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Narukami would’ve expected the return to Tokyo to be a far more painful one. He was leaving the safety and comfort of his friends and family back into the lonely confines of his parent’s empty house. Sure his friends would call him, write letters and he’d visit them, but it just wouldn’t be the same. They weren’t
there
with him. However, within the first few weeks he noticed that the struggle was not at all what he thought it would be.
He saw the people around him in a new light, allowing him to make bonds he recognized he wouldn’t have been able to earlier. New friends helping him see the beauty of the city he’d missed before. He’d had no idea until now just how much his friends had changed him. He really did miss them despite all the new budding friendships. They’d given him everything he had now.
Despite all the positivity he experienced here now, their calls sometimes made a pit form in his stomach. The way they talked about hanging together and activities they did without him, it made him envious. A fact he’d managed to admit to Yosuke on their last phone call.
Though as Narukami looks out from the entrance of his current high school, he feels the curling tendrils of anxiety light up all over again. His call with Yosuke had been nice, informative, they always were, but one of Yosuke’s observations had made him pause. A fog had apparently begun to form in Inaba all over again, but it was impossible to tell if it was related to the Midnight Channel or not. A mystery they had never solved. A mystery he hadn’t even thought of until after reading Adachi’s letter on his own in the train. Just what was the Midnight Channel? What purpose did it serve in relation to the false deity of Ameno Sagiri?
“You ok dude?”
Narukami shakes himself out of his thoughts, offering a nod of acknowledgement before gesturing he has to leave with a wave.
“Seeya tomorrow at the karaoke club then.” His friend says as a goodbye, most likely leaving to join up with his fellow soccer club members.
Narukami hated to admit it, but the karaoke session he’d help plan was the last thing on his mind since last week. Mostly because every day that none of them called him made him more concerned. This had been the longest break in calls. He’d debated calling them for a few days already, but with how busy he was, he figured he could save it for after karaoke. It was on a Sunday and he had no plans after that for the day.
A bout of evening chill catches him particularly badly, making him shiver in response. The atmosphere had been particularly humid lately, a sea breeze sweeping through the area. It brought with it the very root of his concerns, a still but noticeable fog. He’d tried his glasses on to assuage any anxieties and had been relieved to see he could not see through it. He wished he could tell that to Yosuke who had seemed on edge back in Inaba. But he’d call soon enough he was sure.
At his apartment complex he gives a bow of respect to one of his neighbors. Receiving a pleasant good evening in turn.
Opening his apartment door to emptiness never got better however. Even now, having no one to receive him was depressing. His parents, while in the country at the moment, were not at the house very often. Though he’d managed to improve his relations with them a little, getting a few ‘get to know you’ dinner interactions. Which sounded pretty sad now that he thought about it, but he considered it progress. Certainly more than he ever had.
Narukami unpacks his bag and lays down the important textbooks onto his desk. He’d gotten some homework to do. The teacher had been adamant that the homework had to be done, apparently more people had started slacking off within the last week. It was odd.
He opens his English textbook first, it serving as one of the easier starting points into the rest of the studies he needed to do.
Just as he finds his pen from the cute bunny pencil case Kanji had sent him not long ago, he feels his cell ring against the desk. It could be about karaoke or it could be one of his friends from Inaba.
Narukami quickly flips open his cell, delighted to see that the caller was Yosuke. It made him let out a sigh of relief, the silence must’ve just been a busy week for all of them, and that was the only reason they’d not called.
“Hello Yosuke, it's been awhile.”
“
Aww, miss me already partner?
”
Narukami halts at that, the swagger of Yosuke’s voice a surprise to him. Before he can say anything else he can hear a shift in tone from the other.
“
Seriously though man, things’re majorly screwed over here. That fog got thicker and people are…weird. I dunno what’s going on anymore.”
Narukami furrows his brows, everything’s been fine up until now. Could so much have happened in a week?
