06/19 Su
Cloudy
Yu awoke from a lengthy sleep.
Still stiff from the water yesterday. Oh, well.
Yu powered on his TV and was bombarded by an incredibly catchy song.
"Here comes Tanakaaaaa, Over the airwaves to youuuuu!"
That song is amazing. But why...?
Chie and Yukiko are spending the day together... And I'm still pretty upset with Yosuke from the campout...
Yu walked to the Shopping District and met with Kanji, who was standing in front of his family's textile shop. Yu felt King Frost fall into place, making him a tiny bit more in tune with the Emperor...
Kanji asked to go to Aiya for lunch...
That poster... 'Rainy-Day Beef Bowl Special! Do you have the Courage, Knowledge, Understanding and Diligence to overcome this incredible challenge from the Meat Dimension!?'
What a bizarre slogan. But then... Meat. Dimension. Wow.
"Man, I'm starving for some Chinese! But if I eat and then go home, I can't finish Mom's food... She serves so much, you'd think I have five brothers. I think she's tryin' to make my stomach burst."
Well, I... I guess I can't really relate.
Suddenly another customer walked in. He spotted Kanji, and walked near him...
"Aren't you Kanji Tatsumi? What're you doing here?"
Kanji's arms tensed up.
"Can't you tell? Eh? Hey, you're a cop. What do you mean, what am I doing?"
"Just what I said. There's been quite a commotion around here lately."
You really think Kanji could leave no evidence of a murder, even if he were an actual gangster?
Kanji respond to the officer with indigence.
"Well, maybe if you did your job, things'd get quieter, huh?"
"Y-you need to fix that attitude."
Getting all panicky from a fifteen-year old... Is Dojima the only competent officer on the force?
The plainclothesman sighed.
"Oh, well. Just don't pull anything, got it?"
"I didn't..."
"Ugh. I'm gonna go eat somewhere else."
Kanji hunched over the counter and bunched his hands together.
"Asshole... The cops're always like that. Soon as they spot me it's 'Whaddya doin'?' 'You look suspicious' and alla that bullshit... Meh, I used to it... Sorry for gettin' you mixed up in this, Senpai... I really am just a trouble maker. For you and for Mom."
Kanji sighed.
"Well, Kanji, I think you just need to change that, right? And you've already made progress on that."
"Y-yeah, huh? Filial piety, right? I don't really know what to do..."
Wow. Kanji's got quite the vocabulary.
Kanji looked up a little.
"Well, or so I thought. I'm gonna use this power I got to make this town peaceful! I've been causing nothing but trouble, but now I can finally return the favor! So let's go for it, Senpai!"
"Yeah. I'm counting on you, Kanji."
As the friends turned to face the kitchen, Yu saw a second Emperor card appear before him...
Kanji spoke up.
"... Hey Chief, the food ready yet?"
"Huh? You ordered something, Kan-chan?"
"I told you not to call me Kan-chan! And I did order: Liver-leek stir fry and potstickers! Tch! I'm gonna tear your store apart so fast you won't have time to file for insurance!"
Yu spoke quietly to Kanji.
"You just need to make a change, right?"
"Oh, uh, well... Yeah! i'm gonna tear it apart and rebuild it twice as good! I-I'm gonna RENOVATE your ass!"
Progress!
That night, Dojima returned home with a full spread from Junes for dinner. Yu and his...
Family. Yeah. Definitely.
Watched the news as they ate. An entertainment program was on the channel. A spokesman was talking about...
"That concludes Rise Kujikawa's statement regarding her temporary leave of absence from the entertainment industry. We're short on time, so if anyone has any remaining questions, we ask that you keep them brief."
Hmm? I thought she was pretty popular. I wonder why she'd drop now.
After a bombardment from a few magazine and TV journalists, about the state of her physical and mental well-being, Rise Kujikawa barely managed to stammer out that her health wasn't an issue...
Another reporter brought up a rumor that she'd be staying with relatives who ran a traditional tofu shop in Inaba...
Wait, what? How did Coolest get that kind of personal info?
The agency spokesman told the journalists off, asking them to stop, then called an end to the press conference angrily...
Nanako turned to her father and Big Bro...
"Is Rise-chan quitting her job on TV?"
Dojima just sighed.
"Who knows... But if this is her hometown, we'll have to deal with everyone who's trying to get a glimpse..."
And with that, a commercial featuring Rise herself came on...
Wow, it's like night and day, comparing her interview and her diet drink ads... Who thought she was a good spokesman for that? I doubt she's been overweight a day in her life...
Dojima muttered about how Rise's arrival would stir up the town even more, along with the murders...
06/20
Kanji met up with Yu on the way to school...
"Yo, Senpai!"
The Emperor let out a huge yawn.
"Oh, sorry. I haven't completely woken up yet... Oh, yeah, the Shopping District seemed different today when I was passing by... Like, everyone was really hustlin' more than usual... I wonder what's going on."
"I smell a case behind it..."
"'Smell'...? Many, you sound like Teddie. I don't think the cops're involved, though... Guess I'll ask around a little more."
After an uneventful school day, the Investigation Team's second-years all gathered around Yu's desk to talk about the case, when Kanji walked into room 2-2.
"Yo."
Man, it feels weird being the only one sitting down... Well, good to see him taking an active interest here.
Chie smiled and complimented Kanji on how much more often he was coming to school.
"Yeah. It's this annoying thing called the mandatory attendance policy."
Yosuke started to talk about how seeing Kanji campout, reminded him of the campout, before Yu and Kanji reminded him that they weren't going to talk about it again...
I still want to like you, Yosuke. Don't talk about that.
The group talked about the news recently.
"Oh, right, that stuff about Rise Kujikawa talking a break from showbiz. I wonder why. She was just getting popular lately..."
Chie seemed a little bit concerned. Yosuke decided to add his thoughts...
"Just goes to show you that being an idol is tough work."
"Hmm? I've heard her music a few times, but is she really that popular?"
"Huh? You don't know? Dude, what's wrong with you? She's all over the media!"
Well, excuse me for being dragged cross-country every six months. I had other things on my mind.
Yosuke calmed down a little.
"It hasn't been that long since her debut, but at this rate, she'll be a top-class idol in no time. T-to be honest, I'm a fan, too! She's such a cutie-pie!"
... What am I supposed to say to that?
Chie responded first.
"A cute pie? What are you, 80? Well, I'm pretty sure she used to live here, so she must have a lot of local fans."
Yukiko followed up.
"The news said she's going to her grandmother's tofu shop, right? Do they mean Marukyu...?"
Everyone confirmed that Marukyu was the tofu shop in the Shopping District...
"Wait, does that mean I can meet Rise if I go to her tofu shop!?"
Oh, dear... Yosuke's getting all giddy...
"Can I meet, her too?"
After a short refocusing from Chie, everyone talked about her potential risk. Yukiko had done some research, and discovered that Mayumi Yamano and Rise Kujikawa had no prior connection, beyond appearing on the same show once or twice.
"Even so, she's the talk of the town now, even if she's been an idol for a while. She could easily be targeted next..."
The group agreed that, if she were to be targeted, the killer's method would be more narrowed down, to people who were shown on TV recently...
Mrs. Nakayama, stop badmouthing people you've never met, just because they're rich or famous. And stop whining about your husband. Your fault for not even considering a divorce or reconciliation or something.
"You, Narukami-kun, you're looking especially slack-jawed today! Tell me, who said 'Law is the correct judgement of the state?"
"That was... Socrates, wasn't it?"
"Oh, so you knew, huh? Yeah, Socrates accepted an unjust execution. That's just how it goes. Sometimes, we have to accept things as they are, even if they're a pain. And for all you ignoring me, this'll be on the test, so i hope you listened!"
Yu spotted Saki Konishi's brother standing alone in the hall...
He's just staring out the window...
"Naoki."
"Hmm? Oh, Yu-senpai. What's up?"
"I wanted to talk."
At that moment, the intercom system called the Student Health Association to report to the infirmary...
Great...
"Well, let's go."
"No thanks, I'll go by myself."
Suddenly, another Health Association member ran up to Yu. Morooka said he was filling in for another absent member today...
Naoki laughed, and said he'd show up a little later...
Everyone in the Infirmary started whining about having to take inventory, and how half of them were missing...
"And Naoki Konishi! He's never here! I hear he even gets homework exemptions!"
No.
"You guys just stop that. Insulting someone behind their backs..."
"It's okay. I don't mind..."
Naoki entered the room...
"Oh, uh... Sorry. I didn't mean to kill the mood."
And Naoki left.
That was weird...
Yu went through an awkward day's work with the Student Health Association...
Yu saw Naoki by the after he finished his work...
I wonder why?
"You didn't go home yet?"
"... I didn't want to just leave when everyone else was still working. I just felt like I..."
Naoki spotted something on Yu's sleeve.
"Oh, you must've spilled something on your shirt. Must've been the inventory work. I'm sorry. I was supposed have helped with that... Here, use this."
Naoki handed Yu a handkerchief, then quietly asked Yu to leave...
That night-
Aww, dangit. I forgot to give the handkerchief back. I'll have to tell him tomorrow.
Yu decided to spend some time talking with Dojima...
06/21 Tu
Rain
The rain isn't stopping... The Midnight Channel should be on tonight. I'll have to see...
Yu left the school building.
Yu called the Fox at the Shrine that day. He spent a little time under the awning of the Shrine with the animal, who was a little more receptive to pets that day.
You're very interesting, you know that? If only you could talk, I'd be happy to listen to any stories you have.
The fox yipped.
Yu had returned home, and chugged a glass of water in seconds.
Licking a bag of wasabi. What was I thinking!?
Yep, it's still raining... I hope nothing comes on, but I bet something will...
Yu stood in front of his TV and watched...
A girl in a bikini... I'm not supremely familiar with her, but I'm pretty sure that's Rise.
The image zoomed in a little...
It's focusing on her chest and thighs... Real classy. And I never got to see her face...
Yu's phone started ringing...
Yosuke. Right on time...
"Hello!? Hey, did you see that!? That was Rise for sure! Rise Kujikawa!"
Yu sighed.
"Yeah, I think so, too."
"Yeah!... Oh, I guess I shouldn't be so excited. There's a chance she might get kidnapped... C'mon, we should go tomorrow! What was that place... Marukyu Tofu! Dude, my heart's pounding already..."
"I'll be sure to bring my defibrillator. See you tomorrow."
06/22 W
Cloudy
After an uneventful day at school, the Investigation Team met up around Yu's desk again...
So, you all just sorta decided that it's cool that I'm the only one who sits down during these meetings?
A small group of students stood in room 2-2's corner and talked about the crowd that had gathered around Marukyu Tofu...
Chie was the first to speak.
"Well, that makes sense... But was it really her on the Midnight Channel? She seemed... Different."
"It was her, no doubt! Her curves, her posture... Even her beautiful, slim legs!"
Calm down, Yosuke. This ain't helping your reputation, especially after the Camp-Out.
Chie expressed her disgust at Yosuke's... INFATUATION with Rise, but everyone agreed that she was a target.
"I don't really care about celebrities, but I've got nothin' better to do. Sure, I'll come along."
Kanji's pretty excited to have a mission with us...
"Sorry, but me and Yukiko have plans. Give us a call if anything comes up."
Chie and Yukiko left...
"Well then, shall we be going? But let's be clear on one thing: We're not spectators."
Well, two of us aren't spectating, at least.
Adachi is hanging around here... Waving a red police baton... He somehow looks like more of a tool than usual...
The guys had arrived at Marukyu in the Shopping District...
"Hmm? Oh, it's you guys. Ai yi yi... The gawkers keep streaming in with their cars, trying to park in the middle of the Shopping District."
"Why's that?"
"Don't you know? Rise Kujikawa's here. Hey, did you see her already? Is she there? Which is it?"
"Huh? We're asking why a plainclothes detective is here doing traffic control."
"Oh, um, uh, well... The Inaba Police Department isn't that big, and we don't have enough staff..."
... I can see that, yeah. But you'd think they'd have temporarily demoted a patrolman, not a detective. You that much of a screw-up, Adachi?
Adachi excused himself, and went off to the corner of the Shopping District and the road north of it...
"Kanji, dude. You managed to scare off a police officer on active duty..."
Yosuke, he's trying to get away from that reputation...
"I wasn't trying scare the guy away, I just said what I was thinking."
The guys decided that the police might think she was the next target...
"Alright, outta the way! Hey, Adachi!"
Well, shoulda known... If Adoofus is around, so'd Dojima...
"Dammit... I told him not to leave his post... What?"
Oh, great, an interrogation...
"Kanji Tatsumi!? Are you friends with those two?"
"Like it's any of your business..."
Dojima sighed...
"... If you say so. So I'll ask again: What are you all doing here?"
He's staring into my soul... He'll see right through a lie...
"... We came to see Rise."
"...Hmph."
Yosuke tried to justify the situation...
"W-well, who wouldn't wanna come check out if they found out an idol's family ran an odainary tofu store? I'm, uh, a big fan!"
Dojima sighed...
"Fine. But remember, she might be a celebrity, but this is her home. Try not to bother her too much."
"... You hear that, Yosuke?"
Kanji interrupted before Yosuke could respond.
"That cop's your uncle eh? So, what the hell was that about? Are you guys under suspicion...?"
"Well, they did take us in, once..."
"Yeah, Yosuke here thought flailing a couple of swords around the Junes Food Court was a great idea one time..."
"Well, there's a lot going on... And we can't exactly tell him about the other world without looking even more suspicion..."
"Eh, you got a point there, Yosuke-senpai."
The group overheard a few other spectators complain about Rise not being in the shop...
"Man, just the old lady. Risette isn't here at all..."
"I guess it was just a rumor that she'd gotten here already... Well, it was fun while it lasted..."
With that, most of the crowd left...
Yosuke complained about it being a rumor, only for Kanji and Yu to rebuff him for giving up so easily...
"Yeah, right... Well, now that all those people are gone, we might as well buy something..."
He's been avoiding tofu for a while...
"Maybe we should grab some ganmodoki..."
"How'd you know I can't eat tofu? Wow, that's considerate of you."
Lucky guess.
"Wait, what's ganmodoki again? Is it the kind with a rice cake in it?"
Kanji responded...
"There's no rice cakes in 'em... They're sorta like... Fried tofu patties with veggies and stuff mixed in, and..."
Kanji gave Yosuke a crash course on ganmodoki, before the three went in...
Yosuke spotted the worker inside...
"Sure enough... The only one here is your typical old lady..."
Really? I know she's wearing a really loose work outfit and a bonnet, but I'm pretty sure that's not an old lady...
Kanji told Yosuke that he should have asked if she were in the back, then did so himself, only for another woman to approach him...
"What the- Then, who's that?"
The first worker turned around...
Yep, that's her...
"... What?"
Kanji walked up to the girl and asked if she was Rise.
"Yeah. So?"
Yosuke got excited...
"No way... Are you really Risette?"
"What do you want?"
Wow, she's really glum in-person...
Yosuke barely stammered out a a request for tofu.
"Tofu? Which kind? If you're going to eat it by itself, you should go with silken. Momen's better for cooking... Depends on how you use it."
Yosuke panicked a little, then stammered asked Kanji to order something.
"Wha-!? Why're you making me do it!? You already picked ganmo a second ago!"
Kanji faced Rise and placed an order for three ganmodoki. Rise left for the tofu bins...
The group talked a bit about how she acted nothing like she did on TV, before Yu reminded them why they arrived...
"Have you seen anything weird lately?"
"Hm? Weird? Like stalkers? Are you guys fans of mine?"
Kanji spoke up.
"I wouldn't say 'we', but yeah, dude over there's a big fan."
"You little...! Why'd you let that slip!?"
"'Her curves, her posture, even her beautiful, slim legs'... Ya finished checkin' em out yet or what?"
"Aaah! You're doing this on purpose, aren't you!? I didn't say that! I never said any of that!"
Yosuke explained that Inaba had been a little dangerous lately, and that the group was investigating some stuff. Rise was a little confused, but seemed to understand most of it. Yosuke also told her about the Midnight Channel...
"Oh, that thing that was on last night? Yeah, I've seen it. I heard the rumors from some friends of mine. But that girl last night wasn't me. I've never been filmed wearing that swimsuit. And the bustline... Mine aren't that big."I-I mean, what am I saying!? U-um, I'm sorry...!"
"... Don't apologize so much. You're funny."
Wow, she smiled. And she called Yosuke funny... Huh.
"What is that show about, anyway?"
How to put it...
"Well, we're not to sure, either... But we think it might be connected to that stuff that's been happening. That people who show up on the Midnight Channel are the ones who'll get kidnapped next."
"I know it's sudden, but we're not lyin'"
"Yeah, that's why we thought you should know about it."
Kanji and Yosuke backed Yu up.
"Huh... So, it wasn't a dream. I was tired yesterday, but I couldn't sleep. And it was raining, so I decided to try that rumor I'd heard about... Hmm... Alright thanks, I'll be careful."
Rise returned from the tofu bins at the front of the store.
"Three ganmo! That'll be 600 yen. There's extra tofu in there for everyone... A little thank-you for worrying about me."
Wow, when she's a little happier, she's... Cute. Really cute.
"Thank you."
"Whoa, seriously? Thanks!"
Yosuke's still really giddy...
"Hey, uh, Yosuke-senpai. You can't eat tofu, right? You want me to take yours?"
"Hell no, I always eat what people give me!"
Now I know why Yosuke will be covered in hives tomorrow... Well, what to do with this tofu?
Yu wound up receiving some additional tofu from Dojima that night...
I guess he talked to Rise, too... Hmm... If I deep fry some, and marinade some in miso, and maybe mix some strawberry jam into the silken... Yeah, this'll work...
"We sure have a lot of tofu."
Nanako grabbed another piece of fried tofu with her chopsticks and ate it...
"Yeah, it tastes great."
I don't like that tone. Dojima's got something to say, and I don't think it's a compliment...
"You visited Rise Kujikawa today. What did you talk about?"
Rise wouldn't know to keep my investigation work under wraps... He knows...
"A little gossip, some about the cases..."
" told you to keep your hands off this. Listen, this is a job for the police."
Dojima sighed.
"Forget it, I shouldn't have brought it up..."
"You guys met Rise-chan!?"
Nanako's so excited...
Dojima just sighed again...
"Yeah..."
"... Are you... Fighting again?"
"Of course not. Here, hurry and finish your dinner."
Well, this night got rather tense... Right, It's raining tonight. I'd better head upstairs after cleaning up the dishes...
Yu checked that it was still raining out his window, then walked over to his TV and stared...
A pale yellow glow filled the room...
Still focused on her chest and thighs... Wait... That's her face! It's Rise, definitely!
I'd better call Yosuke...
Yu got out his phone.
"Hey! We were right about it being Rise Kujikawa! The one on tonight seemed a lot creepier than the real Rise, but you could see her face clearly. There's no mistake..."
"Let's get the Team together as soon as possible tomorrow. See you then."
06/23 Th
Rain/Cloudy
The Investigation Team gathered at the Junes Food Court immediately after school.
"That was undeniably Rise Kujikawa last night. We even saw her face."
And a few too many perverted close-ups elsewhere.
Yukiko nodded after Yu finished.
"So now we know one more thing. The ones that the culprit is targeting are..."
"People who've been broadcasted on TV."
"Exactly! So know we can rule out the assumption that all of the victims are connected to the incident with Ms. Yamano!"
Good thing Yosuke's keeping up.
Yosuke confirmed that Rise was still at the tofu shop.
"So, I'm guessing that the 'TV show' doesn't appear until after the person enters the TV."
Everyone talked about Teddie's theory that the show and its "set" were a person's own creation upon entering the World Inside the TV, and the victim on the show was truly their Shadow, showing their true feelings...
I think we guessed this all before, but having more solid evidence is always good.
Chie was confused by the fact that the victims appeared on the Midnight Channel when they're still in the normal world, when it was still static-y and hard to make out. Yosuke agreed that it was odd, like a ransom note or advanced notice...
"I wonder why that is."
"I dunno, ask the killer. There's a buncha stuff I still don't understand."
Still, Chie raises a good point. Yosuke, you really need to think a little more sometimes...
Yukiko theorized that, perhaps, the early Midnight Channel "shows" showed the culprit's true feelings, as the later ones did for the victims...
"The killer can through people into the TV, after all, which must mean that they have the same power that we do."
Chie tried to confirm Yosuke's theory.
"So, when the killer thinks 'I'm going to attack someone now', that's what we see on the TV?"
"Well, if we're going to go that far with it, maybe that world is... Hmm... Like, a mix of the minds of the victims and the killer. Or maybe it's everyone's minds?"
"Hmm. It sounds crazy, Yosuke, but, considering how they appear on the Midnight Channel first after becoming the talk of the town... I think so, too. But why...?"
Chie sighed.
"As always, nothing makes sense. Hey, Kanji-kun, you still with us? You haven't said a word yet."
"Whaa...? Uhh... Well, um..."
"You weren't sleeping, were you!?"
Ease up, Chie. But that's bad form, Kanji. Really bad form.
"O-of course not! I was, uh, lost in thought."
The upperclassmen sighed.
Everyone wished they understood more about the Other World.
"I mean, Teddie's explanations have so many 'maybe's in them that I don't understand the first thing about it."
Aside from the stuff we just went over... Yeah, Chie, we don't really know much at all...
Yukiko was a little solemn...
"Why would the culprit throw people inside the TV in the first place?"
"They must know by now that people die when they're there long enough... There's no doubt it's attempted murder. So the TV's a good way to do that, because the police can never prove anything about the crime."
Yosuke was followed up by Kanji.
"Murder, huh? So the killer's got a grudge against certain people? Well, there's a shitload of people who've got my number. How 'bout you, Yukiko-senpai? Anyone hate you so bad they'd get rid of you forever?"
"No."
Chie got a little nervous.
"Uh, Yukiko... There's always a light chance and you just don't realize it. But if we're trying to think of a common grudge someone would have against all of the victims... I'm drawing a blank."
A TV announcer, an unlucky high school girl, an inn heiress, a punk-ish son of textile shop owners, and now, a popular idol... There's virtually no connection, outside the Midnight Channel...
Yosuke voiced his confidence.
"We've now got another shot at the killer. We can leave the motive aside for now. Once we catch 'em, we'll make 'em talk. The only thing we're sure of now, is that Rise is in danger."
Chie's eyes almost glowed.
"Wait, so, we get to do another stakeout!?"
"Hell yeah! This time, we'll catch 'em in the act!"
"Alright then, guys. Let's move out!"
Wow, I really threw myself into it, there...
The group wound up heading to Shiroku first...
"We gotta go with donuts and milk."
Chie's really got a plan for all this...
"You said it! There's no better meal than that for a man on a stakeout. Oh, and throw in some disposable diapers."
No. Yosuke, you're being a dip again.
Chie seemed to agree.
"For what!? They don't even sell those here!"
Right then, let's leave them be... I wonder if they stock those longjohns here? Those're pretty good, plus, if I only get those for myself, Yosuke'll have no excuse if he eats one...
As the group payed for their purchases, Adachi walked into the shop...
"Huh? What brings you here?"
"Oh? Uh, well... I'm doing legwork. Ugh... What'd I do to deserve a babysitting detail...?"
"Hm?"
"I-I mean, it's nothing major. It's not like Dojima-san ordered me here. So what're you kids up to? Buying snacks?"
So, you're slacking off?
"The five of us were just about to head to Marukyu Tofu."
"Oh. I see... H-heyyy! I'm on my way there, too!"
Chie perked up a little.
"Oh, then why don't we go together? C'mon, he's a detective on active duty Not a bad guy to have around!"
Then again, this guy's nearly worthless at his job...
''So, she's still here? That's good... I think she'll be safe, since she doesn't seem intent on leaving... Still, Yosuke keeps forcing the three of us guys to walk past the shop on a stupid loop.
"Don't stop! The culprit might get suspicious!"
"We've walked past a few dozen times, already. If he's here, he'll have noticed."
It's not like Kanji or I exactly disappear in the EMPTY STREETS. You've barely been around, too...
Adachi walked out of the shop's open doors.
"Come on out, you bastard! We're ready for you..."
"Oh, look!"
Look where, Yukik- Oh, what the hell.
A rotund man with a backpack and glasses was desperately clinging to a nearby telephone pole. Upon being spotted, he slid down to the ground and ran off. Chie and Kanji lead the charge after him...
"Hey, he's getting away!"
"Get back here! Stop running, dammit!"
The group had cornered him at the southern intersection to the Shopping District...
That's a camera, alright... Creep.
The man panicked.
"D-don't come near me!"
"Shaddup! What kinda idiot would listen to-"
"I-I'll do it, y'know! What're you gonna do if I get run over!?"
Adachi shouted at him.
"N-no! If the suspect gets injured, the police'll be held responsible. They'll get really angry and... Um..."
No concern for him getting hit? I mean, he's a pervert at best and a murderer at worst, but still...
"I'll do it, i swear! S-so get outta here and stop chasing me!"
Oh, great...
"Yosuke, you and Kanji need to tackle him from the front, as carefully as you can. The three of us together should be enough to detain him..."
"Got it! You hear that, Kanji?"
"Sure did!"
And with that, the three of them grabbed for the suspect and hauled him further into the Shopping District.
"H-how dare you assault an ordinary citizen like-"
"Shut the hell up, murderer! We're takin' your punk ass in!"
That's a bit melodramatic, Kanji...
"Wha!? Time-out! What do you mean, 'murderer'!?"
"It's no use playing dumb!"
No kidding, Chie...
"I just really like Risette, so I wanted to take a peak into her room! Look, see! All I've got on me is a bunch of cameras!"
Adachi stepped forward.
"Yep, you're the culprit, alright. No two ways about it. All right, I'll take it from here. We'll hear your story down at the station! Ohh, how I've always wanted to use that line!"
"Please, let me go! I didn't do anything wrong! I-I know for a fact it's not a crime in this country to take secret pictures!"
Still playing dumb... Or, maybe, I'm just getting caught up in the moment...?
Adachi retorted.
"Hey, don't you understand what's happening here? You're under suspicion of murder! Come with me! We'll talk about this later!"
And with that, Adachi handcuffed the strange man...
"Wow, that went better than I thought! What a coup! I gotta thank you guys for all you're help! Well done!... But you really should stop getting involved with this stuff. It's dangerous. I know Dojima-san was worried sick."
The detective turned to his new charge.
"C'mon, let's go!"
And the two marched off...
Well, I hope that's taken care of... But... I can't help but feel like I'm just taking an easy way out...
Yosuke sighed.
"That's it?"
Kanji tried to focus on the current facts...
"The rest is up to the cops..."
"Looks like the killer was a pervert, just like we thought. Wait... Does that mean the case is closed? Seriously!? Awesome!"
And Chie was ecstatic...
The five followed Adachi, then decided to let Rise know they caught the...
Killer? Or just some stalker? This ain't adding up...
Rise's grandmother met Yosuke just as he was about to ask about Rise.
"Of, did you come to see Rise? She seems to have gone out, unfortunately... She does that sometimes. She'll just wander out, without a word... You must forgive her. She's quite worn out, in many ways."
"She left without saying anything?"
Adachi lead the creeper away, extremely proud f himself...
The group went to look for Rise, but after hours of searching, they couldn't find her anywhere...
Yu spoke to his friends.
"... Let's keep an eye on the Midnight Channel. I'm not completely sure this is all over, anymore."
It started raining again... I'd better check the Midnight Channel... Rise, please, don't show up on it...
Yu stood in front of his TV, as a pale yellow glow filled the room...
Yep, that's her... Same bikini and everything... Dammit...
