10/5 - afternoon - Kazuki
The ocean, towns, and cities flash by like a blur as the train travels on. Watching the sun and everything pass by is helping my nerves, but there is only so much that can do. Feels like a nightmare. Going back to that town was something I never wanted, but here I am, doing just that.
Naoya, Shizuka, Eriko-san, and I sit in a desolate train car. A strong silence overtakes it, bringing down whatever mood there is. I can't bring myself to say anything funny, not like I want to, anyway. However, I've been putting this off, but now's the time to ask.
"Naoya, I think you should start explaining everything before we get there."
We're half an hour away, and I don't want to get distracted with curiosity after we do arrive.
"Right… Okay, well, where to start?"
"You know of the SEBEC incident from 1996, correct?" Eriko-san asks in Naoya's place, to his chagrin.
"Yeah, of course, I do. But what does that have to do with this?"
"On the day of that incident, we happen to awaken to our Personas."
"When you guys were still high school students?"
"Yes. During the SEBEC incident, we used them to save the town from a demon infestation."
"But demons being in Mikage-cho were just rumors!"
"You've seen them for yourself. Is it so outlandish that they were there?"
"But…why? Why were they there?"
"Because of a machine," Naoya resumes in Eriko-san's place. "...The DEVA system. It brought into this world on the orders of the company's CEO at the time: Kandori Takahisa."
"However, we think he was not the one to truly come up with it," Eriko-san adds.
"Who?" I ask.
"Nyarlathotep." Him again!? "He possessed Kandori during our fight with him and allowed him to use him as a Persona."
"And what, he got away in the end?"
"Yeah. We thought that was the last of him, but you can already tell that wasn't the case."
Although this tells me their involvement in all of this, that doesn't explain why I am…? Also, demons actually were there… Does that mean?
"...Naoya, why does Nyarlathotep want me?"
He keeps a straight face, leaving no hint of his feelings about the question. "I don't know…"
Maybe it's because of Shadow-mog? Does he want its power or something? Seeing how he completely kicked my ass even with it on, I don't get why he would want something like this. Also, he was able to shut it off somehow…
"Wait, is the DEVA system still there?"
"No way. We made sure to–"
"It still works," Shizuka interrupts, staring at the ground.
"What?"
"The DEVA system was restored."
"How do you know this?" Eriko-san, asks, sparing a suspicious glance at Shizuka.
"Because that's how we get to where we're going."
"I don't understand! How was it brought back!?
"I…do not know the specifics of that." Shizuka's expression grows worse by the end of the sentence. "...But I know thanks to that…I…" Her eyes catch mine. She turns her gaze away from me, covering her face with her hair. "...In any case, we will use it to go after Nyarlathotep. There's no need to know how it is operational or why it was remade."
Shizuka has been like this since we decided to go to Mikage-cho. I know asking might be pointless since she'd rebuke me, but I don't want to leave her like this.
"Shizuka, are you fine?"
"I am. No need to concern yourself with me."
"I'm just worried about you, that's all."
"Again, you need not worry," she says, cold and disconnected, avoiding eye contact. "You should be worried about yourself."
Great, I think I made things worse. There's no way to bring the mood up, I realize that. Shizuka knows we're going somewhere she's equated to hell, and Naoya and Eriko-san are acting all serious and alert. And going back to that town makes me want to hurl.
"Shizuka…what's waiting for us in…well, wherever the hell we're going?" I ask her, hoping for an answer.
"Last time we used the DEVA system, we were chucked into another reality," Naoya casually says, acting like he didn't just say something outrageous.
"Another reality!? C-come on, that–that can't be true, right, Eriko-san?"
"But we did."
"Eh!? S-s-so, different realities exist? Like, really, really exist?"
"Why is this surprising," Shizuka asks, baffled. "...The Dark Hour is no different."
"I guess, but…then…is there an alternate me!? Wait…" What if there is an alternate version of me? Ah, then maybe he can help me save Fuu-chan…! But what if he's evil or something? Worse, handsome…? An image of a more handsome version of myself charming Fuu-chan flashes through my head. "W-w-we need to get there, post haste!"
Naoya jumps up from his seat. "What's gotten into you!?"
Eriko-san giggles, obviously amused. "He is certainly fired up. Youth is a wonderful thing."
"I can't let any handsome version of me get to her first! He could be evil!"
"Handsome…evil? Kei, are you…"
Shizuka lets out an exhausted sigh. "He thinks there's an alternate version who'll take Yamagishi from him."
"Kei, you don't have to worry. I don't think there is one… I think?"
"Although we cannot rule out the possibility of such a thing," Eriko-san affirms without any idea what it's doing to me.
"Th–then, we need to hurry! Saving and apologizing to her is my job!"
