4/16
It was a cloudy day on the way to school, though it was thankfully not yet raining. As Yui walked along the flood plain, Yosuke rode his bike over to her to greet her.
"Ohayo, Yui-san!" Yosuke greeted.
"Ohayo, Yosuke. How are you feeling?" Yui greeted back.
"I'm feeling alright. You know, I tried sticking my hand in the TV last night, and it worked!" Yosuke told Yui.
"Ah, is that so? It must be because of your new power." Yui replied.
"Persona, was it?"
"I meant to ask you, do you know his name?"
"I do actually. His name was Jiraiya."
"Jiraiya...the shape-shifting ninja."
"I feel like I can be my best now that I have this power. Let's do our best today, right Yui?"
"Right."
Class had not yet begun, so Yui and Yosuke were passing the time with some idle chat.
"You know, I saw it last night…" Yosuke told Yui.
"I did too. What did you see?" Yui asked Yosuke.
Suddenly, the classroom door opened as Chie ran inside, a panicked and worried look upon her face.
"Chie! What's the matter?" Yui asked Chie.
"Have either of you seen Yukiko?" Chie asked Yui and Yosuke.
"No, I haven't seen her today." Yosuke replied.
"I saw her yesterday, but not today." Yui stated.
"What do I do? I was watching the Midnight Channel last night –"
"Yeah, we were just talking about that." Yosuke interrupted.
"We were asking what we saw on there. What about you Chie?" Yui asked.
"I...I think I saw Yukiko…" Chie answered, her voice shaking.
Yui and Yosuke were surprised by Chie's response, remaining silent to allow her to continue.
"That kimono looked just like the one at the inn and she wore it during that interview too! I got really worried, so I sent her texts and emails, but she hasn't responded." Chie explained.
"Have you tried calling her yet?" Yui asked.
"It went to voicemail…"
"You don't think? Yukiko…" Yosuke began to say, before Chie suddenly interrupted him.
"Don't go there!" Chie almost shouted.
"W-Well, we don't know that for sure! We just need to make sure she's alright first." Yosuke clarified.
"She might be helping her family at the inn. Maybe you should try calling there?" Yui suggested.
"Oh yeah! That makes perfect sense! I'll do it now!" Chie said as she pulled out her cell phone.
After dialing the number to the Amagi Inn, Chie anxiously awaited a response.
"Come on Yukiko, pick up!" Chie muttered.
After a moment of silence, Chie received an answer and began speaking.
"Hello? Yukiko! Thank god!" Chie cheered.
All three of them breathed a collective sigh of relief.
"Uh huh, I see. No, I'm fine, don't worry about it. I'll text you later, OK? Bye!" Chie said over the phone.
Chie hanged up and explained the situation.
"She had to help out at the inn because a big group showed up without a reservation! That's happened before, actually." Chie said.
"But if it really was Yukiko we saw on the Midnight Channel, then those who show up on there aren't necessarily in the TV world yet. That's...strange." Yui thought aloud.
"We may need to investigate this. Let's head to Junes after school, alright?" Yosuke insisted.
"Sure thing." Yui responded.
At the Junes electronics department, Yui, Yosuke and Chie were standing amid a rather large crowd of people.
"Man, it's really crowded here today." Chie commented.
"Yeah, I forgot there was a sale going on." Yosuke responded.
"No going into the TV today then. Both of you huddle around me, I'll stick my hand in and try to get Teddie's attention." Yui told Yosuke and Chie.
Yosuke and Chie did as they were told and stood on opposite sides of Yui, hiding what she was going to do. Yui stuck her hand into the TV screen, only to be met with a biting pain on her hand.
"Ow!" Yui shrieked as she pulled her hand out of the screen.
"What happened?" Yosuke whispered.
"Something bit me!" Yui whispered back.
"Did Teddie just bite me? What's wrong with that bear?" Yui thought to herself.
"There's even teeth marks! Are you OK?" Chie asked.
"I'm fine. More annoyed than anything." Yui answered.
"Is that Yui I hear? Is this a game we're playing?" Teddie called from the other side of the screen.
"No it's not, Teddie! Hey, is there anyone on the other side right now?" Yosuke asked.
"Who's 'anyone'? No, of course not. I'm a lonely bear like always. This place feels so bear-ren…" Teddie responded.
"So no one's on the other side? You're sure?" Chie asked.
"My nose has been working great! I wouldn't lie." Teddie reaffirmed.
"I'm going to go warn Yukiko anyway." Chie told Yosuke and Yui.
"Good idea." Yui concurred.
