Chapter 11 – もう一人の。。。レミ？！
（The other..Remi?)
As I opened my eyes, I realized that Yosuke and I had appeared back at Junes... and Chie was standing there, glaring at us! She had tears welled up in her eyes, and the rope that seemed to have snapped off clenched in her hands.
"Whoa, Chie!" Yosuke blinked, "What's with that face?" Yosuke shouldn't have asked that though, because as soon as Chie stood up, she tossed the rope right into his face!
"The nerve of you guys! You are such morons!" She was crying her eyes out now, as she was scolding us for going into the TV without her consent. "You guys suck!"
"C-Chie-san.." I blinked, holding my hand out to her. It was immediately smacked away though.
"The rope got cut off, and I didn't know what to do..." She was wiping the tears. "I-I was so worried.. I mean scared stiff, dammit! I hate you both..!"
"Chie-san!" I cried out, seeing her run off into a different direction. Yosuke scratched the back of his head.
"I think that might've been our fault.." Yosuke chuckled nervously. "I'm seriously wiped out.. I think I'm gonna go soak in the shower at home or something."
"I know I'm going to pass out as soon as I hit the futon!" I rubbed my eyes, yawning a bit. "T-That battle.. it was tiring!"
"Hahaha.. I think I'm going to sleep well tonight..." Yosuke nodded to me, giving me a small smile.
"That's good.." I smiled back to him, slipping off my green glasses and putting them into my bag. "I'm going to check out what's up with this egg... Or whatever it is. It's really bugging me!"
Yosuke fixed his hair. "Heh, well see you in the morning..."
…
Man, if I knew we spent that long in the TV world, I would've gotten home much earlier! It started pouring on my way back home from Junes, so I had to run to get my umbrella and other things from Yasogami. I brought out my umbrella that I carried with me, and I was walking through the rain until I heard a familiar voice calling me from a different direction.
"Oh, isn't that Yukiko?" I spoke to myself, walking up the hill and sitting under the gazebo with her. "Hey!"
"Oh, hello!" I was examining her outfit.. Why was she wearing a kimono at a time like this? "O-Oh, are you surprised to see me like this?"
"Yeah," I nodded, chuckling. "What's with a kimono at a time like this?"
"My parents sent me out to run and errand." She gave me a simple reply, putting her head down for a minute to think of a way to start a conversation. "Um... Are you getting used to Yasogami High?"
To tell you the truth, I was kinda scared shitless from all the Shadows and Persona things. However, I loved Inaba's scenery, and I was starting to like Yasogami High School.
"Yeah.. I like it here." I spat out a half-truth.
"Really..?" Yukiko gave a small grin at me. "It must be hard, though... Moving to a place you know nothing about."
"I don't mind it. I like how it looks here."
"Haha, well I've never been out of here so I wouldn't know." Yukiko thought of something right after she asked that. "Oh, are you getting along with Chie? I leave early, so-"
"She's nice, I like her." Despite the argument today, those were my true feelings. I chuckled, "Isn't she a handful for you?" Yukiko chuckled.
"She's always full of energy. She always gives me that extra push I need." Yukiko smirked, "We had homeroom together last year, and we would sometimescut class together."
"Hahaha, that's nice." Yukiko was so lucky to have a friend she could count on. To tell you the truth, I didn't have many 'friends.' Not many I could count on, to say truthfully. However, I wasn't going to let her see through that Persona that I gained on my own, accepting my true feelings.
"Oh! I should get going.." Yukiko looked down, standing up and folding her arms under the kimono sleeves. "I'll.. see you at school then."
…
I got back home that night and greeted Nanako, taking off my sweater and placing it over my bag so she wouldn't look into it or anything. If she found that egg, it could be dangerous...
She looked back at me, not even noticing the bag. "Dad's late.."
"..I see.." I sighed, looking back to the TV as it started up with an update about Inaba's murders. Sadly, we might've figured it out.. Should we tell the police though? I just continued to listen to the stupid recap, until I heard something else come up before my eyelids.
"Another incident.." Nanako looked like she was about to cry. "Dad won't be coming home tonight..."
"I'll be here for you, y'know." I smiled to her. "I don't have much to do at the moment..."
"I'll be okay, but.." She shuffled. "Can you help me around the house? I'll even dry your jacket for you."
"Huh? Yeah, thanks." I sat onto my knees, watching the interview on the Amagi Inn... Wait, Amagi Inn?
They were pestering her about how she was becoming a manager at such a young age. Complimenting her on her kimono... The man was not shutting up about her, to go on with the interview about the Inn. Within minutes, Nanako left the TV running and got up from her pillow.
"I need to do the dishes.." She spoke out, as I got up as well.
"Then, I don't mind sweeping up the place." I pointed out, "Where's the broom at?"
"Over there." Nanako spoke out, pointing to it as it stood by the fridge. I walked up to it, beginning to sweep the Tatami mats as she began to do the dishes on her own. Was this supposed to be Uncle Dojima's daughter..? If so, she was really reliable. Not only that, she could do a lot of stuff on her own. When I barely got done sweeping and dusting off the TV and everything, I was already becoming very fatigued from all that had happened today. I waved to Nanako before taking my things up to the room.. Which didn't really seem to be like a good idea..
…
I took out the egg again, as it seemed to be the color of Red now. It was oval shaped, like any other egg, but it seemed to have this certain attribute about it that completely threw it off. I placed it onto the futon, sitting down as I watched it. It was already 11:30 at night, but I did not wanna switch off to the Midnight Channel... Not yet.
"I don't see why I brought it to my house." I laid out on the floor, still hurting from the bruise. It was then that I checked my back, beginning to rub it. "Shoot.. The bandages..."
