Author's Note: This chapter focuses on the Aerospace Museum... And strangely it's only one chapter... I kinda did the opposite of what I did with my last fanfic. I over estimated the amount of words it take. Still, back to what this chapter is actually about. Runa and her fellow Persona-users go the museum and Sudou sets fire to it, again. Also Ichiko Fujihara gets herself and others into trouble, again.
Disclaimer: I own nothing, all rights go to their respective owners.
Persona 2 EP - Chapter 4 - Aerospace Museum
The Aerospace Museum was full of old planes and rather worrisomely elementary school children. There was also an older high schooler examining some documents in a case on the wall. Beside a broken plane part, two children one younger boy and older girl were talking to each other. The girl had pink hair styled in pigtails and the boy had light brown hair. The two children were called over by a teacher, and they hurried off in the direction of one of teachers present in the museum.
I really don't like how many people are inside this museum, Runa commented in silence.
"Damn! What are all these children doing here? We have to get them out of here!" Katusya expressed his concern once the children were out of earshot.
"Yes, but how…" Maya started before she was distracted. She stared at the high-school boy, who was wearing the uniform of a senior from Kasugayama High school.
Runa, Ulala, Baofu and Katsuya turned their heads in the boy's direction as well, uncertain of what made Maya stare. The boy turned his head and he locked eyes with Maya. Runa noticed that the boy had a blue flower in the pocket of his uniform. Runa cocked her head, and wondered. Wait, do I know him from somewhere? He seems oddly familiar.
The black haired boy approached Maya and introduced himself. "Um… I'm Jun Kashihara."
"Forgive me for asking such a question, but, have we met somewhere before?" Jun asked Maya.
"Now that you mention… I did have the exact same feeling," Maya admitted.
"You, too…? We HAVE met somewhere. But where…?" Jun pondered before he said. "Ah! Did you bump into a tall guy from Seven Sisters High School?"
"Yes, I did… How did you know that?" Maya wondered.
Jun replied and concluded. "I was passing by at the time. I thought I saw you somewhere… It must have been there…" He paused when his gaze rested on Runa briefly.
"Wait… Did you two met in front of the station?" Runa tentatively asked.
"Huh? Yes, we did… Wait, you're… Runa Suou, right?" Jun responded.
"Y-You know my name!?" Runa exclaimed.
"Of course, you're the fourth muse. Correct?"
Runa sheepishly grinned and blushed. "That might explain it. Yeah, I am."
"Though, how did you know that I saw Kashihara-kun at the train station?" Maya asked.
Kashihara… Huh? Oh, you mean him, Runa realised silently before she answered. "I knew because I was there with my brother."
"Your b-brother…" Maya muttered before her eyes widen. "Could it be?"
"Could what?" Runa prompted.
"It's nothing," Maya shook her head. Runa frowned not entirely convinced.
"Then neither of you gave me that letter, huh…?" Jun said.
"A letter? What did it say?" Maya puzzled.
"Someone gave me a letter asking me to come here and meet a 'friend…' I don't know who it can be…" Jun explained.
"Hey, that stuff doesn't matter now, hurry up and bail!" Ulala warned Jun. Ulala then turned and scolded Maya. "What are YOU doing even listening to him? You're so vulnerable to younger men! We don't know where the Voice Man is…"
"Ulala, I'm not vulnerable to…" Maya started, but she went pale when the entrance and exit of the museum went up in flames.
"That was our only way out," Runa said under her breath while the others stared at the sight.
"Hya… Ha-ha-ha! I set some bombs to start a fire. First ones go off in the stairwell, others floors are timed to follow. You remember, it's just like the Other Side. If you don't take the kids up here, they become barbecued! …Hee… Eh… Hya-ha! Hya…. Ha-ha-ha!" Sudou's maniac voice echoed over the PA system.
"Tch…! Hurry up and get the kids upstairs!" Kastuya ordered. Katsuya turned to Jun. "You're Kashihara-kun, right? Find the teachers in charge and head for the roof! Runa, go with him and use Angelos, if the need arises."
"Angelos?" Jun repeated.
"You'll find out, probably," Runa told him. Jun grimaced and nodded
"Let's go check all the floors and make sure no one failed to escape!" Katsuya told the other three.
