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individuationfic · 5 years

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Seeking to Seize Chapter 22

AO3

Nanako can’t stop smiling.

She’s home, finally. The nurses at the hospital were nice, but she missed home. And her daddy and Onii-chan and all of Onii-chan’s friends are here, too, and her hospital room wasn’t big enough for all of them. She feels like her family is finally coming together.

The cake the girls (and probably Kanji-niichan; she remembers the omelettes they tried making once) made is really yummy. She hasn’t had good dessert since before she was in the hospital, and it tastes so sweet she could cry. And the doll Teddie-niichan gave her feels good in her lap, even if her daddy doesn’t understand it. Her kidnapping feels like it happened a lifetime ago.

Until someone knocks on the front door.

It was the usual delivery man. Onii-chan said not to open the door for strangers, but she’s seen this delivery man a lot, so he’s not a stranger. She blows her nose, throws the tissue away, and answers the door. The delivery man’s smiling at her, but he doesn’t have a package, and then suddenly his hands are grabbing her shoulders and pulling her away from the house, and then he covers her mouth with a washcloth and she feels sleepy, really really sleepy—

Teddie-niichan’s hand on her shoulder makes Nanako realize she’s gone tense. Onii-chan and Yosuke-niichan have gotten up to answer the door, but everyone else is looking at her with worried eyes. “Sorry,” she mumbles, face heating.

“Don’t be,” Yukiko-neechan says. “It’s okay to be scared, Nanako-chan. You went through something really scary.”

Nanako takes a deep breath. “It’s just a door,” she says, trying to convince herself that’s all it is.

Onii-chan and Yosuke-niichan return, followed by a pretty blonde lady in a blue dress. Her daddy makes a weird noise in his throat. “You’re that interpreter!”

The lady smiles. “Yes. My name is Margaret. I have been helping Narukami-kun and his friends in their investigation. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Nanako twists around and sees her daddy blush. Then she looks at Onii-chan and sees the playful gleam in his eye. She takes a minute to think, then decides she wants to get to know Margaret-san better. After all, she thinks, she might be my new mommy soon.

Rise meets Kanji-kun and Naoto-san at the shrine about an hour after the party ends. She’d stayed behind to help clean up and give Kanji-kun and Naoto-san some privacy to talk first. Plus, she can’t deny how funny it was to watch Dojima-san tripping over himself in front of Margaret. I still can’t believe Yu-senpai is playing matchmaker. He doesn’t seem the type.

It may have been a mistake, Himiko says. He probably didn’t realize his uncle would be attracted to her until she came in.

Yeah, Rise admits, that makes more sense.

Kanji-kun and Naoto-san are sitting side by side on a bench near the shrine when Rise arrives. Even from this distance Rise can see how their fingers brush against each other, the blush on their cheeks, and her heart sinks. I’d better prepare for a rejection.

When he sees her, Kanji-kun stands and motions for her to take his seat/ “Did you two have a good talk?” she asks, hoping they can’t hear the emotion trying to invade her voice.

“Y-yeah!” says Kanji-kun.

“It was… enlightening,” Naoto-san says.

“And your decision?” Rise keeps her chin raised. She’ll be damned if she isn’t graceful in this. No matter what, they’re her best friends. They deserve happiness, even if it isn’t with her.

“I’ve been doin’ a little research,” Kanji-kun says, “and I think I know a way we can all be happy. Rise, have you heard of ‘polyamory?’”

The word seems familiar. “Like polygamy? I know there’s an American TV show about a man with four wives, but I’ve never watched it.”

Naoto-san snorts. “Don’t. It’s a garbage show.”

“It’s similar,” Kanji-kun says. “Except in our case it wouldn’t be me having two partners. It’d be all of us having each other at the same time. Like, uh, a three-way relationship. That’s a good comparison, right?” This last part is aimed at Naoto-san, who nods in approval.

Rise’s chest tightens. “What are you saying?” She stands, legs shaky. “I—that’s not how relationships work!” She turns on Naoto-san. “And you’re okay with this?” She’d come here expecting a rejection, expecting her two best friends to find happiness and love in each other, but here’s Kanji-kun, proposing what sounds an awful lot like an emotional threesome.

Naoto-san opens their mouth to respond, but it’s Kanji-kun who barrel in. “Three people came to Ma’s shop a few weeks back,” he says. “Two guys and a lady. The one guy—he’s the one who gave me the idea. He said it works for them. It makes them happy. They all love each other, so they’re all together. And.” He pauses here. Licks his lips. “And I love both of you. I don’t know if I could ever be happy with just one.”

“That surprisingly selfish of you,” Rise says, a little breathless. “I didn’t know you could be so selfish.”

“And I never expected you to be so stubborn,” Kanji-kun rebuts. “Naoto sees my point. Right, Naoto?”

Much to Rise’s shock. Naoto-san nods. “I like you both,” they say, “and I’m more than happy to share you with each other.”

Rise’s knees feel weak, so she sits back down. Her hand lands atop one of Naoto-san’s. She doesn’t pull it away. “How would this even work?” she asks after a few seconds. Kanji-kun says, “Communication. Lots of it.”

Naoto-san’s fingers twitch under hers until they’re entwined on the bench. “All three of us will have to be on the same page,” they say. “It wouldn’t be like an open relationship or anything like that. We’d all be committed to the entire thing.”

“People won’t like it,” Rise says. She squeezes Naoto-san’s fingers. Their hand is warm.

“Fuck ’em,” says Kanji-kun. “The important people won’t care.”

“What about marriage? Kids? Won’t this complicate things like that?”

Naoto-san exhales in a way that doesn’t quite hide a laugh. “Do you worry about things like that every time you contemplate a relationship? We’re high schoolers. Rise; concerns like that are a long way off yet.”

She blushes.

“The important thing right now,” Naoto-san says, “is whether or not this relationship is something you want. I know you like Kanji, but…” They sound shy now, and Rise can feel the sweat on their hand. “Do you like me?”

When Rise swallows, she knows the others can hear it. Then,very quiet, she says, “I think I do.”

Kanji-kun and Naoto-san both breathe out sighs of relief. Kanji-kun sits on the edge of the bench, barely even really touching it, and leans his weight onto Rise/ The touch fills her with warmth, just as Naoto-san’s did. “That’s a fuckin’ relief,” he says, and Rise can’t help but laugh. Then he says, “What will you tell your agency about work?”

“I won’t hide you,” Rise says. “Either of you. I’ll miss being an idol, but it’s not worth more than you guys. Besides,” she adds, “as long as I keep practicing my singing and I stay in shape, I can become an independent singer when I’m older. I’ll have more freedom that way.”

“I’d hate for us to be the reason you quit, though.”

On her other side, Naoto-san hums, contemplative. “Just leave that to me.”

It’s always weird to see Yukiko in her room, Chie thinks. The inn is more convenient most of the time, after all, but on Christmas Yukiko would be roped into helping out, so Chie offered her house for some private time.

Yukiko never seems to mind the mess, or that Chie’s room is so much smaller than her’s. She sitting at Chie’s desk, now, reading a book with so much intensity Chie’s worried she might set it on fire. None of their powers have bled over to the real world, but with how little they really know about Personae, it’s a possibility. Chie sets the two cups of tea she made for them on the edge of the desk to get Yukiko’s attention. “What’re you looking at?”

Yukiko blushes but closes the book so Chie can see the cover. It’s a university guide. “We’ll be third years soon,” she says, “and my parents have been asking about college plans, so I picked this up.”

Chie’s stomach drops. She hasn’t put much thought into the future this year, what with all the supernatural shenanigans. Her parents are gonna be on her ass. “What are you gonna study?”

“Business would be best for the inn, but I’m not really sure I want to take over. I’ve been thinking about studying medicine instead.”

Chie laughs a little. Because that makes too much sense to not be funny. “You’re smart enough for it. And your parents won’t be able to complain about their daughter becoming a doctor.”

Yukiko sends her a fond look. “Do you know what you want to do?” she asks.

Chie sits on the floor facing her. “I dunno. Maybe I’ll go to the police academy or something. God knows I’ve had enough practice this year.”

She means for that last part to be funny (how long has it been since Yukiko has actually laughed?) but Yukiko makes a contemplative humming noise instead. “That’s good,” she says. “Police academies are pretty much everywhere. It shouldn’t be hard to find a school with a medical program close to you.”

Chie startles and feels herself start to flush. “W-what?”

It’s Yukiko’s turn to blush as she realizes she spoke aloud. “Oh—uh—I mean…” She takes a deep breath, as if to calm herself, though her cheeks remain a fiery red. “I was sort of hoping we could move in together after graduation.” Chie finds herself at a loss for works, which Yukiko must take as a rejection, because she quickly continues. “I know it’s a long way off, and we might not even still be dating then—I mean, I hope we are, I like dating you, I don’t want to stop—and I shouldn’t’ve said anything—”

Her body on autopilot, Chie surges up. Her fingers wrap around one of Yukiko’s slender wrists and Yukiko, surprised by the movement, goes silent. “I would love,” Chie says, her voice rough in her ears, “to move in with you after graduation.” And then, before she can chicken out, she presses her lips to Yukiko’s.

Itt’s clumsy, as far as first kisses probably go. Even when Yukiko starts to respond, there’s no real coordination. They just kind of mash their lips together a few times. When they break apart, Yukiko’s face is redder than it’s ever been and her lips look a little swollen and Chie thinks I did that.

Yukiko fists her free hand in the material of Chie’s shirt. “No fair,” she mumbles. At Chie’s confused look, she continues, “I was supposed to kiss you first.” Then, quieter, “It was going to be your Christmas present.”

Chie feels her heart swell. “Well. You could always kiss me again.”

Yukiko snort-laughs and Chie’s smiling so hard her cheeks hurt and then Yukiko is pulling her face back up and they’re kissing again and everything feels right.

Yosuke can’t help but smile as Nanako-chan wiggles along to the Junes commercial on the TV. He knows he needs to be getting home soon—it’s been dark for over an hour and he didn’t tell his parents he was going to be out late—but it’s hard to tear himself away. They’ve all be worrying about Nanako-chan for so long. He almost forgets he’s just a normal kid sometimes.

A plate clatters to the floor, startling him. Oh, right, he thinks when Yu’s puzzled face turns to look at him. I’m helping with the dishes. ‘Sorry, partner.’ He bends to retrieve the plate and starts at it with his drying towel.

Yu shakes some excess suds from his hands. ‘What’s on your mind?’ he signs. ‘It’s not like you to be so distracted?’

Yosuke sets the plate on the counter to buy time. ‘I’m just glad Nanako-chan is okay.’

Yu raises one eyebrow.

‘Fine. I was wondering what you were like as a kid.’ He knows he’s blushing, and he prays Yu won’t comment on it.

He doesn’t. ‘Before I got sick,’ he signs, ‘my parents say I was a lot like Nanako. Cheerful, energetic, a little shy. Apparently I used to fake being sick to get to to miss work. That’s why—’ His hands stutter and his face falls.

‘Why what?’ Yosuke refuses to let him retreat in on himself. ‘Talk to me, partner.’

Yu glances at the living room to make sure Nanako-chan isn’t paying attention before he continues. ‘That’s why my parents caught it late. They thought I was faking again.’ He doesn’t have to clarify what “it” is. Yosuke knows Yu’s deafness stems from a childhood sickness; it’s been brought up a few times. But Yu keeps going. ‘My hearing was already going when they finally took me to a hospital. And the medication—it took the rest of it away. So, really,’ he finishes, ‘it’s my own fault I’m deaf.’

Yosuke frowns. Yu looks as nonchalant as he usually does, but Yosuke can see the real emotions underneath. “Hey,” he says aloud, mindful of the volume. Then he continues signing, ‘I like you the way you are.’

Yu’s smile is painfully tender. So much so that Yosuke is actually glad when someone knocks on the front door. In the living room, Nanako-chan whimpers. Yosuke signs, ‘Someone’s at the door. Go comfort Nanako-chan; I’ll answer it.’

Yu nods and moves to calm Nanako-chan down, giving Yosuke an excuse to escape.

The person on the other side of the door is one Yosuke’s seen around but never actually met. “Ah, Yuki-senpai, right? What brings you here so late?”

The third year raises an eyebrow. “I could ask you the same. This is Narukami’s house, right? There are a lot of things two teenage boys could be doing together after dark…”

Yosuke flushes. “Point taken. Wait here, I’ll go get Yu.”

