Chapter 13 – Safety Precautions
Chie did not hesitate to start calling Yukiko again. We continued to stare at her, reading the reaction that she got until she put down the phone.
"Her voicemail picked up again..." It looked like Chie didn't want to say that. "She's not answering.."
"Shit.." Yosuke muttered under his breath, "Then.. Is Yukiko-san really in that place?"
"Isn't it a little-"
"Stop it!" Chie interrupted me, glaring at Yosuke. "Something must've come up! Like an errand or something!"
"Chie.." I tried calming her down, but it wasn't working either.
"O-Or, she might be helping at the Inn. She wouldn't be able to call and-"
"Chie!" Yosuke placed a hand in front of her to silence her quickly. "That might be true, but.. Would she skip school just for that?"
"Well, then let me give the inn a try!" Chie started pressing her buttons on the phone swiftly, as if she needed Yukiko with all her life. "I've got the number in here! Somewhere.."
I felt bad for Chie, and in a way.. I envied her. She had someone to care for, unlike me..
"Found it." Chie immediately dialed the number. "Yukiko.. Pick up..!"
Within seconds, I heard Chie screaming with delight as it seemed like Yukiko had picked up. They talked for a few minutes, and Chie hung up with her brown eyes filled with relief.
"What's happening?" I asked her, curious to know.
"She's over at the Inn.." She smiled back to us once again, "There was a big group reservation, and she had to help out."
"Oh?"
"Yeah!" Chie nodded to me, "This has happened at least once or twice. It's usually in the same year, too." She slipped the phone back into her pocket, "She'll be at the inn tomorrow, too."
She walked up to Yosuke, punching him on the arm.
"H-Hey!" His eyes widened.
"For crying out loud, Yosuke! You got me worried over nothing..." And that's when Chie began to rant about how Yosuke's theory got out of hand. I was expecting her to say something to me, but I guess it didn't come to her.
"Jeez, I'm sorry!" Yosuke waved his hands in front of him. "There is a reason we thought that, though.."
"Well? I'm waiting!" Chie tapped her foot on the ground impatiently.
"We thought at first that the Midnight Channel would be connected to our world, so.." I scratched the back of my head. "We thought they might've showed on the Channel because the person could've been in that world by now."
"And, not to mention it makes some sense." Yosuke pointed out in my explanation. "We might need to go check this out after school. It still worries me why Yukiko-san would show up, but not be in the Midnight Channel itself."
"Then, Junes it is!" I fist pumped in the air. "Let's go after school."
…
"..And that's how we learned a little more about that place." I shrugged, "I saved Yosuke before things got out of hand."
"R-Remi, I think that's enough gloating about how much of a hero you are." Yosuke groaned.
Chie chuckled a little, "If I hadn't seen the place first hand, I would've never believed that..."
"But, right now we need to-" Yosuke heard some people from behind talking, as he then groaned and held his head.
"Wait, how though? By talking to whoever that person was? Eddie?"
"Teddie." I corrected her, "But is something wrong Yosuke?"
"There's a sale in this department today, so there's a lot of people around." Yosuke whined, but within minutes it seemed like he had an epiphany. "...W-Wait, I got it! Remi, this way."
"Huh?" I tilted my head, walking towards him. "What's up, Yosuke?"
"Stick your hand in the TV, and call what's-his-face over."
"Teddie..!" I was getting frustrated with Yosuke.
"He's probably wandering around the entrance anyways, so try it out!"
"And Chie, can you do us a favor?"
"What's up, Yosuke?" Chie looked confused.
"Make a wall with me. We can cover Remi if we try."
"Um.. Okay...?" She walked over to the right of me, while Yosuke stayed to the left. I nodded, sticking my hand into the TV and wavering my fingers into the TV to call Teddie over. But, suddenly...
*CHOMP*
"Gah!" I whimpered, but not too loud so people would hear me. I felt teeth sink into my hand, and I tried my best to pull it out before I started bleeding or something.
"What's wrong?" Yosuke pretty much shouted.
"Shh..! Not so loud, Yosuke!" Chie put a finger to her lips, looking at the customers and smiling to them so they would turn away. She then turned to look at my hand. "What the-? Is that a bite mark? Are you okay..?"
"I-I'll be fine.." I sighed, rubbing my hand. "Freakin' Teddie.."
"The stupid bear must've bitten you." Chie groaned, "Hey, you! We know you're in there.."
"Ooh~ Is this a game?" Teddie's voice echoed from the TV.
"No, dumbass..." Yosuke got straight to the point. "Do you sense anyone in there right now?"
"Who's.. 'anyone?' I'm the only one here." Teddie pointed out. "This land feels so.. 'bear'en..."
"Oh dear god, puns.." I whimpered. That was one bad joke..
"So there's no one inside?" Chie ignored it, "Are you sure?"
"I-I'm being truthful!" Teddie frantically spoke. "No one's inside, and my nose is working at 100%!"
"Damn.." I clicked my tongue. "No new information.."
"Well, I'll go warn Yukiko anyways." Chie spoke to us once more, "She wouldn't really go anywhere alone if she's working at the Inn, but.. I'm a little worried about her."
"Oh, make sure to walk her to school Monday too!" It was my turn to say something. "If she's with you, nothing should happen right?"
"Yeah. I'll pick her up at the house."
"And, maybe we'll be able to find out more on tonight's Midnight Channel." Yosuke heaved a great sigh, "Let's cross our fingers and hope this is just a misunderstanding.."
"Yeah, hopefully." I looked down.
"..Uhh, Remi.." Yosuke averted his eyes in all directions. "U-Um.. Well... I don't want this to sound awkward, but.. Maybe I can-"
"You want my Phone Number, right?" I grinned, shaking my head. "Sure. If it's for the investigation, I don't mind." And so I took out my phone, and exchanged numbers with my new friend Yosuke. When we were done, we immediately looked back to Chie.
