faltered, but he quickly smiled again. "Okay! Want me to get you anything or-"
"I'm going to sleep. You should do the same." Yu stood at the base of the stairs, eyes locked on the steps. In his mind, he saw Nanako walking down them time and time again. He saw his uncle shambling up them, exhausted from another long day. Now he saw the voids they left behind.
"I want to help." Teddie's hand reached for Yu's, but the silverette's hand shot at him like a bullet from a gun. He grabbed Teddie's collar and swung the boy, slamming him into the wall. Teddie cried out in pain as his shoulder ached.
"Leave. Me. Alone." Yu's hand trembled, crushing the fabric between his fingers as the terrified boy stared with shaking, trembling eyes. Yu said nothing more as he turned away, climbing up the stairs to his room. The door slammed shut as Yu walked towards his drawer, opening it to reveal the sword that laid within. He stared at the blade, taking it out and placing it against his futon.
He laid on the bed and closed his heads, but he had a restless sleep. Slumber did not come easy to his still racing mind, and every time it did, he dreamed of impaling Namatame on his blade. The sight of Nanako and Naoto staring at him, horror in their eyes, would wake him every time.
The group had assembled as planned, and together they entered the other world. Yu Narukami led them into the dungeon, into the misty bridges that made up the so-called 'Heaven.' They met the Shadows roaming the area with strength and determination, cutting through them as they rose upward. Despite their progress, the Shadows came at them like waves of black water, crashing against their stone-like will, slowly breaking it down as time moved on.
"Dude, hold on!" Yosuke begged, grabbing Narukami by her shoulder. "Chie needs a minute, man. She just needs to catch her breath!"
"I'm okay... I'm okay," the martial artist corrected, supporting herself with the railing of the bridge they walked.
"She's okay," Yu repeated, pulling away.
"Dude, stop!"
"Keep moving. We're reaching Namatame today." His voice held no sympathy. No compassion. Just a cold, iron-clad drive to save Nanako or die trying. He didn't even turn his head as Yosuke grit his teeth and sighed.
"Dude, come on! We all want to save Nanako! But-"
"Then act like it!" Yu's voice cracked through the air like a whip as he turned to them. His silver eye contained a spark of crimson as he stopped in place. "If any of you care about saving her life, then keep moving! Yukiko!" His glare fell to the raven-haired girl. "Heal Chie. I need her at her best."
"R-right..." The woman sighed, moving to Chie's side to heal her.
"Rise, how much farther?"
"I-I don't know... A lot farther, I guess?"
"I need something more exact than 'a lot,' Rise!" Yu's iron eyes glared at the girl, fist tightened in anger. "Distance. Floors. Numbers of Shadows between us and her! Give me something!"
"I-I don't know! I'm trying, Senpai, but this place is a mess! Namatame and Nanako's hearts are all muddled into this place. It's impossible to get a lock on any-"
"Then try harder!" Yu roared, turning to stomp towards the girl. "If you don't, Nanako dies, and it'll be on your hands!" His hand grabbed Rise's wrist, digging into the flesh as his eyes gleamed like a knife. "I need your best, Rise, and if you can't give me that, then you shouldn't-"
"Leave her alone!" Kanji tore Yu's hand away from her, before shoving the silverette back. "She's doing the best she can, man!"
"And her best might get people killed if it isn't enough." Kanji became a shield, much like the one he wielded, standing between the iron-eyed boy and Rise. Silver eyes met azure ones as the two glared at one another, electricity burning the air. Yu shook his head, deciding the battle wasn't worth it as he took his place at the head of the group once more leading them.
"You okay?"
Rise didn't reply, silently cursing herself as her eyes fell on the ground. Kanji glanced at her quivering fingers, before he pushed his hand into hers. Their hands locked together, and he allowed her to briefly dig her fingers between his knuckles. She stopped, but he squeezed firmly as a silent show of faith. She lifted her head to look at him, and he smiled at her. She weakly returned the gesture, nodding her head in quiet thanks.
