#and it had teleported her into Yukiko's world!

[outoftheirdifferences]

@bleachbrainrotbro / continued from (x)

"Oh, well, heh."

Oops, seemed she's interpreted an unspoken criticism where there was none. Sheepish grin touched Webby's beak, the girl playing with her feathers a moment. She was getting better at this whole acting like a normal kid thing, but clearly she was also... not all the way there yet.

Hopping off the training dummy that she'd just bound up neatly with her grappling hook's cord, the duckling shrugged a little, rubbed at her shirt cuff.

"Well, you know. My granny spent a lot of time training me to be ready for anything. Plenty of cool tricks still up these sleeves, if I get chance to use them."

She tilted her head at the next question.

"Me? I'm eleven. Why, what's your age?"

She'd been asked, so it was only polite to return the question, wasn't it? Maybe that was just a normal greeting in this world where she'd ended up!

[houseisekai]

House Isekai: Shadowbringers Act 2, Part 2 - By the time you hear this...

House Isekai Shadowbringers AU Masterlist Here

—

Upon discovering the true identity of Lahabrea, The Golden Deer and Investigation Team move deeper into the Zanado Tower.

It is there where they make a discovery that pushes them, and everyone in Fodlan into a race against time...

—

Unknown Tower, Zanado

[A Long Fall - Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers OST]

Claude and Yu moved first towards the crates with their weapons drawn.

The rest of the Golden Deer and Investigation Team followed behind, slowly looking around.

Yu opened the crates and bags of food. It was clear by the dust on them that they had been here for a very long while.

Claude came closer and examined one of the bags, picking it up.

Claude opened the bag, and small blocks of meat fell out of it.

(Claude) “...Huh.”

The meat hadn’t spoiled. In fact, it looked brand new. 

He took another look at the crate, and it appeared that the food had been here for a while.

(Yu) “That doesn’t make any sense. How is the food still fresh?”

Lorenz, Hilda, Yosuke, and Naoto moved up the stairs, taking note of the planks of wood, crates, and lanterns as they were passing by.

Some of them were sawn in half while others appeared to have been unused.

The wood was nailed onto the walls and crates stacked on top of each other were in front of them. 

As they moved up, there were other stairs that appeared to lead higher into the tower but the path with the open door caught their attention.

(Lorenz) “Has someone already been in here?”

(Hilda) “It must be that Lahabrea guy, er...was it Byleth?”

(Yosuke) “We’ll cross that road when we get to it. For now let’s keep our eyes peeled, yeah?”

(Naoto) “Yu-senpai, up here!”

(Hilda) “Claude, get your butt up here!”

Everyone moved up the stairs after they finished investigating.

(Chie) “We didn’t seem to find much, other than supplies.”

(Leonie) “Looks like a bunch of people were here working on this place. Though, I doubt it only took some magic and wood to create this entire place.”

(Lysithea) “No, it seems they were trying to keep something out.”

Everyone nervously looked at each other after hearing that.

Just how big was this tower?

(Teddie) “No use waiting, let’s go in!”

Teddie ran to the open doorway and was ready to fight, the others quickly following behind.

(Ignatz) “T-Teddie! We have to stick together and!-...”

(Teddie) “JEEZ, THIS ROOM IS HUUUUGE!”

Teddie stepped near the edge and his eyes almost went out of his bear suit.

(Kanji) “Holy shit!”

(Marianne) “H-How is this area so big?!”

(Rise) “My Persona’s scans are going off the charts! There’s so much happening and-”

Everyone reached for their heads as they heard Claude’s voice echo through the halls.

“As big class reunions go, this one’s gotta be the worst in history...”

KABOOOOOOM!

The tower shook violently, throwing people off their feet and into the ground.

(Claude) “Never thought the sound of my own voice would be that annoying...!”

(Yu) “I don’t think this is a good time to be cracking jokes.”

Everyone was trying to steady themselves before they heard something in the distance.

clang! clang!

(Raphael) “Hey, I think I hear people fighting!”

Raphael pointed to the end of the walkway, with a glowing circle-like shape at the end of it.

(Raphael) “It sounds like it’s coming from over there!”

Everyone went over near the glowing circle, and it began to flash repeatedly.

(Yukiko) “Um, what does that mean-”

Leonie took a step into it, which catapulted all of them forward into another walkway, soaring high above a massive gap that fell deep into the tower.

When they landed, it prematurely cut off their screaming as they fell onto their backs and stomachs.

(Yosuke) “Ack, I think I cracked my ass...!”

(Claude) “Leonie, next time WARN US before you do that!”

(Leonie) “S-Sorry! I didn’t know it would-”

She was cut off as they were suddenly transported into a massive open field in the middle of battle.

Before they could realize what was happening, Naoto turned around and her eyes went wide.

(Naoto) “EVERYONE GET DOWN, NOW!”

Turning to see what was coming, they all screamed and dove onto the floor, a massive fireball hurling itself past and landing behind the group.

Claude looked up to see himself running into the front, firing arrows into incoming Imperial soldiers.

The group got up and slowly backed up, watching Alliance soldiers follow and move in front of Claude.

(Hilda) “Wait a second, isn’t this?-...”

Hilda saw herself in the distance, fighting off Imperial and Kingdom soldiers as she and several others moved towards a hill.

(Yu) “Gronder Field?! But how did we-”

The entire battlefield began to flash before they were returned back to the Tower where they landed.

(Chie) “WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!”

(Lorenz) “I-I don’t know. It looked like Gronder Field, and that certainly was us but-...”

(Ignatz) “I don’t remember us fighting the Kingdom soldiers. We were just fighting the Imperials!”

