Persona BLEACHED 3: Chapter 30

Chapter 30: Heart of Ice 
February 3, 2030 
"So there's been a change of plans." Rin began. 
It was early morning in Sendai, and the group were gathered in front of the main railway station. "What's happening?" Kat asked. 
"I just got word that there have been some technical difficulties with the ferry, and that they'll be experiencing delays throughout the day. So now we have to go with Plan B. We'll be taking the train." 
"There goes my Celine Dion plan. Rats." Kat griped. 
"Is it bad that I know exactly what you were planning?" Max asked. 
"So, wait, if we're taking the train, then that means...we're going under the ocean?" Natalia asked. 
"...how bad are the delays, again?" Kenneth asked. 
"You won't even notice when it goes under the water. It'll be like any other train ride. And lucky for us, they just completed the direct line to Sapporo. It's much more convenient for everyone involved. Not just that..." Rin looked over to Ibuki, who was still clutching her stomach, and Kibō, groggily drinking some Pepto-Bismol. "But I think the last thing we need is someone getting seasick." 
"So how long's this supposed to take us, Teach?" Sahir asked. 
"If the connecting lines work in our favor, less than seven hours. It'll actually be quicker than if we took the ferry, and my neighbors won't have to go out of their way to pick us up. It's a win-win for everyone involved...except for my wallet. Ahehe, money's no issue, I swear." 
"Try sounding a little more confident when you say that...urp..." Kibō grogged. 
"Ahaha, ah...let's get on the train." 
--- 
Hours into the train ride, most of the group were asleep in their seats. Kenneth was not so fortunate. Partly due to Sahir snoring next to him, and partly due to the thoughts coursing through his mind. He looked over across the row. Natalia was texting. 
"You can't remain silent forever, Kenneth. Especially after today. Once she lays eyes on that sculpture...there will be no turning back. At the very least, try to break the--" 
"Today's the big day, huh?" 
Kenneth broke from his thoughts. Natalia's attention had turned from her phone. "Did I spook you?" she asked. 
"Ah, no, no. I needed a distraction from my brain. A public display like this is always going to be nerve-wracking. The hope is that people react the way you want them to, but you can't predict human behavior. In that sense, I'd think you would be the nervous one." 
"I'm keeping myself occupied. When my brain gets too busy, that's where Scaredy Cat Nat pops up. I've been texting Layla for a little while. She landed in Sapporo not too long ago. She's already feeling exhausted, so she'll probably be napping by the time we get there." 
"We've all endured that sort of long flight. It's something that takes a while to get used to. She should be well-rested for later tonight. I'd like to pick another artist's brain." 
"She's super jazzed up to meet you all. She, oh this is gonna sound so cheesy...she wants to meet the people who saved me. Oh, Layla...I know she still feels guilty about how she treated me. She's terrified that Care or KittyKat are gonna want to go off on her." 
"Overprotective as they may be in regards to you, I can't envision them being aggressive when you've been so insistent that she's changed. We know better than most how much people can better themselves when given the opportunity. You're the perfect example." 
"I can say the same about you, Kenny." Natalia blushed. "Kenny, I..." 
"Hm? Hold on...are you still wearing the dandelion?" 
"Huh? Oh...ahaha, I guess I never took it off..." 
"Unless you sleep with your hair tied back, I doubt that to be true." 
"Well, y'know, you really shouldn't judge...hm?" 
"...? What?" 
Sahir, in his snore-ridden slumber, had moved onto Kenneth's shoulder. "Nnngh, bosoms..." he mumbled. Natalia held back her laughter as a dark aura surrounded Kenneth. 
"All it would take is one move...a single strike in a precise spot to silence him forever." He slowly raised his hand. 
Before he could make any sort of move, something hit his lap. 
Ibuki, who'd been seated on his other side, had fallen onto him, snoring loudly. "Mmmph, stop it, I don't, mmm, want the banana..." 
"Am I just everyone's pillow today?!" Kenneth griped. 
"*click*" 
"Aaaaand, saved, heehee." Natalia held her phone up. 
"Don't you dare post that!" Kenneth demanded. 
--- 
Sapporo, capital city of Hokkaido prefecture, and the largest city north of Tokyo. Already the center of life in the northern island, the first week of February brought out more tourists than any other period. The Snow Festival brings in over two million people every year to take in the snow and ice sculptures, many of which are flown in from as far away as Europe. 