“
We’re trying to figure this out, but it has to be related to that letter Adachi sent you, it’s all that was left unsolved right? We need you here, so we can solve this together like we did before.”
Narukami falters, he couldn’t just up and leave now. He had school and events and such. But how could he stand to abandon his friends either?
“This is sudden. I understand you need help and I will be here. Should we go over everything through a phone call with the rest?”
There’s a silence, as if Yosuke was considering his words very carefully.
“
I think we’re past that, partner. I don’t wanna worry you too much, but none of us have seen Nanako or Dojima for a week. We
need
you here.
”
Narukami feels his stomach drop. After everything there was no way something could happen to Nanako. No. He wouldn’t let it. Not on his life.
“I’ll be there tomorrow. Just…try and keep her safe if you can.”
His voice cracks at the end, feeling his anxiety fade away into actual fear.
“
We will. It’ll be real good to see you again, partner.
”
It felt like the worst time ever to look forward to visiting Inaba. If something really was going on…it wouldn’t be easy to sort. It never had been. He’d have to steel his resolve, he had a feeling they’d all need it.
“I’ll see you there.”
“
Seeya—“
—
“—partner.” Yosuke waits to hear Narukami hang up, a self satisfied smile growing on his face. The red and yellow tint of his surroundings casting him in an eerie glow.
“See that Chie, I toldja I knew him best.” He flaunts, staring straight at her.
She scoffs, “You nearly messed up. ‘Know him best’ my ass.”
He rolls his eyes, “It was never gonna be
that
easy. Not like I actually messed up at any point. After all, he’s dutifully on his way here and will be arriving tomorrow.”
“Senpai!!” Rise cries, placing a hand on her forehead and dramatically fainting. Naoto catches her offhandedly, a childlike giggle accompanying the action. Kanji takes offense to this and lifts Rise back into standing, huddling closer to Naoto afterwards.
Yukiko giggles, clutching Chie haphazardly, “You totaaally laid it thick by bringing in Nanako.”
“Shut it bitch.” Yosuke dismisses her quickly, annoyed by her vapid expression. However he ducks quickly, expecting the fierce kick from Chie instinctually.
“Wanna get it worse!? Apologize!” Chie demands, leg perched to attack.
He waves his hand disinterestedly, those two could become so boring sometimes, “Yeah whatever, my bad or something.”
It looks like Chie is ready to start another of their fights before Yukiko leans over and kisses her cheek, “Oh Chie my prince, always standing up for me.”
This seemed to be enough for the meat lover to calm down. Giving a few condescending pats towards Yukiko. Yosuke ignored it in favor of starting at his cellphone. Yu, his partner, was finally coming back to spice up this dump and these people. Oh how he couldn’t wait to tell him how he felt. After all this time. Though he’d have to do it quick, if Rise’s excited expression was anything to go by.
—
Narukami packed lightly to be able to come as soon as possible. He didn’t expect to stay extremely long either, a week at max. Though Dojima’s place would have any spare things he’d need.
The whole trip was anxiety inducing, forcing him to calm himself down multiple times over. He was no use to his friends if he couldn’t cool his judgment. Naoto had said as much to him when he’d gotten frazzled in his search for Nanako.
The fog had kept getting thicker and thicker as the train drew closer to its destination. It hadn’t helped his positivity in the slightest. Neither had the fight that had broken down on the train platform a few stations away from Inaba. Worst of all, the victim had been the most mad at him for breaking it up. An overall uncomfortable experience for everyone he figured.
In the end, the reminder that no matter what, he had his friends to face the opposition with, helped calm him down. He was no longer alone.
The screen shows that they’re about to arrive in Inaba and as such, he stands up, grabbing his one backpack. As a last thought he pockets the glasses Teddie made for him from the front pocket of his bag. They might come in handy after all.
The train begins slowing down as the platform comes into view, filling Narukami with both dread and determination. He couldn’t see his friends yet, but then again, with this fog he couldn’t see much at all.