"Make sure to walk with her to school on Monday, alright?" Yosuke told Chie.
"I'll do that too." Yui stated.
"Thanks Yui." Chie said gratefully.
"We may need to watch the Midnight Channel again tonight. Don't miss it." Yui told Yosuke and Chie.
Yosuke and Chie nodded, determined not to let another potential victim fall into the TV.
"Hey Yui? Can you give me your number?" Yosuke suddenly asked Yui.
"Why?" Yui asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Uh...it's not what you think! I just want to call you when I watch it tonight, tell you what I saw!" Yosuke stammered, quickly realizing how that sounded.
"Oh, alright then. I might as well get yours as well." Yui said as she took out her phone.
"Hey, count me in! I'll get both your numbers." Chie said, taking out her phone.
After the three exchanged numbers, they left Junes for the day.
Meanwhile, in the pouring rain, Dojima and Adachi were investigating the scene of Saki Konishi's murder, frustrated in their attempts to find more evidence.
"I think that's all we're going to find here. We still have nothing that points to a suspect." Adachi told Dojima.
"We don't even know if this is a homicide." Dojima restated.
"Well what else could it be? No way a body could end up like that on accident!" Adachi retorted.
"I know." Dojima responded flatly.
Dojima looked off into the distance as he reflected upon the case.
"If this is a murder, no doubt we're dealing with a single perp. But if that's true, what the hell's going on?" Dojima thought aloud.
"You know, at first I thought this all spun out of that love triangle." Adachi commented.
Dojima shook his head.
"No, Misuzu Hiiragi has a solid alibi. She was performing overseas, and her phone records prove it. Remember, the only reason the scandal went public was because she herself broke it to the media. No one would put themselves under suspicion if they were thinking of murder. Same with Taro Namatame. He's been working in the city for the past six months. He was here recently because of the scandal, but he was swamped with work back home at the time of the incident. There are eyewitnesses that place him at his office on the night Mayumi Yamano died. We can't find anything that shows Yamano making contact with Namatame before or after her disappearance." Dojima explained.
"Did you hear he got fired from his position as secretary?" Adachi asked.
"Yeah, I heard." Dojima replied.
Dojima took a puff of his cigarette and exhaled slowly, despondently.
"Then there's the Konishi case. She's the one that found Yamano's body, but I don't buy the killer shutting her up as a motive. She was killed well after she reported the body, and when she died, the culprit didn't hide her corpse. It's like they wanted her to be found. The only other connection is that she went to the same school as the daughter of the owner of the inn where Yamano was staying, but that hardly points to a motive." Dojima explained further.
"OK, how does this sound? Maybe there was something about the body that only Saki Konishi knew! And the perp killed her to keep that from spilling!" Adachi stated.
"Hmm...whoever it was, it has to be someone from Inaba…" Dojima muttered.
"Ha ha, is that your detective's intuition at work?" Adachi chuckled.
"Well that's just a fancy way of telling me you have no idea what the hell you're talking about…" Dojima stated as he gave Adachi a cursory glare.
Adachi took that as a cue to shut up.
Back at home, Yui was waiting in front of the TV in her room, moments away from midnight. She desperately hoped the Midnight Channel would not air tonight, but knew it to be wishful thinking. As the screen flickered on, she saw the face of a friend, but witnessed the voice and demeanor of an entirely different stranger. Yukiko was being shown on the screen, wearing a large pink and flowery dress, akin to that of a fairy tale princess, holding a microphone in her hand and speaking to all who happened to be watching at the hour.
"Good evening everyone! Tonight, Princess Amagi has a big surprise! I'm gonna go score myself a hot stud! Welcome to Princess Amagi's Hunt for her Prince Charming! And I came prepared! I've got my lacy unmentionables on, stacked from top to bottom, and all of my heart! I'm out to catch a harem, and the best of the lot is gonna be all mine! Here I go!" Yukiko spoke in a seductive and sultry tone, very much unlike her.
Yukiko walked away into the castle in the background, marking the end of the broadcast. As the screen faded to black, Yui was met with extremely conflicted and complicated emotions. One half of her felt very scared and panicked, as she came to realize that Yukiko had been shown on the Midnight Channel clear as day. The other half of her however, felt...enamored. Like when a succubus corrupts the mind of her prey, Yui felt an intense feeling of lust and desire creep up within her, and she hated it. She felt great relief when the sudden ringing of her cell phone snapped her out of it, prompting her to quickly answer it.
"Hello? Yosuke?" Yui said, still flustered from viewing the Midnight Channel.
