09/11 Su
Cloudy
After enjoying breakfast with Nanako, Yu went to the Sopping District...
Hmm... I'm not seeing Chie around. Maybe she walked into Daidara, instead of just window shopping...
Yu entered the metalworks. The smith was muttering to himself, then noticed Yu.
"Hmm... I just bought a bunch of antiques from an estate sale from a woman who lost her husband. I found these strange letters in with what I bought. They're love letters! Don't you think it's strange? Throwing them away is a bit cold... And returning them to their owner is also kind of an admission of reading them...
Wait... Hisano lost her letters, and how many recent widows could there be in this town?
"Excuse me, but could I see those letters?"
"Hmm? Sure, kid. Take 'em."
Yu ran to the bank of the Samegawa, the letters gripped firmly in hand...
There she is! Thank god!
Yu slowed to a walk and approached and greeted the old woman. She invited him down to the usual spot...
"My, Yu-chan, those are..."
Hisano looked a little closer.
"The letters from my husband...!? How...!?"
I thought so...
Hisano nodded understandingly...
"Oh my, it must have been when he came to collect the contents of the storehouse... So that's where I kept the letters... Thank you, Yu-chan. From the bottom of this old woman's heart. I'm so happy... "
I'm glad that I could find them... I got lucky.
"... But I'm going to burn them."
... What!?
"... I'll go get some matches."
Hisano walked off...
Burn them... That doesn't seem... Hmm...? There's a postcard sticking out a little... 'The wooden well frame/I was once shorter than it/I have outgrown it/In the time that we/Have been kept apart...' And there's another... 'I want to see you so much. How much sky, earth and water do my words have to run through, on and over to reach you, my dear Hisa-san? How I wish I was this postcard.'... What am I doing, reading her lett- Oh.
You looked up and saw that Hisano had been watching him...
"... Isn't that just so sad? He had no idea that he was being deceived..."
"... Deceived?"
"I'm sure he never imagined that the 'Hisa-san' he loved would some day wish to see him dead..."
... What is happening here?
"What do you mean?"
Hisano stood still and didn't say anything. She walked next to the river and Yu followed, the two sitting down to talk...
"... He was a kind, honest and loyal man... He fell ill and became bedridden. I had to work to support our family... He would always apologize to me for failing as a husband. When he did, he would smile so sadly... His illness worsened, and he must have been scared. He began to take his fear and frustration out on me. The man who had been so kind..."
... Oh, dear... That...
"But that didn't bother me at all. I had agreed that I would work and take care of him the day we were wed. 'In sickness and in health'..."
Hisano sighed and shivered a little...
"But he forgot."
... Oh. So THAT's what happened to him...
"He forgot about who I was, and he forgot all about me. I couldn't bring myself to love him. I couldn't forgive the way he would look at me with such confusion in his eyes... And when I cried, he would wipe my tears away, like the man he had been all those years ago... I couldn't forgive that. I couldn't bear that... That stranger in his body, stealing his mind day after day. When he slept... I tried to kill him."
... Oh, no...
"... But I couldn't. While I was standing over him, he looked up.... And he smiled at me. That same smile he gave me when I was a little girl. And in the same voice he would use to tell me he loved me, he asked: 'Who are you, Ma'am?'"
... That's awful.
"That was three years ago... After that day, he would forget who I was every morning. Every day, he would ask me, 'Who are you?' And every day, I would answer: 'Who am I today?' I was a total stranger to him, until the very end... He was being cared for by a stranger as he passed away. That was his punishment. Punishment for forgetting me..."
... I don't... I can't say anything...
"... I was relieved. Before I could feel anything else... I felt relief. Relief that it was finally over, for both of us. It was then that I realized I had been wanting him to die. And because I wished it, he left this world and went to the gods... I am Death itself."
Hisano smiled sadly to herself, and asked Yu to leave her alone... Despite his misgivings, Yu left, a sixth Death card appearing before him as he went home...
... That's a cruel tale... I'd best hold onto these letters. Maybe she'll turn around...
"Oh, Big Bro! There was a sale on sashimi today! I got sticky rice, too!"
"Wow... Well, you want some sushi, Nanako?"
"Really? Thanks, Big Bro!"
Yu smiled warmly as he helped Nanako prime the rice cooker, as he prepared several eggs to make into omelettes to wrap the rice and fillings...
I'll pack some for lunch tomorrow, too- It won't be as good, but raw fish can handle a few hours in the fridge okay.
09/12 M
Cloudy
Hmm... Well, Rise looked a little deflated this morning.