The latest train full of visitors had just arrived. It was just after noon. 
"Your Auntie's gonna be here any minute now, little cub~. Her and her whole flock, ain't you excited?" Tenko cheerily asked the baby in her arms, a girl with her light brown hair tied up in a small ponytail, wearing a blue-colored lion onesie. 
"Sucks that we can't decipher dribble." Mimi quipped. 
"Rina, if you're gonna inherit anything from your Auntie Mimi, let it be her tidiness and not her tongue." 
"Better mine than yours. Don't need her substituting booze for milk." 
Tenko stuck her tongue out at her sister-in-law. 
Rin and the rest of the group arrived. "I'm feeling a hug coming along." she said. 
"You felt correctly, my psychic bestie~!" Tenko skipped over and hugged her. 
"Ahhhh, that was a good nap! Haven't felt that well-rested in ages!" Sahir exclaimed. 
"Ditto. That train felt like a luxury resort. Were those cashmere seats?" Ibuki asked. 
Kenneth grumbled to himself, supremely annoyed. 
"And how are we, little seedling? You're looking extra cute today!" Rin held up baby Rina. 
"You know kids that tiny can't talk, right, 'Professor'?" Mimi asked. 
"So how am I understanding you right now, Mimi?" Rin retorted. Mimi recoiled in shock. 
"OK, where is he?" Kat asked. 
"Where's who?" Tenko cocked her head. 
"You know. We already know it's coming. He's gonna pop in out of nowhere and say something in that low tone of his, and I'm gonna jump out of my boots cuz he can't say 'hi' like a normal person--" 
"Do you think this is a problem?" Jin appeared behind her. 
"MOTHERFU--" Kat swung back and kicked him in the chest. 
"OOF! God...you put weights in those things?!" Jin clutched his stomach. 
"That'll learn ya, sneaking up on a lady like some kinda pervo!" 
"Um, you alright there, Jin?" Rin asked. 
"I'm gonna get down, I need a second after that, jeez..." Jin got on one knee. 
Tenko feigned being flattered. "Why Jin, this is so sudden." 
"Please. I think one round of matrimony was more than enough." Mimi quipped. 
Rin sighed. "Welcome to Sapporo, everybody." 
The group exited the station, now out in the snow-kissed cityscape. "Right, so once we drop everything off at the hotel, I'll be heading out for lunch with these beautiful people." Rin dictated. 
"Not as beautiful as yooooou~!" Tenko chimed. 
"Give it a rest, will ya..." Mimi griped. 
"You all are going to be headed for the sculptures, right?" Rin asked. 
"Uh-huh. My friend Layla's already here, so we're gonna grab her and then...it's the big moment." Natalia replied. 
"The Academy informed me that my sculpture will be in a place called 'Odori Park'." Kenneth said. 
"Odori Park's one of the main hubs in the city. See where the TV Tower is poking out over there? That's where it is." Jin pointed out. 
"I know how long you've been waiting for this. Straight for the hotel it is, then." Rin stated. 
Natalia got an alert on her phone. It was a text from Layla. 
"Just stepped out. Heard about a tower you can see the whole city from. Thought it'd be a good place to sketch. I'll be here for a bit if you wanted to meet up?" 
"Layla's already at the tower. So we can head over as soon as we drop our stuff off." Natalia said. 
Carrie got up close to Kenneth. "The time is nigh. Are you ready?" she asked. 
"Not in the slightest. Nothing for it but to try." Kenneth answered. 
--- 
Odori Park, one of the centerpieces of the Snow Festival. The grounds were covered with snow, with frosted sculptures everywhere one could look. 
The park was also home to one of the city's most notable landmarks, the Sapporo TV Tower. It was an Eiffel Tower-like structure with a huge digital clock on the front, where tourists could journey to the top and get a fantastic view of the park and city. 
The youths gathered at the front of the tower. "Just from what little I've seen, those sculptures are complete madness!" Sahir exclaimed. 
"Can say that again. It's super tempting to go out there and start pinning down Kenny's work right now." Ibuki added. 
"After all the anticipation, being this close to seeing it is giving me butterflies." Sakuya said. 
Natalia fidgeted. "It's...really time, isn't it." 
Carrie put a hand on her back. "Breathe. And don't be afraid to show how you're feeling. Because I guarantee that you have nothing to fear." 
Natalia exhaled. "The sculpture's gonna go great. Just promise me you'll like her." 
