Snowy Spring Chapter 04: Who Goes There
Lyall the Werewolf: Okay, now we're back on track. I'm glad Snowy Spring is doing well. I'm still working on Sword and Shield's next chapter, so don't worry about that.
By the way, regarding the Takane Apartments shout-out: If anyone is familiar with the character Takane Shijo from theIDOLM STER series, you ought to know that Takane shares the same Japanese voice actress as SK's Yumi, that being, Yumi Hara.
Also, Yumi's theme in the Shinovi Versus was an arrangement of music composed by Mozart and Beethoven. I thought it would be fun to make a nod to her theme. It's just that Beethoven was the first to come to mind.
Now, let's get on with the story.
(I don't own Persona or Senran Kagura)
April 14th.
The school day had ended this afternoon.
Yu, Chie, and Yosuke gathered around to talk about the Midnight Channel. Chie and Yosuke confirmed that they had seen the same girl last night. According to Chie, she had long brown hair and wore Yasogami High's female uniform, so there was no mistake from either of them.
"So, what then? We have the same soulmate?" a confused Chie wondered.
"How should I know?" Yosuke shrugged. He turned to Yu, "What about you, Narukami? Did you see anyone?"
"Yeah, but… in my case, I heard a voice in my head, and when I reached for it, my hand somehow… went inside the TV…" Yu explained. He was hesitant to speak at first, but he decided maybe talking to them might help him make sense of it all.
"What?" Yosuke and Chie uttered in astonishment at what their new classmate just told them.
"You went inside the TV?" Chie skeptically asked Yu.
"Yeah…" Yu answered awkwardly.
"How tired were you, man? You must've fallen asleep in front of your TV." Yosuke teased.
Meanwhile, Yumi was listening in on their conversation. It was natural that Yosuke and Chie didn't believe his story, but Yumi did, as she saw what happened herself last night. Even now, she still found it hard to believe, but the Midnight Channel and Yu accidentally sticking his hand into the TV wasn't a trick of the eyes. Not only that, Yu, Yosuke, and Chie saw the same person last night. And if they saw it, the killer probably did too. There was no telling when they would make a move.
Knowing that person on the Midnight Channel was in possible danger, Yumi scoured the school for anyone who met the description of the girl during breaks. Even though the picture was unfocused and blurred, Yumi memorized the long hair and the same uniform.
Unfortunately, not many female students besides Yukiko had long hair. There was one who fit the description, but the moment they locked eyes, Yumi immediately sensed hostility from her. She wasn't sure why, but Yumi felt talking to her was a bad idea, so it was probably best to ignore her.
More importantly, the girl on the Midnight Channel and the girl she met today weren't the same person. While they both had long hair, the former had brown hair while the latter had dark blonde hair, if she recalled Chie's description.
"What about you, Yukiko?" Chie asked Yukiko, who sat quietly at her desk gathering her things, "We're talking about that bizarro Midnight Channel thing. You see anything?"
Yukiko shook her head, "No, I was…"
Before she finished her sentence, Yukiko suddenly gasped and turned around to see the clock.
"Sorry, but I've got to run!"
"What? You got a bunch of work to do back at home today, too?" Chie asked.
"Yeah, things are really out of hand right now. I'm really sorry." Said a guilty Yukiko.
Chie just smiled assuredly and waved Yukiko goodbye, "It's cool. Hang in there!"
Before Yukiko could leave, she turned to Yumi, "Tsukikiri-san, I wanted to let you know that my mother is considering the job offer. When you have time, come visit the inn, okay?"
"Will do. Thank you for giving me a heads up." Yumi said.
With that done, Yukiko waved goodbye to her friend and classmates and left the classroom.
It didn't slip past Yumi that Yukiko was stressed out today. She hid it well from others, but those closest to her seemed to notice. She must be doing a lot of work at her family's inn than her body could keep up with. Without proper rest, she may not be of use to her family's business.
"Is it just me or does Yukiko-san seem way stressed out today?" Yosuke wondered aloud.
"They must be running her ragged," an empathetic Chie said. She turned curiously to Yumi, "So, did I hear right that you wanna work at the Amagi Inn, Tsukikiri-san?"
Chie was surprised that Yumi even knew about the Amagi Inn, but she figured she talked with Yukiko after they left the classroom yesterday.
"Amagi-san told me the inn was understaffed, so I offered to help. I was thinking I'd need a job soon." Yumi answered.
"That's great! You look like you're really capable, so having you work there will be a big help to Yukiko." Chie smiled.
