"Fuuka-nee," the girl called out weakly. She squeezed Fuuka's hand as tight as she could with her small fingers. "How are you going to get out of here?"
"What do you mean Reiko-chan?" The teal-haired woman asked. "We'll get out of here together. I'm sure my friends will come soon to rescue us." She reassuringly looked down at the girl and noticed her bringing her free hand to where Fuuka supposed is where her mouth is. She heard the girl yawn softly. "Are you tired?" The girl hummed in affirmation. "Here, you can use my lap if you want." The girl nodded. "Now why don't you take off your mask."
"I can't... My best friend said the mask is good luck so I can't take it off. If I did, my good luck will disappear and something bad might happen if I take it off."
"Alright, you can keep it on."
"We're here early," Yu said when they entered the TV World. While on their way to the rooftop, he made a quick glimpse around and saw his friends all tense and fidgety. "What's wrong you guys?"
"Fuuka-san's been gone for days," Kanji anxiously. "What if we're too late and she ain't breathin' anymore?"
"Kanji!" Rise jabbed him hard on his stomach, making the boy crouch in pain. She scowled at her friend and said, "Don't jinx us! Argh, if something bad happens, I blame you!"
Recovering from the blow he received, the young man raised his fist in irritation. "The hell! Don't overreact, Rise!" He turned to his gray-haired senior, "But I do make sense, right?"
Rise gasped and turned to her senior as well. "Senpai, we'll save Fuuka-san, right?"
"She might be dead," Yu said thoughtfully. hand on his chin like the thinker. His friends gazed at him in horror. Most of them were frozen in place due to the possibility that the woman might indeed be dead. "What do you think, Minako-san?"
"Well... The tower isn't like Tartarus because the time in the tower and outside the TV World moves at the same rate." The female wild card frowned, "We might be too late. But who knows, Fuuka might still be okay. We still don't know this place yet to well to make such conclusions. That aside, why don't we start making a plan now?"
"Okay, so what do you think?" The male wild card opened the door to the rooftop and they passed through one by one.
"I think we should split up," the girl said. "Back then, we fought the shadow at the first floor of Tartarus. So then I thought what if the Emperor and the Empress were at the first floor too? Also, based on the rumors that I think are true-" she gave Naoto a quick glance "-three women found in front of Gekkou High, a civilian named Natsuki Moriyama might show up later. I don't know where, but just to be safe, I think half of us should go to the 64th floor while the other half would stay on the first - in case, in case, she enters the portal.
"So... How about you, what do you think?"
"Good. I guess the two of us will have to work on separate teams then," Yu said, remembering what they were told about the nature of the shadow. "Do you wanna go up or stay on the first floor?"
"I'd like to go up. What about you?"
"Same."
The two wild cards stared at each other, deadpan. Their brows furrowed simultaneously as they think of ways to solve their dilemma of deciding who goes where. They held their chin with their index finger and thumb, their brows getting closer and closer. Their friends watched them with curiosity and impatience. All of them were wandering what the two were doing. After an eternity of waiting for their field leaders' "well-thought-out" decision, the two finally resolved the matter with a very mature game of Roshambo, or, how most people call it, Rock-Paper-Scissors. Determinedly, they took their stance.
"You may be older than me," Minako said in a taunting tone, "But that doesn't mean that you're smarter or sharper than me!"
"I thought you said you were smart," Yu retorted, "If you are, you should have known that I'm far more smarter and sharper!"
"Rock-Paper-Scissors!" Same. They did it again and it was still the same.
"I don't really think we can rely on them anymore to take the lead," Yosuke muttered as he watched his best friend and his "female counterpart."
"Just leave them be senpai." Naoto watched the two stoically. "They must be trying to relieve themselves from the pressure."
"NO!" The auburn-haired girl wailed. "You old man... You tricked me!" Minako glared at him before turning to the group. "The time is ten to twelve. Before we head out, you guys choose where you wanna go. Also, Rise-san?"
"Yep?"
"Uh..." The crimson-eyed girl turned to the gray-haired male.
"Rise, you stay with Minako. You can guide us from the first floor, right?" Rise nodded. "Alright, you do just that until we find Fuuka-san, who is hopefully well and awake. Do you understand?"
"Yessir!"
"Okay, let's head out!" He headed his way to the portal. As he passed by his fellow wild card he heard her mumbling, "What the hell happened to 'Minako-san'?" Yu gave her a smug smile.