"Right," Maya said before she, Katsuya Ulala and Baofu went toward the exhibit halls.
Meanwhile Jun and Runa approached the teachers. Jun introduced himself and Runa to the teachers and instructed. "Hello, I'm Jun Kashihara and this is Runa Suou. Please gathered your students and we all need go to the roof."
"What about the others students!? Not all of them are here…" One of the teachers worried.
"My brother is a police officer and he, along with his… colleagues have gone to check for students who are not with this main group. Trust me, they'll be safe," Runa assured the teachers.
"Rei-san and I'll gather the students that near here. Right, Rei-san?" The other teacher said as he place a hand on the other teacher's shoulder.
"Of course, Hiraka-sensei," The worried teacher, Rei-sensei nodded and turned to her students.
The teachers gathered the students. They told them everything would be okay, also to follow their instructions and stick by their partners at all times.
"Suou-chan and I keep an eye on the students at the back. Take them to the roof," Jun told the teachers. The teachers obeyed the suggestion and they guided their students to the stairs.
Runa glanced toward the direction her fellow Persona-users went and she prayed for their safety.
POV Change
Jun's Point of View
On the fourth floor teachers began to grow more worried than before. The teachers were informed by their students that two students from the centre of the group had disappeared.
"Your brother and others might miss the two students if the students are wandering around lost on their own," Hiraka-sensei worried after she glanced at Runa Suou.
"I'll go back for them," Rei-sensei volunteered.
"No, you both need to stay with your students. They need familiar faces to keep them calm. Please, tell me, what do the missing students names and what do they look like?" Jun disagreed with the teacher and asked.
"One is a girl she has pink-hair, and the other is a younger male student with light brown hair. It may be best to call them by their first names. The girl is called Ichiko-chan and the boy is Yosuke-kun," Rei-sensei replied.
Suddenly Runa Suou said. "Good… Jun-san, stay with the group. I'll go tell my brother and others about the missing students. I'll help find them."
"Are you sure? I can go find them," Jun questioned once he had recovered from his initial surprise.
"I have a naginata, you don't have weapon. There appears to be safety in numbers, but alone… Those creatures you seen in the shadows of this floor, they might be less inclined to stay docile if their target is alone," Runa argued.
Jun sighed and replied. "It seems that you are correct. Suou-chan, find them, but please don't take any unnecessary risks."
"I will, thank you," Runa nodded and rushed off.
Jun watched with a frown as the auburn haired girl ran off. I hope she'll be careful, she seems the type to attract trouble…. Huh? I only just met her yet I know that. Hm… That's peculiar…
He turned his attention back on the students. Time passed and they had reached the stairs to the fourth floor. While teachers went up the stairs to the roof, he stayed at the base of stairs to wait for Runa and the missing students.
He waited for quite some time, but after awhile a nagging feeling grabbed hold of him. He expressed his thoughts aloud. "She's lost, isn't she?"
"Who got lost?" A man who could only be one of Runa's brothers questioned as he appeared from around a corner. The woman from the train station, another woman and another man followed.
"It's your sister, she's searching for a couple missing students on this floor," Jun answered.
"She got lost… Why does she always worry me like this? We must search for her immediately before we run out of time," Runa's brother decided.
"We'll spilt up. We should be able cover more ground quicker that way," The woman from the train station determined.
"Fine. If one of us finds her, call and we'll regroup here," the man with the beige double-breasted coat added with a slight nod.
"Kashihara-kun, go up to the roof. We'll find Runa-chan and the missing students," the woman from the train station told him.
"Thank you, save them," Jun breathed a sigh of relief. He smiled at the woman for he felt as if everything would be as the woman said. He dashed up the stairs and stepped on the roof.
There he saw someone he had not expected to see again. Jun couldn't help but to mutter. "It's you… You're Suou-chan's brother."
"Runa's here… Ugh… Why must she been so difficult?" the auburn haired boy grumbled and slapped his forehead in frustration.
Jun smiled at the boy's reaction and he thought. This feeling, it's… almost nostalgic in nature.
POV Change
Runa's point of view
She was not lost, per se. Runa was just searching for a particular place where she would find the missing students, that's all. Although, given she didn't had a map, she was finding the place extremely hard to find. Runa grimaced and squinted though the smoke. The smoke is getting worrisomely thicker.