Yu nodded to himself and made his way down to the first-year classrooms...
"Mmm... Good stuff! You're a culinary genius, Yu-senpai! I've eaten a lot of things working in showbiz, but yours is the best! Thanks for the lunch, Senpai. That hit the spot!"
... You're blushing something awful, Rise. Is it really that good?
Rise giggled a little, then grabbed a second piece.
... Erm, that's... An awful lot of hot sauce, Rise...
"I hope you all enjoyed the school trip. Don't you all feel just a bit more mature now that you've visited an urban area like that? Oh, by the way... That cute bear that Yu-kun had on the trip... Where'd you get that? I get soooo tempted by animals with such unique design."
Is that what you really think, or are you just trying to be younger than you are? And I told you, I made it in 'art class'.
"Speaking of bears, some species feed on salmon. And speaking of salmon, I have an interesting fact for you. They're actually a whitefish. That orange-pink color actually comes from the pigment of the shellfish they eat. Salmon roe is also affected by the shellfish. Hence, a salmon's color is affected by it's environment."
Kashiwagi tried a girlish giggle...
"The same thing goes for girls. I hope the city brought you ladies that much closer to becoming women."
Why do have to say things like that all the time? It's just getting silly at this point.
Yu decided to cut through the Shopping district on the way home, where he bumped into Naoki...
"Hey, Yu-san. You want to grab some food?"
"Well, sure."
Naoki lead Yu into Aiya and called an order out as he and Yu sat down at the counter...
"... You remember how I talked about quitting school? I told my parents my plan. They were really against it..."
That's what I thought...
"They told me, 'That's not what we want. Live the way you want to'... Then they asked, 'You hate school, don't you? You're just running away from it'. They got all suspicious of me suddenly. I wasn't expecting that at all."
Hmm...
"You probably shouldn't worry them so much."
"But I was thinking about helping out with the shop in the first place so they wouldn't worry... If I wanted to run, I could do that forever. Since everyone's being so kind to me. Not just the Health Association... The class chores, club associations... Everyone says I can just do whatever. Even the teachers just allow me to take tests home. If I show up late, if I leave early, I don't get penalized. None of my actions have consequences. I can't tell if I'm right or wrong, since everyone reacts the same either way."
Still going like that, huh... Well, it's not like everyone's just stopped talking about the case, so I guess it makes sense, even if it's not what they really should do for him...
"No one gives me orders. They just tell me to 'take it easy'. Then they take all responsibility away from me. Eventually, it doesn't matter if I'm even there. I don't have to do anything... I don't even have to exist. Am I really that pitiable...?"
Oh, man... I remember one place when I was younger where everyone just felt sorry for me when I told them about how my parents moved around...
"You're not the only one."
"... I know."
Naoki bit his lip...
"What should I do...? Should I just keep going around and telling people not to treat me special, like I've been doing? Should I act like Sis never existed? Being stared at... Being pitied... Being alienated by my friends... Should I just pretend not to notice? Until everyone gets tired of it? When they do get tired of it... Won't I be alone?"
''... I'm... Well. I know I'm not his best friend, but he'd have me. He knows that, right?"
"... I'm sorry. I'm just rambling.... I really don't know what I'm saying right now..."
Yu tried to move the conversation to lighter subjects. The two of them enjoyed a light dinner together and Naoki ultimately left in a slightly better mood. As Yu made his way home, a sixth Hanged Man card appeared before him...
That night, Yu sat down to watch the news with Nanako-
"Good evening, and welcome to Niteline's special Nitewatch Report."
Wait... Is that...?
"A suspect in the murders in Inaba was safely arrested recently. But what few people know is that the mastermind who brought him to justice was a high school detective. Tonight's report will focus on Detective Prince, Naoto Shirogane, whose handsome looks are sweeping the nation. Thanks for being on the show."
I dunno. He's kinda feminine, to be honest, but I guess it doesn't matter much if he doesn't appeal to me. I'm just a bit curious about why he's on TV...
The boy shook his head to the host...
"No, no, the pleasure is all mine."
Nanako seemed a little surprised...
"Oh! His uniform's the same as yours."
The interview continued...
"First, congratulations to you and the police for your recent arrest of the culprit. It was well-known that there were a lot of mysteries surrounding this case, and you did a great job clearing them up."
"I'd hesitate to say that the matter is 'cleared up', as such. It's true that our suspect was behind Mr. Morooka's unfortunate death. But when I cast my eye over the case as a whole, I detect a few things that seem out of place."
"Oh...? Like what?"
"Unfortunately, I cannot divulge details at this time. But this matter claimed the lives of three people. Hence, I believe even the smallest inconsistency must be investigated."