There were two things that I never mentioned in my life. It was why I started having bandages wrapped around me after I turned eight years old, and then something happened that involved me on my birthday. An incident happened, and I was damaged to the point that I was fatally injured physically. I was very traumatized, so I hid all the scars I had obtained from them in bandages. I never wear swimsuits, and I never go swimming or take off my clothes in dressing rooms for gym because I'm afraid that they would all laugh at me for what I have. However, I don't want to go into more detail about that.. I had an egg to deal with.
"It seems different than before.." I looked at it, putting my index finger on it as I watched the clock go by. It seemed very delicate to my touch at first, before it truly accepted what I was trying to do. That sounded kinda deep, but it was true.. It's like it was reacting to all that I did. After a minute, a blinding light began to shine as I dropped the egg onto the floor and scooted back to the wall, also on my futon. I covered my face as the light was coming towards me, slightly whimpering as I heard it begin to crack.
"W-What's happening?" I asked myself, continuing to watch as something with wings spurted out. The wings looked pretty pointy, and were colored like a rainbow. For a minute there, it really made me think of that one shooting game that my classmates showed me...
Though, that wasn't the point. A creature, no a girl came out of the egg with her wings covering her body as the lights on her wings began to glow. She gained a red dress, with some white underclothing. She then had some boots appear on her feet, some pink ones. Her hair looked exactly like mine, and her eyes were the same color as mine! ..Red...
When all the light came to a stop, she floated down onto the floor. She was desperately gasping for air, as if she had been stuck in that egg for a long time...
"W-Wah..?" I was too scared to scream, as I felt my heartbeat grow quickly. However, she looked just like me.. having wings on her back though kinda creeped me out. I slowly crawled up to her, examining her in detail. "..Are you okay?"
"Y-Yeah.." She spoke back to me, leaving me stunned. This thing had an innocent voice, as her wings were now crinkled up so they would shield anything coming towards her. "I've been waiting for someone to let me out of that.. Konagi-sama, I am in your debt."
"Whoa, how the hell do you know my name?" I squeaked, standing up as I also helped her to her feet. She floated when I tried to pull her up, though...
"I am.. Your inner self." She chuckled, "I do not have a name. I'll put it this way.. I'm you, and you're me. I'm your Shadow!"
"Huh..?" I blinked, kinda confused. "B-But, how come you're not mocking me or.. You're not even bothering to harm me!"
"That's because I do not want you be afraid of me.. Or be hurt." She shook her head. "I was born from your creativity, and imagination! Technically, I'm not a Shadow, though..."
"Ha..?"
"Like you said, a Shadow would attack you." She gave me a warm smile, making me feel more relieved. "As part of your imagination, I can't attack you."
"Wow..." My eyes widened, "What's with the wings?"
"I'm partly human." She chuckled, snapping her fingers to make them disappear. "I can disguise myself as being a human. I look like your twin, don't I?"
"Well," I scoffed, seeming that this would be an okay time for a quick chat. "I don't wear dresses! I only wear skirts because it's part of my school uniform!"
"Well.. I guess that'll be easier to tell us apart." She smiled, "Um.. Konagi-sama..."
"Don't call me that!" She winced, messing with her hair. "I know you're here to help, but.. please call me Remi-"
I heard a tick, as the clock's hands hit midnight. I walked over to the window as the nameless girl backed up so I could walk towards it. Pulling up the curtains, I gasped.
"...The fog has set in.." I whispered.
"Fog?" She tilted her head, then turned to the TV as it turned on. "A Television. It's a type of box that allows you to see something using a thing called a remote, right?"
"Yeah." I blinked, "But... This is different, much different." I also turned my head back to the TV, seeing a picture of a darkened female on the screen. She seemed to be a girl in a kimono. "Ugh.. I can't see the person's face!"
"Try touching it." The girl suggested to me, as she looked to me. "Your mind already told me about the TV World, so... I kinda know about most of this.
"If you say so.." I spoke, pressing my finger against the TV as an odd warmth appeared onto my hand. It was like a ripple effect from the water, but the image disappeared when I touched it. As I pulled it out, the TV turned off. "God.. Wait until Yosuke hears about this!"
"Are you going to sleep now?" She asked me, opening up her wings.
"Whoa, put those back!" I whispered, "Look, you need to get out of here and fast! If my uncle finds out you're here..."
"S-So.. I'm not allowed to be by your side?" She winced, looking down and kicking her feet. "Remi-sama.. I'm you. I need to be by your side.. I don't want anything to happen to you, so. I'll try to be good!"
"..." I looked into her red eyes, as they seemed to be drowned in sorrow. She really didn't seem like the type to do any harm. "Um.. Well. I guess you can stay..."
"R-Really..?" Her head perked up, eyes gleaming a little as a slight smile came onto her face.
"Yes, but.." I walked to the door, hearing the footsteps of Dojima going into his room. "You need to be quiet and hide!"
"That'll be easy!" She smiled, snapping her fingers as some of her rainbow crystals fell to the floor. In a second, it looked like she turned into a little keychain! It seemed like she was really going to sleep after all.
'Oh, um...' Never mind. I looked around, then looked back at her keychain-like self. 'When I'm like this, I can only speak through your mind so... Good night?'
"...Kana." I spoke out.
'W-What?' She stuttered.
"I think I'll call you, Kana."
I love the person who gets the reference Remi made when Kana made her appearance. It shouldn't be too hard to figure out, but hey! Some people might not get it
Anyways~
Persona 4 (C) ATLUS
Remilia Konagi & Kana (C) Me!