Naoto - Two Hearts
Naoto did a mental checklist of everything she would need for her trip. She had packed pens, papers, spare ammo for her revolver, and, of course, several books to read while she was there. She picked up her father's hat and placed it onto her head, and slipped an indigo-colored coat onto her arms. As she was buttoning it up, there was a knock on her door.
"Naoto? May I come in?" her grandfather, Norio Shirogane, asked.
"Go ahead, grandfather," replied Naoto as she finished buttoning up her coat.
The senior Shirogane stepped inside. He was certainly an older man, but there was a clear youthful energy to his smiling face. He gave off a sense of ease, and had a gift for comforting others. Of course, the fact that he was here with that smile on his face, meant he thought she needed to be comforted.
"You'll be going soon?"
"The train leaves within the hour. Yakushiji-san is getting the car ready."
Her grandfather nodded his head, before he placed a hand on her shoulder. "You promise you'll be careful, won't you? This is probably the most dangerous case you've ever taken, and I'm worried that-"
Naoto had captured thieves, kidnappers, and con artists. She had even found missing children, and lost lovers, but her grandfather was right. She had never encountered a murderer before, but this case was exactly what she needed to be recognized by the wider community. She needed to be seen as a Shirogane, and as the righteous heir to the Shirogane legacy.
She needed to make her parents proud.
"I understand your hesitation, grandfather, but I will be fine."
"I know you will be. You're a Shirogane, and more than that, you're Naoto," he smiled, though the young woman had difficulty understand just what he meant by that. "I was actually going ask you to find some friends while you were there."
"I'm sorry?"
"Your deductive reasoning skills and intellect are not in question, Naoto. I'm worried about your interpersonal skills, or lack thereof," the older man explained. He tried to lessen the blow with a teasing smile, but Naoto knew what he was really after. Her grandfather had commented on it before, and every discussion just made Naoto more and more frustrated.
"Grandfather, I respect your opinion, and I will always consider your counsel, but I don't need to be fostering relationships. I need to show the world what I'm capable of.'
"How can you do that if you don't show them the real you?" he asked, sighing. "You want to be recognized, but you refuse to let anyone see what you're really like. You are just as guilty as the men who frown down upon you." Naoto felt her brow wrinkle, but she did her best to keep her expression unfettered and stoic. "It'd be one thing if you truly didn't accept your gender, Naoto, but rejecting it because others reject it? That's-"
"Grandfrather." Naoto silenced him with a single word, but she knew it was out of respect for her, rather than him choosing to stop. "I appreciate your advice, but I have to go. Yakushiji is waiting."
Norio Shirogane stepped out of his granddaughter's way, but he called out to her as she reached her doorway. "There are people out there who will accept you, Naoto. They won't care about your gender, or your age. They'll care about you, for you, but you'll never find them if you don't open-"
"I'm sorry, grandfather." Naoto closed the door, leaving her grandfather alone with his thoughts.
Yosuke stared at Yu's laughing faces with disgust in his eyes. Each TV screen around him had the same video of Yu laughing on them, and they all spoke at once as their silver eyes smiled at Yosuke. "God, Saki dying was so perfect. I found out about my powers, and Yosuke thinks I'm his new best friend. God, does he even listen to himself?" Yu laughed. "He's so desperate, it'd be sad if it weren't so pathetic."
The words sickened Yosuke. He could still remember how it felt to lose Saki. Yu had been there for him, and the brunette thought he finally found a real friend. Then he found out it had all been a lie, and it was like he'd been punched in the gut.
"You weren't man enough to save Saki, now you're not even man enough to fight me? You really are worthless." That was what Yu had said to him that night at Junes. Yosuke saw the very worst of Yu that night. The real him was a spiteful, smug bastard. He knew exactly what to say piss Yosuke off, and it got to the point where Yosuke couldn't even stop himself from whaling on him.
Yosuke couldn't help being angry at Yu, just like the brunette couldn't help acting the same way against his Shadow.
"And that Senpai you were sweet on? Her death was the perfect excuse!"
Yosuke remembered what his own worst self was like. All his anger, frustration, and doubt that he'd felt was staring back at him. His Shadow had been a prick, an asshole, but he hadn't been wrong. Not entirely, at least. Maybe you're right, he thought, glaring at the TV screen. Maybe I was pathetic. Maybe I was desperate. A blue card materialized in front of Yosuke's face, and his fingers tightened around his kunai. But I'm not anymore!
He aimed his arm at the floating card, staring at it as Chie's voice echoed in his mind. "It's just... When did you get all leadery?"
Yosuke wasn't the same boy he was when he stepped into this world. He wasn't some dumb, goofball who was looking for adventure. His Persona, Jiraiya, was evidence of that. He had grown stronger, and accepted not only his own truth, but the truth about his supposed partner. Yu wasn't who Yosuke thought he was, but was that so bad?
"You, Chie, Rise... Everyone would better off without me... Tell everyone I'm sorry."
Yu saved Namatame's life when everyone had wanted him dead. Yu had cried, terrified he was going to kill everything he held dear. Yosuke had hugged him to try and calm him down. That night, he saw the real Yu, and he was so much more than that arrogant bastard on the TV screen.
"Jiraiya!" Yosuke's Persona appeared in a flash of blue, and without a single word, began to spin around in place. The wind around Yosuke, Teddie, and the Reaper was picking up. A green whirlwind surrounded the Persona, before it suddenly shot forward within a spinning cone of wind. The drill slammed into the Reaper, who raised his guns in defense. The drill slammed into the metal guns, sparks flying as Yosuke watched.
Yosuke's fists tightened as Jiraiya began to glow with an intense blue light. His resolve was on fire as a long locks of red began to break free from Jiraiya's black mask. I know you're more than this, Yu... Now it's time I proved I'm more than just some goofball! Jiraiya's white outfit changed into a light shade of blue as the Persona began to spin even faster, tearing through the guns like they were made of styrofoam.
Jiraiya? No, Yosuke could hear his Persona's new name in his ear. The young man grinned, slamming his fist into open hand. "Alright! Kick some ass, Susano-o!" The Persona obeyed, flying up into the air as a metal band formed aronud his body. The outside of the ring resembled a saw blade, and Susano-o knew just how to use it. The evolved Persona spun, launching the ring like it was fired from a cannon, and it slammed into the Reaper's head, wedging itself halfway into the creature, black mist pouring from the gash.
Hold on, partner...!
Teddie felt the wind blow against his furry suit, and he felt the earth tremble underneath his paws, but his eyes were on the TV screens. He stared into his ex-Sensei's eyes, and he wondered.
It's like my Shadow, Teddie realized. That thing that had told Teddie he was nothing, that he'd never find his real self. That giant version of himself was mean, and used words that Teddie didn't know, but that thing had still been Teddie.
The Yu on the television screens wasn't his Shadow, but it was still him, Teddie realized. It was the him Yu had warned Teddie about.
"People were like thread, and I could wrap them around my fingers with ease."
It sounded completely backwards, but Teddie was beginning to understand what his ex-Sensei had meant. The other Yu on the television was all too similar to Teddie's Shadow, or even Adachi. He was a jerk, he was a complete and utter jerk. Maybe Yu really had been like this at some point...
"I want you to think of you and me as equals from now on. That, or maybe I should call you Sensei."
But it didn't matter what Yu had been like, because Teddie knew the real thing. Teddie's Shadow had been wrong about who the bear was, and this Yu was wrong about how he felt towards his friends. Teddie had found a place to call home, a place where he was surrounded by friends and family, and he had Yu to thank for that.
"At your core, you know this... You just cannot accept it. So you seek an alternate form... a denial of your nature." That's what his Shadow had said, and at the time, Teddie didn't really understand what he meant. Now he did, though. He was a Shadow, and that should have meant he was doomed to live an existence of unhappiness, lashing out at everything he saw.
But Teddie refused that possibility. The little bear strove to be more than just a hollow, little bear, and he succeeded. He had his own Persona, he had his own human form, and most importantly, he had his friends. Teddie made his own reason to live, and it was all thanks to his family.
Teddie found his own truth, and the truth was it didn't matter who he was.
"I mean, you had to be something, right? Besides, not like it matters." His bear-ther, Yosuke.
"Who the hell cares what you are or were? Only thing that matters is what you is!" Kanji.
"Whether the ego masters its Shadow, or the Shadow awakens to its ego, the only difference I see is the order in which the process occurred." Naoto.
