"An Island Tour, huh...? That sounds quite like fun!"

(Exciteable as always I see.)

"Oh, Hello Sir."

(No need for that. So you like trips and vacations?)

"Well...Yes. They are rather fun aren't they? It's been so long since Milord and Milady went on a vacation."

(Well perhaps I can prepare a Holiday Trip for you all?)

"Really?"

(Of course. By the way, where are Une and Deux?)

"They left to do something."

(I see...Either way, let's get on with the Chapter)

Persona 3 doesn't belong to the author, but does belong to Atlus. The Author only owns the original characters and ideas.

Chapter 2: Tatsumi Port Tour

Minato

He woke up as the light hit his face. For a brief moment, he just willed it away, and wormed his way deeper into sleep. Then the events of yesterday came crashing back to him, and more than ever he wanted to sleep. Reluctantly, he got up, trying his best not to look at the pictures on the wall. Or anything really. It was at this point he noticed the smell of something gloriously sweet. He disentangled himself from the blanket, before glancing at Natsuno, who was still snoring away peacefully. He lifted the blanket and placed it firmly over her, before making his way to the kitchen. What he saw was Smith bustling about, various ingredients floating after him. The jacket laid draped over a chair, again showing the fact that Smith looked really young. He knew better. Smith may have looked young, but those eyes...

"Ah, the logs awaken from their slumber," Smith said teasingly.

He just watched as the food busied preparing itself.

"Is that French Toast?"

"Close. It's actually Gallic Toast."

He looked at Smith, who was jotting down something on a notepad.

"What're you doing?"

"Formulating the deeds needed to make sure neither of you end up in the orphanage."

He shivered at the word orphanage, and Smith looked at him.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but you don't have any relatives, do you?"

He shook his head, and Smith sighed.

"Well, that's not to much of a problem. I just have to forge the papers that say I'm your legal guardian, and we should be good."

"Why are you helping us?"

Smith blinked and looked at him.

"Hmm?" "Why are you helping us. You said the only thing you did was wander around different worlds. So why are you helping us?"

Smith blinked, and he looked away, trying to avoid Smith's eyes.

"Minato..."

Smith kneeled down to eye level, and he was stuck again at how old those eyes looked. They were a reflective, stone grey, other colors splintering at the edges.

"I'm helping you because I want to. Because it's the right thing to do," Smith smiled, "After all, I may be a Tourist, but I'm not a bystander."

He could feel the sincerity in Smith's words, and relaxed. Smith was someone they could trust, he realized at this point. Smith smiled, and stood back up, jotting down more things. He watched breakfast make itself, specifically the salt shaker trying to beat up the pepper shaker, until he heard a moan. They both turned to see Natsuno waking up groggily.

"I smell food..."

He watched bemusedly as Natsuno scarfed down food rapidly, while he ate at a calmer pace.

"This. Is. Delicious," she said in between bites.

"I'm glad you like it," Smith said.

There was a sudden knocking sound at the door, and they all glanced at each other, before Smith got up, putting on his jacket. Smith walked up to the door, before opening it. He saw a flash of blue, and looked at Natsuno worriedly. A police officer.

"Ah, officer. What can I do for you?" Smith said pleasantly.

"Hmm? Are you a friend of the Arisato's?"

"A relative, actually. What's wrong?" Smith said smoothly.

"They...There was an accident last night. Both Yamato Arisato and Akiko Arisato died in a car accident."

There was a moment of silence. Car accident? There hadn't even been another car on the entire bridge!

"Really?"

"Yes...I'm sorry for your loss."

Smith gave a sad sigh that sounded genuine, before turning his head to the side.

"Minato? Did you hear that?"

He started, before realizing that was his cue, and walking to Smith's side.

"Natsuno, you too."

Natsuno blinked, before standing up and standing on the other side of Smith. The police officer looked at them strangely.

"Uh...?"

"This is Minato Arisato. The Arisato's son."

The police officer's expression didn't change, but he shifted his hat over his eyes. "I see..."

