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 11: Fragment

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Toshihiro frowned, looking into the dining room. Ever since they moved in together, him and Maria hadn't said so much as simple passing greetings or bade each other good night before disappearing into separate bedrooms. He knew a few things like how she enjoyed sitting outside in the garden when it was sunny and when it rained, she would sit in here with a steaming cup of tea and a book before her. Today, however, she sat in a purple yukata, minus drink and novel, and just stared at the rain, her hair spilling over her shoulders. Something about her aura seemed distant with a hint of anxiety, something he'd never felt this strongly before. The wedding was in a week so he couldn't blame her, but…

"How long are you going to stand there, Shirogane-kun?"

He blinked, but she hadn't turned away from the glass door. How long did she know he had been standing there? Frowning, he entered the room wordlessly and sat down at the table, taking off his hat. For once, he didn't have any work today so his cloak resided in the room and he was clothed in a black yukata similar to hers. For a while, it was nothing but silence, save for the rain softly falling outside and making gently pats against the dampened earth.

"… Why are we doing this?" Maria asked suddenly, turning slowly away from the window and looking down at the table. She never looked at him. He had never seen her face once for the several weeks they've been here. "Why… did we have to do this?" she sighed, "We don't know each other besides what my father has told me and that was barely anything. So far, all I know is, you're quiet, polite, and distant. This is about the longest time we've ever been in the same room."

Well, that much he had to agree with. How sad was it they never ate together? Well, they were detectives, but in Japan, she wasn't given as many cases because she was female. She had to reside in the house while he was gone and… wow, that just made the lack of being together sadder.

"Are you homesick?"

She tensed at his voice, but then shook her head, "N-not at all…"

"Don't say that… just… tell me what's wrong," he said quietly, looking at her.

Once again, she shook her head, "No, that's unprofessional… my father has raised me better."

"Please, something is troubling you. You're not drinking tea as you commonly do," Toshihiro said, frowning.

"… Maybe I am a little homesick. I have three younger siblings and we're all detectives of the same caliber," she whispered, raising a sleeved hand to her face, "The Miller name was widely known in England and there was no person we didn't serve if they came to our door." She shook her head, "I'm… just not use to having no one to talk to at home and… being so unaccepted. I haven't had a single case here and the several times I've been to town to assist anyone, they turn me away."

His sharp eyes noticed her trembling and she stared wiping her face, "My father was so eager to be rid of me. I was upstaging him at home and in the community. I-I was only able to pack so little too. I wasn't allowed to bring anything to remind me of home and no matter how many letters I write, they all get returned because the address changed."

"They moved?" he asked, surprised. Her shaking was harder as she nodded. Well, that wasn't fair. She was alone out in this country and she couldn't contact any of her loved ones. He… really wasn't helping either. Suddenly, he remembered something and fished in his sleeve. He pulled out an envelope and passed it across the table. She stopped wiping her eyes and stared. Hesitantly, she took the envelope and opened it.

"… Oh my God… this is my brother's hand writing…"

"It came in the mail today," Toshihiro explained, "I was going to give it to you soon… er…"

He blinked, his breath catching in his throat as he noticed her looking up now. Her eyes were red, but… they were the most stunning shade of crystal blue. Her lips were a pale rosy pink and curved into the softest smile as she said, "Thank you…" His heart hammered against his chest and he felt his cheeks flare. She tilted her head, "Shirogane-kun… are you ill?"

"… I just shook my head and looked away. How embarrassing," Naoto read. She was still stuck in the basement after school. Just as she predicted, her grandfather had sent Yakushiji and another servant to pick her up from school and bring her home just for… this again. Well, on a positive note, she still had the tube, her father's journal, and the flashlight. On the downside, after being told Dojima and Adachi had disappeared during lunch, there wasn't anything she could do. Between reading the journal and solving the disappearances, she would actually like a break from reading her father's personal thoughts.

She sighed and turned the page, knowing it was just this or staring in the darkness. Maybe… he wrote sometime before December… she couldn't leave the possibility out.

With the flashlight illuminating the pages, she flipped, scanning the words. Wedding, getting to know her mother better, Mokoi… wait… who was Mokoi? And what was a Jack Frost? Naoto opened to the page at the beginning of the entry and started reading quietly, "It was at least midnight and, for once, I was getting a decent nights rest. Of course, that was when the scream happened…"

Toshihiro shot up in bed and looked around dazedly, confused. He rubbed his eyes and looked at the bed next to him, staring. Something seemed off, but what… …?!

"Maria! Maria, where are you!?" he yelled. Without bothering to throw on any clothes, he raced out of the room and down stairs in his boxers. "Maria!" he called again, looking around as he reached the bottom floor and ran around, checking the rooms. He saw her standing in the doorway to the kitchen, shaking in her nightgown. He ran over to her, "Maria, wha--"

"W-What is that?"

