"B-But sir…!"
"I don't wanna hear it, Ms. Biker Gang! Now get lost!"
As expected, Mr. Morooka saw the news about Chikara's encounter. He wasn't pleased. Chika's never seen him so hostile about something that didn't involve his students. She could practically see steam coming out of his ears. As she holds a box full of her belongings, she's forced out of her boss's office and has the door slammed in her face. She flinches.
"Shit…" she mumbles, partly because of her screw-up. "Well, I didn't want to work in this backwater town anyway!"
With that, she goes straight home. She vowed not to depend completely on Kanji whenever she feels down. He may get the wrong impression again and blab about it…
Once she reaches her apartment, she flings her belongings onto the counter. She falls on the couch, grabs a pillow, buries her face in it, and screams. In her mind she asks herself why, why she confronted the bikers. She and Kanji were the only ones out there trying to be heroes. Why couldn't she stay in bed like a normal person?! She'll soon go home to an irritated husband, but what else is there to do…?
Chika loses track of time as she sulks on her bed. Soon it becomes nighttime. She hears a strange fuzzy noise emitting from her television. She looks up from her chewed-up sheets to see a figure. It's unclear, but definitely a person. He or she is struggling to stay alive, yet is fighting against nothing. It's a familiar silhouette.
What the… It's her silhouette! The screen flashes and the image, as quickly as it appeared, is gone. What…was that?
For the sake of her sanity, she blames what she saw on anxiety and lays back down.
Her fears are realized once the Persona-wielding students have a sudden interest in her.
"H-Hey, Mrs. Sanada! Sooo…Sorry about you losing your job…" Yosuke says. He and his friends somehow find Chikara's home.
"Yeah, uh, look, I'm not really in the mood to talk…" she grumbles while rubbing her eye with one hand and holding a cup of coffee in the other. She's has a robe and slippers on, not exactly "outside" attire.
"Ignore him. We're actually here for a reason," Chie sighs. "We think that you might be in danger."
"That so…" Chika says. She's still half asleep so she pretends to listen. She takes a sip of her caffeine, nodding every few seconds as the kids resume their explanation.
"So look out for anyone suspicious and try to stay home," says Chie. "…I-I guess that's gonna be easier for you now! Ahaha…ha."
That definitely wasn't a jab at the ego…
"Mm," Chikara feigns agreement anyway. Anything to make them leave.
"We'll see you again."
Yu speaks up, surprising his former teacher. She still isn't quite used to how straightforward he is. He reminds her of the girl Shinjiro fell for, and it leaves a bad taste in her mouth. Before her behavior reflects her thoughts, she sees them off and heads back into her house.
Teddie and Bunny await their friends' return at the crime scene TV set, as usual. Bunny is sitting in a slumped kneeling position. Hands planted to the ground, ears tucked into her snow-colored hair, and head held high, she sniffs around for any impending danger. She feels it's necessary to train her nose to differentiate between Teddie and the enemy. She was recently attacked by the Shadows, which never occurred before. Did she pose a threat to them? Do they, like her and Teddie, base their surroundings on scent and Yosuke's smell rubbed off on her?
…Probably not, but what else could explain what happened?
Teddie doesn't bother to make use of their time while waiting for news about the investigation. He has been staring at the jaundice abyss, paws behind his back and lost in thought. While his companion is still mad about his rejection, she can't help but worry.
"So what if you needed help finding that Kanji guy?" she says. "Everyone has an off day."
"But your nose is as sharp as ever and I…" his voice trails off.
"Don't be stupid. They'd never get rid of you. Without you they'd be stuck in here."
"So cruel…"
"Ugh…Come here."
Teddie reluctantly does so, thinking that he'll be punished for annoying her. Her behavior has become quite unpredictable lately…Once he's in front of her, his squeaky steps tell her he's about to turn around.
"Don't."
He freezes, confused. Bunny reaches out for him, prodding the air. Teddie bends his thick torso until the top of his head faces her. She places her hand on his tuft of fur, grabs, and pulls until she stands.
"What is it?" Teddie wonders, looking up at his slightly taller friend. Instead of answering, she hugs him. It's a warm, loving embrace. Teddie purrs because his face is at chest level. Perverted thoughts cloud his mind until Bunny mutters "They can throw you away, call you a useless bear, but in the end I'll need you."