"Ichiko-chan! Yosuke-kun!" Runa called out, again. After receiving no response, she coughed and rasped. "I can't keep calling out like this…"
Where are they? Runa searched the area around her for signs of children, but she found none.
Then as if on cue, a boy and a girl stumbled past the hallway just ahead of her. A demon with a body of decaying flesh scuttled after the children. Runa sprinted forward and struck the insect-like creature with her naginata.
The creature snarled, and growled drawing attention to it's skeletal face. Runa stepped between the children and the demon. "You will not hurt them!"
"Heh-Heh…" The grotesque demon swung it's stone tipped spear at her head.
"Angelos!" Runa blocked it the attack using a Tetrakarn spell. The demon attempted to hit the shield again, but missed and hit the floor instead. Runa gasped and stumbled backwards as the floor began to groan.
Runa and the two elementary school students inched away as hole formed between them and the demon snarled and leaped over the hole in the floor. Runa slammed in the floor as the creature landed on her.
She jammed her naginata between the demon lower head's mandibles and she complained. "Why do you have two heads!?"
Her arms protested as her naginata started to bend slightly against the demon's attack. Runa however pushed against the demon and slowly rose to her feet. The naginata snapped in two and demon pulled back reading itself to go in for the kill.
Runa immediately lifted her leg and kicked at the demon. The demon's lower half slipped into the hole. Meanwhile with it's two upper limbs it crawled at the floor. Runa stumbled away from the edge narrowly avoiding falling in after the demon.
She panted and stared at the demon until it reached forward one last time, Runa pulled her ankle out of it's grasp. However before sliding back further into the hole, the demon grabbed the boy's ankle. The boy was dragged to the edge of the hole, his feet hanging over the edge.
"Yosuke-kun!" The girl with pink haired cried out.
"Ichiko-senpai!" The boy yelped he struggled to hold on. Runa quickly grabbed the boy's hand as he slid further into the hole.
The demon howled and tighten it's grip on Yosuke's ankle. Yosuke gritted his teeth. "Get off me!"
"Don't move around to much," Runa ordered as she tried to keep the boy falling any further.
"Take this you creepy monster!" Ichiko, the girl shouted as she brought a fire extinguisher down on one of the demon's head.
"GAH!" The demon's grip loosen and it fell into the flames below the hole. However the demon pulled Yosuke out of Runa's hands before it let go.
Yosuke began to fall. "Help…!"
"No!" Runa reached and clasped one of the boy's wrist with one hand. She outstretched her other hand and she pulled the boy back up. Eventually she managed to get Yosuke out of hole and onto safer ground. She let out a sigh and rubbed her shoulder. "You okay, Yosuke-kun?"
"Uh-huh, thanks miss," Yosuke nodded with his arms around his knees.
"Okay. Let's get you, and… Ichi…? W-Where is she!?" Runa searched for Ichiko with no avail.
"She does that… Why did I have to HER partner?" Yosuke sighed with a resigned tone.
"Well, I found her and you once. How hard could it be to find her again?" Runa shrugged as she stood. Yosuke gave her a sympathetic look and joined her.
They found Ichiko staring wide eyed as demon that Runa recognised as a Cockatrice was about to bite her. However out of nowhere, shots fired. The sound distracting the demonic reptilian chicken from it's prey. More bullets flew, the bullets collided with the Cockatrice and sent it flying into a wall. It vanished in thin air and the owner of the guns that fired the bullets walked into sight.
The demon's killer was none other than, Maya Amano. Ichiko gasped and looked at the woman with awe. "… Whoa…"
"It's safe now. Ciao, I'm Maya Amano, a reporter from Coolest Magazine," Maya told the girl as she put away her guns.
"Cool… You saved me! Thank you heaps and heaps!" Ichiko exclaimed and hugged Maya.
"It's no problem," Maya assured the she noticed Yosuke and Runa. "Runa-chan!"
"You know that girl…?" Ichiko said sounding somewhat disappointed.
"Yes, I do. Where have you been?" Maya asked Runa.
"She saved me and Ichiko-senpai from a monster," Yosuke answered before she could.
"It wasn't as impressive as what you did, but I guess it was kinda cool," Ichiko commented.
