22 February 2011
Tokyo
Early Morning
Abel didn't like doing an end-run around the SDF, but between his own obligations and limitations, and discussions with the Gatekeeper he recognized that this was the best option available to him. He really didn't like politics, even though it was going to be his life's work. Looking down at the e-mail on his COMP, he began to type out a reply.
TO: DOLLY
FROM: A-Bel
RE: Stuff
Yes, I was consulted, and yes, your name came up. I trust you, Midori. You should also trust yourself to do right by everyone involved. I know you'll do well.
By the way, Atsuro is enjoying his new job, and he told me that he was sad that you had retired from being Dolly. Ask him, and he'll change your COMP's email ID from 'Dolly' to 'Midori' or whatever you would prefer.
04 April 2011
Komaki Household
Evening
News of the scandal broke on the news, some local councilor from Yasoinaba was having an affair with a newscaster also from town. Midori ignored it as little more than a distraction that would soon blow over. Her arm was healed, and she was too busy with practice and getting everything ready for her senior year of school to pay attention to the latest fling in the news.
On the calendar she noted that in a week her cousin would arrive. Between her and her uncle, they had prepared the spare room, even as Nanako was getting used to the idea that they would be having a guest for a while.
She quite enjoyed these peaceful days.
11 April 2011
Yasoinaba Train Station
Daytime
Yu stepped off the train, and picked up his one suitcase. The rest of his stuff had been sent ahead, and how he was in this sleepy, country town to spend the year with his Uncle Dojima.
He shook off the lingering aftereffects of his strange dream, meeting that man and woman in the huge limo. That was a dream, and this was reality.
"Hey! Over here!" A shout came to him from a middle-aged man leaning up against a car. Yu approached him, and the man smiled as he got closer. "Yu, right? I'm Ryotaro." He offered his hand and they shook. "Man, you're a lot taller than the last time I saw you. More handsome too." He scratched his growing stubble with one hand. "Welcome to Yasoinaba!" He looked down at the girl who was following behind him, hiding behind his legs. "This is Nanako. Say hello, Nanako."
Yu knelt down, getting on her level. "Hey! I'm Yu." This must be his cousin.
"'lo" she replied with a mutter, still hiding behind Ryotaro, who only shook his head.
"Sorry about that. She's not good around strangers." He indicated the car behind them. "Grab yourself a seat."
"It's been a long time, Uncle." Yu said as he carried his bag to the back of the car where Ryotaro opened the trunk for him. "Thank you for having me over."
"It's not a problem at all," he replied even as Nanako rushed past him and into the back seat of the car. "We'll have to stop for gas on the way back though."
"That's alright." Yu said as he got into the front seat. "Take your time."
Dojima Residence
Evening
Yu quickly dropped his stuff off in the upstairs room. His encounter with the weird gas-station attendant left behind in his thoughts, and chalked up to static electricity and it being a small town. Instead, he found himself a little hungry and went down stairs for supper. He was feeling tired, but not so much that he would ignore his first meal in his new home for a year.
Downstairs, he found his uncle and his cousin at the living room table setting supper.
"I'm sorry," his uncle said. "It's just leftovers. I'm not that great a cook, and I don't think you'd appreciate having a microwave dinner."
"Isn't Big Sis coming?" Nanako asked, causing Yu some confusion. Big sister?
"No, she's not. She has her own thing to do tonight." Ryotaro said, then saw Yu's confusion. "Sorry. Your other cousin, on my wife's side. You wouldn't have met."
"Ah," Yu said, not quite understanding what was going on. "Did you need help with that?" He indicated the plates and whatnot that Dojima and Nanako were carrying back and forth from the kitchen.
"No need!" his uncle said. "Sit down, turn on the television. News is on channel 4."
"Thank you for your kindness," Yu said in thanks.
"Oh, don't be so formal." Dojima replied. "We're family here, you included."
It was an unusual sentiment, but one that Yu accepted without further concern. He did as he was bid, and took a seat at the low table in the living room before turning on the television to the indicated channel.
It was a news report about some politician and a scandal about his affair with a news reporter – for that same channel it seemed.
Ryotaro looked at the television and grunted. "Damned shame, that is. Stupid buck." Yu saw him check his language in front of his daughter. "Sorry."