The two followed the group, their hands linked together as they approached Naoto.
"You need to talk to him." Naoto cringed, flinching awake as if she had been awoken from a trance. She turned her head to face the forlorn Rise, who stared at her with tired eyes. The detective could see the weariness in them, and slight bags under her eyes, all signs that Yu had missed or knowingly ignored. "He's pushing everyone too hard, too fast. We all want to save Nanako, but at this rate we're going to be too tired to fight Namatame."
But Naoto lacked the usual resolve and fire that Kanji and Rise were used to. Instead she shirked away from them, shaking her head. "I-I can't. Perhaps Narukami is right. We should hurry."
"Naoto, he'll only listen to you."
The sleuth lifted her head up, staring at their silver-haired leader as he marched onward, cutting down approaching Shadows with ruthless efficiency. "I-I can't, Rise-san." I have no right criticizing him after failing him. I was there. I was right there, and I failed him. Nanako is here because of me... She pulled away from Rise, moving faster towards the front of the group.
Yosuke looked at her with hopeful eyes, but his hopes were quickly dashed as she spoke. "We should keep moving. We have a long way to go before we reach Nanako."
"Hm." Yu failed to look at her, sending her heart furthering plummeting into guilt and depression.
"What's wrong with them? Ain't they supposed to be the smart ones?" grumbled Kanji.
"Neither of them are in good places. They both blame themselves for all of this..."
"Only person at fault here is Namatame. He's the one who freakin' kidnapper Nanako!"
"Yeah, but they can't see that," sighed Rise. She lifted up her tired eyes to Kanji, who glared at the two leaders of the group. "Thanks for looking out for me."
"Like hell I'm letting my best pal get shit on by anyone!" he announced. "You okay, though? You're looking pretty tired. You know, you don't even have to be here."
"I'm alright. I can keep up with you guys, no problem!" she replied, forcing an energetic gleam into her eyes that failed to convince. "Really. I am not staying back. I want to help."
"You do help, dummy," he scolded, gently elbowing her. "We'd be dead meat without you," he complimented, smiling gently at the girl with only the faintest hint of rose on his cheeks. Rise chuckled, smiling in return as she brushed some hair from her eyes.
"Psh. Yeah, right... Hey, Kanji?"
"Yeah?"
"You're my best friend too."
The two friends smiled at one another, knowing that they at least had one another to rely on. All the same, their eyes fell to their leader and the sapphire-haired detective, fearing for their health, mental and physical.
"W-wait," Rise gasped, stopping Kanji and herself. She closed her eyes, feeling the air, before opening them. Adreneline pumped through her as she warned the others. "More Shadows are coming. A whole bunch of them!"
"Chie, Yosuke, Kanji, up front!" commanded Yu.
"What?! Come on, bro, you're joking! Chie can barely stand!" the brunette argued, grabbing Yu's shoulder.
"Yosuke! Stop trying to baby me! I'm fine!" Chie threw at the empty air in front of her, trying not to show the strain. "See?"
"You were limping like two seconds ago!"
"Focus!"Yu ordered, spying the incoming Shadows.
Their leader placed a hand on the hilt of his sword, glaring at the others. "Move into position!" Chie, Yosuke, and Kanji moved forward as he commanded, before attacking the approaching horde. Yu watched behind the three as they created a wall, defeating any Shadow that approached them. He saw Yukiko move forward out of the corner of his eye, but he held up a hand. "Stay where you are... Kanji, Yosuke, loosen up. Hold the sides. Chie, take the center!"
"R-right!" The girl ran forward, slicing through a Shadow with her foot as she cried out. "Tomoe!" The Persona appeared behind her, slicing a Shadow in half with practiced skill, before cleaving through another.
"Chie-senpai, look out!" Kanji warned, spying a Shadow approaching from Tomoe's blind spot. "Take-Mikazuchi!" The giant, robotic Persona appeared behind him, swinging his head down on the Shadow, crushing it to death.