"'Maru-Q! Push Risette!' Good evening, good evening! I'm Rise Kuchikawa!"
Aaand a creepy up-pan from her legs...
"This spring, one young girl levels up to become a high school idol... Yayyy!"
Wow, her other self has... Rather strange speech patterns...
"So today, I'm gonna celebrate by pushing the limits of Standards & Practices!"
Crap, this is getting more like Kanji's...
"Does everybody know what time it is? Showtime! Show what, huh? Hmhmhm... E-very-thing!"
Shit. Line's been crossed.
"Eee, how embarrassing! Is this too hot for TV!?"
Yes.
"Well, if a thing is worth doing, it's worth doing all the way! I'm gonna bare it all for you! Heehee! Stay tuned!"
This is going downhill really damn fast.
Yu's phone started ringing...
Yosuke... Right on schedule.
"Hey, d-did you see Rise!? I-is she serious about baring it all!? Is it me, or are these shows getting crazier and crazier!?"
"Calm down."
"Y-you're right... I'm starting to get the hang of this... Her Shadow self is probably doing whatever it wants again. But man... We couldn't prevent the kidnapping this time, either... Even when we know who the target would be. That detective from this afternoon was no help at all... I guess we'll have to do everything ourselves..."
"No kidding. See you tomorrow, Yosuke..."
06/24 F
Clear
After school that day, the Investigation Team went to the World Inside the TV...
"Heeey, Teddie! You okay?"
Chie was trying to be friendly...
"I wasn't crying..."
Teddie suddenly fell over onto his stomach...
"Everyone was having fun out there. You forgot about me... I was abandoned."
Damn, this bear has issues.
"No, we would never do that!"
After apologizing to Teddie, he explained how depressed he'd been.
"I heard voices from your world... They were all having so much fun... And I was lonely. So lonely, I wanted to cry... But I couldn't..."
LOTS of issues.
"Well, you ARE hollow inside..."
"Shut up! Stop saying I'm hollow!"
That was pretty mean, Yosuke.
Teddie continued to wear his heart on his sleeve, until Chie and Yukiko decided to give him a pet each...
"Can I try scoring with you two, someday?"
Chie laughed.
"Sure, go right ahead!"
Wow, no yelling?
"Ugh... Can we please drop the whole 'scoring' thing?
And Yukiko's still a bit sensitive about that... Understandable.
Everyone discussed the current case, and determined that Teddie would need more information to track Rise down...
"I'm getting to be a less and less useful bear... Soon, you all will throw me away..."
"That's not true, Teddie. Take it from me, huh?"
"Sensei... I can stay with you all...? Thank you!"
Figures we'll have to hunt for clues... Oh, well... At least he's feeling a little better.
After the others had left, Teddie talked to Yu...
"There's a lot of things I don't understand..."
"No need to rush it- I've got your back."
"Thank you beary much. You're really kind, Sensei... I'll try even harder from now on!"
Time stopped, and a card bearing the number 'XVII' an image of an astral body appeared before Yu...
Thou art I... And I am thou...
Thou hast established a new bond...
It brings thee closer to the truth...
Thou shalt be blessed when creating Personas of the Star Arcana...
A wave of light particles flowed out of Teddie's eyes, and into Yu...
"I'll be waiting for you here..."
"Huh? Well, Rise's blog said she's got a lot on her mind nowadays... If you wanna know more, maybe you should ask someone in the media. I'm just a fan."
"Well, thank you..."
Yu turned away from the portly student and made his way for the Shopping District...
A lot on her mind... Might not be enough for Teddie, but could be useful in info bartering...
Yu was scanning the Floodplain...
Rise's grandma said something about a paparazzo hanging around here... And that he was really interested in her...
Yu spotted a man, and talked to him...
"The paparazzi? I don't know much about them, but I've seen one here sometimes... Mostly Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays..."
"Thank you. That's really helpful to me."
Just gotta kill time till tomorrow, I guess.
Yu wound up returning to school, and talked with Naoki, who hadn't left by then...
"Hey. I burrowed this handkerchief from you, and I only just now have had the chance to return it..."
"Oh... You could've just thrown that away..... That was my sister's handkerchief. My mom put it in my bag by mistake."
"Oh."
"No one uses it anymore, so... I'm sure it's glad to have been able to fulfill its duty. Thanks..."
"No, thank you."
"No... I-it's okay. Really. Oh, I'm Naoki Konishi. You heard before, I guess, but it's good to properly introduce yourself, right. I, um, apologize for saying I hated you when I first met you."
"I didn't mind. You were stressed."
"... Thank god."
Time stopped, and a card bearing the number 'XII' and an image of an inverted man caught between heaven and earth appeared before Yu...
Thou art I... And I am thou...
Thou hast established a new bond...
It brings thee closer to the truth...