Then his phone rang, and Dojima fished it out of his pocket. "Dojima speaking."
"..."
"What? Now?" He groaned as he looked at the offending device, leading Yu to remember that he couldn't remember what his uncle did for a living. Except it seemed like he was on call. After a couple more moments of listening, he closed the cell. "Nanako? Dad has to go to work. Can you look after things here?"
Nanako glanced at Yu with trepidation and wariness. "Can I call Big Sis?"
"No," Dojima said firmly. "You're a big girl, and I think you can handle everything here. Just put the dishes in the sink when you're done." He stood up and headed for the front door. As he was putting on his jacket, he turned back to Yu. "Hey, I'm sorry about this, but duty calls. Important numbers are beside the phone in case something happens. Try Komaki or Mochizuki first." With that, he was gone, leaving Yu alone.
"So," he said into the silence. "What does your father do?"
"He's a police man." Nanako responded without looking at him, having taken the TV remote and was flipping channels. "He catches bad guys."
"That's very impressive," Yu said. "Did you cook this?" He indicated the meal, though he suspected that it was his uncle who did it.
"No," Nanako said. "Big Sis did."
"Ah," Yu said as he ate some more. It wasn't bad actually. "After supper, I think I'm going to go to bed. Is that alright?"
Nanako had finished channel hopping and was watching some documentary about penguins. "Uh-huh."
Yu saw that she wasn't going to open up to him with just a snap of the fingers, and he really was starting to feel like bed was the best option.
12 April 2011
Yasogami High-School
Morning
Midori tugged at the collar of her new jacket, the symbol of the third-year student on it. It was a mark of pride for her, and one that she was going to savor over the coming year. She wondered about her distant cousin who had arrived in town yesterday, but held to her decision to let him interact with her Uncle and Nanako first before introducing herself.
Going over the mental list of things to do, she found that she was glad that Dan was doing the student-council speech in the afternoon, as he had come up with a better speech than she did. Other than that though, it was not like anything bad was happening.
Except for the foggy rain. That was a pain. She even heard that one of the second years got into a crash on their bicycle on the way to work, so perhaps if she was called upon to speak she could mention that?
Class 2-2
Lunchtime
"Oh man," Yosuke said as he talked with the new transfer student, Yu. "You saw that?" he rubbed the back of his head, though if it was for the injury or embarrassment, Yu couldn't tell. "Man, that skid was bad though."
"You should get your tires checked out," Yu suggested. "Maybe they're worn down?"
"Yeah, I see the point." Yosuke agreed, glad he could talk to this guy without problems.
"Why are you talking about that?" the loud girl beside them said. "You called King Moron a loser! That was like, the most awesome thing ever!"
"Chie, we must not show disrespect for our teacher." Yukiko as she introduced herself said softly, in complete opposition to her friend.
"It's King Moron," Chie said. "The only person he likes is Midori."
"Please don't start that up!" Yosuke pleaded, burying his head in his hands. "You two don't like each other. I get it!"
"Hey! Are you on her side, or what?" Chie accused her classmate.
"I'm not on anyone's side!" Yosuke defended himself before seeing his position was indefensible. "But you're my classmate, and she's not, so I'll side with you?"
"I'm sorry, what's going on?" Yu asked.
"Oh," Yosuke cut off Chie before she could start. "Chie and Midori – who is the Student Council Vice-President – really don't like each other. It's a girl thing."
"It is not!" Chie objected. "It's more than that!" She turned on Yu. "Don't listen to him. He doesn't know what he's talking about."
Yu could only grin slightly. This wasn't going to be so bad of a school year, was it? Everyone was so friendly, he might actually enjoy himself.
After School
The school intercom kicked in just as classes finished. "Would all Teachers and Student Council Members please report to the Staff Office for a meeting? All students must immediately return to their classes and are not to leave the school until further notice."
Midori looked up in confusion. The afternoon assembly went off without a hitch, though the Principal droned on a bit. She glanced at Kanako. "Hey, could you make sure my bag is packed? I gotta go."
"Sure thing," her friend said. "Wonder what's up?"
"I'll let you know." Midori said as she stepped out of the third-floor class.