Naoya laughs his sides off while Eriko-san lightly giggles. How is any of this funny? I could be minutes away from total devastation and they're laughing! Shizuka just shakes her head at me with her hand covering her face. Fuuka, I'll rescue you as quickly as I can!
Mikage-cho - evening - Kazuki
This town is like any other, there are buildings, people, parks, and a school. Anyone can tell me this place is a nice, quiet town, they'd be lying. A dirty lie born out of ignorance or plain disregard of the uglier side of it. A side I'm all too familiar with. Every corner, street, store, and even person here, all of it is disgusting. I want to throw up just being here, not food, but all of my emotions of this place….
Naoya puts his hand on my back. "Kei, are you okay?"
"...Yeah, fine. I just want to get this over with."
"We're almost to the building, just hang in there."
"Yeah, the less I have to see of this place, the better…"
"Poor boy," Eriko-san says in a delicate whisper. "Being here must be agnozing."
"I didn't know Kazuki despised this place that much."
"The people here haven't been the kindest," Naoya answers. "They ran with superstition and mistaken him for a demon that came during the SEBEC incident."
"There's no proof for that."
"Even then, people will still say it's true to this day. Goes to show people are willing to turn on anyone, even a kid."
They didn't turn on me, they always saw me as some abominable creature, just for existing. They never hit or anything, but that doesn't matter. Day in and day out, vicious rumors circulated around me from my classmates to the adults. Everyone in this town is cruel, evil, nasty, horrible, disgusting, and ugly. Even now, after all this time away from here, I still want them to... I...
"How pathetic…"
That voice…
"Let's hurry," I tell everyone, ignoring the voice in my head.
Fuuka is what matters right now, not this town. Yet, each step I take sinks me further into the repressed feelings I threw away months ago, at least, I thought I discarded them. These are emotions that'll never go away, but fester elsewhere inside until frothing back to the forefront, dragging you further into their depths until you feel nothing…
Shizuka stops dead in her tracks. "This is it."
A large, decrepit building, abandoned of anything worth taking, looms over us with a menacing presence. The shadow acts as a warning, warding off visitors from entering the dilapidated building. The greenery around here is long dead, and a fountain without water. Time has made this place a grave mark for something that once was, our presence here is foreign to that concept.
"Never thought we'd be coming back in here again," Naoya whispers, clenching his fists.
"We need to head for the basement," Shizuka states.
"They keep it down there? Why not change its location?" Eriko-san questions.
"I have no clue, but it's pointless to ponder that. Come."
She leads us to the building without another word.
Eriko-san falls back to keep pace with me. "Kazuki, how long have you known this girl?"
"For about a couple of months now, but I trust her."
"With your life?"
"Of course."
"Hmm, sorry, but I cannot be so sure. She knows too much about our enemy's whereabouts."
"She…used to work with them."
"And yet, you still trust her?"
"Yes. She's helped me loads of times. Besides, she's my friend."
Eriko-san directs her attention back to Shizuka and then onto me again. "If you trust her, then I'll just have hope for the best. However, I still have reservations about her intentions."
"Intentions?"
"Do you not know what she wants?"
"…Not really."
"If you trust her with your life, then knowing her reason behind helping us is also important. If they are less than ideal." Eriko-san places a hand on her rapier. "...Then she'll have to be dealt with."
"I won't let it come to that." Eriko-san's shocked expression helps me realize what I just said. "Um, I mean, I'm sure she has her reason, a good one at that. So please, you can suspect her, but don't hurt her."
Up until now, Shizuka's motives for helping me haven't mattered that much to me. I was just glad she did. But with the way she's acting, why does she want to help me save Fuuka? She could've just told us where the DEVA system was and left it at that. Maybe it's because I'm going? Then that begs another question: why did she leave the enemy side in the first place?
…/Kazuki
Traveling downward into the dark basement level, there are several empty rooms. Nothing but emptied cabinets and desks, and the occasional bug or two. There's a strange, old metallic smell wafting through the air. Its repugnant stench is stinging my nose. The sound of our footsteps resounds across the corridor. Thank goddess for phone lights, I'd hate to be standing in pitch-black like this. It reminds me of a horror movie I saw as a kid; one of the characters got dragged off into the darkness by a bunch of hands…
"Hey, why hasn't this building been knocked down yet?" I ask, trying to distract myself from the darkness. "I know this building has been around for years, but I never paid any attention to it. But wouldn't the city eventually want to take this place down? It's not like this a proud landmark or anything."
"There were attempts, however, each time was met with failure," Shizuka answers. "Normally, with a building of this size, an implosion would be sufficient. However, anyone who comes into this place does not come out the same."
"Meaning?"
"They get a nice eyeful of demons," Naoya guessed. "I know they linger here, but they never step out of the building, so I left them alone. Plus, there isn't a body, which is weird."
