Persona 4: Snow Spring Chapter 09: Suspect
Lyall the Werewolf: Apologizes for any typo you may have noticed last time. I wanted to update Snowy Spring as fast as possible, so I skimmed through it and made last-minute changes. Hopefully, I did better this time. (I went back and fixed them, so there shouldn't be any issues)
I'm surprised not many had anything to say about Haruka's appearance. Well, I guess have to keep going with it.
Fun fact: I originally did want Yumi to tell Chie about her Shinobi identity, but ultimately decided to save it for this chapter. That's where the last-minute changes came from.
Now, with all that said, on to the chapter.
(I don't own Senran Kagura or Persona)
The rain subsided as Chie ran desperately to the Amagi Inn. She still didn't want to believe it was Yukiko.
They first met on a rainy day like this.
A young Yukiko was huddled by the river, holding that same dog as a puppy. Chie came along and curiously asked if the pup belonged to her. Yukiko sadly replied that her parents wouldn't allow her to keep him. That was when Chie offered to take the puppy in, as her parents were okay with pets. From then on, Yukiko regularly visited the Satonaka household to visit the puppy, whom Chie named Jackie. Chie and Yukiko would later spend a lot of time together, which solidified their friendship. However, Yukiko wasn't as outgoing as Chie, so she led most activities and conversations. Chie even had to protect her from flirts, like that dead-eyed creeper from the other day.
Even then, those were fun times. Chie didn't know what to do with herself if something had happened to Yukiko. That was why she had to make sure.
Chie pleaded. She pleaded for it to be wrong. She hoped Yukiko was working at her family's inn like she was supposed to and everything would be fine. She hoped Yumi would protect Yukiko as she promised.
As Chie ran up the path toward the inn, she noticed something unusual.
A distorted cloud-like space floated before her. It looked like it was covering a wide area.
"What the…?" Chie uttered in bafflement. Something about it felt familiar. It didn't matter. It stood between Chie and the Amagi Inn, where Yukiko was surely waiting. The quickest way there was down this path.
Despite all reservations, Chie decided to brave the potential danger by going through.
She cautiously approached the Shinobi Barrier and tried touching it. However, she was immediately repelled by it.
"Ow!" Chie grunted, "What happened? Why won't it let me go through?"
It didn't matter to Chie. Her best friend was in potential danger, and there was no time to go around. She had to get through.
Just as she was about to push her way through, Chie felt the world spin out of control as her body was grabbed off the ground. She instinctively closed her eyes as she felt the air move around her.
"Chie-san, what're you doing here?!"
Chie recognized the voice that shouted at her.
"Yumi?" Chie uttered. She opened her eyes to see she was carried off the path to the Amagi Inn, held by Yumi. The latter was wearing a revealing white kimono.
"W-What's going on?! What're you wearing?!"
"Never mind that! You mustn't be here! It's dangerous!" Yumi said as she put Chie down.
"But Yukiko! Someone who looked like her appeared on the Midnight Channel!" Chie cried.
"What?!" Yumi gasped. She couldn't believe Yukiko was potentially thrown into the TV World while she was distracted.
"Looks like my job's done." said a new voice. It was familiar to Yumi but not to Chie.
Yumi snapped back as her enemy made herself known.
"Who was that?" Chie asked anxiously.
"An enemy!" Yumi answered while standing protectively in front of Chie. She was fighting with the Evil Shinobi named Haruka moments before Chie tried to interfere with the Shinobi Barrier.
"Was this your plan the whole time? To distract me while the killer gets to Yukiko Amagi?!" Yumi glowered.
"Hehe, who knows? I must thank you for keeping me entertained, though. It was getting boring waiting all by my lonesome." Haruka answered, her voice echoing through the trees.
"Don't joking around! Did you hurt Yukiko?!" Chie angrily asked.
"I haven't done anything to our little heiress. I'm assuming you're her friend, so you may want to check on her. It may not be too late." Haruka replied.