The train stops and he grabs the handle for support, so he doesn’t fall over. A minute or so later the doors open and he steps out cautiously. The sleepy town of Inaba was obscured by the blanket of fog so drastically that he couldn’t even recognize it.
Amidst his staring he hears: “Partner?”
A second later joined by, “Senpai?!”
“Over here.” He calls, waving despite knowing they couldn’t see it.
Murmurs of excitement reach his ears and he smiles despite the situation. He’d always be happy to see his friends.
A form comes barreling into him, making him take a few steps back. Looking down, he confirms that it’s Rise, holding his midsection tightly, obscuring her face.
“I missed you so much Senpai!”
He gives her head a few pats in acknowledgment. He’d missed them all a lot too.
“Yo, dude.” Yosuke calls next, his form becoming clearer now.
“Heya.” Chie calls, with Yukiko chiming in a hello of her own.
He hears nothing from Naoto or Kanji, making him assume they were further back.
“Good to see you are all doing well.” He says with his smile still visible, if just barely noticeable, “Any news?”
“No, nothing at all.” Naoto’s voice is clear, though tinged with a lot more emotion than he was used to hearing.
Yosuke and Chie make a gesture of some kind that the fog covers. He still could barely see them, beyond just their outlines and colors. Except for Rise of course, who seemed content to just hold onto him.
He thinks to put on his glasses then, just to see if they would work. He sincerely hoped they didn’t, but he might as well try.
The grey rims slot smoothly onto the bridge of his nose and he takes a look around. Eyes blowing wide as the surrounding town grows clear to him at the same time as his friends.
“W-what…?” He falters, shock not hidden on his face well at all.
In front of him, he sees Yosuke gazing at him intently, followed by an amused set of expressions from Chie and Yukiko, finally ending with another intense gaze from Kanji and a childish smile from Naoto.
Lastly he casts his sight down at Rise, coming face to face with her lovesick expression. The same sickeningly glowing golden eyes adorning her face as it did the others.
They were their shadows-selves.
He moves to separate Rise’s hold on him, causing her to fall flat on her rear with a pout. He doesn’t pay it too much mind, taking a few cautionary steps back. If this came to a fight, he wasn’t sure he could win it.
“What’s the matter, partner? You’re being awfully rude to your friends.” Yosuke questions, an excited gleam in his eyes.
At that second the train closes its doors, leaving the station back to where it came from. Sealing in Narukami’s current situation for good.
“Ah Welp, looks like there goes your train.” Yosuke continues, shrugging, “But you wouldn’t leave your friends behind would—?”
“Oh cut your gloating.” Chie interrupts him with a harsh glare, “We get it, foreplay turns you on.”
Yosuke crosses his arms now, annoyance clear. At the same time, Narukami takes another step back, watching them all carefully. The hand around his bag strap shaking.
“Oh my prince how I’ve missed you! You’ll help us all right?” Yukiko exclaims, excited by the prospect.
“No one ever notices me anymore, not like you do Senpai.” Rise crawls a bit closer.
“Back off.” Yosuke pulls her back by the end of her school uniform. She screams in protest, looking ready to slap him for the offense. Naoto claps exuberantly, happy with all the chaos going on.
Chie looks from Yukiko back to him with an expectant expression, “You
will
help us, won’t you? You always do. You always
will
.”
His words die in his throat. Desperately trying to process what’s going on. Only his friends would know he was coming today, it had to be them, or some part at least. Were their real selves somewhere else? How would that make sense, since they’d have to know he was here, did something happen to them…aside from this…
With alarm, he notices that they’re moving to try and surround him. If he didn’t do something soon, they were going to be on him.
“We needya Senpai~” Kanji finally chimes in, effeminate tone present.
“Who the hell else is gonna make this shitty town any fun? C’mon partner, I’ll show you a good time for it I promise.” Yosuke offers, closing distance.
