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.

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Veluti In Speculum

Chapter 8: Image

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Several hours after the hot spring incident, Naoto was walking around the fourth floor with Gouto by her side. If the cat was spotted, she would be in real trouble, but the halls were bare and he was careful to hide when necessary. She stopped before the room Mitsuru requested her to come to: Room 626. Raising a hand, she knocked on the door gently and then waited.

"Just sit down, Akihiko. The feeling in your legs will be back in a while."

The door opened and Mitsuru stood there, looking down at Naoto. She nodded, "Come in, Shirogane. There's much we must discuss."

Naoto nodded and stepped into the room, looking around. Yukari and Fuuka looked up from their spot on the bed as Naoto walked in, the capped man lying next to them still looking half-frozen. Akihiko was their too, shivering in a chair with a blanket wrapped around his shoulders. Tea cooled on the table next to him and across from him was the young boy with chocolate brown hair. He was cupping a warm mug of coffee, his light brown eyes watching her closely as she sat down. Inui turned the TV off, allowing silence to permeate the room. She suddenly felt like she was undergoing interrogation, but Gouto leapt into her lap, calming her down a bit.

Mitsuru crossed her arms and looked over at the door, "Aigis, any eavesdroppers?"

Naoto blinked as she noticed Aigis, but… this time, she noticed something odd. Her legs and arms were connected by tubes, her feet were oval, her fingertips were silver caps, and over all… she was just mechanical. An android…?!

"The coast is clear Mitsuru," Aigis said clearly as a normal human, but her eyes were flashing. She probably had some ability to see through the wall.

Mitsuru nodded and looked back at Naoto. Actually, all eyes returned to her and the silence was, for once rarely, becoming too much for her. She had just met most of these people today.

"… Shirogane, I know this is out of the blue, but where are your parents?" Mitsuru asked calmly, her auburn eyes gazing at Naoto. The young detective frowned, looking away from Mitsuru. Gouto looked up at Naoto, purring against her and let out a small meow.

"They'll help you move closer… tell them about your parents."

"… They died when I was four. A car accident a few weeks before Christmas," Naoto said, keeping her voice even. Really, she didn't talk about her parents' accident often. She remembered that it had been a cold evening in Inaba. Her grandfather was watching over her while they handled some city business. Snow had been falling in the small city and the fire was before her eyes. She really didn't feel well that evening and was sleeping on the couch. Everything else…

"Did the date happen to be December 2nd, 1999?" Akihiko crisp voice cut into her thoughts and she looked up quickly.

"December… 2nd… yes, I think it was," she answered, trying her best to recall.

The capped boy shifted in his spot, sitting up and muttered, "No way…"

"It's true then," the young boy said, looking solemn. To see that expression on one so young, it reminded her of herself in the past and even now.

"Shirogane, this is the rest of the newspaper article for that picture I gave you," Akihiko said, taking the flimsy paper off the table and passing it over to her. She reached out and took the article, curious. Gouto shifted as she opened the paper and scanned the report.

"… Detectives Toshihiro and Maria Arisato… no, there's no way," she murmured after a moment, reading the rest of the article quickly. She raised her gaze and looked over at Mitsuru, "I-Is there a picture of the victims? Is there something else I ca--"

Mitsuru reached into her pockets and pulled out another page, handing it over. Naoto almost ripped it as she opened it. Her eyes widened at the two victims' images. She shook her head, letting go of the papers in disbelief, "… This can't be… the names… w-what? Toshihiro is my father's name… and Maria is my mother's… w-why is the last name Arisato? Is this altered? No, my grampa said… t-the accident happened…"

"December 2nd, 1999, an accident occurred, but it wasn't a normal car accident," Mitsuru said, frowning, "Shirogane, there is more to everything than you understand. How you know so little… why you don't know the truth is because of several sources. One would be yourself, no offense. The past is behind us and we strive forward, everyone in this room knows that. Two would be your guardian now hiding this behind lock and key. Three… would have to be my family, specifically, my grandfather."

"Y-Your grand… father…?"

"… You are a Persona-user, are you not?" Mitsuru asked. Naoto only nodded slowly as a response. The CEO nodded and leaned back in her seat, crossing her legs, "Then you should know about Shadows."

"A-Ah…"

"A Shadow is suppressed power, and when controlled by one's ego, it becomes a Persona… only to a chosen few," Mitsuru whispered. Naoto frowned, recalling that clearly. Mitsuru continued, "The truth is… my grandfather was only interesting in harnessing the powers Shadows held. He performed crude and inhumane experiments, compiling Shadows and collecting their power for his own clout. Imagine being able to control time or even have enough under your belt to destroy the world."

Naoto was sitting there, shocked and Gouto let out a growl. Mitsuru closed her eyes, "That was what my grandfather wished. Interference from Yukari's father, however, was able to prevent my grandfather's dream becoming reality. An explosion consumed hundreds save very few people and the Shadows escaped. Everything off-handedly affected was covered up under my family's orders…"

"… Are you telling me… my parents died because of…?" Naoto couldn't even finish that, her hands balling into fists by her side.