Thou shalt be blessed when creating Personas of the Hanged Man Arcana...
A wave of light particles flowed out of Naoki's eyes, and into Yu...
"Last time, when I came to that meeting, I made everyone feel uneasy, right? After that, I was officially 'fired' from the Health Association. They told me not to come to meetings anymore. Well, it's my own fault... Left behind again... If it's okay with you, maybe we can hang out sometime."
Hang out. Heh. You'll never know why that's funny...
That night, Yu decided, against his better judgement, to work at the hospital once again...
I blame Vetala...
Yu cleaned the windows in the dark hallway...
It's that old lady in mourning garb again...
Yu faced the mysterious woman, who walked up to and talked to him.
"Good evening... I'm sorry about what happened last time, when I was staring at your face. You just... You look like someone I knew."
The woman smiled...
"Do you work here?"
"Only part-time..."
"My, is that so. That's wonderful... I have a granddaughter about your age... She went back home today, though. Thinking about it, meeting you here is a wonder... But I won't be coming back here anymore."
She's rather depressed-seeming... I know I'm sticking my nose in her business, but...
"We should meet again."
"Haha... This isn't a big town: We might run into each other again soon. I like to take in the sun at the riverbed when I have days off... The river sparkles so beautifully... It all feels sop good, it saddens me. Well, I'll be going now..."
And with that, the old lady left...
It wasn't long after that until Sayoko came across Yu in the same hallway.
"Great timing. That room over there needs... Oh, whatever. Just get ion there."
She's not gonna throw herself on me, is she? No, surely not...
After cleaning the empty room under Sayoko's watch, Sayoko asked him to mop the floor.
"... Don't ask what happened here."
"I'm not sure I want to know, when you put it that way."
Sayoko laughed.
"I was just kidding. The patient who was here was released today. He returned right from the brink of death!"
Sayoko smiled...
"He was a good patient, who always listened to what I said. Plus, he was the president of his company at a young age. He was handsome, didn't complain, and independent. He wanted to get back to his work... Desperately. And, thanks to his perseverance, he was able to leave even earlier than we had scheduled him to. 'Thank you for caring for me', he said, bowing to me so happily... Then he turned and walked out. He said such stupid things, like that he loved me."
Sayoko sighed.
"... Everyone leaves... They only need me when they're my patients... In the end, they all leave me..."
Explains why she was coming onto me before... Sorta.
"Why don't you change jobs, then?"
"You make it sound easy... Well, I guess it's to be expected. You're a high schooler. And it's not like you know me... I must not have been making sense. Forget about what I was saying. I'll ask another janitor to finish this room... You go on home. The streets are dark around here. You wouldn't want to get caught... By me..."
Don't smile like that. It makes me feel filthy.
As Yu left for home, he saw a fourth Devil card appear before him...
06/25 Sa
Rain
Yu was met by Chie on the way to school...
"Morning, Yu-kun. It looks like it'll rain all day today. It shouldn't last until tomorrow, so the fog's probably not going to appear, but..."
"Are you worried, too?"
"Y-yeah..."
"We'll save, don't you worry. I think I've almost got enough info for Teddie..."
"Heh, that's our Leader. Still, the stuff on the Midnight Channel's getting pretty rough... But, we can't ever get impatient! We need to make sure we're ready, and rescue her before things get completely out of hand!"
After an uneventful day at school, Yu went to the Floodplain...
A guy standing around with an obvious camera pouch on his hip... Paparazzo, for sure.
Yu approached the man, who decided that he'd trade info with him...
I don't like it, but...
"Rise's supposedly really stressed out, right now."
"Huh? I guess that's what it is, then... See, I've been trying to find the reason behind her shocking hiatus. The most convincing thing I heard is that 'Risette' got tired of her made-up personality. Her identity as an idol, as opposed to how she normally is... She couldn't stand living a double life anymore... Sounds about right. Well, you didn't give me anything new, but thanks for the confirmation. I can at least turn this into somethin'..."
Double life, huh? So, she's worried about losing her true self to Risette, huh? I think this should be enough...
Yu called up his friends, then made his way to Junes...
Yu's Level: 29
Current Personas:
Matador
Power
High Pixie
Rakshasa
Andra
Phoenix
Vetala
Lamia
Nigi Mitama
Makami
King Frost
Social Links:
Fool: Rank 4
Magician: Rank 3
Priestess: Rank 4
Empress: Rank 3
Emperor: Rank 2
Hierophant: Rank 6
Chariot: Rank 4
Justice: Rank 6
Hermit: Rank 4
Strength: Rank 5
Hanged Man: Rank 1
Temperance: Rank 5
Devil: Rank 4
Tower: Rank 2
Star: Rank 1
Moon: Rank 5
Sun: Rank 6
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