"So... That means Teddie's practically human, right?" Chie-chan.
"I'd say he's as human as any of us, bear costume or no bear costume." Yuki-chan.
"Totally! Teddie, you're one of us, simple as that." Rise-chan.
And, of course, he had Yu. "I know it sounds crazy, but they helped me find my true self. I think they can do the same for you." Friends helped friends be happy! They helped them improve!
Teddie glared at the grinning face of his ex-Sensei, and he growled like the bear he was! This isn't who Yu wants to be anymore. That's what he told me... So I'll help him change! I'll help him find the real him, just like he helped me! I'm going to be the best friend I can be! Because he's my best friend!
"Kintoki-Douji!" The rotund Persona appeared above Teddie's head, and it flew forward with the missile in his hands. "Kaboom!" Yosuke had beaten the Reaper down. Now it was Teddie's job to finish the monster off! Originally the bear was planning on slamming a missile down on the Reaper, but then he saw a blue aura radiate from his Persona.
"Huh? Whoa...!" Teddie watched his Persona change right before his eyes. The small dome head of Kintoki vanished as his hands grew into massive bear claws. The missile in his hands vanished, only for a larger missile to suddenly begin to grow out of the Persona's back. Fire burst from the rocket as a wide grin, plus a pair of eyes, formed on the Persona's metal belly.
"Wow! Beartastic!" Teddie cheered, jumping with joy over his Persona's new form, and the new strength he felt brimming from it. "Alright... Kaumi! Bear pile!" The rocket burned with a wild fire as it suddenly shot the Persona forward, spiraling through the air. Kamui rose up high, only to make a sudden U-turn and come racing down towards the twitching Reaper.
Yu doesn't care whether or not I'm a Shadow. He just wants me to be happy. Because he's my friend! And I'm his friend! Teddie let out his fiercest growl as his Persona slammed into the fallen Reaper. Hold on, Yu! I'll help you! That's what friends are for!
There was a flash of light, and the ground trembled as a huge explosion rocked the area. The walls of TVs fell apart from the blast as two boys grinned at one another.
In the air above them, Sukunda-Hikona and Magatsu-Izanagi fought one another. Their clashing blades rained sparks down onto the battlefield, neither giving the other any ground. They were evenly matched for the moment as they raced across the battlefield, both struggling to gain an advantage over their enemy. The smaller Persona lacked her opponent's strength and raw elemental ferocity, but she made up for it with blinding speed.
The two continued to battle one another in the air as their other halves challenged each other on the ground. In contrast, the battle on the ground was akin to a game of cat and mouse. Which was which simply depended on who fell in the others' crosshairs. Naoto moved behind a broken wall as another shot filled the air. The bang was deafening, and she could feel her ears ring from the sound, but she pushed the pain aside and focused.
"Why are you trying to save this world? We both knows it's nothing but shit! What's worth saving? Can't you see how rotten the world is? People can't survive unless they're born with every advantage of the book!" Adachi shouted. Naoto could clearly hear him, but she did his best not to fall for his trap. "Or are you just doing this for the fame and glory?" She took a deep breath, hoping the cool air would help pacify her growing anger.
Stay calm. That's the most important part. Don't let Adachi get into your head.
There was silence for several moments, before Adachi's voice called out to her once more. He sounded close, and Naoto's already racing heart began to pick up as Adachi taunted her. "You know, before our world and this one become one, maybe I'll give Inaba one more murder victim. How do you think your old man is going to feel when he sees his precious little granddaughter's corpse hanging from an antenna?"
"Don't let him get under your skin..." she begged herself, repeating the mantra as Adachi's laugh taunted at her., but it was impossible for her blood not to boil. She could feel her grip on her gun tighten as her fingers trembled. The fingertips were becoming a paler color as Naoto tried to tame her own rage.
As hard as it was to admit, Adachi was deceptively intelligent. He knew how to attack a person's insecurities. If his prey, or opponent did that, then their blows would be sloppy and predictable, like a thick sludge was covering her body as he tried to escape.
Like a damn fool, she had bitten the bait. Adachi knew what to say to rile her, and he knew exactly what to mock to make her do something stupid. Naoto repeated to herself that she had to remain calm, but it was getting harder with every passing moment.
Another bullet flew, and this time she felt it hit her. The shot went through the wall, and she bit down on her lip to keep from crying out. She had been lucky. The shot had only grazed her, but blood still seeped from the wound as her heart raced.
Damn it... When Naoto first met Adachi, she mistook him for some simpering moron who didn't deserve his badge. She cursed her own stupidity. She had fallen for his deception, giving him the power to manipulate the case behind the scenes. To manipulate her.
"I know we're going to catch this killer because I believe in you, Naoto. You're smart, clever, and cool." There hadn't been an ounce of sarcasm or deceit in Yu's voice when he told her that. Naoto could feel the words echo in her mind, and she felt her fingers cease to shake. Calm. You need to be calm. Narukami has put his faith in you. Remain calm, and think. Like water on a fire, the pain from her injured arm vanished as her mind began to formulate a plan.
Adachi continued to taunt her, but now his words were like venom spat at an ironclad ship. She allowed them to slide off of her, refusing to allow him any victory over her. "You're lucky, detective. I never had what you did. No, people like me actually need to try. Begging, pleading, scratching for a portion of the good fortune you got!" He shot at the air, but she remained calm, bending low to keep from being hit. "I fought tooth and nail to got where I am now! You? You got everything fed you on a silver spoon!" He fired once more, but there was no bang. Just a click.
It happened in an instant. A plan formed in Naoto's mind as she nodded her head, working out the pieces to herself. It was a gamble, honestly, it was more of a Narukami plan than a Shirogane strategy, yet she felt confident in it. She allowed herself only a moment to smile, before her lips were pressed thin. She steeled herself for the act, before she began to play Adachi's game.
Chie tore her eyes from the screens. She felt like throwing up at what she saw. Was this really her friend? The thing on the screen had his eyes, and his hair, and his face, but the way he acted... His voice was like a cold knife against her neck. It terrified her, and it sent chills down her spine.
Yu thought she was weak. He thought she would have thrown herself into his arms. Just submitted herself to him. The worst part was that Chie wondered if he was right. There had been a point in her life where she was desperate for approval, hungry to be needed. Yu would have given her that, and she would have bit the hook without hesitation.
But that part of her life was over, wasn't it? Chie had closed that chapter, and she refused to go back. She told herself that, repeated it as she lifted her gaze to glare at Yu's grinning face.
"Old Yu was an asshole, I'm not denying that."
Now I know what he meant, she realized, bitterly. But I wasn't much better a few months ago... Her Shadow's mocking voice echoed in her skull. Her amber eyes, lazily glancing at Chie like she was an afterthought, lips curled into a grin as she laughed.
"When Yukiko looked at me with such jealousy... Man, did I get a charge out of that! Yukiko knows the score. She can't do anything if I'm not around." Chie knew that Yukiko was wrapped around her finger, and rather than loosen her grip, she made Yukiko hold on tighter. She was so desperate for Chie's friendship, and in a way, Chie was just as desperate... Maybe more so.
The young martial artist had been so pathetic, once upon a time, but she refused to act like that ever again.
"Chie, you're one of the strongest human beings I've ever known."
Just like her, Yu was trying to improve himself. He was trying to be better, trying to get stronger for their friends. To Chie, that meant they were heroes of justice! And they were going to leave footprints on Adachi's stupid face! It was that simple. Chie's Shadow, the Yu on the TVs, they could say whatever they wanted, and maybe it was true, but that didn't change a single thing!
"Tomoe!" Chie shattered the card with a single kick, and she watched as her Persona appeared.
Without a single order, Tomoe charged forward, and the Reaper tried to smack the Persona out of the air with a quick backhand. But the Shadow was shocked as his knuckles almost broke on impact. The small Persona didn't budge an inch, and instead Tomoe smacked the Reaper's hand away from her. Tomoe was glowing, her body like sapphire as she began to change.
Her yellow jumpsuit had turned black, with golden highlights as large, silver armor began to form on her hands and waist. Chie could feel the energy burning up inside of her. It was like the biggest sugar rush of her life. Like she needed to run a mile, like if she didn't use up this new energy, she'd pop. Thankfully, she had the perfect punching bag right in front of her. All she needed was to attack. Her Persona turned her head as a black and silver helmet appeared on her. Tomoe glanced at Chie with crimson eyes as the young girl flashed a toothy smirk.