"There's no guarantee Amagi-san's mother will hire me. But if she does, I will work my hardest." Yumi said confidently, "Speaking of help, wouldn't you want to help her by working at the inn, too, Satonaka-san? She told me you grew up together with her, so it would be natural for you to help as well."
"Huh? U-Uhh… I thought about doing that, but I don't think the customers would go for a Kung-fu-loving tomboy in a kimono…" Chie said sheepishly.
"Yeah, no kidding! Not to mention, you'd probably hoard all the meaty food for yourself." Yosuke jabbed.
"Stuff it you!" Chie snapped at him.
"Tsukikiri, on the other hand, would definitely be a hit with the customers. Who wouldn't want to see a cool beauty with… ballistics, so to speak? Heck, I'd absolutely come to see you, too!" Yosuke said with a flirtatious wink.
"I'd prefer if you didn't, Hanamura-san," Yumi said coldly.
"Cause I suck…" Yosuke slumped. He knew he had a habit of putting his foot in his mouth. Yumi's frosty personality aside, Yosuke was at least glad he finally had a conversation with her despite meeting in passing.
"A-Anyways…" Yosuke turned to Yu, "Look, Narukami, I know you were probably just dreaming it, but not fitting inside the TV because it was too small is kinda believable."
Yu was about to say something but closed his mouth. He knew explaining the story to his new classmates would result in disbelief, so there was no point in arguing about it. At least there was one commonality between his, Yosuke, and Chie's first encounter with the Midnight Channel: They saw the same person. So that meant they had the same soulmate? That couldn't be it. There must be something else going on. The mysteries behind the Midnight Channel get deeper and deeper.
"That's one interesting dream, though! Why don't we give it a shot on a bigger TV?" Chie chimed in.
"Good idea! We can try with one of the bigger TVs at Junes. Widescreen TVs are in nowadays! That should fit ya!" Yosuke joked. He and Chie laughed together at the joke.
[-Junes: Electronics Department-]
"So wait… we're actually doing this?" Yosuke uttered in confusion. He thought they were joking, but before he or anyone knew it, he, Yu, Chie, and Yumi were already standing in the electronic department of Junes.
"Yeah, why not? My family's been wanting a new TV, anyway." Chie said nonchalantly.
"Right. I get Chie, but what you, Tsukikiri?" Yosuke asked Yumi.
"I'm also looking for a TV," said Yumi.
"You don't have a TV, Tsukikiri-san?" Chie asked.
"No. I listen to the radio, so I never had a use for one." Yumi answered, shocking Chie and Yosuke.
"What? The radio? Seriously?" Yosuke asked.
"Did I stutter?" Yumi asked back.
"N-No… but…"
"And it just so happens, she doesn't have a cell phone either." Yu casually informed.
"Huh? How do you know that?" Yosuke asked Yu.
"After our trip to Junes yesterday, I ran into her in the shopping district. We talked for a bit before going our separate ways," said Yu.
"Gee, lucky you…" Yosuke grumbled.
"Narukami-san also informed me that you three would be checking out the Midnight Channel, so it got me curious, too. As it's still raining, it looks like it'll continue throughout the night, according to the weather forecast. Which means I should get a television set before it was too late." Yumi said.
"Oh cool! I'm guessing you wanna know who your soulmate is, too, right?" Chie asked excitedly.
"No. I'm afraid I have a different theory about the Midnight Channel." Yumi said grimly. She wasn't going to use the same method twice, as invading Yu's privacy was wrong. She realized her impatience made her act rashly, so if she wanted more context about the Midnight Channel, she'd need her own TV. And if her theory was right, she'd have something to work with in preventing another murder. Hopefully, she could stop the potential one that was soon to occur if she could figure out who the future victim was.
Meanwhile, Yumi's statement made Chie, Yu, and Yosuke confused.
"A-Anyway, if you don't have a cell phone, how do you contact people?" Yosuke asked nervously.
"I send letters and use a telegram." Yumi nonchalantly answered, surprising Yosuke and Chie further.
"Tsukikiri-san, what era did you come from?" an incredulous Chie asked. She thought Yumi was old-fashioned like Yukiko, but she never imagined the busty transfer student would live life voluntarily without a TV and cell phone and use a radio and telegram instead. She wouldn't know what to do with her if she couldn't see her favorite Kung-fu movies on a TV screen.
"Excuse me?" asked a confused Yumi.
"Yosuke, can't you hook her up with something? You're the Junes Prince, which means you have connections!" a worried Chie said to Yosuke.
"Don't give me weird nicknames like that! Besides, you know I can't just use connections whenever I feel like it!" Yosuke yelled back.
