Chapter 4
It was raining again today. As Ellen walked to school she heard Chie yelling out from behind "Perfect timing! Sorry, move over!"
Before Ellen could turn around, Chie came under Ellen's umbrella. "Um...I did have my own, but I saw this kung fu movie where they used an umbrella to pull off some sweet moves...And...I accidentally broke mine trying to mimic the movie."
"...Ok?" Ellen said
It was the only thing she could say aloud but, she thought to herself "This is my brother breaking mom's favorite teapot after watching that spy movie all over again."
"By the way...did you see it?" Chie asked.
"...I did." Ellen said feeling the pain in the back of her head.
"Aha, do tell. But the person it showed...Never mind. I'll save it for when the others are around. We're gonna be late for school."
They walked to school together and while walking Chie asked "Sooooo...what was that book you were reading yesterday? Call me curious, but the cover of it isn't something I've see before."
Ellen stopped, took a deep breath, and said "Look, girls have something that is there paradise. An escapism if you will and some of these things are to be kept secret."
"So I'm not gonna know...?"
"No...not unless you look into my bag, but I un-advice it."
"Oh ok..."
"It's nothing personal, I promise."
"Ok..."
They walked the rest of the way and after an easy lecture with Ms. Sofue, the world history teacher, Yosuke came to her and said looking a little worried "Y-Yo. Um...It's uh, it's not really that important, but...Well, yesterday on TV, I...Oh, uhh...Never mind. Look, I'll tell you later. Ahaha..."
"...Alright, just take care of yourself, ok? You don't look well." Ellen said.
Chie soon came to them and said "Yosuke, did you hear the rumor? Saki-senpai's supposedly the one who discovered that body."
"I wonder if that's why she looked so down...She doesn't seem to be at school today either." Yosuke said.
Chie then turned to Yukiko and said "Huh? Hey Yukiko, are you helping out at the inn today too?"
"Things are really out of hand right now...I'm sorry." Yukiko said looking stressed.
She soon leaves and Yosuke says "Is it just me, or does Yukiko-san seem way stressed out today?"
"I guess they're running her ragged..." Chie said.
"If I had to help run an inn that popular, I would be stressed out too." Ellen thought to herself.
"By the way, did you see...it...last night?" Chie asked.
"Huh...? Uh, well...What about you?" Yosuke asked.
"I did! I seriously saw a girl! But...my soulmate's a girl? What's that supposed to mean? I couldn't quite tell who it was, but it was a girl for sure...Her hair was brown, about shoulder length. She was wearing our school uniform, and... Chie said.
"Hey...I think that's the same person I saw. I couldn't make out that much detail, though. The image I saw was much blurrier..." Yosuke said.
"Wait, so you saw it too!? And we saw the same girl..? Does that mean...we have the same soulmate?" Chie asked.
"How should I know? How 'bout you? Did you see it?" Yosuke asked.
Ellen told them the weird things that happened last night as calm as she could. After she was done, Yosuke said "It sounds like we all saw the same person...But weird voices aside, what was that about getting sucked into you TV...? Were you that tired last night? You've must just fallen asleep in front of your TV."
"Well, I fell alright..." Ellen said rubbing her injured head.
"That'd be one interesting dream, though. I like the part where you got stuck 'cause your TV was too small. That's pretty realistic. If it had ben bigger-Ohhh, that reminds me. Our family's been talking about buying a bigger TV." Chie said.
"Oh yeah? Well, flatscreen TVs are definitely in these days. Wanna go check 'em out on the way back? We're beefing up our electronics department this mouth." Yosuke said.
"Oh, definitely! My parents don't know anything about electronics, and I've just gotta see my kung fu movies on the big screen! Hwa-taaa!" Chie said raising her foot like a fighter.
"We've got some pretty big ones in stock. I bet they'd be big enough for you to fit into, hehe." Yosuke said to Ellen.
"I bet they'd be big enough for you to fit into...yeah, maybe I can find one to push you in with a punch, you moron!...*sigh* but then again what was expecting. This is a stupid story to believe..." Ellen thought to herself.
They all went to Junes together in the electronics department. "Wow, this is huge! And...Holy crap, it's expensive! Who buys something like this?" Chie said.
"I dunno...Rich folks? Honestly, not many people shop for TVs here. That's why we don't have clerks around." Yosuke said.