The panic swelling inside his chest draws out a long forgotten power in himself, the voice of his original persona calling to him. Urging to be summoned to protect him from danger. The relief of hearing his long-time ally helps him calm down, giving him the chance to evaluate his situation rationally. He knew their weaknesses and strengths, with all his personas, he should be able to target them systematically if he had to.
The area in front of him glows a bright hue of blue as a card descends down towards him, the Fool Arcana on its surface. It almost makes him smile, the familiar rush of power as exciting as ever.
“Persona.”
All the shadows take a step back as he crushes the card in an efficient motion, bringing forth Izanagi behind him; weapon drawn and set in front of Narukami protectively.
“
Really
? Lame.” Yosuke calls out, real put off.
“Yosuke—what happened?“ Narukami asks, now that he feels stable in his position. His expression is hard, but his eyes plead for an answer from the other.
“What can I say? Fog came and things changed for the better and for the worse.”
Izanagi shifts his weapon further away as Narukami takes a step closer to the others, “Changed? You all…became…shadows?”
Yukiko snorts at that, “Hahaha, I didn’t think it was
that
hard to figure out.”
“Even Senpai is a little dense sometimes.” Rise grins looking over at Yosuke, “Though nothing like the emptiness of Yosuke-senpai’s head.”
“With a smoking hot bod like that, who cares~?” Kanji adds appreciatively, eyes wandering downwards.
“Seriously, back off.” Yosuke snaps, giving Kanji an intense glare.
“We can all finally play together. Wait till you see all the new modifications I have coming!” Naoto adds her beat.
“How did this happen..?” Narukami questions, both to himself and to the others. Izanagi takes a step closer to him.
“Who cares?” Chie responds, punching a fist into her palm, “All that matters is how you want to do this.”
“Lookin’ an awful lot like a real sexy fight.”
“Now you’re onto something.”
“You’ll protect me right Chie?”
“Always.”
Narukami looks at them all, considering his options. Even if he were to pull out his personas, he didn’t want to hurt his friends. Now that they apparently were one in the same for now, he couldn’t risk fighting them. No, he had to find a way to fix this. To save them.
Izanagi must know his conflict, looking down at its summoner with an unreadable expression, resolute posture indicating all Narukami needed to know. Surrender was not something the persona wanted.
Narukami outstretches his hand, making all the shadows tense up in anticipation. Izanagi, on board with the plan, uses ziodyne on a nearby station building. The impact causes parts of it to explode, creating a cloud of smoke around them.
By the time the smoke clears up, the shadows note that their leader is already gone. Not a very concerning fact, considering how small and isolated Inaba was, but it was more annoying than anything. Trying to chase down the elusive persona user was going to be much more work than any of them had signed up for. But it needed to be done, they
needed
him, he made it all work, gave them all what they wanted.
“How much do you wanna bet he goes over to Dojima’s place?” Yosuke asks, crossing his arms.
Naoto shakes her head, smiling, “Is there even any doubt.”
“Oh but it would be so funny to find him at Junes.” Yukiko adds as a thought, flaring up her short pink dress.
“Bet he’ll have fun running into Teddie.” Chie smirks, “Anyway, we’ll find him later, Yukiko and I have plans.”
Yosuke looks over, displeased, “Who put you in charge. We’re not gonna wait for you two to—“
He may be trained in avoiding her, but there was no way he was avoiding the kick to his stomach that sends him barreling. She slams her foot next to his head to further drive her point.
“
I
did.” She asserts with full confidence. Yosuke doesn’t give her the satisfaction of looking intimidated. Though he does notice Kanji looking at him closely, making him stand up fast in response.
“C’mon Yukiko, we’ll have enough time to see these losers later.” Chie beckons, leaving the group behind.
“Oooh.” Yukiko giggles, “Good thing I wore my lacy unmentionables.”