"H-hey! Did you see it Yui? That was Amagi-san for sure!" Yosuke said, just as panicked as Yui was.
"Have you contacted Chie? Get her to contact Yukiko!" Yui told Yosuke.
"Right! I'll do that! Tomorrow morning, let's head to Junes straight away!"
"Yes!"
Yui ended the call, taking a moment to calm herself and breathe slowly. Now was the time to focus and prepare for what may unfold the next day.
4/17
Yui woke up early today, putting on a black top, a comfy light blue jacket, white and pink stockings, and her favorite lavender skirt. When she went downstairs, she found Nanako alone in the living room, watching TV.
"Ohayo!" Nanako greeted Yui.
"Ohayo. Where's your dad?" Yui asked Nanako.
"He left already. He said he's going to be late again. Are you going somewhere?"
"Yeah, I'm going to meet with friends. Are you going to be OK by yourself?"
"Don't worry. I'll be fine by myself. It's going to be sunny out, I'm going to do some laundry."
"Alright. I'll see you soon, Nanako."
Yui was waiting for Yosuke at the Junes food court, as Yosuke told her to meet up there. However, he was taking a suspiciously long time to arrive, given the situation. Her concerns were alleviated when Yosuke showed up, but new ones formed when she realized that Yosuke had his hands behind his back.
"Yui! Sorry for keeping you waiting. Check these out! I found them in the closet at home!" Yosuke said excitedly as he revealed what he was hiding.
Yosuke held up two blade weapons, a large nata, and a long katana.
"Yosuke! Why do you have those?!" Yui asked in surprise.
"Oh, don't worry. They're just replicas." Yosuke explained.
"Other people don't know that!" Yui whispered, realizing that people around them had started to notice.
"Hey Yui, which one's more your type?"
"Well, I do appreciate the beauty of a good katana, but that's beside the point." Yui admitted.
"You've got discerning taste! This one's actually a Junes exclusive! You can have it then...actually, I think I'll keep both of them! I look badass holding them!" Yosuke said as he swung the weapons around, looking rather pleased with himself.
"Stop swinging them around! You're gonna draw attention to us…" Yui scolded Yosuke, a little too late, as a male police officer was approaching them.
"Two suspicious teenagers, one male and one female, seen armed with multiple blade weapons. Requesting immediate backup." The police officer spoke into his transceiver.
"Huh? Oh shit!" Yosuke shouted.
"This isn't what it looks like, officer!" Yui stated in a panic.
"Put the weapons down! I'm taking you both to the station! Hands where I can see them!" The officer angrily told them.
"Wait! But we're not…" Yosuke stammered, flailing his hands about while still holding the blades.
"Yosuke!" Yui shouted.
"Are you resisting arrest?!" The officer shouted.
"There they are!" A couple other police officers shouted as they approached the two.
Yosuke continued to struggle as the police cuffed him and took him to a police car. Yui, knowing better, went with them quietly, albeit with some shame and frustration.
At the police station, Yui explained what had happened to Dojima, and after clearing up the misunderstanding, the weapons were confiscated and both Yui and Yosuke were free to go.
"For god's sake...you're lucky I was around, or this would have ended up on your permanent record." Dojima grumbled.
"Sumimasen, Dojima. I promise it won't happen again!" Yui whispered as she bowed, clearly showing how ashamed she was, while also shooting a glare at Yosuke, causing him to break out into a sweat.
"We're very sorry, sir…" Yosuke said.
"You're free to go, but this better not happen again. Adachi, show these two out." Dojima stated as he walked away.
Adachi came promptly and led Yui and Yosuke to the entrance, only to find Chie waiting for them there.
"Yosuke, Yui!" Chie called out.
"Chie! Sorry about this, there was a misunderstanding…" Yosuke began to explain, only to be cut off.
"No time for that! It's Yukiko! She's gone missing!" Chie explained, fear laced though every word.
"She has?" Yui asked, her fear about the implications of the Midnight Channel confirmed.
"I kept calling her cell, but she wouldn't pick up! So I went to her house, and I found out she really disappeared!" Chie told them.
"We already know about this. Amagi's family called us and asked us to start searching for her. Is she your friend?" Adachi explained.
"Yes!" Chie answered Adachi.
"Let me ask you something. Did she seem bothered by anything? Notice anything unusual with her?" Adachi asked.
"Like what?" Yosuke asked Adachi.
"That announcer, Ms. Yamano, was staying at the Amagi Inn before she died. It seems she was being harsh towards the manager, complaining about the staff's attitude towards guests. The stress of it caused the manager to collapse." Adachi explained.
