Fate/Reach Out (Fate/Stay Night x SMT Persona 4)

[Introspective Tinkerer]

Shirou continues to be an unintentional Kavorka-man and Casanova. Which makes sense, seeing as he's an eroge protagonist.

 

[Kishou the Badger]

This could be seen as Naoto having gay thoughts until you remember their real gender, which makes the scene way more hilarious. Naoto has always been my favorite P4 character and I'm always stuck on a 50/50 between romancing her or Rise.



Dude, we barely reached mid game and it's been years since this fic came out. I'm pretty sure this fic existed before Persona 5. We'll get there when we get there.

Click to shrink...

I had fun writing the Naoto scene too. And Taiga's, and the girls from last chapter at that. Part of the appeal of sharing here is being able to do NSFW what-ifs later.

2012 to be exact. I'm trying to work faster but the reason this is still going is because I'm stubborn and have a passion for this to at least finish the P4 storyline.

 

[Tobi]

Thanks for the chapter. Had a lot of fun reading it.

 

[Unoriginal_Nick]

Naoto truly is best girl...
Nice chap

 

[Kishou the Badger]

Chapter 54: Caught in the Act



<><><>

August 24th​, Dojima Residence, Evening

It seemed like only yesterday that summer vacation started. Now it was near the end of the month with the next semester about to start, and worries about finishing summer homework were popping up.

Nanako had her books and papers spread out on the kotatsu. There was too much work for one little girl to do, and part of the assignment for her homework was to bond with family members.

Naturally, Shirou offered to chip in for what help he could provide. "…and 'all that glitters is not gold'. There, that's three proverbs."

"Got it!" Nanako smiled. "That's all for tonight! Thanks, big bro!"

"Anytime," he smiled back at her. "Now that you're good on your homework and Doji-nii is gonna be back late, we can watch a little TV before bed."

"Okay!" She more than happily turned the TV on. The station it was on was airing a talk show called Niteline's Nitewatch Report. Shirou recalled its main focus being on regularly spreading gossip and updates about the serial murder case.

The host announcer, Riann Naito, was in the middle of talking when the TV booted up. "-nd joining us tonight is our special guest: the Detective Prince, Naoto Shirogane!"

Shirou balked and stared at the screen. Sure enough, sitting on the other end of the studio room with faux glitzy windows showing a night sky was Naoto-kun, in his bright blue shirt, yellow tie and navy-blue cap. "Thank you, Naito-san. Happy to be here."

"I understand you were brought over as a consultant for the police a few months ago," the announcer started, to which Naoto nodded. "And at such a young age, too. You're a high school student, right?"

"My duties as a consultant take precedence over my education, actually," Naoto replied coolly. "I prefer we stay on topic, if we can."

"Of course. You are helping the police with the serial murder case that started with Miss Yamano. What can you tell us about it?"

"Nothing conclusive, I'm afraid. We keep finding bodies on telephone poles, but we've deduced there is no motive or commonality between the victims. If there is, it's probably a coincidence."

"A coincidence?"

Naoto gestured to the room with his hand. "Such as being on a local television show, for starters."

Shirou winced. That, he felt, was a bit too on the nose. What was Naoto thinking?

"Well, are you any closer to finding out who did it?" Riann asked.

"There are leads," Naoto replied. "And I have in good faith that there will be a windfall of good fortune to solving the case."

"Oh? Can you tell us why, Naoto-kun?"

"The number of victims continues to grow. I know everyone involved would want this resolved as soon as possible, but I believe the most important aspect of any crime investigation is spotting…" He paused, as if trying to parse a specific word. "Let's say 'inconsistencies'."

"Big Bro?" Shirou flinched, seeing his sister-cousin look at him in concern. "Are you okay?

"I-I'm fine," he lied. The rest of the talk show shifted towards discussing more of Naoto's previous accolades. Solved cases and noteworthy stories, the young teen sitting there with leveled responses.

It boggled his mind. Naoto had never implied being anything more than a detective with a sense of justice. Going on a talk show to engage with the gossip of hosts was the last thing he would have done. Was the pressure of the case getting to him? Was he speaking on behalf of the police department as some way to ease the crowd?

Did he have any idea what he was doing?!

…no, of course Naoto knew what he was doing. Which was why Shirou felt so dismayed and torn and even in awe of watching him on TV.

He'd set himself up as bait.

<><><>

August 25th​, Junes, Daytime

Of course, the same night that Naoto would be on TV would be when Inaba would start raining, just as midnight rolled around.

It continued to rain even until midday, but there was no doubt that a new silhouette showed up. Everyone, with summer-appropriate raincoats and umbrellas, gathered around Junes to discuss the new plan.

Well, mostly everyone.

"How the hell do you not have his number?!" Yosuke snapped. "He was your chaperone, for crying out loud!"

"I-It never came up, okay?!" Kanji rattled. "Naoto always found me, not the other way around!"

"Naoto's a very private person," Shirou said. "Even before he knew about our team, he kept things politely distant. He probably never saw fit to exchange his contact information."

"Yeah, but he's a detective, right?" Rise asked. "Doesn't he have at least a business card, or a proxy agent? That's how it worked for me in showbiz."

"We could try asking the police department. Maybe Dojima-san?" Yukiko offered.

Taiga, however, shook her head. "They wouldn't know, and they wouldn't tell us if they did either. The police department has been at odds with Naoto-kun since the start. I only heard of this from Shiroku-chan's bar, mind you, but I've seen at least one disgruntled drunk cop complain about a 'hat-wearing upstart brat' ruffling more than a few feathers."

Shirou nodded to himself. Naoto admitted to exactly that fallacy of his position just the other day. It wasn't hard to imagine him getting upset if his temper was tested, such as in a hostile work environment.

"What I wanna know is, why isn't he here?" Teddie asked, wearing his bear shell as his rain cover. "Doesn't he know he's next?"

"Of course he knows," Yosuke scoffed. "That idiot is probably bunkering down at his place, waiting to get scooped up by the killer as we speak."

The others looked alarmed and shocked at the revelation. Taiga blinked, then palmed her face to hide her wince. "Oh no, don't tell me-!"

"He set himself up as bait," Shirou said. Yosuke nodded.

"I told you not to tell me!" Taiga whined.

Everyone grew more worried and alarmed. Doubly so when they heard Kanji's palms slam hard on the food court table. "Dammit!" he roared. "What is that idiot thinking? Why didn't he tell us?!"

"I plan to find that out for myself by asking him," Shirou promised.

"Which would be easier if we had his damn phone number!"

"I said I was sorry, alright?!"

"Calm down," the magus cut in. "We still have time. If we can't call him, we'll just head over to his house."

"Hey, yeah!" Chie exclaimed excitedly. "We know for once who the target is before they're gone and have a way to stop it from happening! We can set up a stakeout!"

"There's… one problem with that," Yukiko frowned. "Does anyone know where Naoto-kun lives?"

