A/N: Skipping the rest of the Summer Festival since it's dead to me right now. Opening up with a small Kazuto/Naoto scene (since I felt bad you weren't getting any D8 *shot*) then going on to Kagome's TV appearance/dungeon.
8/20
"Shirogane-san, I didn't know you were here," Said boy looked up, and smiled softly as he patted the seat beside him on the wooden bench. Normally, he wouldn't have been this friendly—which was rather interesting in itself—but Kazuto wasn't about to let this moment pass by him.
Wait did he... Just actually think that? No, if he ran away with his thoughts now, he'd get even more flustered, and then-
He's looking at you, do something!
Attempting to hide the blush creeping on his cheeks, but failing miserably, he takes the seat next to Naoto. Children run past them—gidy as they stuffed their faces with cotton candy—and off in the distance, he could spot a reluctant Narashino being tugged to each stand by Rise, who's excitedly pointing out things to him. Kazuto lets a rare smile grace his features as he takes it all in.
"I wouldn't usually go to events such as this, but I thought... Well, more like it was suggested to me that I take a break."
It was a little too bright for him... Too loud, but he was right, they both needed a break from this murder case. Especially him; he was there pratically from the beginning, right after Yukiko was saved.
"You take your work seriously," It wasn't a compliment, more so an observation. If anyone was stressing themselves over this, it was Naoto. He nods simply in reply, and a small chuckle bubbles up and out of his throat.
It's the prettiest noise Kazuto's ever heard.
Naoto calms down some, straightens out his shirt, "Forgive me, I wasn't laughing at you. To be honest, I'm not sure why I did that..."
Kazuto waves his arms, and he can feel the blush on his cheeks intensify. He hated being around him; he always lost his composure, his cool guy act. Kazuto thought he was only like that with Yosuke, but...
This was different. When he was around Naoto, his defenses just sort of shutdown, and he starts to ramble like an idiot. He refuses to think it's love, because it can't be. He was a guy, and he was pretty sure Naoto was as well.
Love didn't work like that.
"D-Don't worry about it," He clears his throat, and offers Naoto his hand as he pushes himself off the bench, "Come on, let's go walk around for a while."
Naoto flushes slightly, but eventually accepts the hand with a shy smile, "A-Alright then..."
And he definitely refuses to think he's blushing just as bad.
8/21
With a loud sigh, you throw yourself on the futon, and switch on your TV. The Summer Festival was still fresh in your mind, and you fondly looked back on it with a smile.
Still, Summer was reaching it's end, and no new leads to the case yet... You absentmindingly flip through channels, before settling on a news program. It looked like a reporter was interviewing some designer for her fashion line. You had no interest in the "latest trends," or whatever, but what made you stay on was that the girl didn't look much older than you. You sit up, using your elbows as support.
The reporter's a thin man with a neatly pressed suit, and red tie. Greasy black hair sticks out from underneath a fedora hat. He begins the interview with, "So, Kirishima-san, what brings a designer like you to Inaba?"
She was coming here? For some reason, the words made your heart plummet.
"Mah 'alf-sister lives 'ere, an' ah need some time off." The girl—you found out was named Kagome, but in the fashion world was known as Louise De La Fleur—replies with a thick French accent. Her hair was a dirty blonde color, and styled in an intricate braid that laid on her shoulder. A black beret tilted to the side finished the look.
"Are you concerned about all the recent murders?" The reporter questions, and a small smile tugs at the girl's lips.
"No, ah 'ave faith in ze police to keep us safe. Ah only plan on staying until winter comes anyway."
He smiles, "Thank you for your time, Louise-chan."
You shut the TV off, and decide to go straight to bed.
8/24
The image broadcasted on the Midnight Channel tonight was especially vivid—not blurry like it was days prior. You had a feeling the victim was female by the silhouette, and your suspicions were confirmed.
She acts surprised when the camera points in her direction, and turns to face it, "'ello everyone! Louise De La Fleur 'ere! An' ah'm 'ere ready to bring mah drawings to life! Ah will be modeling mah own dresses!" Kagome disappears behind a curtain, and comes back out some time later in a red cocktail dress with a low neckline, and a slit up the leg. A wink is thrown towards the camera before she continues, "O' course, you're all invited to bask in mah glory! Watch mah talent come to life!"