Together they manage to convince Nanako-chan to go get ready for bed, promising a story and cuddles when they’re done talking to their “friend,” and then Yuki-senpai is sitting at the kitchen table. Yosuke, absurdly, thinks he should put on some tea before he remembers this isn’t actually his house. Instead he looks to Yu so he can start translating. “Why are you here?”

Yuki-senpai’s face remains blank. “Can’t a guy come wish his schoolmate a Merry Christmas?”

Yu’s bland stare needs no translation.

“Fine.” Yuki-senpai leans across the table to he can lower his voice. “You guys did good, getting rid of the fog, but don’t get too comfortable. There’s always a bigger fish to fry. Complacency could get you killed.”

Well, thinks Yosuke, that’s cheerful.

Jiraya chooses then to speak up. He’s correct. Were the danger truly gone, I would be, too.

What?

Personae exist to counteract threats. When the threat is gone, we’re no longer needed.

Yu’s snapping breaks Yosuke out of his own head to he can translate again. “You’re a veteran Persona user, right? Have you ever seen two people wield the same Persona?”

Yuki-senpai frowns. “No,” he says. “I—have you?”

“Adachi had a version of Izanagi.” Yu’s face twists. “It felt wrong, seeing someone else use him. Even Izanagi was confused.”

“I’ll look into it,” Yuki-senpai says. “That doesn’t sound good. In the meantime, your team should continue combat practice. At least once a week, I’d say.” He stands. “I won’t keep you any longer. Merry Christmas.”

And then he’s gone, and Yosuke and Yu have a child to put to bed and many, many things to think about.

#individuation #ao3fic #persona series #persona 4 #persona 3

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randochris · 7 years

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Persona 4 Bonds of Reality Prologue

“Dammit, what’s taking so long?!”

Yosuke Hanamura flopped onto his futon, staring daggers into the clock that hung on his bedroom wall. The time read 10:14 a.m. but for Yosuke, every minute that passed was complete agony. He had been awake since six in the morning, counting down each minute that passed.

“Aww, turn your frown upside down, Yosuke! I know Sensei is just dying to get here as soon as he can!”

The would-be picker upper happened to be Teddie, out of his bear suit. Teddie slept longer than Yosuke but his blonde hair was already perfectly styled and he was trying on different winter-friendly outfits to wear to meet “Sensei.” The chill of December could be felt even with the heater going on in Yosuke’s room.

Yosuke himself was still in the sweatpants he wore to bed but had changed into a long-sleeved tee with the emblem of Yasogami High School on the right chest. Yosuke didn’t really dress properly until it was time for him to leave the house for school or hanging out with his friends.

“Do you think Sensei is going to bring anybody along with him? He said he had a surprise for all of us. Ooh! Maybe it’s some of the beauties of the city!” Teddie swooned at the mental images running through his mind of countless girls, each more bustier than the last.

“Dude, I doubt he’s bringing girls along with him. There would be a bloodbath all over Inaba, courtesy of a certain idol,” Yosuke mumbled, feeling his body shiver.

“Aww, but they don’t have to be girls who are into Sensei! Maybe he’s bringing us some hot dates to melt all this snow!”

Would they really? Yosuke rested his head on his arms, memories of failed attempts to pick up girls bombarding him rapidly, ending with the most heartbreaking sound he ever heard in his life. A sound that would never fade…

“My motorcycle…”

Before Yosuke started to openly weep about how, even with the repairs, his scooter was never the same, the muffled chirps of a cell phone came from his pocket. He answered the phone in a low mumble without checking who was calling.

“Hello? Wassup?”

The responding voice was very loud and frenzied, belonging to a certain girl.

“Yosuke, Yu’s train got stopped! There was a snowstorm out where he was and the train can’t go any further!” Chie Satonaka sounded like she was almost out of breath like she had been running.

Yosuke sat up, his body now tense. “What?! Is he okay?”

“He said he’s fine but…but…I can’t stand around doing nothing! I’m meeting everybody at the train station right now to see if-!”

Teddie suddenly elbowed Yosuke’s ribs to butt into the phone call, cutting off Chie.

“Did something happen to Sensei?” Teddie panicked, his voice already breaking.

Chie explained the situation again. Once she was done, Teddie grabbed Yosuke by the arm and hoisted him to his feet.

“Come on, Yosuke! Sensei needs us!” Teddie heroically declared, zipping up the jacket he now put on and ending the call.

“G-Gimme a sec, you dummy, I need to get dressed!”

Damn it! I hope he’s okay! Yosuke’s mind was racing with thoughts on anything he could possibly do to help his friend, the one he calls his “partner.” The snow on the road was way too slippery for his scooter so he and Teddie hurried on foot, trying to keep from sliding and falling. It didn’t take too long before the two reached Yasoinaba Station, where most of the gang were waiting.

Everyone were all together, talking to one another in hurried voices. Rise looked visibly worried with Naoto trying to calm her down. Yukiko was trying to summon her Persona, even as Chie kept insisting that it wasn’t like the events in May. Kanji was distracted, playing with his black hair until he noticed Yosuke and Teddie approaching.

“Hey! What took you guys so long?!” Kanji said.

“Yosuke was reading his dirty magazines before you called, Chie. I was beary disappointed in him,” Teddie scolded.

“What?! I wasn’t doing anything! I’ve been waiting for Yu all morning!” Yosuke snapped.

“I just want to look good for Sensei! You weren’t dressed, Yosuke!”

“N-No, I didn’t mean YOU, I meant…” Yosuke sighed and grimaced, choosing to stay mum for his own sake.

Naoto muttered under her own breath, “I’m surprised it’s not until now that Senpai’s name caused an exchange like that.”

Rise, still flustered, pouted with her cheeks puffed outward. “I can’t believe that now, of all times, before Christmas, Senpai’s stuck out in the middle of nowhere!”

Yosuke folded his arms and looked at the others. “Have any of you heard again from him since you called me, Chie?”

Chie shook her head, digging her hands into her coat pockets. “All that he said is that the train isn’t going to be back for a while.”

Yosuke closed his eyes and sighed to himself. He wondered if Yu had already contacted Ryotaro Dojima or Nanako. Or if he wasn’t able to…

“Naoto, you have Dojima-san’s number, right? Have you contacted him?” Yosuke asked.

The detective nodded. “Dojima-san has already been notified of the situation.”

“Yosuke, I’m sure Yu-kun is fine. Just imagine that he’s right behind you,” Yukiko chirped, almost looking unfazed by their leader’s predicament.

Yosuke raised a brow at Yukiko, confused. She sometimes says odd things but Yu’s “right behind him?”

That’s when Yosuke felt a sudden rush of cold.

THUMP!!

A huge snowball hit Yosuke on the back of his head, the snow falling inside his jacket and shirt, making him shake from the water running down his body.

“Wh-Who the hell-?!” Yosuke began, turning on his foot angrily. But Yosuke’s anger didn’t last long. He was greeted by the warm smile of Yu Narukami, holding another snowball in his hand.

“Hey there, Yosuke. You look surprised to see me so early,” Yu joked.

Yosuke glanced at the rest of his friends, who all burst out in laughter, even Teddie.

“What? Why are you all laughing?” Yosuke said, scratching the back of his head to try and get some of the loose snow out.

“We’ve been trying to get a hold of you all morning, Yosuke-senpai! Did you have your phone turned off?” said Rise.

“Wait, you were calling me? I didn’t get any phone calls! …Wait…”

Yosuke dug into his pocket and pulled out his phone. Immediately, he noticed what was wrong. He wasn’t holding his orange-colored cell phone, rather, a small white one made for children.

“Teddie, did you take my phone to play your mobile games again?!” Yosuke seethed, taking his phone back.

“I can’t manage the crops in Teddieland on my phone, Yosuke! My phone isn’t as fast as yours…”

Ignoring Teddie, Yosuke turned back to Yu. “So, when did you get here?”

Yu joined everybody else, fixing his bowl-shaped hair. “About two hours ago. There really is a snowstorm going on out in the country so I took an earlier train just to be safe. It was the last one that would go before they began the delay.”

Rise wasted no time wrapping herself around Yu’s arm, rubbing her cheek on his bicep. “And not a moment too soon! The wait was un-BEAR-able!”

The pun only drew a laugh from Teddie and Yukiko while the others groaned quietly, though Yu only smiled for his own sake.

“I think it’s about time we let a certain someone know Big Bro’s home for the holidays,” Yosuke said, his usual smile returning to his face.

The group all headed off to Dojima’s house, catching up with Yu on what he had been doing in the city. The sound of snow crunching underneath their footsteps was the perfect ambience. For Yu, it felt good to be back in Inaba again. As he went through the downtown area with his friends, he noticed there was something different about it this time around. There were more decorations stretching across the street sidewalks, everything shining around the town. The local vendors were still selling their handmade goods, the most popular stand selling scarves, gloves, and knitted hats. Kanji had a huge grin on his face as they walked past…

As everyone approached the Dojima household, there were two figures out front, busy building a snowman. Ryotaro Dojima, now sporting a slightly thick beard, was adding black rocks to form the snowman’s smile while Nanako made sure the stick arms would stay up. Upon a closer look, the snowman’s head was styled to resemble Yu, complete with hardened eyes and bowl-cut.

“Wow, I didn’t know another me was staying here,” Yu chuckled. Nanako’s head turned in an instant, eyes widened in complete joy.

“BIG BRO!” Nanako hurried over and jumped to Yu, hugging him tightly. He petted her hair, still as long as it was the last time he was there. She had even grown a little bit taller too.

Dojima gave a hearty laugh. “It’s about time you got here. She’s been non-stop all day, keeping an eye out for you.” Dojima gave Yu a firm pat on the shoulder. “Everything been all right back in the city? School going fine?”

Yu nodded and added, “Top of my class, as always, Dojima-san. Though I’ve had some intense study sessions just before the break.”

Yosuke grimaced. “Ugh, if it wasn’t for the new laptop, I swear…”

Dojima’s brows furrowed. “’New laptop?’”

“Oh, yeah. Junes has been getting a lot more sales in our electronics, thanks to all of the Hashiba laptops that are out now. I managed to save enough to get a decent model. It’s easier to help Yu study,” Yosuke explained.

With what seemed like an understanding nod, Dojima added, “Right, because those…instant message chatroom something or other. I haven’t had much use for a computer outside of work.”

Naoto couldn’t help but suppress a laugh, though no one seemed to notice.

“How about you, Nanako? How’s school?” asked Yu.

“It’s been a bit tough but I’m working hard!” Nanako cheerfully pumped her fists. “Dad’s been helping me study all the time!”

Dojima scratched the back of his head, smirking. “Usually after a few cups of coffee.”

Everyone now laughed together and headed inside. Everything was still the same as Yu remembered from before. Hot chocolate was already prepared, with bags of marshmallows on the kitchen table. Yu and Nanako sat next to one another at the kotatsu, with Yu’s friends scattered about the living room, watching television while Kanji and Teddie were arguing how many marshmallows are acceptable.

Naoto was off to the side, talking with Dojima.

“…Yeah, right now he’s just been reading in his cell. He made some kind of personal challenge to read as much books as possible before his trial date,” muttered Dojima.

“As long as it keeps him occupied.” Naoto’s eyes looked downward for a moment.

The hours quickly passed into the early moments of night before Dojima received a phone call. There was an emergency at a home at the other side of Inaba, where vandals were throwing rocks at someone’s windows and scattered after the police appeared.

“Now, remember what we discussed, Nanako. Stick close to Yu, okay?” Dojima hurried to get his coat on.

“Mmhmm. Stay with Big Bro!” Nanako gave her father an encouraging smile. Dojima nodded and promptly left.

The TV channel was changed to the premiere of a Christmas themed special, a few minutes away from starting.

“I can’t believe it, my first true acting gig!” Rise was gushing with excitement, kicking her legs.

“So, uh, what the heck is this supposed to be about anyway?” Kanji sipped at his hot chocolate, Rise already looking annoyed at him.

“It’s a beautiful romantic story where a young girl, alone on Christmas, gets to spend it with the man of her dreams! It’s not a hard story to understand!”

Kanji frowned. “I can get THAT. You just never told us because it was supposed to be a big secret. Besides, I prefer stuff like Rudolph.”

Chie looked over at Rise from the other side of the couch. “How much creative input did you have with this movie?”

