"And who would that be?" Naoto's curiously gazed at Minato, once again unaware of anyone else at the table.
"Her name is Elizabeth. You mentioned someone in a blue elevator suit. That was probably her. If not her sister Margaret or her brother Theodore."
"Hmm..." Her face stared thoughtfully at the down at the table.
"So... Wait are you forgetting us again? Dude, that's like three times now!" Her face snapped up in alarm at Yosuke's voice before an embarrassed blush forced her to once again hide her features behind the rim of her cap.
"Geez, Yosuke! Lighten up! They haven't seen each other in years! What do you expect?" Minato gave her a grateful glance as Yosuke stared at her in annoyance.
"Yeah, Chie-senpai's right! Its only natural that they'd be caught up in each others company!" Rise's understanding tone caught the young detective's blank look.
"I agree. From the sounds of it they couldn't have even got in contact with each other either so its probably normal." Yukiko chimed in as Yosuke suddenly looked awkward being in the middle of this...
"Okay! Okay! I get it! I'm sorry! I guess I'm just annoyed at not having a Persona anymore..."
"We all are Yosuke. Calm down." Souji's voice seemed to calm the music loving teen as he fell silent.
"My apologies. Yosuke-senpai is right to be annoyed. Like he said that's the third time this has happened in just one day..." Naoto's apologetic tone and expression just seemed to make Yosuke feel more guilty. "Anyway... Teddie. Is there still an abnormality in the TV World?" Here expression turned professional as she inquired Teddie for an answer.
"Hmm... I'm not sure... There is still something a little of about it, but I really don't know." The stupid bear replied as he thought about it.
"Hmm... Perhaps your return has triggered some sort of... Problem inside that world... Maybe Elizabeth took over from you so you could help us here..." She had her fingers on her chin like she always did when she was on a case. Her eyes were lost in thought as they were cast downwards to rest on the table.
"Maybe..." Minato nodded in agreement. "I just hope I don't have to leave my friends again."
"Hey Sensei? Is Minie-kun apart of the team now?" Teddie questioned Souji excitedly, grinning from ear to ear like usual.
"Yeah. Of course he is." He nodded in confirmation. "If you want to be, that is."
"Yes. It would be an honour. Although... Minie?" Naoto hid her mischievous grin at the old nickname as her cousin turned to her. "Did you have something to do with this?" His accusing stare seemed to try and penetrate the barrier hiding her expression as a thought crossed his mind.
"No. I don't know what your talking about... Minie-kun." There was a slight chuckle as she said spoke the nickname.
"Your a terrible lier Ace." He quickly swiped the hat from her head to move it to his own as it revealed her childishly smug expression, turn to shock.
"Hey! It was Teddies idea to give you a nickname! Not mine!" She leapt for the hat as he stood up and held it in his hand. The others all stared at them in amusement as the boy found numerous ways to keep the hat our of the young detectives reach. All except for Teddie of course who was pouting at being blamed.
"Give it back! Hey!" with her last protest he launched the cap towards a nearby tree, knowing she would end up climbing it to retrieve her precious cap. "What was that for?"
"I just wanted to see if your as good at climbing as you were before." He grinned at her smugly as she looked at the tree before shifting back to him. "That's a challenge." Her expression shifted from annoyance to one of determination at her cousin's simple challenge.
"Challenge accepted!"
"Dude... Are you seriously doing this?" Naoto glared at Yosuke before turning back to Minato.
"Of course! A Shirogane never backs down from a challenge! Especially one like this!" Her voice was laced with determination and agitation with a hint of excitement. She had always loved heights since she was young. Having a secret base in the trees is prove enough of that.
The entire team was now outside Junes and stood by the tree the young detective's beloved cap hung from one of the highest branches.
"Good luck Nao-chan!"
"This, I gotta' see..."
"Good luck. Ace."
"I hate you..." She mumbled so only her cousin could hear her before turning to the tree. Her hands firmly grasped the highest branch she could reach before she skilfully hoisted herself up. In an instant she launched herself towards the next branch and using her weight to propel her weight higher, she catapulted herself onto an even higher perch. Landing perfectly stable on her feet.
Using arms to keep her balance she swiftly stepped towards the end of the branch to line herself up for her next jump. Before long Naoto had almost reached the branch that held her cap as she glided from perch to perch whilst never looking down.