Yosuke gags, addressing the group the minute those two are out of sight:
“Fuck her. I’m not wasting my life waiting here while I can be out there with my partner.” He flips off the direction Chie went and leaves towards the direction of Dojima’s house, not waiting to see what the others would say. Even if they all went their own ways, they’d always find themselves drawn to each other within a few days. It had happened enough for them to know that by now.
—
Narukami looks at the door in front of him, preparing himself for the worst. If this weather did that to his friends, he really didn’t want to know what it did to his family here. But he couldn’t avert his eyes from the truth no matter how it hurt, Damnit, that was what their whole quest had been about.
With a noticeable shake that makes him mess up opening the door first, he pulls the sliding door open. The interior hadn’t changed from what he could see, it was a relief. Sadly he had no time to reminisce, as he had no doubt this was the first place his friends would come looking for him.
He stumbles further in, “Nanako? Dojima-san?”
With no response, his concern grows. In the living room he can hear shuffling.
Sitting across from each other he can clearly see Dojima and Nanako. The former is quietly chuckling to himself, looking towards the head of the table at a cup. Nanako is happily sipping what he assumed was hot chocolate. The sigh of relief he lets is audible, walking closer to the two.
“Dojima-san?” He asks again, kneeling near the table. He still receives no response.
The cup at the end of the table is concerning him.
“Nanako?” He tries, looking over at her next. Still nothing. She laughs innocently at something he couldn’t hear, smiling towards the cup with no one behind it.
“Don’t worry Nanako, we’ll make it to Samegawa today. Daddy doesn’t have to work for a long time.” Dojima says suddenly, making Narukami startle. They’re both still looking towards the cup, making him think…
“Yay!! I love going to Samegawa with mommy and daddy!! We’ll pick all the pretty flowers.” Nanako tilts her head with a wide grin, pigtails jumping.
Narukami stares at the cup now with an unreadable expression, the illusion it presented clear to him. Upon closer inspection he recognized it as the one they’d gifted him at the end of the year. The realization creates a bigger twinge in his chest than he could’ve ever thought it would. It felt like a rejection, a replacement of his being. Perhaps it was.
However, what mattered now was that he was running out of time and there was nothing for him here. Not until he found a way to undo all this.
At least they were unharmed and happy. It’s more than he could’ve hoped for.
“Stay well Nanako.” Narukami whispers, heading up to his room. The sword he used in the TV world should still be there, if Dojima had never found it.
A bit of rummaging through his closet has him finding both his sheath and sword. It was a comfortable weight in his hand, though he hoped he wouldn’t have to use it against any of his friends. He knew he could never live with himself if he ever—
Narukami interrupts his grim thought process to hurry out of the house. Thinking in his head of all the places he could check next. The school was one that came to mind, find out if any of his other associates and acquaintances were left. Junes was also another possibility, see if the TV world really had fused with their own. If that was the case, he would not be able to enter the TV realm. He sincerely hoped that wasn’t the case.
He spots Yosuke casually strolling towards the house, forcing him to take cover behind one of the walls. It seemed his assumption on Dojima’s house being checked first was right. Then again, there was enough of them to check everywhere at once. Inaba was very small after all.
He can see Yosuke look at the door, then give the surrounding area a lazy sweep with his eyes. There was no urgency in his mannerisms.
“You know.” Yosuke starts loudly, “What’s that proverb again? ‘You can run but you can't hide’?”
Narukami stays still, watching for any sudden moves from Yosuke to indicate that he knew where he was. The other seems to be considering what to do or say next. Though he must think of something as his face brightens up noticeably.
He raises his voice again, “Consider this instead: You’re all alone again. Did you think of that yet?”
Narukami looks away, increasing the grip on his sword. He should’ve expected Yosuke to know what hurt.
Yosuke shrugs a minute later, opening the door to the house, giving Narukami the opening he needed to leave. One he takes hastily.