"Suzuka Gongen!" Chie readied her body, before pushing herself forward. She began to wildly kick at the air, striking at the open air as her Persona mimicked her moves, right on the Reaper's face.
She felt good, but she also felt pissed. Pissed that some people, like Adachi, or the old Yu, or even herself, thought they could just take advantage of people. Beating the Reaper's face was the perfect way to work out that anger. She kept up the barrage for what felt like a full minute, before stopping. There were dozens of footprints on the Reaper's face as it slowly stumbled back, black mist pouring from the wounds.
I've made mistakes, Chie told herself. But the biggest mistake I could make is beating myself up about it! No! I'm going to be like Yu! I'm going to be true to myself! I'm going to walk the path of improvement, right by his side! And I'm going to support my friends, and be a real... Hero. Of. Justice!
Each thought was laced with a series of punches, each aimed at the Reaper's head. It could barely stand as Chie grinned. She could see fire rising up from the ground below the Shadow...
Yu and I made a promise to improve ourselves, she thought. Now I'm going to show him how far I've come!
Yukiko squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block out what she heard and what she had seen, but the image of Narukami and her in each other's arms was burned into her eyes. She could hear her own mocking laughter, the twisted unity of their moans as they kissed each other. The sights and sound were plucked right from her fantasy.
Yes. She had fallen in love with Yu Narukami, and maybe in a way, she had never stopped loving him. Even when he told her who he was and how he had lied to her, some part of her still wanted him. It wasn't real love, she knew that now. It was more like desperation, an empty hole in Yukiko's chest that her thought only he could heal.
Mere months ago, she would have desired nothing but his touch, for his voice to whisper sweet nothings to her. Back when she saw him as her prince charming, as the key to her fairy tale ending. Even after that night at her family's inn, some part of her wanted him...
"I have no hope if I stay, and no courage to leave... So I sit on my ass hoping that someday my Prince will come!"
Her Shadow's words reminded Yukiko how foolish she had been. She acted like Yu was some kind of solution, a key, not a person. Just like how other people saw her as some innocent maiden, a simple girl who needed to be saved... Yu breaking her heart was the wake up call she needed. It forced her to grow, and she knew that she and Yu were simply not meant to be.
"Yukiko, I'm sorry." Even if the truth was ugly, at least it was real. The love Yukiko had for Yu wasn't gone. It simple changed. instead she saw him as her friend.
"You're not a bad person." Yu wasn't the prince she wanted, but he was the friend he needed. He wasn't perfect, but he didn't have to be. He shouldn't be who Yukiko imagined him to be. He and Yukiko just had to be themselves.
"You were angry. It happens to the best of us." Reality was better than any dream. Her bond with Yu was stronger than it had ever been...
And if Adachi thought these illusions were going to stop her from helping her friend, he was sorely mistaken.
"How dare you!" Adachi thought he could just peel open her scar, play with her emotions, and expect to just walk away?! I don't think so, she growled. "Come! "Konohana Sakuya!" she roared, cutting through her card with her fan.
The Persona formed behind her, but there was something different about her. She was glowing, but it was more like her insides her glowing. Like the pink clothes and armor was just holding something else inside. Small cracks formed on Konohana Sakuya's body, with a blue light shining out from inside of it. The helmet and clothing broke off of her, revealing a golden, featureless body underneath. Yukiko watched with stunned eyes as the feminine, golden figure grew silver, metal feathers on her arms.
A katana formed in one hand, complete with a scabbard. She pulled the blade out of the sheath, before twirling it in the air, practicing with the weightless blade. Yukiko's shock turned into an excited grin as she pointed her evolved Persona to the Reaper. "Go! Amaterasu!"
A circle of fire surrounded the Reaper, before dozens of small, fiery bars rose up to trap the masked monster. "Agidyne!" Yukiko and Amaterasu both swung their weapons through the air, and a pillar of red-hot flames rose up within the circle. The torrent of fire was massive, and it burned the giant Shadow to a blackened crisp.
When the flames finally stopped, the Reaper was nothing more than ash on the ground. A gentle breeze carried the ashes towards Yukiko, who blew them away with a single dash of her hand. Now that the Reaper was taken care of, Yukiko had a friend to save.
Yu-kun... Yukiko's hands tightened to fists as she glanced at Chie. Her friend was smiling at her, and for a moment, Yukiko dropped her guard to return the gesture. I'm on my way. Just hold on.
"Come out, come out, wherever you are," Adachi sang, eyes scanning the wasteland. There weren't many places for the Detective Bitch to hide, meaning it was just a matter of time before he found her. He glanced at Magatsu-Izanagi, and jerked his head to the side. The black and red Persona nodded, before taking flight and searching the area. As his bloodhound searched for her, Adachi decided to continue his little game with the terrified child.
"Oh, the things I'm going to do to you when I find you, detective," he chuckled, his grey eyes gleaming. "Or what I'll do to your little boyfriend if I find him first."
"Stay away from him!" Her voice betrayed her. Naoto wasn't strong enough to hide the tremble in her voice. She was terrified, and that made this all the more fun.
"No 'please?' Didn't your parents teach you any manners?"
"Shut the hell up!" He turned his head, eyes darting to the source of the sound. Naoto's pet was flying right at him. He fired three shots at the blue bug, but it dodged each shot. He fired a fourth one, and it hit, sending the small creature crashing to the ground. Momentum made it roll on the ground as Adachi summoned his own Persona.
"Magatsu-Izanagi, squash this bug for me." The blue insect took off flying, clearly scared for its life. Adachi's eyes followed it for a moment, before he brushed it aside. His Persona could take care of it. He reached for some ammo, only for his eyes to widen as he heard a distinct noise. Whimpering. It was close... Meaning Naoto was close, and terrified.
The sound had come from a nearby fallen sign for some store. It was made of a thin, weak metal. His smile widened as he saw her blue hat poking out from the corner of the sign. She was probably sobbing now... How pathetic.
Adachi raised his gun and aimed, painting a mental picture of where Naoto was hiding. "Do you want to know the reason I became a cop? It was so I could carry around a gun and shoot whoever I wanted. All in the name of justice." He pulled the trigger. The bullet cut through the air was ease, before piercing the metal sign. The scream he heard sent a tingle down his spine.
He never did get a chance to admire his work with Narukami. All he knew was that the brat took a bullet for the detective. There was no chance to admire his handiwork. Adachi wasn't going to have that problem with Naoto. He started to walk closer, confidence in every step.
"You know, we shouldn't be fighting. Society's a shitshow, full of assholes and idiots. Full of rules and pointless laws. It's unnatural. We're all just trapped, forced to suffer with each other. The world will be a better place once we're all Shadows..." He stepped around the sign, only for his smile to vanish as he found nothing behind the it. "What the-?"
Naoto wasn't there. There wasn't any blood. Where the hell-?
Adachi's eyes widened as he felt an agonizing, stabbing sensation in his side. He felt himself being pushed, nearly falling over, only to by pushed again as a small foot slammed into his back. He fell to the ground, feeling his blood gushing from the wound. He placed a hand over the wound, biting his lip as his warm blood stained his hand. He looked up, glaring at Naoto's cold eyes.
"Y-you bitch! You fucking bitch!" He raised his gun, eyes narrowing as he glared at her. He aimed right for her heart, and pulled the trigger.
The empty click from his gun was deafening.
"Smith & Wesson. Model number thirty-six. Standard issue for Japanese law enforcement. I noticed it when we first met." Adachi, for the first time in a week, felt afraid. He felt a chill run down his spine. He opened his mouth, but his jaw simply hung open as Naoto glared at him. "They have only five rounds. That's five shots, and you wasted all of them."
Kanji's fist slammed into the closest TV he could reach. The image of Yu standing over Rise's unconscious body, sword in hand, shattered. The broken glass left several cuts on the man's hand as he panted.
He was angry. He was angry at his senpai, and he was angry at himself. He never thought this kind of shit was going down behind his back... Yu had told Kanji about the kind of guy he used to be, but it was a hell of a difference to see it with his own two eyes.
He almost killed Rise... The very thought made him feel sick. It made him want to break every single damn television he could find. It pissed him off to hell and back. Kanji glanced at another screen. Yu-senpai was pulling Rise into his arms, leaning forward to steal a kiss. Kanji felt a familiar inferno burning in his gut, but it was much, much worse.