Rise shrugged. “Not that much as far as the story goes. Why?”

“I’m just preparing myself for ‘Rise Kujikawa Presents: Christmas With Senpai.’”

“What’s wrong with that? Wouldn’t you try to model the perfect boyfriend after Yu-Senpai?”

The heavy silence that came over the living room just then was something Yu had never experienced before. It was no secret Rise was into him but Chie usually had a comment afterwards. The girls all looked at each other, back to Yu, and then back to each other.

Naoto was the first to speak up, in her usual calm tone. “I think it’s a bit unfair to use Senpai as the highest standard possible to a significant other, as well as that person having to be ‘perfect.’ While we would like a perfect relationship, especially when it comes to romance, that’s just not possible. And…to be honest, perfection leads to stasis within the relationship.”

Yukiko nodded in agreement. “I know what you mean. Every day when I’m with Chie, it either feels like a new adventure or a learning experience. Even if it’s something mundane. Although…” Yukiko rested her chin on her hand, closing her eyes, lost in thought.

Yosuke, Kanji, and Teddie looked visibly confused, mostly from the fact that this was a conversation actually happening. Yu’s face was actually a little bit red.

Chie leaned over to Yukiko. “So, wait, are you saying everything about me, good and bad, makes every day fun…?” She said in a hushed whisper.

“Big Bro’s really nice so I can understand why you’d want boys to be like him, Rise-chan,” interjected Nanako, still having her big smile.

Rise fiddled with a strand of her hair. “It’s other things too but…you are right.” She turned to Yu. “I’m sorry, Senpai. I didn’t mean to embarrass you like this.”

“It’s no problem at all, Rise, really.” Yu waved his hand dismissively, though his expression told a different story. His eyes quickly glanced at Nanako.

Teddie was the first of the guys to finally speak up. “No need to be so modest, Sensei!”

Kanji folded his arms, with a teasing smirk. “Unless you already found a girlfriend and didn’t tell any of us.”

Yosuke shook his head, quickly cutting off Kanji to prevent the topic from stemming off into something undesirable… “Nah, Yu’s not the kind of guy to hide stuff like that.” Though none of the girls didn’t look put off by the idea.

“I really care about Senpai, but I want him to follow his heart,” said Rise softly.

“Ack!!” Chie suddenly yelled out loud, startling everyone. “THE SPECIAL’S ALREADY STARTED!”

Everyone looked at the TV, which thankfully was only in the opening credits. The special was following Rise’s character around the snowy city streets of Tokyo, admiring the decorations much like Yu did earlier. The golden lights shined in her eyes and everything around her was grand.

But suddenly, the broadcast went to static. No weather warning or anything indicating a technical error appeared on screen. Yu pressed buttons on the TV remote but no other channels appeared. Out of instinct, he checked the time and it was nowhere close to midnight…

Suddenly, a very faint image started to appear, silhouettes walking around. Crackling voices could be barely made out but none of them said anything coherent.

“…stop them…interfering with…shape…the world…” said a cold voice.

“Big Bro, this isn’t the special, is it…?” Nanako asked, though she looked like she already knew the answer.

The lights in the Dojima residence went out, while the glow of the TV screen became brighter. The living room started to shake with a faint wind pushing towards the TV, pushing the kotatsu.

“E-Everyone! Outside!” Yu yelled, helping Nanako up and hurrying towards the front door. However, the front door suddenly flew away from the pair. Looking around for anything to hold onto as the wind started to pick up speed, Yu clasped onto the edge of the kitchen sink, Nanako wrapping her arms around his chest.

“What the hell’s going on?!” Yosuke grabbed the other side of the sink, Chie hanging off his shoulders. Yukiko then jumped onto Chie, while Kanji held onto the fully stocked refrigerator with his long arms. Naoto and Rise hung off both his biceps and Teddie clutched onto Kanji’s hips, almost making him fall over.

“T-TED, THAT TICKLES!!” Kanji tried not to laugh, keeping his grip on the refrigerator.

The wind started to violently knock things over and pick everybody up from off the ground, pulling them towards the television. Something about the wind made it feel like the small TV was going to accommodate everyone if this was heading where Yu believed it was. Everyone still held on with all their might, but the refrigerator door opened, violently jerking Kanji to one side. Desperate, he grabbed Yu’s legs by the ankles.

“S-SORRY, SENPAI!” Kanji bellowed.

“D-DON’T LET GO, KANJI-KUN!” Naoto yelled.

Right besides Yu, Yosuke yelped. His side of the sink deteriorated away and found himself hurling towards the TV. Chie and Yukiko screamed in fear, digging their fingers into his shoulder blades. Just like a knee-jerk response, Yosuke managed to grab Teddie by the back of his jacket, though it was too loose to keep steady.

With a loud yell, Yosuke, Chie, and Yukiko flung towards the television, disappearing into the light. Nanako cried out in fear, while Kanji’s fingers were slipping.

“S-SENPAI, I CAN’T HOLD ON!” Kanji’s fingers brushed against Yu’s feet and now he, Naoto, Teddie, and Rise found themselves pulled into the light.

“Big Bro! I don’t want to die!!” Nanako held on as much as she could. But everything near Yu’s hands had disappeared as well. All he could do now was hold Nanako close to him.

“Whatever happens Nanako…I’ll protect you!!”

Everything around Yu’s eyes was enveloped in light.

He felt weightless. He could feel Nanako’s face still pressed against his chest.

This was not the sensation of death. It was similar as to when Yu and his friends entered the TV world.

But wherever Yu and Nanako were going, along with the rest of their friends, there was no guessing in what awaited them.

Yu was blinded by a very bright light before everything around him turned a vibrant blue. He realized he was once again within the Velvet Room. His heart was at ease as he sat across the inhabitants of the Velvet Room, or at least two of them. The bizarre looking old man with a very long nose known as Igor and his assistant Margaret, whose elegance continued to radiate as strongly as ever, gazed straight at Yu.

“Welcome to the Velvet Room. This place exists between dream and reality, mind and matter…as I am sure you remember,” said Igor, in the same tone and rhythm as Yu had heard before.

“It is a pleasure to see you once again.” Margaret bowed her head.

“As an esteemed guest, you are always welcome here. It has been quite some time since your last visit. The strength of your bonds were tested heavily, and you were able to display unwavering determination at preserving them. You are most likely wondering what brings you here once again.” Igor maintained his usual smile, with his hands crossed together.

“Your destiny extends far greater than the boundaries that your world possesses. That also includes the threats that may come upon your world. The wind that whisked you and your comrades away from your world was not of anything you have come to know in your previous quests. A strong power, elsewhere, has become drawn to you. You will soon be entering a new reality that is both closely similar and radically different to what you’re used to. What you do once you arrive is entirely up to you. Your choices from hereon will determine what comes of the multiple planes of existence that you may or may not have thought about.” Margaret finished her explanation with a small chuckle. “It will be interesting, to say the very least. While the new world you will arrive in is not closely tied to the Velvet Room, you will be able to return, if you require assistance.”

Yu, who had not been able to feel any words forming in his throat, could only watch as Igor and Margaret become enveloped in the same light, once again…

So, I’m trying to get back into writing once again. Forewarning, this story will feature my OCs. Not OCs specifically built for Persona so I’m not going to be destroying any ships. But this is just to help motivate me to do something. Please give me feedback and share if you like it!

#Persona 4 #fanfiction #Persona 4 Bonds of Reality

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ask-the-phan-site · 5 years

Text

Phan Cam: The Fight Before Christmas (Part 4)

NOTE: Some characters will not be shown wearing formal attire. So I must ask that you imagine how they look as they are described. Thank you.

NOTE 2: Before we begin, we would like to inform you that we know about the ban of Tumblr content and to let you know that we are in full support of lifting the ban. Don’t worry, we’re on your side.

WARNING: This post is pretty long since we tried to squeeze in a lot that’s happened.

>Shibuya. More specifically, the Wilton Hotel. The Fight Before Christmas Opening Party was going into full swing. The Investigation Team came in first in the lobby.

>Yu was dressed in something he borrowed from his uncle, Yosuke was dressed in a regular black tuxedo, Kanji was wearing a fine black suit, and Teddie was in his standard human form clothing.

>Chie was dressed in an orientle Chinese dress that was green with golden lining and golden flowers (thanks to Kanji), and black shoes. Yukiko was dressed in something similar to her summer clothes. Rise was in her Sapphire dress. Naoto was dressed in a fancy white dress (she was a bit embarrassed about wearing a dress). And Nanako was like Yukiko and wearing something similar to her summer clothes.

Here we are! I can’t believe I made it.

You deserve it, Chie. You’re one of the best fighters I know. We all know that.

(rubbing his bottom) I can believe that.

Chie: (upset) What’s that suppose to mean!?

Yosuke: (nervous) Nothing. Nothing.

I wonder when they’ll get here. They said they were coming.

Oh, there they are!

>Our van comes up to the entrance. We, along with Boss, came out.

Valet: Park your vehicle for you, sir?

Really? I normally self-park, but I guess this once. How much is the tip?

Valet: ¥700.

That much!?

>In defeat, Boss pays the man and he parks the van.

Boss: How I’d let you talk me into this, I’ll never know.

Relax, Sojiro, at least you’ll be getting free food out of this.

>With that, we head inside where we meet the others.

Rise: Hi, guys! I like what you’re wearing.

Thanks. They were a gift from ALTUS.

Rise: Really!? How come ALTUS never gave us anything fancy?

Yosuke: She has a point. We’ve been making money for them since 2008.

Chie: Really? I thought it was since 2011.

That was when our story took place. The release date of Persona 4 was in 2008.

Rise: Well I still think they should give us a gift for all we’ve done.

Maybe if they make a Persona 5 Arena... Maybe.

Anyway, let’s head inside. If Kanamin Kitchen is in there, I’d love to meet them... Not that I unhappy you’re here, Rise chan.

Rise: (scowling) You better.

I’m sure he will. Actually, Ryuji here has decided to become an idol himself.

Rise: Really?

Ryuji: That’s right. I want to be so great, even DearDream and KUROFUNE would be impressed.

Rise: That’s great. You know, if you ever need tips, you can ask me.

Thanks, Rise senpai.

Rise: You hear that, Senpai? Now I’m the senpai.

Yu: Congratulations, Rise.

>With that, we head inside the Wilton Hotel. Inside, the opening party was in full swing. The place was packed with fighters, their sponsors, their supporters, and lucky fans. I’m surprised they managed to fit in the Christmas decorations and the tree. After much walking around, we managed to find Joe, Ryuichi, Setsuko, Yuta, and two old men who I can only guess are Setsuko’s father and Mr. Takizawa, Joe’s coach and Maki Takakura’s father.

(in a tuxedo... and not happy in it) Hey, guys!

(in a cream suit with a red tie) So these are the guys you told me about.

Yes. It’s a pleasure to meet you George Takizawa.

(wearing a purple frock with gold earrings and black high-heels) I just want to thank you again for deciding to do this.

Makoto: Actually, I’m earning the money for something else.

Setsuko: Yes, Yuta told me.

Mr. Takizawa: I hope your aikido instructor will be fine.

Makoto: It’s alright. He said that if there’s any money left over, he’ll give it to you for Yuta’s treatment.

Setsuko: Thank you.

(wearing a light blue dress-shirt and a black tie under a red sweater vest, tan pants, and black shoes) Do I really have to wear this? I can’t feel pain, but I do feel silly.

Joe: You and me both.

(also in a tux) You both will be fine. If you two can pull it off at the wedding, you can pull it off here.

I actually know how you feel. I don’t normally wear something like this.

Ryuji: I bet you wanted to wear a kimono or something.

I think you look good in it, Yusuke.

Thank you, Ren.

>He really did look good in that suit.

Ryuichi: Hey, are those two...

Joe: Speaking of clothing, what’s with the mask?

Soul Taker: The identity of Soul Taker must remain secret.

Yosuke: (confused) Dude, it’s only covering half your face.

Soul Taker: Hey, that’s how ALTUS made it.

Yusuke: I brought my mask as well to show support.

I wish we’d done the same.

Makoto: Maybe for New Years.

Thanks, Mako chan.

You’re welcome, Haru.

Ryuichi: Are they also...

Is that all you’re going to ask tonight?

Chie: Yeah, you should be more careful of what you say next.

Yukiko: (intimidating) I’ll crush you in one strike.

