Chapter Text
clunk-clunk. clunk-clunk. clunk-clunk.
Resting his head against his knuckles, Yu let his eyes drift close. The rhythmic sound of the train was lulling his mind into white noise, and he didn't fight it. He glanced up one last time as the pitch of the train wheels changed to signal crossing the wider end of the misty Samegawa. He was facing the direction he'd come from, watching Inaba fade into the distance, enveloped in eerie yellow fog.
He'd failed.
On so many fronts had he failed. The killer outwitted him, his friends drifted apart. His uncle was a shadow of a man. And Nanako, the light of his life, was now in an urn, her ashes tucked safely in a family mausoleum. The memory of a heart monitor flat lining haunted him still. Inaba was now seemingly encased in the fog, perhaps forever, its citizens helpless to resist its foul effects.
He'd boarded the train home to the city that morning, seen off by an awkward gathering of his friends, each forcing a smile as he left them behind. Dojima had simply dropped him off, not staying to say goodbye. Yosuke barely made eye contact. Their farewells were sad and tired, the former investigation team too weary. Teddie was long gone, having disappeared shortly after Nanako faded away. The Velvet Room, along with Igor and Margaret, vanished like a puff of smoke, the glowing blue door blinking out of existence that day in December. He could feel the echo of their broken social links even now, the absence of their love and friendship leaving a gaping hole in his chest.
I'm sorry, Izanagi, he whispered to his other self.
Sighing, Yu closed his eyes again. He was so tired. He couldn't remember a time when he wasn't tired, an exhaustion settling over him in early winter that never let go. The train was picking up speed as he left Inaba behind, taking him far away from what had been both the happiest and most miserable time of his life. What little light coming through his eyelids cut out as his train car entered a tunnel.
A sharp ring sounded from somewhere, and then a stab of pain in his head, as if his skull was splitting open. Yu opened his eyes and was overcome with nausea as he felt his seat crumbling, sending him careening downward into inky blackness, the train and the world around it above him and getting smaller and smaller as he fell. He thought he was screaming, but everything was becoming muted and dull. Izanagi roared within him.
You are not finished.
It had been so long since he'd heard his Persona's voice - not just waves of emotion, as he would usually communicate - that Yu was struck by the sound. The last time he'd heard his voice was at Izanagi's genesis outside the twisted liquor store, when he had first borne himself into Yu's soul.
Wind was whipping by his ears, through his hair and clothes. Yu was still falling through the darkness, an odd feeling of vertigo rippling through him. Then a light appeared below his feet, growing larger as he hurdled towards it.
There is much left undone.
His body jerked, and Yu found himself in his train seat once more. He glanced around at the few passengers that littered the car; none of them so much as glanced his way. The train was illuminated by the lights, in a tunnel or underground with only darkness beyond the windows. Rubbing an eye, he pondered the strange, intense dream he'd had, and took his phone from his pocket to check the time.
The clock on his screen read 15:37.
Yu blinked several times. If that were true, then he had missed the stop for his connecting train. With a groan, he opened his phone to send a text to his mother.
"Next stop, Yasoinaba." the intercom rattled through the car. "Next stop, Yasoinaba."
His head whipped up towards the speaker. That wasn't possible, he just came from Inaba. Yu checked his phone again, and saw a new text message in his inbox. Opening it, he saw it was from his uncle.
Meet us outside Yasoinaba Station at 4pm.
It was the very first text he'd received from Dojima, when he'd first arrived - and other than that, his message box was completely empty. But why was it marked as new? Checking the date on the screen, a chill rippled through Yu as it clearly read April 11, 2011.
Yu rubbed his eyes again, feeling his contacts shift. Was he still dreaming? The train car emerged from a tunnel and sunlight flooded in, blinding him for a moment.
The Samegawa greeted him, sparkling in the afternoon sun, surrounded by green hills and flowering trees that disappeared into the distance. There was no fog or mist, only clear skies. Inaba was rolling into view over the hill, the quaint little town with its cottages, tall power lines, and clay tile roofs rising up to meet him.
I bestow upon you this gift, Izagani's voice sounded in his head. Use it wisely. Then Izanagi's voice faded from his mind, his presence becoming harder to find.
The train was beginning to slow as another announcement for Yasoinaba Station sounded. Yu felt numb despite his racing heart. A part of his brain told him that he was back in time, but the logical side of him quickly squashed that idea. Time travel wasn't possible.
Neither isn't a world inside a TV, he thought a little bitterly.
Either way, the train was going to stop, and he had a choice: either get off and see what happened, or stay on. From what he could see from the dusty train window, Inaba looked whole again, a sight he hadn't seen in months. It was hard to resist grabbing his bag and stepping off the car.