Adachi glanced around before lowering his voice and continuing his story.
"See, me and some of the guys here have a theory. Being the daughter of the manager, Ms. Amagi must have felt pretty strongly about the incident. Did she ever hint that she might be running away? Because we think she's been laying low for different reason…" Adachi muttered.
"What?! You think Yukiko's the murderer?! What is wrong with you?!" Chie shouted, suddenly incensed.
"Ah, relax! It's just a theory floating around here, that's all!" Adachi quickly spouted in a feeble attempt to calm Chie down.
"Well it's bullshit!" Chie shrieked as she leapt at Adachi, prompting Yui and Yosuke to grab her arms and hold her back.
"Chie, don't! We're in trouble enough as it is!" Yui muttered.
"I'm not saying she did it! It's just…" Adachi tried to say before Dojima noticed the commotion.
"Hey! What's going on here?!" Dojima boomed.
"Yukiko would never do such a thing!" Chie continued to shout.
"Chie, let's just go. Forget what he said." Yui told Chie in a low, comforting voice.
"Yeah, come on Chie." Yosuke said in concurrence.
As Chie began to wind down, she stood up straight and muttered, with tears in her eyes:
"Yukiko...she would never…"
Dojima shot a deathly glare at Adachi, realizing that he had something to do with Chie's behavior.
"Adachi! What the hell did you tell them?" Dojima asked Adachi.
"N-nothing, sir." Adachi weakly replied.
Chie stormed out of the station, Yui and Yosuke following close behind her. Chie turned to look at them, a strong and newly formed resolve shining in her eyes.
"Guys, we're going to save her." Chie said firmly.
"Yes. But...they just confiscated our weapons. We can't go in empty handed." Yosuke muttered.
"And whose fault is that?" Yui commented.
"Come on, I already apologized! Can we let it go?" Yosuke responded.
"Fine, but next time, give me a warning when you're about to act like a dumbass." Yui spat.
"You need weapons? I know just the place! Follow me!" Chie said with a grin.
"Daidara Metalworks?" Yui asked Chie.
As the three of them stood inside the shop, they looked around for weapons to buy.
"They sell all kinds of stuff here. A classmate told me about this place. How do you know about it?" Chie asked.
"I passed by the shop before, and I've been meaning to check it out. I don't know, it looked cool." Yui admitted.
"Can you pick something out for me, Yui?" Yosuke said as he handed Yui some money.
"Why can't you do it yourself?" Yui asked.
"I...can't really be trusted with this." Yosuke responded.
"Oh, I see how it is." Yui said with a chuckle.
Yui walked by the katanas, opting to buy the most affordable one. She looked over to see Chie purchasing what appeared to be weaponized shoes. She hadn't really paid attention before, but Yui found Chie's casual outfit to be very cute. A light green jacket, a blue shirt with a black and white top over it, a jean skirt and green boots, completed with a purple crystal necklace accessory. Yui felt compelled to call Chie over.
"Hey, Chie?"
"Hm?" Chie said as she walked over to the katanas.
"I want your opinion on this. Which of these do you think is good?" Yui asked.
"I like this one! It's got good craftsmanship, not too pricey, and it's even got a ribbon on the handle." Chie replied as she pointed at the sword in question.
"I agree. I'm getting it. Hey, I just wanted to say, I like your outfit." Yui commented.
"You do? Thanks! I like yours too! It's a lot brighter than your school outfit. Almost...pastel. I didn't know you liked those kinds of colors." Chie replied.
"I…get a little embarrassed about people knowing about it. It doesn't really fit my personality." Yui muttered, a blush forming on her face.
"No, don't be! I think it looks great on you!"
"Thanks Chie." Yui said as she bought the katana.
After buying a pair of knives for Yosuke, the three left the shop and agreed to meet up at Junes, going about their separate ways. As Yui was about to leave the shopping district, she sensed the Velvet Room key shining in her pocket, confusing her for a moment. She would only come to be more confused when she heard Igor's voice.
"If I could have a moment of your time…"
A door materialized before Yui, causing the key in her pocket to resonate, as if screaming to be used. Yui looked around to see if anyone had noticed her. After confirming that only she could see the door, she waited until nobody was around before stepping into the Velvet Room.
"We've been expecting you." Igor stated.
"We would like to introduce a new resident of the Velvet Room, who will be helping you on your journey." Margaret added.
Yui looked to her left to see someone she hadn't seen in a while: the girl Yui ran into at the train station nearly a week ago. She was now wearing a blue cap with a symbol of the Velvet Room upon it. The girl seemed just as surprised as Yui was to see her.