"I... I see. I have to say, this is a surprise in light of the police's official statement... N-now for our next segment, 'The Detective Prince's true identity', where Naoto-kun tells us a little about himself. Amazingly, the Detective Prince has solved a whopping 24 cases. 16 of them were..."
Nanako was incredibly fascinated.
"There's a detective at your school? When I'm older, I'm gonna go to your school, too!"
Nanako... I don't think I've got it in me to tell her none of us would be there when she gets older...
Yu and Nanako spent the rest of the night talking about her hopes for the future...
09/13 Tu
Clear
The other second-years in the Team, as well as Rise, met up with him as he walked to school.
"Hi, Senpai!"
"Yo."
Chie faced Yosuke after he and Rise had greeted Yu.
"Hey, did you see the show on TV last night? Naoto-kun was on!"
"That thing about the Detective Prince solving the case? C'mon, we're the ones who actually caught the killer."
That's exactly the problem.
Yukiko focused her eyes a little.
"But the police were the ones who identified the suspect, and he was cooperating with them on it, right? So it's true that he helped solve the case."
Chie nodded along.
"I'm kinda surprised, though. I didn't think he was the type to go after the spotlight like that."
"Good morning."
Speaking of...
"Good morning, Naoto."
Naoto walked from the direction of the school, wearing his blue dress shirt...
Hmm? Surely he knows that school's...
"I've been waiting for you all. There's something I need to discuss with you regarding the case."
"Well, what do want to know?... And why aren't you in your uniform?"
Naoto glared at Yu, not so much threateningly as in determination.
"Could you please indulge my current theory on the matter?"
Yu nodded.
"... First, as regards commonalities between the victims, all of them were kidnapped before they were murdered. The victims were all locals who had been the focus of media attention, becoming suddenly well-known... That is the most likely scenario. I don't believe there's anything intrinsically unique about the victims themselves... Haven't you all come to the same conclusion?"
... He's staring right through me. Might as well tell him what he already knows.
"... Yeah, we did."
"Then, allow me to state my point. Will you admit that a number of you fit these identical circumstances?"
The group seemed a little surprised by his statement.
"There was a long interval between the second and third deaths in this case. But after I applied the aforementioned criteria, I discovered several similar disappearances had taken place. Yukiko Amagi. Kanji Tatsumi. Rise Kujikawa. All of you disappeared shortly after being shown on TV... Either you escaped death somehow, or you faked your own disappearances in order to divert attention from yourselves... Since some of you had ties to the victims, there came a point where I suspected one of you must be the culprit."
Come on, Naoto. You can't think that.
Chie seemed to agree-
"You thought one of us was the killer!? You can't be serious!"
"This was a prior theory, since discarded. Putting together everything I've learned until this moment, I believe exactly the opposite."
Wait... How could he have...
"You aren't the culprits. You may, in fact, be the only ones with the means to pursue the true perpetrator... Seen as a joining of forces between the rescued, everything falls into place... Of course, this is all just speculation."
ACCURATE speculation, though. I'm very impressed.
Naoto faced away from the Team...
"There is a flaw in the theory. It doesn't account for the third incident... Mr. Morooka's murder. He was never broadcast on television, and neither did he ever disappear. We must also consider the condition of his corpse.The first two victims are still listed with an unknown cause of death..."
Shadows destroying them in the other World.
"... But Mr. Morooka died of an easily identifiable blow to the occipital cranium. The police have not satisfactorily resolve this discrepancy, yet they are desperate to close this case. Further action will be nessacary to obtain some sort of decisive evidence."
Chie cocked her head.
"Further action...? What do you mean?"
... Oh, no.
Naoto took a deep breath.
"Well, whatever the outcome, the evidence should come to light... You said something interesting to me not long ago."
Naoto began to walk away, but Yosuke stopped partway-
"Hey, where are you going?"
"This is not a game for me, either..."
Yukiko gazed worriedly at the back of his head as he left...
"Naoto-kun...?"
After school that day, Yu met up with Chie on the way home.
"Yooo, Yu-kun. You doing anything?"
"Not at the moment."
"Then, uh... You wanna train?"
Yu smiled slightly and nodded, as he felt Triglav slide into place, bringing him a little closer to the Chariot...
"Hwaaaaaaata!"
The rock Chie punted flew in a tremendous arc, landing on a rock on the other side of the Samegawa and ricocheting into the middle of the water...
I'm... Amazed. Those're some legs she's got... Dammit, that sounded creepy, even to me.