"Junes Prince?" Yumi asked.
"You see, my Dad happens to be the manager of this store. Just like you and Narukami, I also transferred from Tokyo. That was six months ago." Yosuke explained.
"I see." Yumi nodded in understanding.
"Junes does make life easier, but all the mom-and-pop shops are pretty empty right now. It's really sad." Chie said with faux sadness, to Yosuke's annoyance.
"Don't say that stuff straight to my face!"
"Would you prefer if I said it behind your back?" Chie jokingly asked.
"It's only natural that the older generation wouldn't be so open-minded about something new and improved. Society always moves forward and demands improvement along the way, for better or worse." Yumi said.
"Um… was that you trying to make me feel better?" Yosuke asked.
"I'm just stating my opinion," Yumi replied. She thought maybe a part of her that resents Kurokage's decision to send her here to Inaba influenced that statement. "I believe the TVs are up ahead. Shall we check them out?"
The four Yasogami High students approach the stack of TV on display at the back of the electronics department.
They stand in front of a large widescreen TV.
"Wow! This thing is huge! And holy crap, is it expressive." Chie marveled at the size and price of the widescreen TV.
Even Yumi couldn't hide her surprise. She, her grandfather, and her adopted sisters lived a modest life in the mountainous areas of Asakusa, so seeing something like this was fascinating. Now that she thought about it, Murakumo and Shiki had flatscreen TVs of their own at Gessen Girls' Academy's dormitory too. They weren't this big though.
"Who'd buy something like this?" Chie asked.
"Rich folks, I guess." Yosuke replied, "Honestly, not many people shop for TV here. That's why we don't have clerks around."
"Junes must be pretty lax with its customer service," Yumi said.
"Was that a compliment?" Yosuke dryly asked.
"At least looking's free," Chie said.
She and Yosuke gain mischievous grins as they casually put their hands on the screen. Yu looked somewhat bemused by their playful actions.
"See that? Can't get in. Figures." said Yosuke.
"Haha, this proves it. It was all just a dream." Chie smirked.
"Besides, these flat-screen TVs are so thin, you'd just end up on the other side." Yosuke said before shaking his head in annoyance, "Ugh, what am I saying?"
"You would think differently if you saw what I saw last night." Yumi thought. This ability to enter the TV was definitely not a Shinobi Art. It was something else entirely. Whatever it was, it definitely warranted investigation. For all she knew, the killer could have a similar power.
Yumi briefly considered the possibility that Yu was the killer, but that was unlikely. Yu was undoubtedly a nice, mild-mannered boy, and he clearly had no idea he had such power until last night. Even if that were the case, where did his power come from?
However, that question needed to wait. For any chance of seeing the Midnight Channel, she needed a TV.
"So, Chie, Tsukikiri, what kind of TVs are you guys in the market for?"
"My parents don't care as long as it's cheap. You got any suggestions?" Chie asked Yosuke.
"I want a cheap TV as well. I'd also like it if it wasn't too complicated to use." Yumi said. She had knowledge of TVs, but she rarely used them, thus she wasn't too savvy with them.
Yosuke, putting on a businessman act, guided the two girls over to a new TV released just this spring. Chie was the first to complain about the price. Yumi didn't voice her discontent, but she clearly didn't like the price either. Before leaving for Inaba, Kurokage gave her some money for living expenses, but not much. She hoped her potential new job at the Amagi Inn would pay well.
Meanwhile, Yu was still stationed by the big widescreen TV.
"I wonder… maybe I could fit into this one." the silver-haired boy thought.
While Chie and Yosuke were discussing TV prices, Yumi noticed that one of the display units was showing the news.
It showed an impromptu interview with a nervous high school student. The interview was recorded yesterday, as indicated by the date on the screen.
"I-I just…"
The voice and face of the female student were doctored to not reveal her identity, but she still looked and sounded familiar.
"Isn't that Saki Konishi-senpai?" asked Yumi as he recognized the girl on the screen.
Chie and Yosuke see the interview Yumi was looking at. They noticed the resemblance to Saki as well.
"Oh hey, this was on the news yesterday." Chie said, "She kinda does look like Saki-senpai, doesn't she?"
"You think so?" Yosuke asked.
"You two know Konishi-senpai?" Yumi asked.
"Yeah, she's cool. Her family owns a liquor store in the shopping district." Chie answered, "But she's been working here recently."
"Interesting…" Yumi remembered Saki muttering about going to Junes and dealing with a person named Hana-chan. As Yosuke Hanamura had familial connections to Junes, Yumi assumed the nickname Hana-chan belonged to him.