"Wiped that grin of your face," she muttered loud enough for him to hear. "You win this time old man."
"You may look like seventeen, but you're still a year older than me by birth."
"...touché, Yu. Touché..."
The group who were left with a still sulking, auburn-haired girl were consisted of Rise, Chie, Labrys, Naoto, Shinjiro, and last, but not the least, Yosuke. All of them, except Rise, sat on the stairs. They stared at the portal, anticipating the arrival of Natsuki Moriyama, Fuuka's friend.
"How do you think she'll get in?" Chie asked Minako.
"To tell you the truth, I'm not actually sure. Maybe the same way Fuuka and all others got here? Then again, I'm not sure how they got here. "
"Hey Naoto, maybe we can look into that."
The blue-haired detective looked at her senior and said, "Mitsuru-san's already investigating it. It's one of the many reasons why she can't come here."
"I see..."
...
No one said a word. It was either they were too nervous to say anything or they just didn't feel like saying anything anymore. They all listened to Rise as she quietly discussed something to who they guess was Teddie. They were talking about the perfume that Rise wears and whether or not Teddie could sniff them. Rise refused, telling him how creepy it sounded.
Yosuke sighed. The sudden silence was eating him up. "Why's nothing happening?"
"That's because we've only been here for four minutes," Labrys said, checking her watch. "By the way, what gave ya the idea to play that kid's game, Minako?"
"We just lifted our hands and did it."
Shinjiro leaned back and leered at the wild card. "You guys really took your time to think of an actual plan, huh?" he sarcastically told her.
"C'mon Shinji. You know I wing most of my plans and strategies."
Pessimism taking over him, Yosuke slapped his cheeks with both hand. "We're doomed," he moaned.
"What are you talking about senpai?" Rise asked. "Doesn't Yu-senpai do the same thing?"
"Then we were already doomed from the very start..."
Minako narrowed her eyes at him and said, "You're mean Yosuke..."
"Hey I'm older than you!"
"Biologically only. I'm still your senpai."
Hearing this, Shinjiro straightened and hurried his way to the girl. He scrutinized her face for a while before calling Labrys and asking her to the same. "What am I lookin' at?" the albino asked.
"Do you think she caught Teddie's and Ryoji's idiocy?"
"I dunno. Maybe she's always been like this."
Minako gasped and quickly stood. She gazed at her friends in mock hurt. She parted her lips to say something, but something stopped her and brought out the leader in her. She quickly glanced at Rise, who said, "Something's happening." The crimson eyed girl took a quick glance in her watch and saw that it was seconds away from midnight. "Senpai? ...SENPAI!"
"What's wrong Rise?" Yosuke asked anxiously.
"Something's blocking me! I can't get a good view of the top floor anymore. All I know is that their scattered up there."
"Then we gotta get up there!" Yosuke quickly got on his feet and ran to the teleporter.
"Yosuke-senpai," Naoto grabbed him before he could disappear through the teleporter. "You can't jus-"
A strong wind knocked all of them to the ground. Two forms - one slim and tall, and one shorter and stout - materialized and loomed over them.
Yu's shoulders slumped, noticing that he was all alone. He lost all contact with Rise when the clock struck twelve. He blinked for one second and when he opened his eyes, his friends were all gone. After being disoriented for a solid five minutes - or so he thought - he decided to wander around and looked for them. He walked aimlessly around the floor and groaned whenever he had to choose what path to take. At that moment, he wished for nothing but for everyone to be safe... and also to be able to use Fuuka's or Rise's powers even for just a moment. "I should've just let Minako go up. Bet she could find her way out thanks to that persona of hers..." When he turned at the corner, he saw a flight of stairs. He mentally debated whether he should go up or stay at that floor. "Gah!" He bonked his head, forcing his mind to make the right choice.
"Yu-kun, can you hear me?"
"Oh no... I must have hit myself to hard. I'm going crazy." He could already feel his mind slipping away from sanity. And hearing Fuuka's voice was just one of the many signs of this. Wait a second... Fuuka-san. "Fuuka-san!"
"Yu-kun, listen carefully. Aigis and the others are waiting for you just right up the stairs. I need you to go there so I can warp all of you to where I am."
"Where are you?"
"I'm two floors above you, beside a teleporter. Yu-kun listen, you have to hurry. The others are in danger!"