"Huh...Not worth trying then, I guess. Well, at least looking's free." Chie said.
Ellen just nodded, thinking about something. Meanwhile the others tried to get in the TV by pushing their hands in it. After nothing happen Yosuke said "...Nope, can't get in. Figures."
"Haha, this proves it. It was all just a dream." Chie said.
"Besides, these flat-screen TVs are so thin, you'd just end up on the other side...Argh, what am I saying!? So, Chie. What kind of TV are you guys in the market for?" Yosuke said.
"They said they wanted one that's cheap. You got any suggestions?" Chie asked.
The two walked over to the right a it to look at another TV. Yosuke said "Well, Miss, might I suggest this one over here? It's the newest model, just released this spring..."
"Wha-that's not cheap at all! There's way too many zeroes!" Chie yelled.
"I should've asked what you meant by "cheap" right off the bat." Yosuke said.
"You've got connections, right? C'mon, hook me up!" Chie said.
"You know I can't do that...Hey, how aout this one over here? It's a display unit. It's a little old, but..." Yosuke said.
Ellen turned back to the TV in front of her. "Maybe I'll be able to get in...It's big enough at least..." Ellen thought to herself.
Ellen then walked closer to it and stick her hand in it. Just like last night, it went in. She heard Yosuke say "Oh yeah, Ellen, what kind of TV do you-"
"Huh? Something wrong, Yosuke?" CHie asked.
She turned to see Ellen and Yosuke said "I-Is her arm...in the TV...?"
"Whoa...Uhhh...Is that some kinda...new model? L-Like with a new function?" Chie asked nervously.
"Hell no!" Yosuke yelled.
They both ran to Ellen and Chie said "You gotta be kidding me...Did you really stick your hand through the screen?"
"What does it look like to you?" Ellen asked Chie.
"Oh man...This is for real...That's some magic trick! So how's it work, huh!? What's the magician's secret!?" Yosuke asked freaking out.
"I don't know but, maybe..." Ellen said.
Then she put her head in it. Just like her hand it went in. "H-Hey, don't do that! What're you doing!?" Yosuke asked freaking out even more.
"Oh my God!" Chie yelled.
"Huh, it's very empty inside." Ellen said.
"Wh-What do you mean, "inside"!?" Yosuke asked.
"Wh-What do you mean, "empty"!?" Chie asked.
"It's also quite spacious. Huh, weird." Ellen said.
"Wh-What do you mean, "spacious"!?" Yosuke asked.
"I mean, what's going on!?" Chie asked.
"Holy crap...I-I think this is all too much for my bladder..." Yosuke said.
"What the-? Are you gonna pee your pants!? Chie asked.
"I've been holding it in all day! I-I haven't had a chance to go...Aaarrgh! Can't...hold it...anymore...!" Yosuke said.
Yosuke ran off but, then came back saying "Shit! Customers! They're coming!"
"What!? But we've got a girl half stuck in the TV here! Wh-What're we gonna do!?" Chie yelled.
They ran around and soon tripped on Ellen and they all fell into the TV. They fell for a bit and then landed hard on a place unknown. The place was fogging and hard to see. They all got up and Chie asked "So...uh...we're still alive...Right?"
Ellen looked up and said "Is this a dream?"
"No, I'd say the pain I'm feeling right now is very real." Yosuke said.
"R-Real...?" Chie asked.
"Whoa!" Yosuke yelled.
"Wh-What now?! Did you wet you pants!?" Chie asked.
"No, stupid! Look around!" Yosuke yelled.
They looked around and Chie asked "Is this...a studio? All this fog...Or is it smoke?"
"No, it's fog. If it was smoke, we would be smelling it by now." Ellen said as a matter fact.
"Huh...There's not place like this in Inaba, is there...?" Chie asked.
"Hell no...But man...this place is huge..." Yosuke said.
"What're we gonna do...?" Chie asked.
"Let's look around and-" Ellen tried to say.
"Huh? But..." Chie said.
"Let me finish. Let's look around and find an exit." Ellen said.
"O-Oh...ok." Chie said.
"I agree. There's got to be an exit somewhere." Yosuke said.
"Hey, wait a minute...Which way did we come in from?" Chie asked.
"...Above." Ellen said looking up.
"What?!" Chie asked.
"Think about it. Most of us fell on your backs. If we entered in the right or left then we would have landed on our sides." Ellen said.
"Oh ok..." Chie said thinking how Ellen could think like that in this situation.
"So if we entered from above then how to we get out?" Yosuke asked.
"I don't know. That's why we should look around." Ellen said.
"Is there really a way outta here...?" Chie asked.
"We got in...so we must be able to get out somehow." Yosuke said.
"That's true, but..." Chie said.
"If there's no exit, we're trapped so let's cross our fingers and look around." Yosuke said.
They all soon walked around. They soon enter a new unknown area. Chie soon said "What is this place...? It feels different from where we were before..."
"It looks like we're in some kinda building, but...Damn, this fog's so think, I can hardly see." Yosuke said.
"Are you sure we're not wandering farther away?" Chie asked.
"I can't be positive, but we've gotta trust our instinct a little." Yosuke said.
"I know, but..." Chie said.
"We got to keep going." Ellen said.
They walked on soon finding a room. The fog in the room is lighter than outside. Yosuke said "Hey, is it me or is the fog lighter here?"
"I've notice that too..." Ellen said.
Yosuke checked his phone and said in disappointment "No service. What a surprise..."
"Can't you guys slow down a little? It's hard enough to see where you're going..." Chie said coming in.
When the others turned around they saw the room was a disaster. Ripped posters and splatters of red and yellow all over. "It's a dead end! There's no exit!" Chie yelled.
"It keeps getting creepier and creepier the further we go..." Yosuke said.
"Yeah, talk about having demons..." Ellen said.
"Aargh! I can't hold it any longer...My bladder's gonna explode...!" Yosuke said.
He ran to a corner and Chie yelled "Yosuke!? What're you doing!?"
"I gotta let it out before I piss my pants!" Yosuke yelled.
"You're going here!? Oh, you have got to be kidding..." Chie said.
"T-Turn around! I can't go if everyone's watching!" Yosuke yelled.
Ellen turned around while after a bit Yosuke said "Aaaaargh...I can't do it! It's all your fault if my bladder bursts!" Yosuke yelled.
"Like I care...Anyways...what's with this room? Check out these posters...Their faces are all cut out...Someone must really hate this person." Chie said.
"Dude...this chair and rope...That kind of arrangement is never good...It's tied in a noose...Is this a scarf?" Yosuke said.
"C'mon...Let's go back to where we came from and look somewhere else for an exit..." Chie said.
They were about to leave when Yosuke said "Hey...I think I've seen that poster before..."
"Who CARES!? Let's go! I am sick of this place! And I'm not feeling so good..." Chie yelled.
"Now that you mention it, me too..." Yosuke said.
"...Let's leave. I'm feeling sick too." Ellen said feeling heavy.
"Alright, let's go back. I'm seriously starting to feel sick too..." Yosuke said.
Then they all went back to where they started. "Whew...We finally made it back here...Wait...What's that...?" Chie said.
"Th-There's something over there!" Yosuke yelled.
They saw a figure far off. It walked over it was an odd looking bear mascot. "What is this thing? A monkey? A bear...?" Chie asked.
"What in the world...?" Yosuke asked.
"Th-That's what I wanna know! Who are you guys...?" asked the bear.
"*gasp* It talked! W-What are you!? Y-You wanna fight!?" Chie yelled.
"D-Don't yell at me like that..." said the bear cowering in fear.
"...He doesn't look like a threat." Ellen thought to herself.
Then she walked up the bear and petted it on the head saying "We're sorry. We didn't mean to bother you. Are you ok?"
The bear purred and smiled saying "You're nice...your hands are so soft."
"What are you?" Ellen asked.
"I'm a bear. Can't you tell? I live here by myself. I've always lived here. It doesn't have a name."
"You...live here?" Yosuke asked.
"If I was you guys, I'd hurry back to the other side. Someone's been throwing people in here. It's a big headache." the bear said.
"Huh? Throwing people in? What're you talking about?" Yosuke asked.
"I dunno who's doing it! I just want them to think before they go doing things like that!" the bear yelled.
"Hey, what's you problem? What gives YOU the right to yell at us like that!? What ARE you!? Where are we!? What the hack's going on here!?" Chie yelled.
The bear hides behind Ellen closely and says "I already told you...A-Anyways, you should hurry back."
