A/N:
This chapter is really late! Mostly because I've been busy with the school year starting up.
Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed! The support always encourages me to keep writing! Reviews always make my day better. But thank you to anyone who reads, favs, follows, etc! Love ya'll!
tjfanfics99: I'm glad you're enjoying the story so far! And your comment about Yosuke... isn't far off!
BlueAtom09974: I always intend for the changes to be surprising! As the story goes on, it'll separate from the original Persona 4 even more. I'm just setting everything up right now. And Yosuke is the only party member that was available during the beginning of the story in the original Persona 4. I had thought about changing it to Kanji, but I'm quite biased towards Yosuke. Additionally, I apologize for the lack of Naoto in recent chapters! They'll be back, I promise!
roughstar333: Neither! I think this chapter will make the POV mystery of last chapter clear.
Dash master 48: You'll see!
EternalCombOver: I'll probably redo the Saki scene from last chapter. Saki Konishi was a character that could have had a lot of potential, had she stayed alive in the real game. Her issues in-game were very interesting and would make for a great character arc. I can't say if she'll live or die, but I hope to explore her character more in this story.
Heroi Oscure: Thanks so much!
b-wolf95: You'll find out who the suit donner is in the next chapter!
RandomRobot: LOVE the guesses! I think a lot of people have guessed correctly for Yu/Souji. So this chapter will probably make his arcana clearer. And as I said in response to EternalCombOver, the Saki scene will be redone!
N-Lorin: Glad you like the concept and story so far!
PhoneGuy: Rise/Naoto is certainly a possibility.
eneresy: Thanks so much for featuring my story in your community! To everyone unfamiliar with said community, it's called "Midnight Perspectives". Go check it out!
Raindrops battered against her bedroom's window, and thunder rumbled outside. Hop the rain would stop by tomorrow. Rise had never been a fan of bad weather, much preferring sunny skies and warm temperatures. She leaned back against the couch, legs curled underneath her sitting form. Her eyes remained fixed on her phone's screen, flicking and swiping through different apps. Nanako already went to bed after eating dinner, and there wasn't much else to do. The time was nearing midnight, with only a minute to spare. Teddie's rumor had better be worth the trouble.
Spending time at Junes with Teddie and Yosuke hadn't of been too awful. It allowed her to learn more about the two. Yosuke's father was the department store's manager. While Teddie worked at a boutique near the train station. They had chattered idly, about classmates and the upcoming year. It was Teddie who had brought up a recent rumor.
"If you stare into your TV at midnight, you'll see your soulmate's face!"
Immediately, Yosuke had ridiculed him. Rise had made her skepticism known in a more subtle manner. But Teddie was an incredibly persistent individual. While she had a feeling that Yosuke wouldn't try it, Rise was going to keep her promise. Which was why she was stuck waiting until midnight. She barely noticed when the clock stuck twelve. Until the sharp noise of static filled her room. Slowly, Rise turned her eyes to the TV, which had been turned off. She narrowed her eyes, and could see what looked like a person... writhing in pain. She stood quietly, approaching the set to get a closer look.
Unfortunately, she had left one of her books on the floor. In a humiliating display of clumsiness, she tripped over it, letting out a loud yelp as she slammed headfirst into the TV set.
...Only to find herself staring into a plain, white void. It took her a brief moment to snap out of her daze and realize that her head had entered the TV.
"What!?" She just about howled, throwing herself backwards. Only her head had gone through the screen, while her two hands had been on the wall. She stumbled back, tumbling over the discarded book, and falling onto the floor in a dazed heap. She gave a groan of pain. But a short moment later, she lifted her head to look at the TV with wide, dismayed eyes. What... was that?
She almost didn't want to believe it. But it was all unbelievably clear. She had gone headfirst into the TV screen. Disturbed and disoriented, Rise stumbled over to her futon, plopping down and grabbing the sheets, before curling up underneath them.
Strange classmates, a murder mystery, and now the ability to travel into TV screens... Could her life here get any weirder?
Tap, tap.