"Huh?" Chie glanced at the path and saw the space distortion was gone. Seeing the chance, Chie rushed from behind Yumi and went straight for the Amagi Inn.
"Yukiko!" Chie screamed.
"Chie-san, wait!" Yumi called out but was ignored.
"Some Good Shinobi you are. I can tell you're trying to solve the case and catch the killer, but you're so incompetent that you had to involve civilians. That's pretty sad." the Evil Shinobi taunted.
Yumi was immediately incensed by the insult.
"Silence!" an irate Yumi threw one of her fans into the trees. She aimed where she could sense the Evil Shinobi might be. Sadly, she didn't seem to hit her target if the sadistic laughter was of any indication.
"Hahaha! We'll see each other again, my little snowflake!" Haruka's taunting voice echoed from the tree. She was gone a moment later, and Yumi was left frustrated. Calling this fight a draw mitigated it, but allowing an Evil Shinobi to escape dealt a huge blow to her pride. But now wasn't the time to wallow in self-pity. Now, she had to confirm Yukiko's status and make sure Chie was alright.
Meanwhile, Chie made it up to the Amagi Inn's entrance. She questioned one of the staff and they confirmed that Yukiko was gone, much to her horror. Yumi had caught wind of this news too.
How could she let this happen? Yukiko was caught by the killer and now she may be trapped in the TV World.
No. Maybe there was still a chance. She and the killer could still be around here. All Yumi needed to do was find them before they got too far.
[-Meanwhile: TV World-]
Yu and Yosuke awkwardly stare at each other as their heads poke out through the portals of their respective TVs.
Yu was so overwhelmed by Yukiko's strange behavior that he reached in to grab her. Not her breasts, by the way. He had already gotten a handful of Yumi's breasts before.
Yosuke evidently had the same idea. Not because he wanted to see Yukiko in that dress.
"So, uh… did you see what I saw?" Yosuke asked.
"I kinda wished I taped it…" Yu answered.
More silent awkwardness.
Both of them witnessed Yukiko on the Midnight Channel, but she acted differently from her usual behavior. Instead of the reserved and graceful heiress in red, the frilly pink Princess Yukiko acted cheerful and flirty. She boasted about finding a studly prince charming in the castle behind her. Something was not right. Was that really Yukiko on screen? Why would she say all that and go into the castle?
The mysteries about the Midnight Channel kept piling up.
At least they confirmed Teddie's statement about needing to go in from the same entrance, lest they'd end up somewhere else. The studio from the widescreen TV was nowhere in sight. Luckily, their TVs were small, so the chances of them falling to their doom were slim to none.
"We should probably go back," Yu suggested.
"Good idea…" Yosuke nodded, "And how about we meet at Junes to discuss a plan of action?"
"Sounds good."
With that, the boys silently and awkwardly went back into their rooms. They also decided it was better to communicate via cell phone from now on.
"Oh, that's right! Yumi doesn't have a cellphone." Yosuke remembered.
"I know where Yumi lives. She's living in an apartment complex near the Shopping District. I can swing by and bring her to Junes." Yu said.
"Huh, lucky you."
[-Sunday, April 16th: Takane Apartments-]
Dressed in his everyday attire, Yu approached the Takane Apartment building. From their car ride the other night, he memorized the route from the Dojima Residence to Yumi's apartment.
At first, Yu was hesitant to leave Nanako alone at home when she told him that Dojima hadn't returned home in the morning because of work. She assured him she could hold down the fort while he was gone, but it didn't sit right with him. Maybe he could take her with him when he went out again one day.
But today, Yu had to meet with Yumi and Yosuke to discuss what they saw on the Midnight Channel last night.
If he recalled from the car ride with Dojima and Nanako, Yumi's room was at the start of the second floor of the building. The room number was 201.
Yu rang the doorbell, but there was no answer. He wondered if she overslept. What was Yu going to do then? He couldn't just wait on her with Yosuke expecting them at Junes. This would be a choice moment to tell her to get a cell phone in cases like these.
He heard faint footsteps from behind the door.
"Who is it?" the voice of Yumi asked.