"Yosuke's also got a date with her," Chie smirked at Yosuke.
"I-I told you it's not like that!" a blushing Yosuke groaned before turning to Yumi, "That reminds me, when we talked yesterday, she mentioned meeting you at the shopping district."
"Oh yeah, you did say you had stuff to do in town after school yesterday too. What were you doing in the shopping district?" Chie asked.
Yumi was hesitant to answer. She already had Yu worrying about her getting involved with the case. If she let any more in on her investigation, they might interfere, and the last thing she needed was innocent students getting involved. "I was familiarizing myself with Inaba, starting with the shopping district."
"Is that so? Well, that makes sense. You did just move here." Yosuke shrugged.
"Ya know, everybody in class has been talking about that interview. They say Saki-senpai was the one who found the body, and those reporters were interviewing her about it," said Chie.
"For real?! That explains why she skipped school today. She hasn't texted me back either." Yosuke said glumly.
During her school-wide search, Yumi learned of the rumors too. She thought it was a cruel twist of fate that she met the one who first discovered Mayumi Yamano's corpse and was completely unaware until today. This was another reason she decided to buy a TV. She could keep a better eye on news reports about the case.
Yumi also realized that if Saki was the first to discover the body, then that would make her a prime candidate for murder. Saki might have noticed something about the body of Mayumi Yamano, thus the killer may want to silence her. The media has already made her widely known at this point, so it was only a matter of time before the killer targeted her next. Assuming the Midnight Channel's prediction was correct that is.
During her time in the shopping district yesterday, Yumi found Konishi Liquors and rightfully assumed that Saki lived there. Now knowing that she was the next target, Yumi hoped she could protect Saki from the killer. If she skipped school today, then maybe Yumi could have shadowed Saki in case she was attacked. However, she had just recently arrived at the school, and it would leave a bad impression if she were to skip classes for whatever reason. It would certainly give Morooka less reason to trust her. With that in mind, she couldn't afford to cast suspicion on herself.
For now, she must secure her TV for her Midnight Channel research. Surely the killer wouldn't strike so soon after their first strike.
"Hey, Narukami, what do make of… huh?!"
Yumi noticed Yosuke and Chie looking past her with alarmed expressions.
Curiously, the busty transfer student looked behind her, and to her shock, Yu's right hand phased inside the television screen. The screen morphed around Yu's hand like rippling water.
"H-Hey, uhh… is that a new kind model… with a new function?" Chie asked Yosuke.
"No way in hell that's a new function!" Yosuke replied.
Yumi wasn't totally surprised, given that she had seen this before. Still, it was shocking that he would choose to do this where people could potentially see him. Shinobi are always discreet in their activities by comparison.
Yosuke, Chie, and Yumi rush over to Yu's side as his hand was still absorbed in the TV.
"You gotta be kidding! Did you really stick your hand through the screen?!" asked an incredulous Chie.
"Oh, man! That's some magic trick! How are you pulling this off?!" Yosuke asked.
While Chie and Yosuke were astonished by this feat, Yumi was rightfully concerned about being seen or Yu getting pulled in like last night.
"D-Don't you think you should take your hand out now? Who knows what could happen…" Yumi said while trying to remain calm.
Yu wasn't paying much attention to his astonished classmates as his curiosity took hold. Unlike before, there seemed to be an empty space in this TV. Maybe it was spacious enough for him to go completely through.
"I think I can go in even further," Yu said stoically.
"Go in further? For what?!" Chie asked in a panic.
Yu slowly and carefully moved his body into the screen. Once his head was through, he could see an empty space on the other side.
"Wait! That's probably not a good idea!" Yumi was also in a panic. What if Yu appeared on the Midnight Channel as a result of him going into the TV? There was so much about this ability and that program that was unknown. Speculation was all that anyone could do.
"HOLY CRAP! I think this is too much for my bladder! I'm totally gonna piss myself!" Yosuke cried as he felt nature calling. He started stomping around while holding his crotch in discomfort. This was a consequence of not relieving himself sooner.
"Now of all times to pee your pants?!" Chie yelled at Yosuke.
"I-I've been holding it in all day! I haven't had a chance to go!" Yosuke yelled back in anguish.
"Please calm down, Hanamura-san! I think there are customers nearby!" Yumi said. Her sharp hearing picked up footsteps and chatter. Some were even approaching the TVs.
"What?! But we got a guy phasing into a TV here?! What're we gonna do?!" Chie was now in total panic mode.
She and Yosuke began running around, trying to figure out how to resolve not one but two emergencies.