"Natty?" 
Natalia looked to the door. There in the blue and green garb she'd gifted her, complete with the shirt bearing the phrase "Believing in yourself is your magic~!", was Layla, clutching her sketchbook. 
"Layla!" Natalia ran over and embraced her. 
"Natty! I'm so happy you knew where I was talking about. I was scared that I was too vague." Layla replied. 
"It's the best lookout point in the city, and we were close by, anyway! Speaking of 'we', I've got my friends here!" 
"Hi, friends." Layla waved. "Which one was the skirt-chaser, Natty?" 
"'Skirt-chaser?!" Sahir griped. 
"Smooth, bro." Max responded. 
"Don't pretend you don't wear it like a badge of honor." Sakuya chided. 
Layla focused in on Carrie and Kat. "Oh...you two must be..." 
"Heya. I'm Kat. The Notorious K.A.T., if you prefer." Kat answered. 
"Please, don't ever use that." Carrie urged. "It's nice to finally meet you. I'm Caroline. Or Carrie." 
"Ah..." Layla became nervous. 
"Layla, don't be afraid. I know why you are, but you shouldn't be. They aren't mad at you. Right, girls?" Natalia asked. 
"Natty says you're good, so we're good. If you fall back into bad habits, then you'll get Bad KittyKat. But I'll take her word, so, chill." Kat replied. 
"A friend of Natalia is a friend of mine. The past doesn't matter if you're willing to make amends for it. Please relax, dear." Carrie added. 
"I'll try..." Layla uttered. 
"Hiya! I'm Barbara. If you're really nervous, I know a few calming techniques you can use." Barbara chimed in. 
"I guess...oh, wow. You're like some kind of angel..." 
"Oh, stop. I'm just being supportive, is all..." 
"So, um, Natty..." Layla piped up. "The sculpture of you...which one's the artist?" 
"Kenny, you want to introduce yourself?" Natalia asked. 
"Well met. I'm Kenneth. I hear that you're quite the artist, yourself." Kenneth said. 
"Ah, I just do some sketches, I'm not that good..." Layla uttered. 
"May I?" 
"Huh? You wanna...OK." 
Layla handed him her sketchbook. "Hmmm..." Kenneth perused it. 
"Amateur, right?" 
"No, not at all. I'm rather fond of black-and-white artwork, myself. It leaves much more to the viewer's imagination. And I'm rather impressed with your attention to detail. How long have you been drawing?" 
"Not all that long. I only really took it up after Natty left to come here, so...less than two years? I didn't have any training or anything. I just...had a lot of time to myself." 
"Be that as it may, you show a great deal of promise. Even without any color, there is a certain degree of life to your drawings. I wouldn't recommend any sort of wholesale change to what you're doing. Far be it from me to tell another artist to change their vision." 
"Ah...thanks. That means a lot." 
"It's no trouble at all. Now then...I believe you all have been wanting to see an ice sculpture?" 
"Awww, yeah! Main attraction time!" Sahir exclaimed. 
"I've never been so hyped to see a block of ice." Ibuki said. 
"A'ight, folks, time to find us a frozen Hoodsie." Kat declared, and the group began walking. Natalia paused. 
"Big moment, huh, Natty?" Layla asked. 
"You could say that, hehe..." 
"He sure sounds like he knows a thing or two. I can see why you like him." 
"...! What?! I, um..." 
"Heh. That says it all. Let's go see that vision he talked about." 
Natalia smiled. "Yeah..." They followed after.
The group searched through the park, lined with sculptures of all sorts, ranging from a replica cruise liner to a large flower pot, from muscular bodybuilders to a blue whale. 
"I've heard of abs being chiseled, but never literally." Ibuki commented. 
Kibō looked for a moment. "...I've seen bigger." 
"Don't need to be defensive, big guy~." Barbara grabbed his arm. 
"I'm not. I've literally seen bigger." 
"Sure, sure...are you flexing?" 
"I plead the sixth." 
"Fifth, Mr. Prodigy. You're not collecting taxes." Max corrected. 
Kenneth stopped in his tracks. "You see a ghost, Kenny?" Kat asked. 
"I'm going to need Natalia to cover her eyes. For proper effect." Kenneth replied. 
"Okaaaay. Artists and their drama..." Kat slowed down and reached Natalia. "Hoods, you're gonna want to close your eyes. Auguste Rodin's orders." 