1st Floor, Staff Office
Midori knocked, then stepped in, seeing she was the last to arrive. "My apologies," she said as she found a place to stand beside Dan. "What's up?" she whispered.
"No idea." He whispered back. "But it's serious."
The principal stood up and knocked on the wall behind him to get everyone's attention. "Thank you. I have a serious announcement for all of you, and I expect each of you to follow my instructions carefully." Gone was the slightly rambling man and in his place was a serious old man who would accept no objections. "I received a call a few minutes ago from the police, and they informed me that a dead body had been located near the school district," he waited for the teachers to respond.
Midori was confused. Why was that a deal? Just direct people around it while the police did their work. But she didn't say anything. She glanced at Dan, who seemed shocked, then turned her attention back to the principal.
"I want Kondo-sensei and Komaki-chan to man the front gate. It is to remain closed until the police clear the area." Midori mentally shrugged at the over-reaction, but remembered that her umbrella was collapsed in her footlocker. "Please gently deter anyone from leaving."
"Of course," she and Kondo-sensei said, leaving the Principal to sort out other assignments to keep the situation in the school under control.
She followed Kondo-sensei, who was still in his track uniform, to the front hall. There she switched shoes and grabbed her umbrella. "This is bad," he muttered. "A body? What happened?"
Midori stepped out, opening the umbrella against the rain and held the door open for the teacher. "We can let the police handle it," she said calmly. "It is their job."
"I suppose," Kondo said as he saw a couple students headed for the gate ahead of them. "Hey! Get back here!"
Classroom 2-2
The students were getting a little stir-crazy over the past hour before the intercom rang again. There wasn't a lot of homework to do on the first day, but the more studious students were already at it. Quite a few more were standing in front of the window, looking through the fog at the lights in the distance.
"This is the Principal," the old man announced. "Thank you all for your patience. There was been a tragic incident outside of the school premises, and police officers have been dispatched to deal with it. Please stay calm and contact your parents as soon as possible to assure them of your safety and then you may quietly leave the school grounds. Please do not disturb the police officers as they work, and head directly home. I repeat, you may now leave the school grounds, as long as you head directly home. Thank you."
"An incident?" one of the more excitable students said. "I wonder what happened?"
"Probably a traffic accident," another one said. "Look how many officers have to be down there!"
"Come on!" A third said, "We have to take a look!"
"Tch," Chie said as she collected her bag. "That's not what people should be thinking about. What if someone got hurt?"
"It would be terrible," Yukiko agreed, and Yu silently added his assent. Traffic accidents were no laughing matter.
He stood up. "I should be going then," he announced.
"Wait!" Chie said, "We should walk together. Going as a group will make the teachers less worried."
"Since when do you care about that?" Yosuke said. "You can handle anything that comes your way!"
"Well duh!" Chie said. "But someone's gotta watch out for Yukiko, you know."
"Thank you, Chie." The long-haired girl said. "I need to get back to the Inn."
"Thanks," Yu said. "I'm staying on the other side of the river."
"I live over that way myself," Yosuke said. "I can go with you a bit."
Front Gates
Midori was glad when the rain stopped, as she was able to put away her umbrella. "Shall we unlock the gate now, Sensei?"
"You're right," Kondo said as he turned to the switch box that controlled the electric gate that led down the hill to the road. "You better head inside, you're starting to shiver."
"I am?" Midori looked down and saw that her arms were covered in goosebumps. "Oh."
"Go on, I'll make sure things are alright here." Kondo commanded. "Your uncle is a cop, right? I bet the Principal wanted you out here in case one of them showed up, and you recognized them."
Midori hadn't bothered to ask why, as she simply assumed she was there to talk students back into the school. Not that any tried to leave. "Thank you," she bowed and walked back inside where she could collect her things.
Going against the flow of students, she eventually made her way back up to the third floor and her classroom. Kanako was still there, waiting for her. "Hey," she said as Midori closed the door behind her. "Your uncle called."
"Oh?"
"Yeah, said he wanted you to pick up your sister and to keep her away from the incident," she relayed the message as she handed Midori her bag. "Seems like club activities are canceled as well."
"Were you told what's happening?" Midori asked as she checked to make sure everything was in place. "I was standing out in the rain."