This would, unfortunately, lead to the two bumping into Yu while he was still phasing through the screen while Yumi tried to grab them before it was too late.
All four teens wound up falling into the television screen as a result. Their panicked screams fade along with the ripples on the TV screen. Miraculously, no one noticed a thing.
[-Unknown Location-]
Reality was distorting. It was like a film reel spiraling forward before their very eyes. It was a disorienting feeling for all those who fell into this new reality.
The fall was brief as the four teens landed on solid matter.
Yosuke landed on his bottom and therefore, his wallet. Naturally, this would hurt quite a bit.
Chie barely stuck her landing before flipping over on her rear.
Yu landed safely as well, but he felt something soft in his hand now. He looked down, and to his shock, he found his hand clutching Yumi's chest while he was on top of her. Reflexively, he gave Yumi's breast a soft squeeze.
Evidently, Yumi was the first land. Before she could adjust herself, Yu landed on top of her.
At first, both were stunned into silence until Yumi's face turned a deep shade of red from embarrassment and outrage.
Despite his stoic features, Yu's face turned pale as he knew what came next.
SLAP!
The piercing sound resonated all around the immediate area.
Yosuke and Chie winced as they witnessed Yumi slapping Yu across the face for the accident.
Yu sat there with his face still composed, but his left cheek stung from the red-hot handprint Yumi just gave him.
"I-I'm sorry… I know that wasn't your fault, but…" Yumi mumbled while still blushing and trying to compose herself. Knowing that it was an accident probably played a part in her subconsciously holding back her full strength. If she used more, he'd probably be knocked unconscious at most.
"No, it's fine. Actually, I should be apologizing…" Yu replied as he helped Yumi up to her feet. He couldn't believe he fell into one of those cliché accidental pervert sequences usually found in anime and manga. Maybe it was mild punishment for wanting to go inside the TV for curiosity's sake. Though it was mitigated by the warmth and softness of Yumi's breasts still in his palm.
"Did that really just happen?" Yosuke asked. He was halfway between envying Yu and pitying him.
"Forget that! What I wanna know is where the heck are we!" Chie exclaimed.
The group examine their surroundings, and it would appear that they landed in some kind of television studio.
They stood on a large platform with floodlights all over the place. Black and white circles and outlines of bodies were painted on it. There were several catwalks connected to the platform while scaffoldings dotted the landscape. At least what little they could see due to the dense yellowish fog covering everything besides the studio.
"I think we're in the television," Yu said calmly.
"Don't stand there giving me crazy talk! It freaks me out!" Chie chided.
"Calm down. Panicking won't solve anything." Yumi said to Chie.
The girl in green silently nodded. She knew Yumi had a point. Panicking was exactly how they wound up here.
"Now then, is everyone alright?" Yumi asked in concern for her classmates.
"This is too real to be a dream. I think my butt's cracked…" Yosuke groaned while still feeling pain in his backside.
"Of course it is!" Chie retorted.
"I'm so surprised," Yu said.
"It looks like they're okay." Yumi thought.
"A-Anyway, what should we do?" Chie asked Yu, seeing as he was among the calmest of the four.
"I think we should look around." Yu suggested, "There doesn't seem to be an entrance or exist here."
Exploring was the only thing they could do at this point. They couldn't stay in one spot and twiddle their thumbs.
"You're right. We got in, which means there must be a way out elsewhere." Yosuke said.
"That's true, but…" Chie trailed off. She was still anxious over this situation and wanted to go home.
"If there's no exit, we're trapped. So let's just cross our fingers and look around." Yosuke said reluctantly. He didn't want to think about being trapped here either, but standing around here wouldn't get anything accomplished.
"I'd rather we didn't wander around aimlessly in this fog, but it seems we have no other option. Let's tread carefully everyone. It could be dangerous." Yumi advised.
All four teens nod in agreement and proceed to enter the fog.
As they tread through the fog, the boys take the lead while the girls follow behind them.
The fog seemed to go on for an eternity. They kept going and saw nothing due to its density.
Chie's anxiety over these strange events hasn't subsided. She noticed Yumi's calmness throughout this venture. She understood how the boys kept their cool. They'd be less prone to feel alarmed. In Yumi's case, it was eerie but at the same time, inviting.
"Don't worry. If anything happens, I'll protect you." Yumi said.
"Huh?! O-Oh, well… thanks, I guess!" Chie chuckled nervously. She hadn't expected Yumi to say something comforting. It helped her relax a little. "I'm surprised you're so calm right now. I'm still shaking in my shoes. How do you do it?"