"As for her," Smith put a hand on Natsuno's shoulder, "She's my daughter."

Natsuno blinked in shock, but quickly caught on and smiled.

"Hello," she chirped.

The officer still had a neutral expression.

"I see...So, you're here to-"

"I was already named legal guardian of Minato. I have the papers here."

Smith handed the officer the papers he had forged this morning. The officer looked over the paper, before staring at Smith. For a second, he thought the officer knew the paper were a fake, and they would be taken to the orphanage.

"I need to see some identification."

Smith took out the blank card from last night and showed it to the officer. Apparently the officer was satisfied, because he grunted and gave the card back to Smith.

"You're going to have to go to court to take legal guardianship."

"I will."

"Very well, I'll be on my way then."

The officer turned to leave, before glancing at them.

"I'm sorry for your loss."

He didn't say anything, and the officer started to walk away.

"What does the name Kirijo mean to you?"

He and Natsuno glanced at Smith, who was staring at the officer. The officer tensed visibly, before speaking.

"They're just a famous corporative group," the officer said quickly, before walking away. Smith smiled.

"Bingo."

'Smith'

After leaving Minato and Natsuno at home, with the appropriate wards around the property, he made his way around Tatsumi Port Island. He quickly dealt with the troublesome legal issues about him being the legal guardian of Minato, in the process creating the birth certificates and identities of one Natsuno Shiomi and Smith Shiomi. Technology was an amazing thing, wasn't it? Next was the Kirijo group. Various asking around revealed this about the Kirijo Group: Once a part of the Nanjo Group, though the two still worked together, the Kirijo group had turned into a multi generational, international company that dominated everyday life. Practically everybody in the world knew about it. Thankfully, the similarities to Ultratech stopped there. At least, superficially. He had found out that something odd happened yesterday night. A building owned by the Kirijo Group had, get this, exploded. Official interviews with the Group revealed that the building was to be turned into a High School, and that the explosion was caused by the actions of an employed scientist called Eiichiro Takeba. the Kirijo Group was immensely apologetic to the destruction and the loss of personal, including Takeba, but would continue to build the school.

And for some reason he smelled bullshit. So, of course the only thing he could do was look in further. Which was why he was standing in front of the Tatsumi Port Island Police Department. He took out the psychic paper, and took a breath, before snapping his fingers, a perception filter falling over him. He strode into the station confidently, walking up to the desk.

"I need to see reports about yesterday's explosion regarding the Kirijo Group," he said.

The receptionist just looked at him, and he handed her the psychic paper. She took on look over it, before calling over the intercom.

"Detectives Shirogane? Please come to the front desk."

He blinked as she handed him the psychic paper, and a couple, dressed sharply and professionally, walked up to the front desk.

"Yes?" the man asked.

The receptionist pointed to him.

"Another detective wants the details of yesterdays explosion."

Both man and woman looked at him, and he felt very self-conscious. The man had dark hair and a kindly, if stern face, dressed in a dark blue suit. The woman on the other hand had sharp features and piercing silver eyes, her face framed by dark blue locks, not unlike Minato's. She wore a lighter shade of blue, but the same suit as the man. And she had a really cool dark blue hat. The woman scanned over him, before speaking.

"I wasn't aware there were other detectives on this case."

He winced at the tone, and the man turned to the woman.

"Dear..." he said.

The woman blushed slightly, before hissing.

"Don't call me that in public!"

The man laughed, and he cleared his throat.

"I'm just a freelancer. Only doing this for curiosity, not money." The woman continued to scan him, while the man smiled, putting a hand out.

"Hello there. My name is Saburo Shirogane . And this is my wife, Emi."

The woman nodded curtly. He shook the man's hand, returning a smile.

"Smith Shiomi."

"These are all the details we have on the case."

He looked at the papers, scanning every single piece of information.

"Notice anything?" Saburo asked.

"...Most if not all the deaths were disproportionately scientists by profession."

Emi nodded.