"No," Eri spoke up from the window. "Just that there was an 'incident' of some sort."
"Right," Midori said. "I'm going to the Elementary school to get Nanako. You guys can go home." She dismissed her team-mates with nary a flourish.
"Heck no!" Eri objected. "Whatever it is, it's bad. And students aren't supposed to go home by themselves. I'm coming with you."
Midori realized that she knew more than they did. That someone was dead. "Fine," she agreed. "But if you're planning on staying for supper...?"
"Nope!" Eri said as she and Kanako grabbed their stuff. "My dad is cooking stir-fry tonight, and it's amazing!"
Dojima Household
Yu got home and found the door unlocked. He knew that was as thing in smaller towns, but to see it in practice meant something else entirely. Well, that or Uncle Dojima had to leave for the...
The dead body.
His first full day in town, and someone had been murdered.
But the way people were treating it, from the people talking around him as they headed around town, it seemed like this was the worst thing that had happened to the town in years.
There was also no one home, which worried him. If the high-school students were sent home in groups, who was going to walk Nanako home? Or maybe she would stay at her school until a teacher dropped her off, or his uncle picked her up.
Wanting to make a good impression on them both, he dropped his schoolbag off in his room and returned to the kitchen, looking for something to prepare for supper. As he rummaged around, he heard the front door open.
"Nanako?" He called out, expecting her to finally arrive. "Uncle Dojima?"
"Who is that?" A warning voice came from the door, and Yu was surprised when the Vice-President came into the house, Nanako in tow. "Who are you?" She demanded of him, though he could tell there was a stress in her voice. No wonder, he supposed. Dead body outside her school, and she was escorting younger students home safely.
"I'm Narukami Yu," he politely bowed. "I'm staying here in this house for the next year. My class is 2-2."
He jaw dropped. "Wait. You're Yu?" She glanced at Nanako - who was ignoring them both in favor of the television. She bowed. "My name is Komaki Midori. Class 3-2. I am..." Her introduction was cut short by Nanako.
"Big Sis! Big Sis! Daddy's on television!"
Yu connected the dots. Midori, the same girl that Chie didn't like. Was also his second cousin as his uncle married her aunt. Was also... He had wandered into the perfect set up for a daytime drama, hadn't he? Or was this usual for small towns?
Midori had apparently shrugged his presence off, or rather it seemed had delayed dealing with it for a while. Instead she joined Nanako in watching the television as Detective Dojima refused to make comments about an investigation in question.
"He's not coming home tonight," Midori said sadly.
Nanako tugged on her skirt. "Does that mean you're staying here?"
"Yep," Midori said. "Hold on, gonna talk to Yu-san for a moment."
Yu had pulled some stuff out of the fridge, but not really enough to make a full meal for two or three of them. "So," he said as Midori came over, her long blue hair tied behind her. "I'm sorry, I may have botched my introduction. My name is Narukami Yu, and I'm staying here from today."
Midori bowed slightly. "I apologize as well. This isn't something that normally happens. My name is Midori Komaki. I live a couple houses up, but will be staying in Nanako's room tonight." She looked at the foodstuffs on the counter. "Not enough?"
"No. Shopping?" He offered to head out and explore the town a little bit.
"No," Midori declined his suggestion. "I have stuff at my place. I'll bring it over." She shook her head. "Wish we could have met under better circumstances."
Yu could only agree.
13 April 2011
Junes Food Court
After School
Yu was dragged along to the Junes Food Court after what would have normally been a hilarious series of events that involved a broken DVD, a kick to the balls, and a crashed bicycle. Normally, except he got to watch poor Yosuke have the worst luck in the history of luck in first person.
"This is the place?" Chie was objecting – loudly – to their surroundings. "Really?"
"What did you expect?" Yosuke was defending himself. "It's not like I can afford much, you know!"
"Oh come on," Chie leaned over the table. "You can do better than that. Aiya's has the best grilled steak in town!"
"I can't afford it," Yu watched Yosuke fail, though the comment reminded him that he too was short on pocket change.
"But we have to go! Support the local economy!" Chie said.
"Oh gee, thanks." Yosuke said, feigning hurt. "It's not enough that you deliver critical hits to the nads, but you have to insult my dad?"