"Whoa! Thanks, Kanji-kun!"
"Kanji!" Yu did not share Chie's joy, instead glaring at Kanji. "Focus on your side! Chie's fine!"
"But- Daah!" Both Kanji and Chie were flung back by an especially large Shadow. It wielded a massive stone sword, looming over them as Kanji held his throbbing arm and Chie struggled to stand on shaking legs.
"Told you to focus. Yukiko, heal Kanji."
The raven-haired woman gaped at the command, staring at the silver-haired man. "What about Chie? She's hurt too!"
"Not yet. Heal Kanji," he repeated.
"Senpai, what are you doing?!" Rise questioned, watching as Yukiko reluctantly obeyed the command.
"Using strategy." Yu ignored the idol's glare as Naoto watched with confusion.
"Narukami, what...?" She saw it. Tatsumi and Yosuke-senpai were able to hold their sides well enough, keeping back the wave of ebony creatures with wind and lightning, but Chie-senpai was not so lucky. Her fatigued body struggled to keep up with her mind, wildly flinging attacks into the horde of monsters. Any survivors from the right or left would converge on her, pressing the attacker on her in particular.
They were like vultures. They could see the strain in Chie's eyes, the tremble in her legs, and the beads of sweat that formed on her head. The martial artist's eyes widened as a particularly large Shadow lunged at her, about to cleave her in half with its' weapon.
"T-Tomoe!" she cried, to no avail. She didn't have the strength in her to summon her Persona.
"Chie, move!" Yu ordered, running forward. He pulled out his sword, the blade gleaming as he launched himself into the air, flying over Chie's head and towards the Shadows. "Maziodyne!" His blade sliced through the weakened Shadow, before tearing apart the majority of the horde with his attack. Any Shadow unfortunate to stand in front of Chie, thinking she was easy prey, was reduced to ashes as Yu wielded a powerful storm. Lightening fell from above, roasting the Shadows and wiping out most of them with one fell swoop.
He didn't spend a single moment savoring the victory. He sheathed his sword once more and marched forward, not even glancing at the others. "Let's move." A hand fell on his shoulder though, and kept him in place. He lifted his head and found Yosuke glaring at him, face wrinkling with outrage.
"Were you using Chie as bait...?"
"It made the most sense," answered Yu without a moment of hesitation. "I knew the Shadows would swarm her when they realized she was hurt. I just took advantage of the situation." His silver eyes darted to the side and he lifted his hand, blocking a punch aimed at him from an infuriated Yosuke. "What are you doing?"
"What is wrong with you?! We're supposed to be a team, but now you're using us as bait?! I get that you want to save Nanako, we all do, but you're acting nuts, dude!"
"You want to get pissy about me throwing your girlfriend to the wolves? Go ahead. I have more important matters to deal with." Yu pushed the brunette aside and returned to his walk, only to be stopped again by a familiar face. Yukiko stood in front him, her eyes burning with the same inferno that haunted Yosuke's.
"How dare you..."
"I don't-"
"How dare you!" Yukiko swung her hand at Yu, only to have her attack blocked. "You're supposed to be our leader!"
"And a leader uses his resources. Chie was weak and was perfect bait for the Shadows. I wipe them out with a single attack, saving the group's energy for Namatame."
"And what if you messed up or made a mistake?! She could have died!" Yukiko screamed.
"I don't make mistakes!" His hand grabbed Yukiko's shoulder, making the girl flinch in pain as he shoved her aside. "Back into formation! All of you!" His words were harsh, uncaring as he demanded the others back into place. Everyone was frozen, unable to move as he marched forward. A blast of fire landed by him, shocking him as Yukiko's Persona hovered beside her.
"You aren't acting like our leader! I thought you were better than this! I actually thought you were trying to change!"
"Wait, change? Change what?" Yosuke asked, raising his brow as Chie tried to calm her friend down.
"Y-Yukiko, stop!"
"No! He nearly got you killed, Chie! I just..." Yu could see tears in her eyes, pooling in the corners of her ebony eyes. She wiped them away and sighed angrily. "We should go back."
"What?! You're giving up?!"
"No! I'm not! But I know you're not in your right mind to lead any of us! You're just going to get us killed!" She turned her head to Chie, who stared at her with shocked, wide eyes. "Let's go, Chie..."
"W-wait, shouldn't we stick together?!" Rise suggested, stepping forward.
"Y-yeah! Come on, everyone! Let's take a bear-ther and..." Teddie paused, his eyes widening as he sniffed the air. "R-Rise, do you sense that?!"
"Huh? Himiko, on!" Rise's Persona appeared behind the girl, but it only took a moment for her to realize what was happening. "G-guys! Another wave of Shadows! They're coming!"
"What?!" Yu was thrown to the ground as an explosion knocked him to the ground. He groaned, holding his head as he laid on the ground, while the bridge was swarmed by Shadows that seemed to fall from the sky above. The bird-like creatures shrieked at them, swooping down to cut at Yukiko's arm, drawing blood from it and leaving her sleeve in tatters.
"Look out!" Yosuke yelled, grabbing Chie and pulling her out of the way of another attack.
"T-thanks, Yosuke!" she groaned, nodding her head in appreciation. She was still injured from the fight, but she didn't let it stop her. "Tomoe!" The Persona appeared once more, kicking a bird out of the air, before slicing another in half.
"Narukami, get up!" Naoto ordered, helping the young man onto his feet. She pulled him up, and he stood with shaking legs as more Shadows swarmed over them. A stone golem loomed over the two, swinging his stone blade down at the two. It was only blocked by the work of Jiraiya, while Yosuke called out to them.
"Move!"
Naoto and Yu obeyed, moving out of the way as the swarm waved over them like a tidal wave of ink. The silver-haired boy held up his sword, summoning Izanagi to defend the two of them. A second later, he was joined by Naoto's Persona, the sapphire figure zipping and darting between Shadows to cut a path through them.
"We need to retreat! There's too many!" Yosuke shouted, flinching in pain as he felt Jiraiya being ambushed by another golem Shadow.
"No! We're not retreating! Stand your ground and fight!" commanded Yu, cutting through another Shadow with his sword. He felt something grab onto his hand, and his grip on the hilt tightened as he turned his head. He expected a Shadow, or one of his cowardly friends to be holding onto him, but it was neither. It was Naoto, eyes gleaming, but gaze averted. It was like she couldn't look him in the eyes.
"Narukami, we can't stay here. We have to leave."
"I'm not abandoning her!" he replied. He tried pulling his arm away, but Naoto's grip seemed as strong as iron. "I made a promise."
"I know you did, but this is suicide. This isn't what Dojima would want!" Her fingers were hot, pressed tight around his wrist as her cobalt eyes stared into his iron pools. "You have to see that..."
"I..." He saw her eyes widen as darkness blanketed over them. It was as if a cloud had blocked out the sun, but he knew what it had to have been. He could see the dark silhouette on the ground move in reflection to the true beast. It towered over the other Shadows, wielding a mighty axe in its' hand.
"Move!" Naoto commanded, but she was the only one to try to dodge the attack. "Narukami?! What are you doing?!"
The axe was swung downward, cutting through the air like a steel waterfall through stone. It clashed against the cold, hard metal of Izanagi's spear. Yu stood beneath his Persona, holding his position just beneath the clashed weapons. Yu's jaw clenched and his teeth ground against one another as the stone bridge seemed to crack underneath his feet. He was melded with Izanagi to the point where he seemed to be the one to hold the spear, rather than the masked figure.
"Narukami, move out of the way!" Naoto ordered, frustration seeping through her voice like a cracked dam. "He's too powerful for you!"
"No! I'm... stronger!" Yu growled, pushing against the axe with Izanagi. Naoto could see the mental and spiritual strain the duel was taking out of him, though. Beads of sweat poured down his forehead as he struggled to maintain his footing.