"I suppose you could say I've been taught never to show any sign of weakness in any given situation," Yumi answered. Her grandfather's training gave her not just above physical capabilities but a strengthened mental fortitude as well.
"Wow… that sounds like something a ninja or martial arts master would say. You're pretty cool, Tsukikiri-san." Chie said. She started to feel at ease as she talked to her new classmate.
"I would prefer if you all would call me by my given name," Yumi said. Her name wasn't truly Yumi Tsukikiri. It was common practice for Shinobi to erase all traces of their birth, including their birth name when starting their shadowy caress. She received the name Yumi from her grandfather when he took her in.
"Huh? You mean you're okay with just Yumi?" Chie asked.
"Yes. I'm not accustomed to using my surname." Yumi nodded, "So please, call me Yumi."
"Well, if you don't mind, you might as well call me Chie, too, Yumi." Chie smiled. Despite the friendly air in the conversation, she began to think she looked pathetic next to Yumi. Not only was she feminine in more ways than one, but she was also brave. It was enviable. But becoming friends with her didn't seem so bad.
"Thank you, Chie-san." Yumi smiled back. She knew Chie was still scared and anxious over this ordeal and decided to make her feel at ease with light conversation.
However, Chie complimented Yumi for being calm for a moment, but the truth is, Yumi was more unnerved than she let on. Throughout their walk through the uncanny fog, Yumi quietly observed everywhere around her.
This fog felt very similar to a Shinobi Barrier.
Shinobi Barriers were fixed spaces that could be created and used by Shinobi to keep civilians out when amid a duel. Shinobi Barriers can project a lot about a Shinobi visually, such as their personality and preferences.
This fog-covered space felt much wider and ever-expanding than the usually small scaled and contained Shinobi Barrier. It also had an alien, chaotic, and invasive energy all around. Much different than a normal Shinobi Barrier. It was like there were eyes all around them, watching their movements. In fact, before the teens left the studio, Yumi felt a presence approaching from the fog. It was slowly following them from behind.
Yumi was on high alert in case anything were to happen. She said she would protect Chie, and she meant it. That included Yu and Yosuke.
Meanwhile, Yu and Yosuke glance back at the girls in relief.
"They seem to be getting along," Yosuke said with a small smile.
"That's good." Yu nodded.
"By the way, Narukami…" Yosuke whispered as he leaned over to Yu, "About what happened with Tsukikiri… how did they feel?"
Yu saw the randy smirk on Yosuke's face and became subtly nervous, "Uh… she's certainly well endowed…"
"That's not the answer I wanna hear, dude!" Yosuke refuted, "C'mon, give me details! All I have to go on is my imagination here!"
Ever since that groping accident, he was dying to know how Yumi's breasts felt in Yu's hand.
Before the conversation could get any more awkward, the four stop when they realize they found a new location in the fog.
"What is this place…? This feels different from where we were before." Chie said.
"It looks like we're in some kind of building. But with all this fog, it's really hard to tell," said Yosuke.
Indeed, the four teens were now in what looked like an apartment complex. The thick fog still surrounded the area, but more buildings could be spotted. Ahead of the four teens was an apartment with its door open. A red and black vortex was in the frame.
"That room looks kinda shady…" Chie anxiously said.
"I'm going in." Yosuke declared, to Chie's shock.
"Huh?! With no hesitation at all?!"
"There's nowhere else we can go. We just need to trust our gut here." Yu said.
"T-That's true, but…" Chie stammered.
The group decided to enter. They stepped into a single-room apartment suite, however, what they found was far beyond what they hoped for.
The fog was lighter here, but the suite was a dead end. There were posters on walls that the faces ripped off. Amidst the room was a chair and a scarf strung up on the ceiling tied in a noose beneath the chair. The implications were not lost on any of them, as such an arrangement was never good.
Needless to say, this was a disturbing sight to behold. The four teens stood in the room with appropriate horror.
"Oh god…" Chie muttered in revulsion.
"What is all of this…?" Yu's stoic expression faltered as he examined the room around him, including the posters on the wall. He could have sworn he's seen this kind before. The face was ripped off, so it was difficult to tell, but it looked like someone wearing a fancy kimono.
It was the same with Yumi. She was a fan of this person on the poster, so there was no way she wouldn't recognize them. "These posters… isn't this…?"
"AAGH! I can't hold it anymore!" Yosuke bellowed as he ran up to a nearby wall to relieve his bladder.
"What're you doing, Yosuke? You can't just pee in someone's room!" Chie scolded before turning to Yu, "Narukami-kun, won't you please talk sense into him?"
