Our year together

Victims at war

11/04

The group had finished the rainy day training. While it wasn't as exhausting as usual, the group wanted to be prepared in case someone showed up on the Midnight Channel. The Personas were put away and the group began consoling. Souji on the other hand, was occupied in the Velvet Room, asking Margaret some questions about fusing particular Personas. After exiting, he checked up on his group, seeing how they were holding up.

"Everyone ready to head back home?"

"Yeah, I could use some rest." Yosuke whined.

"You're always tired, Yosuke-senpai." Rise giggled as the whole team joined in on the light laughter. The group began to put their weapons in a cache hidden on the floor that Naoto, Kanji, and Teddie built together. They no longer needed to worry about sneaking their weapons into the store, not as long as they were hidden here.

"Alright, let's hope all this training won't be needed." Souji proposed, praying nothing were to happen in the coming days. The group all agreed as they left the TV world in high spirits, hoping that they were to be correct, unaware of the despair that was crashing its way onto them.

11/05

Yukiko was gone. Yukiko didn't feel like Yukiko anymore. She was taken away; swallowed up by despair, like the rest of the team. Rise kept calling to her, but no response. Yukiko was in tears, Yukiko was in pain, Yukiko was in despair. The little girl, who was not meant to be involved in this, the one who called, admired, and loved like a sister, the one who was literally closest to home, was taken away from her. After what felt like an eternity, Yukiko snapped back into reality, answering to Rise's pleas.

"Rise-chan!?"

"Yukiko-senpai!" Rise called out in surprise as she wiped her own tears. "We need to get going to the Police Station where Souji-Senpai is being held. The boys are already on there way there!"

Yukiko prepared herself as quick as she could and began her way to the meet with the girls at the police station. Her mother stopped her and Yukiko could only tell her something serious has happened to Souji and his family, and left before her mother could respond. Despite the rain and how she was told not to drive her scooter in the rain, she went against such rules and carefully drove her way to the police station. Upon her arrival, the other girls were there. They quickly darted on to the room Souji was locked up in, surprising Adachi.

"So what's going on!?" Chie asked as they arrived. The group began to discuss what had happened and were able figure out just who it was that kidnapped Nanako. After Adachi looked up what the likely culprit could have been, he pointed out that they may be close on the mark, before bolting off to inform Dojima. The one who owned a delivery truck was Namatame, the man involved directly with the first victim, Mayumi Yamano. Upon hearing this, the gang split off into two groups to try and find him if possible.

As Souji's group searched on, Kanji noted smoke in the distance, and when they approached the area, they spotted Dojima's car and a delivery truck. Souji called Yukiko and her group to where they were and the search was on. Chie asked what had happened and Dojima struggled to speak.

"...was on my way to Namatame's house... when I saw him... drive past me..." his words were getting harder and harder for him to say. "I... I gave chase... and... damnit... Where's Nanako? ...And Namatame? Find them... Please...!" Dojima's consciousness was fading.

"But how...?" Yosuke asked himself before looking at the truck. "Oh yeah, maybe there's clues in the truck!" As Yosuke began to take a step to the truck, Adachi stood up and stopped him.

"Wait! We need to preserve the scene!"

Naoto however, protested. "Then allow me. If it rains again, the information we need will be lost regardless." As she inspected, Chie saw and pointed out the TV in the back of the truck. Naoto stepped out and added, "Yes, large enough for any person to fit into; but that's not all. I also found a diary that most likely belonged to Namatame." Naoto began reading it's contents, noting Morooka is not on this list. Continuing on, she read the notes about Nanako appearing and marking that as the end of what was written.

"It's clear now... He's used the same trick on all the victims. He'd just ring the bell like he was making a normal delivery, then throw the victim into the TV in his truck... Namatame is the killer!" Yosuke pieced together as he yelled for the team to hear.

"We need to save Nanako-chan!" Chie said as Souji quickly agreed and began walking to the TV. Teddie however grabbed him to prevent him from entering.

"No, Sensei! We have to go in the same TV like always! What if we end up in somewhere completely dangerous!?"

"I'll be fine. Now, move aside." Souji sternly ordered, with his eyes reflecting the hatred for Namatame. He tried to shove Teddie away, but he kept clinging to Souji.

"Sensei, stop! Kanji, grab him!" Teddie called out as Kanji responded right away, grabbing Souji from behind.

"Kanji, let me go!"

"No Senpai, Teddie's right! We can't risk losin' our skins!"

"But Nanako is-!" As Souji tried to finish, he saw Yukiko sneaking off into the TV, but Rise noticed.

"Yukiko-senpai, not you too! Don't go!" Rise called out to her as Naoto and Chie quickly held her back.

"Let us go! We need to save her right now!" Yukiko squirmed.

"Senpai, I know how you feel, but please, we must not throw our lives away so easily!" Naoto reasoned.

"We have more than enough power to handle ourselves! Now let us go!" Souji continued to resist.

"Senpai, it's not gonna be foggy tomorrow, so we don't have to worry so much! If we fail, who else will save Nanako-chan? We need to go in as prepared as can be, or else we're all screwed over and then what will happen to her? You told us all that when the others got kidnapped; now it's time to follow your own advice!" Kanji sternly gripped Souji as he helped him recall everything. After a few seconds, Souji calmed down, realizing his error.

"...Fine. but if you won't go with me tomorrow, I'll go in by myself. Hope I made that clear enough."

The team smiled that at least Souji agreed to their compromise. Dojima was taken to the hospital, where he begged Souji to find Nanako, in which he made his promise to do so.

11/06

Inside the TV, nearly everyone was ready, but they were awaiting Souji, which in their eyes was just standing there near a corner like always, though longer than most. They assumed he was just in the need of a moment before they departed.

"Is Souji-senpai alright? He's been quiet this whole time." Rise asked Yosuke as the group was distanced from each other.

"I think this has really got to him, this is the most emotional I think any of us have seen him. Yukiko's been kind of the same thing."

"Yeah, but she's at least talking. Souji's just... silent."

"He's kinda quiet like when I first met him. It's... unnerving." Yosuke felt a chill as he said that.

Souji then turned around, with no expression whatsoever.

"Whoa...!"

"What's wrong Rise?"

"For a second, I felt a lot of power coming from Souji-senpai."

"Damn, I wonder what happened."

"Everyone ready? I'm prepared with everything I need." Souji affirmed his status, grabbing his weapon of choice.

"Yeah, we've been ready. Let's go already Senpai." Kanji said, ready to take on the world like always.

"Yukiko, are you sure you want to go?" Souji asked worriedly about Yukiko's mental state.

"Yeah... I'll be fine. We need to save Nanako-chan and I want to help you and everyone else."

"Alright, then I won't ask again." Souji nodded, pleased that his girlfriend was holding up. "Now, let's get going!"