"K-Kinda cool… Hey!?" Runa exclaimed as a vein in her forehead twitching.
"Runa-chan, never mind about that. Get these kids to the rooftop. I'll ring the others to tell them to stop searching," Maya interrupted.
"Huh?" Runa puzzled.
"We spilt up to look for you, and these two," Maya explained.
"Oh… I get it. Sorry," Runa paled.
"It's not safe here, get moving and stay out of trouble," Maya ordered.
Runa obeyed the order and escorted the two children to the rooftop.
Along the way Ichiko talked the entire time. Runa thought it would be impossible, but no, the girl managed to do it despite the smoke and all!
Once arriving at the rooftop the trio were meet with a terrifying sight. Sudou held his sword dangerously close to Jun's neck and held onto the high schooler from behind. As if that wasn't shocking enough, Tatsuya Suou wearing a red jumpsuit and holding a sword was facing Sudou.
"Why is he here…?" Runa whispered shaking her head.
Then Runa realised when she saw Tatsuya's jacket had a black cross upon it. Is Tatsuya the Deja Vu Boy…? When…? How could that be!? What's happening!?
"Let go of Jun… He has nothing to do with this anymore," Tatsuya commanded of Suodu.
Sudou ignored Tatsuya and focused on Jun. "C'mon, remember… I'm not the Joker. You're the worthy one! Guide us like you did on the 'Other Side.' I won't screw up like the 'Other Me…!'"
Sudou kept one hand on Jun and lowered his sword. He gave Jun a flower with light petals.
"A thoroughwort… "Remember that day?' W-What are you saying…? I don't understand…!" Jun examined the flower and questioned.
Before Sudou could speak, Maya, Katsuya, Ulala and Baofu arrived at the rooftop.
"Wh… Tatsuya…!?" Katsuya exclaimed.
"Jun-kun, are you okay?" Maya gasped and asked.
"Wh-Who is this tall kid over here?" Ulala questioned pointing to Tatsuya.
"He's the Deja Vu Boy that I told you about," Maya answered.
"Huh!? This is the Deja Vu Boy!?" Ulala shouted.
Maya nodded while Runa realised. "Then it's true, my brother really is the Deja Vu Boy."
"What? What's going on!?" Katsuya demanded in confusion.
"Hya-aha…" Suodu chuckled. Everyone put aside their confusion and prepared themselves for battle. Runa gestured to the two children to join their respective classmates.
Ichiko gulped and dragged the younger boy towards their teachers, and out of harm's way without a word of protest. "C'mon, Yosuke-kun."
Sudou however continued on to say. "At last, you're here, Maya Amano! Don't you remember this scene…? Hurry up, remember-r-r-r-r!"
"Remember…? I…" Maya concentrated and tried to recall.
Tatsuya interrupted her and yelled. "Stop! Don't try to remember anything!"
"Dumbas-s-s-s! You can't resist your destiny… 5, 4, 3…" Sudou argued.
"..!" Tatsuya cringed with a sudden realisation, and he cried out. "Jump!"
Maya, Ulala, Baofu, Katsuya and Runa all leaped back as the ground shook. A jagged hole formed in the place they had just been standing. Tatsuya was not as lucky and he clung to edge with one hand while his other hand still held his sword.
"Tatsuya!" Runa yelped.
Maya was the closest and she grabbed Tatsuya's hand to keep him from falling. "Hang on!"
"Stupid… Let go!" Tatsuya ordered.
"No, I won't let you die!" Maya refused and held his hand tighter.
Sudou began to move and threw Jun to the ground. Sudou glanced at Maya he mocked. "Hy-a-a-a-a-aha-ha-ha-ha! The same as the 'Other Side,' ri~ght? Even if you remember now, it's too late… Die, b!^(#…!"
Sudou raised his sword over his head and was about to bring it down on Maya's neck. But then Jun rose to his feet and shouted. "No!"
Jun pushed Sudou into the hole and Sudou screamed. "Uh-O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-oH!? Wh-WHY-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y…!"
Jun sunk to his knees and clutched his head. He stared at the hole and trembled.
Ulala, Katsuya, Runa and Baofu rushed to the other side of the hole as Maya pulled Tatsuya out of the hole. "I told you, I won't let you die."