Yu was learning a lot by context. Yosuke's dad was a manager at June, if not in charge of the whole thing. Chie held it against him even as she was friendly in her own way. And the absent Yukiko was the daughter of the local tourist trap / Inn.
He really wished that Chie hadn't invited herself along, as he wanted to get some information from Yosuke. But such was not to be.
But the brown-haired boy changed the subject to get away from the hot-cold girl who shared their table. "It's Saki-sempai! I'll be right back." He got up and headed for a girl who looked tired and was wearing a Junes apron as she hunted around for a seat.
"Is that...?" Yu let the exact nature of his question go unsaid.
Chie shook her head in the negative. "No. He's got a crush on her though. Saki Konishi. Her family runs a liquor store in the Shopping District, and she works here part time." She looked at him as he returned with the girl in question in tow. "Poor guy."
"Hey," Saki said, greeting Yu. "I'm sorry about Hana-chan. He's quite the bother, isn't he?" Now that she was close, Yu could see that she really was tired. It showed in her eyes. "It must be nice having someone to talk to from the big city, right?"
Yu smiled warmly. "Yosuke's a great guy." He wasn't about to kick him when he was down. "He's been a real help in getting me settled in."
Saki smiled faintly, almost a non-action. "That's good. If you'll excuse me, my break is almost over." She turned and walked away, leaving Yosuke to watch.
"Dammit." He swore as he retook his seat.
"Oh, I get it… So that's how it is…" Chie grinned as she made fun of Yosuke again. "The daughter of a local family-run liquor store and the scion of the invading chain… The flame of forbidden love!"
"Come on!" Yosuke loudly replied. "It's not like that. At all!"
"Hey!" Chie said with a cat's grin on her face. "I think I know how to tell if she's your destined soul-mate."
"What are you talking about?" Yosuke said with some reservations.
"Ever heard of the Midnight Channel?"
Yasoinaba Police Station
Evening
Midori jogged up, worry and fear in her mind.
Saki had called her after school, said she had no options, that the police wanted to talk to her again and begged for her help.
And Midori would move heaven and hell for her friends, no matter how distant. She entered and didn't bother stopping to properly greet the front sergeant before heading for the interview rooms, depending on her status as 'Dojima's Niece' to keep her going without hassle.
She found the rooms and started checking them, glancing at her phone and the text messages on it. Saki had her phone and was worried about the way she was being talked to, blind-texting her worries to the only one who could listen and act.
Midori didn't stop to think about what was going on, but as there had been no new messages recently, she was beginning to worry. Her thoughts were a bundle of confusion and response even as she found the right room before knocking.
The door opened, and Tohru peeked out. "Midori? What are you doing here?"
"I heard," Midori said before gasping for air, "that Saki was here, and I'm checking up on her as a friend of the family."
It was still Wednesday, and she would have to apologize profusely to the rest of the family afterwards. But she figured coming to the aid of their itinerant daughter was worth it.
"Um..." Adachi said, looking back into the room. "She's not here."
"She would have texted me that she was leaving," Midori objected, the words out of her mouth even before her brain caught up.
No. That was the wrong word. Her brain had other things on its mind. Like figuring out why Tohru was lying. She could see it, even as her body struggled to catch up to the long run she had made. His eyes were glancing back into the room, and he was leaning like he was hiding something. She saw all this, even as the part of her that responded to a call of distress went into action.
"Maybe she went to the washroom first?"
That sealed it. She didn't know what was going on, but a panicked Saki, plus a lying Tohru, plus her own complete lack of patience given her exhaustion all added up to her leaning into the door, pushing it open slowly.
Adachi gave way, and there was no one else. "See?", he said as he stood by the door. To Midori's eye, he was guilty of something. She just didn't know what yet. "You can step out now."
"She was here," Midori said. "She told me the room number."
"And she left." Adachi repeated.
Midori stopped moving, stood straight, and closed her eyes. It didn't make any sense. Why would Saki beg for her help and then not say another word?
Unless she couldn't.
Midori opened her eyes and pulled out her phone. She dialed Saki's number from memory, and...
A phone rang in Adachi's pocket. He locked the door. "Tch. Should have turned that off."