Her voice trembled as she pointed and he blinked, following her hand. The refrigerator was open and standing there, staring back with its odd, gem-like eyes was a kind of decaying creature Mokoi. It blinked and grabbed a small bottle off the bottom shelf quickly, still staring at Maria as it closed the door with its deformed tendril of a hand. It then turned and waddled away.

Oh boy… he forgot to mention that to Maria.

"T-Toshihiro-kun… w-what the… what was that thing in our fridge?" she asked, looking at him with the most amusing bewildered expression. He was about to respond when she shrieked again, jumping on him suddenly and he looked down.

White with his blue hat, collar, and boots, Jack Frost looked upset, "I'm hee sorry! I hoo wanted some hee ice!"

Toshihiro couldn't help, but start laughing. It was difficult with Maria in his arms, but he got a cup down and filled it with ice, handing it to the little ice creature who clapped excitedly and took it. She blinked and stared at him, "… you have some explaining to do."

"… Yes, ma'am…"

"Toshihiro, did something happen?"

"Oh God… now your cat talks… I think I'm going mental," Maria sighed, "No… I must still be dreaming."

Gouto frowned at the doorway, "No, no… there's much that must be explained…"

"G-Gouto!?" Naoto gasped, standing up. It couldn't be the same Gouto. This book was at least twenty years old; he would have to be a kitten if it was the same Gouto. She scanned the next sentence and it sounded like Gouto was an adult. This was impossible! Cats could only live for sixteen years, twenty or more depending on how well they're cared for. There was something wrong with this.

The tube in her pocket clicked.

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Souji walked home after saying good bye to Yukiko at the Amagi Inn. The bus dropped him off in the shopping districts and he couldn't help, but pause and look around. Adachi had been standing right here. Maybe if the cast had been removed Saturday instead of today, he could've acted sooner and saved the bumbling detective. Couldn't save Nanako… couldn't save his Uncle…

Couldn't even save his Uncle's partner when he was thirty feet in front of him…

He shook his head, walking up to the foyer of his Uncle's house, opening the door slowly. He had the urge to call 'I'm home' but there was no one to say it too. The house was silent, broken by the dog barking outside. The TV was off and the scent of dinner or coffee was absent. It just seemed cold even after he closed the door, shaking his head. He thought he had escaped this feeling, but no. It was like home all over again.

He walked into the living room and stared at the table. The broken kotatsu was still out and his eyes looked over at the spot Nanako usually sat. He could see her smile and sing the Junes theme song when he said they would get a new kotatsu. Looking over at the couch, he could see Dojima sitting there, reading his paper until Nanako said something to him. The top folded and he lowered it, looking at his daughter with a grin.

The image faded as he blinked and then looked down. Every instant in life could be avoided if necessary actions were taken, but as always, the warning signs were nothing beyond unnoticeable. He sighed, knowing that moping around on the subject wasn't going to get anything done. He would just have to solve this mystery with the others; same with the TV murders. They were in on this together… he just wished that his family didn't have to get involved…

Shuffling his feet, he opened the fridge, pulling out some ingredients for a single dinner, but then paused, looking around. Something felt off. He shook his head and took out the cutting board to slice some leeks. A simple bowl of miso would be enough for him, but he stopped cutting, glancing over his shoulder. Strange… then again, the feeling of being watched was normal. His personas tended to rough house and give him a migraine anyway.

Almost an hour later, he turned the stove off and poured the contents of the pot into a bowl when a soft, high pitched sound started ringing in his head. His brows furrowed and he looked back, feeling the hairs on the back of his neck rise. He wasn't alone… someone or something was in here, but how exactly was another story. The front door was securely locked and the chances of someone breaking in were extremely low. Everyone in this town knew this was a detective's home. They wouldn't be so brain dead as to…

The siren sound started to become louder and he winced, trying to find the source. It was like nail against glass continuously ringing over and over in his skull. Not only was he rattled, but he could hear the irritated snarls and yells from his many personas. He clutched his head, shutting his eyes as the sound became defining, a yell slipping through his normally sealed lips. What manner of device or creature could make such a horrid, earsplitting sound!?

He stumbled into the conjoined living room and down the hall, trying to escape, but it just wailed on. It could almost split his head in half if it really wanted to try. During his tumbling, he failed to notice the air begin to ripple and distort, instead digging into his pocket and pulling out his phone. He speed dialed the last number he called and waited for a response.

"Huh? Souji? Isn't it a bit late to be calling?"

"Y-Yosuke…! Something's happening! I-I can't…. u-uuuuaaAHHH!"

Souji's cell phone clattered to the ground in the now empty Dojima Residence.

"S-Souji! What happened!? What's going on? Dude, can you hear me!? SOUJI!!"

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Me: … so what? I made the leader disappear. I'm not finished. Review please.