Akechi: Anyway, there’s Sae san over there.

Yu: It looks like she’s speaking with Mitsuru san and Akihiko san. Let’s head over there.

Kanji: You guys go on ahead. I just want to do some last minute fixes.

Rise: Again?

Naoto: I told you, that suit I had was just fine.

Kanji: No way. This is a formal event. I don’t think anyone would be happy with that.

Yosuke: And this coming from the guy who came with his bleached hear and piercings.

Kanji: (angry) What was that?

Yosuke: (scared) Nothing.

Nanako: I like it. It’s like Beauty and the Beast.

Kanji: (a little happy) Th- Thanks, Nanako.

Naoto: (blushing a little more) Yes, thank you.

Setsuko: See, Dad? It’s not so bad dressing nicely.

... I think I’ll be fine.

Joe: You go on, too. We just want to look around for a bit.

>With that, we leave to join Sae, Mitsuru, and Akihiko.

(wearing a tight black dress under her coat) Really, you would take the case for us?

Yes. You have the same power Makoto has. I think it would only be fair to help you out.

Mitsuru: I see. Thank you, Niijima, for your support.

Good. This case has been going on for a while.

Makoto: Sis!

Sae: Makoto, you’re here.

Makoto: I overheard you talking about a case. Is something wrong.

Sae: Nothing you need to worry yourself now.

Mitsuru: So you must be Niijima’s sister.

Makoto: Yes. I’m Makoto Niijima. You’re Mitsuru Kirijo, the head of the Kirijo Group and leader of the Shadow Operatives.

Mitsuru: Yes. I’ve seen you’ve done your research quite thoroughly.

Makoto: Well, Yu and his friends told us much about you last year. It also helps that Futaba contributed as well.

You know you really need to improve your security algorithm. It only took me less than 5 minutes to hack in.

Mitsuru: I see. I’ll make sure of it. You must be Wakaba Isshiki’s daughter.

Boss: I’m also her guardian.

Mitsuru: Sojiro Sakura. You must have been a good father to Futaba.

Futaba: He’s been the best.

Thanks for that.

Mitsuru: Good... Now tell me, you, like us, also have Personas?

Soul Taker: We have.

>We began explaining our story to Mitsuru and Akihiko. Of course, we sometimes go off topic and speak of other things... Like that silly useless ban on Tumblr content. We also explain about the cognitive psience.

Mitsuru: I see. That’s quite the story. We knew of the Persona and Shadow activity here in Tokyo for sometime, but we were preoccupied with other things at the time. Forgive us.

Soul Taker: That’s alright. You probably had your hands tied and couldn’t do anything.

I guess it’s party my fault. I caused all of those incidents making people have psychotic breakdowns and mental shutdowns.

Haru: That’s only because Shido made you do it. You’re just as much a victim as anyone else.

Akechi: I know. And you all helped me. Thank you.

Akihiko: I’ve heard that you have some pretty strong Personas. I’d like to see that in action.

Yu: Yes. We saw just how powerful their Personas are.

Mitsuru: Yes. It sound like you would become valuable assets to the Shadow Operatives.

Makoto: That would be great, but I fear that would mean we would have to reveal our identities to the public.

Akihiko: I don’t think you would have to worry about that. When I’m not in the ring, I’m a police officer. I can just cover up for you.

Chie: So am I! Well, I’m actually training to be one. I guess we really think alike, don’t we, Master?

Akechi: I guess that would be good. But we’re not so sure... However, it might come in handy with our currant heist.

Mitsuru: You mean steal the hearts of the corrupted Tumblr admins?

Soul Taker: Another version of us is taking care of that. How much do you know about Sugimura Sekitan?

Mitsuru: He is the son of a politician. However, after Masayoshi Shido’s confession, Mr. Sekitan was discovered to be in Shido’s inner circle and he, along with others in that circle, came under fire and was forced to resign.

Haru: That’s true. Now his family is suffering some financial problems because of that resignation. In fact, the reason Sugimura is sponsoring Joe Yuuki is so that he could get the prize money to ensure their fortune long enough to restore his father’s reputation and allow him to return to politics...

But I don’t think he’s going to play fair.

Sae: You think he might be up to something?

Haru: I know Sugimura long enough to know what he’s capable of. We checked the Metaverse Navigator. He has a Palace.

Mitsuru: So you wish to steal the distortion from his heart and make him confess the truth?

Ryuji: Pretty much. We had a meeting the other day to discuss this and we discovered where his Palace is.

Makoto: There’s another reason why all of us came here besides supporting our friends for the Fight Before Christmas...

It’s here. The Wilton Hotel.

Mitsuru: I see. Then allow us to help you. We seek only the elimination of Shadow threats and this is no different.

Akechi: That’s probably a good idea...

Since I will not be here when the heist takes place.

Mitsuru: You won’t be here, Akechi?

Akechi: I know I consider the Phantom Thieves my family, but it’s not exactly the same since everyone has their own holiday tradition.And since my mother is dead and my father is... indisposed, it would mostly likely I would spend the holidays alone. However, a friend of ours in New York has offered to let me spend Christmas with him and his aunt. I should be back in time for New Year.

Mitsuru: I see. I guess you’ll need someone to fill in for you.

Makoto: Normally, we would have a reserved member fill in for a main member if they are unavailable, however, they all have their own holiday plans right now and we wish not to disturber them. Even King, who lives here in Japan, has his hands tied.

Mitsuru: Yes, we heard from one of our operatives he and his little girl are busy. However, we do have people available, if that is alright with you.

Soul Taker: As long as they can use Bless skills, or Light as you call it, that would be great.

Mitsuru: Good. I’ll have him come as soon as possible.

Thank you, Mitsuru san.

Naoto: (finally joining us with Kanji) I would be glad to help as well. If that’s alright.

Kanji: If you’re going in there, Naoto, I’m going with you.

Soul Taker: I guess you can.

Naoto: Thank you.

Ryuji: Okay, now that that’s settle, there’s still something else we gotta do. We have the who and the where, now we just need to know what Sugimura sees the hotel as.

Haru: I don’t think even I know that.

Soul Taker: True. He does seem the type who hides who he’s like on the inside...

Which is why I brought a secret weapon.

>Everyone was a bit confused about what I said. So I reached into my shirt and pulled the “secret weapon”.

(groans) Finally! I thought I was never getting out of there!

What!? Mona!? What’s he doing here!?

Ryuji, shush! Someone will hear us.

Soul Taker: I brought him here in case there was sushi here, but it looks like he has something else to do here. Morgana, Sugimura is just over there. We need you to go and listen to what he has to say so we can figure out what his distortion is.

You can count on me, Joker.

>With that, Morgana goes off to spy on Sugimura. Luckily, no one notices him so far.

Boss: Are you sure no one will notice him?

Soul Taker: I have faith in him. We need him.

Mitsuru: (pleased) Good. I like how well a leader you are.

Sae: So, what shall we do while we wait?

Talk more I guess. I still have a few choice words about the Tumblr staff.

>Morgana managed to get to Sugimura who was talking with Yuuki, Maki, and Yuuki’s coach, Matsuda.

(wearing a yellow dress with red and black designs and white high heels) Really!? You’re sponsoring Joe even though you have financial problems?

I’ll pay for the expenses after we win the tournament. Just trust me.

(wearing a tux) My. Aren’t we the sly one.

I really don’t care about the money. I just want to beat the crap out of that Haninozuka and become the new champion. And fighting Akamine is just a bonus.

Sugimura: It’s that determined attitude that will favor us greatly. Just think, with that kind of money and my father's reputation restored, I’ll be living this life even longer. I especially would like to move here to the Wilton. My own privet paradise. Plus, the buffet is to die for.

Matsuda: Heh! The way you talk about it, you sound like a gangster out of a movie.

Sugimura: Yes, it would seem that way. Which is why I would like to discuss something with you... Without those two. (Yuuki and Maki.)

Yuuki: What is it?

Sugimura: Oh, just some boring stuff.

Maki: Alright. We’re suppose to be meeting with the other Favorites now. Suoh will be making the announcement any minute.

Yuuki: Tech! Fine.

>With that, the couple leave.

Matsuda: What is it you want to talk to me about in private?

Sugimura: Well, just in case, to make sure we win this... I had the fights fixed.

Matsuda: (shocked) Really!? Isn’t that cheating?

Sugimura: Just looking after my assets, as well as yours and Yuuki’s. You want your gym to gain more attention and Yuuki just wants to be number one at everything. I’m just making sure we all get what we want.

Matsuda: Oh you wicked young man... But if you really think this will work, I can’t really argue.

Sugimura: Excellent. I knew you would see it my way.

>With that, they leave.

>Morgana managed to get back to us and told us everything.

That effin son of a bitch! He’s fixin’ the fight!?

Morgana: It gets worse. The coach agree with him. As long as he and Yuuki get what they want, they can’t do anything.

Makoto: Does Yuuki know?

Morgana: I don’t think so. I guess he knows he’ll turn him in if he knew.

Soul Taker: So you said that the coach compared Sugimura to a gangster?

Morgana: That’s what I heard. It sounded important.

Makoto: A regular gangster would see a hotel as just a hotel. But he thinks of this place as a kind of paradise. Like his personal hideout.

Haru: I can only assume that might be it. Let’s try it with the Nav.

>I take out my phone and put in the keywords.

Soul Taker: Sugimura Sekitan. Wilton Hotel. Gangster’s Hideout.

Nav: Results found.

Yusuke: It’s a hit. We can get in.

Soul Taker: But it looks like we’ll have to wait. They’re about to start the ceremony.

>We head to a stage where the 10 Favorites of Japan were along with Kanami Mashita, Ms. Ochimizu, the Masters Family, and the Ouran Host Club. Tamaki Suoh comes up to the podium.

Welcome, everyone, to the 15th Annual Fight Before Christmas Tournament! Now normally, my father, Yuzuru Suoh would do this speech, but he thought I was ready to do this.

As goes my own father, who is tied up at work with my older brothers at the moment and couldn’t make it.

Same here. And I really want to support Chika chan.

Tch! As if I need support from you, Mitsukuni.

Anyway!

Tamaki: We hold this tournament to remind us of all the struggle we had endured this year. And that the coming holidays makes us happy of the adventures that came with it. To celebrate who we were, who we are, and who we will be. And we wish only victory to tall of you. Good luck fighters!

>Everyone applauded.

Tamaki: Kanami sama, the floor is yours.

Thank you, Tamaki. Hello, everyone! My meat is marbled, my movement is slow, and I sleep off every meal! I’m Kanami Mashita, your prized cow!

And I’m Ken Masters. Me and my friend, Ryu, founded this tournament with help from the Suoh Group, the Ootori Group, and of course the Haninozuka Dojo. Also with me are my lovely wife, Eliza.

It’s good to meet you all.

Ken: And our son, Mel.

I just wish I was old enough to compete.

Ken: I’m sure you’ll be old enough soon, Mel. As for Ryu, well, he couldn’t make it this year. He’s still resting from Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Kanami: Either way, I’m just so glad that everyone’s here.

You rule, Kanamin!

>Everyone couldn’t help but cheer as well.

If you are all quite done!

Kanami: Thanks, Ms. Ochimizu. Anyway, I hope you all have fun at this wonderful tournament to ring in the New Year. Good luck to you all!

>Everyone cheered.

Ms. Ochimizu: And don’t forget about Kanamin Kitchen’s New Years Eve Spectacular, featuring many other performances and Knamin Kitchen’s newest hit, Pull The Trigger.

>The crowd cheered even more.

>A little later after they announced the match up for the qualifiers, Joe, Ryuichi, Setsuko, Yuta, Mr. Koshu, Mr. Takizawa, the Investigation Team (save Naoto and Kanji), Sae, and Boss head home. The rest of us, including Mitsuru and Kanji were just outside the hotel. We were waiting for Akihiko who went inside to get something and Naoto was in our van changing our of her dress.

Ann: I feel bad making Boss take the train back. It’s really getting colder.

Futaba: He’s a tough guy, he can handle it... As long as he hasn’t forgotten to lock the door again.

Naoto: I wonder what is taking Akihiko san so long?

Mitsuru: I don’t know... But I have an idea.

>And it looked like her idea was spot on.

Sorry for the wait. Mitsuru packed this really well.

Mitsuru: (hand to her face) In hopes you wouldn’t find it.

I can see why. You’re practically indecent.