"I know," Tatsuya sighed as he sheathed his sword.
They walked away from the edge. Tatsuya approached the distraught Jun who was shaking his head and muttering. "Unh…unh… ugh…"
"Don't worry… It's not your fault…" Tatsuya assured Jun with sorrowful expression. Jun calmed himself, and lowered his hands at Tatsuya's words.
"Tatsuya! Where were you!? What is this all about!?" Katsuya demanded with a furious expression.
"Deal with it later! We've got bigger problems," Baofu pointed out.
Runa looked the unstable building below her feet and paled. At the same time, Ulala asked. "But how do we get out of here!?"
"Have any ideas, Deja Vu Boy?" Maya asked Tatsuya.
"Follow me…" Tatsuya walked toward the blimp shaped model restaurant.
"Sure, why not?" Runa shrugged and followed. It's not like I had any better ideas.
"Hey, you don't think a model will fly…" Baofu commented.
"…" Tatsuya glared at Baofu.
"…A rumour? You're making it fly by a rumour, huh!?" Baofu realised.
Tatsuya didn't answered and simply walked into the blimp. Runa, Baofu, Maya and Jun followed while Katsuya went to gather the teachers and children.
It was long and everyone was aboard. Tatsuya took the controls in the brigade and started the blimp's engine. The blimp detached itself from the burning museum and flew into the air. Runa stared at the window at the museum with strange sensation. I feel like I've seen this happen before… In a dream, perhaps…
The blimp flew over the city, it glided through the air, and over the ocean. The water sparkled in the sunlight. Runa stared awestruck. "This is kinda awesome…"
Then Katsuya asked a perfectly pertinent question. "Tatsuya… How did you learn to fly this thing!?"
Tatsuya glanced over his shoulder at Katsuya, and thought for moment before he answered. "I saw it once…"
"Phew… Anyways, we seem to be safe for now," Ulala lowered herself to the ground, and she allowed herself to relax.
"Not yet…" Tatsuya disagreed and he ordered. "Jun, take the controls."
Jun's eyes widen in surprised but he approached Tatsuya and agreed. "Y-Yes, alright… But how did you know my name?"
"That's…" Tatsuya froze, but he was interrupted by couple of loud explosions.
Everyone crouched down as the explosion shook the floor underneath their feet. When the explosions had passed everyone stood, and Ulala yelled. "Hey, hey!? What's this all about!"
Tatsuya gave Jun a brief look before he walked to the door without a word. "…"
"…" Jun nodded and took the controls on the blimp as if it was second nature to understand the meanings behind Tatsuya's word less looks.
"Huh?" Runa glanced between the two with immense puzzlement.
"Hey, Tatsuya!?" Katsuya called out.
Tatsuya ignored him completely and closed the door behind himself. Katsuya mutely shook his head at his brother.
"Let's go after him," Maya decided while prompting the other Persona-users to follow her.
They caught up to Tatsuya in the next area and found him staring at a man crouched on the ground. The man had wild blonde hair, a sword in his hands, only one eye because of the burnt skin on one side of his face. Runa recognised the man with a gasp. " Sudou…"
Maya and the others drew their weapons at the sight of the man.
"Dammit, dammit… dammit-dammit-dammit-dammit-dammit…" Sudou grumbled. He got to his feet with a scowl. "My face… Again, my face…! You're saying this is destiny too! Huh!?"
"No… There is no predestined path one follows… Don't be fooled by him!" Tatsuya warned.
"Stupid fools… Everyone's wrong… You! That b!^(#! And my f#(%!#' dad! You're supposed to correct mistakes!" Sudou roared.
"Calm down," Maya ordered.
"Hy-aha…! It's the Voices, the Voices! Voices-Voices-Voices-Voices-Vocies-Voices! You can't run from the Voices…!" Sudou ignored her and ranted. He pointing his sword at them in a uneven stance with a wild look in his remaining eye.
Tatsuya drew his sword and held other hand out. "Stay back, everyone… I'll… take care of him…"
"No way! We are not letting you do this alone," Maya refused.
They were all dragged into a battle realm by Sudou. Within the chequered floored realm Suodu summoned two demons. The demons were black bird-like creatures with red eyes and indigo wings. Another two demons also appeared. These two new demons must of been Minotaurs. Their appearance made that clear, they had a monstrous fur covered humanoid body, a bull's tail each, and their heads were a skeletal bull's head with large horns.