"Killing the workers would draw attention."
"But wouldn't it be more trouble if someone said they saw a demon?" I interject with a question.
"Would you believe them?" she plainly asks.
"Ah, I think I get what you mean. Then why aren't we seeing them?"
"It's pointless for them to attack. They're smarter than Shadows. They know we're stronger."
"Hold on, does that mean…"
"You can't tell? They're watching us," Eriko-san says, acting like it's no big deal.
"Seriously? That's so creepy!"
"Right? Demonic creatures watching our every step. It's so terrifyingly thrilling."
"Come on Elly, don't say that. You'll scare the kids."
"Oh, sorry. But don't you think it is heart-pounding?"
"Well…kind of. Reminds me of old times."
That's not helping my nerves at all! I could've sensed them if I was using Shadow-mog. But what's gonna happen if they just pop up out of nowhere? I know we're stronger, but that doesn't stop a jump scare from being scary, and it's kind of dank in here; without our phone lights, navigating this place would be taxing on my poor heart.
"Here." We stop in front of a metal door. Shizuka pries it open with her bare hands. "Just a bit further." Our short trek comes to an end, entering the room ahead. "We made it."
A large machine covered in rust sits at the end of the room, somewhat crooked. It's constructed like one of those made-up machines in those sci-fi movies Fuuka loves. A stronger smell of rusted metal assaults my nose, almost making me gag.
"It's still here," Naoya mutters to himself, staring down the machine. "...No matter what, the past doesn't seem to stop haunting us… Kei, I'm sorry. This is our fight, not yours."
"It became my fight when he took my girlfriend away from me, and I could never blame you for anything; so your fight is my fight, too."
Naoya smiles, although one stifled with pain. "Right." He slaps his cheeks, doing away with the pain in his smile. "Okay! We're going to get in there and go save a damsel, and kick Nyarlathotep's creepy ass! Right, Kei?"
"Yeah!"
Shizuka reaches for a control console on the side, pressing buttons and hitting a switch. A loud electrical hum fills the room, the machine hisses as a blue light above it illuminates the gloomy room.
"It's on. There'll be a button inside. We can use it to go to the other side."
"Alright," Naoya says.
"Once we head in, the only way out is where Nyarlathotep lies. And even then, the places we will navigate will be arduous, horrible even… This is your final chance to…" She stops mid-sentence... "...Forget it, let's just go."
We huddle into the small, cramped chamber. Ah, it smells like decades-old garbage in here! And the thing keeps creaking under our collective weight. Please don't tell me this'll drop to the floor or even turn us into dust!
Shizuka closes the door, hitting a button in the back. A light floods the chamber and envelope the outside in its shine. An electrical current pulses around us as the chamber shakes. The others are bizarrely calm about all this, not even flinching. Gotta keep my nerve, can't let fear slow me down from getting to her.
A minute passes, a full minute of this awful shaking, blinding light, and electricity. I close my eyes just to save myself from it all…wanting this nerve-racking experience to end… It's…gone. The noise, the quaking, and the electrical hum, it's gone. The ground feels somewhat softer under my feet, and the sound of wind brushing my ears puts me at ease. Wind? But we're underground. There can't be any.
"What…is this?" Naoya trails off, sounding bewildered.
"I had expected this to be different, but this is far from expected."
I carefully open my eyes. A luscious green forest greets my sight. Leaves gently rain from the tall, healthy trees surrounding us, drifting across the sky. A peaceful sense of nostalgia washes over my body, taking the stress away as the morning light brightens the leaves. This place is so pleasant, I can just let all my worries fly away.
"This…this it?" I murmur, stunned by the breathtaking sight.
"...Yes, this is it." Shizuka sounds about the same; somewhat disgruntled. The forest doesn't amaze her or ease up her guard. She actually looks more distraught than before. "Let's not waste time! Come on!"
"Shizuka, where do we need to go? Is Fuuka here?"
"Likely not. If she were placed here, she would be dead before we even got here." A spine-curling sensation runs down me. "...Also, see that." She points to a white cylinder in the far distance, climbing high into the sky, the same as Tartarus. "We head for that and move up to the next stratum."
"Stratum?"
"I'll explain as we get deeper in."
Eriko-san prepares her rapier, examining the area. "Are there demons?"
"Yes, so be ready."
In a place like this? The idea they could be in a beautiful place like this is horrifying. But if they are here, then they're probably waiting for us to go further in, waiting for us to drop our guards. I don't have that much experience fighting demons, and the ones I have were already in front of me.
"Hey, Naoya. You got any advice for me?"
"Hm?"
"You know, about demons and whatnot. I heard they can be tricky. Do you got anything I can use?"
"Just don't let your guard down for a moment and keep your weapon ready. Demons aren't like those Shadow-things you fight; demons can act and think like a human, so you have to be careful."