"I'm on my way." The gray-haired male climbed the stairs as fast as he could, careful that he won't miss a step. When he reached the end, he was immediately glomped by Teddie.
"SENSEI! I THOUGHT SOMETHING BAD HAPPENED TO YOU!"
"Alright guys, I'm bringing you to me." In an instant a light engulfed them. They had to close their eyes because of the brightness of the light. The group opened their eyes when they heard Fuuka spoke to them again. "Oh thank goodness!" They saw her carrying a child in her arms. All of them were tempted to ask about the child, but the urgency in Fuuka's voice made them do otherwise. "Come on you guys!"
"Wake up dammit!" Labrys tried her best to fend off the two shadows to protect her unconscious friends. But she knew that sooner or later, she won't be able to protect them - not on her own.
"Fuuka..." The voice made Labrys turn. She gawked at the sudden arrival of a dark-skinned woman. "Fuuka..." The Emperor veered to the dazed woman and raised its sword on the girl. It was clear that the shadow would cleave the civilian at any time. The android dashed towards her, but the Empress blocked her way.
"NO!"
A giant fist landed on the Emperor, making the shadow collapse. "Yes!" Minako exclaimed groggily. She was barely standing, but awake - something which Labrys is grateful for. The mechanical maiden beamed at the miracle the heavens sent her. Her brief rejoice was interrupted as Minako yelled, "Labrys get her out of the way!"
"Yessir!" She hoisted the Natsuki and brought her with the rest of her unconscious friends. She made sure that the two shadow won't be able to harm even a single hair of her comrades and the Fuuka's friend.
Meanwhile, Minako summoned Messiah and used every almighty attack she could think of. But her reflexes dulled from whatever happened to her and their other friends making her to barely hit her targets. She was tempted to use Megidoloan or anything more powerful than it, but the impact might endanger the life of her friends. Soon, her knees gave in. The female wild card cursed under her breath. She switched places with Labrys and took the opportunity to tend to her friends. She kept glancing at the teleporter. What the heck's takin' them so long?
It only took the shadows minutes to gain the upper hand again. But then the two girls thought, they were never really in control of the whole fight. Labrys lie supine on the floor after using Orgia. She pushed her limits too far that it caused her to be paralyzed.
"Here we are again," Labrys said to Minako. There was something in her voice that sounded so close to hopelessness. But Minako would never know what it is because the sudden thought of failing clouded her mind. I need to do this. For Bunkichi-san and Mitsuko-baasan. But the effect of the tower added to her crippled state, weakening her even more. "If their tryin' to be late for dramatic effects," the albino said, trying to lighten the mood, "I'm gonna make sure that there'd be a different kind of cryin'."
"Like pain induced cries?"
"Yep!"
The teleporter started acting out, and not long after that, it spat the rest of their friends out. At the same time, their unconscious friends, started waking up. The two knew fate was playing with them, but right now they didn't care because they're going to live to see another day.
"We made it," Fuuka said in relief.
The two girls chuckled, before their mood shifted to something highly irritated. "Barely!"
They left the TV World and decided to stay at the infirmary for a while. Minako and Natsuki, who have been unconscious ever since the battle between the shadows and persona users officially started, lay in bed. The rest of them surrounded the young girl, who they supposed, was staring at them behind her mask.
Aigis asked the girl for her name, but the girl only flinched as the blonde got closer to her. "Is something wrong?" Aigis asked in concern. The girl did not respond and quickly hid behind Fuuka.
"Reiko-chan?" The teal-haired woman knelt to the girl's level. Once she was down, the child latched herself around the woman's neck. "What's wrong?"
"Fuuka-nee, she's that robot!" the girl exclaimed in fear.
"She must have a phobia on robots," Kanji concluded.
But Rise quickly contradicted him. "Someone who obviously likes Phoenix Ranger Featherman R can't possibly be afraid of robots."
"Fuuka-nee," they could hear the girl's voice wavering, "she going to do something to Mako-chan."
Fuuka pulled back to get a better look at the girl. When she removed her hand on the girl's shoulders, Reiko quickly lifted her mask and viciously wiped her tears away with her sleeves. "What do you mean? Who is Mako-chan?"
They waited for the girl to calm down. Moments later, her breathing slowly drifted to normal. She let her arm fall back to her side, a sign that the girl wasn't crying anymore. But they weren't really sure of that because the girl kept down. "Oh no... I removed the mask."