(artist hands out) Then again, the scars on your body are clearly an art that displays the many battles you went through in your life.

Akihiko: (surprised) Uh, thanks?

>I don’t know whether I should be happy for Yusuke or jealous of Akhiko.

(coming out of the van) In any case, we should head inside the Palace now.

Mitsuru: Right. We want to see what the Metaverse is like so the operative we’ll be sending will be ready.

Okay, then. Off we go.

Nav: Beginning navigation.

>The familiar red wave passes us. When it was over, the Wilton Hotel was still the same, however, the top of the building had been replaced with a large mansion that looked like it was made of polished marble and the roofs were made of gold.

youtube

Kanji: Yikes! I thought the triplet’s Palace was gaudy.

Same thing with Kanashiro’s Bank.

And Madarame’s Museum.

And Shido’s Cruise.

Mitsuru: I see your clothes have changed. Is that part of coming to this world?

It is. Kinda put your whole “Dark Hour” to shame, doesn’t it?

Akihiko: No doubt. Koromaru never turns into something like you.

Mona: Am I worth the wait?

So this is the distortion in Sugimura’s heart. I’ve always known he had it, but never had the courage to come here.

Well we’re all here now. We can do this together.

You’re right. Thanks, everyone!

>We all nod.

Akihiko: So what now?

Normally, we just go in a ways before we make a route to the Treasure. See what we’re dealing with.

Just be careful in there. I’m detecting Shadows up ahead.

Naoto: We will.

Let’s go.

>We went inside the Palace. The inside of the first room looks like the lobby, but everything was different. The wallpaper were a black and gold diamond design with golden yen signs in the black diamonds. There were also large portraits of an arrogant Sugimura as well as sculptures of him. It was almost blinding. And just as Oracle predicted, there were Shadows that were dressed like gangsters with guns.

Panther: This guy must watch The Godfather a lot. I wouldn’t be surprised of the cognitive beings here woke up to find horse heads in their beds.

>One of the Shadows heard us.

Shadow 1: Hey! What yous guys doin’ here?

Skull: Nothin' much...

Just he to make sure your boss get’s what comin’ to him.

Shadow 2: Is thatta threat!?

Shadow 3: Yous mooks betta be ready!

?????? ????????: Stand aside!

Shadow 4: Y- Yes, boss!

>With that, the Shadows part to show who I can only guess is Sugimura’s Shadow. He was dressed in a black suit with white stripes running up and down under a dark blue dress shirt with a white tie, a red rose in the jacket pocket, a white scarf, a toothpick in his mouth, and a black fedora with a white ribbon. And like all the other Shadows we’ve faced, he had golden eyes.

Shadow Sugimura: Haru, my dame, so you’ve finally come back to me.

Noir: Never! I’ll never come crawling back to you!

Shadow Sugimura: That’s shame. And here I was hopin’ you’d finally came to your senses. What with your ol’ man six feet under, it must be pretty lonely running the company all by yours self.

Noir: I don’t need you. I have my friends with me to help me when times are tough...

Especially when you’re the reason.

Shadow Sugimura: (angry) You little bitch. I was ready to forgive you, but instead, you sealed your fate. As well as the fate of your friends. Men, show these fools what happens when you cross me.

Shadow 1: Right! You heard the boss, you bums! Let’s take care of these punks!

Oracle: Those guys aren’t very original. Oni maybe strong, but all it takes are a few spells and that’s it.

Joker: Then it should be easy enough.

Fox: Mind if I join in?

Joker: Go right ahead. I love it when we fight together.

>We both smile.

Mitsuru: I would like to join in as well. This might be the only time I can see how powerful Shadows in the Metaverse are.

Akihiko: Same here. It’s been too long since I’ve done something like this.

Joker: I don’t know.

Don’t worry. I just saw beauty in Akihiko’s scars. You will always be my muse... No, my god of inspiration.

Thank you, Yusuke.

Oracle: If we’re done with the touchy feely stuff, here they come!

>One of the Oni tries to attack, but we dodged it.

Joker, Fox, Mitsuru, and Akihiko: Persona!

>Arsene uses Maeiga, Goemon and Artemisia both use Mabufula, and Caesar uses Mazionga. The Oni were either Frozen or Shocked.

Joker: Let’s attack the ones that were Frozen. Just be careful of the ones that are Shocked.

Mitsuru: Right, everyone, charge!

>With my dagger, Fox’s katana, Mitsuru’s rapier, and Akihiko’s fists. The Oni were left completely weakned. Luckily, none of us got Shocked.

Oni 1: We ain’t done here. Ready, fire!

>The Oni all use Snap on us. Thankfully, they weren’t that effective.

Mitsuru: That attack wasn’t something I’ve seen before.

Joker: Actually... I can do better. I have Fox to thank for the the Skill Cards he gave me before tonight.

Fox: Consider them an early Christmas present.

>Arsene uses Charge. Goemon uses Masukukaja. Mitsuru and Akihiko simply waited to see what was going to happen. As did the Oni.

Oni 2: Heh! What are yous gonna do? Your attacks can’t even scratch the surface of our skin!

Don’t underestimate what you can’t understand because of your boss... ARSENE, NOW!

>Arsene uses Riot Gun. The Oni were all gone.

Kanji: Way to go, Joker!

Joker: It may not be as powerful as Satanael’s Riot Gun, but it’s pretty useful when it needs to be.

Shadow Sugimura: (already in an elevator) Grr! Useless idiots. No matter. As soon as that dumb blonde, Joe Yuuki, wins the tournament with my ‘help’, I’ll be more powerful than any of yous can ever be.

>With that, the elevator’s doors close and went up.

Skull: Hey, wait!

Kanji: Don’t run away, dammit!

>Skull and Kanji ran to the elevator. However, there was an electronic lock on it that only responds to a password. Then, they notice something.

Skull: Hey, Joker! Come take a look at this.

>We came to look at the sign they were talking about.

Panther: It’s a map of the building.

Akihiko: What does it say?

Oracle: It looks like the Treasure is on the top floor. That mansion on the roof. But it also looks like the only way to get there with this elevator. It’s the only floor it goes to.

Queen: You mean there’s no other way to get there?

Oracle: Nope. And we can’t use this elevator without a password. Which means we have to explore this Palace for any henchmen who might know what it is. Now I’ve already got this map memorized. We can come back here another time.

Queen: I just hope we do have time. The tournament has already begun and me and Joker are competing.

Crow: And I won’t be here either. I’ve already packed my things and will be departing in the morning.

We’ll find a way. Don’t worry, we can do this.

Thanks, Joker.

Yes. Thank you.

Joker: Then it’s settled. Mission start.

>With that, we leave the Palace. We’ll be back soon and we have a tournament to win. Wish us luck.

Pictures and sprites came from the following:

Anime Amino

Hex

#phantom thieves cam

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netunleashed-blog · 6 years

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Persona 4 Remains An All-Time Great RPG 10 Years Later; A Celebration Of Its Legacy

http://www.internetunleashed.co.uk/?p=6760 Persona 4 Remains An All-Time Great RPG 10 Years Later; A Celebration Of Its Legacy - http://www.internetunleashed.co.uk/?p=6760 It may not have been known at the time, but in July 2008, Japan received what would be remembered as one of the greatest role-playing games of all time. Over the course of a decade, Persona 4 has become more than just an incredibly fun RPG with a refined battle system and quirky characters, though. A story about Japanese high school students confronting their worst fears, fighting for what's right, and becoming the best of friends spawned a lasting legacy that has empowered the people who played it and continually inspired new games. Our love for Persona 4 has kept it alive for so long with several fighting games, two anime adaptations, an adorable (and difficult) spin-off RPG, and even a rhythm game. And after 10 years, we're still seeing our good friends from Inaba in a new light.For the uninitiated, Persona 4's foundation closely resembles that of its predecessor, Persona 3. You're a transfer student new to a school surrounded by unusual circumstances; supernatural phenomena that endanger your new hometown is the crux to the overarching mystery. On a typical day, you go to class, do extracurricular activities, and try to grow closer to those around town and at school. Better yourself through hobbies or take on a part-time job, it's up to you how to pass the time. In particular, Persona 4 takes you to a fictional rural town of Inaba where the biggest thing to happen before your arrival was the opening of a Junes department store (think Super Walmart, but with an infectious jingle). Even your little cousin Nanako is utterly convinced that every day's great at your Junes, and begs you and her dad to take her there like it's the greatest place on earth.Sure sounds like all fun and games until you and your new friends become the centerpiece for a dark murder mystery and an absolutely perplexing world that lives behind TV screens. At first, it's not quite clear why outlandish versions of certain townsfolk inexplicably pop up on TV sets and go missing on rainy midnights. The one way to get to the bottom of this, to actually jump into a TV screen to enter the shadow world where the other half of Persona 4 comes into play.Aha! Is this our chance? It's time for an All-Out Attack!While dungeon crawling and sneaking up on shadows through randomly generated floors make up the exploration, an intricate turn-based combat system is where you'll find excellence in gameplay. Most enemies have elemental weaknesses which factor into how you construct your party and devise a tactical approach. Sounds par for the course in an RPG, but the unique press-turn system that Shin Megami Tensei is known for shines brighter than it had previously by giving you full control to pull off flashy, effective attacks. Receiving a bonus attack after targeting a weakness before enemies get a turn is endlessly satisfying, especially as dungeons become inhabited by trickier, stronger shadows.A story about Japanese high school students confronting their worst fears, fighting for what's right, and becoming the best of friends spawned a lasting legacy that has empowered the people who played it and continually inspired new games.However, nothing in battle matches the joy of seeing your crew team up for the most adorable, yet devastating All-Out Attacks, a franchise staple. Everyone in the party piles on heavy damage that usually puts an end to the fight, and you sense their ferocity in character portraits that pop up just before everyone jumps in. A cloud of dust erupts as they whale on enemies, sometimes popping out of the chaos only to jump back in for another hit, and all you need to do is watch as they take care of business. If you're lucky, someone will offer a follow-up attack turn-free; and it should be taken as fact that nothing is as absurdly cute as Chie's galactic punt where she literally kicks an enemy into outer space (her kung fu DVDs really paid off). Even in battle, everyone's distinct personality isn't lost or put off to the side, which highlights Persona 4’s greatest accomplishment: its commitment to a relentless charm embodied by this cast of misfits.So effortlessly does Persona 4 merge the two pillars of a social simulation and traditional RPG; nothing feels disconnected, how days are spent matters. These two realities feed into each other, and Igor--the series-long, omniscient owner of the ethereal Velvet Room--alludes to this up front: true strength is born from the bonds you form. The power of friendship is a prevalent trope in similar stories, but to have that power manifest as a tangible benefit in combat gives us further reason to invest in relationships. I call back to how Rise came in clutch to buff the party or cast healing during tough boss fights, or when Yukiko dealt the final blow casting Agidyne using her final-form persona with the last bit of SP: moments like these solidify the feeling that my companions really do have my back in times of need.Gas up your scooter 'cause we're going on a road trip!From the mother who wishes for acceptance from her stepson to your basketball teammate who finds it impossible to live up to his adopted family's legacy, these vignettes serve to tell very human stories. We help Nanako open up to her dad about his lack of presence and break through Uncle Dojima's hard-boiled temperament to reveal an empathetic father who constantly struggles with his wife's death and his job as a detective. In the end, a heartwarming father-daughter scene results in a newfound commitment to family. Other social links struck a more personal nerve.This cast harbors the painful secrets that so many teenagers and young adults repress, and it carries the perceptions and labels society puts upon them. These are the burdens everyone bears throughout Persona 4, but burdens that no one has to bear alone.When Yosuke overlooks Inaba, the town he once hated, and realizes that what makes him happy is the people he's surrounded by rather than big city glamour, I felt that. Even though Kanji maintains the tough guy attitude, he eventually embraces his sewing skills and love for cute plushies--as he began to handcraft toys for kids around town, I sensed a big, cathartic middle finger to societal expectations for masculinity. Naoto's strive for justice, as the genius detective, makes a firm statement against workplace gender discrimination. Life as an idol sure sounds great, until Rise decides she needs to walk away from stardom for her own sanity. As endearing as Chie's and Yukiko's friendship, their dynamic evolved and reached new heights after confronting their shadow-selves, leading to more open and honest relationship.This cast harbors the painful secrets that so many teenagers and young adults repress, and it carries the perceptions and labels society puts upon them. These are the burdens everyone bears throughout Persona 4, but burdens that no one has to bear alone. The TV world and Midnight Channel work not just as metaphors for the fear of what you think everyone sees in you, but to illustrate the sense of imprisonment and helplessness that's born from it. And by navigating the maze-like dungeons and crushing enemies, the crew breaks through obstacles to finally support each other in overcoming their monumental insecurities. Many of the game's pieces sound silly on paper, but they all come together to inspire you before you know it.When spread across 100+ hours of play-time, spanning an in-game calendar year, you're given room to breathe and let events, big and small, sink in. Moments of levity work alongside the more heartfelt revelations, which creates an ingenious balancing act. To its benefit, the game never takes itself too serious. Persona 4's greatness lies in its execution and presentation; story, gameplay, visual style, and its soundtrack all complement each other to elevate beyond the sum of its parts.Persona 4 wouldn't be the same game without the masterful composition of series composer Shoji Meguro. A collection of J-pop, J-rock, and catchy instrumentals make for incredible tracks on their own, but the right song at the right time elevates the emotional impact. As soon as I hear the brass horns start up for the track that plays during social links, I can't help but smile and sense the fun being had between characters. The boss battle theme of "I'll Face Myself" instills a feeling of danger, but also the determination to defeat your worst enemies. And the emblematic battle theme "Reach Out To The Truth" is such an uplifting song that brings back all my memories of this game. Sometimes I look outside my own house and "Heartbeat, Heartbreak" pops into my head on cloudy days and "Your Affection" when the sun shines. Music isn't relegated to just the background, and it cannot be overstated how evocative its soundtrack has been throughout the years.For all Persona 4's inspirational moments and pushes for social progressivism, we can't turn a blind eye to where it gets things wrong; to truly love something is to also recognize its flaws. By no means is it perfect when it comes to the portrayal of certain social groups and character conduct. Teddie himself exhibits unscrupulous behavior that can easily be interpreted as harassment, and it's never really confronted. Despite the personally uplifting story of Kanji, his sexual ambiguity is occasionally used as a punchline, and his shadow self can be seen as too over-the-top. Certain insensitive decisions can be made in relation to Naoto's struggle with gender identity; the interpretation of her character continues to be a point of contention to this day. And as time has gone on, the less amusing the cross-dressing pageant scene has become. To its credit, a Japanese game from 2008 was willing to explore subjects often seen as taboo; it misses the mark in critical moments, but there's value in its earnest effort. Regardless, some jokes weren't necessary to be humorous and it would've been much better without them.Despite all its absurdity, Persona 4 is grounded with thoughts and feelings that so accurately resemble our own; it's a human experience, one that many games aim for, but rarely come close to capturing.The sheer number of games that spawned afterward speaks to the love we've shared for this game. A PS Vita exclusive remaster, Persona 4 Golden, launched in 2012 as the definitive version; it refines core mechanics and includes a slew of meaningful additions. Along with new songs that perfectly fit the original soundtrack, Chie's new voice actress (Erin Fitzgerald) brought a whole new life into an already-beloved character and truly captured the spirit of Persona 4's best girl. A whole extra dungeon, an important new character, additional social link events, and new tag-team attacks round out Golden as the definitive version.An anime adaptation premiered in 2011, and another based on the remastered game released in 2014. Although it's difficult to capture an RPG in a condensed format, the anime offered a new way to experience the journey. Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth brought along our buddies from Persona 3 into the mix in a wonderfully executed dungeon crawler RPG on 3DS--it bursts with charm as chibi versions of these two beloved casts band together to fight evil and have a good time. I'd also say Q features the best introductory theme and video in all the franchise. If the fan service wasn't already good enough, Persona 4: Dancing All Night leveraged the beautiful soundtrack for a delightful (and admittedly ridiculous) rhythm game--hearing my favorite songs remastered and remixed is a real treat.BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle brings back our friends at Yasogami High to meet the casts of BlazBlue, Under Night, and RWBY.Persona lends itself so well to fighting games that Arc System Works took up creating a 2D fighter in Persona 4 Arena, which remained true to both the developer's fighting game philosophy and the spirit of the source material. Persona 4 Arena Ultimax built on that foundation even further. And just this year, ArcSys circled back on Persona 4 by crossing worlds with BlazBlue, Under Night In-Birth, and RWBY in BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle. Each of these fighters introduced new characters and storylines, and were included in the fighting game community's biggest stages. Rarely, if ever, does a single entry in a larger franchise spin off in so many different directions, but thankfully, it's helped keep our Persona 4 love alive all these years later.After becoming personally invested in their journey that started it all and pouring all that time into seeing them grow, it was genuinely hard to say goodbye as the credits rolled and the ending theme "Never More" began to play. In the decade since the original game, we were fortunate to see the charming group of knuckleheads time and time again in so many different games. It's almost silly to think that a group of fictional Japanese high school students could empower us to be better, but Persona 4 has given me, and countless others, boundless joy and also an opportunity for self-reflection. Yes, I played an incredible RPG, but what I saw was a group of best friends pulling for each other to become stronger people and make the world a better place. Despite all its absurdity, Persona 4 is grounded with thoughts and feelings that so accurately resemble our own; it's a human experience, one that many games aim for, but rarely come close to capturing. Source link