After training, Yu went with Chie to the Central shopping District for dinner at Aiya...
"Hmm... Steak bowl or a combo plate... The ultimate decision..."
... Well, it was the combo polate last time, so so I'd guess it'd be steak bo-
"S-stop it...!"
"Shut up, dumbass."
"Yeah, that's right. We all know it's time to cough up... What?? This's it? Quit bullshitting us."
... What the hell's going on in that alley?
Chie's eyes widened.
"Th-that voice.... It can't be...! Let's go, Yu-kun!"
Yu and Chie ran to where the voices seemed to be coming from, spotting three young men around a boy their age...
"Takeshi...?"
... What the hell? That asshole?... No. Don't think about it like that.
The punks seemed to notice the pair running up to them, but Yu couldn't make out what they were saying. Once they arrived, Takeshi stuttered Chie's name and ran behind them...
"Hey! Whaddaya runnin' for? Gonna hide behind a girl, huh?"
Oh, man, you just dug your own grave, pal.
Chie faced to Takeshi-
"Are you alright?"
"I-I'm fine... Y-you've always been good at stuff like this! Th-they took all my money. You're gonna get them for me, right!?"
Chie nodded. "Well, it does tick me off!! Hey, cowards! Ganging up on one guy... You oughtta be ashamed!"
"T-take care of them for me!"
Wh- That asshole ran off!
Chie seemed surprised, too...
"Uh, wow, that was fast!... Sheesh! C'mon, what's the matter? Let's throw down!"
The punks' apparent leader wiped his nose on his wrist.
"Huh? What's with this bitch? Y'think you're all that? I ain't afraid to hit a girl... We'll kick you're ass!"
Shitshitshit! Well, I'll never get Chie or these assholes to back down-
Yu ran a little in front of Chie and stared the punks down-
"Huh...? Yu-kun?"
After a few seconds, the leader turned away from the pair...
"What a pain in the ass..."
"Yo, that guy who ran away might call the cops."
"Ugh, screw this. Let's go."
The punks ran off, Chie taking a few steps after them, before stopping...
"Hey, hold on! Wait!!"
... Well, I'm glad this didn't get violent, but then again, they got away...
Chie stared at the ground for what seemed like a long time...
"What the heck... Running away when you step in... Why'd you butt in!? What, you thought you couldn't leave it up to me!? I could've handled them myself!"
Chie caught her breath and seemed to realize what she had said...
"... Sorry. I charged in by myself... Caused you trouble..."
Chie...
"It wasn't trouble."
You were standing up for what you believe in... I just didn't want to see you hurt.
Chie blushed...
"... Thanks."
"Don't think that just because someone tries to help you means you're not good enough. I certainly don't think that."
"... You're right, huh? I gotta remember I'm not alone... It's always like that. Everyone's doing their best... Then I start to worry that it's all up to me... And I've gotta work harder... I worry that someday, I'll end up causing even more trouble, like I did today... Heh... I'm so stupid."
... Don't say that.
"Yu-kun... Thank you. Umm... Uhh... N-never mind! I need to think harder, instead of moping!... Though I'm not too smart!"
"... Well, Aiya has takeout. I'll pay."
Yu wound up walking with Chie until the paths home split. As he made the last stretch home, a seventh Chariot card appeared before him...
That night, Yu decided to continue his work as a Tutor, Cu Chulainn bringing him a little closer to the Tower...
"... So, that make sense?"
"Yeah, I think so... But why would you ever need to figure out something like that?"
Yu tried to keep going with that night's subjects...
09/14 W
Rain
Yu overheard a pair of girls chatting outside the gate on the way into school...
"Hey, did you see that show on TV? The one about the Detective Prince's secret identity? Naoto-kun is so cool!"
"Yeah, he really does have it goin' on, doesn't he...? He's really young to be a detective, too! He's cute, but he has this aura of mystery about him.... That's cool, too!"
"You think he'll be at school today?"
... He's gotten absurdly popular, hasn't he? Then again, so was I, and that faded pretty quick. Come to think of it, Rise's not treated like such a big deal anymore, either... Huh.
After school, Yu wandered around for a little while...
Naoto's missing today, too... This is getting really suspect. Well, I guess Il know for sure at midnight...''
Yu sighed as he made his way to the Shrine in the Shopping District...
"Wow, the town is getting excited. I don't really know much about Naoto-kun's interview, but... Well, it's a fact that he helped solve the case, so it's no surprise he was interviewed for his contribution. And I'd rather have people excited about things like this than all the bad news, you know."
Yu nodded along to the detective's words...