(Claude) “Yeah, and I wasn’t fighting the soldiers. Just Edelgard and Dimitri until Lahabrea and Byleth stopped us.”

(Naoto) "Wait a moment, do you remember what Lahabrea said when he was fighting the professor? They were teleported to that future since their subconscious had those memories. What if we went to Gronder in that time because you had been there before?"

(Claude) "...That was us from...those previous times? Man, thats weird to say."

(Yu) "Then what about our voices? Do you think we're going to be encountering our memories too?"

Everyone looked deeper into the tower before hearing echoes of more voices.

(Hilda) "Guess there's only one way to find out..."

Everyone held their weapons tightly and ran down the walkway, only now noticing that some of the platforms were moving on their own.

Some were carrying an assortment of supplies while some were empty.

There was another circle pad at the end of the hallway, which made everyone stop and look at their leaders.

Claude nodded and waited a moment for everyone to brace themselves. He stepped onto the pad and as expected, launched them into the air onto another walkway.

This time everyone landed on both feet, and carried on, noticing the memories of the past flashing more and more.

As they began to run down the next walkway, they were transported to another location, one unfamiliar to the Golden Deer.

The area suddenly became foggy, reducing everyone’s vision to almost nothing.

(Raphael) “Fog?”

The Investigation Team paused for a moment before Yukiko put on glasses.

(Yukiko) “Put your glasses on!”

The rest of the team put on their glasses and their vision became clear as day.

(Rise) “...Yeah, readings are almost accurate to our world’s Midnight Channel!”

(Lorenz) “How in the world do those glasses allow you to see through this fog?!”

(Lysithea) “It’s so thick I can’t even see my hands in front of me!”

(Chie) “Long story short, Teddie made these for us specifically for the Midnight Channel, otherwise these things are useless! So the fact it’s working now-”

(Kanji) “This being transported to recreations of our memories shit is serious!”

(Naoto) “How far does this go?”

The area began to flash a bright white before fading away, putting the groups back to their original location.

As they moved to the end of the walkway, there was a pad that seemed to send them down, deeper into the tower.

(Claude) “Let’s keep going for-”

An arrow whizzed by his head, making everyone duck down and look towards the direction it came from.

(Hilda) “WOAH!”

A soldier in an orange glow was loading up another arrow before Naoto drew her gun and pulled the trigger.

The bullet went straight through the phantom soldier but it still acted as if it was hit, then quickly faded away into a burst of energy.

(Yu) “Something tells me we should move a little faster...”

(Raphael) “Then let’s stop talking and go!”

Raphael stepped onto the pad, catapulting him deeper into the tower. Everyone else followed him and quickly, yet gently floated towards the bottom.

The size of the interior was almost staggering, a massive glowing crystal in the middle of the room led down to a seemingly bottomless green pit. 

After a minute of floating down, they finally reached the bottom.

As they took in their surroundings, they noticed a massive door, with the crystal core looming over them.

The group approached the door, looking for some way to open it.

(Ignatz) “There doesn’t seem to be a lever anywhere.”

(Yosuke) “No button, handle...is this an automatic door?”

(Yukiko) “If that’s the case, what opens it? Clearly people don’t.”

(Rise) “Maybe there’s some kind of keycard?”

(Lorenz) “A...key card?”

(Chie) “It’s something from our world. Normally I’d say you guys don’t have the technology to have anything similar to ours but this entire tower...”

(Lysithea) “Hey, there’s something over here on the crate!”

Lysithea picked it up and showed it to the group.

(Teddie) “It’s...a crystal rectangle?”

(Leonie) “Sorta looks like that crystal message thing from earlier.”

(Marianne) “Is there a way to let us hear the message?”

(Naoto) “May I?”

Lysithea shrugged and handed it to Naoto. As soon as she came into contact with it, the crystal began glowing.

(Soldier’s voice) “By the time you hear this, I’ll be dead, so don’t bother trying to save me! Just...Get the hell out of here! This...This door, I don’t know who, or when it was made, but it...It goes into your mind! N-No, that’s not right, It takes you- O-oh GODDESS! HELP, NO-----...........”

(Everyone) ?!

(Yu) “What in the...?”

(Hilda) “What the heck happened?!”

(Kanji) “Uh, maybe we shouldn’t mess with this shit after all-”

Before anyone could another comment, the door slowly began to open, emitting an orange glow.

(Claude) “Tch, too late!”

Everyone drew their weapons expecting something to appear.

Instead, when the door open, everyone slowly felt a force pushing them in.

(Teddie) “H-Hey, my footing is-”

A violent shockwave blew out from the door, knocking everyone off their feet as it dragged them into the glowing orange light.

(Hilda) “GAH?!”

(Claude) “DAMN IT, EVERYONE TRY TO GRAB ONTO-”

Claude was the first to enter, completely vanishing from sight.

Lorenz was almost next to fall in, but Yukiko grabbed his hand and summoned her Persona to grab her.

(Yukiko) “S-So...Strong!”

Marianne, Rise, and Teddie were the next ones absorbed into the door, everyone struggling to even muster the strength to resist.

A final shockwave forced everyone into the door as their bodies leapt from the ground, into the light, Yu being the last one to enter.

...

[Song End]

...

Yu flew outwards from the portal and landed face first into the hard surface of the ground.

As his vision started to clear up, he could hear everyone groaning from the pain of their landing.

The area they were in was extremely claustrophobic, with a table in the middle, and some furniture and decorations most of them didn’t recognize.

(Teddie) “MMMMMFFF!”

(Raphael) “Oh, crap I think I’m crushing him!”

(Lysithea) “Then get off of him, don’t just say you are!”