"Marie, introduce yourself." Margaret told the girl.
"I heard you. My name is Marie. Nice to meet you." Marie hastily responded.
"What are you doing in the Velvet Room?" Yui asked.
"I dunno. It doesn't matter." Marie answered indifferently.
"Marie may be brusque at times, but please understand that she is only an apprentice, and forgive her for her impoliteness." Margaret explained.
"Shut up! Don't tell her anymore than you need to!" Marie spat.
"Like so…" Margaret muttered.
"You mean to say Marie isn't human either? As if my life wasn't strange enough." Yui thought to herself.
"Marie will help you form a bond between yourself and the 'outside world'. Expect her to contact you at a later date." Margaret explained.
"When next we meet, you will come here of your own will. Until then, farewell…" Igor stated.
With a wave of his hand, Yui was transported outside of the Velvet Room, in the exact spot she was standing before she entered. Without a moment's hesitation, she hurried over to the Junes electronic department.
After stepping into the TV world, Yui, Yosuke and Chie met up with Teddie, who promptly showed them the way to the place he last sensed someone. The four found themselves in front of a large, looming castle that was enshrouded in a dark red aura.
"A castle? This is what we saw on the Midnight Channel, right?" Chie asked Yui and Yosuke.
"Chie, maybe you should wait out here. You're the only one without a Persona, and…" Yui cautioned, but was quickly brushed off.
"No way! I'm going!" Chie insisted.
"There's no changing her mind once she's decided. Teddie, are you sure Yukiko's in there?" Yosuke asked Teddie.
"There's no doubt about it! I can smell her all the way from out here!" Teddie claimed.
At that moment, Chie ran inside the castle, much to the dismay of Yui and Yosuke.
"Hey! Where are you going? Don't go in alone!" Yosuke called out, his warning falling on deaf ears.
"Damn it Chie! Let's go Yosuke!" Yui ordered.
Yui and Yosuke ran inside the castle, quickly leaving Teddie behind.
"Wait! Don't leave me here!" Teddie cried out as he followed.
Chie sprinted down the profaned halls of the castle, red miasma bleeding through the large glass windows and onto the red carpets. She even ran past and ignored the Shadows that seeped through the walls, the only thing on her mind being to find her dear friend.
"Yukiko, where are you?" Chie's mind repeated constantly.
The Shadows set their sights on the two teens who were trying to pursue their friend, taking the form of horrible, disfigured twins, conjoined by metal spikes.
"Yosuke, I'm going to need your help for this one!" Yui said to Yosuke.
"I'm ready! Let's do it!" Yosuke replied with a thumbs up.
Yui summoned her courage and called upon Yumiko, prompting Yosuke to call upon his Persona as well.
"Jiraiya!"
Jiraiya manifested before Yosuke, prepared to face the threats that stood before him. Yumiko flew toward the first Shadows that approached her, swinging a bandage that hooked onto them and allowed Yumiko to toss them away, crashing them through the windows. Jiraiya followed suit by summoning a whirlwind, scooping up the Shadows and sending them flying through the air. Jiraiya followed up with a vicious slap, dissipating one Shadow, before grabbing another Shadow and tossing it in Yumiko's direction. Yumiko reacted by kicking the Shadow, her foot piercing straight through and banishing it. After all the immediate threats were dealt with, Yumiko and Jiraiya gave each other a high five before returning to their masters.
"Nicely done, Sensei! Yosuke, you still have a lot to learn." Teddie said, cheering on Yui while dismissing Yosuke.
"Man, all I ever get is crap from you!" Yosuke said in an annoyed tone.
"Focus you two! Let's head out!" Yui commanded.
Yui, Yosuke and Teddie all ran ahead as more Shadows came through the walls and pursued them, but they were slow to follow. All that mattered was to move as quickly as possible and prevent Chie from endangering herself further.
Chie saw a large door at the end of the hallway, and became filled with hope that her friend was on the other side. Without hesitation, she burst through the door, only to find herself in a pale, black and white scene. A place she knew all too well. Not long afterwards, Yui and Yosuke burst through the door, catching up to her at last.
"Chie! There you are. Are you alright?" Yui called out, before coming to realize the strange scenery around her.
"This is Yukiko's room…" Chie whispered to herself, but clearly enough for Yui and Yosuke to hear.
It was unmistakable. The bookshelf, the birdcage, the bed, desk, and plant. Every detail of her friend's room had been meticulously recreated in the TV world. But the lack of color left everyone with chills, exacerbated by the sudden echoing of Yukiko's voice.