"Huh? Why would I do that?" Yu nonchalantly asked, to Chie's befuddlement.
"Hey, turn around! I can't go with everybody watching!" Yosuke complained.
"Already done," Yumi said with her back turned.
"C'mon, Yumi! Not you too!" Chie whined.
"If he wants to ignore public decency, that's on him," Yumi replied as she walked out the door.
"Wait up! I don't wanna watch him, anyway!" Chie followed after Yumi.
As soon as she joined her outside, Chie noticed Yumi standing stock still.
"Yumi, what's wrong?" Chie looked worried as she saw Yumi's eyes narrow forward.
The girl in green glanced in the direction her new friend was staring. It was faint, but she spotted an oddly shaped silhouette moving in the thick fog. It was coming closer.
"W-What is that…?" asked an unnerved Chie.
"So, they decided to show themselves after all." Yumi thought.
Chie cowered behind Yumi and asked, "H-Hey, shouldn't we get the guys?"
"Stand back." Yumi urged. This confused Chie. Even more so when Yumi sprung forward and delivered a swift kick to the figure in the fog. Her kick sent the figure crashing to the ground.
"Whoa!" Chie gasped as she witnessed Yumi's unhesitating attack.
"What is it?! What's wrong?!"
Yosuke and Yu run out of the apartment when they hear Chie screaming. By the way, Yosuke still couldn't go, so he zipped his pants and decided to wait until he found a proper bathroom.
The boys see Yumi standing over the figure she just knocked down.
"What just happened?" Yu asked.
"I don't know… but Yumi was awesome! The way she kicked that thing was like a kung-fu master!" Chie said with excited sparkles in her eyes. She ran up the Yumi ask her where she learned her moves.
"Oh yeah, she did say had she training yesterday too. Apparently, her grandfather gave her some form of self-defense training." Yu informed.
"Her grandfather? What is he, some kind of martial arts master?" Yosuke asked, "Ya know what, never mind. Let's check and make sure she's alright."
The three gather to Yumi, and all four teens were befuddled by the figure in the fog.
"W-What is that?" asked Yosuke.
Indeed, the figure resembled a cartoonish bear costume with blue fur. It wore a red and white jumpsuit with heart-shaped buttons going down the suit. The head had large lenses for expressive big black eyes. There was a huge zipper around the collar of the suit.
"T-That's my line! What're you grizzlies?!" the angry costume spoke childishly. Judging by the somewhat masculine tone, it was presumably male.
"Did it just talk?!" Chie flinched.
"It would appear so…" Yumi said. She could have sworn she heard him grunt in pain as she kicked. Yumi had seen strange things as Shinobi, but this talking costume took the cake.
Additionally, this was definitely the presence that was following them.
"C-Could… somebody help me up…" the bear meekly asked as he struggled to stand up due to his top-heavy proportions.
"I-I'm sorry. I thought you were an enemy." Yumi said as she helped the bear stand to his stubby feet. Now that she thought about it, she didn't sense any malicious intent as he was following and approaching them. Now she felt bad for preemptively attacking the bear without warning. But still, what could this strange creature be after?
"I'm not an enemy! I'm just a bear!" the bear retorted.
"R-Right. And your name is?" Yumi asked.
"Teddie!" the bear introduced itself.
"Okay, Teddie. Do you know what place is?" Yu asked Teddie.
"This place doesn't have a name. It is what is it. I'd know since I've lived here since bear-ever." Teddie answered.
This confused the four teens.
"You live here?" Yosuke asked.
"Never mind about that! You guys gotta out of here before the Shadows find you! Hurry back to your den!" Teddie yelled while flailing his arms in panic.
"Shadows?" Chie asked.
"E-Ever since you arrived here, the Shadows have been really agitated…" Teddie cowered in fear, "I-It's like they sensed an unfamiliar force invading their territory…"
"An unfamiliar force?" Yumi thought in confusion. It was baffling enough to know this mysterious place was inhabited, but now they know the inhabitants were hostile. And it might be due to her presence here.
"What? What're you talking about? You are beyond creepy!" Yosuke snapped at the bear.
"Shush! Keep your voices down before the Shadows hear you!"
Before any more could be said, inhuman groaning suddenly creeped out from all around.
Yumi felt an overwhelming amount of malice and killing intent fast approaching.
"What was that?" Yosuke nervously asked.
"Oh no! They're coming!" Teddie cried. He quickly took out a pair of black glasses and handed them to Yu. "Here! Take these and get out of here quick!"
Sensing the bear's urgency, Yu took the glasses. He curiously put them on and to his amazement, the fog disappeared. Everything was clear as day.
