The Idol and the Prince

Part X

09/17

As the team burst through the door, the scene wasn't what they expected. The room was spacious, airy, but in the middle stood a gurney with fluorescent lights bearing down on it. A menacing looking drill was suspended over the gurney, with a jagged edged saw hanging beside it. Two figures were huddled at the base of the table, the focus of attention as the group rushed in.

Kanji was first through the door. "Naoto!"

Yukiko came in behind, her attention immediately drawn to Rise who was slumped against the base of the operating table. Naoto was kneeling beside the girl, sweating dripping from his brow, panic on his face as he tried to tend to Rise's broken arm. There was a roll of bandages, antiseptic, and a bloodied towels strewn around the two. He looked up as the group rushed in, relief washing over him.

Through the redhead's ripped sleeve, Yukiko paled at the sight of exposed bone, rushing over as she summoned Konohana Sakuya.

She whispered under her breath. "Diarahan…"

Naoto's eyes widened as he watched the huge humanoid figure behind Yukiko channel a warm glow through to the unconscious girl. The bones reset and the skin mended itself. It was extraordinary how seamlessly the healing happened, leaving not even a scar.

"It's about time you guys got here…" Naoto sighed, relaxing as he sat down on the floor. "I can't wait to go back…" The detective wiped the sweat off his brow with the back of his hand, feeling the emotional exhaustion take hold. He had begun to accept the incredulity of the world he was in, accepting Yukiko's magic, accepting the existence of monsters that lurked in the shadows.

"No! No, no, no! Don't go!" The voice echoed through the room and the group tensed up.

A figure emerged from the shadows, its large labcoat dragged behind him on the floor. "Why? Why are you leaving me here!? Why am I always left alone!? It's so lonely…I don't want to be alone!" The voice was hysterical, the figure flailing his arms around wildly.

The group knew what was coming. It was Naoto's alter ego, a younger looking version of Naoto and according to Yousuke, a hundred times more annoying, but by now, they all knew the drill. It was just a matter of time.

Naoto stood shakily, placing himself between Rise and the figure. "You…you wear the same face as me, but we're different." Rise was starting to come around, the loud voices bringing her back into consciousness.

The other Naoto snickered, his sinister yellow eyes darkening. "Why delude yourself? I am you. I know how you feel. I know how no matter how many crimes you solve, you're a child in their eyes. Once they're done with you, it's back to the playpen with you."

"That's enough. You're wrong about everything."

"You need a reason, don't you? For them to keep you around? For Rise to keep you around?" The shadow snickered, knowing exactly how to push Naoto's buttons.

Rise stirred at the sounds of her name. It was Naoto's voice yet she felt it wasn't Naoto. She was easing herself up, startling Yukiko beside her.

"Rise…" The black haired girl supported the redhead, helping her sit up more comfortably.

Naoto grit his teeth together, feeling the anger well up. "I can find my own reason to for living. I don't need the validation of others for anything."

The shadow scoffed. "How ironic. That's what you fear the most, isn't it? Not receiving validation from others? They don't even know the real you. You admired the 'strong' and 'cool' men from detective fiction. You try to be them. That's why you play detective. That's why you try to live up to you manly name. Shirogane 'Naoto'. Your name doesn't change anything. The pieces seem to fit, but you'll never cross the barrier between the sexes."

"Naoto-kun…what is it saying…?" Rise's hand shot out, gripping Naoto's sleeve.

The detective paled as he realized that Rise was conscious again. He was glad she was alright, but it couldn't have come at a worse time. There was nothing right about today and he felt like everything was crumbling down around him. The exposure of his identity was imminent and he felt a gnawing sense of hopelessness enter him.

"Stop it! Don't say any more!" Desperately, Naoto lunged at the figure, ripping himself away from Rise's grasp. The shadow deflected the boy away, throwing him back at Rise's feet with a thud.

"Naoto!" Rise scrambled to Naoto's side.

Groaning, the detective stumbled to his feet, desperation dripping from every ounce of him. "Please…don't!"

"Hahaha! Look at how pathetic the great Shirogane Naoto is. You're such a fool. You were always a fool. How could you ever have thought you could be an ideal man if you were never male to begin with…?"

"Wait, what? Did he…Did I hear that right?" Yousuke did a double take, scrutinizing Naoto with fresh eyes.

At that, Naoto's shoulders slumped and he felt his legs buckle, falling to his knees. "No…no…" He could feel Rise's gaze glued to his back, but he couldn't muster up the strength to look her in the eyes. He didn't want to see the disappointment and the hurt that he imagined would mar her face.

"H-He's not a guy!?" Kanji face was red with embarrassment as he said this, feeling a bit of relief inside as this registered in his head.

"Naoto-kun…" Rise finally found her voice, reaching out again as she closed her fist around the tail of Naoto's coat. "This can't be true…is it?"

Naoto was silent, biting his lip until he drew blood. He stared straight at the floor,

"It's alright. You needn't suffer anymore. That's why you're undergoing this body alteration procedure to begin with. You throw a tantrum, but it fails to change the situation…I can understand the feeling. After all, I am you." Again, the shadow chuckled darkly at the humilation that it knew Naoto felt, feeling vindicated at the fact that everything was exposed. It could feel its power growing as Naoto's self-denial grew stronger.

It was only a matter of time.

"That's not true!" Naoto stood, rage coursing through his body.

Chie jumped up, trying to stop Naoto. "Don't say it!"

"You are not me! I am not you!"

For Naoto, everything faded to black as the shadow seemed to drain the life from him. The last thing he remembered was Rise catching him as he fell backwards.

"So…Naoto-kun was a girl." Chie had her hands on her hips as she stared at the prone figure on the ground. It wasn't all that hard to believe, but it was still shocking to say the least. She wondered how Rise must have been feeling.