Raphael quickly got up, only to see Teddie completely flattened.

(Hilda) “EUGH! Ugh, I’ll never get used to that!”

(Teddie) “Sh...Shaddup!”

Rise and Yosuke helped Yu up as everyone else tried to recover from the fall.

(Rise) “Senpai, are you alright?

(Yu) “I’m fine, Rise. Where are we?”

(Yosuke) “I don’t think we took the time to actua-?!”

Yosuke’s eyes grew wide as he looked around.

(Yu) “What is i-...?!”

Yu had the same reaction as Yosuke once he recognized the room.

(Claude) “Yu, recognize this place?”

(Yu) “It’s my room!”

(Hilda) “Huh?”

The Investigation Team looked around and quickly realized he was telling the truth.

(Kanji) “Think it’s one of those memory flashes from before?”

(Naoto) “It’s hard to say. I think it would have gone away by now if it was-”

knock knock knock!

(Little girl’s voice) “H-Hello? Is anyone in there?”

Marianne and Ignatz were closest to the door, and reached for their weapons before Yu put a hand on both of them.

(Yu) “N...N-Nanako?”

(Nanako) “Huh? Big bro?”

Yu opened the door and let her in, shocking everyone.

(Claude) “Has...any of the phantoms acknowledged our presence besides wanting to kill us?”

Nanako looked extremely confused looking at the Golden Deer.

(Nanako) “Who are they? And what are they saying?”

(Hilda) “Huh? Can you not understand us sweetie?”

(Nanako) “...?”

(Yosuke) “Nana-chan, you understand what we’re saying right?”

(Nanako) “Yes...? I’m really confused right now...”

(Dojima’s voice) “Nanako! Is everything alright up there?”

(Nanako) “Yeah! It’s just big bro and his friends!”

(Yu) “Dojima too?”

Yu motioned everyone to follow him downstairs, including Nanako.

At first Dojima looked confused seeing Yu and the Investigation Team come down the stairs. The last thing he remembered was seeing Yu and his friends off at the train station. That was just yesterday.

He was about to say something before seeing the Golden Deer right behind them, carrying all sorts of weapons.

(Naoto) “H-Hello, Dojima-san.”

(Claude) “Yeesh, this is awkward. How do we even begin this?”

(Lorenz) “Greetings, we are part of the Leicester Alliance!”

(Dojima) “Er...What language are they speaking?”

(Marianne) “Certainly not like that...”

(Dojima) “No first of all, how the hell did you all get into the house? We haven’t even left all day!”

Teddie ran up to Dojima and began poking him.

(Dojima) “H-Hey, back off!”

(Teddie) “SENSEI, HE’S REAL!”

(Everyone) ?!

[Paradisaical Predicaments - Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers OST]

(Chie) “Woah woah woah, hang on! We’re really back in Inaba?!”

(Nanako) “What are you all talking about? Are you guys okay?”

Kanji and Rise rushed to the back doors and opened it, seeing it was a bright and sunny day.

(Kanji) “No orange shi-...crap as far as I can see.”

(Rise) “I’m sensing something nearby us-...W-Why can I still sense things?! We’re not in the Midnight Channel or Fodlan!”

Lysithea pulled out a tome and snapped her fingers, a black flame appearing at the very tip.

(Lysithea) “I can still cast magic?”

Nanako and Dojima started to get more on edge as both groups were testing their own theories out.

(Yu) “Everyone stand back, there’s one last test we need to do...”

Yu adjusted his glasses and took a deep breath, holding out his hand.

(Yu) “Izanagi!”

A tarot card appeared floating above his hand, which he crushed into pieces, summoning his Persona right behind him.

(Dojima) “WHAT IN THE?!”

(Nanako) “Dad?!”

Yu turned to face Izanagi, frowning at the fact he was able to summon his Persona. Izanagi quickly disappeared at Yu’s command.

(Yukiko) “T-That should be impossible!”

(Leonie) “Is it not normal for you guys to be able to summon those?”

(Yosuke) “NOT IN THE REAL WORLD!”

(Chie) “O-Oh my god, this is too much to handle!”

(Dojima) “Hang on just a damn second, who are these people, and what is even happening?!”

Claude froze when he realized what Rise said.

(Claude) “...Rise, what exactly were you sensing?”

(Rise) “Um...it’s a signature similar to something we fight called a Shadow.”

Everyone turned to Rise.

(Yu) “...Where?”

The entire house shook violently as a roar came from outside.

Everyone dashed outside to find a mass of black clouds forming with arms and glowing red eyes.

People screamed in horror seeing what was happening outside, and ran for their lives in the opposite direction.

Nanako ran behind Dojima, her legs trembling as he reached for his gun.

(Yu) “There’s no denying it, we’re really back home-”

(Yosuke) “But how are shadows able to form in the real world?!”

(Dojima) “GET DOWN, NOW!”

Dojima opened fire at the shadows, which they quickly disappeared into orange glowing light.

(Claude) “BEHIND YOU!”

Claude raised his bow and fired an arrow behind Dojima, killing another Shadow that was sneaking up on them.

(Dojima) “Thanks.”

Rise gasped as she summoned her Persona and began scanning the shadows.

(Rise) “These signatures, they’re starting to match the phantoms from the tower!”

(Hilda) “What?! How?! We’re not even in Fo-”

KAFOOOOOOOOOOOM!

The ground shook violently as if an earthquake struck Inaba, the screaming of everyone getting louder.

(Kanji) “Holy shit, EVERYONE, OVER THERE!”

Kanji pointed towards the direction of the riverbed, where they saw the Zanado Tower.