"Don't forget to watch tonight, alright guys?" Yosuke continuously reminded us.
"Yeah, we won't." I spoke, before walking back home alone.
…
Nanako welcomed me home as soon as I got inside, kind of wet from all the rain that was pouring down when I tried to run home as quick as possible. My hair was damp, and I told Nanako that I didn't need to eat for the night. I even asked her if she needed help with chores, but.. I guess she's so used to doing things on her own.
At night, however, I summoned Kana from the Keychain. As I knew Uncle Dojima wouldn't be back until I was sleeping, I decided it might be a good time to explain what I know about the Midnight Channel to her. She sat on my futon, listening to every word I was saying.
"So, um.." She tilted her head, the red orbs that showed we were similar stared at mine. "This Midnight Channel thing.. it's happening tonight, right?"
"Yeah." I closed the curtains to my window, walking up to her in my pajama pants and shirt. "When it rains, the Midnight Channel is on. You heard everything we were saying this morning, right?"
"Something about a girl named Yukiko..?"
"Correct." I nodded, walking back to the TV. "Let's see what it does.."
Kana turned her head to the clock, watching it strike Midnight. We both noticed the TV switch on immediately after, and guess who we saw? Yukiko.
She was wearing a dress that would fit someone like Sleeping Beauty, which surprised me because I wasn't expecting her to wear anything like that. What I heard from Yosuke was nowhere near what she should've worn on the TV.
"Good Evening~!" Her voice squeaked. Ow.. "Tonight, Princess Yukiko has a big surprise~"
"Uh, excuse me?" I asked myself, continuing to listen.
"I'm going to go score myself a hot stud!" Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa~ What? From what I heard, she was the owner of the Amagi Inn. I wouldn't have thought that she wanted someone who she could consider a "hot stud." I don't know her very well myself, but still...
"H-Hot Stud..?" Kana's face flushed pink, as her eyes acted as if they were glued to the TV.
"Welcome to 'Not a Dream, Not a Hoax: Princess Yukiko's Hunt for Her Prince Charming!' And I came prepared~!" What did she mean by th-, "I've got my lacy unmentionables on stacked from top to bottom."
I think I had the urge to turn away from the TV as soon as she started posing in front of the camera. I'm serious! Her cleavage of all things were showing, and I don't think you'd even want to know what her hand was shaped like when she pushed it down on her dress. Ergh..
"I'm out to catch a whole harem, and the best of the lot is going to be all mine!" She turned her back to the camera, "Well! Here I go~"
"R-R-Remilia! Look at the screen!" Kana pointed directly at the TV, her own red orbs dilated as she looked like she was filled with horror.
"What the..?" I looked closely at the TV, noticing this red and black portal that was coming from what seemed like a castle. When I thought about it, I realized that the vortex was the same as Yosuke's.. and when we first entered the TV World and stuff! My thoughts broke as the television shut off and my phone was ringing, playing it's little tune that didn't fit the moment at all. I checked who it was, and my thoughts were correct: Yosuke.
"Hello?" I answered, as it was one of the first few times I actually talked with a guy on the phone.. That wasn't Uncle Dojima.
"Remi, did you see that?" Not a hi back, but I wasn't expecting one anyways. After seeing what Yukiko was doing on the screen, I don't think I'd want to act normal and casual either. "That was definitely Yukiko-san! She said her name.. looked like her.. I think our predictions are true." He sighed, "Didn't the stuff she was saying sound weird? It looked like one of those shows that you don't even see because it's super crappy! Was it like this when we went, too..?"
"To tell you the truth, Yosuke. I wish I knew the answer to that question." And I really did. Sure, being on the Midnight Channel might sound awesome and cool. However, seeing what's happening right now? I don't think it'd be a good idea to even get caught on the Midnight Channel...
"What's going on..?"
"I don't have Chie-san's number, but you should try calling her to warn her about all of this." I suggested to him, knowing that Chie and Yukiko seemed quite close. It was almost as if they were sisters...
"Right, let's get her to contact Yukiko-san!" Yosuke agreed wholeheartedly, "Tomorrow's Sunday, so it should be a great time to meet up. You are free, right?"
"Of course. Where do you want to meet up, Yosuke?"
"Junes." He blantly said.
"O-Oh, wait! Before you hang up!" I stopped him, knowing that I'd have to introduce the group to Kana. I mean, what would happen if she suddenly popped out of nowhere. "There's someone I want to introduce you to tomorrow as well. She'll be meeting up at Junes with us."
"W-What?" Yosuke panicked, "B-But, I-I- We-!"
"Don't worry, Yosuke.. She knows about the Shadows, too." I reassured him. "Call Chie-san, and get some rest."
"Alright, if you say so.." He hesitated before hanging up. In a flash, I closed my phone and placed it into my pocket. "Kana, make sure to wake up early tomorrow morning."
"Eh?" She blinked, "Why is that, Konagi-sa-I-I mean, Remi?"
"We're going together, to learn more about the Shadows." She sighed, "It might lead us to why you came out like this, too."
THANK YOU. For the reviews you guys left me ;v;~. Though, I'm sorry I haven't updated with much. School sucks, and I keep forgetting D.
/Nottomentionprocrastinating.
Also bleeh, I'm sooo sorry for Grammar Mistakes w;;. I tend to do that, and I try to. I think I skip some since OpenOffice doesn't have a Grammar Check..
Anyways, another new chapter! I'll be working on the Touhou Story next, along with my Fanfic on deviantART. So if you're reading one of those two, keep up with it o:.
Remilia Konagi & Kana (C) Me~
Persona 4 (C) ATLUS