"You can't run from fate!" Suodu claimed.
"How about we just defeat you instead, huh!?" Runa countered as she took a step closer.
"Do you have the time to be so leisurely? This is a battlefield…" Squawked one of the bird-like demons before it slapped Runa with one of it's wings.
Runa fell to the ground and glared at the bird before she kicked at it, and missed. The demon squawked and hopped backwards.
Immediately a Minotaur took the other demons place and raised it's fist. "Gha-a-a!"
Tatsuya glanced at Katsuya. "Follow me! Cast Maha Agi, if you can."
Katsuya did as Tatsuya asked and Tatsuya casted a fire spell. Their attacks combined to form a Fusion Spell. A blaze consumed the Minotaur before it's fist collided with Runa. The Minotaur faded from sight defeated.
Runa scrambled to her feet as Ulala shouted, and conjured Callisto. "Everyone! Get in! Get in!"
Baofu and Maya called their Personas forth. Then with Ulala they casted. "Hydro-Boost!"
A surge of water met it's target and Sudou was not pleased. He charged at Tatsuya with his sword. Tatsuya nimbly countered the blow with his own sword.
"Garu," Baofu then sent a wind spell Sudou's way, pushing the enemy away from Tatsuya.
Katsuya turned to his brother and said. "Cover me!"
Together the brother unleashed a fiery Fusion Spell upon one of the bird-like demons. The demon responded by sending a Zio towards Maya.
Maya staggered before she fired at the bird-like demon and she defeated it. Electricity still moved on Maya and she winced. Runa casted a healing spell. "Angelos, heal her!"
Maya recovered and the ripples of electricity vanished.
"Apollo… Agidyne!" Tatsuya commanded his Persona, Apollo. The flames engulfed the remanning bird-like demon and it disappeared.
"Old Maid…" Sudou said with a smirk. His Persona appeared, then out of nowhere a collection of purple cards appeared, and formed a circle around him. Purple bubbles of light began to float toward Runa and her allies.
"Makarakarn," Runa threw up a shield spell and the cards vanished.
"Nice trick, block this," Sudou taunted and he looked to the last demon at his disposal.
The Minotaur charged at Runa. Ulala stepped in between her and the demon. "Magnus."
A earthen boulder fell on the Minotaur's head and it dropped to the ground. The Minotaur faded from sight, and Sudou casted Agidyne to no effect on Katsuya. "Gr…"
"Dodge this," Baofu challenged as he hit Suodu with his coins.
While Sudou was busy, Tatsuya called forth. "Apollo. Gigantic Fist."
Sudou dropped to the ground and with laboured breaths said. "Hee… Hee-hya-hya… Don't think you've won! The fear has been spread…! The Joker… won't die…!"
Sudou's eyes went blank and he fell forward. His sword clattered as it hit the floor, and Tatsuya Sudou moved no more.
Katsuya, Runa, Tatsuya, Baofu, Maya and Ulala returned from the battle realm and Sudou didn't.
Ichiko ran up with her teacher, Rei-sensei, and Yosuke close behind.
"Y-You're… all okay! The bad man's… gone… r-right?" Ichiko sobbed.
"He is," Ulala crouched down and assured the girl.
Jun rushed over and informed everyone. "We have a problem… We're losing altitude fast! We're gonna crash!"
"Oh my!" Rei-sensei placed a hand to over her mouth, and her eyes turned toward her students.
"C-Crash…" Yosuke repeated with incredulous expression while Ulala stood with a jolt.
"Maya-sama! We need to figure out plan!" Ichiko shouted. She paused and asked. "Mm. I got nothing… How about you?"
Tatsuya walked off, he partially summoned his Persona and opened the doors that led off blimp. Clouds and sky passed by and the roar of the wind gave an unpleasant indicator of the speed of their descent. Katsuya approached Tatsuya. "Hey…"
Tatsuya kicked Katsuya off the blimp and Katsuya voice trailed off. "Yo-o-o-o-o-u-u-u-u…!?"
Tatsuya turned around and told everyone. "Unless you got a death wish, everyone jump!"