The pelting of rain on the food court roof was the only sound heard. As someone took a breath to speak, a crack of thunder soon followed, deafening the area, but no one moved or flinched (aside from Chie on reflex).

Three pairs of eyes turned to three young men. Yosuke shifted nervously in his seat. "Wh-what?"

"Well, you said you went to his place during the time we were supposed to hang out at the shrine-" Chie began.

"So only Shirou-senpai got to see our kimonos, by the by," Rise teased. Shirou blushed; the other guys looked torn between flustered and annoyed.

Chie was definitely annoyed by the subject before continuing, cutting off Taiga before she said her piece. "So, you know his home address, right? Or where he's staying?"

"Nope!" Teddie said with a smile.

"I just followed Kanji," Yosuke said.

"Uh, y-yeah I've been to his place," Kanji said slowly. "Once or twice. I, uh… wrote the directions on paper, cuz… it was a lot to remember, in the forest part of town. Something about taking the third right left? Or was it right, right, and then a left?"

As he was talking, he reached into his pants pocket. After a while, he searched in his other pocket. Kanji's face slowly fell as he searched more frantically, pulling his pockets inside out and even patting his leather jacket. "Uh oh."

Shirou intervened before anyone else could, lest another fight break out. "If we can't find or reach Naoto, we might have to settle for the next best thing."

"What's that?" Yosuke asked.

"Call Labrys," he told him. "Naoto said she is staying at his place, so if anyone would know, it's her."

"That's our sensei, coming up with a great plan!" Teddie cheered. The girls did as well, feeling relieved that their leader was on top of things.

"That's a great idea," Yosuke nodded. "So, who's gonna call her?"

Everyone stopped and stared at him, the sense of dread growing again. "I… assumed you would," Shirou admitted. "Since you've been seeing her regularly?"

"…oh. OOOOOOOH! Ohhhh…" It was amazing how one word could sound so differently based on facial quirks and realization. And how perfectly they conveyed a foul-up.

"Hanamura-kun…" Yukiko started, trying but failing to hide how disappointed she was with him.

"You don't have Labrys-chan's number, do you?" Chie asked, or rather stated in a deadpan tone and flat stare.

Yosuke shrugged with an awkward smile and weak laugh. "It… never came up?"

Rise's forehead fell to the table in a soft thud. "We're doomed," she deadpanned.

"Uh, kids-?"

Kanji slammed the table again, beyond livid. "SERIOUSLY?! After the shit you gave me a minute ago?!"

"You don't just ask girls for their numbers for no reason, dammit!" Yosuke yelled back. "It's easier with guys like Naoto!"

"Then why didn't you ask him?!"

"I wasn't his charge, obviously!"

Shirou had at this point tuned out Yosuke and Kanji, as well as everyone else; he sunk into his seat and pressed his hands to his ears to block out any further sound and think. There would be time to fight and argue later, because it was only a matter of time before the killer got to Naoto and their window of opportunity was gone. They needed to find him. And possibly shake his shoulders violently for not leaving even a clue to get to him.

And yet everyone was tense and angry. Even Fuji-nee looked more worked up than usual, which was saying something.

"If only we knew where Naoto lives," he groaned.

The table suddenly shook as a young adult stood atop it and slammed her heel down. "I KNOW WHERE NAOTO-KUN LIVES!"

Everyone stopped and stared. Taiga looked down at them, flustered and scowling. Shirou responded first, removing his hands from his head. "What?"

"I said, 'I know where Naoto-kun lives'!" said Taiga, pointedly with emphasis.

"H-how-?"

Taiga huffed dramatically, crossing her arms across her dress, and made no move to step off the table. "I've driven by his place over the summer dozens of times by now. I went there to try and convince him to go to the festival, and again for the beach trip. Still have the rental car, even."

"Oh, and before I forget…" She started digging out her cellphone as she clicked through the contact list. Then she handed it over to Kanji. "There's Naoto-kun's number. I would have brought that up too, but he hadn't responded to my calls or texts either. The best option here is the direct visit approach, it seems."

"Why didn't you say anything before, Taiga-sama?" Teddie asked.

"I've been trying this whole time, but you kept ignoring me!" Taiga huffed. "Talking over me, cutting me off… I'm part of the Investigation Team, too, aren't I? Why don't you trust me a bit more?!"

It shouldn't surprise Shirou at this point, but Taiga always overreacted and still surprised him with her… Taiga-ness. But never did he imagine she'd give them the lifeline to solve the case. To save Naoto.

Finally, Taiga hopped off the table. "Now, if we're gonna do a stake-out, we're gonna do it right. Some 'noculars, spare clothes, and provisions. Shirou, you get the food, but don't go all out on cuisine cooking. Take Teddie with you. Yosuke-kun, you and I will get the prep stuff. Everyone else, wait in the car. Here Chie-chan, you'll need my keys to get in."

Was this really the same irresponsible young adult woman Shirou grew up with? …no, of course it was. She reacted just as loudly to get attention. But it was weird seeing her take charge and even responsible in rallying everyone up.

Weird, and nice.

<><><>

Shirogane Estate

A dark and stormy evening. Almost perfect for any noir story where a private eye was about to venture into uncharted territory. Naoto was more than a little excited about this, but also very nervous. So many things could go wrong, but it was too late to back out now.

Grandpa was resting in his study, uninformed about the TV special. But not for long. Grandpa was a detective after all, and sooner or later he'd figure out his plan. He didn't want Grandpa to worry.

Labrys, on the other hand, wouldn't stop asking Naoto questions about the sudden appointment with Nitewatch Report. Naoto wasn't very keen about letting Labrys in on this; he was better off alone, like always. But no matter how hard he tried to push her out, she kept insisting.

So much that she broke the door to his room. Right off the hinges, even.

"Aw, darn it! I'm sorry, Naoto! Didn't mean to- erm, I mean… I didn't mean to break down your door! Well, maybe I did, but I was just worried 'bout you shuttin' me out!"

Naoto was more concerned with his grandfather's reaction, but he just laughed it off. The Shirogane patriarch had been saying that he needed some of the house refurbished, anyway.

Reluctantly, Naoto did tell Labrys about what he had planned to stop the serial killer, even making her promise not to tell anyone else. Especially not his grandfather, nor Hanamura and the others. That should have been the end of that, but instead…

Instead, the platinum-haired young girl marched in step past Naoto's open-door room, lugging a broom over her shoulder like a soldier's musket while chanting. "Hup, two, three, four! Ain't no one will knock that door!"

That was how Labrys usually spoke. She took her self-imposed career as a "not-spy" so seriously that she tried adopting a more neutral dialect, but nerves seemed to make her slip back to an accent. It really struck Naoto how little he knew about this strange girl.

But that wasn't important at the moment. It was a waiting game now. Based on prior testimonies, the killer would approach the front door and whisk the target away with their guard down. Then the killer would somehow throw the victim into the other world to either awaken to a Persona or die under the weight of their Shadow.