"…After the fog lifts?" Teddie asks, knowing that the unwelcome mist stands between Bunny and her sight.
"Even after the fog lifts," Bunny smiles.
Chikara figures that it would be better to tell Akihiko the bad news over the phone so that he would have time to cool off. It would at least be better than returning home early, luggage at her feet, saying "Surpriiiise, I'm unemploooyed!" with jazz hands…That's Plan B.
A plan that is coming closer and closer to fruition because Akihiko isn't answering his cell. Chika begins to panic. How far out does the news reach? Does he already know?
Before having any more farfetched thoughts, she hears the doorbell ring.
"If it's those kids again, I swear…" she mumbles. She's more prepared for socializing with a sundress and refreshed countenance, but she still doesn't want to be bothered. She places her phone next to her glasses on the nightstand and heads to the door. She looks through the peephole to see a slouching deliveryman. She doesn't remember making any recent purchases, despite the weekly Tanaka's Commodities tempting her to. Deciding not to be rude, she opens the door and says there was a misunderstanding.
Her sentence is cut off by the deliveryman's sudden movement. With one fell swoop he plants a piece of cloth onto her nose and mouth. He pulls her close with his free arm. Chika sharply inhales a chemical. She stomps on the man's foot and shoves him. He topples back, giving her time to slam the door and rush to her bedroom. Her consciousness begins to waver. Her running turns into drunken shuffles. She uses nearby furniture and walls as support as she struggles to reach her cell. Colors blur and merge together and she her heart thumps in her ears. The door opens again. She didn't lock it! Her phone…It's just…within…her…reach…
...
Shifting of cloth…Darkened vision…Trouble breathing…Makeshift transportation…And seconds later, a force. A familiar force that envelops Chikara's body. Her elbow bumps into the edge of cold hard plastic, stimulating a sensitive nerve. The bolt of pain is enough to wake her. She grabs onto something solid and hangs on for dear life. The tips of her fingers cling onto the edge. She tells herself repeatedly not to look down as she uses what's left of her strength to pull up. She gets an arm out of the spiraling abyss and presses it against the plastic. Once her hand slaps against something sturdy, she lifts her own weight as much as she can. Although she's dry, the sensation is reminiscent to emerging from a swimming pool. Just as her ears exit the strange world, she hears slimy gurgling. She'd know that sound anywhere; it's coming from them. Are they right below her…? Her breath quickens and she extracts the upper half of her body with another strained tug. Exhausted, she places her hands evenly apart on the plastic edge and tries to finish the job. To her frustration, she's at her limit. Replacing the hyperventilating with a deep, slow breath, she lowers her head. Her hair cloaks her face as she closes her eyes. The least she can do is figure out where she is. Okay. She can feel movement so she's in a vehicle. Roomy enough to be a truck. So there's a latch on the door…meaning it's locked from the outside. There's no way out without her kidnapper's help. Great.
Hmhm…You really are hopeless…
And now she's hearing voices. This really is the end.
HmhmhmhmahahahahaHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA, you're gonna be fun…
That voice is hers.
"Wha-"
The truck hits a pothole, sending Chika flying towards the door. Once her back makes contact, she hears metal sliding against metal before blacking out.
"T-Teddie…"
Bunny starts to tremble. A new threat, and therefore a new victim if nothing is accomplished, has arrived.
"Yeah, I smell it too," says the bear. "…But…that's weird…"
"What?"
"I…know something's different, but…it smells…off."
Chikara uses her shoulder and what's left of her stamina to hit the door again. Metal against metal. The latch is movable. There's still hope! Without her phone or a clue where she is, there still may be trouble, but it's better than just sitting around. Just a little bit more…She hits it again and falls. That's it. She can't do anymore. The doors open. She tumbles onto the coarse road slides a few feet, collecting pebbles and nicks on the way. Chika chuckles weakly while lying on her side. The driver speeds off, somehow unaware of the noise. He must have a one-track mind if he wasn't prepared for any backfires…
Sitting up, she hears the heart-wrenching sound of a car quickly approaching. She recoils, preparing for the impact. It screeches, missing her by mere inches. At this point, she's not sure if she's using up all of her luck in one day. A car door opens. Out comes an unexpected face.
