Disclaimer: I do not own Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4, Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3, or most of the characters within this story as they belong to Atlus.

oOoOoOo

Veluti In Speculum

Chapter 3: Illusions

oOoOoOo

They sat in an uncomfortable silence around the Junes table in the food court the next day. Souji had called them to the court for training, but something foreboding drifted around Naoto making everyone shifted nervously. The young detective had been staring at the table since her arrival, looking positively stern, almost irritated.

Suddenly, she flipped off her hat, making everyone present jump, and they all watched quietly as she fished around the brim for something. Unsuccessful, she 'tch'ed under her breath and placed the cap back on her head. What reason she had done that, no one dare ask.

"Uh- ahaha… Naoto-kun, is something wrong?" Rise asked, finally breaking the thickening tension.

Naoto snapped her attention up, "What?!" She seemed to become aware of her location and made a small cough, "Ah, no… forgive me. I just… had a bad day."

"Oh, woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Okay," Rise said. The pop idol smiled brightly, "Happens to all of us… but I haven't seen it happen to senpai yet and Kanji's always a sourpuss."

"Hey!"

"It's true!"

"Something is troubling Nao-chan. It's beary obvious," Teddie said, looking over at Naoto.

Naoto shook her head, "Nothing is bothering me. And even if it is, it's a personal affair and there's no need for any of you to get involved."

"Is it that picture?" Chie questioned and Naoto shifted in her seat, disgruntled.

"That picture is nothing, but ashes sitting in my fireplace… Yakushiji-san saw to it yesterday while I was at school," Naoto said, downcast, "I believe my grampa has ordered Yakushiji-san to interfere with my investigation. That's probably why it's missing…" That last part she whispered under her breath, but some of the others heard her.

"He torched it? What the hell. That pic was important…" Kanji muttered.

"Yeah… but so far, nobody has said anything about the picture…" Yosuke grumbled, "Just good artwork and more babbling. Some of them are girls just saying he's cute or is he available… geez."

"Who's Yakushiji?" Souji asked.

Naoto looked up, "Yakushiji-san is my grampa's secretary… he's more so a butler, but I've known him since I was a child." She looked over at Yosuke. "That was probably going to hap--"

She paused as her phone started ringing and reached into her pocket, flipping it open as she drew it out. She frowned for a moment, but then raised it to her ear, "Yakushiji-san, is something wrong?"

"Shirogane-sama. Someone has broken into your room. I'm afraid that it has been ransacked and a few items appear to be missing. I'm chasing after him as best as I can, but I believe you should get home."

"I'll be right there…!"

Naoto shot to her feet and closed her phone, running off before anyone could stop her. She faintly heard more chairs scraping against the ground. The others were probably running after her, but really, she could care less. This had to be a cover up. Yakushiji probably took the photo at her grandfather's orders too. That was the only photo she had of her parents so the move was uncalled for.

She gritted her teeth, coming up to the estate. As calmly as she could, she walked up to the front door and opened it. A black blur shot out and her eyes widened. She spun around, sighing as she noticed what it was.

"Gouto, you startled me," she said, looking down at the cat. The feline just sat, its vivid green eyes flashing as it stared back at her. Her grandfather's cat rarely meowed and just gazed almost into the depths of your soul. It was intimidating, but she had grown use to it. Turning back, Naoto pushed the front door open and took off her shoes as the others arrived.

"Naoto-kun, why did you… oh, holy crap, are we still in Inaba?" Chie was shocked to say the least about the size of the house, "You seriously live here? And what's with the cat?"

"… it's… kinda cute," Kanji said quietly.

Gouto stared at them, but disappeared back into the house as Naoto looked back at them. She sighed, "Just… come in now I suppose."

Souji lead the others in, looking around before taking off his own shoes. Yukiko looked fascinated, "Wow. Western décor?"

"Yes… my grampa has a fondness for English houses," Naoto said as she started up the stairs. Soft padding next to her announced Gouto racing after her. There hadn't been the smell of smoke downstairs like yesterday so it was safe to assume if Yakushiji had taken the photo he didn't burn it… yet.

She slowed on the second floor as she approached her room while Gouto nudged the door open, disappearing into the dark confine. Frowning, she walked over and pushed her room door more to allow her entrance.

The damage was more than she expected. Actually, her accusation on Yakushiji cleared up.

Her room was torn apart. Her bed was jammed in the wall, her desk split in two and lap tossed aside, light bulb shattered on the ground. Four gouges in the floor were parallel almost like claw marks and- holy crap- she could see the floor below and the boards under her carpet splintered through. Gouto let out a low meow, padding over to her window which was shattered. He jumped onto the window ceil and stared down, a guttural hiss coming out of his throat.

Naoto had to carefully maneuver across her room with the floor weakened. How the hell would she explain this to her grandfather when he got back? She shuffled back as the floor creaked a warning under her feet. She made haste and lightly stepped over to the window side, looking in the direction that Gouto was gazing.

The garden was trampled. Her parents' garden… shredded with bushes and tree uprooted. The fountain was smashed, water trickling onto the tossed earth. She squinted her eyes, swearing she could made out a large paw print in the mud, but turned sharply at a yell in her room. Souji had fallen through the floor.

oOoOoOo

Meanwhile, several hours away…

"Sanada-san, clocking out soon?"