"Yes. Note, by itself that doesn't mean anything, but with everything else, it seems just a little suspicious."

He looked over the rest of the evidence, whistling.

"Just a little suspicious? Looks quite a lot to me."

Emi looked at him calculatingly.

"So you noticed too?"

He nodded, before standing up.

"Is something wrong?" Saburo asked.

He shook his head.

"Nope. Just realized that I should probably have lunch."

Emi raised an eyebrow.

"Is that really a pressing matter?" she asked critically.

"Well, this is my first meal in three days..."

The Shiroganes looked at him strangely.

"Either way, you've given me things to think about," he took out a notepad, and tore a page, a phone number on it.

"I'll contact you if I find anything useful."

"We could always have a joint lunch," Saburo pointed out.

He shook his head.

"I wouldn't want to intrude. Besides," he made his way to the door, "I thought about getting home quickly to my daughter."

Before he left, he saw a smile on both Shiroganes faces, and as he made his way out the station, he cupped his chin.

"Shirogane, huh...?"

He looked at the wreckage of the building. From the outskirts of course. He was a legal, law abiding citizen of Japan. That, and the armed guards made it difficult to just stroll in. He wasn't the only person looking at the ruined building. Aside from the reporters, there were just regular people. And one of them was arguing with one of the guards, a young girl at her side. He narrowed his eyes and walked towards the quarrel.

"-Please, I need to talk to the management of the Kirijo Group!"

"Ma'am, not just anyone can talk to the Kirijo group."

"Please, it's urgent!" the woman said, semi hysteric.

"How so?" the guard asked boredly.

"I'm the wife of Eiichiro Takeba-"

"Hold it!"

At this point, a man who eventually had one too much alcoholic drink stumbled over, glaring at the woman, and attempting to point at her, missing entirely.

"You're the wife of that bastard!"

The woman bristled, though her voice was calm.

"Yes-"

"Your bastard of a husband killed my wife!" the man roared, stumbling menacingly towards her.

The guard didn't make a move, and nobody else seemed inclined to help the woman, a few even looking at the sot proudly. The man made an incoherent roar and lifted his fist, and the woman shoved her daughter behind her. And he quickly wrapped his arm around the man's throat, trying to choke him with the least damage possible. As the man struggled, he leaned closer and whispered into his ear. The man's eyes rolled into his head, and he fainted, though to anyone else, it would've looked like he had just choked him out. He let the man slump to the ground, and turned to the guard.

"This man has obviously drunk one too many, and will wake up with a pounding headache. I recommend some orange juice."

He quickly turned to the stunned woman, tipping his cap.

"I think we should talk somewhere else."

"Thank you."

He looked up from his coffee to see the woman smiling at him tentatively, the girl eating a small pastry. The woman was pretty, with light brown hair, and warm brown eyes.

"For what?"

"For helping back there."

He just hummed, taking a sip of coffee.

"But...Why?"

"You needed help. That man had no right to blame you for something your husband did..."

The woman's face tensed, and the girl looked at him with narrowed eyes.

"...Supposedly."

The woman blinked.

"You...You don't believe-?"

"I only believe things that I know for certain."

He flashed the psychic paper for proof of reason.

"You're a detective?" the woman asked.

He nodded, finishing off the coffee, before smiling. "Smith Shiomi." He started to stand up, before walking away.

"Well, have a good day."

"Wait!"

He blinked and turned to the woman, who was fishing a piece of paper from her purse, before writing down something and giving it to him. It was a phone number.

"My name is Yosa Takeba," the woman said, smiling and fluttering her eyelashes.

"And this is my daughter, Yukari," she said, motioning towards the girl, who was still staring at him.

"And...If you find out anything, please, don't hesitate to call," Yosa said.

He looked at the number, before nodding. "Will do."

He looked at the shrine contemplatively. It was evening, which was a good time to do things like this. Making a decision, he entered the shrine, and the lone monk of the shrine turned to look at him.

"Ah, hello. Are you here to pay your respects?" the old man asked kindly.

He nodded, and kneeled in front of the main part of the shrine itself, closing his eyes. Immediately, he felt the tell tale signs of the supernatural. The question was how wide spread it was.

"So you're the cause."

He opened his eyes, and was not entirely surprised to see a cat with two tails looking at him with eyes that were far too intelligent and human to be on a normal cat. The nekomata continued to speak, and judging by the voice, it was a girl.

"How odd. You don't look like a god."

He snorted, before glancing at the monk, who was unaware of the nekomata in his shrine.

"I've been called a god before. I don't particularly believe it though," he said, petting the nekomata's head. She snarled and wispy blue flames covered her paws.

"Sorry."

"Hmph. You're a rude one, that's for sure."

"Can I ask you a question?"

"I don't know, can you?"

He ignored the nekomata's irritated tone.

"May I ask a question?"

"...Go ahead."

He steepled his finger, looking at the nekomata intently. The nekomata on the other hand, simply cleaned herself.

"How much of the supernatural live in this world?"

"..."

The nekomata narrowed her eyes.

"I mean, do they-?"

"Live in hidden places, away from the human world?"

The nekomata sniffed.

"Most, if not all, live in another plane. Only some remain here."

He nodded, trying to pet the nekomata, and getting clawed painfully in response.

"I thought so."

"Those of us who remained simply hide in those nooks and crannies humanity doesn't search. But you..."

He blinked and pointed at himself.

"Me?"

"Yes, you." The nekomata stood and looked at him intently.

"Like I said, you felt like a god. Even if you are not one, every supernatural creature in the city, if not farther, now knows you are here. I, being curious, simply wanted to see what it was to cause such an anomaly."

"Didn't curiosity kill the cat?"

The nekomata bared her teeth in a grin.

"If curiosity was to kill me, it would've killed me a hundred years ago."

He shrugged his shoulders, and brought a hand to his chest, clasping the pendant under the shirt.

"You do not seem concerned that you have literally attracted the attention of everything in the city."

"It happens to me a lot, trust me."

The nekomata just stared at him, before abruptly walking away, staring at him one more time before leaving. He watched the spot where she disappeared, before taking out the locket, staring at the picture inside sadly.

"She's pretty."

He looked over his to see the monk looking at him with a warm, slightly sad, and completely understanding smile. He nodded.

"Yeah. She is."

He sat down on the bench, looking up at the night sky. Today had been a productive day. There was more to do though. He sighed and rubbed his face. He should've gone back to Minato and Natsuno by now, but he had been sidetracked by actual touristy. As such, he was at the sea side of Tatsumi Port Island, and it was almost midnight. He looked at the sky, saddened that he couldn't see the stars. He hoped Minato and Natsuno were okay. He shook his head, making a slightly lopsided smile. Since when was the last time he took care of children? He closed his eyes.

"What have I gotten into this time, Vlaire?" he asked softly.

The clock struck midnight. And the world turned green.

Minato

"Minato...? What just happened?"

He shook his head, not sure what was happening. One minute, they had been waiting for Smith, almost having fallen asleep. Then the grandfather clock chimed as the hand hit twelve, and the world turned into a sickly green. Natsuno looked around fearfully, and he looked at the glass of water, now a thick red liquid. He was pretty sure it was blood...He walked up to Natsuno, who was looking out the curtain anxiously, and looked up to see a huge moon dominate the sky. All the sudden a dark shape, silhouetted by the moon light, flew through the sky. He narrowed his eyes, and looked closer. The shape stilled, wings beating in the air, and he saw a raven like being with a bright blue mask. He gasped and jerked backwards, and Natsuno closed the curtains, looking at him worriedly.

"Minato? What's wrong?"

"It's one of those monsters," he said, wide eyed.

"They're called Shadows."

He tensed at the voice, and turned around...To see a boy with glowing blue eyes, and dark blue hair, dressed in the same pajamas as Natsuno, looking at them with a happy smile while sitting on the TV set.