Why are you hanging around Rise's place, though? You get a bonus and decide to spend it on tofu?
"Yip!"
The Fox nuzzled with Yu a little after he reported that he had gotten another request completed.
"You've been getting a little friendlier lately, haven't you? Hey, you think you could give a better discount on those leaves than usual? I get the feeling we'll be needing them in greater supply soon."
The Fox turned its head away...
"... Thought as much. Well, I can still scratch your ears, right?"
The Fox yipped again.
That night, Yu found himself readying for the Midnight Channel...
It's raining again... It's been a while...
Yu closed the curtain to his window and stared at his TV. An eerie pale yellow light filled the room...
... That's... I can't say for sure, but that head shape makes me think they're wearing a hat...
*PI-PI-PI! PI-PI-PI!*
Yosuke...
Yu answered his phone.
"Did you see that? Someone did show up. Now that the killer's been caught, do we still gotta worry about the Midnight Channel...? But then, someone said the blurry image seemed like an advance notice... What exactly is the Midnight Channel, anyway? Did it have anything to do with the murders? Argh, this is so frustrating...! Hey, what do you think? Did you recognize who appeared just now?"
... Both Naoto and Dojima theorized the Mitsuo only killed Morooka. Considering everything that's happened just recently, I think they were right. And that means...
"I think that was... Naoto."
"Naoto? Why would he show up on TV? Now that you mention it, I wonder what he thinks about the Midnight Channel... Ugh. I don't get this at all. It's gonna keep nagging at me, I can tell. I'm sure the others saw it, too, so let's get together tomorrow and talk about it. 'Night."
... Yeah. It's late, and he's getting flustered enough as it is. I can give my theory to everyone tomorrow.
"... Yeah, 'night."
Yu closed his phone and went to bed...
09/15 Th
Rain
After an uneventful day at school, the Investigation Team, minus Teddie, met up in room 2-2...
"So... About the Midnight Channel last night..."
Chie seemed confused and somewhat depressed, a sentiment echoed by Yukiko's tone-
"I wonder who that was..."
Yosuke pressed his fingers to his temple.
"I talked to Teddie, and he says no one's entered the other side..."
"Well, yeah. The killer's been caught."
Yosuke nodded to Rise.
"Yeah..."
Everyone stared at Kanji, who had himself been staring at the floor for a while...
"... Huh? What's up?"
"C'mon, get with the program. You saw the TV last night, right?"
Kanji stammered a little in response to Yosuke-
"So? 's got nothing to do with us. The killer's behind bars, man. You guys are overreacting. That shit Naoto said didn't make any sense, either, so there's no use getting worked up about it."
"Huh...? Naoto-kun?"
Yukiko looked quizzically at Kanji.
"Uh, no, well... How do I put it...?"
... Ah.
"You were still wondering about what Naoto said?"
Yosuke laughed a little.
"So you're still hung up on all that stuff."
"That's- I ain't hung up on it!"
"It's all okay, we all understand. Just don't go overboard, man."
You really shouldn't tease him like that, Yosuke. I think it's kinda cute.
"You little... I said that's not it! Tch. I got stuff to do. I'm outta here."
... Can't say I wouldn't be mad, too.
Chie gave Yosuke a disappointed look.
"Stop bringing that up, Yosuke. You know he doesn't think it's funny."
Yu nodded as she finished.
"Ooh, what? What? Did something happen between Kanji and Naoto-kun!?"
This is a dangerous situation.
"W-well, that aside..."
... Thank you, Yukiko...
"... Is it me, or does the town seem kinda strange lately? Everyone is in high spirits for some reason, and they all talk about other people, but never themselves."
Chie cocked her head a little.
"Really? I don't think it's anything special. Now that the murder case is solved, people feel relaxed, that's all."
Rise nodded.
"That's how society is. They all just want to get in on the latest trend. People getting excited fast and lose interest even faster. It goes round and round. There's no underlying reason for it."
It's kinda depressing when you phrase it like that, though.
Yukiko shook her head.
"I dunno... It still seems a little too weird... It's like... They're all afraid of something."
Everyone seemed to stare in confusion at Yukiko...
"Oh... Sorry. I just had this feeling.""
"... Huh."
Yosuke spoke up after Chie seemed to clam up.
"It's gonna rain again tonight."
"Then we check the Midnight Channel, just to be sure."
I never managed to get my theory in. Well, I hope they won't need to hear it after tonight, but I get the feeling they will...
Yu continued staring at the rain as it pattered against the window, before closing the curtain once more and staring at his TV. An eerie pale yellow glow flooded the room...