(Marianne) “How did it...!?”

(Yu) “We have to get back to Fodlan, Rise how dangerous are these shadows?!”

(Rise) “A-A little but I think the police or armed forces can deal with them, seeing how quickly Dojima and Claude killed them!”

(Dojima) “Yu, do you know what’s going on?!”

(Claude) “Tell your uncle we have to go, can they defend themselves?!”

(Dojima) “Go where, exactly?! Who even are you?!”

(Claude) “We’re going back to...!!!...You...You understand me now?”

(Dojima) “I...I can. I can?”

(Lysithea) “What...?! Wait a second, the Investigation Team was only able to understand us and vice versa because they came to Fodlan. Does that mean...?!”

Naoto quickly looked back at the Tower, the skies started to lose the color of its blue into a pale white.

(Yu) “Dojima, we’ll be back as soon as we can. Hold out until then.”

Dojima looked at the tower, then back to the group.

(Dojima) “...Be careful, Yu.”

(Nanako) “Stay safe, big bro...”

Yu nodded and held onto his Katana’s sheathe, everyone rushing towards the Tower.

Tokyo, Leblanc Cafe...

Sojiro washed the cups and half-heartedly listened to the TV until breaking news came on, catching everyone’s attention.

(Reporter) “This just in, several unknown towers have seemingly materialized out of nowhere in 3 locations, a town called Inaba out in the country, Tokyo, and Tatsumi Port Island!”

Sojiro stopped washing the cups as everyone in the cafe began to mutter to themselves. He frowned and went outside and onto the street, finding a massive half crystal half red rock tower piercing the skies.

(Sojiro) “What in the hell...?”

He took out his phone and tried calling Futaba.

...

No luck.

She had only been missing for a day, and he couldn’t seem to call Akira or any of the other former Phantom Thieves.

Part of him wondered if they had something to do with this...

Tatsumi Port Island, Kirijo Group Headquarters

(Officer) “What did the scanners say about those towers?!”

(Officer 2) “Sir, shadow presence is confirmed but...something’s off with them. It’s like it’s half shadow half...”

(Officer) “Half what?!”

(Officer 2) “We don’t know sir, we’ve never seen anything like it before.”

(Officer) “Get the anti-shadow weapons deployed before too many people are harmed, whatever it is, we need to stop this! Get the S.E.E.S operatives on the line, now!”

(Officer 2) “Yes sir!”

Fodlan, outskirts of Derdriu

As the group was walking quietly, the Persona Users suddenly dropped to their knees, grabbing their heads and wincing in pain.

(Akira) “AAAGH!”

(Minato) “S-Shit!”

(Minako) “M-My head...!”

(Edelgard) “Healers, NOW!”

(Kazuma) “The hell?! What’s going on?!”

(Rean) “A-Are they getting more of those weird voices?”

(Ainz) “If that’s the case, why aren’t we getting it?”

Lahabrea and Sothis looked at each other with unease.

(Sothis) “Do you think its...?”

(Lahabrea) “There’s no other explanation, it has to be. EVERYONE, MOVE IT TO DERDRIU, NOW! PICK THEM UP IF YOU HAVE TO!”

The healers tried to help the Persona users, but to no avail. Eventually some had to be carried and helped as they walked.

Sitri let Minako’s arm go over her shoulder and moved with the rest of the group.

(Sitri) “Minako, can you understand what’s going on?”

(Minako) “A...A tower...?”

Sitri only looked more confused as Sothis and Lahabrea tried to avoid making eye contact with anyone.

(Sothis) “We’re running out of time, if we don’t activate this plan-”

(Lahabrea) “I know...”

He closed his eyes and sighed.

(Lahabrea) “I know.”

Part 2: END

[This Beautiful Cruel World - Attack On Titan OST]

Your dream is where your heart is

It’s something more fragile than life itself

No matter how many times you throw it away, you still find it

So rest in peace now

Your wish is violated by your pulsing urge

and as much as you forget about it, you recall it again

In this beautiful and cruel world

We only ask “why” we’re still alive…

Ah, what are we going to protect

with our strength and weakness? If reason no longer exists

TO BE CONTINUED IN:

[gimme-more-caffeine]

Persona 4 X ML - Crossover (My take)

Kind of based on @thebigpapilio's idea/post on a crossover between Persona 4 and Miraculous Ladybug (here). I have played and beaten P4 but it was years ago and my PS2 doesn't work anymore so I can't really access my files anymore. I have P4 Golden…. Somewhere...but I have to find my Vita and charger for it. 

====

World Building Ideas

- The Miraculous and TV world are connected 

- Fog comes to Paris before any connection to Inaba is discovered

- Possible discovery by either the Midnight Channel starting in Paris or maybe Marinette discovers with one of the Kwami

> Could be while cleaning tv or fixing cables, still not sure

> Alternatively, The Detective P4 group ends up in Paris by accident, either leave through a TV (Marinette's) or pulled out after an Akuma is defeated, like the mini Ladybug swarm mistakes them for victims

- Connects to Inaba somehow (Vaguely remember Teddy saying all TVs are connected to the TV World but different tvs take you to different places)

> Kaalki may be able to teleport Marinette into the TV world of Marinette's choosing or teleport her out anywhere from the same TV set inside the TV world 

> Travel is limitless in the TV world

- Create a base with two TVs to return to real world out of TV world

> Easily teleport between Paris and Inaba without using Kaalki

> Someone suggests that the TV for Inaba be moved elsewhere. Possibly at Yosuke's or Yukiko's

--

Interaction Ideas

- Chie teaching/training Miraculous team to fight or help with strategy 

- Luka possibly wearing headphones similar to Yosuke in TV world

- Risette possibly bonding with Adrien and helping him stand his ground?