His pencil's eraser bounced up and down, as he tapped it on his desk. He had arrived at school much too early. Sleep had evaded him for the past couple of days. Ever since he had seen it, he had become restless and fidgety. Something was terribly wrong in Inaba. But he couldn't quite place it. It had only been two weeks ago that he had moved here, but everything around him was so chaotic already. Unlike the other transfer student-Rise Seta, he had remained quiet and out of the eye of the student body.
He heard the legs of the chair next to him scrape against the tiled floor, and turned his attention to the tawny haired boy who had sat down next to him. His slate grey eyes gazed at the boy numbly. Hanamura Yosuke, right? He wondered inwardly.
"You transferred here like two weeks ago, right?" Everything about the young man seemed languid, but strangely confident. He seemed to drape himself over the chair, his bored gaze fixed on the window outside, as though nothing else in the room was of importance to him. "Souji Kujikawa, right?"
"...Yes." His voice was quiet, presence barely there. In all honesty, Souji was unsure of what this boy wanted from him. It wasn't like he had anything to offer. The grey-eyed boy looked down towards his hands, littered with bandages. A grin split across Yosuke's features.
"Great! It's nice to meet another city dweller. We have to stick together, y'know. I'm Yosuke Hanamura, pleased to make your acquaintance." There was something very flippant about the boy before him. His tone was sardonic, but he was incredibly relaxed. Souji envied that.
"There's another transfer student from the city. You sit next to her." The words flew from Souji's mouth before he could even think on them. Years of people leaving his life had destroyed his hope for maintaining regular, healthy relationships. He couldn't be this boy's friend. He couldn't be anyone's friend. Souji pretended to be disinterested. But he knew, deep inside, he wanted Yosuke to persist. The tawny haired boy scowled over at him.
"Pfft, don't remind me. She's nice and all, but she likes it here too much. Nothing ever happens." Yosuke rolled his eyes, rested his chin on his hand.
"There was a murder yesterday." Souji replied immediately, not taking his eyes away from his desk. The boy behind him gave an amused snort, and Souji glanced at him from the corner of his eye. A wry, amused smile had slid across Yosuke's expression.
"I know, I know. And there's that creepy Midnight Channel rumor going around, too." It was nice, to talk so casually with another person. Souji had heard many people gossip about Yosuke and his perverted, arrogant nature. But in this moment, it felt so impossibly easy to talk to him. Maybe it was because no one had approached Souji since his first day at school.
Before Souji could reply, the doors to the classroom opened. Rise Narukami and the blonde boy known Teddie sauntered in. The pig-tailed girl seemed miffed about what they were chattering about. Teddie seemed to be chuckling, a wide, impish grin stretched along his youthful features. At the sight of them, Yosuke rose from his seat, but turned to Souji with a look of intrigue.
"We might go out after school. If you wanna, you can come. Don't be a stranger, now." The tawny-haired boy leaned against the desk next to Souji's, that languid smile on his lips again. Quite suddenly, a warm feeling swelled in the grey-haired boy's chest. He hadn't of been invited anywhere in such a long time. He was caught by surprise-but it was Yosuke who once again brought him back to attention. "What're you two gossiping about?"
"Y-Yosuke!" Teddie wheezed with laughter. "You gotta hear Rise-chan's story! It's hilarious!" Said girl seemed to be fuming, her hands balled into fists at her side.
"It's true, I'm telling you!" Rise insisted. "I tried out your stupid rumor and-and I fell into the TV!" Souji raised his eyebrows, but didn't try and speak. He wasn't involved in this, but he couldn't help but notice how the outrageous statement didn't seem to catch Yosuke by surprise.
"Must've been one crazy dream." The tawny-haired boy replied coolly. "I mean, nothing compared to the dreams I have about you. But still." He teased. Souji almost rolled his eyes at the cheesy line, but instead watched as Rise huffed once more, before plopping down into her seat. Teddie eagerly plopped into his own. The blue-eyed boy remained quiet for a moment, before his wide, imploring eyes looked towards Souji.