A laboratory...?
A boy in an oversized labcoat walked to the center of the screen...
"Good evening, everyone. I am the Detective Prince, Naoto Shirogane."
... That's what I thought.
"Welcome to 'Experiment of the Century: The Genome Project'. I will be experimentor and experimentee in a forbidden, yet wonderful bodily alteration process!"
... That's not at all what I expected. Then again, expectations shouldn't mean anything for something like this.
"You shall witness my departure into a new realm... The moment of a new birth! From the chosen day forth, I shall walk a completely different path in life...! And I will share this glorious occasion, this memorable day, with all of you! Do stay tuned!"
... Just what the hell is this Shadow rambling about?
*PI-PI-PI! PI-PI-PI!*
Kanji?
Yu answered his phone.
"Hey! Izzat you, Senpai!? N-Naoto was just... H-he...! So 's mean he was kidnapped. You said people only show up clearly on TV once they're thrown into that other world, right!? Hell's going on!? I though we caught the damn killer!"
"Calm down. We'll discuss this all tomorrow."
"Oh, I-I'm sorry! Being a detective, solving cases... It ain't worth shit if he gets himself kidnapped... Damn, that idiot pisses me off! Anyways, I'll be sure to help get the gang together to meet first thing after school!"
"Alright. Be absolutely sure to get some sleep."
Yu hung up and went to bed...
09/16 F
Rain/Clear
Yu overheard a pair of students talking on the way to school...
"It's been raining for a few days, but I heard it's finally supposed to clear up this afternoon."
"Really? Then I don't have to cancel my plans. You know there's a holiday next week, right? I promised my girlfriend we'd go to Okina together that day. I was worried that it might rain all day... Phew!"
"What? If that's the case, then I hope it never stops raining! Rain like a waterfall so his day gets cancelled!"
... It's a little mean to joke like that. But... If it's drying up all day long, that means the fog probably won't condense tonight. Thank goodness for that...
After school, the Team met up at the Junes Food Court...
Yukiko's voice was grim and factual..
"Last night on TV... That was Naoto-kun for sure."
Chie seemed more panicked than anything-
"What's the verdict, Teddie? Is he really in there?"
"I do smell someone."
Yosuke fumed.
"It's just like before... Nothing's changed."
"Like... Before..."
Yukiko's eyes suddenly shined in realization.
"Of course! That's why Naoto-kun appeared on the news so suddenly! He said something didn't seem right, and that he wasn't convinced. He also believed that people who are kidnapped appear on TV first, remember?"
Which means...
"... So, he decided to use himself as bait. We came to the same conclusion he did- That those who became famous locally on TV would disappear not long after. I think he may be trying to prove it himself."
Chie's eyes widened after Yu finished.
"You mean he got kidnapped on purpose!? That's crazy... He could be killed!"
"He said, 'This is not a game for me, either...'. It's all my fault... I'm the one that said that to him..."
Kanji had been visibly tensing up as Rise spoke. When she had finished, he slammed both fists into the table.
"That idiot! Why didn't he just tell us!?"
"He knew we'd stop him if we did... Instead, he left us clues so we could figure it out and-"
Yosuke wasn't calming Kanji any...
"I know! That son of a-"
Chie tried to change topics slightly-
"B-but... What about the killer the police are holding now? Mitsuo did kill King Moron, right?"
It's entirely unavoidable at this point.
"Yes. But that's all he did."
Yukiko seemed to catch on first.
"I get it now...! I remember Naoto-kun mentioning this! He said it was strange that the police were able to identify the cause of Mr. Morooka's death!"
"Then is King Moron the only one Mitsuo killed...!? That'd explain why there were no signs of King Moron being thrown into the TV... The killer didn't change his methods for King Moron... It just seemed that way 'cause it was being done by someone else!"
Exactly, Yosuke. Now that I think about it, even where his body was found sticks out- A water tower isn't connected to communications the way a TV antenna or a telephone line.
Rise grew a look of determination.
"Then whoever kidnapped Naoto-kun... That's the real killer!?"
"B-but wait a sec... Didn't Mitsuo say he was the one behind it all? Why would he take the blame for someone else's crime? Isn't that weird? And they said on the news that the culprit confessed to the other murders, too... There's also something else that's been bothering me, but... Um..."
Chie... How do I explain-
"To hell with someone who's behind bars! If we don't get off our asses, that stupid Naoto's gonna die in there! We gotta go find him!"
Despite the way he burst out, everyone nodded to Kanji in agreement before heading for the Electronics Department...
The Team had arrived in the entrance of the World Inside the TV. Rise had summoned Himiko and was scanning for Naoto...