Voices drifted around Naoto and she stirred.

Naoto's eyes fluttered open as the group crowded around her, the cool metal now a familiar sensation against her back. "W-what happened…?" The detective struggled to get up, but found someone at her side almost immediately. The blunette looked over to see Rise, an apologetic smile on her face. Naoto tensed, but let the redhead help her up.

"You don't remember, Naoto…kun?" Rise fumbled a bit with the prefix, adding to the already awkward mood hanging in the air.

Realization hit Naoto and she sighed. "That's right…you all…you all saw everything…" With Rise's help, Naoto stood, coming face to face with the shadow version of herself, its yellow eyes just watching her quizzically. "It's a long story, but all these problems started after my parents' deaths. I lost them in an accident when I was young. They were both detectives and I yearned for the day I could be a detective myself."

The other Naoto smiled warmly, feeling like they were making some headway.

"I had no qualms about becoming a detective and my grandfather helped me realize my dream. I helped with his clients and became a Junior Detective. At first, I was delighted, but not everything went smoothly…Not everyone welcomed my help and they…held certain things against me." Naoto continued, feeling Rise's grip tighten slightly on her arm.

"Do you…not like being a girl? Is that why you were trying to pass as a boy?" Yukiko tried to choose her words carefully, not knowing what else it could be.

"My sex doesn't fit the image of an ideal detective in a male-oriented society. Being a female in addition to being so much younger than all of them would just give them more reasons for the police department to look down on me. I would be a laughingstock and no one would need me anymore." Naoto scoffed, feeling exposed as she spilled her heart out to a room full of semi-strangers.

"Hey…" Kanji had a sympathetic look on his face, wondering how such a stoic person could have kept all this inside.

Yukiko came to Naoto's side, laying a hand the detective's shoulder. "Naoto-kun…you must know already that what you yearn for isn't to become an adult or become a boy…"

There was a pause before Naoto registered the thought, a weary smile on her face. "You're absolutely right."

Naoto turned towards her shadow self. "I'm sorry I kept ignoring you, pretending you didn't exist, but you are me…and I am you. What I should strive for isn't to become a man, but to accept myself for who I really am…"

There was a soft glow.

The strength of heart required to face oneself has been made manifest…

Sukuna Hikona materialized, an almost comical existence that resembled that of a child's toy. It was a humanoid robot with wings, a lance in its hand. Naoto smiled faintly, shaking her head at the irony of everything. She was part of this strange group now and her persona manifested in a form that represented what she had rejected for all these years.

The characteristic tarot card took place of the persona, disappearing as it seemed to become one with Naoto's body.

After the whole spectacle, the lights dimmed and Naoto fell to the ground, her knees losing strength, becoming overwhelmed with the emotional turmoil that came over her. "In any event…you're a devious bunch. I can't believe you kept something like this hidden for so long…" Naoto cast a sidelong glance at Rise, feeling a pang in her chest as she watched Rise's gaze fixed on the floor. "No wonder the perpetrator has eluded the police…but it's clear that this case is far from over."

"That's right…and you proved it, Naoto." Yosuke's tone was mocking, sarcastic almost, which earned him a jab in the ribs from Chie.

"Anyways, we'll talk more later. Let's get you out of here first." Chie shoved Yosuke aside, moving with Yukiko to help Naoto to her feet.

The group started moving, with Rise lagging behind them, her mind a jumble of thoughts.

"Sheesh…she really put her life on the line for this…" Chie sagged under the weight of Naoto's body, the detective losing her strength to stand.

The group was back at Junes, crowded around the TV where they exited that nightmarish other world.

"But without Naoto, we'd never have realized that the culprit is still at large." Yukiko chimed in as she too lowered Naoto gently to the floor.

The detective was now on the floor of the electronic department, kneeling. Her hands were resting on her knees, head lowered towards her chest. She was breathing heavily, the labored effort audible to the entire group.

"You're too frickin' reckless, damnit…" Kanji shook his head as he moved closer to the detective, motioning to help her up.

Without a word, Naoto put up her hand, in a 'stop' motion. There was a momentary pause before Naoto raised her head, easing herself off the linoleum tiles. "I…I never doubted that you'd all come for me…" Again, Naoto threw a glance at Rise, whom he caught turning away abruptly as he briefly caught her eye. "Although the reality turned out to be far beyond what I'd imagined."

"Tch…you're no genius, Shirogane. We were tearing our hair out over you. Not me personally…mostly Rise, but you were a real pain in our asses, you know?" Yousuke crossed his arms, rolling his eyes as he turned away.

There was a sudden awkwardness in the group as Yukiko, Chie, and Souji stole glances at Rise. They expected to see some sort of reaction, but the girl was stoic, unreadable, avoiding eye contact.

"Well, we should get Naoto-kun home. Yukiko and I will take her. I don't think she's in any condition to go back by herself." Chie broke the silence, checking her phone. It was getting late.

"It's alright…I can-"

"I'll take you."

Naoto jumped at the interruption, Rise's voice cutting into him like a knife. It was cold yet there was a tinge of sadness in her tone.

No one dared say anything to break the thick atmosphere.

"C'mon, let's go. Grab onto me." Rise didn't wait for an answer as she moved herself beside Naoto, easing her shoulder under the other girl's arm. She wrapped an arm around the detective's waist, easing the girl along as they made their way out of the store.

Before Souji and the others were out of earshot, Naoto leaned into Rise, whispering something that was just barely audible to the rest.

"Thank you…Rise…and I'm sorry."

A/N: Another chapter! Hoping to get this off my backburner and put it to rest once and for all. Thanks for reading!

Shoot me a review if you're still there :P

Thanks!