He makes his way to the school next. The route instilling nostalgia into him, from what felt like infinitely more simpler times. He’d had his friends then…Yosuke was right about his situation. There was nothing his newly made Tokyo friends could do for him. Nothing anyone but his closest friends could. How was he going to do anything without them?
Barely anyone was outside. The few who were, ignored him outright, even when he tried to talk to them. Everyone really had been affected by whatever turned them into their shadows. A little more hope dies in him at that.
No one was at the school. Apparently shadows had no interest in education, but that wasn’t so surprising. Everyone would only be looking out for their own interests.
The most life he could deduce at the school was the sound of one lone trumpet, playing terribly off tempo. It didn’t sound as if the owner even tried fixing it.
Despite the sound echoing all over the school grounds, he couldn’t find where the actual source was. Leading to a lot of wasted time searching. Time he knew he didn’t have.
Another nasty surprise hit him as he went over his personas near the school gate. And by go over, he meant, realize that they were all gone besides Izanagi. The bonds which they had been representative of were all gone too. Something that came as much less of a surprise, considering what everyone had become. Still, this limited his possibilities in battles exponentially. The one advantage of the wild card stripped away.
He didn’t have much more time to think about it as he heard the familiar voice of Rise nearby.
“You can be a real bitch sometimes, Senpai. Hiding away like some empty headed moron.” She says to herself, skipping around the area.
Narukami slips past her without further difficulty. Junes was his next destination. It would make or break his rescue attempt. All depending on if he could enter the TV world or not.
The trip wasn’t long but there were more people along the way there. None at Junes though. Giving the department store a creepy atmosphere, completely conflicting with all the good memories he had here. Laughing away worries with his friends, planning parties, reassuring each other…He could have that again. He just had to believe that he could fix this and that it would lead him to the truth.
A soft meow breaks him out of his thoughts. A small tabby cat sits in front of him, looking expectant. He smiles openly, leaning down to pet the kitty. The strays of Inaba had always loved him as much as he loved them. It was a relief to see nothing had happened to them, but he supposed it would’ve been odd if something had. The cat purrs as he finds all the best places to scratch them.
A loud pop sends the cat scampering away and him falling over. Recovering a second later by pointing his sword towards the source of the sound.
“Long time no see. Though I would say it hasn’t been long enough.” A disinterested drawl greets.
“Adachi!” Narukami responds, sword still pointed at the other man.
He was sitting a ways away, comfortably perched on a divider.. His signature gun twirls around his fingers, a visible trail of smoke wafting off of it still.
“How did you—“ Narukami starts.
“Shadows aren’t very interested in doing their jobs anymore. So I left.” Adachi cuts in, already looking tired of his presence, “Didn't think you’d come back honestly. You had your little hero routine here already didn’t you? What use is there to come back. Relive old glory?”
“That’s not—My friends—“
“Of-fucking-course. You came back for ‘your friends’. Real noble. Well, do you still like hanging out with them?
Are
they still your friends?” Adachi laughs, shifting his position to get more comfortable.
Narukami says nothing, feeling no need to prove his devotion to Adachi. It was a waste to try.
“Gotta wonder if they see
you
as their friend anymore.” Adachi muses, watching Narukami for a reaction, “I mean, being the only human among shadows, gotta be lonely too.”
“I’m
not
alone.” Narukami responds immediately, face hard, but tone betraying something more vulnerable.
“Ouch, touchy.” Adachi points his gun up, shooting a few bullets up into the sky. The resounding sound makes Narukami flinch both times, but otherwise leaves him no more than puzzled.
“Regardless. Looks like you’re headed to play hero in the TV again. Lemme save you some trouble by saying it won’t work. These two worlds have merged now.” Adachi gestures grandly to all around them, “There’s
no
TV world to go into to magically ‘save’ everyone! Not that they
want
to be ‘saved’ either.”