This was the same feeling Kanji experienced when he first saw the real Yu. It was the same burning Kanji felt when he saw Yu and Naoto together. It was jealousy, but when he saw Rise kissing Yu's lips, it felt so much worse. Maybe it was because it was happening again... or maybe it was because of Rise.
"I love Naoto." Three simple words that made Kanji want to punch something. But seeing Yu kissing Rise? Holding her? That made him want to punch someone.
Kanji lifted up his fist, pulling it back to shatter the screen, only to stop. It's easy to get pissed off. Anger's always easy. So's jealousy.
"Ohh, how I hate girls... So arrogant and self-centered! They cry if you get angry, they gossip behind your back, they spread nasty lies! They look at me like some… some disgusting THING and say that I'm a weirdo...!"
I don't want easy. I ain't looking for the easy route. I'm a man, he reminded himself. I'm going to handle this problem like a man should! By beating up the one really responsible for this!
He put his hand down and he took a deep breath. A card floated down in front of him, and just like his Senpai, he crushed it in his hand. His Persona appeared behind him, staring at him, waiting for an order.
"So does this mean we're cool? You and me?"
"Yeah, I think so. We're cool, Senpai."
Kanji and Yu were friends. They respected each other. They cared about one another. In a way, they were like brothers. The blond had never had a sibling before, but if he had to imagine what it was like, he'd guess it'd be like his relationship with Yu. There was kinship, jealousy, and even anger, but when the chips were down, Kanji had his friend's back.
That didn't change because of some slideshow.
"Kick his ass, Ta-" Kanji glanced down at his shadow. He was surrounded by a blue light. "Huh?" Kanji turned to his Persona, only for his eyes to widen as the giant behemoth began to change.
His black armor became a bright red, with fire decals accenting the arms, and legs. The already giant Persona grew a whole foot taller as his lightning bolt weapon became sharper, like an actual blade. Two golden eyes formed on his head, followed by a large, crown-like disk, and what looked like a giant, metallic mustache. Kanji blinked in utter shock, and confusion, as his Persona flexed his new muscles.
"Holy shit! That still you, Take-Mikazuchi?" The giant Persona nodded his head, before turning to glare at the Reaper. Kanji's gaze followed, and the blond man clenched his jaw. "Alright... Yeah, I get you. Let's kick that thing's ass, and then go save Yu." Kanji rolled his head on his neck, before snarling at the Reaper. "Hey, asshole! Your boss thought it'd be funny to piss me off and try to make me hate one of my best friends! You don't mind if I make a message out of you, do I?!"
The Reaper lifted up his guns, only to suddenly be disarmed by a brutal swing from Kanji's Persona. "Kick his ass, Rokuten Maou!" The guns were shattered into pieces by a single punch, before Rokuten Maou swung his sword. The blade cut a wide gash on the Shadow's chest, forcing it to stumble back.
Black smoke rose from the wound as the Reaper threw a punch at Rokuten Maou. Kanji could hear the Shadow's knuckles crack on impact.
"Yu's my friend." Rokuten Maou backhanded the Shadow, knocking it back. "He's my Senpai." Another punch. "He's an arrogant bastard, and he's one of the greatest guys I've ever met." Another cut on the Reaper's chest. The monster's eye shined with fear. "You thought I'd turn my back on him? Because you showed me what he's like at his worst? That shit ain't gonna work! I've seen the man at his best!"
Kanji reached forward, and his Persona mimicked him. They grabbed the Shadow's head, before turning around and flinging him at the wall of TVs. The Reaper slammed into it, shaking and breaking many of the screens. "Now let me show you my best."
Rise felt tears pool in the corners of her eyes. She tasted regret like bile in her throat. What she saw hurt. There was no gentle way of saying it. She felt like Yu's sword had actually made it through her chest...
To see someone she loved betraying her like that... They hadn't even known each other back then. She didn't even know his name. Rise wasn't sure if that made what she saw better or worse. The sight of one of her closest friends holding a sword over her slumbering body froze Rise's body, until something tugged on her mind.
It was so small. Nothing more than a feeling. But it was something. She summoned Himiko to her side, and the Persona placed Rise's visor over her eyes. She saw through the wall of televisions, and found Yu's body lying on the ground. His body was there, but his mind was trapped, she realized. It was like their fight against Mitsuo Kubo. He was trapped, locked out of his own body...
She had no idea what he was going through, but she knew she needed to help him. Whatever reservations she had were swept away as her fingers rubbed against one another. "Himiko..." Her hands slowly became fists as she realized how stupid it would be to give up on him. The truth of Rise's rescue hurt, but it was nothing compared to the loss of her brother.
"I'm sick of being some airhead cliché who chokes down everything she's fed and takes it all with a smile!" She came to Inaba so sure that no one would ever see the real her. That no one cared who Rise was.
"You might be the first friend I've ever really made." But Yu cared.
"He's like the big brother I never knew I needed." And she cared about him.
"I'm not who you think I am." He thought no one would ever see the real him.
"So? I'm not the girl all of Japan thinks I am." But she did. When he thought Naoto had given up on him, she pushed him to pursue her...
Their bond may not have been the most powerful of bonds, but there was something special about it. Rise had been the first person Yu let see the real him, maybe even before Naoto saw it. Yu came to her for advice on how to be better, and in a strange way, he helped herself improve.
All these little moments that made their lives... All these little moments that defined their friendship.
Himiko lifted the visor from Rise, before she began to change, glowing as her black skin turned white. The golden metal that surrounded her body shifted, turning into a bright crimson as Rise's resolve burned like a fire. Her white coat gained black stripes as the Persona held out her hand, materializing several golden orbs. Rise turned her gaze to the Reaper, watching as Kanji and his Persona beat it into submission.
The giant Persona began to slam the Shadow into the prison's walls, before Rise shouted out to him. "Kanji! Move." The blond looked at her, before grinning with a spark in his eyes. He and his Persona moved out of the way as Rise's new Persona, Kanzeon, aimed her hands at the wall. The golden orbs that surrounded her began to hum with energy, glowing with a pink tinge as a Kanzeon closed her eyes.
When she opened them, a light was forming between her hands, before it shot out at the wall like a rocket. The fallen Reaper lifted his head up just in time to be hit by the blast. The beam decimated the damaged wall, and it tore apart the defeated Reaper. The blast last a smoldering hole in the wall as bits of scrap fell to the ground. Kanji blinked, eyes wide as he stared at the hole.
He looked at Rise, and there was pride in his eyes, but also awe. She smiled back at him, before lifting her head up. Kanzeon placed her visor over her eyes again, and Rise saw Yu's comatose body. She turned her scans to her other friends, and while Naoto was locked in combat with Adachi, the rest of their time was on their way to breaking out.
"Yu and Naoto need help. Yosuke-senpai and the others are working on breaking out. They should be free in a minute."
"Alright, then let's go help Yu and-"
"Wait. There's something else." Rise's scans were picking up something in the sky. Something was forming high above the ruins of Inaba, but if Rise's scans were right, it was incredibly powerful. She felt a chill run down her spine, but she refused to let fear hold her back. "We need to hurry. Something big is about to appear, and I doubt it's on our side."
"Alright, what are we waiting for? Let's go back them up!" Kanji grinned, motioning for her to follow him. She nodded her head, and their Personas vanished as the two ran out of their prison.
Just hold out a little longer Naoto! Yu! She ran faster than her legs had ever taken her. We're on our way! I'm going to fight by your side this time, I promise!
Naoto stood over Adachi's body, and she watched the man bleed onto the ground. The man was at least partly right. He and Yu shared several traits. They were both arrogant, but that came with a weakness. All she had to do was pretend that Adachi's words were getting to her. He thought he had Naoto right where he wanted her, when really he had been walking right into her trap.
Just like Yu, Adachi underestimated others. The two thought they infallible. Once upon a time Naoto thought the same of herself. The difference was Yu and Naoto learned humility. Adachi was going to pay dearly for thinking Naoto could be so easily defeated.
As Adachi tried to stop his bleeding wound, she patiently waited for the clone of Izanagi to get closer to her. She could see Adachi trying to hide his smiling face. He really thought he had her... His mistake.