The air outside smelled wonderful, the moist air and petrichor of the old train station, the quiet of the countryside. It smelled like Inaba. Yu stopped at a bench before exiting to check his duffel bag. Sure enough, it seemed identical to how he'd meticulously packed it the first time around, with his phone charger and night clothes on top. He zipped up the bag and took a steadying breath. Might as well play this out, even if it was just a fever dream.
He spotted his uncle immediately upon exiting the station. The first time, he only had a single photo to identify Dojima from, but now he could have spotted his ragged hair and stiff posture a mile away. He was smoking a cigarette when Yu made eye contact.
"Over here!"
To be introduced a second time to someone he was already close to was a bit unsettling. But his uncle was in front of him, and instead of the gaunt, pale man he'd been living with for the last few months, this Dojima seemed healthy and full of life. He also didn't seem to know Yu at all, extending his right hand in greeting.
"I remember you," Yu said as he gripped his uncle's fingers.
"Do you?" Dojima laughed. "That's some memory you have. I haven't seen you since you were a baby! Nanako?" He glanced behind him at a tiny figure huddling behind his legs. "Come on now. Introduce yourself to your cousin."
Stepping out from behind her father, Nanako frowned up at Yu and muttered a shy hello. Yu took a breath as his heart clenched in his chest. Nanako was here. She was alive and well, clinging to the pocket of her father's slacks as she tried to hide. It took every ounce of Yu's willpower to keep from dropping his bag and hugging her, wanting to feel her heartbeat just to make sure sure she was real. But this Nanako, like the Dojima before him, was a stranger.
"Hello," he told her, even as his eyes stung with tears. Dojima leveled him with his analytical gaze.
"You alright?"
He quickly rubbed an eye with his free hand and tried to swallow the lump in his throat. "Yes," Yu answered. "Just tired."
"Well then," Dojima clapped him on the shoulder. "Let's get you home so you can rest."
Nodding, Yu let Dojima lead the way to his car, aware enough to know how odd it would be if he revealed that he could easily pick out the truck on his own. As he went towards the parking lot, a girl passed by him, and Yu heard a small chime somewhere in the back of his mind. He turned to look again and met her eyes, vivid blue that seemed somehow just a touch removed from reality.
"What?" She asked, crossing her arms over her stomach.
"Uh." Yu blushed, caught off guard. There was something off about this girl, but he couldn't pinpoint what it was before Dojima was calling for him. "Nothing," he told her, and turned back towards his uncle's car.
After he had his seat belt on, it hit him what was different: He'd never seen that girl before. He was sure he would remember a face like hers, strikingly beautiful and otherworldly; and if not, he would definitely have remembered her punk outfit. A get-up like that would attract more attention in a small town like Inaba than a neon sign. But Yu had no memory of her at all, though he thought he knew almost everyone here.
It was only a few minutes from the train station to the shopping district, but Yu was already feeling a little queasy. Everything was playing out almost exactly as he remembered, down to the very word as Dojima casually pointed out landmarks while he drove. Nanako was silent in the seat next to him, keeping her hands on her knees and gaze out the window.
They stopped for gas just like they had the first time, and Nanako left to use the bathroom. An attendant approached him and started talking about part time jobs. This he remembered, though it was hazy after a year. He never did go to work for Moel.
"Give it some thought, why don't you?"
The attendant held out his hand, and Yu stared at him. Why would a gas station attendant want to shake his hand? But the guy was just staring at him, arm outstretched. Not wanting to be rude or make a scene, Yu shook it. After the attendant walked away, another wave of nausea and vertigo hit him. He was pretty sure this happened last time, too. Didn't it? Nanako was asking him about it when Dojima came back from his smoke break.
"You should walk around and get some air if you're not feeling well," he told Yu. "Go on, take a minute to explore. We'll be here."
That was certainly new. The first time around, his uncle had shoved him back in the car and driven straight home. Tentatively, Yu walked away from Moel and into the southern end of the shopping district. A few people were milling about, housewives whose faces he recognized carrying bags of groceries, and children playing tag. The bookstore was already closed, looking like it was being restocked. Marukyu Tofu was open, though it was only Rise's grandmother tending the shop. She wouldn't arrive until June. The door to the Velvet Room was also missing, but Yu was pretty sure it didn't show up right away. Searching through his soul, Yu frowned as Izanagi remained shrouded, like he was made of mist that faded away whenever he reached out.
Near the entrance to Shiroku were the Konishi siblings, Naoki and Saki, looking like they were arguing. Yu did a double-take. He'd never seen them side by side, and it was incredible how much they resembled each other. Yu bit his lip. He was too late to save Saki the first time, but maybe he could do better now.
Turning back towards the car, he saw the same punk girl from the station again, hunched over by a lamppost. She looked up and scowled as he approached, her arms firmly crossed over her chest.
"Yeah? What do you want?"
He was a bit struck for words and took a moment to respond. "We, er, met at the train station just a minute ago."
She cocked her head to one side. "Did we...? Whatever." Then she turned her gaze to the street and ignored him.