She looked to their teammates and cursed her luck. Teddie and Yukiko were struggling to keep the others alive and healthy, but every time they healed their teammates, they just became weaker. Kanji, Yosuke, and Chie pushed through their obvious fatigue, fighting with all of their might to protect their healers and Rise. Thankfully the swarm seemed focus on them, leaving their most powerful to finish off Narukami and herself on its' own.
"Ahhh!" Narukami cried out in pain as he stumbled, falling onto his knee as the titanic, stone golem pushed him down. Naoto could see the duel was having a dangerous effect on Izanagi's spear. There were hairline cracks forming at the spot where the enemy's weapons and the Persona's clashed. It would break at any moment, but Narukami was too damn stubborn to see that!
"Yu!" Naoto ran forward, dashing towards his side. "Sukuna-Hikona!" Her Persona shot forward like a cyan bullet, throwing itself into the axe's blade. It slid against the spear, thrown off course by the blow. The giant Shadow stumbled in place, stunned by the attack as Yu struggled to stand. Naoto was quickly by his side, helping her senpai onto his two feet.
He was panting, trying to hold onto his weakened and fatigued consciousness. He looked at Naoto, eyes wide and heart racing. "Naoto?" She turned away, not out of anger, but out of surprise. She could hear the blade cutting through the air, whistling as it swung downwards towards her. Sukunua-Hikona darted in the air, trying in vain to block the attack, but their sword was not strong enough.
Yu watched with wide-eyed horror as the stone sword shattered Sukunua's sword, the shards falling onto the ground like metal rain, and the Shadow's weapon cut through Naoto's body. She staggered back, holding her chest as she struggled to stand. Her eyes widened, pools of tears forming as her body lost all strength. He caught her, and he watched as her clothes turned a muddy crimson, blood seeping onto her torn clothing. He struggled to speak as she trembled in his arms, the color fading from her skin.
"Naoto!"
Izanagi vanished, replaced by another Persona that shined a golden light upon the fallen detective. He held her in his arms, cradling her body as she stared at the golden sky of this dungeon. The wound began to close, but it wasn't enough. Yu closed his eyes, silently demanding his Persona to heal her, only to find that his own energy was exhausted. He opened his eyes to find Naoto's eyes still wide, paralyzed in pain and horror.
"Yukiko! H-help! Please!" he screamed, ignorant of the golem Shadow swinging its weapon down upon him.
"Senpai!" Kanji's Persona saved him, tackling the goliath to the ground. "We have to go, man!" The blond reached down to grab Yu's shoulder, but the young man just shrugged it off.
"I'm not leaving her!" he screamed, shaking.
"I ain't saying you should! But Rise said there's more Shadows coming! We need to leave!" The spiky-haired blond helped Yu back onto his feet, Naoto silently held in the silverette's arms. The two ran to the others, who were slowly retreating from the battlefield. Yu saw the raven-haired healer in the back of the group, and dashed closer to her.
"Y-Yukiko! P-please, help her!" Perhaps if he was in a calmer state, Yu would have seen the paleness in Yukiko's skin. He would have seen the bags that had somehow formed under her eyes, as if she hadn't slept in days. He would have seen the limp in her step and the near stumble she had as she barely dodged a Shadow's projectile.
As it was, he didn't see her exhaustion, nor did he care.
She said nothing as her Persona appeared behind her. Konohana Sakuya's once-elegant appearance seemed to have withered. Her fans looked brittle, and they lost their distinct color. Her helm was cracked, even her eyes seemed duller than normal. Despite this, the Persona held her hands over Naoto and bathed her in a radiant light. The beam only lasted a moment, before it flickered, and faded away.
"T-that's all I can do. I'm sorry, but I just..."
"It's okay," he replied quickly, staring at Naoto. Her pale skin had color again, the slightest bit of red flowed onto her cheeks. Her wide eyes seemed to relax, slowly closing as she let out a shaky breath. "Can you take her...? Please?"