Yet there was no relevant data on how the victims were thrown in. They would always wake up in the other world with no memory, disoriented from the kidnapping and the mental strain. As they weren't truly in danger until then, the memories prior to the Shadow encounter were the foggiest.

It was crucial to figure out such an important detail. It might hold a clue to blowing the case wide open. Perhaps then Naoto would finally feel worthy and needed for his talents. Recognized as a true hard-boiled detective like in the stories.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.

In his room, Naoto stiffened. Out in the hall, Labrys had stopped marching. They exchanged glances with each other and towards the door, slowly. The doorbell hadn't rung, so it couldn't be the killer. Or maybe they alternated between knocking and ringing?

The door was knocked on again, this time more roughly. "Dammit, Naoto, open up!"

That voice… Kanji came over? Naoto exhaled a sigh, equal parts relieved and exasperated. Horrible timing on Kanji's part, and he didn't want to confront him right now. His tone alone spoke volumes of why he was here.

Fortunately for him, Labrys was willing to play guard. She cleared her throat and yelled out through the door. "Ain't no one here! Go away!"

"Huh?"

"Was that a Kansai-ben?" Satonaka and Amagi. They were here, too?

"Well, it's definitely not Tōhoku-ben. Don't ask me how I know." Rise-chan. Was everyone from the Investigation Team here?

Labrys tried again at intimidation, really digging into her roots. "I mean it! I don't wanna be disturbed! Now get! Get outta here before I mess you up with my axe!"

It didn't do much to prove the house was unoccupied, but it might convince the others to leave. That was good, as they needed their focus on a would-be killer.

Though Labrys was probably laying it on too thick by claiming to have an axe for a weapon when she was holding a broom.

"Wait… Labrys, is that you?"

Labrys gasped, recognizing that voice right away. "Y-Yosuke-kun?!"

"See? I told you I knew where I was going!" Fujimura-san.

"Wow, I didn't think your new girlfriend was such a country hick, Yosu-KAAAAY!" Teddie, likely yelping from getting hit.

That left…

"Labrys, where's Naoto?" Emiya-san. Everyone was accounted for.

Labrys looked over at Naoto apologetically. Like she had failed at a task she was given when Naoto didn't ask her to do anything of the sort. She just wanted to help. Just like the others.

It would be easy to lie to them, here and now. They only heard Labrys' voice, not his.

But Emiya-san right now sounded so… disappointed. Disappointed in her him. Perhaps angry.

He could only imagine the look on his face. He'd figured out what he was doing. Told the others. Came here to rescue him. Almost like a disgruntled parent trying to stop their child from hurting themselves.

Steeling his nerves, Naoto walked over and opened the door to reveal the faces of concerned and worried teenagers (and one teacher) huddled around the front step. All of them holding shopping bags from Junes in their arms and under umbrellas.

Then, they flooded inside.

"Naoto! You're still safe!" "Don't scare us like that you little-!" "We brought snacks! Is it okay if we stay over?" "Hey Labby-chan, what was with the funny accent?" "Teddie, shut up!"

Naoto was overwhelmed; couldn't think of a word in edgewise before they just waltzed inside, led by an eager Fujimura, and treating his residence as a hotel. They had decided to go in to help, and no one was going to tell them otherwise. Labrys tried for a moment, but she seemed relieved and happy to get "reinforcements" in protecting Naoto.

As for Naoto himself… for the most part, he tuned out. Couldn't handle the whole group showing up and they didn't seem bothered or offended by his silence. Just happy he was still all right and how they could keep him safe. Whether he liked it or not.

But even after the others left, he was caught staring at Shirou Emiya. Whose once warm gaze was frowning at him with anger. Disappointment. Betrayal. It stung worse than he thought it would.

After a long while, he finally stepped inside and closed the door. They were the only two people in the hallway. The faint noises of Labrys giving a reluctant tour, the playful jabs at her accent, and plans to hang out faded with distance.

"You should've told me," Emiya huffed as he closed his umbrella. "Told Kanji. Told Fuji-nee. Told someone."

Emiya didn't elaborate. Naoto didn't need him to. "Labrys knew."

"We both know you wouldn't have told her if you had the choice."

Naoto looked away, eyes narrowed in annoyance. Of course that's why they came over. Of course, Emiya-san was questioning him like he knew better. "You would've talked me out of it."

"So, you knew this wasn't a good plan?"

"It's better than sitting and waiting for someone else to be thrown in, at least."

Emiya flinched. The words came out sharper than Naoto intended, but he knew this was important. Emiya-san should know that as well. Even if he had to remind him.

"We are still blind to crucial details about the case, Emiya-san. Namely, what happens between answering the door and waking up into the TV world. We need a fresh pair of eyes for this. Someone who can make observations. Someone who's aware of the TV world. And most importantly… someone without a Persona."

Emiya grimaced. That was the crux of it. They wouldn't go around asking people about a strange phenomenon beyond a TV screen. Logically it made sense. Though it didn't feel like it should.

"We could have figured something else out," Shirou bargained. "Get Fuji-nee's help—"

"Fujimura-san just got out of questioning with the police. Her time in the limelight came and went already."

"But she was never followed up on as a target!"

"You know that, and I know that, and the killer knows that too. So how would it look if a previous target was suddenly on a news special? Bringing in Amagi-san, Kanji-kun, and Rise-chan is just as obvious as a poorly laid trap." Naoto huffed dismissively. "Which might be compromised now because you showed up unannounced."

Shirou sighed. "Naoto, do you even understand what's going to happen?"

"Of course I do. I've thought this over long enough to decide that it's the best course to solving the case."

"I mean, once you end up in the TV world."

"Worst case scenario, I die. Best case, we finally solve the case." Naoto smirked as he fiddled with the hem of his cap. "And perhaps finally I get a Persona too."

"And do you know what it takes to get a Persona?" Shirou asked. He continued without giving Naoto a chance to answer. "Exposure. Trauma. Airing out your dark, personal secrets to everyone. Not just to your rescuers, but to everyone who will watch the Midnight Channel."

Exposure? Dark secrets?? Did he… no, he couldn't have known. And there was nothing to worry about for Naoto's secrets to appear on the Midnight Channel. Naoto didn't have anything to hide; he was sure of that.

"As long as I keep an open mind, then that is a non-issue," Naoto reasoned. Doing his best to remain composed and not weak. "Fujimura-san was able to awaken her Persona with no issue, after all."

"Fuji-nee doesn't count," Shirou snapped. "You of all people should know that."

Finding his groove, Naoto smirked. "Am I hearing you dismiss your guardian's prowess so lowly?"

"It's because I appreciate her skills and talent as family that I can scrutinize her abnormal feats, like how naturally she takes to using a Persona. Talents that haven't been replicated by anyone else, me included. And you want to dive head-first into that, thinking you can get the same result."

"All I'm hearing, Emiya-san, is that you're mad I didn't tell you about my plan, and you're proving exactly why I kept quiet with how immature you're behaving."