Ellen pets the bear head again while Yosuke said "What it comes down to is, you want us to get outta here, right? Well, so do we! We just down know how, dammit!"
The bear yells at Yosuke "Urrrrgh! That's why I'm saying I'll let you out!"
"Like I keep saying, we don't know where the frickin' exit-Wait...What?" Yosuke said.
The bear taps his foot and a three old TVs appeared. "What the hell!?" Yosuke said.
"Wh-Where did those TVs come from!?" Chie asked.
They walked in front of them while the bear yelled "Okay, now go, go, get outta here! I'm a busy bear!"
The bear pushed them into the TV and after a bit of protesting from everyone they fell inside and made it back to Junes on the floor. "Huh? Is this...?" Chie asked.
"Did we...make if back?" Yosuke asked.
"It looks that way." Ellen said while they all stood up.
They all heard a store announcement say "Attention, shoppers. Our daily limited-time sale will now begin at the side dish area on the first floor. Why not try the delicious, fresh produce Junes picked for you this morning as your side dish for dinner tonight. All ages are invited to take advantage of this incredible bargain!"
"Crap, it's already that late!?" Yosuke asked.
"Looks like we were in there for quite a while..." Chie said.
"That's right...Now I remember where I saw that poster before..." Yosuke said.
He points at the poster saying "Look over there! That's the poster we saw!"
"What's up now?" Chie asked
She turned around and said "Hey, you're right, they're the same. I couldn't tell before without the face, but it was Misuzu Hiiragi...She's been all over the news lately. Something about...her husband having an affair with that announcer lady who died the other day."
"Hey, so does that mean...? That weird room we saw... Could it be related to that Yamano lady's death...? Now that I think about it...there was that creepy noose hanging from the ceiling...Yaaargh, stop! No more! We gotta stop talking about this. I'm gonna wipe what happened today from my brain. I don't think my poor heart can take anymore...But before I do, Ellen you were amazing back there!" Yosuke said.
"Yeah, I'm surprised you kept calm back there...!" Chie said.
Ellen started to walk off then turned around and said "No...back there I was nearly scared out of mind...I didn't know if we were going to live or die or if that bear was going to breath fire or not at us...my point being thanks for the compliment, but I'm going to have something to eat, take a nice warm bath, and go. to. bed. Goodnight."
Ellen then left and went home thinking to herself "Ok, first the mess up dreams, then the murder, and now a world inside the TV. What's next? Crawling through dungeons?!"
When she got home, she sat down with the Dojimas still feeling sluggish. "Hey, welcome home." Dojima said.
"Hey..." Ellen said.
It was quiet for a moment then Dojima said "Uh-Hmm...Well, I doubt you'd know...But have you heard anything about a student named Saki Konishi?"
"I heard she discovered the body, but little else..." Ellen said.
"Yeah, it's true...To be honest...we got a call from her family. She's disappeared. We've got people looking for her, but she hasn't been found yet...*sigh* Work just keeps piling up..." Dojima said.
"...Well, I hope she's found soon." Ellen said.
The news came on as usual with the announcer "And now, more on the case still casting a shadow over the foggy town of Inaba. Not long ago, television announcer Mayumi Yamano was found dead in the small town. up until now, her whereabouts prior to her death had been unknown. But the police investigation has found that she had been staying in the region's famous Amagi Inn. She had apparently been staying there alone. Perhaps she was taking a vacation to recover from her ordeal...?"
"Oh yes, the Amagi Inn! Their hot springs are first-rate. The manger's teenage daughter also works there, and it's rumored that she'll take over the inn this spring. If that happens, she'll be one of the youngest managers on record! I should book another trip there!" said the commentator.
"Uhh...I-I see ...Moving along, it's time for the weather report. The rain has begun to subside. From now until morning, heavy fog warnings will be in effect in the Inaba region. Visibility will be severely reduced, so please be careful if you plan on driving in the area..."
The news continues. "Is the ramen ready now?" Nanako asked.
"Give it some more time." Dojima said.
Ellen sneezed and felt a slight chill. "Are you sick? You're probably still adjusting to the new environment. Nanako, could you get her some cold medicine?" Dojima said.
Nanako got up to go get it. "You should go to bed after you take it." Dojima said.
"Yeah...thank you..." Ellen said.
Once she took the medicine, she went to bed not knowing another murder has been done.