"You're Souji-kun, right? Transferred here two weeks ago?" The blonde questioned, grinning widely once more. The grey-haired boy merely nodded, looking back down at his open notebook. Scribbles and drawingws of all kinds colored the lined pages. He held the pencil, beginning to draw a new shape. "Nice to meet you! It was hard to notice anyone else with Yosuke hogging up all the attention."
"What does that even mean!?" Yosuke spat, and Souji lifted his gaze once more, the ghost of a smile on his face. It seemed that the three of them were close to each other. And deep within, he knew that he desired a relationship like that.
"It's nice to meet you, Souji-kun." Rise's soft voice drew his attention in, and he cleared his throat, trying to smile at her.
"Nice to meet you, too." He spoke, voice a little raspy from lack of use. Teddie gaped over at him, his gaze moving back and forth between him and Rise.
"Rise-chan is so good at communicating with people! Like magic!" The blonde insisted, and Yosuke snorted in a demeaning way.
"Nah, you're just annoying." The tawny-haired boy insisted, a wicked grin on his features as he sauntered over to his own seat. Teddie pouted and stuck his tongue out at Yosuke, crossing his arms as though thoroughly offended.
For a few more moments, they stayed like that, just talking. It was the most Souji had used his voice in weeks. And when more students arrived, the moment seemed quieter, and further away.
"It's a shame that Souji-kun couldn't come today." Rise strolled down the isle, looking all around at the wide-screened TVs. "Naoto-kun, too. I wonder what he's been up to, lately? He was quiet at lunch today." Rise hadn't of been in Inaba for too long, but everything seemed to be falling into place. With the exception of the murders and falling-into-the-TV incident. Unfortunately, neither Teddie or Yosuke believed her story. And when she thought about it, she couldn't blame them. It sounded crazy.
"Naoto-kun's always got a stick up his ass. Probably has his nose buried in a book at the library." Yosuke reasoned crudely, hands shoved in his pockets. "Man, I hate this place."
"I thought you worked here, Yosuke?" Teddie questioned, eyebrows raised. Rise knew that she'd probably hate it if she worked here, too. She had worked at an office supply store back at home, and the customers had been insufferable. Some of her coworkers had been a hassle to deal with, too. Yosuke rolled his eyes at Teddie's question as they emerged from the isle, looking out at a line of TVs.
"So? I still hate it." The tawny-haired boy asserted. Rise smiled, almost replying, when an idea struck her. "Work isn't fun at all. And Saki-senpai is really the only person here who I can tolerate."
While both had not believed her when she told them she had fallen into the TV... could she prove it by showing them? The event that had only happened last night seemed so opaque and far away by now. But could she still enter a TV? Had it really been a dream after all? Yosuke and Teddie's bantering became only background noise, as she gazed up and down the area. The coast was clear. The pig-tailed girl sucked in a deep breath and strode forward, towards the largest TV around. Her hand pressed to the dark, flat surface of the screen.
"Hey, what're you-"
Her dainty hand pushed past the barrier, and entered the space behind it.
"What the hell!?" Yosuke's shriek caught her off guard. Before she could snap at him to quiet down, he continued to frantically speak. "W-What's the magician's secret?" He questioned, trying to keep his cool.
"Woah!" As opposed to Yosuke's frantic reaction, Teddie seemed awed by it. "How'd you do that!?" He questioned, peering around the screen, gasping when he didn't see her hand going through it.
"I-I don't know!" Suddenly, Rise regretted this course of action. Rushing footsteps could be heard a couple of isles down. It was likely that some of the employees had heard Yosuke's screeching. Before she could yank her hand out, Yosuke was hurrying towards her, Teddie on his heels. However, in a series of cumbersome motions, the two seemed to trip over their own feet, and each other. Her senses blurred, and suddenly, she was shoved entirely into the screen, her two friends behind her.
Air whooshed by her as she fell freely, the screams of both boys hardly registering. Panic caused her to seize up. A blinding light suddenly shown around them...
Before everything went blank entirely.
A/N: