(This chapter cuts off because putting it with the next one is just too much for me to post; if I post the whole thing before it's done, then the chapters become forced and not proofread as well, which is why I'm going this slow. This Shadow and the next had a psycho amount of rewrites.)
While you worked on Saturday, you wondered if you should try talking to Zero more often. After all, on your lunch break, you found it hard to talk to several busy people who were older than you.
But it seemed that whenever you tried to say something, Zero would say...
"I'm busy."
For all you knew, he probably was. You didn't want to bother him, so you figured you would make more of an effort when he wasn't busy; the only time you could think of was at the arcade.
Besides, he wasn't one you could discuss the Midnight Channel with. You knew it was going to rain the next day and that there was a chance that someone could appear. There were several things you wanted to talk about, but you were stuck at your job for that day, at least until evening...
Your long shift usually left you too tired to do anything besides stay at your dorm. Your friends were still on the high from Friday.
"I can't believe you and Rob never go play DDR," Steve exclaimed. "I guess it's just 'cause he's a school nerd."
"That's why my grades are higher than yours," Robert stated teasingly.
"Yeah, well, as long as I'm beating Aaron, I don't care. That guy only passes his classes on like the last week of the semester."
"High standards you have."
"Psh, your standards are way too high. Everything you do, you gotta go and be good at it. Don't you ever relax and have fun?"
Robert shrugged. "Sometimes. Talking to you right now is my way of relaxing. Playing games is also my way of taking a break. I don't do it all the time, but that's because I don't need to."
Steve sighed. "I guess it's none of my business, anyway." He sat on the couch in the main room and watched something on TV.
"Since you mentioned him," Robert started, "where is Aaron?"
"Well, there was some party that was supposed to be tomorrow night, but it was changed to tonight cause of the rain tomorrow."
Robert shook his head. "That guy..."
-.
Besides the rain in the evening, nothing particularly interesting happened Sunday. Monday afternoon, you were in class with Emi.
Pipipipipi...
Your phone went off during the lecture!
Quickly, you scrambled to shut it off. The teacher was generous and ignored you completely; you made a mental note to apologize to him afterward. You noticed that the call had been from Rage before you turned off the sound, so you decided to call him after class. When did he get your number, anyway...?
Friday night, you were conversing with Emi about the class you two shared. You asked when she would be available to study with you for an upcoming test.
"Oh, I don't know yet," she said. "Why don't you give me your number? I'll call you when I know more about what's going on in the week."
"Hey, let me have his number!" Rage exclaimed from behind. Seeing no harm, you finally gave your cell number to both of them.
You briefly regret giving it to Rage.
-.
"Hello? Hey, where were you earlier?"
Though he couldn't see you, you frowned, and you told him you were in class.
"Oh, haa, 'cause... you're in Emi's class... that's right." His speech slowed when he realized his error. "Well, I called you 'cause we saw er... well, we got stuff we gotta tell you. Come over to Yuni's today, okay? Everybody's gonna meet up after 6:30 and I'll be over there and catch up after I close down my stand. You guys can all talk about what happened and I'll catch up when I get there. That cool?"
You told him you'd be there, and you asked him to let Yuni and the others know.
You finished your rather long classes...
-.
"Good evening, Souji."
Devil Zukin greeted you at the door of the TV room. Yuni and Akira were waiting in the room as well.
"I'd like to tell you something before I speak of the Midnight Channel's show," she began. "We did an experiment last night. Knowing that the harsh rain would likely trigger the channel, each of us watched a different television."
"I didn't see anything from the TV in my bedroom," Akira commented.
"But I did," Yuni stated. "And uh... it was kinda creepy."
"This proves that some televisions are unable to show the Midnight Channel," Zukin continued. "The problem is knowing what the difference is between the televisions. I watched the one in this room and, as usual, the channel aired. Rage-sama said he was able to see it like he did before. I don't see a link to indicate which TVs can and can't show the Midnight Channel. The shapes and sizes of the televisions vary too greatly to determine anything, all four of the ones we watched have cable, and no television was left on."
It was smart to do that experiment, but it didn't seem to help you much. You could assume that it wasn't just you who couldn't see the Midnight Channel. However, you had no idea who else could see it; perhaps people who weren't meant to watch the channel were able to see the other sides of the dancers.
But who? You remembered you could occasionally hear an audience in the background of some channels when in Inaba, but you never heard one when you were inside these dungeons. Maybe the audience, if any, was very small for these shows? You spoke your thoughts aloud and gave the others more possibilities and ideas to ponder.
"Well, I guess if anyone saw mine, they would've just passed it off as another show I acted in," Yuni started.
"Your 'character' used your real name," Zukin argued. "I would think spectators may have suspected it was you. As for Rage-sama and Emi's friend, the two of them lack the fame to gain a wide audience. We know from experience that Rage-sama had no audience. We would've never known if Emi's friend had spectators because we were never inside the television to save her..." Her tone drifted.
"While I'm sorry she had to suffer like that, it's a matter of the past," Akira stated. "Let's focus on who we can still rescue."
Zukin nodded. "Before we discuss the channel itself, I think we should wait for-"
"I'm here!"
You all turned your heads to Rage, standing in the doorway.
"What'd I miss?"
"Rage-sama," Zukin started, looking at the clock, "don't you close your stand at 7:00?" It was apparently 6:40.
"Yeah, ugly weather, slow day. I can just work when Souji's working. I'd rather go in the TV than stand in the cold waiting for someone to notice my takoyaki."
Zukin sighed. "Well, at least you're here."
"I know Rage and I saw the channel," Yuni began, "but Zukin, why don't you tell everybody what was on?"
"Very well. I couldn't see the person, but I have my suspicions..."
A person in a dark robe (male, judging by body structure) came out of a small, old looking building. His face was hidden beneath a shadow from the hood of his cloak; one couldn't tell if he was looking at the screen when he spoke.
"Human life consists of many kinds of experiences," he started. "Yet pain is inevitable. Pains that will leave your body, your mind, and your heart weary. So long, I have been searching for a way to help others with their hardships, trying to find a way to cure someone for good.
"I know now what it takes to rid one of suffering. I will save everyone who follows me." He turned around and walked into the building again; the show faded to black and ended.
"I believe it sounded like Zero," Devil Zukin commented.
You and Akira were shocked, having heard this for the first time. But if no one could see him... was it enough to rely on the sound of his voice to determine who it was? You pulled out your phone and tried calling him; there was no answer.
"So Zero got kidnapped?" Rage asked. "I would've thought that, too... but we just saw him on Friday! How did we miss this?"
"We will find out how he was captured when we save him," Zukin replied.
"All right, so when do we go in?" Yuni declared. "I wanna fight some bad guys!"
"It's dangerous," Akira warned. "And you haven't practiced. Do you think you're ready?"
"Yeah. Besides, Rage and Zukin already got me a weapon."
"What?" Akira almost yelled. He glared at Rage.
"Hey, she was too young to get a weapon," he argued, "so I had to go and get one for her. But I needed a girl to help pick out something, and Zukin's an expert at smuggling things to your mansion 'cause she can fly over all the police in the city who would question her, so she was perfect. It's not my fault you didn't take her to get something on your own."
The tall man sighed. "What did you get her, anyway?" he asked in a defeated tone.
Zukin found the end table (the same one that nearly met its end when Rage used it as a weapon) and grabbed a pair of gloves from the drawer. She also pulled out a pair of glasses.
"These gloves not only offer protection, but there are sharp edges that can be used offensively. Use these wisely." Zukin's mitten-covered hands slipped the gloves onto Yuni's delicate fingers. There were spikes on her knuckles; you were afraid to find out how sharp they were.
"Take these as well," Zukin continued, handing Yuni her custom pair of glasses. "You will need them to see in the other world."
There was only one thing holding you all back. It came to your realization that you needed someone to understand Zero so Ouze could find him
"That's right," Akira remembered.
"What? Really?" Yuni complained. "But he doesn't talk to anybody!" Yuni placed a hand on her chin. "Although... if none of us know him, we could ask some other people..."
"I have talked to Zero enough to know him myself," Zukin suggested quickly after Yuni finished her sentence. "I should be able to find him based on what I know. We should go in and look before we involve anyone else."
You asked if everyone was ready to enter. After getting your team's approval, you dove into the TV screen...
-.
You tumbled across the floor, and Rage, Zukin, Akira, and Yuni came in behind you in that order. After Zukin stood, you asked her to look for Zero.
Ouze was summoned and placed her hands on Zukin's head. The bat girl mentally closed herself off to the others and listened to her Persona. You noticed that Yuni (after repeatedly taking her glasses on and off to see the difference) was amazed at seeing Zukin's Persona for the first time.
"How did she do that?" Yuni said. "Get that girl to come out? That's her Persona, right?"
"You just hafta go with your gut instinct," Rage said. "I didn't know what I was doing at first, but when you need your Persona, he'll come out if you want him to."
"She'll come out."
"You know what I mean," he grumbled.
"He's here," Zukin muttered. As Ouze faded, Zukin opened her eyes slowly. She began to run in a direction to her right; you and the others followed her.
(The TV world just got lovelier and more emo at the same time.)