Suddenly the branch she had just landed on creaked and shook violently from the sudden extra weight. In a split second it collapsed to the ground leaving the detective struggling for a grip on the branch above her head!
"Naoto!" She had know idea who had called to her but she could tell they were worried about the sudden fall and shocked screech that had followed it. Once she secured her place on the new perch she called back to them.
"It's okay! I'm fine!" Her gaze never turned to them as she knew after a shock like that, it would only terrify her. She hesitated before continuing to shorten the distance between her and the target.
Naoto landed on the final branch, completely absorbed in the task ahead as she lowered herself to get closer to it. Damn...why couldn't she be taller? It would have made this so much easier! Inching forwards she reached for the hat whilst keeping herself stable. Finally, the hat was in her grasp! Turning she swiftly made her way down the tree with ease before landing beside a rather dumbstruck looking Investigation Team.
"Well that wasn't too difficult, at least... Next time, can you just give me my hat back instead of making me do this? I might just shoot you next time!" Her nonchalant tone made the rest of the group stare in an even more dumbstruck way as she dusted her self down like it was nothing. "Hmm? Why are you looking at me like that?" Minato just watched them smugly.
"Are you kidding me?! That was awesome! You were like a ninja!" Chie's amazed tone made earned a blank stare from the detective.
"A... Ninja? What are you talking about? I just climbed a tree for my hat. There's nothing special about that..." She hid her face behind her cap, making sure to keep a tight hold of it this time. What was so great about climbing a tree?
"'Just climbed a tree?' No way! You flew up that tree faster then a squirrel, on Caffeine!"
"Yeah! Where did you learn to do that?!"
"Well I just taught myself when I was a child." The young detective had a proud edge to her voice as she smiled calmly at the others.
"Yeah. Ace here even used to have a secret base in the trees." She turned to Minato in embarrassment.
"Yes. I did. I also remember you falling out of the window when you started stealing mom's homemade cookies."
"No! I was – they're worth anything! I didn't steal them! They were mine to begin with! I think..." Naoto chuckled at his terrible explanation while Yukiko burst into one of her famous laughing fits.
"Yes. Yes. Of course you weren't trying to steal my cookies when you ended up face first, in the compost heap, with a broken cookie jar." She was grinning smugly as it was his turn to get embarrassed. This was definitely different... Considering it's not often Naoto starts pushing her friend's buttons like this, she finally understood why Yosuke did it so often!
"Hey, I was – Um... is she okay?" Minato was staring at the crazy laughing heap on the ground that was Yukiko.
"Yeah. She's fine. This is totally normal for her!" Chie was smiling at the two blue haired teens in amusement before turning to her friend. "Come on Yukiko! Calm down!" The young detective couldn't help but chuckle lightly at her friends as some were sniggering, some were staring disbelievingly as if imagining their past and the remainder of the group was one on the floor in a laughing fit whilst the other tried (and failed) to calm her down.
"Okay, well as much as I'd like to watch this we have to get going. Come on Teddie." Yosuke called to Teddie who replied with;
"Awww... But I want to hear more about the cookies!"
"Come on Teddie! Or I'll make sure you get know more ice lollies for a month!"
"Ah! Okay! Okay! I'm coming!" with that the two of them left for work back at Junes. The rest of the group gradually dispersed soon after until Naoto and Minato were alone to begin their trek home...
"Come on. Lets go home Ace."
Authors Note!
Okay! So yeah! Cookies! I HAD to have Minato eat dirt at some point! Also tree climbing... that was an interesting thing to write for me... I'm not really good at group conversations so I try to avoid them mostly and just have the parts that matter or I think should be there. Sorry this chapter is mostly babble but Naoto will find the Velvet Room on their way home if that makes things less annoying for you! :D Also, I haven't beaten Shadow Teddie in P4 yet or even reached the first boss in P3 so if I go wrong please point it out to me so I can correct it the best I can. I have played P4A and P4AU as well as seen the P4 anime so I do know what I'm doing to some extent... ANYWAY Please Read & Review! Like I said before I love hearing from you and it's a true honour for people I've never met before to actually read my stuff and help me improve! :D :D :D :D
PS.
WARNING! CHAPTERS WHERE THE TEAM GET THEIR PERSONA'S BACK WILL BE REDICULOUSLY CRAZY! LOL! COMPLETELY UNLIKE THE ACTUAL GAMES! :D well maybe not completely... I suppose you'll just have to wait and see! :D :D