Chapter 12 – Aibou
You know.. I really thought I could get some rest, and not have anything pop up and scare the shit out of me as if it were a nightmare. Though, I'm totally wrong on that part.
"Welcome..." Goddammit, it was Igor.
"Why am I.."
"Do not be alarmed, you're sleeping peacefully in the real world." Igor gave me a grin, but for some reason.. My heart felt like I could trust those words. "I have summoned you within your dreams."
"This place is for those who have, entered into a contract of some sort, may enter." Margaret explained to me, before I could ask anymore questions. I stayed quiet, that way I wouldn't be interrupted. "You chose to follow the destiny of your inner voice, and you heard the call to awaken your true power.."
I thought about this for a second. Izanagi must have been the one who was talking to me... The one who saved Yosuke's life before he died in front of me. And Kana... Where did Kana come from? She didn't have a name, and apparently she was my Shadow... Why was she summoned, though?
"When you called forth the power," Margaret totally blew off my thoughts. "You brought up such a fascinating awakening."
Igor's hand opened up in front of me, showing a blue key that was glowing brightly. I took it into my hands, having it disappear before me. Though, I could feel that it was somewhere within me..
"From this day forth, you are our guest here." Igor began to disclose information to me. "Your destiny will require to use that power, and you will need our assistance to pull through."
"Wow..." I was fascinated by all this. Truthfully, I thought it was going to be useless information. But... I thought this was something I should keep to myself. "T-Thank you." I bowed slightly.
Igor nodded. "There is a price for this, however..."
"A price..?" I tilted my head.
"You must follow the contract, and assume responsibility for all that you do."
"Of course." I gave a small smirk. "About Kana... and Izanagi.."
"Ah, yes.. the Persona you have acquired." He chuckled a little. "It's a side of you that shows when you face the world around you... and 'Kana,' was it? She is from the feelings you suppress daily. It is quite strange, though.. To have faced yourself but to have fear in showing your emotions?"
"U-Um.." I blushed a little looking away. "W-What was that about the side for facing the world..?" I didn't want to admit all my feelings to this dude. It was kind of awkward.
"A facade you wear to face difficulties in life." Igor's grin grew, making me shuffle in my seat. "Your Persona ability, is that of the Wild Card. Very different from the others.. but special."
"Special..?"
"It's like the number zero: Empty, but with endless possibilities."
"I... don't understand."
"The power of Persona means you can control your own heart, and that power is strengthened through bonds." Igor shuffled his hands around. "The power of Social Links are the only things that can determine your Persona's ability."
"To control my heart..?" I put my hands over my chest.
"Social Links are needed for more than just getting stronger Personae." Margaret shook her head. "They can light the way to find the truth you seek."
"I'm curious to know where the Wild Card shall take you." Igor gave out one last laugh. "I look forward to traveling with you.. as I'm afraid our time is up."
"I see.." I smirked a little. "Bye then..!" I gave a small wave, as I felt my consciousness drifting off once more... I need to get used to that.
…
The next morning, despite all that had happened in the Velvet Room, I was feeling pretty damn good and ready to be active. Well, I guess that was a lie. I told Kana about my School Schedule, and how she could only come out when I say to. She stayed as a Keychain, being placed onto my bag when I walked on so I guess you could say I had someone to walk to school with. Not only that, but I was listening to some music on the way to school.
But...
I felt lonely. Even with the power of the Wild Card.. the "facade" I was supposed to have, I felt really lonely walking to school that day. Nanako doesn't go to Yasogami yet, so I can't really walk with her all the way down here. I don't want to make her late. My mood was already ruined as I took off the headphones and put them back into my bag with the MP3 Player.
*Ding Ding*
My eyes widened as I turned around to see Yosuke on his banana yellow bike. He had his orange schoolbag with him, and the same ol' headphones that he had on the day before. No problems with his bike today, I suppose.
"Yo." He waved to me, winking a bit.
"Oh.. hey." I gave a sad smile. "Good morning."
"Mornin'." He nodded back to me, his face suddenly turning serious. "Did you see what was on the TV last night?"
"The shadow on the Midnight Channel?"
"Yeah, that's it." He seemed hesitant. "I couldn't tell who it was, but if it's on that channel then we can't ignore it."
"I know what you mean." I spoke out, "What if someone dies? I can't just live on like it's a regular death anymore.."
"Mhm." He looked down, "If it turns out that it is another person, then there really is a culprit. We have to talk to Teddie about this later."
"But even so.." I grit my teeth. "I'll never forgive someone who's using that as a weapon!"
"We need to find the culprit. No matter what happens." Yosuke got into my face with a serious look, as my eyes widened.
"Y-Yosuke..?" I winced, pushing him back a little.
"The police isn't gonna do what we're about to do. They won't believe that a TV kills people!"
"...You're right." I looked back at Kana's keychain, then looked back at him. "It's gotta be us. Besides, I wanna keep my promise!"