"It's me. Yu Narukami." Yu answered.
After a brief moment of unlocking the door, it opened slightly, revealing a haggard Yumi in her purple pajamas.
"Forgive me. I was up most of the night." Yumi sluggishly said.
"How'd your stakeout go?"
Yumi was hesitant to answer, "Before I answer, could you tell me what you saw on the Midnight Channel last night?"
"Sure. We saw a girl who looked like Amagi. Yosuke and I made plan to go to Junes and discuss what to do. We'd also like your input."
Yumi grimaced upon hearing that. She was grieved over her failure to protect Yukiko and allowing Haruka to escape. She had everything under control, yet Yukiko still slipped through her fingers, all thanks to Haruka's intervention.
"On my end… things didn't go according to plan. I fear Yukiko may been thrown into the TV World." Yumi revealed. When she learned of this last night, she immediately searched the inn and the surrounding forest for any trace of Yukiko, the killer, and that Evil Shinobi Haruka. Undetected, of course. However, her night-long search yielded no results. The only thing she could find was a delivery truck driving by, presumably making a night delivery.
"What makes you ask think that…?" Yu asked. He dreaded that Yumi might have failed to stop the killer.
"I'll… talk in detail later. For now, could you go ahead to Junes? I must get changed for the day and to collect my thoughts."
"Okay. I'll see you later."
Yumi quietly shut the door and Yu left for Junes.
[-Later: Junes Food Court-]
Yu waited by himself at Junes Food Court for Yosuke and Yumi to arrive.
He was concerned about Yumi's demeanor. Did she really fail to prevent the killer from throwing Yukiko into the TV? She sounded so confident she could stop them. Otherwise, Yumi wouldn't look so down about failing. Perhaps he should have convinced her to wait and see what happens. Or, maybe pry a little more about what she hid from him and the others. Yumi's Shinobi life must have many secrets. She only shared a few of them, but it didn't mean she would open up just yet. Yu decided it was best to be patient. There wasn't anything to be done about the past. Now should be a time to discuss a plan of action to save Yukiko.
Yosuke seemed to be taking his time, so Yu sat by himself at the usual table. He kept himself busy folding napkins into origami cranes. It was a hobby of his, and he once did it as a part-time job.
"You're quite good at that." said an unfamiliar voice. Yu turned and found himself face to face with a pair of large breasts. He thought for a moment it was Yumi, but the voice was different. This voice had a similarly mature tone, as well as… sexy?
Yu panned his head up and saw the new girl's face. She was beautiful and had curled sandy blonde hair and green eyes. She wore an off-shoulder yellow sweater with black straps, a pink skirt, black pantyhose, and black sandals.
"Oh, I didn't mean to startle you. I'm new around here, and I got the sense that you were too." the girl said.
"Yeah, I just moved here too," Yu replied.
The mature girl sat down at the opposite end of the table, "I heard Inaba was peaceful, and the rumors would be accurate, if not for recent events. The whole town is talking about these murders. Scary, isn't it?"
"If you think it's scary, why are you in Inaba?" Yu asked.
"Does my private life interest?" the mature girl asked slyly.
"N-No, that's not what I meant." Yu nervously answered.
"I'm teasing. I'm just here for a change of pace. Nothing serious." the mature girl chuckled.
"I see…"
The sexy girl stood from her seat and came over to Yu. She leaned toward him and whispered, "You seem like a nice boy. I hope we can get along."
Yu's cheeks brightened a little as he took in her sweet scent, alluring voice, and the sight of her cleavage. He was left speechless. He hadn't noticed the sexy girl had vanished.
"Could she be…?" Yu pondered. That girl reminded him of Yumi. But whereas Yumi was a cool beauty, always courteous when she spoke, the sexy girl had an alluring air around her. And if Yu wasn't mistaken, she carried a sadistic edge when she whispered into his ear. He was halfway between being terrified and being curious. What was happening?
Not long after being left alone, Yu heard Yosuke calling.
"Hey, Yu!"