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purplehatwithpins · 7 years

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Persona 4: Two Years Later!

Narrator [ Yu ]: It's been about 2 years now since the mystery in Inaba was solved. Everyone has grown up a lot since I was here last. Yosuke has become the manager of Junes. Chie is currently in college for becoming a police girl. Yukiko has completely taken over the the Amagi Inn. Rise went on to do a television show for kids. Kanji and Naoto got together and now own a sewing shop together. Teddie still works at Junes with Yosuke. And Nanako just started the third grade. As for myself? Well, I guess I still have to figure that out. But for now, I'm staying for a month at my uncle's place because of my parent's going on some work-related trip. -sigh- It'll be nice seeing everyone again. Well... I wonder what this story has to bring for us today.

[ The story starts at Junes, music playing and you hear a bunch of people in the background. ] -Yosuke runs over to see Yu.- Yosuke: Hey, partner! It's been a long time! Yu: ...! It's Yosuke! Nanako: Yay! Yosuke-kun's here!~ Yosuke: The one and only, Nanako-chan! Teddie: And Teddie's here as well! Nanako: Teddie's here too?! That's so awesome! Yu: How was your shift today, Yosuke? Yosuke: Man, it was brutal! We have to pay off a debt since SOMEONE ate all our grilled steak! Teddie: Hey! It wasn't MY fault the steak was so good! Yosuke: Those were for the OTHER customers though! -sigh- No use worrying about it now... Yu: You know, I wonder where the others are today... Yosuke: I got a call from Chie a few minutes ago saying she was going to come to Junes after she got out from school. She should be here any minute now... Nanako: Everyone's coming? This is so awesome! I can't wait until everyone shows up! Yosuke: Man, Nanako-chan. You're really fired up, anything special coming up? Nanako: There is a festival coming to town this weekend! I really wanted to go with all of you! Rise: Sounds like a lot of fun! I am SO in! Yosuke: Hey, Rise's here! Kanji: Yeah, I'm here as well. I brought Naoto with me. Naoto: Hey everyone. So what's this about a festival? Nanako: Well, I saw it on a flyer. EVERYONE dresses up in costumes and there's lots of games and karaoke and a ton of other events! Naoto: -starts to blush- C-costumes? What KIND of costumes? Yosuke: ...What, are you scared Naoto? Naoto: -maintains her composure.- That's preposterous. I'm not afraid of wearing some... costume. Rise: Fine, it's settled then. We're all going to the festival! Teddie: Hey, I just noticed... where are Chie and Yukiko? I thought they'd be here... I still have to sco-- Chie and Yukiko: HEY EVERYONE. - Everyone shouts in fear: AH! - Yukiko: -Has a laughing fit.- You should all... -giggles.- See your faces.... - Yukiko bursts out laughing even more. - Yosuke: Oh boy, more of her laughing fits... Nanako: You two are funny! -giggles a little.- Kanji: H-hey... Don't do that again, I nearly crapped myself... Chie: It was just a joke, Kanji... jeez... Teddie: Anyways... I'm totally gonna go to the festival! Now who's in? Yu: I'm in. Yosuke: I'm in! Chie: I'm so in! Yukiko: I'll go! Kanji: No way I'm missing this! I'm IN! Rise: I'm in! Naoto: If everyone goes, it can't be helped. I shall go as well. Nanako: Yay! Everyone's going to the festival! Now I CAN'T WAIT! [ Yu and Nanako: ...At Night! ] - TV background is playing, while Nanako is talking to Yu about the festival, suddenly Dojima comes home. - Nanako: Daddy! - runs over to Dojima. - Dojima: -sound like you just got hugged.- H-Hey there Nanako, how was your day? Nanako: I found a flyer today~! Dojima: Uh-huh...? Nanako: And it said that there was a festival this weekend! Dojima: REALLY now?~ Nanako: Yeah! Big bro was planning on taking me! Dojima: May I see the flyer? Nanako: Uh.. sure, here! - Nanako hands Dojima the flyer. Dojima mumbles the words written on the paper. - Dojima: Well this really isn't a.. "festival" per-se... This is moreso a... convention. Yu: A convention? Dojima: They are these giant events where you wear these ridiculous looking costumes and you walk around for hours. You can buy a bunch of odd stuff there as well. And they have this costume contest at the end and they judge who the winner is. It's all kinda weird. But hey, that's just my opinion. Nanako: How do you know about it all, Dad? Dojima: Well, the police force is doing security for the convention this year, and lots of people had to fill me in on it. Nanako: Well... that sounds even MORE fun than just a regular festival! What do you think, big bro? Yu: A convention, huh? ...This sounds like a little bit more work than expected... [ Yosuke and Teddie: The next day! ] - Yu is in his room, and he gets a phone call. - Yosuke: Hey, Yu! We're all gonna consult about the festival that's coming up at Junes! Make sure to bring Nanako with you! Yu: That I can do. Yosuke: Great! I'll see you there! [ Yu: At Junes. ] Yosuke: So I had this great plan when we get there, we're gonna go to all the rides and get some popcorn, and maybe after all that, we can see some fireworks! Yu: Uh... Yosuke? Yosuke: Yeah Narukami? What's up? Yu: I-I don't think this is really a "festival". Did you "really" look at the flyers posted around town? Yosuke: Yeah...? Yu: It's a convention, not a festival. Yosuke: W-what?! Give me a flyer! - Yosuke reads the flyer. - Yosuke: Yu is right... It's a convention. Not a festival... Naoto: So it's a convention. I've heard of those. They only come around Inaba once every couple of years. There's music and contests, and Q&A for all these famous actors, voice actors and musicians! Yosuke: So it would be people like Rise coming to these conventions? Rise: Yeah, there were a lot of times I was asked to do these conventions. I never had much fun because I was constantly surrounded by guards and I had to go from panels to signing autographs for fans... it was just all the boring glam stuff... But to be on the other side of it, it's gonna be really nice! Kanji: Hey! I just thought of an idea! Naoto and I run a sewing shop! We could make you guys the costumes! Chie: Kanji, the convention is in 5 days, how are you gonna make all of us costumes in 5 days? Kanji: Don't worry, I got SOMETHING up my sleeve, don't you worry! Naoto: -sigh- I have a really bad feeling about this. Nanako: What are you all going to dress up as? Teddie: To be perfectly honest... I have no idea... Yosuke: Me neither. Yukiko: Why don't we dress up as our Persona? Yosuke: Yukiko! Nanako doesn't know about that yet! Nanako: Oh, don't worry. Big bro filled me in. Persona are beings that reside in you after you face your Shadow. Yosuke: Partner, are you sure that was a good idea? Yu: It's all good Yosuke, it won't do her any harm. Besides, the mystery has been solved for 2 years now. - Everyone kinda stops for a minute. - Everyone except Nanako: 2 years... Chie: It really makes you think, you know? All those Shadow we fought... Kanji: Yeah, we kicked some major butt back then. Naoto: It was hard. But it was because of us that the world has been saved from the evils of the Midnight Channel. Yu: The Midnight Channel, that's something I haven't heard the name of in a while... Yukiko: Getting back to the idea of dressing up as our Persona, who would be into doing that? Yu: I think that would be a pretty good idea. Rise: But what would Nanako-chan wear? She never had a Persona in the first place... Nanako: Don't worry Rise-chan! I've got something I can wear at home. Teddie: I'm into being my Persona for a day~! That would be awesome! Chie: Man, that would be really cool! I would love to dress up as my Persona! Kickin' butt wherever I go... I'm in, where do I sign up?! Kanji: Alright, since all of you are so keen on the idea, give me a sketch of your Persona, and I'll start on the costumes tonight. And Naoto will help! Naoto: That seems fine. Yosuke: You look a little more relieved we thought of being our Persona for this convention. What, did you think we'd put you in some kind of bunny suit or something kiddish like that? Naoto: Well... I... Yosuke: Don't worry, I'm just yankin' your chain. Yu: So it's settled, everyone is going as their Persona. Everyone except Yu and Nanako: Yep! Nanako: Seeing all of you so fired up about this convention makes me so happy. It's giving me jitterbugs knowing how these costumes will turn out! Kanji: Nanako-chan, if you want... I could make you something as well... that's if you want me to. - Nanako's face lights up. - Nanako: You'd do that for me?! Thank you SO much! Kanji: Well...I... I didn't want to make you feel left out since everyone else is getting their own costume. Nanako: You're the best! Yu: Alright Nanako, I think it's time we both get back, it's time to get dinner started. Nanako: -sigh- Okay... See you all soon~! Everyone but Nanako and Yu: [ Different variations of saying goodbye but make sure you say Nanako somewhere in the goodbye. ] Yu and Nanako: At Night! - Yu is drawing Izanagi, and Nanako enters Yu's room. - Nanako: Hey big bro! Yu: Hey there Nanako. How are you doing? Nanako: I'm a little bit tired from today. - Nanako sees your drawing and she lights up. - Nanako: Woah! What's that? Yu: That was my Persona. Back when we were solving the mystery case. Nanako: He looks REALLY cool! Yu: You could say that... Nanako: -chuckles.