"Oh, okay." Natalia covered her eyes. "Please don't let me walk into anything." 
Layla put her hands on Natalia's shoulders. "I've got you." 
Kenneth directed the group to one spot near the park entrance. Everyone looked in amazement. 
"Oh my goodness..." Barbara uttered. 
"Kenneth, you really...you made that?" Kibō uttered. 
Kenneth looked over it carefully. "Not a scratch, or piece chipped off. Just how I left it. Good." 
"Dude...holy crap." Kat uttered. 
"Natalia...you need to see this." Carrie stated. 
Natalia was shaking. "Natty?" Layla questioned. 
"When I open my eyes...it'll be real...and then I'll..." Natalia thought. 
"Please, Natalia. Open your eyes. Tell me what you think." Kenneth pleaded. 
With the butterflies building up inside of her, Natalia removed her hands from her eyes. 
"I present my masterpiece. 'Strength in Yellow'." 
In disbelief of what she was looking at, Natalia slowly got in closer. 
The sculpture was in two distinct parts. The first was of Natalia on her hands and knees, her hair long and frazzled. She was looking up at something, her right hand gently grabbing something. 
That something was the hand of a second Natalia, as she was now with her shorter hair and heart-shaped glasses. She was smiling warmly, and with her other hand held an umbrella over her past self. Icicles styled to resemble rain drops jutted out from it. 
"When I was told that the subject was to be 'strength', I knew who was to be my muse. And I knew what I needed to get across. That no matter how low one gets, you can always stand back up. How important it is to love oneself. And most of all...what a beautiful soul you are." Kenneth explained. 
"Oh my goodness...it's breathtaking." Carrie stated. 
"Wow, Natty...it looks just like you." Layla uttered. 
Natalia remained quiet. She struggled to formulate a response. An escalating heartbeat didn't help matters. 
"Is everything alright, Natalia?" Kenneth asked. 
"I...I..." 
Natalia felt a hand on her back. 
"Nothing to be afraid of, Hoods. We're right here for ya." Kat assured. 
With that last bit of encouragement, the butterflies were hushed. 
The next thing Natalia knew, she had grabbed onto Kenneth. She stood up on her tiptoes, and to his surprise, gave him a kiss. 
She let go. Her cheeks a rosy red, she let out a small giggle. 
Silence as Kenneth touched his face. This was broken by a thud. 
Kenneth had fainted. 
..... 
When he came to, Sahir was kneeling next to him. "Stay with me, man, don't follow the light! Forget about the stairway to heaven, you hate stairs, anyway!" 
"Nnngh...what in the Kop are you rambling about?" Kenneth groggily asked. 
"Oh thank goodness! That looked like a scary fall." Carrie said. 
"You're feeling alright? No concussion symptoms that you can pinpoint?" Sakuya asked. 
"How many fingers am I holding up?" Ibuki raised her right middle finger. 
"Oh, enough! I'm perfectly fine...how long was I out for?" Kenneth asked. 
"About seven minutes. Sahir was about to start issuing mouth-to-mouth." Kibō replied. 
"Would've been your second round of it today." Kat stated. 
Kenneth looked over to a flustered Natalia, being tended to by Carrie and Layla. "Oh, uh, hi, Kenny, ahehehehehe..." Natalia nervously laughed. 
"I think you two should have some time alone. Do you think so, Layla?" Carrie suggested. 
"Um...yeah. That okay, Natty?" Layla asked. 
"Uh...yeah! Totally okay. I've got it under control." Natalia nodded. 
The others walked away, leaving Kenneth and Natalia alone. "....." 
"....." 
"...so..." Natalia uttered. 
"I...take it you liked the sculpture?" Kenneth asked. 
"Oh, yeah, of course! I love it...you made me look so..." 
"Beautiful?" 
"....." 
"I didn't do anything extravagant. I made it precisely in your likeness. I didn't make you beautiful. You did that." 
Natalia winced, turning redder with every word. "There you go saying things like that again...that's the reason right there why I...I'm sorry. About...making you faint." 
"No. I'm sorry I reacted that way. If anything, I knew that it was coming." 
"You did...?" 
"You remember my 'bowel problems' from yesterday?" 
"Um...yeah?" 
"Well it wasn't bowel problems I was dealing with. At the rest stop, everyone else had gone on, so I stayed behind to look out for you while you were asleep. And during that time, you were talking. You were speaking with your cat. And you admitted that you feared seeing the sculpture because it would have provoked you into confessing your love for me." 