"Oh sure, I'm the immature one for worrying about my friend's well-being. I'll be sure to let Kanji and the others know that's what you really think about us."

Even with how he rolled his eyes and left a very passive-aggressive remark out, it was an odd feeling for Naoto to still be called a friend. Though he was also more than a little miffed at the threat of hurting everyone's feelings.

"Are you saying you won't save me after all, Emiya-san?" Naoto asked, tilting his head cutely. "You won't rescue me from the evil, evil magic man?"

Shirou flinched. Whether it was humiliation or ridicule, his face flushed and his eyes shifted to a lower corner of the room. "…I never said I wouldn't."

How like a child he was acting right now. Annoyed, and yet so adorable. It vindicated Naoto; made him giggle.

Naoto suddenly stopped, coughed softly into his fist. "Ah-ahem. Well, I apologize for getting you upset, Emiya-san. And… I'm grateful you're all here right now."

"…let's leave it at that then," Shirou allowed softly. "We have a case to solve, after all."

"Indeed."

With the talk shelved for now, they both walked further into the house, towards the kitchen where the gang was having an animated argument.

"I'm saying you can't have a good stake-out without steak!" Chie whined.

"And I'm saying you can't keep eating meat all the time!" Yosuke chided. "Just make popcorn or something!"

"Even microwave popcorn takes a while to get ready. How about ramen?" Kanji offered.

"I want peanuts!" Teddie exclaimed.

"Naoto, you're da hostess here," Labrys turned to her, as if he didn't just walk into this chaos. "Whadya think is good eatin'?"

Food. They were arguing about what food to eat while waiting.

Naoto sighed. "I couldn't care less about your preferences. Eat whatever you want."

"Awesome! Then let's have steak!"

Naoto twitched and frowned sternly at Satonaka. "I retract my statement. Eat whatever is reasonable. You need to be outside to cook a steak, and it's pouring outside."

"What?! Nooooo!"

Yosuke winced. "Hey, it's for the best. I mean, one of you girls? Trying to cook a steak? You'd probably burn the place down trying to heat water."

"Hey! I'll have you know we got cooking lessons directly from Shirou-senpai!" Rise argued. "And we are great cooks! Right, senpai?"

Shirou looked away. "No comment."

Simple, annoying, loud, juvenile teens bickering like that, any other day Naoto would have brushed them off as beneath him. But he smiled to himself and welcomed it as a nice distraction. All to ignore the sinking feeling where he knew Shirou Emiya was right.

This could be the last time they see him as the Naoto they know.

<><><>

Rain was always a bad sign. It marked a coming tragedy in this town.

He thought he'd kept the peace somewhat, protecting the targets. He answered a higher calling from beyond that was still inexplicable to him.

He didn't think things through, to be honest. Just putting them in a safe spot, hoping to come back to them when the heat died down? When exactly did that mean? He still didn't know, and he was lucky not to have found out yet. They would return on their own accord, somewhat frazzled and without memory.

But he should have known better.

Three people are dead now. He felt horrible enough about Mayumi and the scandal, and he didn't push hard enough for that Konishi girl. He did his best, trying to be the silent protector the town needed, but it was just so sudden, so drastic. Like someone knew he was meddling with things and told him it was pointless.

On July 10th​, it was a high school teacher, Kinshiro Mooroka, from the same school where Konishi and the other targets attended. There were no signs, no clues, that he was ever a target, and it frazzled him.

On July 25th​, Mitsuo Kubo, a young boy from cram school, was found on another telephone pole. A boy he sometimes made deliveries for and felt more than a little uncomfortable when he ranted about how Yamano and Konishi "got what they deserved". He was ashamed to admit he felt a little relieved and vindicated, knowing that he was gone too, but even he didn't deserve death.

Two for two, they didn't appear as forewarned. He contemplated as hard as possible to find out the discrepancies, resorting to the rumor again. Only instead of hope, he was left with shock and confusion.

His sister, Satsuki Kubo, in a rusty, blocky prison, asking someone to kill her.

Was… was she the one responsible? For what happened to Mayumi and the others? But no, it didn't matter. She was clearly hurting, and she needed to be rescued. He could save her.

Except… he couldn't. Try as he might, no one knew where she was. She disappeared the same day as her brother and one other victim. And it wasn't like he could ask that survivor questions when she was hounded by police. Last time he tried that, he just pushed Konishi away, likely to her doom.

And then, three days later, Satsuki was found dead.

He'd rescued three people from possible death since spring. The killer mocked him with three people he couldn't save in a month.

Any lesser man would have despaired or given up. He has despaired plenty enough, but to give up would truly mean defeat. He still contributed to three kids being saved. His method worked. He just had to be better, be faster.

He knew who the next target was now. The only problem was that it was a bit out of the way compared to his usual route. In the more suburban forest area of town, to a private residence. Just going out there to scout would result in time wasted on his deliveries.

Being careful wasn't working anymore. Anytime he waited to try to plan things out was time wasted. More time for the villain to make his next move.

He could afford this one detour. What's a reprimand from the boss, or even a firing? He had already lost everything, only to be shown it wasn't as bad as he thought… and then lose everything all over again. And yet he didn't regret the time he spent with Mayumi for a moment. She would understand his sacrifice to prevent more deaths like hers from happening.

He pulled into the driveway. It was very well-off, suited to a private manor. Wide yards of trimmed grass, ingrained tiles to serve as a road to the backyard, a center garden with a tree for shade and a bench for reading, a small crevice opening deeper into the woods… everything about it expressed warmth and family.

He had done this several times before already; approach the door, ring it, and bring the target to a safe place. It had always worked before, and he didn't have time to think of anything else. No one would listen to him. No one would believe him. This was the only plan that made sense.

The only plan that will save people.

So, with casual ease but still overexcited nerves, he exited the delivery truck and approached the door. He was a bit further away from the back end of the truck, but he carried insurance in his pocket. As long as he kept things casual and quick, nothing would go wrong.

Through the pattering of rain, he heard some chatter from beyond the door. Must be a family, not unlike the Amagis and their inn. Given the nature of the Shirogane name, perhaps it was expected that they had company or a family gathering.

He rang the doorbell.

The house went silent.

…Something was wrong here.

"Special delivery for Naoto Shirogane!" he called out. And then stepped out of sight from the main door.

Naoto was here, he was sure of it. Whoever was inside heard him ring the doorbell. And yet something was very wrong. Like someone was watching him. But no one else should be outside right now.

Finally, the door opened. He couldn't see from his position out of the door frame, and he felt the hairs on his arms stand up underneath his long-sleeved uniform.

"Yes?" a voice asked aloud. But whoever it was stayed inside. The door was only opened slightly ajar. Polite, but guarded.

It had to be Naoto. It must be Naoto.

He stayed quiet, waiting for Naoto to be curious. To step out and wonder who was calling for him. Anyone would normally answer a call for a special delivery, or at least see who was at the door. It is what worked with the others in preventing their deaths.

Instead, there was hesitation. Time dragged on, and it was starting to make him nervous. Were people starting to be suspicious now? This wouldn't do; he couldn't save anyone if they didn't trust anyone anymore.

It wasn't even about the job anymore. It was about their lives. Fragile, weak, and vulnerable to evil. He had to be there to catch them, to take them somewhere safe, before a horrible killer got to them first.

Just as he was at his wits' end, the figure from inside stepped outside holding an umbrella. The same blue-haired boy and matching hat from the talk show. The same slim figure from the warnings.

Naoto Shirogane, the one the kids all called the "Detective Prince".

He reacted quickly as he could, latching onto the boy's much smaller frame. His much longer arms grappled with him before pressing his "insurance" rag over the boy's nose just as he was about to scream. There was no time to talk and when this was over, he would thank him. Probably.

Still, why did his chest feel so rough yet springy at once?

No, it didn't matter. Keeping Naoto safe was all that mattered. Unlike the movies, chloroform didn't work right away and would take several minutes to have any effect. The most he could ask for was the dizziness impairing his movements. He didn't have minutes; he didn't even have seconds.

If he didn't get him in now, then something horrible was going to happen. He could feel it. In fact, the bad feeling he got since coming here had just gotten worse.

Through the rain, he hurriedly dragged Naoto over to the back of the truck. He had an old TV in there, a return that one of his first clients on the job sent. It was supposed to be taken out of the truck months ago, but he found a more practical use here.

Once he put Naoto through the TV, he would be safe. Even if the horrible feeling followed him and him alone, Naoto would be safe.

He'd failed Mayumi. He'd failed Konishi. He'd even failed Mooroka and both Kubos. But he refused to fail Naoto.

He would savE NaOTO!

All he had to do was open the back door of the truck-!

"Smile!"

"Huh?" was all he could think to say before—

A white flash blinded him. He flinched and instinctively covered his eyes, but with the hand holding the chloroform cloth. The sting of the chemical caused him to drop Naoto entirely.

"Hostile open!" A rough-sounding voice followed, and a small metal vehicle slammed into his stomach. The force propelled him away, his body rolling across the muddy pavement of the house yard. Further away from his truck, and away from-

"Naoto's tuck an' secured!"

No, no! He had to get back up and salvage this! Only he could save NaOTo!

His thoughts stopped there when he felt a prick against his neck. Standing above him, with intense, judging eyes, in the pouring rain and flash of thunder, was a young boy. A boy holding a katana, as if ready to skewer him.

This feeling… was he watching him the whole time since he arrived? Where did he even come from??

"That's enough, Emiya-san. We've used more than enough force to justify self-defense."

The boy, Emiya, did not stop leering down at him, but seemed to acknowledge the command as he pulled the sword away.

He looked around for his bearings. So many young kids… four of them he recognized, including Naoto. Yukiko Amagi, the inn heiress who was glaring at him as if he'd hurt her. Rise Kujikawa, who grinned shrewdly while holding a digital camera that she no doubt used to catch him in the act. Kanji Tatsumi, the thuggish teen who was helping Naoto up along with a white-haired girl.

Naoto took several deep breaths before balancing himself without the aid of the two teens beside him. He walked steadily over, reached down, and pulled the man's company hat off.

Several kids gasped as they recognized him. Naoto frowned. "I must say, you're the last one I would have expected to be involved in this. You had the perfect alibi, after all. But that's probably exactly why you were unexpected."

This was wrong. Everything was going horribly, horribly wrong. He was supposed to save Naoto, save everyone. He was supposed to be their hero! He was—

"Taro Namatame. You're under arrest for multiple charges of aggravated kidnapping and homicide."

…he was going to lose everything all over again.

 

[Jason Wu]

This was wrong. Everything was going horribly, horribly wrong. He was supposed to save Naoto, save everyone. He was supposed to be their hero! He was—

"Taro Namatame. You're under arrest for multiple charges of aggravated kidnapping and homicide."

Click to shrink...

Rip Bozo. You're a dumbass bitch lol

Spoiler

 

[Introspective Tinkerer]

Even while fighting, Shirou continues to attract female attention.

 

[Tobi]

Thank you for the chapter and damn!!! Another canon divergence!! Suck on it you cheater!

 

[NoPlayer]

I know nothing about Persona, so I'm reading this story and can't comment because I don't know it. I'm waiting for the Grail War to start so I can talk about it, lol.

 

[Tertius711]

I hope Naoto still gets her persona and realizes she doesn't need to hide her true identity.

 

[FridayPilot]

I know nothing about Persona, so I'm reading this story and can't comment because I don't know it. I'm waiting for the Grail War to start so I can talk about it, lol.

Click to shrink...

Play Persona 3, 4 and 5. It's peak.

 

[Kishou the Badger]

Decided to compile a list of Shirou's compendium collection thus far, as well as give some neat little character bios for each, as to why he has them. Will update as more come up (especially as this will help me figure out who else needs to be added at some point).

Izanagi (Fool)
The father of Japan who created many islands and deities with the help of his wife Izanami. When she died of the disastrous birth of Hi-no-Kagutscuhi, he tried and failed to rescue her the land of the dead. As Izanami cursed his ineptitude and planned to curse a thousand lives, Izanagi pledged to bring a thousand and five hundred lives into the world, and from the cleansing of his body bore three new gods to watch over the world: Amaterasu, Tsukiyomi, and Susano-o. This selfish wish to preserve lives in the face of death makes Izanagi the perfect Persona for one Shirou Emiya, and watches over him as a silent, if slightly old-fashioned, guardian.

Pixie (Magician)
A mischievous fey who are known to pull pranks in England folktales. Legends vary on how they are depicted, such as a small child or the size of a man's palm. Embodies the playful side of Yosuke's bond, and has some faint knowledge of what is further tucked inside Shirou's soul (Avalon). First found in Yukiko's Castle.

Eligor (Chariot)
#15 of Ars Goetia's 72 demons, a duke and lord of Hell in his own right. Legends say he is a diviner in treasure and war, and can even matchmake between lust and love. Recognizes Chie's self-struggles and pushes for Shirou to support her by any means, such as allowing his form to be Traced into a pair of greaves. Found in Yukiko's Castle.

Cu Sith (Sun)
An Irish/Scottish green-furred dog the size of a horse, and treated as such among fairies. When hunting, Cu Sith's three barks can be heard far and wide; the barks are treated as a herald warning for farmers he is meant to protect. Feels a strong kinship with Formed by the first fusion of Izanagi and Eligor during Golden Week.

Angel (Justice)
A divine spirit of Abrahamic Religion. At the lowest seat of the nine-tiered hierarchy, Angel acts as a guardian for humans and a messenger of God. As they are spirits that can disguise themselves, Persona Angel takes the form of a beautiful, demure woman with leather wings and a flowing dress; best suited to what Shirou envisions angels. Angel acts as Nanako's Guardian Angel by proxy, and is constantly at odds with Lilim. Found from Shadows sometime after Golden Week, and just before Rise's Striptease.