Aigis frowned, "I'm afraid that was also partially my fault. I was designed to defeat and capture Shadows. After the explosion, I was to collect the escaped shadows. Unfortunately, when I reached the Moonlight Bridge, there was a car overturned and a truck nearby had crashed into the railing. There was one survivor. A young boy and he seemed very bewildered by the events… your brother…"

"!!! This can't be…! I don't have a brother…!" Naoto exclaimed, really starting to lose it.

"Your brother was removed from your family when he consequently became involved," Mitsuru said. She was starting to get worried at Naoto's reaction. Shaking her head, she could only continue, "You don't remember because at four, a child's memory is still not fully developed, but you must have felt it. An emptiness plaguing your mind… a void that was never filled… you must have images of your family as a whole."

"… I-I just have my parents… a photo from 1992," Naoto replied, trying to calm herself down, but it did click. Her mom was with child in the photo… the seven year difference between 1992 and 1999.

"Minato-kun didn't have pictures of his family," Yukari said quietly, "He came to the dorm two years ago in April… he awakened as a Persona-user who could summon different Personas and fought Shadows with us during the Dark Hour. He died the following year protecting everyone from the Fall with his abilities."

She stared outside after being awakened by some kind of explosion. Her curious eyes blinked and she rubbed them, looking out again. She turned around at the sound of footsteps and looked up at her grandfather, "Grampa, what's going on? Why is the moon split like tha--"

"Get away from the window Naoto," he ordered, bothered by the scene outside. He pulled the curtains closed, a scowl on his face, "That fool… Naoto, don't open the curtains. Go back to bed this instant…" He turned away before anything more could be said.

"January 31st. Everyone forgot about the events preceding that day too. The monorails mysteriously moving, broken mirrors in a hotel, power outages at a club… murders passed as gang-related violence," Akihiko said, frowning, "You do know that your family was put in charge of solving them?"

"No, my grampa would've…"

"Destruction caused by shadows and Persona-users who abused their power. He was ordered to lie," Mitsuru muttered.

Naoto was silent, conflicted, and unsure how to respond or react now. This was just too much. Gouto leapt from her lap, allowing her to stand, "I… need to get some fresh air…"

Quickly, she walked out of the room with Gouto at her heels, closing the door behind her with a slam on accident. She didn't know where she was going actually, but she just knew she had to clear her head of all this… jumbled information now. They made it into the stair well when she hissed, "You knew about this, didn't you Gouto?"

"I am loyal to your family. I was not allowed to speak of your brother."

"My grampa has been lying all these time… Has anything been the truth in these eleven years? Has he been lying to me before even then?" Naoto growled, leaning against the wall as she held her head, "What else don't I know? God…"

Gouto sat down as she slid to the floor, looking down at the ground. She shut her eyes tightly and now Minato appeared before her again. He was just as downcast as he always appeared before her and he gently said, "I'm sorry, Naoto."

-"Why are you apologizing? You didn't do anything… you didn't know better,"- Naoto replied, casting her eyes away from him.

Minato shook his head slowly, "No… When I was taken away, they couldn't remove my memories of mom and dad. They couldn't remove the memories of you. My young sister… I knew you as a baby and watched over you when mom and dad couldn't. I helped you walk and learn to speak and I remember taking care of you when you were sick or hurt. I could've come back at anytime… but… truth be told, I didn't know where grandfather took you."

-"What? Why would grampa keep us away from each other? Why would he keep your death secret?"- Naoto asked, but Minato shook his head.

"There is so much more to our family than you know… more than what our grandfather wants you to know…" Minato replied softly, but then shook his head, "Naoto, you hold what little of me allowed to remain in this world. Let Gouto guide you to figuring out the rest about the Shirogane name. If you need me…" Minato suddenly changed in a flash. First, the form of a butterfly, but then he turned into Sukuna-Hikona. "I fight by your side and will remain long after. When the time comes, summon me when you wish…"

Sukuna-Hikona disappeared and Naoto opened her eyes, panting heavily. Sweat beaded her forehead and, for some reason, it felt like she had run miles without stopping. Gouto purred and rubbed against her side. She lowered her hands and looked down at him, "… What is grampa keeping secret from me and where do I begin to figure it out?"

If Gouto could smile, he probably would have.

"Naoto, you understand now. What I can tell you is the tube I gave you and the hat your grandfather wears are keys. Also, the Shirogane lineage is actually recent, a more, turn of the century decision to blend in. Before your grandfather's words, it is my duty to watch over the successors."

"… Help me find out what the Shirogane name truly is then, Gouto," Naoto said, "Help me find out why my grampa failed to tell me about everything."

"Of course I will help you."

"… Thank you," Naoto said, smiling.

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Me: I need to keep working. Review please.