Yu turned to see the Junes scion hastily running while hiding something behind his back. Yosuke wore a white jacket, orange shirt, green cargo pants, and black boots.
"What kept you?" Yu asked.
Yosuke chuckled excitedly, "Check it out, man! Right in my backyard!"
Yosuke wiped out a pair of swords. A long Kitana and a short sword.
"Yosuke… are those…" Yu uttered in subtle shock.
"Relax, they're fake." Yosuke assured, "I figured even with our Personas, Yumi will probably still do all the physical fighting. That didn't seem right, so I got us some weapons, too. Now we can keep things fair."
"That's true, but…" Yu was more worried about someone jumping the gun and assuming the two boys were weapon maniacs. Doubly so if they were security or police. He saw some on patrol on the way here.
"C'mon, pick your poison!" Yosuke encouraged.
"Pick my what?" Yu asked. Admittedly, he found the Kitana appealing, but that didn't distract him from how bad this scene looked.
"Then again, I'd be a badass with both. I bet Yumi would think so, too. Ha! Hiya!" Yosuke started making numerous poses like he was a ninja. All with clumsy flourish and vigor.
As entertaining as watching Yosuke make a fool of himself was, Yu was still concerned about the outcome of brandishing fake weapons in a public area. And if Yumi was here, she probably wouldn't be impressed either. Shinobi were supposed to be secretive, right? Acting out in public would defeat the purpose of covert.
"Uh, Yosuke, you should probably stop before…"
"I just spotted two suspicious young men wielding weapons in a public area! Requesting backup!"
"I knew it…" Yu thought. The officer must have been on patrol. He spotted Yosuke playing around with the fake weapons and assumed the worst. The office trotted over to Yosuke and held his arms back.
"Ow, wait a sec, officer!" a panicked Yosuke squealed.
"You and your friend are coming with me!" the officer demanded.
"Wait, you got it all wrong! We didn't do anything bad! My buddy and I are just weapon fanatics!" a panicked Yosuke exclaimed.
"Speak for yourself." Yu calmly retorted. Yosuke's excuses just made them look worse.
By that point, more officers showed up, calling the boys delinquents and preparing to detain them. Both youths realized how much trouble they were in.
[-Meanwhile: On the Way to Junes-]
Dressed in her regular attire, Yumi walked down the neighboring street leading to Junes.
Her mind still wandered to last night. Her encounter with Haruka, exposing herself to Chie, and her failure to protect Yukiko from the killer. Thankfully, Chie was more concerned about Yukiko and hadn't asked questions yet, but how was Yumi to face her classmate after her blunder?
"Yumi?"
The Gessen Shinobi immediately recognized Chie's voice from behind her. She reluctantly turned around to face Chie.
"Hello, Chie-san…" Yumi said listlessly.
"Hey…" Chie anxiously replied. There was a long and uncomfortable silence between the two girls.
"Have you seen Narukami-kun and Yosuke around?" Chie asked.
"They should be at Junes. I must meet with Yu-san and Yosuke-san and report on… last night." Yumi replied.
Chie nodded, "I'm headed to Junes, too. Wanna walk together?"
"If you don't mind…"
The two girls walked together to Junes in awkward silence. So many things went through their minds.
For Yumi, it was breaking her promise to protect Yukiko from the killer. Chie didn't show it, but she must be angry at Yumi for not living up to the promise. Even if she wasn't, her frustration and anxiety were justified, and Yumi would accept her wrath if need be. But then, the only true way to atone for her broken promise would be to rescue Yukiko from the TV world. But would Chie accept that?
For Chie, it was concern for Yukiko's safety and curiosity about the bizarre scene with Yumi last night. Chie had a billion questions but didn't know where to start. Like, where did she get that outfit, and who was that person hiding in the shadows? Was she the killer? At the forefront, she wondered how Yumi let Yukiko slip away, despite her assurance that she would protect Yukiko and catch the killer. She didn't get a chance to ask anything because Yumi vanished after learning Yukiko disappeared last night. Now, how to broach the subject without it getting more awkward and tense?