Yu was torn between leaving her be and prying, but Dojima made the decision for him by calling his name. Which was probably for the best, what would he even say? Hi, I'm a time traveler and you didn't exist in my previous reality, please explain? Yeah, no.
They finished the journey home, Dojima expertly backing his truck into the car port. There were no cats around just yet, but there was a curious white scooter in the front drive. Yu was fairly sure there was a plain bicycle last time, though it was rusted and probably broken.
The Dojima house was the same as ever, organized chaos throughout the kitchen, a fridge covered in take-away menus, a rice cooker that was probably as old as he was. It smelled the same, too, lingering food and cigarette smoke. Nanako went straight to the kitchen and pushed the button on the electric kettle while Dojima pointed up the stairs.
"Go on and take your bag up, then we'll eat."
His room was a whole new level of surreal. A few boxes of his things, and the furniture otherwise bare. His futon was neatly stacked in the corner and the smell of cleaners still lingered in the air. Yu set his bag on the couch and shrugged out of his jacket, going for the hangers he knew would be in the closet. Pulling the curtains closed, he hung his uniform on the curtain rack, taking a moment to try and remember why on earth he'd worn it for the entire journey to Inaba.
They ate dinner (with a bit of panic on Yu's part as he couldn't decided if he should ask which seat to take or just assume his old one), and Dojima was called away by work. What had called him out that first night...? Yu tried to tick of the events in his head, and felt a cold chill run down his spine. Mayumi Yamano. That's right, she was already in the TV by the time he'd arrived. And that meant he only had a few days to save Saki Konishi. He swallowed his food and tried to remain calm; he'd forgotten how fast it all fell apart.
Nanako frowned and picked at her food once her father left. Though his mind was racing, Yu did his best to make light conversation, suggesting they watch the quiz show instead of the news. This seemed to take her mind off her father's absence a bit, and they washed the dishes together, Nanako standing on her step stool to reach the sink.
Once he'd given himself a good scrub down, Yu settled into the bath to think, his knees poking out of the water. Tomorrow was the first day of second term (again). He would meet Yosuke, Chie, and Yukiko. Or did they not have proper introductions until the next day? He could never forget pulling Yosuke out of the trash, but memories didn't exactly have time stamps, and he'd experienced almost an entire year after that. He would probably just have to play it by ear.
There was a rapid knock on the door that made Yu jump, sloshing water out of the tub. "Yes?"
The door opened and Nanako poked her head in shyly. "I forgot to tell you, you have to let the cold water run for a minute before you turn on the hot, or the pipes will rattle really loud."
"Oh." He'd already done just that, the action so automatic after a year of using this bath that he hadn't even realized it. "Thank you," he told Nanako. "I'll remember that."
Once he was dry and in his pajamas, Yu realized how exhausted he was, and trudged up the stairs to rest. He had just enough energy left to hang up a few of his white button-down shirts and plug in his phone before unfolding the futon and crawling into it to pass out.
-----
He awoke in a world filled with fog. Or was he dreaming? Something felt off, some critical detail missing. Where was he?
The fog here was white, not yellow, but it hurt to breathe, a heavy weight on his chest unlike anything he'd felt in the TV world. A long hallway of red tile stretched out before him, and with nothing better to do, he walked along it.
Do you seek the truth?
The voice came from nowhere and everywhere, entirely unfamiliar. Yu whipped around to find the source, but saw nothing but fog in every direction.
If it's truth you desire, come and find me...
That voice definitely came from ahead of him. Yu went after it and came to a large red door. Had he been here before? It was tugging at a memory somewhere in his brain, but he couldn't quite grip the source. With a touch of his fingers, the door slid open.
The pressure of the air changed, and a weight was in his hands. A sword, its familiar grip making Yu instinctively snap into his battle stance. But without Teddie's glasses, he couldn't see, not really. Only a vague outline served as his target, but the need to fight was almost overwhelming, as if it was for his life.
He managed to land one attack, and then none of them would connect. The fog was thick enough to almost be solid, slowing his mind and body. Yu summoned Izanagi, relieved to feel his Persona respond, even if it was muted.
Everyone sees only what they want to...
He tried Izanagi again to no avail. Even the floor was shrouded from view, nearly swallowing Yu's feet as he tried again and again to attack. The world wobbled and he almost lost his balance.
Will we meet again?
His eyes slipped closed and he felt himself begin to fall.
I look forward to it...
-----
With a violent jerk Yu awoke, breathing hard. His eyes adjusted to the ceiling and walls of his room, and the boxes that were still unopened. His duffel bag still on the couch, and his phone plugged into the charger that stretched pitifully from the single power strip by the door. He was still here, still in Inaba. It was a dream, then. Did he have that dream last time?
Three taps at his door followed by a muffled "breakfast's ready" finally made him sit up. Yu frowned at his pajamas. This was really happening. He might as well make the best of it.