Midori was on alert, though her old reflexes were rusty and she found herself without a weapon in hand. She put her phone in her jacket pocket even as Adachi advanced on her. "Where is she?"
He changed. Gone was a the casual fop, the man with a smile on his face as he learned from the best. There was a look in his eyes that spoke of the monsters she had faced down before, those who made the choice to be who and what they were, rather than having it be their unthinking nature. "Does it matter?"
"You locked the door," Midori said. "I think one of us isn't leaving here on their own power."
"Should'a given you the phone," Adachi said as he advanced and Midori backed up, looking for a better position. She hadn't fought in over a year, but she knew she could make a mess of him, no two ways about it. "Should have asked you to give it to her, that she had left it behind."
"What did you do?" Midori demanded.
"You wouldn't believe me," Adachi said as he got closer. Midori was out of room, unless she knocked over the table with the large television on it. Where had that wall come from? She could have sworn that it was farther away...
"I'll just have to show you!" Adachi lunged at her, arms raised. Midori tried to dodge under, but she had no room to maneuver and he caught her on the collar and arm. He twisted to try and pin her to the table, but she lashed out with a kick, aiming for his knee, but hitting his shin instead. It wasn't enough to get her free, but he did react by loosening his grip just enough for her to swing her elbow backwards at him.
It his hit his face, but the impact on the recently damaged and still-healing joint sent a sharp shock of pain through her arm. "Let me go!" She demanded, even as she ignored the pain and focused on the fight. Akihiko's training wasn't good in this situation as he didn't teach her to grapple, but to fight in close quarters while facing your enemy.
"Sure," the monster that spoke with his voice said as he pushed her closer to the television. "I'll show you where I put your friend. I'll do a better job of cleaning up after myself as well."
Adachi pushed her again, and Midori twisted in his grasp, reaching for something she could use as leverage. "What did you do!?"
"You wouldn't understand. You're blind!" He laughed even as she grabbed his tie and anchored herself to it. He pushed her again, and something began to suck at her, catching her shoulders
her hair
and her last vision before the world went weird was the shock on his face as her deathgrip on the tie her uncle gave him pulled him after her.
Somewhere Foggy
"Urk..." Midori heaved as she regained her senses, the adrenaline of the scuffle forcing her into an awake state even as she readied herself for a fight. "What happened?" she asked aloud as she looked around. It was... the Central Shopping District? What? She was just fighting Adachi in the Police station!
"SAKI!" She yelled out, before realizing her mistake and diving behind a trashcan. She could barely see across the street through the fog, so she hoped that anyone coming to investigate would not see her until it was too late.
She took another breath, and a familiar foreign feeling came with it. She reached out with one hand and felt the trash-bin.
It wasn't real. It looked like it, but to the touch, it held a different texture than the metal it appeared to be. It was like something someone would create without knowing what was actually going on.
She wasn't on Earth any more. And a quick and panicked check revealed no COMP to call for help, but her hands found Frosty's card where she left it.
Was this what Abel warned her about? It had to be. But he also said she could handle this on her own. She could do that. But how? And what?
If this was the Shopping District, or a fake version of it, and Saki had been sent here first... how did she get here? The only thing that made any sort of sense was the television, but that was...
No. She had to focus here and now. Save Saki. Shopping District meant the store was here as well. That would be a place to start.
Getting her bearings, and mindful that Adachi had been pulled in after her, she went from cover to cover up the street, her mind recalling the Seven Days that she had to develop these skills, or face the consequences.
She reached the store, or what pretended to be it and stepped through the front doorway into the back room. That it was impossible to do that in the real world was dismissed in favor of seeing Saki in the middle of the grossly distended room, far higher, wider and larger than it had any right to be.
"Saki?" She said, reaching out with one hand, the other on Frosty's card. She didn't know how he would fare against a Demon, but she would not go down without a fight.
Saki sniffed. "Midori?"
"It's me," Midori said with a comforting smile. "I'm here to rescue you. Just like you wanted."
"Go away!" her classmate yelled out, scrambling away from Midori. "Leave me alone!"
"I can't do that," Midori said. "This place isn't real. I can save you. I will save you." She had no idea how to get out. If she entered through a television, then maybe she could leave via the same? Who cared if logic didn't work like that. She was just thankful that in the room the fog was gone.