"Of course," replied Yukiko, taking the younger girl into her arms. She held her body, supporting her as Yu turned away from them and towards the Shadows.
He saw his allies: Yosuke was trying to lead the group back, but terror was obvious on his features. Yet he called out orders and led the group.
Kanji was a berserker, swinging his shield against the horde as Take-Mikazuchi fought beside him. They might as well have been punching stone with sticks. Yet they fought.
Chie was on her last leg, as tired as Yukiko and Yu were, yet she pushed on. Tomoe cleaved through the army, bathed in inky, blood-like splotches.
Teddie was giving it his all, screaming at the top of his lungs, yet never stopping the barrage of jokes and bear-puns. Yu knew he was scared, yet the small bear wouldn't let the Shadows see his fear. Even Rise was supporting the group, calling out Shadow locations and warning about attacks from their blind spots.
How easy would it have been for them to fail here? To die? And if they had, it would have been Yu Narukami who sealed their fates. Not Namatame. Him.
He closed his eyes, and he saw Dojima's slumbering, bed-ridden body. He imagined the terror in Nanako's eyes as she begged for her big brother to save her. He saw the agony in Naoto's silent, cold body as she nearly died because of him. He dug deep into the pit of his soul, and he called out to Izanagi. Lighting fell from above, giving the eight their chance to escape.
The eight took refugee at Naoto's home, letting the girl rest on her bed while they planned out of the next move. No one came out of the failed rescue unscathed, a fact that wasn't more obvious than Yosuke's own reflection. He had bandages on his face to hide the cuts and bruises the fight had give him. He had several more under his clothes, all helping to slightly dull the pain he had left the other world with.
Kanji, Chie, Yukiko, Teddie, and even Rise shared his look. They were nursing their wounds, all trying not to think about their colossal failure, but Naoto got the worst. She hadn't woken up since that Shadow nearly cut her in half. Yukiko said she was lucky that only the very tip of the blade seemed to cut her, but Yosuke had seen Rise throwing Naoto's clothes away.
They looked like they were drenched in blood...
Just thinking about the near-death of their team genius brought a shiver to Yosuke's spine. He let out a quiet sigh, before looking at Naoto's sleeping body. He sat across from the girl, silently ensuring she didn't get worse. He promised to, after Yukiko refused to leave the girl's side. She only allowed Rise and Chie to bandage her up if Yosuke took her place by Naoto's side.
Three minutes so far, and she wasn't dead yet, so Yosuke was at least doing that right...
"You okay?"
He turned his head to the door, finding Chie staring at him. She looked exhausted, then again, they all did.
"Yeah," he muttered. "Just thinking."
"Heh. Don't hurt yourself," she teased, leaning against the door frame.
He ignored the insult, too tired to get upset, before he asked, "How are the others?"
"Okay, I guess. Okay as they can be... Rise and Kanji are practically conjoined at the hip. Yukiko fell asleep while we were bandaging her up. Teddie's been... weirdly quiet..."
"And Yu?" Yosuke couldn't hide the fire in his voice. The low, rumbling growl that escaped between his teeth.
"I... haven't seen him. I thought he might have been in here, but..." Her eyes traced over the walls, finding no silver-haired boy. "Rise's worried about him."
"Are you?" Yosuke's fingers balled into fists for a moment as he let out a heavy sigh. He watched as Chie remained silent, unable to meet his gaze. "I can't believe he'd risk your life like that!" He pushed himself onto his sore feet, anger numbing the pain as he began to rant. It was like a crack in a dam that grew and grew, making him angrier and angrier.
"Yosuke-"
"I mean, what the hell is wrong with him?! I know he's been acting weird lately, and I get that this is his cousin, but... God damn it!"
"Yosuke!"
"He nearly got you killed!" Yosuke expected Chie to smack him or yell over his cries of outrage, but instead he felt her hand gently fall on his shoulder. She stood in front of him, their almond eyes meeting one another as they silently stood before the other. "C-Chie?"