Magatsu-Izanagi raised his spear as he flew towards Naoto, aiming to impale her head on the end of his blade, but he never got the chance to. Sukunda-Hikona fired attacked him from behind, darting onto his back and bringing her blade at the soft, unguarded neck of the dark Persona. The cut was seamless and quick. His own forward momentum did half the work as Sukunda lobbed off the other Persona's head.
The sound of the headless body hitting the ground tore the smile from Adachi's face. He cried out in agonizing pain, clutching his neck as though he could feel the blade cut at his own skin. He gasped for air, eyes widening as his fingers clawed at his neck.
"That was for everyone you've hurt over these last few months." She stared down at Adachi with a contemptuous sneer on her face. "You talked about how awful life is, but I've seen you do nothing, but ruin the lives of others. You whine about how terrible life has been to you, but of course life would be hard when you do nothing but close yourself off from people. To put it simply? You're nothing more than an immature, egotistic brat."
Naoto had learned from her experiences that a person only had two options when faced with their own personal truth. Accept it, or reject it.
Adachi chose the latter. He pushed himself back up, screaming at her. "S-shut the hell up, you damn bitch! You have no idea the kind of suffering I've gone through! I-" Naoto's fist slammed into his face, her knuckles grinding into his eye, before the blow knocked him back to down to the ground. He fell to the ground, his eye swelling as the skin around it turned a dark shade of blue.
"Tohru Adachi, you are underarrest."
He sucked in air through his teeth, glaring at her with a single eye. His grey eyes burned with an intense hatred, only for it to slowly melt away. He sighed. "You're such a pest, you know that?" He chuckled, his eyes falling to the ground at her feet. He forced himself to sit down as he giggled. "God, what the hell...? To lose to something like you..." He slowly lifted his eyes to stare at Naoto. "It doesn't matter. Nothing does. The Shadows will...w-" His eyes widened, fear brimming in his grey eyes.
"Ah!" He stood up, no, it was liking something was picking him up. His arms rose up as Naoto watched a Shadow rip itself out from the floor, and lunge at Adachi. It bit into his arm, as another Shadow pounced onto the murderer, devouring his leg. More and more Shadows attacked Adachi, forcing their black skin to meld with his flesh. Naoto felt the wind pick up, and she struggled to hold her ground as it threatened to pick her up.
"The entire human race shall become Shadows." Adachi's mouth was moving, but that voice wasn't his. The voice was high-pitched, monotone, almost artificial. It echoed throughout the entire city. "And I shall descend upon the world, and rule it as the master of order."
"What... What is this?" Naoto whispered. It's just like before... Adachi is fusing with the Shadows, just like Namatame did, but on a much larger scale!
"Both this world and yours will soon be enclosed in a fog that never lifts. It will be the peaceful world that mankind has longed for..."
Hundreds of Shadows were flying off of the ground and melding into Adachi, until his body couldn't even be seen anymore. The swarms of Shadows swirled and twisted around one another, morphing and growing into a gigantic black orb. It hovered over the area like a black moon, before the black skin peeled open, revealing a single, mechanical eyeball staring at the detective.
"I am Ameno-sagiri. One who rules the fog. One awakened by man's desires. Their desires are my desires," he declared, his voice shaking the very earth Naoto stood. "Child of man, do what you will, but your world's erosion cannot be stopped."
"W-what...?" Naoto strained her eyes behind her glasses, staring at the behemoth as if the very sight of it confused her. "You're what's been behind this?! Behind Adachi?! Why?! What reasoning could you possibly have to destroy our world?!" This thing might have been made of Shadows, but it was nothing like the creatures that inhabited this world. It was like some sort of deity to the Shadows...
Ameno-sagiri spoke in a high-pitched tone, as if it was speaking through a filter or a microphone. "Mankind will soon become Shadows and live on in the darkness of the fog. They will be oblivious of their reality, not because I wish it, but because they do."
"That can't be true," Naoto muttered to herself. She stepped forward and she screamed at the entity, refusing to let it see fear in her own sapphire eyes. "Humanity would never want this for itself! They would never want what Adachi did, or what you're trying to do! You-"
The sound of his voice was booming, and Naoto struggled to hold her ground as the entity interrupted her. "I am merely the shepherd of their true desires. Humanity's desires are my desires. That is why I must meld the two worlds into one and seal them in fog." His singular eye glanced down at her, and Naoto wondered if there wasn't some mix of anger and amusement in his gaze. She couldn't help but feel like an ant as the behemoth stared down at her. "I never considered the possibility that those challenged by their Shadows could create this strange power. You are each anomalies. You must all be tested."
Tested? Naoto's eyes widened as Ameno-sagiri's eye began to glow, before a single beam shot out. "Sukunda-Hikona!" Her Persona appeared to defend her, raising her blade to deflect the blast. The beam hit and the small Persona was slammed into the ground. She was brought down to her knee as the stone cracked underneath her. Despite the obvious difficulty she was experiencing, the beam was still reflected away from her. It hit a nearby store, utterly vaporizing it and everything behind it.
By the time the attack was over, Naoto and her Persona could barely stand. The detective panted from exhaustion as Ameno-sagiri watched her. "You deny the truth of humanity's desire? Then prove to me your own strength, but know this. The first of you has already fallen to humanity's desires. You will soon follow."
"The... the first of us?" Naoto repeated, brow wrinkling in confusion. Her eyes widened as she realized just what the entity meant. A figure was rising up from the ground, bathed in a black smoke. "Yu!" He was trapped in a cloud of shadows, his body convulsing as Ameno-sagiri lifted the young man closer to him.
"The first of you to awaken to his gift, and the first to fall to the truth. He drowned himself in lies, and now he seeks oblivion rather than living with the truth. You will follow him, or you will perish. No matter your fate, humanity's will shall be made true."
"Release him!" Naoto demanded, sending her Persona towards the giant eye. Ameno-sagiri fired several more beams down at the two, and Sukunda-Hikona was able to dodge several before a stray beam tore through her wing. She began to plummet to the ground, eyes wide as Naoto cried out in pain. No! I need to save him...! Her fingers tightened into fists as she ground her teeth together.
"I wouldn't be here, if it weren't for you." She could still feel his lips on her knuckles. She wanted to remember that feeling forever. She never wanted to forget it. The way he made her feel...
I need to tell him the truth, she realized. She felt the air turn hot as beams of light burned at her body, scorching skin and clothes as she wondered if she would ever get her chance...
Suddenly the attacks stopped, and Naoto felt herself being healed. Her red and black skin returned to a more natural, pale-pink tone. Her fatigued body became revitalized as she opened her to find several beams of like circling around Ameno-sagiri. Flames, ice, lightning, and bursts of wind attacked the giant eye, shattering the metal skin that protected it. Sukunda-Hikona, who was about to hit the ground, was caught by a strong breeze. It carried her gently to the ground as familiar voices called out to Naoto.
"Let go of our friend, you jerk!" Rise shouted, running to Naoto's side.
"Yeah! Who the hell gave you the right to decide what humanity wanted?! We can decide our own fates, you damn bastard!" Kanji was right beside, glaring at Ameno-sagiri as he helped Naoto to her feet.
Yosuke smiled at Naoto as Sukunda-Hikona looked at the group of friends. "We heard everything. You okay, Naoto?"
"I-I'll be okay," she replied, before feeling a hand on her shoulder. She turned her head to Yukiko's smiling face.
"It's okay. You don't need to do this alone," Yukiko promised. "Let's save Yu together."
"You're fighting to save those who willingly surrender themselves to the fog? Idiotic. Illogical. Arrogant." The creature almost sounded outraged at the very notion of fighting back. "He has already surrendered himself to the lies of oblivion. Why fight for him? For the masses of humanity?"
"Do you really need to ask? Well, I'll tell you! Cause we're heroes of justice! Cause some people may want to give up, but we don't! And because that's what friends do for each other! They save each other when things are at their worst!" Chie grinned, watching her Persona strike at Ameno-sagiri's black hide, tearing a wide gash on the metal armor.
"You thought Adachi-baby's evil clip show was going to stop us? Wrong! It just made us go bear-zerk!" Teddie roared, watching his Persona fire several chunks of ice at the eye. "Our bonds with each other are too strong for you! We'll never give up on each other!"
"Our bonds..." Naoto felt a fire in the pit of her stomach as she watched Sukunda-Hikona glow. That's right... I'm not the only one who cares about Yu. Each of us has a unique bond with him, a thread made of genuine friendship and camaraderie... My own bond with him is... He... Naoto took a deep breath as she realized the truth. Yu... I promise I'll save you. I promise we'll all return to our world, and I'll... I'll tell you how I truly feel!