"I look good in red. That's what she told me…"
"Yukiko?!" Chie called out.
"My name, 'Yukiko', 'snow'...I hated my name. Snow is cold, transient, and completely worthless. But it's perfect for me, aside from inheriting the inn, I'm worthless."
"Yukiko, it's me! Where are you?!" Chie called out again, desperation growing.
"Even still, Chie told me red looks good on me. She was the only person who gave my life meaning…"
As the voice continued to speak, the room began to tinge with red, growing more vibrant as all the red objects Yukiko had in her room began to fill with life, or some semblance of it. The mat, the table, the bookshelf, the birdcage, the vase, and even some toys became a stark crimson.
"Chie's so happy and strong. She has everything I don't, she's everything I'm not. Compared to Chie, I'm...I'm…"
Chie began shaking as she pieced together Yukiko's inner thoughts, as she knew how the sentence would be finished: nothing.
"Chie protects me. She'll always protect me. She'll look after my worthless life. And I...don't deserve any of it...Chie is so kind…"
Chie was now on the verge of tears, the words shaking her to her core.
"Yukiko...I…"
"'Chie is nice', huh? That's fucking hysterical!"
"What?!"
Suddenly, Yukiko's room dissipated, giving way to the castle walls and revealing the source of the twisted voice: a shadowy copy of Chie.
"Oh no! That must be Chie's shadow!" Yui exclaimed.
"You're right!" Yosuke affirmed.
"Who...who the hell are you?!" Chie asked the shadow.
"Don't you recognize me? I'm Chie Satonaka!" The shadow responded.
"Bullshit! I'm Chie Satonaka!" Chie angrily shouted.
"So am I! Did you hear what Yukiko said? She says I'm protecting her! She says she's worthless! *chuckle* That's just how it should be, right?" Shadow Chie said with a sadistic grin.
"What are you talking about?" Chie asked.
"Yukiko's so pretty, so feminine. All the boys drool over her! When Yukiko looked at me with such jealousy in her eyes, man did I get a kick out of that! The truth is, without me, she can't do anything! I'm so much better than her! Much, much better!" Shadow Chie explained, her voice growing more hostile and aggressive with each word.
"Shut up! That's not how I feel! You're lying!" Chie shouted, though her voice was straining.
As the argument unfolded, Yui and Yosuke noticed Shadows bleeding through the walls and windows of the room, drawn to the growing influence and energy of Shadow Chie.
"Chie, wait!" Yui called out to Chie.
"Don't come near me! Don't look at me!" Chie shrieked.
"I can't win as a girl, let alone as a person. I'm so pathetic. But Yukiko depends on me. That's why she's my friend. I'll never let her go! She's far too important to me!" Shadow Chie cackled, her wicked smile creasing more and more.
"No! That's not how I think of her! You're lying!" Chie cried out, having fallen to her knees in despair.
"You're gonna turn your back on me again and keep denying me, are you?"
"Shut up! Just shut up!"
"No Chie, don't say it!" Yui warned Chie, in vain.
"You're not me!" Chie shouted.
Shadow Chie reveled in Chie's denial, her cackling evolving into maniacal laughter. Before their eyes, Shadow Chie transformed into a twisted new form, taking on the appearance of a masked cultist with long black hair that draped the floor, sharpened to a razor's edge, that sat atop a throne of three pale creatures that mimicked Yasogami students. Chie gazed upon the monster and screamed as Shadow Chie swung a whip at her. Yui leaped at Chie to push her out of the way, receiving the whip's strike in her stead. Though Yui yelped in pain, she summoned her power to bring forth Yumiko. Yosuke, in the same moment, called forth Jiraiya to fight off the Shadows that encroached upon them.
"So, you're gonna annoy me as well? Then I better play more rough!" Shadow Chie shouted, launching her hair at Chie and Yui.
Yumiko launched several bandages at the hair, destroying it before it reached Yui and Chie. Shadow Chie tried the attack again, causing Jiraiya to attempt blocking it. The shock was too much to absorb however, causing both Yumiko and Jiraiya to fly backwards.
"Are you still there? I wish you'd die already! I promise to treat Yukiko well as my personal punching bag, my garbage disposal! She depends on me? Let's keep it that way!" Shadow Chie spat.
"Chie, don't listen to her!" Yosuke called out to Chie, which caused Shadow Chie to glare scornfully at him.
Shadow Chie wrapped her hair around Yosuke's neck, choking him. Yui ran up to Yosuke and slashed away the hair with her katana.
"Yes, do listen to me! This is how I truly am. These are my true colors, whether you like it or not!" Shadow Chie taunted.