"Thanks for worrying about me, but it was my own fault. I should have been stronger," she sighed.
"What?! Chie, that's stupid! There's no way this is your fault!" The girl seemed unresponsive to him, though. "Chie...?"
"I just made a mistake. Y'know, zigged when I should have zagged?" she laughed weakly, trying to end the conversation. "I'll do better next time." Yosuke was ready to argue the point, only to fall silent as she cut him off. "Hey, good job leading us out of there. After Yu killed all those Shadows and blacked out, you were the one who got us out of there. Never thought I'd see the day, honestly," she teased. "Nice one."
"I didn't do anything. Just tried not to die during that whole mess," he sighed.
"That's not what I saw. I saw a brave hero leading us out of danger, carrying our fallen leader in his arms." A smirk formed on Chie's lips as she wondered out loud, "Have you seen him?"
"Who? Yu?"
"No, the brave hero who led us out of danger." There was a short pause, before the young girl began to laugh. She chuckled at her joke, and after a moment of annoyance, Yosuke joined in. The two laughed together, enjoying the respite that felt long overdue. The moment did not last long as a voice called out out to them.
"Y-Yosuke-senpai? Chie-senpai...?"
"Naoto!" The two darted to her side, watching as the dark-haired detective tried to sit up. Yosuke averted his eyes as Naoto's shirt slipped slightly on her body, revealing the bandages that covered her shoulder. Chie gently pushed the younger girl back onto her bed, keeping her hand firmly on the sleuth's uncovered shoulder. "Don't move. You were hurt really bad."
"N-Narukami..."
"Naoto, don't try to talk. Here, I'll go get Yukiko and-" Yosuke felt her squeeze his arm. It had darted out from under the covers, and she forced her cobalt eyes into a firm glare at the young brunette. He was rendered silent as her hold on him tightened.
"You must find... find him. He'll... He's so stupid." Her voice let out a weak laugh, her voice dry and hoarse, like gravel grinding against itself. "He'll do something stupid. You... you have to help him." Yosuke and Chie watched tears pool in the corners of her eyes, before cascading down her cheeks. "My fault... This is... this is all my fault."
"Naoto?"
"My fault..." Naoto groaned, her head falling onto the pillow as she struggled to catch her breath. "Hurts," she muttered, closing her eyes as small droplets trailed down her cheeks. Chie brushed them aside, before looking at Yosuke.
"I think she's delirious... I don't even know if she can hear us." Yosuke didn't say anything in reply, his features heavy with contemplation. "What do you think she meant by all that?"
"I don't know, but I'm going to find out," he sighed. He turned away from the two, walking away to pick up his jacket.
"What?! Where are you going?!" Chie questioned, following her friend.
"I'm going to look for Yu. If Naoto's worried about him, we all probably should be." He picked up his jacket, but her hand caught his, stopping him.
"I'm going with you."
"You're almost in as bad a shape as Naoto! No way, you're staying here. I'll give you a call when I find him." Chie stared at him, her eyes fluctuating between anger and something else. "What?"
"It's just... When did you get all leadery?"
"Heh. What's wrong, Chie? Falling for me?" he chuckled, clicking his tongue and snapping his finger at her. She rolled his eyes at the gesture, but there was a distinct smile on her face.
"As if. Go, ya big dummy."
Yosuke nodded his head, and took off. He rushed out of the room, giving a quick goodbye to the others as he exited the apartment. Something stupid... That's what Naoto said, right? What would be the stupidest thing Yu could do right now...?
Yu twig a final swig of the bottle, tasting the alcoholic burn of the drink. Night blanketed the small town as he walked down the illuminated path towards the store. He stumbled for a moment, but caught himself, pressing his staggering body onward until he reached the store. He placed his fist against the glass door, feeling the cold on his knuckles, as he thought about how he would get in. His sword was sheathed on his back, he could force his way into the dark store with that, but he was shocked to find it wasn't needed.