Lilim (Devil)
A temptress demon among many who are all children of Lilith, the traitorous ex-wife of Adam. Similar to the nature of Succubi, Lilim bring sexual release to men, draining them of their life, and harm/kidnap children. Fortunately, the Persona version of Lilim is just very liberal and wishes for Shirou's best interests at heart, or at least find a Social Link to synergize with. She is annoyed by his lack of initiative in love, and just as annoyed of Angel butting in. Formed by the fusion of Izanagi and Cu Sith just before Rise's Striptease.

Valkyrie (Strength)
Among the many thousands of female vassals of Odin who carry their fallen champions to Valhalla. Although legends say they seldom charge into battle, Shirou's Valkryie fights with bravery and conviction as if Ragnarok is already commencing. Found in Rise's Striptease, but no ongoing link yet.

Sarasvati (Priestess)
The Hindu goddess of wisdom, music, and arts. Once known as the Verti Sarasvati River, she has since been personafied as a liberal goddess when the river was defiled, and now embodies purity. Her symbol is the ancient veena instrument. Formed by a fusion accident of Valkyrie and Lilim during Kanji's Bathhouse, but came as a timely addition for guidance and wisdom for Yukiko's bond.

Ippon-Datara (Hermit)
The one-legged, one-eyed blacksmith (or woodcutter) is said to live alone in the mountains. Legend says if you wander to the mountains on December 20th, and if you cross paths with this demon, he will crush you with his sole foot (pun slightly intended) like the intro from Monty Python's Flying Circus. Represents the solitude and duty of helping like Tama the Fox. Formed by the intended fusion of Valkyrie and Lilim during Kanji's Bathhouse.

Kagutsuchi (???)
The god of fire and volcanoes, and the last one born between Izanami and Izanagi. His birth immolated Izanami, and Izanagi slew him in a fit of rage. His severed body pieces would become the volcanoes of Japan, and from his corpse would birth even more gods. According to Igor and Margaret, Kagutsuchi represents Shirou's true Persona, and the scars still left behind from his trauma as a child. The power is so overwhelming he can't use him fully at first, and can't even dismiss him to the Compendium. First summoned at the climax against Shadow Kanji.

Okuninushi (Emperor)
A deity who was the runt of many other brother gods, and despite being constantly sabotaged by them, came out better for it altruistically. Best known as the sole helper of the Hare of Inaba and the first lord of Japan who built the nation before ascending to higher powers. Represents power and authority, and how it takes a big man to accept help from others (a lesson Kanji is learning in dividends). Found at Moon Voidania.

 

[0Fafnir0]

Will you not add K̷̬̬̲̝̗͓̎̄̄̏͛̀͑̀̈͝å̵̯g̷̢̪̲̬̫̜͗̄̀̽͛̈́̋͠͠ų̴͈͕̳̮̺͓̖̏͒t̶̨̰͇͉̭̱͎̠́̍̃̓͒͝͠s̴̙͖͕̫͖̻͙̥̗̍́̑͗͜ū̸̯̫̜͙̂̇̍͋c̷̡̹̥̳̩͚͚̮̈́̔̄̋͆̾͝ĥ̶̹̗͔̼̻̺͇̥͖̿̈́ȉ̵̡͎͇̻̺̹͇̄̅͋ to the compendium

Edit nice

 

[Kishou the Badger]

Will you not add K̷̬̬̲̝̗͓̎̄̄̏͛̀͑̀̈͝å̵̯g̷̢̪̲̬̫̜͗̄̀̽͛̈́̋͠͠ų̴͈͕̳̮̺͓̖̏͒t̶̨̰͇͉̭̱͎̠́̍̃̓͒͝͠s̴̙͖͕̫͖̻͙̥̗̍́̑͗͜ū̸̯̫̜͙̂̇̍͋c̷̡̹̥̳̩͚͚̮̈́̔̄̋͆̾͝ĥ̶̹̗͔̼̻̺͇̥͖̿̈́ȉ̵̡͎͇̻̺̹͇̄̅͋ to the compendium

Click to shrink...

Legit forgot about him, haha. That will be fixed.

 

[Jason Wu]

Kagutsuchi (???)
The god of fire and volcanoes, and the last one born between Izanami and Izanagi. His birth immolated Izanami, and Izanagi slew him in a fit of rage. His severed body pieces would become the volcanoes of Japan, and from his corpse would birth even more gods. According to Igor and Margaret, Kagutsuchi represents Shirou's true Persona, and the scars still left behind from his trauma as a child. The power is so overwhelming he can't use him fully at first, and can't even dismiss him to the Compendium. First summoned at the climax against Shadow Kanji.

Click to shrink...

Peak. Makes sense since Izanagi is a granted Persona

 

[NoPlayer]

I'm glad this story has resurfaced, but I feel cheated that it's not a chapter, lol. Even so, it helped refresh my memory.

 

[Kishou the Badger]

I'm glad this story has resurfaced, but I feel cheated that it's not a chapter, lol. Even so, it helped refresh my memory.

Click to shrink...

I've been gaming so much these last few months that it ate up my time. I guess one of them was very literal with a title like "Fantasy Life i: The Girl who Steals Time". Legit stole my time I ended up playing as late as 4 in the morning!

But here's a preview to tie you over until this chapter is done

<><><>

Taro Namatame. The man himself looked unassuming, in a drenched and muddy delivery uniform. He was handcuffed and tied to a chair, not that he had anywhere to go now that he was caught in another scandal. Even in the dimness of the living room, one could see his face set to a catatonic frown. He barely knew how or why he was apprehended by the same kids he rescued. He just knew that he failed.

At the beginning of spring, he was the target of a sex scandal when his wife, Misuzu Hiiragi, blew the whistle that he was cheating on her. The news stations were all abuzz going over how a city councilman was seeing TV announcer Mayumi Yamano. At the time it all seemed like a routine drama; Mayumi vanishes, then she turns up dead because of flared emotions. And then to flip the script, a girl named Saki Konishi was killed almost immediately after. The scandal was all but forgotten, though not before Namatame was disgraced, ridiculed, and fired from the council. Rumors popped up that Namatame was sighted loitering around the Yasoinaba region, but they were just that: rumors.

Hiiragi came out of the incident better for it, surprisingly enough. She grew more popular with her new enka album, ironically titled "Someone Else's Man".

That the kids thought would be cruel irony to have play in the background on the house stereo.

"All right, talk!" A blond-haired pretty boy declared as he stopped in front of Namatame. "Where were you on the night of the day everything got messed up?!"

Namatame blinked, suddenly alert. "Huh?"

"Don't try that smooth talk with me, buster! I object on the grounds that you are suspicious! Now sing, canary!"

…what does any of that even mean?