"Right, I'll be careful."
"Also, always check your shoelaces."
"My laces?"
"They can come apart and you can trip on them. You forget to tie them sometimes, and I remember when you tripped and faced planted because of that."
"I'm not a little kid! I know how to tie my shoes, and I didn't trip on my laces!"
"If you say so. Actually, I remember when you used to tie them into bunny ears… Do you still do that?"
"Bunny ears," Eriko-san repeats aloud, chipper at that. "How adorable. Can I see?"
"Ahhh! No! Nope! N-O: no!"
"You still do it, don't you?" Naoya asks with a wicked grin.
"O-oi, Shizuka! Let's leave these two behind!"
"If you would quit stalling, then we can."
"Before that… Shizuka, since you seem familiar with this place, you take the lead," Naoya suggests. "No point in running around in circles and getting ourselves killed."
"Are you sure? Does she approve?" Shizuka points to Eriko-san. "You think me suspicious, no? I heard your inquiry on whether I am trustworthy or not."
Eriko-san doesn't shrink from the exposure. She keeps her graceful composure, ready to confront Shizuka's accusation. "It's true, I do hold some doubts about you, and while Kei vouches for you, I still can't get over your past affiliations, especially to Nyarlathotep. Is there any lingering sense of loyalty to him?"
"If my answer is unsatisfactory, will you kill me?"
"Hey, that's not it! Eriko-san, she isn't a bad guy, trust me!"
"I do, so I wish to hear it from her, to verify if we can trust her."
Shizuka keeps silent, her eyes shut as if pondering her answer. All eyes are on her, waiting for her to speak. I can see where Eriko-san is coming from, Shizuka does seem suspicious in this light, and questioning her loyalties is sound… But I can't think of her that way. That day, when she opened up to me at the station, I saw a glimpse of the person she keeps locked inside herself. She let me see it, letting someone like me in…
"Eriko-san…"
Naoya pats Eriko-san on the shoulder, sighing a bit. "Elly, I get where you're coming from, but I trust Kei's judgment on this."
"How can you be so sure? She's–"
"And? It's too late for this now. We came this far, we might as well go with it. Besides, Nyarlathotep was attacking her too, so we can rule out them being allies. Plus, she seems like a nice kid, so that's more than enough for me."
Eriko-san shoots her eyes back and forth between Naoya and Shizuka, holding her rapier firmly. Finally, she lowers the blade to her side, sighing. "...Fine, I suppose questioning her now is moot, but I still harbor doubts about you."
"Harbor whatever you wish, and if I do something you don't like?"
"Shizuka, please…"
She's taken aback by my plea, backing off from that line of questioning, and turns away from us.
"Let's keep going then. The longer we linger–"
"Humans?"
We spin around, pointing our weapons at whatever is behind us. A small girl, gently flapping tiny, delicate wings and radiating a sparkling aura. Is…this a demon?
"A Pixie?" Eriko-san calls the small girl
"Looks like it. What do you want?"
"Wow! Humans, real humans! It's been so long!" Naoya and Eriko-san keep their weapons trained on it, barring it from coming closer. "No, I'm friendly, friendly! I don't like fighting!"
"Pixies are far from the strongest of demons, but they do have a penchant for playing tricks on humans, leading them astray from their path during journeys."
"Yeah, don't remind me. Still can't believe a Pixie got me that good. Brown won't let me forget. But we shouldn't waste time here. We should keep moving."
"Oh, oh! Humans need help getting out of here? I can help!"
"Really? Shizuka, it knows where we need to go."
"Does it now," she says, obviously doubting that claim.
"I do, I do! Come with me! Pixie will show you the way out."
"Before you do, who is currently in charge?"
"H-huh? In charge? I-I have no–"
"What demon?"
"Y-you're asking too many questions, come!"
"Useless." Shizuka slips past us, standing behind the demon in the blink of an eye. Her sword is already drawn, and the Pixie is sliced apart. "Now, we better go… No, it looks like we have company."
A beastly growl raises the hairs on my body, prompting me to be ready for battle. We cover all sides, looking for anything to come out of the woods. Blood-red eyes leer at us from within the forest, watching us with keen predator vision. More and more appeared until it became clear that this tranquil forest was a trick to hide all these creatures. One of them saunters out of the forest. A two-headed beast-dog, its tail following behind. It keeps its eyes on us, stopping at the Pixie's body. It chops down on it, devouring every bit until there's nothing left… It ate it…all of it!? But– I-it's a demon, too!
"Take a good look, Kazuki. You thought this was a beautiful, serene forest. 'It's not possible for demons to be here', right?" Her face is paler than I've ever seen from her, even during our fight with M, or Nyarlathotep… But…that smile… Why is she smiling? "This…this is the beginning of hell."