"Oh...oh. So all this time...you knew." Natalia picked her head up. "I'm so sorry if I made you uncomfortable. If you don't feel the same way, I get it. I'll just bury it deep and never mention it again." 
"I don't want you to do that. On the contrary...I've had something buried deep inside that I've rejected up until recently. For fear that acknowledging it would have made everything I suffered through meaningless. But...I've realized something. The thing that has drawn me to you--your strength of heart--is what I've been missing. You've allowed yourself to be happy." 
"Kenny..." 
"A few months ago, when I constructed the bust for Ms. Hana, she told me something. That I shouldn't shut myself away from everyone and keep things hidden. And in lieu of vocalization, my art is how I've come to express how I'm feeling. How I feel towards you?" Kenneth gestured towards the sculpture. "There it is. There is nothing hidden. Your beautiful, loving spirit encapsulated for the world to see. And though the ice will melt away eventually, those feelings will continue on. I want to immortalize them further. I want you to be my muse because of that. Because..." Kenneth looked down and sighed. "Because I want you near me." 
"...I'm trying so hard not to cry. I know the others are watching and I don't want them to think something's wrong. So...can I just..." Natalia got up to Kenneth, and held his arm. "Would it be fine if I just did this for a little bit?" 
"That's perfectly acceptable by me. Nobody can say no to one of your hugs." 
The others watched on from a good distance. "Okay, she hasn't run off and he hasn't fainted, so...I thiiiiink it's going alright?" Ibuki said. 
"He's not bursting into flames and she's hugging him. Shock of all shocks, I think it's Mission Accomplished." Max stated. 
Carrie began to tear up. "She looks happy...I love this...so much..." 
"*sniff* Stooop...you're gonna get me started now...our girl's all grown up..." Kat tried hiding her tears. 
Layla observed in pensive silence. "Natty...you...you've come a long way...it's what you deserve...I..." 
Kenneth arrived, Natalia not far behind him. "Have we kept you all entertained?" he asked. 
"Gah! Where'd y'all come from?!" Sahir exclaimed. 
"We were just...admiring the sculpture from afar." Sakuya claimed. 
"Ahehe, sure. 'The sculpture'." Natalia teased. 
The rest of the group tried to disguise their intent, looking away, some of them whistling. 
Kenneth rubbed his eyes. "If you all will excuse me, I'm going to the observation deck of the TV Tower. I may find further inspiration there." He walked in the direction of the tower. 
Natalia cheerfully waved. "Yooooou do that, Kenny! I'm sure it'll be a magical experience!" 
Without moving herself, she was nudged forward. Kat pushed her from behind. "Teenage boys don't go to observation decks by themselves. Take the hint." 
The others moved along after. Layla stayed behind. "It's...how it should be. But...should I be..."
--- 
Nishi-ku, a residential ward in western Sapporo. On its westernmost section there were a multitude of parks, as well as mountainous terrain. Given that and the housing area in the east, it was a microcosm of everything Sapporo had to offer. 
Rin, along with the clan Mirai, were on the doorstep of one of the houses. "You know the drill. Shoes off. Anything you eat needs to be over the plate. And when she offers you a wet wipe, take just the one." Jin advised. 
"And don't take it personally when she sprays down where you just sat." Mimi added. 
"Okay, not a spot, good." Tenko checked over Rina's pacifier, ensuring it was clean before placing it back in the toddler's mouth. 
"I know how your mom works. That's why I made sure to bring my own sanitizer." Rin answered. 
"What's the alcohol content?" Mimi asked. 
The door creaked open. Standing there was a middle-aged woman with dark brown hair, glasses, and brown clothing, stirring a mug. "You're slouching again, Junior." 
Jin straightened his posture. "Nice to see you too, Ma..." 
Mimi snickered. "Aimi, what did I tell you about wearing those ridiculous contacts when you're here?" her mother questioned. 
"Der, I told you they aren't contacts, Ma, these are natural..." Mimi retorted. 
"Nonsense. Heterochromia doesn't just pop up overnight. I don't know who you're making a fashion statement for. Certainly not a boyfriend." 
The color drained from Mimi's face. 
"Tenko-chan." 
"Ah...! Yes, Mama Risa?" Tenko piped up. 
"Don't get spooked. I want to get a look at my grandbaby. Is she teething alright?" 
"As alright as you can be while experiencing that kinda pain." 