"Teddie, we talked about this," Naoto said with a flat stare. "Please leave the questioning to Emiya-san and I."

The boy, Teddie, glanced back at Naoto and the boy with the sword. He shifted away with a mumbled apology, hurrying to the others further back in the room.

"Why did you do it?" the red-haired boy with the sword asked him.

Namatame feebly looked back at his glaring amber eyes. The intense hatred at him was alien; he never met this boy before, but his glare hurt worse than all the jeers that led to his first disgrace.

He asked again. "Why did you try to kidnap Naoto Shirogane? Why did you kidnap everyone?"

Namatame wanted to stay silent but was too nervous to try. He was the center of all their attention and wanted nothing more than to melt away. "I-I just had to. You wouldn't understand."

"Try me."

He did try before. Tried to reason to the Konishi girl, tell her to be careful. She just brushed him off, called him creepy. Then she died, likely to spite his warnings. Maybe he was creepy in hindsight; a man his age, trying to warn a young girl based off a feeling, so soon after his divorce? After Mayumi? But was it so wrong just to help people? That's why he got into the city council in the first place, why he worked with his family's delivery company, why he did all this.

Instead of admitting all that, Namatame asked, "Why are you even interrogating me? You're not with the police."

"No, but my uncle is," he replied cooly. "I understand a little about the procedure, and I thought I'd save him part of the hassle doing this in his stead."

This isn't how criminal investigation worked these days, was it? Then again, what did he expect to happen? He was always pushing it before, but trying to save young Naoto proved detrimental as consultant and young as he is, he's still police. And watching him just as carefully in this room they put him in.

Well, if they were intent on asking… "I was just trying to save people, that's all."

The boy's eyes hardened. The room flashed with thunder outside the high windows, and he could see the utter contempt and rage in his scowl. The sword, resting underneath both his hands like a cane, trembled in his clenching grip. It was enough to make Namatame flinch.

"Is that supposed to be a joke?" he demanded.

"I told you you wouldn't believe me," Namatame defended. It sounded blusterous, but he wasn't sure it hid how scared he was feeling right now.

"I believe you're a moron who couldn't save a tax budget, much less a life. But that's why you got fired from government work, isn't it?"

Naoto finally spoke up. "Emiya-san, we don't have much time." Time? Time for what?

Still, Namatame was thankful for the distraction as it forced the Emiya boy to calm down, somewhat. And allowed Naoto to take over. "Kidnapping is still a serious offense. Six counts of it, in fact. I find it hard to believe you would 'save' people that way."

"S-Six?" He gasped. "Where did you get six?!" Oh god, they didn't think he had something to do with Morooka or the Kubos, did they? Still, wouldn't that be seven? Or perhaps because he didn't succeed with kidnap-erm, saving Naoto, then surely—

"Your latest attempt was with me, of course. We have photographic proof of that now." Oh. So much for that. "It was done courtesy of one of your other victims; Rise Kujikawa."

"I can't believe I share the same birthday as you, creep!" Rise called out, before she was chided by her friends.

"After her was Kanji Tatsumi, your last successful 'rescue'." The bleach-haired teen, staring from the open hallway door, nodded defiantly. "Before all of us was Yukiko Amagi, the heiress to the family inn. Which happened to be the same inn as the late Miss Yamano stayed at."

Mayumi? Wait, what was the detective implying?

"And your sixth victim, technically your second in order, was none other than Saki Konishi of Yasogami High School."

They… they all believed he was one responsible? For all the murders? For killing Mayumi??

How dare they. How dare they accuse him! "I didn't kill Mayumi! Or the Konishi girl!"

"LIAR!" a scarf-wearing boy yelled, held back by Kanji-kun. A scarf that looked so much like what Mayumi wore, come to think of it…

That's right; she ordered a pair of scarfs for them; but since the scandal, she had to cancel the order. He meant to ask where she got it, as well as apologize for all the trouble he had caused her, only…

Naoto continued as if the interruption was intended. "Of course you would deny a hand in killing them. That's why you 'saved' them, did you not?"

How does that make any sense?! People die when they are killed, not when they were saved! "If I had saved them, they wouldn't be dead!"

The house grew silent. Everyone stared at him with wide, disbelieving eyes. How is it that what he told them was so unbelievable?

Emiya found his voice first. "What?"

"If I had saved them, they would still be alive!" Namatame insisted. "I didn't even know what happened to Mayumi until it was too late. I-I still have nightmares of seeing the monsters eviscerating her in pain!"

He truly loved Mayumi; they shared a common ground of misunderstanding and loneliness. While he meant to stay true to his vows with Misuzu, their lifestyles made any sort of connection hollow and feeble. He couldn't even start over with Mayumi anymore now that she's dead.

"…and Saki-senpai?" the scarf-wearing boy asked. Oh, he was her kouhai, that's why he was so defensive about her.

Namatame frowned in shame, tears ready to pour out. "I knew she was next, I saw the warnings and tried to tell her! Despite all that, I couldn't save her at all. I could only watch as she was engulfed by darkness."

It wasn't something the boy wanted to hear. He grimaced, as if the imagery was just as painful to imagine. Or perhaps remember? The white-haired girl (the same one that tackled him, Namatame recalled) eased his worries by squeezing his hand.

"Let's back up a second here," Emiya said. "You say you didn't know what happened to Miss Yamano until it was too late. But you knew that Saki Konishi was in danger? How?"

The boy wasn't glaring at him anymore, and the tone expressed urgency. And yet, he couldn't understand the craziness of it all How could they? How could anyone?

"Mayumi," he said; the sound of her name was almost enough to soothe his woes. "When she was alive, she was chasing a rumor about a bizarre TV program that airs on rainy nights. I didn't think much of it at the time, until I saw Mayumi herself on the TV. When I was drunk, depressed, and hiding at my parents' house, during the height of the scandal."

There was more to it of course; the fact that his hand went into the TV, for starters. Trying to reach for her only, surprised the TV screen was like water, and slept it off like it was a dream. He even avoided touching TVs until fear and curiosity convinced him to try again. None of that wasn't important. "On the same day I was fired, I found out that Mayumi was dead, and that it might have not been a dream I saw on my TV. It might have been her calling for help, calling for me…"

He glanced down to his uniform, with what he could with only his head able to move. "Working with my father's business was a blessing in disguise. It helped me get back on my feet, and I met the Konishi girl when I delivered a package to the liquor store. I saw her image on the TV the following night."

"So that's how you were able to move all over town without anyone noticing," Naoto noted. "You were hiding in plain sight, as a courier."

"Yeah, no one would think twice about a delivery truck making the rounds," the brunette girl said. She exchanged glances with Yukiko, who nodded with her.

"When Konishi ended up dead too, I was desperate. I… I needed a plan. To stop the murders from happening. The police didn't know what was going on, but I did. I could see who was going to be targeted next, as if the TV was directly guiding me."

"Guiding?"