With that, the image fizzles out before you're left staring at the blank screen, at your own reflection. The sound of rain outside is the only sound in the otherwise quiet room. Your eyes dart over to your phone; you wonder if you should call Yosuke, or someone else on the team, but decide against it.
After this long, you knew what to do. You'd just have to gather everyone afterschool at the food court tomorrow. You nod to yourself, as if in confirmation, and a yawn escapes your lips.
It's getting late, and it's time to call it a night.
8/25
Yukiko looks over to you. You hadn't left for Junes yet; you were still gathering your things at your desk. You look up, and meet her gaze. She seemed a little more on edge than usual, but then again, it wasn't unlike her, "What's the plan today, Yu-kun?"
Standing up, and slinging your bag over your shoulder, you reply with, "Same as always. Once Rise-chan scans for her, we'll go in and save her." You follow her out, and the two of you walk side-by-side. "This morning, I did a little research on her so that she'd had something to go by. Like what we did with Kanji-kun."
"What did you find out?"
"Well, apparently, she didn't want to become a designer in the first place. Said drawing was just a hobby of hers," You shrug, and push the door to the school entrance open, holding it for a few extra seconds to make sure Yukiko got out alright. She smiles in thanks, and you continue, "A friend entered her into a contest at 10, and she won. Her career sorta just took off from there."
Yukiko was visibly impressed. There was even a hint of jealously in her voice? It was hard to tell, "Wow, that's amazing... I wonder what it's like..." She catches the look of confusion you give her, and quickly corrects herself, "Oh! Being a designer, I-I mean."
"Who knows?" You turn around, smiling in determination at her, "We'll just have to ask after we save her!"
"Right!"
You pick up the pace.
Inside the TV, Rise stood by the entrance, Himiko behind her. She smiles when she sees you, and the rest of the team approach, "Oh, good, you're here~! She's just over that way." She points to the left of you, and you all crane your heads in that direction. A long pathway leads into a swirling red vortex, serving as a door. It reminded you of one of those design studios, but walking inside, you saw that the dungeon was merely a vertical runaway, much like Rise's had been. Spotlights on the side casted a warm glow over everything, and in the distance, you could hear music playing.
"Whoo~! This is my kinda dungeon!" Teddie commented, as he admired all the fancy decor. Narashino approaches your left, with Yosuke to your right.
"Hey, knock it off! We shouldn't be fooling around, right, Partner?" You nod.
There was nothing left to do, but to go further in.
You reached the top floor with Yosuke, Teddie, and Narashino behind you. When you open the door, you see Kagome staring down her Shadow. The Shadow did a twirl in its dress and smiled at Kagome. "You love that ah'm finally bringing your designs to life, don't you, chéri? For once, you get to be ze star!"
The girl shook her head. "No… zat was not what ah want—"
The Shadow stalked forward. "You lie! You hate not being in ze spotlight! You thought you deserved better, didn't you?!"
Kagome tried to reply, but was cut off by the Shadow. "You try to deceive yourself. 'Ah never wanted to enter ze contest! Mah drawings are private!'" The Shadow gave her a mocking laugh. "You little attention whore! If someone isn't marvelling your talent, you feel worthless! Being 'normal' is impossible for you!"
Kagome blinked back tears and stood up, "Ah do not need attention! I can get by just fine!"
The Shadow howled with laughter. "Why lie to yourself? After all, you're me, an' ah'm you."
She back-pedalled as the Shadow approached her. "No!"
Yosuke called out from where you and your friends were, "Don't say it!"
She ignored him and shouted, "You're not me!" For people trying to prevent this, you were really bad at it.
The Shadow laughed again, this time with a sick and twisted form of mirth. As the dark energy gathered around it, it turned into a rag doll with patches of fabric sewn haphazardly together, with buttons serving as eyes and a smile sewn into its face. Strands of yellow yarn served as hair, and its limbs were supported by strings. Above it was a cross the strings were attached to, like the kind a puppeteer would use. It was suspended slightly off the ground. "Ah am a Shadow, ze true self. Ah'll give you ze special attention you so desire!"
It readied a blast of ice, but before it could fire it, you heard a voice next to you. "Bear-sona!" Teddie's Person, Kintoki-Douji, came out and blocked the attack, taking minimal damage because of its Ice resistance.