Passing by a wrench on the floor, she didn't pass up her good fortune and picked it up, balancing Frosty's card between fingers instead. She had a weapon now. She could fight. "Saki, this place... how did you get here."
"He did it!" She said fearfully as Saki found herself in a corner. "Did you see her? She wears my face!"
Midori looked around, but saw no one. "There's no one here except you and me," she said.
"How are you here!?" Saki realized that was an important question and screamed out her question.
Midori didn't know how to explain with them both still in potential danger. Adachi. 'Her'. "I'm a real-life, bona-fide, completely, truly, honestly, complete with stupid speeches – a magical girl." She explained with a smile. "Impossible, I know."
"You're lying!"
"No, I'm not." Midori needed to get her out of here. She was starting to feel tired, the excitement wearing off and a more conservative wariness overtaking here. "I wish I was. I wish this was all a bad dream, but it's not. We need to get out of here. Please." She offered her free hand, and then stopped when dormant instincts told her she was not alone.
"Here you are," Adachi said as he walked into the room. "Thought I might find you here, you fucking bitch."
Midori stood straight. Right. Love and Justice time. She turned to face her attacker. "Walk away, Adachi." She had to warn him.
"I think not. That hurt when you hit me. You're stronger than you look, you know that?" She could see the forming welt on his face, like he landed on it, or something hit him. But she didn't remember hitting him there.
"Why did you throw her in here?"
"I asked her why she was getting cozy with Namatame," he said shrugging. "She slapped me, so I had to punish her."
Midori ignored Saki behind her. She would never turn her back on an enemy. "Really? That's it?"
"Hell yeah! Why not?"
"Do you even know what this place is?!"
"It's heaven." Adachi said as his waving hands allowed him to flick his gun into his hand. "I mean, there's no way I could do this in the real world!"
Midori wasn't fazed. She had stared down others with the same weapon, and it had lost all meaning to her. It was the person behind it that was the threat.
"Humph," Adachi saw that she wasn't impressed by his quick draw. "Betcha Dojima showed you his gun too, back in December?"
She didn't rise to the bait, but couldn't move either even as he came closer. Doing so would expose Saki. She flicked Frosty's card to her off hand, and rolled the arm that held the wrench. "What are you going to do now?"
The answer was a gunshot. Adachi pulled the trigger and Saki screamed as the sound echoed through the room. But she saw he wasn't aiming at her, and she refused to move, to blink. She was ready for the fight again, and this time, she had the home-ground advantage.
"You're brave, aren't you?" He tried to taunt her, but she wrapped herself in the memories of everything that had come before.
"I've seen worse than you," she did, however, admit. "You were let into our home! We shared meals with you, and this is how you repay us?"
"You were never to come here," Adachi admitted sorrowfully. "But I was just so giddy that it worked a second time, I had to do it a third!"
He was now close enough that she was comfortable with the range. "Take another step closer, and you'll regret it." She switched her stance to put her right foot forward, and the wrench at arm's length pointed at Adachi. "Last chance to walk away." The important part was that her left hand, with Frosty was hidden behind her.
"You arrogant bitch," Adachi spat at her. "I have the power here! Only I can get us out!"
Midori was afraid for a moment that he was right, but the truth was revealed to her. Abel trusted her. And if she went missing, she knew Aigis would stop at nothing to find her. She laughed.
"What's so FUNNY!?" He roared as she dismissed his pathetic attempts to break her.
"I have seen things you wouldn't believe," Midori taunted him right back, seeing now that he was even move scared by this place than she was. "Worlds on fire while wrapped in the wings of an angel. Seen the sky open up and a tower rise from hell. Stood before things with more angles than possible. I have turned back humanity's worst, and embraced its best. The Legions of Heaven and Hell know my name and fear it. You don't scare ME."
He raised his gun one more time, and Midori saw that his aim would be true. "Time to lose," she said as his hand and hers tightened at the same time.
Adachi watched as the gun fired, but his target was already moving. With impossible grace, she slid to one side even as he tried to keep up with her motion, but shooting a moving person was far harder than he expected. It wasn't like he was aiming to miss, or shooting a target. The shot missed, the second from his revolver when she spoke again.