Silver eyes swept up, staring at the superior officer. Hardened face, short, silver hair, fair skin and a grin split on his face, "Soon. I have a few more reports to file before I can get out of here."

"Ooooh, someone's itching to get some."

"Shut up, Inui. We're not like that," Akihiko replied, but his cheeks were burning.

Touru Inui flopped on the desk, making a weird face, "Bah, you two are sooo dull. You can't be TOO occupied with work and college homework, can you? You still have some time for that…"

"She's busy, I'm busy, and our relationship isn't like that. Just drop it," Akihiko grumbled.

Inui chuckled, "Alright, alright. We're still going out for drinks, right?"

"… You know, if I can't finish these reports, we can't get anything and you can't try hooking up with that bar girl," Akihiko replied, smirking now as Inui looked away, blushing. Akihiko laughed and looked back at his computer, "If you're not careful, I'll have to arrest you for stalking."

"Ah! I'm not stalking her!"

The Ayanagi Police Station wasn't always this rowdy, but Akihiko Sanada and his partner Touru Inui always raised a fuss when they were going to get drinks after work. Of course, drinks only happened when Akihiko's girlfriend was busy. If she wasn't, well, Inui wouldn't even be talking to him right now.

"Seriously, if I had a girl like yours I would totally race out of work like you just to cuddle and…" Inui continued and became background noise as Akihiko checked his files. His message alert rang and he blinked, pausing in his report checks to bring up his e-mail.

To: Sanada, Akihiko

From: Uesugi, Yuka

Hey Akihiko! I was checking my MyPlace and I saw this picture! It reminded me of that photo you showed me from your senior year at that private school. Maybe you can recognize him?

'Recognize him?'

Akihiko frowned and clicked the link that followed the message, his internet browser popping open a new tab. He hit mute immediately as pop music started to pound through his speakers and Inui whined, "Awwee… but I like that song. The artist is Risette, right? Man, that girl's up and coming, you know."

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Akihiko mumbled, watching for the page to load. His eyes flickered across the screen as he read.

Username: Prince of Junes

Hometown: Yasoinaba, Japan

Interests…

Akihiko shook his head and clicked to see the recent posts. He looked up at Inui as he waited for the page to load, "So, how's your dog doing?"

"Still as hyper as ever," Inui replied, scratching his head, "I want to say it's his puppy stage, but he's almost 5 years old! There has to be something wrong with him."

"Maybe you're feeding him the wrong stuff, but you did choose an energetic dog," Akihiko said, his eyes glancing at the screen. It was done loading so he coul…

His eyes zoomed back to the computer screen as he stared at the monitor, alarmed. It couldn't be. His eyes shot over to the picture sitting on his desk, the one from two years ago before he scrolled down to the comment under it that Prince of June wrote.

A picture someone asked me to post. It would be awesome if you know this person.

Prince of Junes

"… This has to be some joke," Akihiko whispered, leaning back in his chair, rubbing his face. Inui blinked and walked around the desk, starting at the screen.

"… Huh, isn't that your friend from high school… the one that…"

"Yeah, that's him. He never went to Inaba though… this has to be some prank," Akihiko growled, rising to his feet. He hit the command for his computer to shut down and then yanked his coat off the chair's back.

Inui blinked and trotted after his quick strides, "I guess drinks are canceled for tonight then?"

"You'll have to go alone if you still want them," Akihiko replied, taking out his cell phone as he stepped outside, his face stoic. He better call her to tell her he would be out for a while.

"Akihiko? You only call when it's an emergency."

"I'm heading out to Yasoinaba for a few days. Something came up."

"A case in Inaba? … Do you need a train ticket?"

"Huh? Oh, I can buy one when I get there. You don't have to…"

"Two tickets already ordered and waiting for you to arrive since I'm guessing Inui is now tailing you. It's starting to get cold there so pack warmly. I'll tell your boss and if anything comes up there, I'll try clearing my schedule to join you two."

"… Just like you. Thanks," he replied, a small smile on his face now.

"You're welcome. Have a safe trip."

The line clicked as the connection was cut and he lowered his phone, pocketing it. Inui blinked, "Should I get a dog sitter?"

"Yeah. We have two tickets to Inaba waiting for us and she said pack warmly," Akihiko relayed.

Inui grinned, but then tilted his head, "How long do you think the train ride will be?"

"Don't know, but we better call the station and tell them we're coming... maybe get them to find this Prince of Junes MySpace user," Akihiko said.

Inui pulled out his phone this time, "I'll do it so I can call the principal. Someone has to look out for that puppy while I'm gone."

Akihiko just nodded back before letting his mind wander. How could someone in Inaba just… draw a picture of Him out of the blue? Sure, He had been in different locations before coming to Iwatodai two years ago, but did someone in Inaba remember Him? Maybe they never found out what happened, but the whole idea that this was a sick joke rang in his mind just as prominently as anything else.

"Hello, Dojima-san? I'm Touro Inui and my partner and I from Ayanagi Station are coming out to Inaba… uh, no, it's not some transfer day. My partner needs some information in Inaba so we'll be coming out for a few days. Mind helping us out when we get there? … That's great! Thanks a lot sir!"

oOoOoOo

Me: To Inaba and… please review.