- Friendship with Yukiko, Marinette and Kagami. I feel like these two would help her figure out if she wants to leave her family's inn and what to do.

> Familial pressure might be something Kagami and Yukiko can connect with?

- Possible connection between Yosuke and Adrien? But it's more about their fathers being business owners of large companies?

- Yu and Marinette connecting over having so much in their plates (Basing this on how Yu has so many part time jobs in game)

- Marinette making clothes as gifts and using the other P4 characters for practice with different styles and body types 

- Marinette strictly making outfits for the TV world, possibly armored outfits 

- Marinette and Kanji discussing and sharing stitching/sewing techniques. Marinette sells some of Kanji's plushies and stuffed animal stuff in Paris to build up a clientele for him while Kanji helps sells some of Marinette's clothes in Inaba 

- Chie and Marinette discussing fighting styles and training with each other. Chie brings up an idea of sharing self defense techniques to Paris

--

Kwami Changes or Uses

- Kallki and Tikki can make a pocket dimension as a kind of base that can connect to any TV Marinette touches

- Kwami can see in fog

> Longg seems aware of why or how the fog got there, not sure if he can say anything about it though (similar to the bubble thing when kwami say a holders name)

- Tikki can create the glasses with Teddie's help, a few each creation

- If Marinette has Nooru, maybe he can help connect her to the Velvet Room (since butterflies seem to be the Velvet Rooms symbol)

- The Kwami working on items or a spell, etc to help the Parisians understand the Japanese and vice versa

--

Possible Kwami Matchup

- Bull!Kanji (It's an aesthetics thing for me! The nose ring would just fit his appearance)

- Fox!Risette (Again, aesthetics for me. But also with her background as a model/actress [can't fully remember] I figured she would know about keeping up illusions)

- Rooster!Yukiko (A lot of this has to do with her Shadow Self being a Phoenix)

--

Ideas still unsure about

- Lila as a red herring? Like she's not the main bad guy but it seems like it (Similar to the one Delivery/TV guy)

- Adachi figures out how to travel to Paris through the TV or discovers a path left behind by someone?

- Possible Kwami swap some of the other heroes, still undecided on this

- Hawkmoth or no Hawkmoth? Someone else having Nooru or Marinette having him… I honestly thought of having Adachi with this

- Dojima possibly criticizing the Parisian police if they're too reliant on the heroes? 

=====

I am admitting I had a few other ideas but I can't really remember as I was driving at the time of thinking about these and when I was able to try and take notes, a lot of my brain went "Ideas? What ideas?" It also probably doesn't help that I haven't played P4/P4G in YEARS. Also I've always been the type to focus on other details than characters so that may also affect this. Tried to be different than the original post so it didn't feel like I was copying

[individuationfic]

Seeking to Seize Chapter 20

AO3

This place is nice, Teddie thinks. It’s calm in a way he’s not used to; the couches are nice and soft, and there’s plenty to eat and drink, and the oly sounds are the gentle purring of an engine and a soft aria and its accompaniment. Maybe, he thinks, it’s a little too nice for a bear like me.

He doesn’t know how long he’s been sitting here when, between blinks, Sensei arrives. His heart thunder in his ears as he waits for Sensei’s anger (because it’s his fault Nana-chan is dead) but instead Sensei looks relieved. He fumbles around where he sits catty corner from Teddie for a paper and a pen and starts writing.

We were all worried, the note Sensei slides to Teddie reads. Nanako recovered. She’s been asking about you. The writing is messy, like Sensei’s hand was shaking (like Teddie’s paws are now, because Nana-chan is okay and she wants to see him). We found the real culprit. It’s Adachi, not Namatame. He has a place in the TV world, we think. Will you help us again?

Teddie’s floored. Not only is Sensei not mad, he wants his help again! Sensei is so kind, so still like a useless bear like him. Well, he thinks, if Sensei thinks I can help, I need to do everything I can, because he and the rest of the team are all I’ve got.

Shaking, he puts one of his paws in Sensei’s hand, and he feels warm again.

Shit!

Yu isn’t fast enough to avoid the Shadow and finds himself back at the entrance to Magatsu Mandala. The others are safe for now; they would have teleported out with him, otherwise.

Rise gives him a sympathetic smile. She moved to the Mandala’s entrance once they figured out the gimmick to better support them. She hands him a can of Mad Bull for his energy, and he eagerly downs it.

‘What’s up?’ he signs, noticing her somber face.

She’s gotten a lot better at signing, so she uses it to respond. ‘Don’t worry about me.’

‘You’re a dear friend. Of course I’m worried. You haven’t been yourself these last few days.’

Rise still looks reluctant. ‘It doesn’t just concern me,’ she settles on, ‘and it’s not my place to talk about it.’

That seems like an excuse to Yu. Before he can call that out, though, Yosuke and Naoto appear at the entrance with a flash of light, looking irritated, and he decided not to push any harder for now.

Yosuke somehow convinces his parents to let him stay at Yu’s place. He’s sure it has something to do with Nanako-chan and Dojima still being in the hospital, but he’s still surprised he gets to sleep over on a school night.

They have to make a pit stop at his place so he can grab pajamas and a new pair of underwear. Yosuke takes the opportunity to try to calm his racing heart. He has no reason to be getting all excited; he’s staying the night at Yu’s place to make sure he’s not alone because his uncle and cousin are in the hospital, hormones, so chill out.

Besides, he thinks, I don’t even know if he likes me like that.

Because you’ve never asked.

Who asked you?