"Of course." He flashed a smirk at me. "I wanna keep my promise, too." Then, it was like something came into his mind. "Y'know, I tried sticking my head into the TV last night.. It worked."
"Wha?" I backed up, covering my mouth because I was loud. I hushed myself to a whisper. "What do you mean?"
"I think I can do it now because I have that power... Persona, right?" He tilted his head in thought. "Could we have gotten this gift from someone for this case..?" He tilted his head back. "Then again, you got to go into the TV and get it first."
"I really don't know how.." I shook my head.
"Haha, don't worry." He nodded to me. "I feel like as long as you're with me, we can bring this culprit to justice."
"A-..Ah.." I felt my face grow a little warm as he said that. I was never really trusted that much to be honest. I only played the guitar by myself while everyone else went on with their life. I shook my head and waved my hand in the air. "S-Shut it, Hanamura."
"Hah!" He smirked, as if he were teasing me. "Let's do our best, alright?" He held his hand out to me, looking at me with a trustworthy smile. His Shadow said he faked having friends right..? Was this a truthful one?
"..Yeah." I smiled, feeling the warmth go away as I took his hand and shook it. I heard a subconscious voice go off in my head again, as I clutched on tightly. Was this what Igor and Elizabeth were talking about?
'Thou art I... And I am thou...
Thou hast established a new bond...
It brings thee closer to the truth...
Thou shalt be blessed when creating Personas of the Magician Arcana...'
I felt a surge of energy pulse through my hand as I then let go and pulled it away. My red eyes were widened as I looked back at my palm, as if something happened and no one else realized it.
"Hello~?" I heard a voice that snapped me back to reality. I shook my head, looking back at Yosuke who was waving his palm in front of my face. "Did you hear what I said?"
"I-I'm sorry..." I looked down in embarrassment. I shook my head. "I was just thinking... Come on, let's head to school!"
…
Despite what had happened last night, Yosuke had definitely changed after he faced his True Self. He didn't bring it up like I thought he would, but he did begin to ask some questions about me. I either said they were too personal, or if he asked about my likes and dislikes, I told him.
"So, you're into American Music as well?" He asked me, in which I nodded.
"Mhm. I like some of the bands and their music." I chuckled a little, "Even if sometimes I can't-"
That's when we heard the door slam open with a bang. Chie had appeared out of the blue, her eyes panicking as if she were looking for someone. She ran up to us, in which Yosuke immediately turned to her.
"Oh, Chie! A-About yesterday.." He began to speak.
"We're sorry about worrying you.." I finished up his sentence. I mean, I could understand Chie being worried about someone who was really close to her. But.. why me?
"I don't care about that right now!" Yep. She was in panic. "Has Yukiko still not arrived at school?"
Come to think of it, when we were walking to school I hadn't seen the girl at all this morning. Something was off, and I knew for a fact that Chie wasn't going to quit bugging us about her.
"Y-Yukiko-san..?" Yosuke thought for a few seconds. "No..? I don't think so.. I didn't see her this morning."
"Same here." I told Chie. "We even walked to school together."
"Oh...!" Chie shuffled uncomfortably. "Hey, was that stuff you were talking about real..? The people who show up on the Midnight Channel appear in that world?"
Before we started talking about music, we had indeed started talking about that. We wanted to set things straight as soon as possible, in order to catch the culprit without hesitation.
"Yeah, we were talking about that a few minutes ago." I explained. "Yosuke wants to go check it out again later and-"
"That person.. on the TV.." Chie started shivering, holding one of her arms. "I-I think it was.. Y-Yukiko.."
My red orbs widened at her theory. What if that was true?
"It looked like she was in a Kimono.. and that was the same one she wore in an interview a few days ago!" She was spilling all her troubles out to us. "I got worried, so I emailed her. And.. she didn't reply..."
"Oh my.."
"I called her in the evening, and she said she'd be at school today..." Chie looked like she was about to cry. "I-I.."
"O-Oi, don't cry!" I looked up at her. "You still haven't heard from her since the evening, though?"
"No.."
"Well, I think we have some information about that world." I nodded to myself. "It might help us with that world itself. We know for a fact that if I put our hand into the TV, we can go in without a problem. Teddie is our only exit, and.. As crazy as this sounds, Yukiko might have been tossed in there."
"Wait, hold on a second!" Chie backed up. "Are you saying she might've been thrown in there?"
"We don't know yet.." Yosuke replied, "We need to check up on her."
"Yeah, call her on your Phone." I suggested. "We still have some time until class ends."
"Right.." Chie took a deep breath, dialing the number and placing the phone to her ear as she began to call the girl of the Amagi Inn...
And that concludes Chapter 12! For some reason, Opera will not work on , so it might take some time before I can edit the chapters real well. Thank you for reading, and stuff!
Also. August 23rd = School starts again.. Fanfiction will most likely go slower than usual and if it does, I'm sorry T_T;
Remilia Konagi & Kana (C) Me
Persona 4 (C) ATLUS