Sukunda-Hikona's body shattered like glass, revealing a taller, stronger being beneath it. Naoto stared at Yamato-Takeru with wide, memorized eyes. Her Persona stared back at her, adorned in a princely uniform. A helmet that reminded Naoto of her childhood stared back at her, almost smiling, before the Persona brandashed her long rapier.
Naoto's spirit was reignited as she smiled at the masked Persona. Yes... I will save you, Narukami! And then, I'm going to tell you that I love you too! Yamato-Takeru shot off like a rocket, blade aimed at the heart of the monster.
Yu felt like he was in a dream. He had waited for Naoto to take the shot, to put him out of her misery, but it never came. So he was left in a limbo as he wished for a painless death. His voice had gone unanswered as he drifted in a waking slumber. He felt weightless, like he was swimming through a cloud.
I'm sorry... I'm so, so sorry. Guilt ate away at his mind as his eyes closed. Naoto, I'm sorry. He wondered what would happen now that he was going to die. What would Naoto do? She'd probably be relieved, he imagined. She was free of him. She could be with anyone she wanted, and she could finally forget about the parasite that had nearly ruined her life.
His nails dug into the palms of his hands as he cursed his own life. But then something forced itself between his fingers. Something held his hand and tugged on it. Was this supposed to be the ending he craved?
Then something caught his other hand, and he was no longer drifting. Faint whispers echoed in his skull, prodding at his mind as he tried open his eyes.
"Huh...?" It hurt to speak. Like his throat was too tight for the words to get out. He tried again to open his eyes, but they felt like they had been welded shut. Or maybe he was too scared to open them.
"Senpai!" one of the voices called out to him. "Can you hear me?!"
Rise...?
"Come on, man! Wake up! You can't let this thing beat you!"
Kanji...?
He felt his eyes relax, and he opened them to see nothing but darkness. No, that wasn't right. There was more than just darkness. It was like a net, or a smokescreen. He had tiny glimpses of something through the shadows, but his vision was obscured by the dark cloud. He tried to move, but it was like moving through sludge. His body felt heavy...
It'd be so easy to just give up...
Then a gust of wind hit him, and he almost felt himself being carried away by it. The dark mist was almost completely gone. He was still trapped, but his body felt easier to move, and light began to break the dark shroud.
"Yu! Can you hear us!? We're gonna save you, partner!"
Yosuke? The hell's going on? He lifted his arm up to try and push the dark fog away, batting at it with slow, sluggish arms as he glared at the voices of his friends. "Stop... Leave me..." They shouldn't be trying to save him. They should have just left him behind. He was supposed to die. It was the only thing he could do to make up for everything he had done to them.
"Teddie, wait! Be careful!" Yukiko warned.
"Friends don't let friends get eaten by monsters! Hold on, Yu-buddy! We're gonna rescue you!"
"Yeah! That's a promise!" Chie and Teddie's voices could be heard clearly through the veil. They were trying to rescue him. But Yu couldn't understand why.
What are those idiots doing...? Can't they see I'm just going to hurt them?! Yu felt his body tingle with warmth, before a powerful, golden blaze burned the fog around him. He was freed, staring at the red sky as his body began to fall.
"I've got him!" And then someone caught him. Whoever it was, they were clearly bigger than he was, yet their embrace felt oddly familiar. Warm. Soft. They smelled vaguely of vanilla. They pressed his face into their chest and Yu felt them slowly descending together. As they fell, Yu realized who had just spoken out.
"Naoto?" He looked at the head of his rescuer with tired, grey eyes. A face he had never seen before greeted him, yet he still saw who it was underneath. "Sukunda...?" And then the Persona dropped him onto his own two feet, and another pair of arms caught him, wrapping around his neck.
Naoto was embracing him, burying her face into his shoulder. She let out a breath she had been holding for God knows how long as Yu saw the faces of his friends staring back at him. They looked happy. Relieved. But why? He hadn't die. He should have died. He-
"Is he okay?" Yosuke questioned.
"What's wrong with him? Why ain't he saying anything?!" Kanji added.
"Senpai? Senpai?" Rise snapped her fingers in front of him as Naoto pulled away. He felt cold without her touch, and he tried to speak, but all that came out was a whimper.
"Adachi must have done something to him during their fight," Naoto assumed. "What matters is that he's safe now. We have to hurry and defeat Ameno-sagiri. Hopefully his defeat will help Yu return to normal..." She looked away from him. She probably couldn't stand the sight of him. None of them could.
But then why did Yukiko heal him? Why did Chie promise to protect him? Why did Teddie smile at him, like nothing had happened between the two? It didn't make sense...
Yu lifted his eyes to the sky, and he watched as something both familiar and strange stared back at him. The single, robotic eye scanned the battlefield as seven familiar Personas flew around him. Just like the entity, there was something strangely familiar about them. They were given some bells and whistles, but the seven were still the Personas of his friends. And the giant eye? It reeked of Adachi, no matter what it looked like.
"Alright! Another hit! We've got this thing on the ropes!" Kanji announced.
As if rising to meet the challenge, Ameno-sagiri formed dozens of cannons on his body. The barrels stuck out of his metal shell as he watched the eight. He waited for only a moment, before he opened fire with a massive array of lasers.
"You just had to say something!" Yosuke groaned.
"Holy shit!"
"Everyone, hold on!" Naoto commanded, and once again she was embracing Yu. Rise hugged his other side as Kanji pushed the three girls down, shielding his body with his. Yosuke and Chie took one side, their bodies press tightly to each other and Yu as Teddie and Yukiko took the other. The eight stood bundled up tightly with one another as the earth quaked and the air became scorching hot.
Yu felt scared, no, a better word for it would have been terrified. He found himself pressing against Naoto, and his arms caught onto her as powerful winds tried to blow them away. He had an epiphany at that moment, or at least he considered a strange possibility.
Were the others trying to protect him? Did they want him to be safe? But why? He was Yu Narukami. He was as bad as Adachi. He was a monster, a bastard, a sicko. They shouldn't be trying to protect him. They should have killed him. Left him to die. Yet Naoto held him like she... like she cared. Like she really, truly cared about him...
The attack finally ended, and the eight slowly pulled away from one another.
"Guys, we've almost got this thing," Rise panted. "It's running low on health. It's getting desperate."
"Then we have to press on our offensive," Naoto said. "Overwhelm him together." The others nodded in agreement, and together they went on the offensive. They were striking at Ameno-sagiri together, and Yu watched in awe. Not just because of their strength, but because of how well they worked together.
The seven were friends. That had always been true; it was always meant to be, but he didn't deserve to be a part of their bond. Then he felt something warm squeeze his hand, and he glanced down to find Naoto's fingers intertwined with his. She held his hand as Yu watched Ameno-sagiri wildly fired at the attacking Personas. Most of his shots missed, before he suddenly swerved and aimed his single eye at Sukunda's new body. His eye began to glow as a loud hum could be heard.
A brilliant, white beam shot out of Ameno-sagiri's eye, aimed right for Naoto's Persona.
"No!" Yu squeezed the detective's hand as Izanagi materialized in front of the attack. He spun his spear, before swinging it. It cleaved the beam in two, sending two separate beams into the wide nothingness that surrounded the area. Naoto's eyes widened as she looked at Yu, but he just stared back at her. "Together?" he whispered, and she nodded her head with a smile on his face.
"Yamato-Takeru!"
"Izanagi!"
The two Personas flew side by side with one another, dashing towards the creature's artificial eye. He was already charging up another attack, but it was too late. They slammed into the monster with such force that it began to plummet to the ground. It was like watching a meteor hit the earth. Once again the group huddled together for safety as the shockwave of the falling monster nearly threw them to the ground.
When the dust settled, Ameno-sagiri's eye stared at Yu and the others, a rapier and spear stabbed through the glass and into the inner workings of the machine-like entity.
"Most impressive, children of man. I see your desire. I recognize your strength. I understand now... I shall take the fog from your world, and allow humanity to make their own path. Until a new destiny has been forged, I will watch, and I will wait..." Ameno-sagiri's single eye closed, before the metal began to melt away. "Time will show the path humanity takes... Children of the new potential."