"You actually put those things on?"
Before he could answer Yosuke's question, Yu saw something emerging from the wall. It looked like an inky black blob with an ominous blue mask slowly oozing its way out.
"T-THEY'RE HERE!" Teddie screamed as he sprinted away at high speed.
"What's his problem?" Yosuke wondered.
"Up ahead! Something's there!" Yumi shouted. Her sharp Shinobi senses let her see the monster up ahead.
Two more masked blobs appeared in front of the teens and menacingly approached them. They morph into floating purple and black mouths with long creeping black tongues.
Even in the fog, these creatures stick out, even to those who couldn't see them before.
The first to panic was Chie, who immediately ran for her life when she realized one of the floating mouth monsters was right behind. She was followed by Yosuke, Yu, and Yumi.
They rushed down the stairway and quickly run to a playground near the apartment complex. The creatures were still hot on their tail. There were now four of them floating after the teens.
One of them snuck up in front of Chie and licked her face, causing her to faint from traumatic shock.
Those still conscious found themselves surrounded.
Yosuke collapses on the rear to the ground as his fear of death and physical exhaustion from running weakened his legs.
Yu was frozen stiff, unable to move his legs.
Yumi couldn't move either. She felt something whispering in her ear. It was garbled and indiscernible. Was it her fear creeping up on her? Or was something much more sinister? There was something familiar about the unnerving whisper.
As much as she would like to learn the origin of this deceptive voice, Yumi had to prioritize the survival of her new classmates. She made a promise to protect them, she'd do just that.
Pushing the whispers out of her head, Yumi turned to the boys with conviction in her eyes.
"Narukami-san, Hanamura-san, while I get their attention, take Chie-san and escape," Yumi said, to the boys' shock.
"What? You want us to leave you here with those things?!" a distressed Yosuke asked.
"W-We can't just leave you here!" Yu said.
"Just do as I say! I can defend myself! And I'll defend the three of you as well." Yumi said, "But you must not speak a word of what you're about to witness."
"Huh? What do you mean?" asked Yu.
She had no other option. With the enemy presenting itself, she must use her true power to defeat them all.
If what that bear said was true, it was her presence in this world that motivated these creatures to attack. Do they know she was a Shinobi and saw her as a potential threat? Or were they instinctively hostile to anyone who entered their domain uninvited? Either way, she must protect her new classmates from impending danger.
Taking out her Ninja Scroll that was well hidden in her bosom, a blinding light emanated from her body. The scroll also glowed brilliantly.
"W-What's going on?!" Yosuke shielded his eyes from the light.
Yu followed suit, "I don't know! But I think the monsters are backing off!"
Unbeknownst to them, Yumi's clothes had disappeared, and was completely naked. This would only last for a moment as her Ninja Scroll unwrapped itself and spread across and covered her nubile body from view.
"Shinobi Transformation!"
As a Shinobi, Yumi could access her full power in an outward transformation, using her Ninja Scroll as a conduit for her latent energy.
From the energy forming around her came a white furisode kimono. The outfit had a double-line trim and blue obi on the back. Notably, the kimono hung off her shoulders and exposed much of her chest.
In her hands were two blue and white Japanese War Fans.
Once the transformation was complete, the light disappeared and revealed Yumi's new form.
"Yumi. Sink into the dreams of sleeping souls." Yumi recited. This was a tagline from her school, Gessen Girls' Academy.
Yu and Yosuke were completely shocked to see their new classmate transform herself.
The monsters became more agitated and were poised to attack the Gessen Shinobi.
Standing confidently and with her fans ready, Yumi's icy stare was focused on the enemy.
"Face me, monsters! As a Good Shinobi, I won't allow your evil to take these innocent lives!"
Lyall the Werewolf: And we'll leave off here for now. Sorry for the cliffhanger.
I was thinking; the anime's first episode had the Shadows attack Yu, Yosuke, and Chie while the fog was still there. Teddie said in the game that Shadows generally don't attack until the fog clears in the TV World. I assume the anime bent that role to show off Izanagi, Yu's main Persona.
However, this time, they're reacting to Yumi's presence in the TV World. I'm sure a Shinobi would be recognized as a greater threat due to having more power than a regular human. However, will Yu still awaken to his Persona in this encounter? We'll soon find out in the next chapter.
I also thought that Shinobi Barriers and the TV World had some things in common too. In SK: Ninja Flash, the Shinobi Barriers do a bit of visual storytelling about the characters who enact it.
Right now, I think Rise of the Sword and Shield needs updating too.
You see next time!