"Chikara!" Akihiko shouts before rushing to her and scooping her up. He takes her off the road and carefully lays her down. His usually hardened gray eyes are filled with terror. Instead of his typical gym wear, he decided to sport a black and red suit for the surprise visit.
"Aki…Th-That man, he…and…I-I…" Chika struggles to say as Akihiko coddles her.
"It's okay….It's okay…" he says until she passes out.
"…and then I got out. I'm pretty sure it was a TV like last time," Chikara explains after recovering at her apartment. She was patched up by her husband, who grew accustomed to injuries. Luckily she didn't cause any permanent damages. Akihiko sits next to her on the couch she slept on.
"Well…We've seen stranger things," he says. "Maybe you need this after all."
He pulls on a jacket flap and takes an Evoker out of the hidden pocket. He places it on the short coffee table in front of them. The gun-shaped Persona summoner was one of the few indications that you were a member of S.E.E.S.
"You mean you…" Chika states disbelievingly.
"I had a talk with Mitsuru and she said that I should trust you more," says Aki, brushing back his eye color-matching hair. "Besides, now that the Shadows know about you, it wouldn't hurt to keep it around."
Chikara grins before knocking her husband back with a hug and saying "Thank you!" several times in rapid succession. Aki chuckles.
"For someone who's scared of them, you hardly turn down a chance to face them."
"I learned from the best," Chika sneers.
"I know, honey," Akihiko leans in to kiss her on the forehead. "But you shouldn't jump into it right away. Go to work tomorrow, if you can. Take your mind off things."
"…Right, um…" Chikara stares at the floor, patting her thighs interchangeably. Aki raises an eyebrow.
"What did you do now?" he asks.
"I-Is the 'now' really necessary?" Chika scoffs. "…Well, it's just…it's a good thing you're here. It means I…won't have to take the train…"
"...Why do you have to take the train so early…?"
"Beeecaaaause mybosssawmeontvfightingabikergangwithKanji!" Chika shuts her eyes and spills the whole thing. After a brief silence, she reopens an eye to see why Aki didn't lecture her yet. He definitely looks disappointed, just…quiet.
"I'm used to it by now," he finally says, sighing. "You say that I should stop treating you like my kohai-"
"Because I'm not your kohai anymore."
"-but you're making it hard."
"Oh, come on, it's not like I had a choice!"
"Really. They pursued you. They picked a fight with you."
"Yeah! …Kinda! Look, I was trying to help out a friend and it didn't work out as planned. It's…just a little hiccup!" Chikara states before remembering something. "…And you're not exactly being mature either! I heard some things. People here have no idea who I am!"
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"Please, don't act like you didn't freak out at the thought of dating. It took months for you to talk to me as a girl instead of a sparring partner. Gods forbid, someone found out that we're married. I get that you're a big shot or whatever and you move around a lot, but it's gotten to the point where you don't even mention me!" Chika quickly wipes away emerging tears.
"I mention you all the time."
"As your wife?"
More silence.
"…Aki…Are you embarrassed of me?"
Akihiko leans toward the table, focused on the opposite wall and hands intertwined. It takes him a while to respond.
"It's not like I'm…I mean, sometimes it's…difficult to…"
Chikara doesn't give him a chance to finish. She stands, snatches the Evoker at an awkward angle, and marches to her room. Akihiko doesn't budge as she slams the door.
Akihiko waits a few hours before approaching his beloved. She's fast asleep, the Evoker still tightly in her grasp. She's curled up in a ball, and there's evidence that she's been crying and trashing the room. Another one of her tantrums…Aki does love her, he's sure of it, but…it's a side of her that becomes more unnatural as time passes. What's causing her to revert to her pre-S.E.E.S. personality?
Whatever it is, Aki refuses to give up on her. He already did so with the leader after discovering her infidelity. He sits on the bed, careful not to make it creak. He sweeps some hair out of her face with his hand before resting it on her cheek. He smiles weakly. Akihiko loves her and she loves him…and it'll work out. He's sure of it.