"What...? What happened...?" Yu wondered, earning everyone's stares. He looked down, trembling as he expected nothing but their hatred and outrage. They should beat him into the ground, before throwing him to the cops with Adachi. Instead he felt Rise's arms wrap around his neck as she hugged him.
"You're okay!" she cheered.
"And here I thought we'd never get to hear you crack a joke again," Yosuke sighed, shaking his head.
"Holy shit... Did we just win?! We won!" Kanji laughed, throwing his arms to the sky. "Whoohoo!"
"Yay! Bear hug!" Teddie joined in, hugging Yu with Rise as the silverette's hand still linked him to Naoto. He blinked, staring at his friends as the fog in his mind finally faded away.
Grey eyes turned to silver as Yu blinked. He felt Naoto's fingers pull away from his as he awoke from his waking nightmare. He looked at his friends, jaw hanging open as his brow wrinkled. He closed his mouth and stared at Ameno-sagiri, before pulling from the seven and dashing towards the decomposing eye.
"Senpai?"
"Huh? Where's he going?"
Yu ran to melting sphere, and he found exactly what he was looking for. Adachi was on the ground, the Shadows leaving his body as he stared at the red sky. Yu glanced up, and he found himself smiling as the red sky turned a serene blue. He quickly walked to Adachi's side, staring down at the fallen officer. The raven-haired murderer looked half-asleep, his stare blank, but there was a spark of life.
"Adachi. I know you can hear me." His grey eyes stared at Yu, but he said nothing. "It's over. You're going to jail. You're going to pay for everything you did." Yu was firm, clearly unsympathetic to the killer. "That isn't going to change."
He stepped closer, and bent his knees to crouch beside Adachi. "But I want you to know that it isn't too late. You're right. We are a lot alike. A few years was our only difference. I could have easily been just like you, but you know what that means?" Adachi didn't say anything, just staring at him with a fake smile. Yu reflected the gesture, but his was as real as the blue sky above them. "It means you could have been just like me."
"Those seven idiots over there? They saved my life, but more than that, they saved me. My soul. My life. Whatever you want to call it. They turned it all around for me. I owe them everything, because everything my life becomes now is thanks to them. They're my friends. I know it's cheesy, and stupid as hell, but it's the truth. They're what's going to stop me from becoming you."
Yu and Adachi scoffed. They both knew how ridiculous it sounded. "It isn't too late for you, Adachi. You don't have to be alone." The killer's eyes widened for only a moment, before they became sharp. Yu imagined Adachi felt insulted. He probably saw the pity in Yu's eyes. "It's your choice." And then Yu's fist decked Adachi, knocking him out in one swift blow.
The silverette stared at Adachi's twitching body, and he sighed. Part of him truly hoped Adachi found something real in the world. Something true. The other part of him really enjoyed punching the bastard.
Yu was quiet as the group brought Adachi back to reality. They left him for the police, watching as he confessed to everything without even being asked. He even pushed one of the officers who came to arrest him, doing everything he could to make sure he was taken in. The eight watched as Adachi was taken away. It was something all of them felt the need to see. To know that this really was over...
Once he was taken in by the police, the eight could finally say the case was closed. The day had been saved. The town was safe. The eight heroes had earned their rest. They walked into Inaba, and they watched as the fog retreated from once it came. They admired the rising sun and clear, blue sky as the citizens of Inaba wondered about the town's strange weather.
It felt unreal. Like a dream. But it was the truth. The reality was that they had saved the world...
Yu allowed his friends to bask in their victory, before he asked for the others to follow him into an empty alley, away from prying eyes. The confused group followed him, and he had his back from them as they asked the obvious question.
"What's going on, Yu-senpai?" Rise inquired.
"Yeah, why'd you bring us here?" Chie asked.
Yu took in slow, calming breaths as he repeated the words in his mind over and over again. He felt their eyes on him as he dropped his mask. He hoped he would never need to wear the damn thing again.
"I'm sorry." His voice was quiet, nothing like the confident tone he usually spoke with. "I am so, so sorry." He turned to face the group and he fell to his knees, bowing to the group. It felt dramatic, yet considering what he had done, what he had planned to do, it didn't feel like enough. Nothing would ever be enough. "I am so, sorry," he repeated.
Yu kept his eyes on the ground. He had no right to look at them. His vision blurred as he stared at the grey sidewalk. Teardrops fell to the ground as he found it hard to breathe.
"I know what you all must have seen. I... I could feel it. You saw the man I am. The truth of who I am. The truth is I'm no better than Adachi. The things I had planned on doing to you, the things I did do, nothing can make up for it. I'm dirt. I'm... I'm pathetic," he confessed, and he couldn't stop his voice from wavering. The truth fell from his mouth like a wave, and he gasped for air as he began to cry.
He must have looked so pathetic. He used to pride himself on his confidence, on his perfect appearance. Now...
"I'm worthless," he whispered, as if the realization just dawned on him. "I-I'm nothing but a parasite in your lives. I-I have no right to ask for your forgiveness, but I know that I need to beg for-" He felt someone touch his shoulder. The touch was so familiar, and it was all that was needed to shatter his mask. "I'm sorry!" he sobbed as Naoto embraced him. He didn't try to pull away, not even as Rise stepped forward. Kanji soon followed after her. Then Yukiko. Then Yosuke and Chie, before finally Teddie surrounded him.
"I'm sorry...!" he cried, wiping his tears against Naoto's coat. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" It was all he could say. He had treated them all so horribly. He saw them as nothing more than his pawns. Now his crown had fallen, and he was left pleading for their forgiveness.
"It's alright, Narukami. Let it out," Naoto uttered.
"I wanted to die," he muttered. "I wanted nothing more than to lay there and die... But then I heard all of you." He wiped the sleeve of his arm against his face, wiping snot and tears onto the cloth as he panted. "I-I couldn't understand why any of you wanted to save me..."
"You've changed, Yu," Rise answered. "We all saw what was on the television, but there's no way that's who you are now." She placed one arm on Naoto's back, before gently pulling Kanji closer to her. She embraced all three of them as tears began to fall down her own face. "You're like a brother to me, Yu... I know you'd never do anything to hurt me."
"You're like... the best pal a guy could ask for," Kanji muttered, his cheeks pink as he spoke from his heart. "I mean, you're the best, man. I-I ain't really good at talking about my feelings or whatever, but... you know," he mumbled. "There ain't a guy I trust more than you... Whatever shit you used to pull, it's all water under the bridge or whatever..." He hugged Yu, Rise, and Naoto tighter, his red cheeks burning even brighter as he glared at the wall. "Um... I-is this okay?" Yu could only chuckle through his tears.
"Yeah..." Yosuke scratched at his hair as he refused to stare into Yu's eyes. It wasn't out of shame, Yu realized. Yosuke was trying to hide his own pooling tears. "It's okay, man. I... I get it. You're not like that anymore, that's what matters. We're friends. Nothing's gonna change that..."
Chie smiled at Yu, nodding her head in agreement. "T-totally! I-"
"Oh, just hug him!" Yukiko shouted, pushing Yosuke and Chie forward. She was crying now too, and she hugged the others, trapping Chie and Yosuke under her embrace.
"H-hey! Yukiko, quit it!" Chie sniffled, trying to hold back her own tears. "Man, if you start, I'm going to..." She tore her eyes from the raven-haired girl, looking at Yu. "I-I've never really... I just-" She wiped her eyes with the sleeves of her jacket and took a deep breath. "You're a good friend, Yu. I accept your apology, and-and I just that it's okay. Everyone does stupid stuff, right?" He nodded his head, sniffling like a child.
No one judged him. They only embraced and consoled him.
"Ahhh!" Teddie wailed, hugging everyone. "I love you all so much! Yu, why can't we have group bear-hugs more often!?"
Yu was stunned by the seven, and in that moment, he realized they weren't his friends. They could never simply be his friends. No, they were all so much more than that. He hugged as many of them as he could, as tightly as he could, and he let the tears fall down his face. The seven were his family, he realized. They were his brothers, and his sisters, and his everything.
They looked at him, and either through their united bond, or pure luck, they told him what he needed to hear. What he had always wanted to hear, but never thought he could. "We forgive you."
And for the first time in his life, Yu understood what it meant to be at home.
The Dojima Residence was, for the first time in a long time, filled with laughter and smiles. Yu and Teddie were preparing a feast fit for a pair of kings, or at least two foolish princes. The battle was over, and Christmas was just around the corner. Yu did nothing to hide himself from the blond bear, openly showing his own arrogance and mischievous nature.
Of course, Yu's cooking skills were no such lie. The silver-haired man watched as Teddie took a spoonful of fried rice from the pot, before biting down on it.
"What do you think it needs, Teddie?" Yu asked, watching as the bear sampled his cooking.
"Mmm! It's so yummy, Yu! I think it's beary good!" replied the younger boy.
"I suppose that's good enough," chuckled Yu. "Grab some bowls, and we can-" The two stopped as someone knocked on the door. Yu raised his brow, and after glancing at an equally confused Teddie, the silverette approached the door. He opened it, and he found a familiar woman behind it. "Naoto?"
"N-Narukami!" she greeted him with wide eyes and rosy cheeks. "I-I'm glad I was able to find you. I-I was hoping to discuss the final details of the case with you." She coughed into her hand, glancing at his sock-covered feet. "I-if you can spare the time, of course."
Yu gawked at the navy-haired woman, before smiling in amusement. "One sec." Yu quickly stepped back inside his home, picking up a grey hoodie and shouting to Teddie. "Help yourself to dinner, Teddie. I'm going to step out for a bit to talk to Naoto, okay?"
"Alrighty, Yu!"
Yu stepped outside and closed the door behind him. Naoto stepped out of his way, keeping a measured distance between them. It was night out, and the cool, winter air nipped at their bodies, even as Yu zipped up his jacket. "Chilly," he commented, shivering as he glanced at his breath.
"I-indeed..."
"So, you wanted to talk?" He couldn't hide the smile on his face. He had an idea of why she was here, but he dared not hoped... Still, he could smile at her, even tease her. "About the case, right?"
"I... Y-yes. There were matters on the case that have been left... unanswered."
"Oh? Such as?" He smirked at her, and he noticed her cheeks turning a scarlet hue. He leaned closer, but she stood her ground. She glared at him, daring him to try and scare her away. He saw the resolve in his eyes, and suddenly his own cheeks felt hot. He was grinning though, despite the blush. He loved getting her riled up, but he loved it even more when she challenged him.
Yu was trying to intimidate her, but Naoto refused to be so easily swayed. She remained where she stood as he drew closer. His smell tickled her nose, and she did her best to keep her lips tightly pressed flat, even as she found the odor to be rather pleasant. "You know what this is about," she muttered.
"Remind me," he teased, and he was so close that she could feel his breath on her lips. Naoto moved closer, and she finally allowed herself to smile. He was surprised at the bold move, and his own cheeks began to turn pink.
"You told me that once the case was over, we would need to talk. About how you felt for me, and where are relationship was going to go now that we were no longer obligated to be around one another," she explained. Her feet were firmly planted on the ground, but her body felt ready to topple over. Despite that, she still smiled at him, and he returned the gesture.
"I did. So is that why you're here?" He lifted a hand to stroke the underside of her chin, teasing her as he smirked. He was so like a snake. Predatory. A hunter. He acted so in control... Naoto's eyes sharpened for a moment, and she lifted a hand to catch his wrist. She glared into his silver pools, and he ended his game. "I love you, Naoto."
Those four simple words made her hear skip a beat. They made her legs tremble, and her face turn hot. She felt sweaty, she felt scared, but she also felt excited. She felt a hunger to hear those words again. She felt a desire to hear him say it, again and again, for as long as he was willing to. She felt a fire in the pit of her heart, growing with every passing moment as she stood on the edge of a new chapter of her life.
But before she could step turn the page, she had to speak her own truth. "I'm rather jealous, Narukami." His brow rose as her hand gently stroked his. "You say those words so easily. So casually. While I find myself terrified of them." Her sapphire eyes stared into his, and she saw the fear brimming below the surface. "Not because I don't mean them, but because I am terrified if I speak the truth, everything will come spilling out..."
She leaned closer, their lips almost touching. Naoto's fingers gently grazed his hand as her other hand reached out to his. They held each other's hands as Naoto opened her heart to Yu. "I love you." Yu's eyes widened, and he seemed to stop breathing as the sleuth swallowed down spit.
There was an deafening silence. Naoto feared that she had somehow said the wrong thing. Then Yu closed the gap between them, pressing his lips against hers. Her eyes widen as his soft lips covered hers, and she felt herself melt. Her hands slipped out of his and hung uselessly by her side as her eyes fell shut. The sensation of their lips touching intensified. She felt her heart pound in her chest as electricity coursed through her body.
Naoto had read about the 'spark' that occurred when two people kissed. This felt nothing like that. This felt like lightning, and thunder, and an inferno. It felt like that night when they played the King's Game. She felt her breath being stolen away as he nibbled on her bottom lip. His hands gently stroked her neck, one hand caressing her skin as the other played with her hair.
She felt like the ground underneath her cracked and blew away. It was just her and Yu, drifting in a cloud. It was like firecrackers going off in her head, filling her body with euphoria. The winter winds couldn't touch her. She felt nothing, but warm... Their lips pulled apart and Naoto opened her eyes to see his handsome face. He smiled at her, and she hated utterly charming he was.
"I love you to-"
Naoto's hands suddenly caught his collar, and his eyes widened as she pulled him down. Their lips came together again, but this time Yu was the one who melted against her touch. Naoto had no idea what to do with her hands, but she found her arms moving around his neck as their lips pushed against one another. Yu was completely hers, and that feeling was intoxicating. His hands finally came to life, and he placed one on her back as the other played with her hair on the back of her head.
Naoto's tongue teased his lips, poking at them. It was so unlike her. It was the kind of behavior she would expect from Yu, but no. She was the one instigating this... this intercourse. He pulled away all too soon and licked his lips. The sight made her knees weak.
"Um... W-wow. Okay. That was... Wow," Yu muttered.
"S-sorry," she replied, eyes falling to the ground. What was that?! Where did that come from...?
"Don't be. That was amazing," he replied. His hand touched her cheek, stroking the soft skin. She had to resist the urge to nuzzle against his palm, as her blush grew hotter. "Teddie's going to Yukiko's for Christmas. I was going to spend it on my own, but i-if you're free we could spend it together," he suggested. "Around ten in the morning?"
"I-I'd like that, Narukami," she replied, staring into his silver eyes. "I'd like that very much."
"Good, good." He kicked at the dirt, and Naoto felt an iota of pride from seeing him act like some blushing innocent. "Um... T-Teddie and I were about to have dinner. Care to join us?"
"I-I don't mean to intrude..."
"It's no intrusion, my little princess," he teased. She rolled her eyes as he opened the door behind him. "Would you like to...?"
"Yes! I-I mean, thank you." They smiled at one another, before Yu walked inside. Naoto stood outside the front door, the light from inside coating her legs as she thought to herself. She had told Yu about her feelings, and it was clear that he felt the same. Christmas would tell where their relationship would lead them, but she smiled.
She felt warm. Ecstatic. She felt like she had found a place to stay, a reason to be herself. Nothing else mattered but being with the man that she loved. The man I love... Naoto Shirogane had found what she had always needed. Allies who trusted her, friends who cared about her, and someone who loved her for her. Her gender, title, profession... Nothing like that mattered to him.
"Naoto? You okay?" Yu looked at her, concern in her eyes.
She smiled and nodded her head. Naoto Shirogane stepped inside and closed the door behind her. "I'm alright, Narukami. What's for dinner?" He grinned back, a glimmer in his eye.
END
This story went through three iterations before I finally finished this bad boy. Thousands of words that got deleted as I tried to figure out how to end this adventure. It was an exhausting, tiring process that drove me pretty damn insane. Not to mention my computer crapped out on me a few times, leading me to lose thousands of words. But here it is. The penultimate chapter of Arc 2.
What a journey we've been on, huh? This is easily the longest chapter of Delinquent, and I considered splitting it in two, but decided against it. This is the big final battle. Sucks about how long it is, but it needed to be, I feel. Next chapter will be significantly shorter.
I don't want to add anymore words to this behemoth, so let's close this chapter, shall we? Next update will hopefully be on Christmas, and it'll be about our heroes celebrating Christmas. It'll also be the end of Arc 2, meaning this story won't be updated for a while as I move on from Delinquent for a while. I need the break...
Have a good day guys, and see you next chapter. Stay safe, and know that you are loved.