"Hmm. And how's her walking coming along?" 
"Well, she's able to stand up for a few seconds on her own, but walking's still a work in progress. So it's still gonna be her mommy's arms for now." 
Risa patted her granddaughter on the head, the toddler giggling in response. "I can think of worse things to do." She looked over in Rin's direction. "Oh, my apologies. I didn't mean to ignore you, Ringo-chan." 
"It's okay, Ms. Risa. I didn't expect to go before your own children." Rin replied. 
"It's a shame that I still need to teach them proper manners, but as I'm sure you're aware, a parent's job is never done." 
Jin and Mimi both grunted. 
Risa responded with a mocking growl. "I paid a good sum for that education, so I expect better communication from the two of you." She rolled her eyes. "Senior growled at me the same way. I married and gave birth to wolves. Come on, then. Before the tea gets cold. And you're slouching again, Junior." 
"Grr...!" Jin growled. 
Risa gave him the side-eye, and a smirk. "You know I do it on purpose. Mirai men are always so sensitive." She took a sip from her mug and walked inside. 
The inside of the house was organized and spotless. "Fran-kun, we have company. The chicks have returned to the nest." Risa said. 
"'Fran-kun'?" Rin questioned. 
Mimi sighed. "The squawkbox. Joy of joys." 
Risa stopped next to a birdcage, inside of which was a pink and gray bird. "The 'squawkbox' is a rose-breasted cockatoo, and he has feelings. Isn't that right, handsome?" 
"BRAWK! MEANIE MIMI, MEANIE MIMI! BRAWK!" the bird chimed. 
"There you have it." 
"Did you train that birdbrain to call me that?! What the hell?!" Mimi griped. 
"Language, missy. I didn't tell him anything. He came up with that on his own." 
"Bull! Those piles of feathers only mimic what they hear! He had to get it from someone!" 
"BRAWK! MIMI MAD, BRAWK!" the bird chimed. 
Mimi's aura became dark around her. "I think I've just found my lunch." 
Jin sighed. "Knew we should've gotten her a puppy." 
As Mimi continued arguing with a bird, Rin sat silently on the couch. She looked over to a shelf, in particular to a photo of a man with a dark beard, hair tied back, and tattoos on his arms, a serious look on his face. Small potted plants sat on either side of the frame. 
"So, Ringo-chan." Risa sat across from Rin. "How is Hana doing? I heard about her recent health scare." 
"She's doing better. She's been at home resting. Doesn't look like there are any lingering issues from what happened, thank goodness. I've spent the last month tending to her every moment I can. Had a few heart-to-hearts along the way, too. She'd been bottling up so much grief for so many years. She was never going to feel better if she kept holding it all in." Rin replied. 
"Poor dear. I know from experience what bottled-up grief can do to someone. At least she can see her children on the regular." 
"I can hear you, y'know." Jin spoke up. 
"I wasn't trying to whisper." 
"We've asked a million times if you wanted to move down south." 
"And a million times I said I don't feel like moving again. Who's going to keep your father's headstone spotless if I'm hours away from here? Would you prefer if his name--your name--got covered up by weeds?" 
"There are maintenance people there for that exact thing, Ma." 
"BRAWK, NO BOYFRIEND, LONELY FOREVER! BRAAAWK!" 
"I'm gonna stuff this thing and mount it on the wall, I swear to--" Mimi announced. 
Jin picked her up over his shoulder, as she furiously resisted. "I'm taking her to cool off." 
"See you in time for the festival next year." Risa quipped. 
"You're lucky His Gnarliness was here to save you this time, birdbrain!" Mimi called out as Jin exited the house. 
Risa sighed. "I birthed those." 
"I don't wanna start beating a dead horse, but it really would be great if you came to Naruki, Mama Risa." Tenko suggested. 
"You know why I can't, Tenko-chan." 
"I get it. It'd make things so much easier, though. We can't have Mimi looking after little cub 24/7. You know how stressful and demanding nursing is. So Jin and me have to take turns bringing her to work with us. Neither of us can complain about being around our bundle of joy for most of the day, but we have jobs to focus on, too." 
"It takes a village, Tenko-chan." 
"It'd be way easier with one more villager around. Especially one that she hasn't seen enough of in the past year. And between you and moi, I know Jin would feel a lot better knowing you were close. Not that he'd ever admit it." 