"Chie, I know it's painful, but you have to…" Yui began to tell Chie, until Shadow Chie interrupted her.
"Pain? What you think of as pain is only a shadow! You want to see true pain? Allow me to show you!" Shadow Chie boomed.
Shadow Chie began wrapping her hair around Chie, enveloping her in complete darkness. As Chie struggled against the void, she began to hear her own voice call to her, scream at her. Every dark thought she ever had, every sinister emotion she felt about Yukiko was being relayed to her with agonizing fury, making Chie feel as though she was on the border of madness.
"Yukiko's so pretty, so irresistible! To think she even has to rely on me to accomplish anything in her pathetic life! But that goes for me too, doesn't it?"
"I'll never let go! When she's no longer wanted, I'll be the one on top! She'll give me everything I've ever wanted!"
"No one else must ever have her! We need each other too much! I'll keep her all to myself!"
"Is this...how I really feel?" Chie whimpered, having nearly surrendered to her doubts.
Chie screamed into the endless darkness, for what felt like an eternity to her, to be heard by nobody...or so she thought.
"Chie? Can you hear me? Can you hear us?" A voice called out.
"Yui? Yosuke?" Chie whispered.
Just then, visions of Yui and Yosuke appeared before her, granting her guidance and giving her the strength to see the light through the void.
"So what if you feel this way? You're still her friend, aren't you?" Yosuke boldly stated.
"Why are you protecting me? I'm nothing but a grubby bitch!" Chie whimpered.
"Whether you used to feel that way, or still do, you wouldn't have gone though all this trouble, risked so much, if you truly felt like Yukiko was just an outlet for your insecurities." Yui told Chie, in an angelic, soothing voice.
From beyond the darkness, two hands reached out to Chie, one belonging to Yosuke, the other belonging to Yui. Chie reached out and grabbed both of them, allowing the darkness to fade away and allowing her to escape her personal hell. When the light returned to her eyes, she saw Yui and Yosuke smiling in relief, and her Shadow still towering over them. Chie breathed a heavy sigh, knowing then and there what she had to do.
"I realize it now. I have to accept that thing as part of myself, don't I?" Chie muttered.
"It was the same with Yosuke. We all have a side of ourselves we can't bear to show others, but so long as we understand that we're so much more than just that, it'll be OK." Yui reassured Chie.
Chie stood up to her Shadow, no longer in defiance of it, but in acceptance of it.
"I get it now. You're a part of me. A side of me I couldn't forgive. A voice I tried to ignore. You're the pathetic part of me, but you're still just that: a part of me." Chie stated, never taking her eyes off her Shadow self.
Shadow Chie roared with fury, responding negatively to Chie's revelation.
"You think you can just accept me?! You think it's that simple?!" Shadow Chie shrieked, lashing out at Chie's friends.
Shadow Chie swung her whip at Yui, causing both her and Yumiko to fly across the room. She then wrapped her hair around Yosuke, threatening to crush both him and Jiraiya.
"Yosuke!" Chie and Yui cried out.
Yui searched within her heart for a way to save her friends, calling out another incantation.
"Dekunda!"
Yumiko held out a hand towards Shadow Chie, debilitating her strength and causing her stronghold on Yosuke to waver. Shadow Chie shrieked in agony and frustration as her power began to fade.
"Yosuke, let's finish this!" Yui called out.
"Gotcha! I'm on it!" Yosuke replied as he got back on his feet.
Jiraiya launched several whirlwinds at Shadow Chie, which Yumiko charged with lightning as they struck her, tearing her hair and body apart. Shadow Chie screamed in pain as she reverted back to her old form. As the Shadow began to dissipate, Chie firmly told it one last time:
"It's true. You are me."
With this, a bright blue energy filled the room, as a new creature was born: a female samurai wearing a yellow and black jumpsuit, a white helmet, and red lipstick. It turned into a tarot card with the arcana of The Chariot and floated down into Chie's hand.
"Is this my Persona?" Chie whispered.
"Yes Chie." Yui said with a smile.
"You did it Chie!" Yosuke cheered.
As the card disappeared, Chie looked at her friends, still rather embarrassed about what they saw.
"I'm still friends with Yukiko…" Chie muttered.
"We never doubted that for a second." Yosuke stated.
"When you stood up to that creepy kid, when you defended Yukiko at the police station, those were things an average friend wouldn't have done." Yui reminded Chie.
Chie suddenly lost her energy, nearly collapsing to the floor as Yui caught her.
"Chie!"
"I'm fine. Thanks for catching me, Yui." Chie muttered.