"Someone's definitely in here. And the world seems to have grown larger..."
"That's amazing, Rise-chan! There's no way my nose can pick up that much. Shall I give you a massage?"
This isn't the time, Teddie.
Yosuke seemed to agree.
"Don't bother her."
"... It's the same as last time... I know he's here, but I can't tell where... I need something that'll help me understand him. I need some clues. Without that, I have no idea which way we should look."
"Dammit... There's too much we don't know about that kid. But if we don't do something, he's gonna..."
Chie raised her voice slightly at Kanji's worrying.
"Hey, snap out of it!This is just like all the other times. Let's not panic. We'll keep an eye on the weather and do this like always. We'll save him, no problem! First, we need to look for something that'll help us locate him."
"I-I know... I wasn't panicking. We know he's over here... So all we gotta do is get him out."
Rise dismissed her Persona...
"I'm sorry I couldn't find him... All I need is some kind of hint to help me understand him better. Then I could find him for sure!"
Yu shook his head very briefly at Rise.
"Don't beat yourself up over it. We'll all work as hard as we can to find the info we need."
"Naoto-kun? He's gotten pretty popular, hasn't he? Well, I heard a rumor that there's this girl who saw something peculiar about him... I think she's hanging around the Practice Building this time of day."
"Thank you. Excuse me..."
Geez, what IS it about Naoto that's got half the girls drooling after him? Well, whatever.
Yu made his way into the Practice Building...
"You want to hear about Shirogane-kun? Oh, this is interesting! I saw him get really angry. I'm not sure what it was about, but he was with a policeman. I wonder what happened to make him shout like that... This was in the Shopping District a while ago."
Naoto getting angry? Like, angry-angry and not just annoyed?... I guess it happens to all of us, but it just sounds odd. I'd better investigate...
Yu found a police officer talking to a salaryman in the Shopping District...
I hope this is guy... In a town this small, it probably is.
"Excuse me, sir-"
"What do you want? I'm in the middle of something here, so don't bother me. If school's out, go home already. I swear, kids these days..."
... Well, screw you, too. Okay, gotta think...
".... Yeah... I guess it'll be no good unless we act like we're Naoto-kun's friends and we're worried about him... Like, 'Naoto hasn't been to school recently and we're worried. Is he busy with police work?' Why not ask something like that?"
"... That's a really good idea, Chie. Thank you."
Duh. Yu, you're supposed to be the leader here, so why not act like it when it really matters? Chie, once we're done rescuing Naoto, I'm getting you five steak bowls. Hopefully, not all at once...
"Eh? What do you want?"
Good, good, he doesn't seem to recognize me.
"You got some business with me, kid?... Just because I don't look it, I'm still busy, y'know."
"Sorry- You see, I'm friends with Naoto Shirogane, and he hasn't been showing up for school recently. Is there a reason for that?"
"Shirogane?... I haven't seen him at the station lately, either. Funny, it wasn't that long ago that he'd be around well into the night, looking through the files. Even if he was satisfied with the case's outcome, he seemed to be so focused that I thought he was obsessed with it."
Hmm... Obsessed... Maybe I should find another officer...
Dammit! I can't find anyone... I guess... I can come back tomorrow.
Yu sighed in resignation as he made his way to his home, when-
"Oh, Yu-san."
"Hey there, Naoki."
Naoki brought Yu with him into Aiya, where the two of them sat down at the counter and ate.
"Um, sorry about last time... How I kept talking about all that nonsense... I want to apologize for that."
"I don't mind."
"... You're so strange. You don't distance yourself from me like everyone else... Or preach to me like you know everything... I feel comfortable around you."
I've dealt with things you wouldn't ever believe. Being nice to someone who needs it is probably the easiest thing I do in a month.
"... You know, I like cream puffs. I know, it's kinda girlish. Anyway... There's a good cream puff shop by our house, so every once in a while I'll buy some and take them home. If I put them in the fridge, Sis would eat 'em."
... Huh.
"She'd make up some lame excuse like, 'I ate them for you since they were about to expire'. So we'd always get into fights over the cream puffs. But now... The cream puffs don't disappear. I bought some, and they expired in the fridge. When I saw that, I thought, 'Oh, maybe.... Maybe Sis isn't here anymore', y'know. So I threw them away."
... What do I even say to that?...
"I told you before, 'If you asked me if I hated the killer, the answer is 'no''. The truth is, it's not even a no... I don't know anything. I have a meaningless daily life... Just confused parents and a dark house. Just rotting cream puffs... How do I get out from that...? What would be best for me, for Sis...? I just don't know."