- You know, I wish I had a Persona just like all of you had. They look so cool. Yu: Having a Persona is a lot of responsibility. Nanako: I guess your right... - Dojima comes up, and he looks over at Yu. - Dojima: Sorry Nanako, it's time for bed. Nanako: Awhh, but Dad... Dojima: You must be very tired from today, why don't you brush your teeth and jump in that comfy bed of yours and see how you feel then? Nanako: Well.. okay! See you tomorrow big bro! Yu: See you in the morning. - The door closes. - Yu: -sigh- Man, this is gonna take forever to get done... I better get back to i-- - Suddenly, Yu starts to feel really weird. He hears a heart beating. - Yu: What's going on?! Who's there?! - Yu stares at the TV, and it turns on. - Yu: What the hell? I thought we beat the Midnight Channel once and for all! - A child-like voice starts to screech out for help. But it cuts in and out so it's almost inaudible. - ???: Help! S-meon-! H-l-help me! Plea-- - The message cuts out and the TV shuts off. - Yu: ...Shit. - Yu slams his hands on his desk. - Yu: I gotta call Yosuke and tell him what's going on! - Yu grabs his cellphone and gives Yosuke a call. - Yu: Come on Yosuke, pick up... pick up...! - Yosuke picks up on the other line. - Yosuke: Hey dude, what's u-- Yu: There isn't any time for joking. I just saw something on the Midnight Channel! Yosuke: What?! I thought it was gone for good! I thought we defeated everyone! Yu: ...I guess there's one more. Yosuke: Meet me tomorrow at Junes. I'll call everyone else as well to meet up. Yu: That's great, Yosuke. [ Yosuke and Yu: At Junes! ] Chie: So, what did you see when you looked at the Midnight Channel, Narukami? Yu: It was Nanako... Kanji: How could that have been possible?! We already beat Adachi and that Izanami person. Who else could there be?! Naoto: There aren't any clues. Who in their right mind could have done something so cruel? Teddie: I've checked all around Junes... I don't seem to have a clue on where Nanako is. Yosuke: Shit! We HAVE to find her! This is Nanako-chan we're talking about here! Dojima-san already lost her once! We CAN'T lose her again. Chie: Alright, we gotta be rational here. Does anyone have any clues on where Nanako-chan might be? Kanji: Well, remember how she was really excited about that convention or something? Maybe she went out to find a costume or something. - Yu flashes back to last night. - Nanako: -chuckles.- You know, I wish I had a Persona just like all of you had. They look so cool. - Flashback ends. - Yu: Nanako said something to me about wanting a Persona last night... Everyone in the "Investigation Team" except Yu: What?! Yu: I guess maybe when we saved her two years ago, she saw us fighting for her, and she gained inspiration. And when she saw me draw my Persona for the costume for Kanji... Chie: We need to focus where she might have gone... Yosuke: Well, Narukami did say last night he saw the TV go all weird last night, like when the Midnight Channel was around. Maybe she's in there! Teddie: It's been a long time since I've been there! Yosuke: Why didn't you CHECK there? It IS where you live! Teddie: Sorry! I just got so accustomed to this place, it never crossed my mind! Hrrrmph, you're being BEARY mean to me! Naoto: Enough of the banter right now, Nanako is in serious danger! Rise: I completely agree. Let's go and save her! Everyone: Right! - The Investigation Team goes into the Midnight Channel. - Yosuke: Man it's been forever since we've been here. Teddie: But it looks exactly the same from when the Investigation Team first got here! Rise: Let's try to locate her. I'll try with Himiko. Teddie: And I'll try with my scent! Kanji: Alright everyone, we'll call this.. "Operation: Save Nanako-chan!" Everyone: Yeah! - Chie and Yukiko: A little while later. - Rise: ... I found something! Chie: What'd you find? Rise: It's blurry, but it's definitely Nanako-chan! Yosuke: Let's go find her then! Yu: Before we do that, let's make sure that we're all prepared. Is everyone ready? Yosuke and Teddie: Ready. Chie and Yukiko: Ready. Kanji and Naoto: Ready. Rise: I'm ready as well. Yu: Well, let's get going! - Kanji and Naoto: At the dungeon! - Teddie: Woah! It's a giant playground! Yosuke: Well of course it is, this is Nanako-chan we're talking about... Yu: Alright, let's go in! - Yu and the others go in, and they suddenly see Nanako, and her Shadow. - Teddie: Nanako-chan! Chie: Oh no, Nanako! Shadow Nanako: Why don't you just give up on life? You're always so weak, you're basically a doormat for everyone to walk ALL over you! It's hilarious! Nanako: What are you saying? That makes no sense! Shadow Nanako: Ever since your mom died, you've been nothing but soft! You've never really done anything for yourself! You've deluded yourself into thinking that everyone comes first. But in THIS world, honey... it's all about you! Nanako: That's totally not true! Shadow Nanako: Right... just like how all those people behind you actually think you're their friends! They only think of you as the little sister! They don't care about you at all! Nanako: ...! No! You're wrong, they care about me! Shadow Nanako: Oh? Then why does your "big bro" always ditch you to hang out with his friends? You're family~! He should hang out with you more! Nanako: S-stop it! Shut up! You're wrong! Shadow Nanako: How can I be wrong? I know every little thing about you. I AM you after all... Nanako: NO! YOU'RE NO-- Yu: Nanako! NO! DON'T SAY IT! Nanako: YOU'RE NOT ME! - Shadow Nanako transformed into a mutilated looking doll with scars and bandages. - Nanako: W-what's going on, big bro?! - Shadow Nanako laughs manically. - Shadow Nanako: I am a shadow! The true self! I'll show you the truth, that you're just everyone's doormat! Yosuke: Nanako-chan, get out of the way! Nanako: Wha-- - Yu saves Nanako by holding her tight and throwing himself out of the way. They both hit the ground before Shadow Nanako could hit them. - Yu: I gotcha. Nanako: Big... bro... - Nanako faints. - Yosuke: Susano'o! - Susano'o attacks Shadow Nanako with Garudyne. - Shadow Nanako: Agh! That stung! Kanji: Let's get 'em! - Kanji's Persona attacks Shadow Nanako. - Shadow Nanako: That won't WORK! - Shadow Nanako grabs Kanji's Persona and throws it to the ground and sends electricity through it. - Kanji: -screams out in pain.- Rise & Naoto: Kanji! Kanji: Don't worry about me, worry about kickin' some ass! Rise & Naoto: Right! Yukiko: Let's go! - Yukiko uses Agidyne on Shadow Nanako. - Shadow Nanako: Agh! You're starting to really piss me off! - Shadow Nanako begins to morph. - Chie: She's changing! Teddie: This is bear-y bad! We gotta take some cover! - Shadow Nanako morphs into a more agile, and faster form. - Rise: Oh no! Her speed just increased exponentially. And I can't read her weaknesses! Watch out you guys! - Kanji, Yosuke, Yukiko and Chie attack with all four elements, but to no avail. - Yosuke: What's this thing made of?! Shadow Nanako: Your worst nightmares! - Shadow Nanako attacks Jiraiya and Yosuke, and they fly into the wall. - Yosuke: Ah! Shit, that hurt. Yu: I gotta do something to help. Izanagi! - Izanagi comes to his aid, and attacks Shadow Nanako. - Yosuke: Way to go, partner! Shadow Nanako: GRAH! You've ALL BECOME A PAIN IN THE ASS! PREPARE TO BE ASSIMILATED INTO THE GROUND! - Shadow Nanako sucks Nanako up into a ball of energy. - Yu: NANAKO! NO! Everyone except Nanako: NANAKO! Teddie: Oh no... Nanako... Yu: I can't forgive you for doing this... Nanako is my FAMILY... You'll be sorry you did that! - Izanagi reforms into Izanagi-no-Okami. - Yosuke: Woah! Dude... that looks so awesome! Chie: Is that what Narukami used to destroy the Midnight Channel last time? Kanji: I guess so... Kick it's ass, dude! I'm countin' on you! Rise: We're ALL counting on you! Yukiko: Do it for us! Teddie: You can do it sensei! Naoto: Fight... and win for Nanako! Yu: You got it. Izanagi! - Izanagi-no-Okami uses Myriad of Truths on Shadow Nanako. - Shadow Nanako: No... this can't be... I can't lose! I can't lose to some pathetic teenagers! - Shadow Nanako cries out in pain. - Shadow Nanako: NOOOO! - Shadow Nanako falls to the floor in human form. Nanako reappears. - Nanako: ...I finally understand what you're getting at. I was never really assertive in what "I" wanted... I never told big bro what "I" wanted... But now I don't want to be walked on anymore. I want to walk WITH him. To my future. ...In any case. You're a part of me. And I'm a part of you. - Shadow Nanako's body dissipates and a Persona of Nanako's comes and greets her. - Nanako: Big bro! I've finally got a Persona of my own! Isn't that awesome? Yu: That's great, Nanako! Nanako: I'm finally one of you guys... Yosuke: But Nanako-chan, you were ALWAYS one of us. Nanako: R-really? Chie: Right from the start! Nanako: Wow! Thanks you guys! Yukiko: You didn't need a Persona to be "one of us". You were our friend from the beginning because you were KIND to us. Rise: Yeah Nanako, you're always so cute and nice! You always brighten my day when you're with us at Junes! Nanako: That's so nice coming from you guys! Naoto: You're a great girl. You make all of our days much better, just by your presence. Kanji: Yeah, when it comes to bein' cute and all... you kick butt! Nanako: -laughs- Thanks, Kanji-senpai. Kanji: Awh, shucks. D-DON'T BE TELLIN' EVERYONE I SAID THAT. - Everyone laughs, except for Kanji. - Yu [ Narrating. ]: And so, Nanako was able to face herself. And as for the convention... Yosuke: Wo-hoah! Kanji! This is awesome! Yu: This is great, Kanji. Pretty snazzy. Chie: Man, this kicks some major can! Yukiko: I love the design patterns you used! They're great! Rise: It's so CUTE! I love it Kanji-kun! Teddie: This is bear-y awesome Kanji! I love it. I'd wear it everyday if it weren't for my bear costume! Nanako: And you even did mine, Kanji! You're the best, Kanji-senpai! Kanji: -laughs, whilst blushing.- T-thanks you guys! Yosuke: Hey, you know... come to think of it. Where's Naoto? -Naoto opens the changing room door.- Naoto: ...I-I think it's nice... Rise: Woah, Naoto! You look really great! Kanji: I-uh... -Kanji blushes.- Yosuke: What, you got somethin' for Naoto, don'tcha? Kanji: H-hey! It's not LIKE THAT! GET BACK HERE, SO I CAN KICK YOUR ASS! - Everyone laughs, while Kanji chases Yosuke around the convention. -

#This was gonna be an audioplay but--#whatever #somewhat fanfiction?#persona 4 #I got bored one day #this was a while ago #i made this ages ago #persona #Shin Megami Tensei #yu narukami #yosuke hanamura #chie satonaka #yukiko amagi #kanji tatsumi #rise kujikawa #naoto shirogane #nanako dojima #ryotaro dojima #shadow nanako

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individuationfic · 5 years

Text

Seeking to Seize Chapter 19

AO3

Kanji-kun walks Rise home. He usually does, since his mother’s shop and her grandmother’s shop are so close together. But where their walk is usually filled with happy chattering, this one is silent.

