CHAPTER 2 – KUZUNOHA DETECTIVE AGENCY

Minako woke up the next morning and light overwhelmed her vision for a couple of seconds. Once the discomfort subsided, she saw the very same silver-haired woman that helped her the night before, standing over her, with her signature yellow irises and eager expression on her face.

"E...Elizabeth?", she instantly recognized her as one of the attendants of the Velvet Room, who had helped her by providing useful items and other valuable aid in exchange for completing tasks both trivial and challenging.

"Thaaaat's right! Trained elevator operator, nurse and your friend, Elizabeth! Oh, how I have missed you. Did you convince Master Philemon to set you free? Or maybe we're gonna see the end of the world this evening? Ah, doesn't matter! I guess we'll find out.", the eccentric woman was stopped when a hand was put on her shoulder, by a woman in her mid 30s, a short brown haircut and wearing a striped brown suit. Someone who Minako did not recognize.

"Well, I haven't seen Elizabeth this excited since we took that case in Mikage-Cho", she paused to sip from a cup of tea held in the other hand. "How are you feeling?"

"This all feels surreal. I was… doing a specific task for a long time and then... I somehow got here?" The auburn-haired girl didn't feel necessarily compelled to hide the truth from the woman. It had been primary a feeling of confusion removing her restraints, but there was little doubt even the most knowledgeable person would have difficulty comprehending the extent of the predicament she had found herself in since these damned last days of December 2009.

"That's alright, you don't need to explain for now. My name's Tamaki – Chief Detective of the Kuzunoha Detective Agency and professional Demon Summoner. My friend and partner Elizabeth found you yesterday in a pretty bad shape and brought you here...", Minako lifted her head from the couch and looked around the room of what seemed a fairly fancy office building. "...when you're up facing cosmic horrors, divine powers and similar stuff, I'd say waking up almost naked in an alleyway isn't the worst of fates.", Tamaki continued and added after an alarmed glance at her body following the last sentence: "That's my old school uniform by the way. Slightly too small, but we can get you something better once you get back on your feet."

Minako just nodded and Tamaki left to a side room, as the shutting sound of cupboard doors and various shelves was heard, alongside, strangely enough, frequent meowing sounds. Elizabeth came closer and sat on the edge of the couch.

"Don't worry Minako, Mistress Uchida is a pretty decent cook. Rest, my friend. And do not worry about whatever task you might have gotten, or what circumstance Master Philemon put you into. If he had malicious intent, you would not have surfaced so near my location, nor would I have spotted you on my midnight walk."

The words of Elizabeth were reassuring and sufficed to calm most of her hazy, but immediate concerns. The details of Philemon's task, the whereabouts of her former comrades, the where and when of her current situation or even the reason why Elizabeth was not in the velvet room anymore, did not come to mind in her weakened state and would have to wait. But one thing requiring the highest priority did come to word that cold morning in the city of Sumaru.

"Elizabeth?"

"hm?"

"Thank you."

Thursday, 20th January 2011 – Aoba, Sumaru City

Minako Arisato was woken up by the chimes on the front door of the Kuzunoha Detective Agency, as Detective Tamaki Uchida and her companion who looked suspiciously similar to a disguised form of the Persona "Nekomata" bid her good morning.

Elizabeth, was sitting on the armchair and reading a manga. The unusual, yet strangely mundane sight perplexed Minako, but left it uncommented.

Having been slightly more than five days with the detectives, Minako was finally strong enough to not be bedridden anymore. The knowledge of her situation was also passed upon Tamaki and Elizabeth. She discovered that Elizabeth had left the Velvet Room to look for a way to free her from her fate, something that she was overjoyed succeeded without any intervention, and that she unfortunately had little knowledge of the fate of SEES after the group had disbanded in April of 2010, almost a full year ago. Her objective remained unclear, but Elizabeth was certain no particular action was necessary and that destiny would guide her on the right path regardless of what is to be done.

Nevertheless, she had food, water and shelter at her current place of residence – a detective agency in the heart of Sumaru City, in the vicinity of a nice park and a couple of local media companies' HQ and less than an hour away from Iwatodai. Sumaru City was the centre of Persona-Related troubles at the turn of the millennium, but Minako did not react in surprise to that news. SEES was composed of people from the most different of backgrounds, which had all coalesced together as if a magnet was all attracting them to the same purpose.

Tamaki spoke up, interrupting the train of thought of Mrs. Arisato, announcing important news:

"I have found a solution to your current homelessness and 'suddenly being alive again' problem. I asked around and my aunt has a place available for a young girl in her house in the countryside. She's pretty old now, but is still healthy – no need to take any special care of her, and I think she'd appreciate the company. Sounds good?", Tamaki made her proposal with a smile.

"Yeah, that sounds nice. Thank you Tamaki-san.", Minako nodded.

"It's in a town called Inaba, ever heard of it? Not much there but some rice fields and hot springs, I think?"

"Inaba, yes. I've been there. I remember. Nice place."

"And it's not that far away from here either, so we can come and visit whenever we have the time – oh, I'm so looking forward to spending time with you again Minako.", Elizabeth added.

"Indeed. As for your identity, it is an unfortunate necessity that you may not keep yours anymore. Showing up alive after a bureaucratic error is almost guaranteed to get you into some low-quality or entertainment-based press. Doing the same after a publicized funeral? That's gonna get you attention we do not want… Anyway, I pulled some strings, got in touch with some old friends and made something up for you."

Tamaki opened a large envelope, and started reciting:

"Kotone Shiomi. Age: 18. Born: 1992 abroad to Japanese parents; records were lost in an administrative mishap when moving back to Japan. (except the ones we made for you, like school records). So how's that sound?"

"Reincarnation after Death, fitting. Mutatsu would approve."