"You look awful. Yosuke, we all need to go back." Yui told Yosuke.
"I agree. Chie needs to rest." Yosuke said with a nod.
"I don't need a break! I...I can keep going…" Chie said weakly.
"No Chie! You'll overexert yourself." Yui insisted.
"We know how you feel, but you can't just…" Yosuke started to say before Chie lashed out at him.
"You don't know shit about how I feel! Yukiko's still trapped here! She must be so scared! We've come so far, we can't turn back now!" Chie shouted, her breath becoming strained and irregular.
"Chie, look at me!" Yui said as she grabbed Chie's shoulders and made eye contact.
"Huh?"
"We're just as scared for Yukiko as you are. But we have no idea how much further we have to go. If we push ourselves too hard and get stomped, all our efforts will be for nothing! Then who's going to save Yukiko?"
"But…"
Teddie went up to Chie to tell her something.
"You should know something Chie. When the fog lifts here, that's when the Shadows get really violent. But as long as the fog remains here, your friend will be safe. When it's foggy on this side, it's clear on your side." Teddie explained.
"Are you sure?" Chie asked.
"The fog in Inaba usually shows up after it rains. But it's been sunny lately, so Yukiko will be fine for now." Yosuke stated.
"We'll check the weather forecast the moment we get back, OK?" Yui added.
Yui held hands with Chie to comfort her further, noticing that she was beginning to cry again. Despite this causing Yui to tear up as well, she persisted.
"Chie, we WILL save her. I promise…"
In that moment, Chie broke down, wrapping her arms around Yui and sobbing. Yui reciprocated the hug, allowing Chie to take as much time as she needed to calm down. After about a minute, Chie let go of Yui and dried her eyes, only to grab onto her again as she struggled to stand.
"Alright. Let's go home. Yosuke, Yui, I'm sorry about running off by myself earlier." Chie muttered.
"It's alright. From now on, we'll do this together." Yui reassured Chie.
"Yes."
After leaving the castle and returning to the "entrance" of the TV world, Teddie gave Chie a pair of yellow glasses to let her see through the fog the next time they came. After Chie thanked Teddie, the three of them returned to their world, arriving in the Junes electronic department. Yui made sure Chie had recovered enough to make it home on her own before going home herself.
At home, Yui, Dojima and Nanako were all eating dinner together, watching the news on TV. Dojima suddenly stopped eating to ask Yui about something.
"Yui, can I ask you something?" Dojima asked, a stern expression on his face.
Yui, despite becoming a little concerned, nodded.
"You're not getting involved in any strange business, are you?" Dojima asked.
"No, of course not." Yui told Dojima, knowing it was a lie.
"It's just...what happened at the station this afternoon is still bothering me."
"My friend was just being an idiot. We didn't mean for it to escalate to that."
"Well, there's also the other thing that happened. When your other friend was yelling at Adachi."
"You mean Chie?"
"Yeah. What did Adachi tell her that made her so angry?"
"I've actually forgotten what he said. I shrugged it off so it wouldn't bother me."
This was also a lie. Yui couldn't possibly forget how furious Chie was.
"I see."
Nanako looked at Yui and Dojima with a worried expression.
"What's wrong? Are you two fighting?" Nanako asked.
"No, we're not fighting." Dojima responded.
"This isn't the police station, this is home."
Dojima hung his head, knowing his daughter was completely right. He turned to Yui one last time.
"I agreed to look after you. So don't get yourself in trouble." Dojima said firmly.
"I won't." Yui replied.
With that Dojima was satisfied, allowing everyone to continue eating dinner. The weather forecast projected it to be sunny for the foreseeable future, which gave Yui some peace of mind.
"Dad, does the lady on TV decide the weather?" Nanako asked Dojima.
"Hm?"
"Because every time she says it's going to be sunny, it always is."
"Uh, she's not really deciding the weather…" Dojima tried to explain, but wasn't sure how.
"There are some things that allow them to make guesses about what the weather will be like, like temperature and humidity. They've done it for so long now, they usually guess right." Yui told Nanako in an attempt to make it simpler to understand.
Nanako still displayed a confused expression, causing both Dojima and Yui to give up. When she's older, they thought.
Author's Notes (1-26-22): A running theme that started with Yosuke and I wish to continue with future characters is the idea of your darkest self and every terrible thing you've ever thought or said tormenting you, and plunging you into the depths of your personal hell. And how despite how it's portrayed in the game, that dark feeling never really goes away, even after you've bettered yourself. It simply lingers or takes on new forms, and perhaps that's something I can explore in the future.