As they approached the entrance to Junes, the two girls noticed a group of people gathering nearby. They saw police sirens lighting the immediate area.
They maneuvered their way through the crowd in time to see Yu and Yosuke being led into the police car by the officers. Once all occupants were inside the car, the sirens blared, and the car drove away to the police station.
"What the?! Yosuke, Narukami-kun!" Chie gasped as she gave chase.
"What in the world did those two do to get arrested?" Yumi groaned. If the boys were locked in jail, that would make investigating the case more difficult.
Meanwhile, Haruka had concealed her presence in the crowd and watched with amusement at what Yumi's allies pulled.
She didn't stick around for very long, lest the Good Shinobi catch wind of her. Their first encounter was fun, but it wasn't in her mission parameters to fight Yumi. It was to observe any potential murders and investigate the Midnight Channel. It seemed her superior assumed there was more to the murder spree in Inaba and they were intrigued by the Midnight Channel. Now, Haruka was stationed in Inaba to watch events unfold until further notice. She could only interfere if it looked like the case would end too soon for any research to bear fruit. That meant there was more fun to be had tormenting Yumi.
"See you later, Yumi-chan." Haruka sadistically whispered.
Yumi flinched, having sensed someone watching her. By the time she turned around, Haruka was gone.
She didn't have time to doddle. She must catch up to Yu and Yosuke so they can begin their rescue operation.
[-Later: Inaba Police Station-]
"You know, I thought you weren't the type to pull something this stupid. Consider yourselves lucky I was here, otherwise this would have gone on your permanent record." Dojima said as he and his partner, Adachi, guided Yu and Yosuke to the police station lobby. While the weapons were confiscated, Dojima convinced the officers who detained the boys to let them go, as Yu was his nephew and Yosuke's stunt was a misunderstanding.
"This fiasco was his all fault, though." Yu thought as glanced at the mortified Yosuke.
The Junes scion mentally kicked himself for his stupidity. He also felt he may have made a bad first impression on his new friend's uncle.
"You know what's been happening lately. We have officers stationed everywhere. How can you not expect us to be jumpy?" Dojima reproached.
"I'm sorry this happened," Yu said to his uncle.
"Yeah, sorry," Yosuke added.
"Don't look so down, guys. Dojima-san's just saying this for your own good." Adachi assured.
"Adachi, you realize you have a habit of talking when you don't need to…" Dojima groaned.
"Aw, c'mon! I'm not that bad." Adachi retorted.
Just then, they see Chie and Yumi enter the lobby.
"Yosuke! Narukami-kun!" Chie said worriedly.
"What're you guys doing here?" Yosuke asked.
"I could ask you two the same thing. How did you get yourselves arrested in broad daylight?" Yumi asked. She quickly noticed Adachi ogling her. Adachi turned the other way before he could get caught by her and potentially Dojima.
"That… is entirely his fault." Yu pointed to a groaning Yosuke.
"Dude!" Yosuke whined.
"Never mind that! It's Yukiko! She's gone missing!" Chie exclaimed, alarming Yu, Yosuke, and Dojima.
"Who's what now?" a concerned Dojima asked.
"I think she's talking about the girl from the Amagi Inn. Remember, Dojima-san?" Adachi reminded the older detective, "Her parents asked us to look for her after she went missing yesterday evening."
"Oh, right." Dojima sighed as he remembered the call from the Amagi Inn.
"So, the police already know." Yu thought. He glanced at Yumi, who shied away, probably due to shame.
"I take it you're all friends of Yukiko Amagi?" Dojima asked the worried teens.
"Yes, we're very concerned about her safety." Yumi answered, "Chie-san and I paid a visit to the Amagi Inn late last night. According to the staff, Yukiko-san was last seen working at the inn, but then she suddenly vanished."
Yumi already knew why, and it was her fault.
"I've tried calling Yukiko on her cell phone, but she didn't pick up. I even asked around everywhere, and no one's seen her." Chie said. She still held out false hope that Yukiko wasn't thrown into the TV and that what she saw on the Midnight Channel wasn't real.