"I! The harbinger of Love and Justice! I summon Black Frost!" She shouted as he moved no where near as fast as he could have. As she ran around the room, behind her a flurry of light reached from her left hand and formed between her and him.
It was small, and as he watched in a mixture of surprise and shock, saw it form into something he had never seen before, but had heard of through the police grapevine.
Tales of Tokyo, and that horrific week.
Tales of monsters that were accredited to the chemicals in the water and the air. That spoke of demons and angels fighting for the fate of all man kind.
Tales he had rightfully dismissed as being flights of fancy.
Tales that were real.
"AGI!" And the Demon that she summoned threw fire at him, his brain possessing enough rational – or primitive – thought to shield his face with his arms.
"BUFU!" He checked his target even as it wound up and a sharp spike of ice formed in its hands. Adachi dodged away from it and the girl in the same action as the attack sailed through the space he formerly occupied.
He came up from his roll in a textbook shooting position, training taking over where conscious effort failed. A pull of the trigger and the bullet hit the little black-and-purple monster square in it's chest.
Only for it to ignore the wound.
Midori, dashing, closed the distance and swung the wrench down on his arm, hoping to knock the gun away. But he saw the attack coming and scooted back just enough to avoid the blow. But he did see the force of the impact on the floor, and how it jarred Midori's arm.
This, he realized, was not what he expected. Not what he wanted. He was supposed to be in charge here! He swung the gun around and fired blindly, missing Midori and monster, but forcing them back at the same time.
Then it threw flame at him, and he rolled to avoid it. But not enough as he felt the heat through his jacket. A glance told him it was on fire, and he ran for a safe distance even as that thing and its master chased after him.
He shucked off his jacket, retaining his grip on his gun. He turned and the first thing across his sights was the monster. Another aim, another squeeze, and it absorbed the bullet as equally well as the first.
"Help me!" he screamed, and was answered.
Call my name
"HELP!"
CALL MY NAME!
"MAGATSU-IZANAGI!"
The thing that came from his heart was a power granted to him by something he had no name for, to allow him to do what he did. It emerged, covered in filth and humanoid in appearance. Its coat flapped in the non-existent wind and in its hand was a long sword, or a knife. Understanding his desire, it swung its weapon at the girl and her monster.
She dodged. "Agi!"
Adachi braced for the flames, but felt nothing as the little demonic thing bathed itself in flames. He was confused as to why even as his own monster vanished from sight. Then the girl was on him again, fighting close as he tried to open up the room to defend himself to summon his own monster again.
But Midori wouldn't let him. When he summoned his own Persona, all thoughts of mercy left her head. She would break him for what he had done, even as her own words to Akihiko concerning Takaya were ignored. She saw that Adachi had training, which he started to fall back on, some martial arts that she knew the name of even as she let the thought slip through her mind and into oblivion.
It wasn't enough before experience and raw determination. She jabbed him in the side, even as she willed Frosty to heal itself in the fires of its own creation. He reacted by trying to get a bead on her with his gun, but she had counted. He had used five. There were six bullets in the weapon. One more, and as long as it didn't hit her or Saki, she would have this battle in the bag.
She would punish him. Then bring him back so he could be punished more.
The gun was close and she dropped her wrench to free up both hands. Slick with sweat and shaking from the force she brought to bear, she stepped in and grabbed the weapon even as Adachi tried to aim.
They struggled for the weapon. Midori trying to wrap her finger around the trigger to pull it one last time even as Adachi tied to aim it.
She had no idea what happened when the gun fired off one last time. The rattle in her hands was enough. She hopped back, arms raised and looking for her weapon even as Adachi stood there in shock.
Then he started to bleed.
He looked down at the crimson blotch that spread across his stomach. "You..."
"oh god..." Midori said, the moment carving itself into her memory forever. "I didn't mean to..."
The strength in his hands was gone, and the gun clattered to the floor. "I didn't..."
He fell over.
Midori lost concentration and fell backwards herself. She pulled herself to her feet and looked down at Adachi, expecting him to stand up. To taunt her again. To summon his Persona to keep the fight going.
To do something.
But he didn't.
Tohru Adachi was dead.