The Shadow glared at the Persona, and then the rest of you. "Ah suppose you all want attention too? Hmm... Very well then, ah'll take care of you first!"
You stare down the Shadow with your friends beside you. Rise begins to try and analyze it, like normal, as you open up with a Mind Charge. Yosuke breaks his card, "Throw down!" but his Garula spell barely hurts the Shadow. "Guys, it resists Wind!" Rise called.
"Leave it to moi!" Teddie called, summoning his Persona, even though it was hardly the time to crack jokes. When he smashed his card, everyone was wreathed in an orange light, giving them an attack boost. Narashino swings his weapon, shattering his card. "One ring to rule them all!"
His Persona, Morgoth, fired off an Agidyne, making the doll cry out as it fell onto the ground. He glances to you for confirmation, "I've been waiting for this!" With a simple nod of your head, everyone charges forward in an All-Out Attack. The Shadow gets to its feet and is looking livid.
"Ah see zat you want even more attention! 'appy to oblige!" Arrows rained from the sky on all of you, and hit most of you as well. Luckily, not too much damage was inflicted. You crush your card and retaliate. "Black Frost! Agidyne!" With the Mind Charge and attack boost, the Shadow takes a huge amount of damage and falls down. Teddie speaks up this time. "Bear pile on the enemy!" You all charge forward and do even more damage.
With her Wind resistance, Yosuke can't do much beyond his Persona's Sonic Punch, which does a little more damage, but still not a lot. Teddie heals everyone up as Narashino uses another Agidyne, and you All-Out-Attack it again.
As the Shadow gets back up, it whimpers in pain. "Stand aside, or ah'll wipe you out!" It cried, using Mabufula, which knocked Narashino down and did a number to Yosuke as well. Teddie weathered it rather well and you reflect it entirely. Rise calls out, "Ice won't work at all!" That explained why your reflected attack did nothing.
Afterwards, it turned to Teddie and smashed into him with some form of physical strike. Assault Dive perhaps? You forget about it as you use another Agidyne. You, Yosuke and Teddie pile on, since Narashino's still knocked down. Yosuke slashed with his kunai, and Teddie heals everyone again.
"Did I miss anything?" He asks, getting back up. You shrug. "The ice cream truck and tooth fairy just passed." He glares at you, not appreciating the sarcasm in your voice, before blasting Kagome's Shadow with more fire. After another All-Out Attack, the Shadow cries out in pain as the aura around it dissipates. "All ah want eez to be a star! Why won't anyone see mah talent?!"
You back off as the Shadow reverts to a mirror of Kagome. "You have to face yourself." You tell her, "Otherwise, it won't stop."
She locks eyes with you, nods, then walks forward. "Ah wanted attention. Ah can draw well, but when mah creations are ignored or other people are credited, it makes me feel worthless."
She blinked back tears. "But ah don't have to impress anyone, only myself. And zere will always be people who don't care if I draw or not. My family, friends, and," she waved her hand toward you, "Zem as well. Ah'm you, and vous êtes moi."
The Shadow disappeared in a burst of light, and the card of the Heirophant appeared in her hand. In front of her appeared a large spider, with the top half of a woman's body where the head should be. "Arachne…. Mah Persona….? She said, confused and fatigued.
You nod with a smile, which she returns with some difficulty. She stumbles backwards, and you make a move, but Teddie is quicker. "W-We should get her outta here! This world's too dangerous for her!" Kagome blinks at him.
"What eez zis...?"
Poke. Poke.
"H-Hey, cut it out! That tickles!"
You give Narashino, and Yosuke a look, to which they both shrug their shoulders in defeat at. "Alright, Ted, will you make sure she gets home safe for me?"
He flashes you a goofy smile, and salutes you, "You can count on me, Sensei~!"
You all head towards the exit, and from over your shoulder, you see Teddie hand Kagome a pair of green glasses. You smile to yourself.
Another team member... Hopefully, she'd be the one to help you solve the case.
Writing French accents are hard, and I feel like I failed...
Fight scene and shadow introduction written by Nova. Thank you again~ It's amazing, as always! 8D
I wanted to try squeezing in Katsu after this, but I'm not sure I have enough time. Just to be safe, I'll have him appear after the trip, maybe. Not sure yet.
Return of the Midnight Channel will be updated sometime this weekend, right after I clarify some things with Natasha~