Yu rolls a futon out on his bedroom floor for him despite his protests. ‘The couch would have been fine,’ he signs when the deed is done. ‘I’ve slept on couches before.’

His friend shoots him a look. ‘This couch feels like cinder blocks covered in felt. I wouldn’t let a dog sleep on it, much less my best friend.’

Best friend.

Sure, Yosuke’s known all along that Yu’s friendship with him is different than his friendship with the others. Yosuke was there first. Chie and Yukiko showed him around town, but Yosuke saw Izanagi first, fought alongside him first, supported him first. Of course their bond is a little different.

But it’s still nice for the actual statement to be made.

Yu still looks stressed, so before they turn in, Yosuke signs, ‘We’ll get him, Partner. We’ve done it before, and we’ll do it again.’

And when Yu smiles, it seems forced, but Yosuke still counts that as a win.

Yukiko feels absolutely exhausted.

Magatsu Inaba is rough, and she’s still the group’s primary healer, so her magic is really draining her. She’s burning through their supply of somas very quickly. Yu has never told them how much their supplies cost; Yukiko wonders how much money he’ll have to spend to replace what she’s using.

When she stumbles into the inn that night, her mother and father are busy putting up decorations for Christmas. They’re always pretty busy on romantic holidays, and not even a serial killer could put a stop to that. It’s a delicate art, blending Western-style Christmas decorations with a traditional Japanese hot springs inn, but it is an art the Amagi family has mastered over the years.

Oh, crap.

Christmas is coming up.

Christmas is coming up and she has a girlfriend.

She tosses her shoes in the shoe cupboard, takes a moment to wince at the clattering sound they make, and scurries to her room before her parents can scold her for it.

Sure, Christmas probably isn’t something she should waste her time worrying about when she and her friends are trying to catch a serial killer in an alternate universe inside a television, but all this doom and gloom is making Yukiko insane. It’s not her fault Adachi decided to go on a killing streak! And it’s not like she asked for a Persona. No offense, she thinks at Konohana Sakuya.

None taken, her Persona replies. You have the right to be angry about your situation. Had things gone differently, you would not have to worry now.

So Yukiko lets herself think about Christmas.

She wants to do something for Chie. If Chie remembers about Christmas, it can be an exchange, and if she doesn’t, it can be a pleasant surprise. But what could she buy for Chie? She doesn't have enough spending money to get that new Trial of the Dragon box set or exercise equipment, and any kind of jewelry in Yukiko’s price range wouldn’t interest her. Maybe they could go out for steak? But they already go to Aiya’s at least once a week, so that’s not really special enough for Christmas.

A gift need not be material, Konohana Sakuya reminds her gently. There are many things you could give to her without spending any money.

Yukiko flushes at the implication, but has to admit it’s a good idea. But only if we catch Adachi before Christmas, she insists. We don’t need another distraction.

Then you had best work hard.

We will.

They still have to get revenge for putting Nanako-chan in the hospital, after all.

Rise knows she’s being a coward about this whole thing. She could argue that she’s focusing on catching Adachi or improving her navigational skills or her studies, but the truth is that she’s avoiding Kanji-kun and Naoto-san out of embarrassment,

And she misses them. God, she misses them. Setting aside romantic attraction, they’re her best friends. She misses eating lunch with them, misses walking home with Kanji-kun, misses texting Naoto-san for homework help. But how can she even try to act like everything is normal?

Part of her wants to blame Kanji-kun for kissing her. At least before then it was easy to pretend. Pining, she thinks, is easier than having feelings reciprocated.

They’re almost to Adachi, Rise thinks, when Yu-senpai calls it quits that day. She’s been getting more and more uncomfortable the further in they go; Adachi isn’t fond of women in the slightest, and this place he’s constructed doesn’t hide his distaste. And the door they stop in front of so Yu-senpai can use the GoHo-M radiates misogyny.

They say goodbye to Teddie, who’s seemed much more confident in and comfortable with himself lately, and make their way back to Junes. ‘Rest up,’ Yu-senpai instructs. ‘We have a big day tomorrow, and we all need to be at our best.’

“You rest up, too,” Chie-senpai says. “You’ve been staying late at the hospital, right? Sleeping in those chairs can’t be good for your back.”

Yu-senpai gives her a wry smile. ‘I’ll be sure to find a chiropractor—’ he finger spells “chiropractor” so they all understand— ‘when I get back to Tokyo.’

Out of the corner of her eye, Rise sees Yosuke-senpai wilt. But then he puts on a smile and signs, ‘Come on, Partner, my mom told me to invite you to dinner tonight. She says she’s worried you’re not eating enough.’

Yu-senpai nods and allows himself to be led away. Rise tries to slip away while the others are focused on their leader but she’s stopped by calloused fingers curling around her wrist, pulling her arm taught. “We need to talk,” Kanji-kun says in her ear, voice low, and she has to suppress a shiver.

Rise looks over Kanji-kun’s shoulder. Yukiko-senpai and Chie-senpai are speaking to each other with quiet voices and Naoto-san is on their phone. “Not now,” Rise says, her voice thick. “Tomorrow’s too important. We can’t get distracted.”

Kanji-kun releases her wrist, and she pulls it to her chest, like she’s trying to protect it. “After, then,” he says.

“And you should talk to Naoto-san first.”

His brow furrows. “Why?”

“Because you liked them before you liked me.”

“Fucking Christ, Rise,” he says, and Rise’s surprised by the annoyed tone in his voice. “Of course I liked them first. I met them first! Don’t take it as a goddamn insult.” He stops, mindful of everyone around them. “But you’re right. We shouldn’t talk about it right now. We’ll have plenty of time once Adachi’s rotting in a jail cell.”