"Don't worry, nothing bad will happen. I promise." Fukka stroked the girl's head; under her grasp she could feel the child's head lifting up. And finally, for the first time since she met the girl, she finally got a glimpse of her face. Fuuka dropped her hand and caught her breathe as Crimson orbs gaze at her pleadingly. The rest of her friend grew stiff as they took note of how uncanny the similarities of the child feature to a certain brunette they know.
"M-Minako-chan?" Fuuka stuttered unsurely.
"Fuuka-nee, please help me!"
And then she was gone like a bubble that burst to nothing but air. All that was left of her was a mask that made a reverberating sound as it fell to the floor.
The teal-haired woman picked it up and spotted the name "Makoto Yuki" sloppily written at the back of it. She gently traced what was written on the mask before turning to her friends. "What did she mean?" But no one could answer because they were just as perplexed as her.
~After the Full Moon~
Minako rush her way to Bunkichi's room. She was eager, at the same time anxious to know the condition of the old man. Bunkichi-san will be fine. He's okay now, Minako thought. She smiled as she continued to reassure herself mentally. A she got nearer, she spotted Mitsuko talking to the a doctor. Though the old woman's back was against her, she could tell that something was wrong. The smile on her face was gradually wipe off and was replaced with worry. The doctor patted the old woman's shoulder before leaving her alone.
"Mitsuko-baasan?"
The woman slowly swiveled and looked up to the girl. "He's gone..." she said with her cracking voice. "My dear husband has passed..." The girl walked towards her. She reached for the grieving woman, but the woman swatted her hand. "You told me you would make sure he'll be okay, that you will save him. But you killed him... You killed my husband!" The woman sobs filled Minako's ears. It grew louder and louder that it became both physically and emotionally painful.
"THIS IS YOUR FAULT!"
Minako could feel herself falling. She shut her eyes and anticipated the pain of the landing, but all she felt was the difficulty in breathing and the soft material underneath her. When she opened her eyes she found herself inside her room, lying on the floor with her blanket tangled around her. Must have fallen in my sleep...
"Minako-san, are you awake? We have to go to school."
"I'm up."
Minako wolfed down the piece of toast and egg. She avoided looking up at her friends because they were starting to make her self-conscious of the way she ate. But it was no use, the intensity of their gaze were too strong for her to ignore. Not being able to take it anymore, she blurted out the first thing that popped into her mind - something that she regretted immediately.
"Seems that I've gotten more beautiful overnight that you guy can't even take your eyes off me." An awkward silence made the brunette squirm. WHAT THE HELL DID I JUST SAY!?
"Hey Shinji."
"Yeah Labrys?"
"I think Ryoji and Teddie did infect her. We should quarantine them so the stupidity won't spread."
"HEY!"
"Fuuka," Mitsuru slipped in the room where Fuuka was - the same room where she was last seen before she disappeared to the tower. The younger female looked from the mask to her senior. "Are you alright?"
"...Senpai, there was a girl with me," she averted her eyes from Mitsuru and returned it to the mask. "She looked just like Minako-chan... She called herself Reiko. I guess I should have known that she got the name from Featherman R... Mitsuru-senpai... Senpai, she was asking for my help, but she was gone before I could. This mask was all I have of her." Fuuka handed the red mask to Mitsuru. "It has Makoto-kun's name on the back." The red-haired woman flipped the mask. "What if Reiko-chan is out there? What if she's still waiting for help?"
"Don't worry Fuuka. I'll see what I can do." She moved closer and hugged her junior. "Welcome back home."
I hope you guys liked it, even though there was another lack of action and kicking shadow butt. Again I suck at battle scene, it's the reason why I skipped the whole thing. But I try when it's necessary. I realized the last time they fought a Full Moon shadow was chapter 15 or 16. I can't believe it took me so long just to get here. ^^; Anyway, please review.
Megami Tensei Emprtatriz: Haha It's okay. Thank for your review and good luck with life. I've actually thought of making them twins, but decided otherwise for a long list of reasons. So there, I just made them friends. Oh, I guess you know who the little girl is now.
FionaTheConArtist: Thanks for the fave/follow and review. I honestly think that the previous chapters were so badly made that it made me cringe whenever I try to edit them. So bad that I gave up and just fixed the typos I spotted.