On a whim, he pushed against the door, and it gave way, opening and giving him passage into the darkness. He entered, diving into the cold shadows as the night's wind followed him inside. The light outside seeped through the windows, outlining the large room. His eyes adjusted, drinking in the darkness and finding the outline of what he sought. The TV laid there, untouched, waiting for him.
The glass bottle fell from his fingers and to the floor with a loud 'dink,' but he didn't pay it any mind. He walked towards the TV and held up his hand, taping the screen and gazing at the resulting ripple effect. He took a deep breath, and sighed, before he was blinded by the lights of the room turning on. He hissed in pain, shielding his eyes as he blinked away the spots in his vision.
"You're really here..."
He recognized the voice before he saw the speaker. "Yosuke?" The brunette stood behind him, walking closer to Yu. "What are you doing here?"
"Dude, I think you know exactly why I'm here." Yu's silver eyes glanced at the TV, before returning to Yosuke. They narrowed as the other boy glared back at him. "I'm here to make sure you don't do something really stupid." His eyes softened, and he held out his hand to the scowling silverette. "Come on, dude. Let's head back to the others."
"And abandon Nanako?"
"We'll get her back! We'll save her."
"What? Like you saved Saki?" mocked Yu.
"W-what?" Yosuke felt like he'd be punched, his eyes widening as he tried to comprehend the sadistic smirk that formed on his friend's face. The sight of it chilled his bones and made his skin crawl, like staring at a twisted reflection of his friend's face.
"You failed to save her. You failed her, and you've been failing everyone else ever since. After all, I'm the one who always has to pick up your mess, to finish your work. You're too stupid and too weak to be the hero of this story, Yosuke, and Saki died because of you."
"Shut up!" Yosuke couldn't control himself, his nails digging into the palms of his hands as rage bubbled in his chest. "Dude, stop. You're just angry. You need to-"
"Does the truth hurt?" Yu laughed, his teeth gleaming in the light as he took a step closer to Yosuke. The sword on his back fell to the ground as his 'friend' inched away. "You're a parasite. Any worth you have, any good you've done for anyone, it's all because of me!"
"I said, shut up!"
"You were so pathetic when I found you," Yu chuckled, shaking his head. "All I had to do was flash a smile and pretend to care. Then Saki died and you were so eager for a friend... For the chance to be useful."
His hand shot forward, catching Yosuke's collar as the boy stared with wide-eyed horror. It was like he was seeing Yu for the very first time. In a way, maybe he was.
"Really, that bitch dying was a blessing. You should be happy she's dea-"
"Shut up!" It happened so fast. Yosuke didn't even realize what had happened at first. Yu stumbled back, a mark on the side of his face from the other boy's knuckles. The silver-haired boy was silent, before letting out a small chuckle. Yu lifted up his fists, and Yosuke was his reluctant mirror. "Dude, don't make me do this!"
"You weren't man enough to save Saki, now you're not even man enough to fight me? You really are worthless." Yu's smile was twisted, almost psychotic, like something out of a horror movie."Then just stand there and die like her." Yu ran forward, and like it or not, Yosuke wasn't going to leave without fighting back.
END
Sorry for the wait, folks, but here it is! Naoto got hurt bad, and Yu's reverting back to his old self! Oh no! Sorry about any errors. Only had time to proofread half of the story.
Not sure what to say about this chapter, I think, but lots to say about the next one!
The next chapter is Yosuke's character chapter! Yaaay! He and Yu duke it out, just like their social link, but it is much darker here, with Yu being a huge asshole to him. I wanted to draw some parallels with the Social Links, twist them around a bit, y'know? Also happening next chapter: Yu and Naoto talk out their feelings (the guilt ones, not the romantic ones), the gang goes back to Heaven, and their battle against Namtame begins! All in the next chapter, Yosuke - True Partners (No Homo).
For those curious, Chapter 29 is Yosuke's chapter, 30 will probably be Chie's, 31 will be story stuff, and 32 will be Teddie's. After that, Yu will finally have a true band of friends who like the real him, and he'll truly like and respect them.