"I see. We're not calling this a case just yet, but we're searching every avenue we can to find your friend as quickly as possible. You guys don't need to worry about this. Just go home and wait patiently." Dojima assured.
The four teens weren't convinced. So far, the police haven't identified the cause of death for the first two victims and haven't fingered a suspect. They don't even know about the TV World or the Shadows and how the killer was using them to commit the murders. With all this in mind, confidence in the police wasn't guaranteed.
"Hey, Dojima-san, since they're friends with Yukiko-san, they might have a clue about her whereabouts. It wouldn't hurt to ask, would it?" Adachi suddenly asked.
"H-Huh? Wait a minute!" Dojima sputtered.
Adachi didn't wait for Dojima's response and pressed on with his questioning.
"Can any of you remember if anything unusual happened with Yukiko-san lately?" Adachi inquired, "Did she seem bothered by anything?"
"Bother by what?" Yosuke asked with a raised eyebrow. Yu and Chie were also giving the young detective weird looks. Only Yumi would know about Yukiko's troubles regarding the inn. Yukiko's mother collapsed from the stress of keeping the media away from the inn and the complaints she received from Ms. Yamano. However, Yukiko asked Yumi to keep this information to herself, so she kept quiet.
"The murder at the inn. That's where Ms. Yamano was staying at the inn before the incident." Adachi explained as he flipped through a small notebook. Whether he was trying to look professional or trying to distract himself from gazing at Yumi's bust was unclear. "It seems she was such a high-maintenance guest, that Yukiko-san's mother collapsed from the stress of keeping her happy. Being her daughter, Yukiko-san must have felt strongly about this matter."
"What might you be implying?" a glaring Yumi asked. It certainly was true that Ms. Yamano would have been stressed from all the negative press regarding her affair, and that led her to take it out on the inn's manager and staff, but why would that be considered relevant information to pass along to civilians? And the way he worded this account made it sound like Yukiko was suspect.
"Adachi…" Dojima scowled. Even if they were friends with the Amagi girl, the police were not allowed to leak certain info regarding potential cases. This was especially true for the serial murder investigation. He hoped his partner would have remembered that.
With two threatening eyes on him, Adachi started to panic, "U-Uh, well… see, there's a little theory going around… some of the guys are saying Yukiko-san resented Ms. Yamano for causing her mother's condition, so she did something to get back at her and went into hiding afterward…" he said in a hushed tone.
"Adachi!" Dojima yelled, causing his partner to flinch.
"What the hell?! You guys think Yukiko's the murderer?!" Chie snapped. An appalling notion, to say the least.
"I have the same question. What led you to think that Yukiko-san may be the culprit behind the two murders? Do you even have evidence to back this theory up?" Yumi chillingly asked.
"R-Relax! It's not concrete or anything! Like I said, it's just a theory!" Adachi weakly defended, further incensing Chie.
"Well, it's lame!" Chie lunged forward to grab the hapless detective. Yu and Yosuke quickly grabbed and held her back before she could do something she'd regret.
"Satonaka, calm down!" Yu yelled.
"What he said! Think about where we are!" Yosuke added.
"Yukiko wouldn't…!" Chie growled while trying to get free.
"You should listen to your friends' advice! We already detained two kids unnecessarily today. I don't want to add another one for assaulting an officer of the law." Dojima threatened while other officers gathered on the scene, ready to intervene by force.
Seeing the situation escalating, Yumi stepped forward and slapped Chie across the face, shocking everyone. The Gessen Shinobi held back enough strength so it would just get Chie's attention.
"Yumi…?"
"I'm sorry, Chie-san. I understand your frustration, but it's best to let this go. Lashing out at the police won't help Yukiko-san."
Realizing that she was outmatched and her friends were worried, Chie regained her composure and stepped back. Yu and Yosuke released her now that she was in a calmer headspace. However, she teared up, disheartened that the police were spinning unjust lies about her best friend. Her cheek stung, but nothing hurt more than Yukiko being suspected.