Despite the revelation making Narukami’s heart sink, he stands firm. Staring Adachi down as he narrows his eyes, “That doesn’t change anything. There’s always hope.”
Adachi makes no effort to move as Narukami holds out his palm, calling out to Izanagi.
“Per—“
A hand clamps around his mouth from behind, another forcing his hand back down. Leaving the newly summoned card to float uselessly in front of him before disappearing. He instinctively moves his sword arm to try and get the assailant to let go of him. In response he’s roughly slammed into one of the Junes tables, lying flat on his back afterwards. The impact makes him drop his sword and he hears it clatter further away, most likely kicked farther out of reach by the attacker.
He opens his eyes to see Yosuke above him. Feeling his arms be pressed against the table surface at the same time, effectively pinning him to it.
“Caught up to ya partner.” He says, the sickly glow of his yellow eyes making Narukami avert his gaze. It was too hard to look at.
Yosuke looks behind them after that, “Why don’t you fuck off. No one fucking wants you here.”
“Sheesh.” Adachi holds out his hands in surrender, giving in suspiciously easily. Not that Yosuke seems to care, turning back to Narukami the second Adachi hops down the barricade onto the other side.
Unbeknownst to both of them, Adachi simply pulls up a chair on the other side, resting it near the barricade. He didn’t spend all that effort of luring the Junes brat here just to miss the show he was going to be giving for free. Because if there was one thing Adachi had learned of the ‘Investigation Team’s’ naïve and amazingly idiotic leader, it was that his ‘friends’ were his Achilles heel. And it would be satisfying to finally watch him fall apart.
Narukami struggles underneath Yosuke, trying to free his arms in particular, but their apparent strength difference was becoming clear. Yosuke didn’t seem to be particularly struggling, moving once so he could press his weight down on Narukami more.
“Real nice what a bit of stock work can do eh?” Yosuke comments, staring down at Narukami with unrestrained want.
“Yosuke.” Narukami struggles out, desperate, “Don’t do this—let me go. I can
help
you.”
“You can help me just fine from there.” Yosuke says, not the least bit fazed. Pressing Narukami right back down every time he got a little bit up.
Narukami halts his struggle, panting from the effort. There was nothing around him either. Even his sword was unreachable with his feet, he’d tried, only to be stopped. If he was to get free, he’d have to convince Yosuke to let him go.
He thinks about what he could say. His face mirroring his desperation from its normal neutrality.
The reality of this Yosuke looking down at him was proving too much to bear though. How could he have failed so badly to let this happen to his friends? To realize too late that something was wrong—he’d been planning karaoke while his friends were back here suffering. How could he be so stupid?
The anguish of the situation starts to fully catch up to him now that he no longer had any objectives to keep him busy. The emotions from it were showing up on his face. Letting Yosuke see the full extent of his inner conflict.
He for one was unabashedly enjoying watching the multitude of strong emotions occupying the normally stoic features. Delighted to know that he was part of the cause of such turmoil. God, his partner really just was the most interesting thing he’d run into in his life.
“I wish you could see how great you look right now, partner.” Yosuke admires, catching the way Narukami’s frown deepens; clearly unsettled by the compliment.
Having no more self restraint in himself, Yosuke leans down to kiss Narukami after all this time. The repressed feelings he’d carried for so long singing in excitement. Narukami freezes underneath him entirely, not returning the gesture.
As Yosuke leans back, excited, he sees the bewilderment and misery in his partner’s face.
“C’mon partner, I know you didn’t miss all those looks I gave you. You returned them after all.” He points out, not out off by Narukami’s rejection at all.
“Not like this.” Narukami manages, shaking his head in denial. He’s wanted to try and confess to Yosuke, his partner, during his next visit. It was supposed to be one of the best moments of his life. Even if he got rejected it would’ve been miles better from this. The tainted nature of this confession making him ill. The shadow of Yosuke didn’t and couldn’t love him the way Yosuke had always seemed to. They might as well have been different people.