She knows he’s thinking about what happened with Namatame, so she asks, “Are you okay?”

“I almost killed someone,” Kanji-kun replies, voice thick. Then, the words seem to tip him over. “Holy shit, I almost killed someone. I was just gonna toss him in the TV and let him rot. What the hell is wrong with me?” He stops walking, hunches his back, buries his face in his hands. “God, how am I supposed to live with this?”

“Kanji-kun,” Rise starts.

He whips his head up to look at her, and his eyes are bright, almost feverish. “They were right about me,” he says, sounding distant. “I’m just a violent, no-good thug—”

“Kanji-kun, stop!”

But he doesn't hear her. He just keeps going. “It’d be better for everyone if I wasn’t here! Ma, the team, you… you’d all be better off if I was dead!”

She grabs his head and flares right into his eyes. “You listen to me, Tatsumi Kanji,” she says, “never talk about yourself like that again. You’re such a good person, it makes me feel bad about myself sometimes. The fact that you’re feeling guilty now is proof you’re a good person. Besides,” she adds, “Naoto-san is the one who suggested throwing him in the TV, and the rest of us were just going to let you do it. Doesn’t that make us just as bad?”

“Doing something terrible and not stopping something terrible from happening are two different things.”

“But it’s still bad!”

“Not as bad as me.” He tries to turn away from her. “You should go. You guys don’t need me anyway.”

Rise feels like she’s panicking. Her heart is racing a mile a minute and it’s hard to breathe and she needs to fix this. We need you, you’re part of the team, you’re family, I love— “I love you!”

Kanji-kun freezes and, realizing what she’s just said, so does Rise. She snatches her hands away from his face and clasps them behind her back like they hold the words she just spoke and Kanji-kun won’t notice if he can’t see them. When he swallows, it audible, and he says, “You… love me?”

Well, she thinks, here goes nothing. “I know you like Naoto-san, but, yes, I do. You’re my best friend and you make me so happy I could burst. My day gets better every time I see you. When I think of moving back to Tokyo, my chest gets all tight and I know it’s because you wouldn’t be there with me. I love you.”

He doesn’t respond right away. He staring, unblinking, mouth agape. She starts to back away. “I’m sorry,” she says, “I know you like Naoto-san, I shouldn’t’ve said anything—”

One of his arms catches her around her waist and draws her close to him again. She’s too surprised to resist, even if she wanted to, so she stares up at him instead. His eyes are dark and his breathing is heavy, and suddenly his mouth is on hers.

She melts, relaxing in his hold and responding to his kiss. It’s clumsy, the way their mouths move against each other. Despite what a lot of people think, this is her first kiss, and she doubts Kanji-kun has much experience outside of the disastrous King’s Game. What this kiss lacks in skill it more than makes up for in passion. Kanji-kun kisses her like he’s suffocating and she’s made of pure oxygen. It’s this intensity that convinces Rise he’s not kissing her out of pity—there’s no way he doesn’t want this as much as she does.

When they part for air, Rise doesn’t move out of the circle of his arms. “I like you, too,” Kanji-kun says, and his voice cracks a little with his admission. “If that wasn’t obvious.”

She giggles. “When did you stop liking Naoto-san?” she asks, curious. She could’ve sworn he was still harboring his crush on them just a few days ago. Rise likes to think of herself as a pretty perceptive person, after all, and she wants to know why she missed a change in affections.

Kanji-kun says, “I still like Naoto. I just like you, too.”

And Rise is crushed.

Of course he still likes Naoto-san, she thinks. Of course. She breaks away from him and runs into the tofu shop before he can protest.

In her room, she cries into her pillow. He doesn’t like me. He just thinks I’m hot. That’s all I am, really. Something nice to look at. Naoto-san is smart and cool and confident on top of their good looks. I’m just a pretty girl who can sing and dance.

Himiko tries her best to comfort her. Love is complicated, my dear. He may very well be able to hold feelings for two people at once.

I’m still his second choice, Rise thinks. Maybe I’m just doomed to fall for people already in love with someone else.

And Himiko has nothing to say to that, and Rise cries until she falls into a fitful sleep.

Kanji feels like a goddamned idiot.

Senpai is out there looking for a serial killer by himself, and here’s Kanji, wallowing in self-pity because he can’t choose between two people to like. How fucking juvenile.

He’s watching the shop for his mom today because she’s working on a custom order. Some people from Tokyo want new kimonos for New Year’s, and they offered to pay extra if she got all three done by pick-up, which is today. “I just have to finish the embroidery,” she’d wheedlesd when she caught him trying to leave. “Help your mama out for a few hours? I’ll make my homemade mochi for New Year’s if you do!” Kanji resisted the urge to point out she was going to make the mochi for herself anyway.

So here he is, tapping his fingers on the wooden counter of his mother’s shop and trying to figure out where he fucked up with Rise.

Because he likes her. He really likes her. He just also likes Naoto. And he thought Rise liked Naoto, too; she was constantly tugging them, playing with their hair, grabbing them by the wrist to drag them along.

But she was so upset when I said I like Naoto, he thinks, remembering Rise’s pained face. Why? Doesn’t everyone like more than one person?

Take-Mikazuchi, bless him, tries to help. WOMEN STRANGE. HANDLE EMOTIONS DIFFERENT THAN MEN. YOU SHOULD TALK TO HER.

I would if she would answer my texts. He glances at his phone, tucked under the counter. He’s sent her various apologetic texts, but has yet to receive a response. In fact, the only text he’s gotten all day was from Hanamura-senpai, wondering if he’d seen Teddie since Nanako-chan’s “death.”

He’s spared from another one of Take-Mikazuchi’s suggestions when the bell above the door rings, signalling a customer is here. His spine straightens on instinct and he says in the most polite voice he can muster, “Welcome to Tatsumi Textiles.”

There are three customers standing there, two men flanking a woman, and Kanji somehow knows these are the customers whose order is mom is working on. Take-Mikazuchi has gone quiet in his head, letting him focus, and one of the men approaches the counter. “We’re here for the Kashima order,” he says, and his voice has a strange hold over Kanji.

Before Kanji can respond, his mom pops her head into the shop from her work room. “Ah, Kashima-san, Tachibana-san, Nitta-san! I just finished up with Tachibana-san’s kimono. Would you like to come try it on?”

The woman nods. The man at the counter looks over his shoulder and says, “Isamu, go help with her arm.” It’s only then that Kanji notices her right arm, hanging unnaturally still at her side.

The other man gives a two-fingered salute while the woman—Tachibana-san—huffs. “I’m perfectly capable of dressing myself!” she says with the air of a person who has said this particular phrase many times before.

“Humor us, Chiaki,” the man next to her says. He puts his hand at the small of her back and steers her to the work room behind Kanji’s mom.

Once they’re gone, the first man looks at Kanji again. “Are you Tatsumi-san’s son?”

“Yeah,” Kanji says. “Tatsumi Kanji.”

The man reaches to shake his hand, “Kashima Naoki. It’s nice to meet you.”

Kanji echoes Kashima-san’s sentiment. Then, after a moment, he asks, “Why did the three of you order all together?” When he saw the order a few weeks ago, he’d figured it was a family, not three unrelated people.

Kashima-san, his face blank, says, “They’re my lovers.”

Kanji’s jaw damn near drops. “Y-You’re cheatin’ on ‘em?”

“It’s only cheating if they don’t know about it. Our relationship is three-way; we’re all with each other.” Kashima-san shrugs. “It may seem strange, but it makes us happy.”

Kanji suddenly has even more to think about.

Naoto is sitting by Nanako-chan’s bed when they get the text.

At least one member of the team sits with Nanako-chan during the afternoon, if they can. Their company seems to cheer her up; Naoto thinks she must be lonely when they’re at school.

They’re peeling an orange for Nanako-chan to eat, and Nanako-chan says, “I think I know what I can call you.”

“What?” Naoto asks. They start cutting the orange into small pieces.

Nanako-chan beams. “I’ll call you Naoto-ue! That’s kind of like ‘onii-chan’ and ‘onee-chan,’ right?”

Naoto sets the dish of orange slices on Nanako-chan’s bed and, on impulse, ruffles her hair. “I think it’s great.”

Nanako-chan grins for a few more seconds before turning serious. “Onii-chan is looking for the bad guy, isn’t he, Naoto-ue?”

“You’re a smart girl, Nanako-chan,” Naoto says, because they can’t really say anything else.

Before Nanako-chan can speak again, the door to her hospital room slides open and an elementary school boy with an arm full of papers steps in. His eyes light up when they fall on Nanako-chan. “Hi, Nana-chan!” he chirps, walking towards the bed. He sets the papers on the bedside table, which Naoto knows was used as Yu-senpai’s footrest as he slept in the chair the night before until the nurses kicked him out. “I brought you some homework so you don’t fall behind!”

Nanako-chan groans good-naturedly. “Thanks. Oh, Daichi-kun, I should introduce you to Naoto-ue!” Daichi-kun seems to have just now noticed Naoto’s presence. “Naoto-ue, Daichi-kun is my classmate from school. Daichi-kun, Naoto-ue is one of my big brother’s friends. Naoto-ue’s a detective!” Naoto feels their chest fill with affection at the proud tone in Nanako-chan’s voice.

Daichi-kun makes an appropriately impressed sound and spends a few more minutes talking to Nanako-chan before moving back towards the door. “Get better soon, Nana-chan!” he says as he leaves. “I still need your help in home ec.!”

“I think Daichi-kun likes you,” Naoto teases gently once the door is shut behind him.

Nanako-chan considers this. “Do you like anyone, Naoto-ue?”

Naoto’s mind flashes to a battered boy with bleached hair and a pretty girl with dark pigtails. “Yeah,” they say, “I do.”

Then their phone buzzes. The text is one short line, but it sends their mind into overdrive. “I need to go now, Nanako0chan,” they say, trying to maintain their composure as they stand.

One of Nanako-chan’s small hands grabs onto one of Naoto’s. “You’re going to Onii-chan, right? Keep him safe.”

Naoto swallows. “I will. You won’t lose him. I promise.”

“Pinky swear?” She extends her other hand, pinky out.

“Pinky swear.”

They hope they can keep this promise.

[Narukami Yu] → [Hanamura Yosuke], [Satonaka Chie], [Amagi Yukiko], [Tatsumi Kanji], [Kujikawa Rise], [Shirogane Naoto]

[Narukami Yu]: I know who it is.

Adachi knows they know as soon as he sees them approaching.

The only one with a decent poker face is Shirogane, after all. Tatsumi’s entire body is rigid, and Hanamura’s eyes are burning. The guys are all standing in front of the girls, protective. Adachi inwardly scoffs. Stupid boys, thinking women need to be protected. Not like they can do anything outside of the TV anyway. I’m a cop and I have a gun. They’re useless.

The hospital lobby is pretty much deserted. Not a great place for a confrontation like this. With no witnesses, it’ll be the word of a police officer against a group of high schoolers, and he’s pretty sure he knows which one adults will believe. He supposes he has Dojima to thank for the relative privacy; if the damn old man would have just stayed in his bed, the nurses would still be here.

But then Dojima shambles over, and Shirogane tricks him into mentioning the TV. Even as beaten up as he is, Dojima is a respected police officer, and the people will trust him over Adachi.

His jig up, he runs until he finds a TV large enough to jump through. They want a fight? he thinks, feeling his version of Inaba construct around him. I’ll give them a fucking fight.

Deep inside him, he hears a dark laugh.

#individuation #ao3 #persona series #persona 4

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