"Yukiko… she would never…"
As Chie got emotional, Yumi gave her a comforting embrace while also glancing at Adachi with subtle contempt for his tactlessness.
"See what happens when you run your mouth?" Dojima chided his tactless partner.
"S-Sorry, sir…" Adachi meekly replied.
The older detective turned back to the teens, "Listen, I can't speak for everyone here, but no one in the police force would pursue a case based on unfounded rumors like that. But, as an ongoing investigation is underway, we are being cautious and considerate towards certain sensitive matters. I must ask that you keep what you heard to yourselves and don't ask any more questions, alright?"
The four teens nodded in confirmation.
"Good. Now, you four should be on your way. Don't stir up any more trouble. As for you…" Dojima menacingly turned to Adachi, "We're going to have a long talk about how we chat with civvies. Not to mention, I haven't seen my coffee."
Adachi turned pale at the soon-to-be harsh reprimand he would receive later.
The teens exited the Inaba Police Station. The atmosphere was still tense for all of them.
"The police are totally on the wrong track." Yosuke opened up.
"Indeed. It's nothing new for the police to suspect teenagers of misdemeanors, but to think they were grasping at straws like this…" Yumi said. That Adachi fellow was especially unprofessional. He should have known better than to rile up someone who knows the victim personally with mindless theories. Also, something seemed off about him. Yumi couldn't put her finger on it. He was exactly how you'd expect a clownish, unreliable detective to be, and yet the TV World has shown that people have darker sides to them.
No. Adachi may be incompetent and lecherous, but he was still a police officer. Suspecting him of anything wouldn't be right. Perhaps everything that has happened so far has left Yumi paranoid.
At the moment, there were more important things to deal with and that was Yukiko's situation.
"Of course, Yukiko-san wouldn't be suspected of anything if I hadn't let her slip away."
"Oh yeah… since Yukiko-san appeared on the Midnight Channel and now that she's missing on our side, I guess that means…" Yosuke trailed off.
"Yes. I couldn't prevent her from being thrown into the TV. I failed." Yumi admitted.
The other three fell silent as Yumi admitted to her failure.
"Hey, Yumi… if it's not too troubling for you, do you want to talk about what happened?" Yu asked.
"I rather not. I can't afford to dwell on the past. We need to save Yukiko-san now. That's the important thing." Yumi replied before turning to Chie, "This time, I won't fail. I promise."
"Yeah…" Chie nodded as she recognized her determination. However, Yumi wasn't the only one who found her resolve. "But, I'm coming along this time!"
Her declaration surprised the Investigation Team.
"W-Wait, Chie! You know how dangerous it is in there, right?" Yosuke warned.
"I don't care. Yukiko's in danger! I'm going to help save her no matter what, and that's final!" said Chie.
Yu, Yosuke, and Yumi were hesitant to let Chie tag along. There was a chance she could get hurt or worse, potentially encounter her own Shadow.
The first to concede was Yu, "I don't think we have a choice."
"Yeah, Chie can be pretty stubborn." Yosuke nodded.
"If you two think this is for the best, then I'll concede as well." Yumi said, "But, Chie-san, you must follow our instructions. We can defend ourselves. You can't. If it gets dangerous, stay as clear from the fight as best you can. Understood?"
"Crystal clear…" Chie muttered.
The path was clear for all of them. They couldn't prevent Yukiko from being kidnapped and thrown into the TV World, but they would surely save her from meeting a gruesome end.
Lyall the Werewolf: So, the Investigation Team is now ready to go save Yukiko. However, Haruka will be throwing a monkey wrench into the operation. However, she won't be going into the TV World just yet. Her job is to observe and research the Midnight Channel. Whether or not she'll join the IT is up in the air, though.
Side Note: I started playing Persona 3:Reload and it has been fantastic! Still haven't beaten the game yet, but I'm having fun. And it may give me new ideas for Snowy Spring. I'm not completely sold on the new cast for P3:Reload. They're just fine, but nostalgia makes it harder to accept.