"Let's start with the children and teachers," Maya decided and glanced down at Ichiko. "Be a good girl, and make sure you listen to your teachers and Tatsuya-kun. Okay, Ichiko-chan?"
"Yes, Maya-sama!" Ichiko nodded eagerly, and sprinted over to Rei-sensei's side. "C'mon let's go!"
"Ha… Ha… Yeah, I'm sure… everything will be… fine," Rei-sensei said with a gulp.
I get the sense Rei-sensei doesn't like heights, Runa reflected with a tinge of sympathy.
"Runa, use your Persona and cast Butterfly Storm. Ask them to make a slide. It'll be less scary for the kids then," Tatsuya ordered.
"I can do that…?" Runa questioned.
"Er, yes… I'm fairly sure," Tatsuya confirmed.
Upon seeing Runa's hesitation, he then told her with a glare, hurry up and do it.
Runa nodded and summoned her Persona.
The only ones left on the blimp were now Maya, Runa, Jun and Tatsuya. Jun stood staring at the sky for a moment, ready to jump, but he spun around and faced Tatsuya. Jun reached into his pocket, and he brought out, a silver coloured zippo lighter. "I know it's not much… But please accept this as a token of appreciation for saving us…"
Jun glanced down at the lighter then at Tatsuya. "I must give it… to you. I just have this feeling…"
"…" Tatsuya stepped closer to Jun, and stared at the lighter before he turned his head away. "I have nothing to give back in return…"
Runa played with her father's watch before she frowned and took it off on an impulse. She shoved the watch into Tatsuya's hand. Tatsuya stared at her, and arched an eyebrow. "Huh..?"
"That's not true. I shouldn't have this… Tatsuya, you were met to have it, but you wanted to give to someone. You said it was very important that you gave the watch to this unknown person. That's why you told dad to give it to me to hang onto the watch until you could find this person," Runa explained to him.
"I said that…" Tatsuya muttered mostly to himself.
"Uh-huh, that's why… I think you should give to Jun-kun. It feels right somehow," Runa nodded.
Tatsuya went silent. Jun smiled and asked him. "Trade?"
Tatsuya nodded, and he took the lighter. He fasten the watch on Jun's wrist. "Take care."
"You too," Jun replied before Tatsuya turned away, and pushed Jun off the blimp.
Tatsuya's eyes flickered to the ground, and he held the lighter in his hands tightly.
"It's my turn, I guess." Maya approached Tatsuya with a smile.
Without looking at her, Tatsuya told her. "There is still a chance… Don't listen… Don't look… Then, you can return to your normal life… Good… bye…"
"And what if I I don't want to? What then…?" Maya countered.
"…" Tatsuya glance up with a nostalgic expression and he pushed her off.
Maya shouted as she fell. "Wait! Tatsuya-kun-n-n-n-n!"
"You're up," Tatsuya said bluntly to Runa.
"Yep, see ya later. Don't take too long," Runa nodded and leaped off the blimp.
The air rushed past her and the water below grew ever closer. Runa glanced upwards, and she watched as Tatsuya jumped off the blimp as well.
She hit the water and bounced once before she plunged into it's depths. She swam to the surface, and she searched for the blimp with her eyes. The fiery blimp that billowed black smoke smashed in to the water, and the blimp spilt in two. The back half crashed into the ocean as the front half sunk further into the water's depths.
"So glad I got off that," Runa whispered as she treaded water.
Everyone had safety gotten to shore of Ebisu Beach. The school children excitedly spoke about what had happened as they dried off. Hirata-sensei sat on a rock grumbling how he would never go on a blimp again.
Rei-sensei meanwhile talked to Ichiko with excitement about the event. Yosuke stood nearby and he shook his head at them with a slight smile.
"Now, that's something you don't do everyday…" Baofu reflected.
"…!?" Katsuya took a sharp breath after looking around the beach.
Runa glanced around, and realised what had him so concerned. "Not everyone's here…"
Katsuya called out. "Tatsuya…!? Has anyone seen Tatsuya!?"
"Calm down… He's been through a lot more than you… He probably avoided us and went ashore somewhere else," Baofo concluded.
Katsuya stopped and turned to Jun. "You… How do you know Tatsuya? He seemed to know you… What is this 'Other Side?'"