He's... He's almost certainly heard people tell him to take his time. But it's been months-
"Find a way to take action."
Naoki sighed and nodded...
"I know... I know I'm stagnating. I know it's not good, I know I need to move... I know all that... Come to think of it, Sis would sometimes bring back cream puffs from her job at Junes. We'd sit around and talk about how theirs tasted bad. She would do stupid stuff a lot, but sometimes acted like the elder sister... That always irked me. Next time... Could you go to Junes with me?"
The Fool nodded. Yu and Naoki sat in silence for a while after that, an island of calm in the busy restaurant...
When the time came to part, Yu saw a seventh Hanged Man card appear before him as he made his own way home...
That night, Yu decided to continue his work at the hospital, Succubus bringing him a little closer to the Devil...
Yu finished cleaning up one of the hallway windows and started walking to his next spot, when he spotted a doctor and a nurse in the hall...
That's... Sayoko...
"Oh, you there. Sorry, but can you take this person to the..."
"I'm fine."
"B-but your face is so pale... You are aware that you've gained something of a reputation recently, right? I'm not the only one who would rather see you return to the easy-to-work-with-Sayo-chan from not too long ago..."
"... I have work to do. If you'll excuse me."
The doctor walked off. Sayoko herself walked towards Yu...
"Don't tell me you're slacking off, too..."
The nurse sighed.
"I know I'm getting nowhere... But I have to do it..."
I've never seen someone this tormented. She seems like she'll come apart any moment...
"... Excuse me. Good bye, now."
Yu stood stock still as he watched Sayoko storm off, before deciding to return home. Despite the tenseness of the situation, an eighth Devil card appeared before Yu on his way home...
09/17 Sa
Clear
"Did you all have a memorable summer vacation? I had a beautiful time in Egypt. Ahh... The people were very kind to me. They were probably able to sense my deep appreciation and love for their history. I even found some things with my dowsing rod that I- Shoot, I almost forgot I'm supposed to be lecturing. So, our next chapter is going to cover... The Age of Exploration. Then let us start with a question, to see if you are all awake and ready to learn. Hm... Destiny wills me to choose... Miss Chie... No, Mister Yu."
... Geez, you sure can drone on about Egypt.
Yu stood, ready for his question-
"Magellan is known for making the first voyage around the world, but what was his motive for doing so?"
Didn't he die partway through, though? Anyway, I'm almost certain it was-
"To profit from the spice trade."
"... Good job, Yu. You could become a historian if you wanted to. You're right. Magellan began his voyage to obtain a massive profit through the spice trade. Even though he was driven by money, his greed change3d the entire world's perspective. Similar incidents can be found in Egypt as well... Let's move on with a few examples of it..."
... At least you're honest in your deep rooted, obsessive near-madness.
Finally out- Now, to see if I can gather anymore info...
Yu wandered the Shopping District for a short while, before finding another policeman standing at a corner...
"Excuse me, sir."
"How can I help you? Did you see someone suspicious?"
"My friend Naoto Shirogane hasn't been coming to school lately. Is something keeping him at the station?"
"Eh? That kid is skipping school to do his investigation...? What's his problem, really? The department has all but closed the case. Just 'cause he's not satisfied... Sheesh. All we wanna do is shut the book on this thing so we don't have to deal with it anymore... I wish he'd let it go already. No wonder the whole department treats him like a kid. He's getting all worked up over nothing. That's why everyone gives him the cold shoulder, ya know."
... That, and he seems to be more concerned about doing his job right than most of the force. But... Hmm... An obsession with the case, and everyone on the force treating him like a kid...
Yu thanked the officer for his time and walked a ways away, then pulled out his phone.
"Yosuke? Help me call everyone up- I think I know what Rise needs to look for..."
Yu's Level: 48
Current Personas
Oukuninushi
Succubus
Hokuto Seikun
Black Frost
Cu Chulainn
Dis
Dominion
Triglav
Parvati
Leanan Sidhe
Genbu
Hanuman
Social Links:
Fool: Rank 7
Magician: Rank 7
Priestess: Rank 6
Empress: Rank 6
Emperor: Rank 6
Hierophant: Rank 9
Lovers: Rank 7
Chariot: Rank 7
Justice: Rank 9
Hermit: Rank 7
Strength: Rank 6
Hanged Man: Rank 7
Death: Rank 7
Temperance: Rank 8
Devil: Rank 8
Tower: Rank 7
Star: Rank 5
Moon: Rank 6
Sun: Rank 8
Comments