He ignored Emiya, looking at the Amagi girl. She bristled from his gaze, frowning. The brunette leaned over to guard her, while leering at him. He ignored that. "When she appeared on the TV, she smiled. It was as if she heard my pleas about a way to keep her safe. To keep everyone safe. I just…" Had to push them into the TV. "Had to keep them safe. Until the heat died down. Then I would bring them back."

"Are you shittin' me?!" Kanji yelled. "None of us asked to be saved, and you never checked back on us, either! The whole time we were gone!"

That was the crux of it all, wasn't it? Even Namatame knew that what he did was dubious and risky. He never actually jumped into the TV world himself, so he had no idea how safe it was. If anything, the shadowy beasts he saw killing Konishi were probably the norm.

"But it worked, didn't it?" He said, smiling. "You three all made it back. You didn't die!"

It was meant to be reassuring, but all it did was make everyone glare at him harder. Why did they hate him so much?

"What about me?"

Namatame turned to the young adult woman who asked him, pointing to herself. She looked no older than Mayumi would be. Younger even, given her innocent looking face and features.

He didn't know who she was, or what she meant. What about her?

The woman reached into her bag on the floor and pulled out a motorcycle helmet. She slipped it on with both hands, holding it in place, and yelled. "DON'T CALL ME TIGERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!"

All the other kids winced; it was indeed loud. And faintly familiar.

Namatame blanked. That news special… the one who stopped the ATM robber! That one figure from the TV he failed to find! That was her?!

The woman pulled her helmet back up sheepishly. "Yeah, so, if you really thought people were in danger unless you swooped in, then what does that make me? I certainly wasn't in any danger."

Emiya glanced back at her with a frown. "Fuji-nee…"

"What?"

"Did you already forget July 10th​?" Naoto asked. Almost as if scolding a child.

The woman flushed and pouted indignantly. "Come on, that was a very abnormal circumstance! Cut me some slack!"

Wait; Namatame recalled a Fuji-something among the recent disappearances. July 10th​ was significant, after all. And not just for Morooka's death. "You're… Fujimura, correct? The one who disappeared along with the Kubos?"

"Yeah, and we all know you had no hand in that bit last month," she said dismissively. "So don't worry, we won't blame you for that."

They knew he wasn't involved. That was relieving, but why did they keep suspecting he was the killer, still? All he did was try to save them from the real menace. The real serial killer.

"But that proves my point, doesn't it?!" He insisted, getting agitated. "Because I didn't save you, you were targeted! And because I didn't save Morooka or the Kubos, they died!"

"I saved myself from my own Shadow, thank you very much! And even got a Persona out of it!"

"Fuji-nee!" "Fujimura-san!" Emiya and Naoto both cried out. Fujimura seemed to recognize the blunder as she covered her mouth.

If this was supposed to be something profound, Namatame didn't get it. Even as the others looked nervous. "Uh… what do you mean by 'Persona'? Or being saved from 'your Shadow'?"

The bluish-gray-haired girl answered for him in a rather brisk and stiff manner. "Persona is the power of the actualized self, born from a strong ego. Personas are used to eliminate Shadows, monsters that prey on human consciousness until the hosts are Lost suffering from Apathy Syndrome."

…what?

Everyone stared at her, and she became aware of the undivided attention. She looked at everyone, then tilted her head to the boy next to her. "What? Did I say somethin' funny?"

"Uh…" The boy looked awkwardly around everyone, mostly at Naoto and Emiya. Through some silent body language, he ended up escorting the girl away, despite her confused protests.

The brunette girl watched the two of them go and for some reason, muttered to herself, "So, this is what it feels like…"

No seriously, what?! How could anyone take such bullshit and accept it at face value? No questions, denials, or anything? And what was that part about syndrome? Was this a game to them?

Then a thought occurred to him. And he laughed.

"Ha…hahahahaha…"

It was enough to make him laugh hysterically, boiling up after so much pent-up anxiety. A savior, done in by some pretenders?! No wonder they didn't believe he saved anyone, they were in denial of what's going on. What a world.

"Ahahahaha!"

They were all staring at him now, like he was crazy. "What's so funny?" Naoto asked.

"You are!" Namatame exclaimed. "For months, I was able to evade the police and prying eyes that wouldn't understand the sacrifices I made for them, but the ones who would do me in are some… some kids playing pretend, who never grew up?! How can I not find this hilarious! It's all a joke! A dumb, cruel joke the world put on me like taking Mayumi away from me! HAHAHAHAHAH!"

"Then the Shadows…" the boy with the sword said. Eyes wide and disbelieving at the cold truth. "The other world… your power? You don't know anything?"

The kids were all staring at him in horror. Like he was some sort of monster. No, he was a savior. He calmed down to a chuckle and smiled. "I know that I'm a savior. I saved people. That's enough." After all, no one could take that away from him. Even if he failed and couldn't stop Mayumi's murderer.

Yet the boy's eyes hardened to a scowl, hand trembling over the sword. "What kind of 'savior' shoves people into a TV?!"

Namatame's face fell. A cold, crushing despair filled his heart unlike anything since Mayumi's death. And everyone else left in the room stared at him with the same cold conviction since he was first thrown in here.

They were serious. But how? How did they know?!

The Emiya boy stood up and walked over to the large TV hanging over the fireplace. His hand extended over, pressing against the screen-

Until it fell through to his wrist and the TV rippled around his arm like the surface of a pond.

The whole time, Emiya's eyes didn't leave Namatame's face. Namatame only knew this because his frazzled mind jumped between the boy's face and the arm in the TV.

Yet everyone else in the room didn't find this at all surprising. Just… expected.

Like they could all do it too.

No, the looks they wore were of pity and scorn. Like he wasn't a hero at all. Heroes were supposed to be unique and the only ones who can make a difference for others. If he wasn't the only one with the power to touch through TVs, then what did that really make him?

Did that mean… he wasn't really a hero at all? That his gift wasn't really a gift?

As Namatame desperately tried to make sense of this, Naoto glanced at his watch with a frown. "Emiya-san…"

He plucked his hand out the TV a moment later. "I know. This is a waste of time."

Namatame didn't know what was going on anymore. But he had a sinking feeling that something bad was about to happen to him. From the young man holding his same hand that defied physics and touch beyond a glass veil.

"Pulinpa."

A popping sound went off in Namatame's head. At least it sounded like a pop? It was getting harder to think. He had to do something important, but what? And what were these kids…?

"Dormina."

This time a sizzing sound of gas filled his nose. He thought he smelled lilacs and soap. Before he knew it, Namatame's eyes closed and his head dropped.

 

[Jason Wu]

I've been gaming so much these last few months that it ate up my time. I guess one of them was very literal with a title like "Fantasy Life i: The Girl who Steals Time". Legit stole my time I ended up playing as late as 4 in the morning!

Click to shrink...

Same. I dusted off my 3DS and bought a DS recently. Devil Survivor 2 is pretty fun

 

[Tobi]

They really should have questioned him more. Thanks for the update man.