Rise nods and flees.

Yu is bleeding when Adachi falls. He can’t see it under his black uniform jacket, but he can feel it, seeping gently from a wound above his ribs. He wonders if it’ll scar.

Adachi was mostly focused on him throughout the fight. Yu thinks he figured out he’s been the leader the whole time and got angry, and that anger was only further aggravated when Yu summoned Izanagi.

Because Adachi’s Persona was also Izanagi.

A dark form of Izanagi, granted, but Izanagi nonetheless. Yu would know Izanagi anywhere; he’s part of him, after all.

I’ll have to have a word with Margaret and Igor about that, he thinks, eyes locked on Adachi, who still looks like he wants to fight. Did you know about this?

No, Izanagi says in his mind, and, for once, he sounds unsure of himself.

Yu loosens his grip and lets his sword fall to the ground. He stumbles, woozy, and it’s only Yosuke’s arms under his arms and around his waist that keep him from collapsing. Yosuke’s fingers feel for his wound and Yu feels his chest vibrate with a shout. He feels Yukiko’s cool healing magic wash over him seconds before his vision goes dark.

[individuationfic]

Seeking to Seize Chapter 15

AO3

“I,” Yosuke says, glaring at the floor, “am sick of these teleportation tile things.” The team has split up for this particular floor of Void Quest because of the frustrating gimmick so Rise can make a more comprehensive map. Of course he got stuck with Teddie, too, so he’s had to deal with his annoying chatter all afternoon. If he hears one more bear pun, he’s going to lose it. “How’s that map coming along, Rise?”

“You guys can come on back,” comes her reply over whatever mental link they all have in the TV world. “Chie-senpai and Yu-senpai are back, too, and Yukiko-senpai and Kanji-kun are almost done.”

Yosuke has no idea why Yu split the teams up this way, but he doesn’t feel like complaining about it. He just lets Teddie shoot back an affirmative and fishes the GoHo-M Yu gave him out of his bag. This is all they’re doing today; splitting up means they’re all tired, and Yu’s not going to let them continue now.

“Hey, Yosuke?”

He freezes in his motions. Teddie doesn’t usually sound that serious. “What’s up?”

Teddie still wears his bear suit in the TV world, so it’s a little hard to read his expression, but Yosuke knows he’s feeling insecure when he says, “Do you think Sensei likes me?”

Yosuke holds back a snort because honestly. “Yu likes everyone on the team, Ted.”

“He just started being able to understand me, though! How can he like me if we barely talk?”

Yosuke chooses to ignore the fact that “barely” was probably “bear-ly.” “You guys communicating through me or Yukiko is still communicating. You’re friends.”

And now Teddie looks like he might cry, and Yosuke really does not want to deal with that, so he chucks the GoHo-M to the ground to warp them back to the entrance. He’s having a hard enough time dealing with his own feelings, let alone dealing with those of a Shadow-bear-turned-kind-of-human.

This, he tells Jiraya, is not how I wanted to spend my summer.

And Jiraya laughs, because he’s just a jerk like that.

Rise thinks they’re almost to where Kubo is so after everyone heads home from Junes Yu returns to the store to stock up on healing items. He has to be a little conservative with his shopping; sure, Shadows drop money and items he can sell for money, but making sure everyone has good armor and weapons is a top priority, and an expensive priority at that. By the time that particular errand is done, Yu has scraps to deal with. He’d hopes to fold envelopes over the summer to save up some cash, but Void Quest has officially dashed those dreams.

He’s leaving the store with his usual haul (Mr. Salts, Mad Bulls, an inordinate amount of granola bars, etc.) when he passes the door to the Velvet Room and realizes how long it’s been since he dropped in for a visit. Margaret is one of his bonds, after all; maybe he should say hello.

The transition, as always, is more than a little jarring. It gets a little easier every time but, again, it’s been a while. He has to blink rapidly to make his vision stop swimming.

Igor is absent when he’s lucid again. Margaret is sitting in her normal place, the compendium sitting next to her, but, this time, that black and white cat is in her lap, luxuriating in her pets. ‘Hello, Yu,’ she signs.

He signs, ‘I’m sorry I haven’t visited for a while.’

‘You never have to apologize to me. My purpose is to aid you on your journey. You have no obligation to visit me for a social call.’

‘Doesn’t it get lonely with just you and Igor?’ Yu asks.

‘There is more to the Velvet Room than what you can see,’ Margaret signs, a wry smirk pulling at her lips. ‘Time and space function differently here. Though my earliest memory is of the Velvet Room, Igor was not the only one who had a hand in raising me.’ Her eyes flutter shut and she takes a deep breath. Inhale. Exhale. Her eyes drift back open and she continues, ‘A piano player and an opera singer provide a near-constant soundtrack for us. A human artist has made a home for himself here, painting portraits of those who visit us no longer. My siblings—’ Her fingers stutter. ‘My younger sister, Lavenza, is preparing for the arrival of her guest in a few years’ time. It is not as lonely here as it may seem.’

“Do you ever wish you could leave?’

Margaret isn’t an overly-expressive person, but Yu can tell what he’s asked has triggered some intense emotion. ‘In my experience,’ she signs, face carefully blank, ‘people who experience your world tend to not return. My family cannot take another one of us leaving.’

Yu winces and signs, ‘I’m sorry for upsetting you,’ because he doesn’t have anything else to say.

By the time Kubo’s Shadow falls, Chie is too annoyed to feel relief.

Because honestly, how unfair did Kubo want to be? Dumb baby in a dumb lego suit who attacks twice a turn/ Seriously, what the hell? And, sure, she wasn’t expecting a potential serial killer to go down easy, but this was just excessive.