Narukami whispers to himself, “Not like this.”
The lust in Yosuke’s eyes are unmistakable, spurred on by the defeated aura coming off of him. All of Narukami’s outcomes came to the same conclusion, he was stuck here with what was left of his former friends, family and associates. He couldn’t fight this. Not alone.
He was alone.
Narukami could not recall the last time he had earnestly cried, but he recognizes the growing blurriness of his vision.
Yosuke leans back down, catching his lips in what felt almost like a gentle kiss. He moves his hands away from holding Narukami down, resting his right hand on his cheek, wiping away a stray tear in a falsely sweet gesture.
As Yosuke halts again, Narukami looks straight at him, pleading, “Please stop.”
It was to many more things than Yosuke’s advances, but at least to the other’s credit, he made no moves to violate the request. Content to watch the growing yellow in gray.
Narukami stares up at the sky, unable to stomach reality:
I don’t want to feel like I failed.
You don’t have to, a vaguely feminine voice responds in his head.
I don’t want to hate my friends.
You don’t have to, it says again.
I don’t want to be alone.
Let me help you, it offers.
“You don’t have to be alone.” Yosuke seems to echo, as if reading his mind. With how close they’ve been, Narukami wouldn’t have been surprised if he could.
“Help me.” Narukami requests, removing his glasses and pulling Yosuke in for an earnest kiss as all his worries fade away. The response is immediate, with Yosuke pushing him further into the table. They don’t break from their eager make out session until a few minutes after.
Golden eyes opening to meet a matching pair.
“Fucking finally.” Yosuke laughs, wiping the excess of Narukami’s tears away, “Help me destroy this miserable ass place and show me the fun I know you are, partner.”
Narukami offers a tired smile, “Anything for you, partner.”
Anything as long as he was never alone again. Whatever his friends wanted, needed him to be, he would be. As long as they never left him it would be fine.
He would be Chie’s worshipper,
Yukiko’s escapism,
Kanji’s experiment,
Rise’s validation,
Naoto’s playmate,
Yosuke’s lover and entertainer.
He was the wild card, man of many faces and talents. He would keep this group together if it killed him. No cost was too high nor sacrifice too great. He just needed them here with him. Forever.
The sound of angry and frustrated yelling from just beyond his peripheral makes him smile. He was never going to be alone again.
—
“Are you sure…that it is wise?” A young girl in blue asks. Clutching a grimoire against her chest. Her posture betrays concern and skepticism.
A much older woman, also decked in blue, turns to face her, “When you are older Lavenza you will receive your own guest and only then will you begin to understand.”
Lavenza thinks it over, coming no closer to understanding, “Margaret…”
Margaret, now perusing through her own grimoire to see if she’d forgotten anything, pauses. She had a lot on her mind and her younger sister’s incredulity wasn’t helping. Though, it was funny to her in a way, “I too questioned Elizabeth the same way you are doing to me now. It is a feeling foreign to us, rulers of power, until you have been shown the limits of your power by a human.”
That seemed to strike a chord in Lavenza, her eyes gaining a bit of awe at the concept. A human being so extraordinary that they could take on one of theirs: one who governs over power itself.
“Perhaps one day, you too may request a duel from your guest. See the true potential of humanity for yourself.” Margaret muses, hoping that her sister could also partake in the realization, as she, Theo and Elizabeth had.
Lavenza nods, taken with the idea, “However, as I recall, your human has fallen into the temptations of a false god. What do you propose to do at this stage? Is all not lost?”
Margaret chuckles, the picture of confidence, “While he may have strayed from his original goal, the world is not permanently marred yet. It seems you were tricked by the false words of the Empty Trickster as my guest was. There is time to undo what has been done…And even if there were not, I would keep my promise to him.”
Margaret halts and offers a deceptively calm smile, holding out a small glowing orb, “For now, I will simply have to slap some sense into my wild card; he will prevail yet.”