Jun admitted with a thoughtful expression. "I don't know… I just feel I know him from long ago… Just a feeling he was someone important…"
"I see…" Katsuya responded while Jun stared out at the sea.
"Another mystery," Maya commented.
"But, the Joker is dead now, right? It's over…" Ulala asked. She didn't wait for a reply, she stretched her arms, and assumed. "Ahh, I'm so relieved. I can finally get on with my miserable life!"
"Moron… Nothing is over yet… We still don't know what Tatsuzou intends to do," Baofu disagreed.
"For once, he's actually right… We haven't learned anything about the Sudou family, Joker or Tatsuya…" Katsuya added.
"…I wish we had more answers than questions," Runa agreed.
"It's unfortunate that the suspect is dead… I should let HQ know," Katsuya decided. He fetched his phone from the inside pocket of his suit-jacket, and he contacted his fellow police officers.
"Haven't you learned anything, Suou? You can't depend on the police…" Baofu shook his head at the action.
Katsuya finished his call and he sharply challenged. "Say that again…"
"You're not only hard-headed, but hard of hearing, too? Or, is it just that you can't do anything without your badge?" Baofu retorted.
"…" Katsuya glared at him.
"Hmph! That's what I thought… Do you really think you can catch Tatsuzou by yourself? Good luck," Baofu said crossing his arms.
"Say what you will Baofu… Just stay out of my way, OR you'll find yourself in the slammer with Tatsuzou," Katsuya warned before he stormed off.
"Where are…" Runa started but gave up knowing she wouldn't get anywhere. Runa sighed thinking… Today's not my day is it?
"I don't know about you, but I'm quitting while I'm ahead," Ulala announced.
"There are still so many unanswered questions," Maya frowned.
"Ma-ya, don't get involved… I don't think I could handle it if you got hurt," Ulala told her friend.
"Ulala…" Maya muttered and bit her lip as Ulala left the beach.
"Cowards! What are you afraid of!? The truth is all that matters!" Baofu shouted at Ulala and the now distance Katsuya. Ulala clenched her fists and kept moving while Katsuya pretended he didn't hear Baofu at all. Baofu turned to Maya and said. "Don't tell me you're quitting, too?"
"I can't," Maya shook her head.
"Heh… Good for you… I'm gonna head back to my place to see if I can get a bead on Tatsuzou… See if any of your friends at Kismet know anything… I'll swing by and pick you up later," Baofu instructed the journalist.
"Sounds good," Maya nodded.
"What about me?" Runa asked.
"…You should head home," Baofu replied after a second before he left.
"Huh!? But…" Runa shook her head and she turned to Maya for support. "C'mon, Maya-san back me… Wait… What's with that look?"
"I agree with him. It's only going to get more dangerous, Runa-chan. It would be better if you went home," Maya told her.
"Seriously…?" Runa questioned in disbelief.
"It would be safer for you," Maya pointed out and she also walked away.
"I… I can't believe this…" Runa sat on the sand shocked.
"Tatsuya Suou… Who are you?" Jun asked himself as he stared out at the ocean. He glanced over his shoulder at Runa. "You…"
Before he could ask, Runa told him. "Don't ask… I'm not even sure myself anymore."
She stood and dusted the sand off herself before she sprinted. Maybe I can follow them and…
A figure stepped in front of her, blocking her path. "Runa…"
"Hi, I was just…" Runa searched for a good excuse.
"I know, but we're going to the police so I can give my report," Katsuya told her.
"Then we're joining Baofu's and Maya's unofficial investigation, right?" Runa questioned.
"No, we will go home. You aren't getting involved in this any further. Besides, it's beginning to get late," Katsuya explained.
Runa nodded numbly and she reluctantly followed she walked, she thought to herself and determined that… Tomorrow morning, after a warm shower and food, I will find out what's going on with Tatsuya and everything else. I won't let anything stop me.
Thanks for reading. Also thanks for rickyp01 for your reviews, it's really good to get feedback. It stops me from wandering off on irrelevant tangents too often.
For the next chapter is going to focus mainly on Runa's struggle to stay involved with ongoing mysteries in Sumaru City, but it will show a little of what Maya and others are up to. So there will be Maya's POV for a few parts of the next chapter involving GOLD gym and the Joker Curse.