Yosuke and Kanji drag Kubo to his feet after he falls and, after a curt nod of approval from Yu, Kanji knocks him out with a quick, controlled punch. Kubo didn’t awaken to a Persona after his Shadow was defeated, so he doesn’t need to know how the group operates. Yosuke and Kanji each sling one of his arms over their shoulders to carry him out.

Chie looks over at Yukiko, who smiles at her through her exhaustion. These big fights are always hard on her; she’s the group’s primary healer and, even with all the magical energy she has, it drains her fast. “Do you need help walking?” she asks, voice soft.

Yukiko’s answering nod is quick and grateful. “Please.”

Chie is at her side in an instant, wrapping one arm around Yukiko’s waist and letting one of Yukiko’s arms fall over her shoulders. Yukiko is taller than Chie, but Chie is stronger, and she actually likes how Yukiko’s weight feels leaning against her, so she doesn’t mind.

Her tired girlfriend secure, Chie turns to Yu and says, “What do we do with Kubo?”

Everyone looks at Yu, seeking guidance. After a moment, he signs something Chie can mostly understand, and Yosuke translates, “One of us needs to take him to the police station before he wakes up.” Then, Yu winces and continues. “It shouldn’t be me,” Yosuke translates. “My uncle doesn’t like it when he thinks I’m poking around the investigation.”

“I’ll do it, Senpai,” Kanji says. “I’m the one they’ll believe knocked him out.”

Rise says, “Say you found him at Junes. The security cameras can back you up.”

Yu nods in approval and starts signing again. Yosuke translates, “Good idea, Rise. Kanji will leave first and the rest of us will wait for a few minutes.”

Yukiko makes a disappointed noise near Chie’s cheek. Chie tries to ignore the shiver that runs down her spine at how close Yukiko’s lips are to her ear and tries to placate her by rubbing little circles on her side.

Plan made, they move out.

Yu is helping Nanako with her summer homework when his phone buzzes. He flashes his young cousin an apologetic smile and flips it open.

New Chat

[Kujikawa Rise]→[Narukami Yu]

[Kujikawa Rise]: Hi, Yu-senpai! ヽ(｡･ω･｡)ﾉ Chie-senpai gave me your number! I hope you don’t mind!

[Narukami Yu]: I don’t mind. I’m sorry I forgot to give you my number myself.

[Kujikawa Rise]: It’s fiiine~ I was just wondering what you were planning on wearing to the summer festival. Now that we don’t have to worry about Kubo, it’s all I can think about!

[Narukami Yu]: Just what I normally wear, I think.

[Kujikawa Rise]: Σ(･口･)

[Kujikawa Rise]: Yu-senpai, festivals are special! You can’t just wear street clothes!

[Narukami Yu]: I didn’t exactly bring my entire wardrobe to Inaba, Rise.

[Kujikawa Rise]: Well, it just so happens that I’m at Kanji-kun’s house to work on summer homework, and Mama Tatsumi says she can lend you a yukata! (　＾∇＾)

[Narukami Yu]: What?

[Narukami Yu]: Textiles are her livelihood. I can’t let her lend me her merchandise.

[Kujikawa Rise]: “I haven’t seen Kanji this happy in ages! If Narukami-kun helped him get real friends, lending him a yukata for the night is the least I can do!”

[Kujikawa Rise]: That’s what Mama Tatsumi says.

[Kujikawa Rise]: Aw! (´ω｀*) Kanji-kun’s blushing! Look, Yu-senpai!

[Kujikawa Rise] sent an image

[Narukami Yu]: If Tatsumi-san insists…

[Kujikawa Rise]: She does!

[Narukami Yu]: When does she want me to come to the shop?

Yosuke thinks he’s handling his newly discovered bisexuality pretty well until Yu shows up at the shrine in a yukata.

It looks great on him, because everything looks great on him, the jerk. The dark blue fabric contrasts nicely with his pale skin, and the yellow obi makes him noticeable, even from a distance. It’s not completely done up at the top, probably because of the heat, and Yosuke can see the uppermost part of Yu’s slender chest, already glistening a little with sweat, and, wow, Yosuke is suddenly very, very thirsty.

Chie notices his plight and, sympathetic (he saw the similar reaction she had when Yukiko arrived), passes him her bottle of green tea. In the middle of one of his greedy gulps, Yu sees them and smiles, and Yosuke choked. Fuck, he thinks, this is going to be a long night.

“Looks like your little plan worked.”

Kanji-kun is speaking in a soft, low tone, lower than Rise thought he was capable of. They’re trailing behind their senpai and Teddie as they explore the festival. She’s taking in the details: how Yosuke-senpai and Yu-senpai angle their bodies towards each other in a less-than-platonic way, how Yukiko-senpai catches Chie-senpai’s shirt with her fingers when it gets particularly crowded so they don’t get separated. It’s the little things like that Rise really loves. What can she say? She’s a romantic. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she replies, just as soft.

Kanji-kun barks out a laugh. “Bullshit, you don’t. Hanamura-senpai almost popped a boner back there and you know it.”

Rise giggles. “I will neither confirm nor deny my hand in that.”

The corners of Kanji’s mouth quirk up and he turns to face ahead again. The sun is starting to set, and maybe it’s the way shadows are falling across his face, rarely so soft as it is now, but…

Kanji-kun looks beautiful.

Not beautiful like her, or like Yu-senpai or Yukiko-senpai—he’s been too reckless with his body to be traditionally beautiful anymore. But he looks at their friends and he looks kind and soft and good.

Something in her gut tightens and she thinks, Oh, no.