"He wouldn't be a Mirai man if he did. That clan, it's all the same. A bunch of teddy bears acting like Ussuri. Senior was the same way. Your mom would know what I'm talking about, Ringo-chan." 
"Hm? What would Mom know about your husband?" Rin asked. 
"Oh, she never told you? We actually met once before. Back in the early 90s. Your father was there, too. Hana told me later on that it was actually their first date." 
"You...wow. I had no idea. I'd love to hear about it." 
"It was a bit brief, but...interesting, to say the least. Picture it. Akihabara, 1992. Me and Senior are engaged, and he drags me down south for a nerd convention in the nerd capital of the world. As part of said convention, there was going to be a concert in one of the local nightclubs." 
"Oh, no. I can already see where this is going." 
"So before the show starts, Senior goes outside to..." Risa held two fingers close to her mouth, motioning them back and forth. "You know. He was gone for about 20 minutes when I finally got fed up and went looking for him. I step outside, and he's talking with these two people. One is a redhead with this flowery getup, carrying a guitar case on her back. The dude with her had black hair, glasses, and a look that screamed to me that he had no clue what he was doing there." 
"Heh. She was dragging him into chaotic situations from the beginning." 
"So I drag Senior inside, and the show starts up. And who pops up on stage but that same hippie-looking girl, with this shiny red electric guitar in her hands. Here she is, looking like she'd be riding around in a psychedelic wagon, jamming out to the best cover of 'Purple Rain' I've ever heard." 
"Your Mama's crazy in the best way, Rin-Rin." Tenko chimed. 
"Some things really never change." Rin stated. 
"So once the show ends, your folks went walking off. Someone went following after them. With a knife. Whether to rob your mom or do worse, I don't know. But Senior noticed it, and he followed the creep from the club." Risa continued. 
"Oh, no. So what happened?" 
"Well, the coward did what cowards do and tried attacking Hana from behind. That's when Senior got the drop on him. Literally. One kick from behind was all it took. Held him down until security came and whisked him away. And then, with his heroic triumph assured...he immediately got distracted by a candy booth." 
Tenko snickered. "Wait, dead seriously?" 
"I swear, he was probably eyeing the table while he was holding the dude down. Didn't miss a beat." 
"That is...such a thing Jin would do. It really is hereditary." 
"Don't I know it. I would've stayed around for a nice chat if he wasn't obsessing over the latest flavors. Didn't think I'd see the two of them again. Sad that when I eventually did see Hana after so long, the men we had with us that day were both since gone." 
"Yeah..." Rin muttered. 
Risa sighed again. "Senior was a pain. Stubborn, impulsive, didn't think twice about getting involved with someone else's business when he thought it was the right thing to do. I warned him for years what those little orange sticks would do to him. Never listened until it was too late. He frustrated me for twenty-seven years. But he was, beyond everything else, a good man. Everything Junior knows about conducting himself, he got from him." She patted Rina on the head. "This one seems pretty pleased, so the man of the house must be doing something right. Not to take anything away from you, Tenko-chan." 
"Nah, I get what you mean. The most irritating parts are what you love about 'em." Tenko replied. 
The front door opened. Jin re-entered, along with a calmed Mimi, who was preoccupied with eating through a bag of Hi-Chews. "Ma. I'm serious. We all want you to come to Tokyo with us." he stated. 
"Junior, you know why I can't. And it's sounding to me like you just want me there for the labor." Risa replied. 
"It's not about wanting a babysitter, even though that would help on that front. Real honesty? Ms. Hana's recent scare opened my eyes. She's lucky that Rin is so close by. But what if something happened to you? We'd be hours away, even by plane." 
"Do I look like I'm seconds away from passing out? I'm in the best shape I've ever been in." 
"Mom didn't have any health issues before the incident, either. Things can change in a hurry." Rin replied. 
"She's got a point, Ma. And it's gotta be lonely here all by yourself. And no, I'm not counting the birdbrain." Mimi added. 
Risa stayed ponderously silent. "You're asking me to leave your father behind, Junior." 
"Dad is gone, Ma. He's gone. He wouldn't want you shuffling around here by yourself fussing over him. And as harsh as this sounds, he wouldn't want you picking him over us." Jin replied. 
"Ah..." Risa was taken aback. "You've got a point, Junior. He put you two before everything else. Sigh...you just don't take no for an answer, do you? I'll think about it--think about it. I'm not saying I'm gonna start looking into apartments in Naruki anytime soon." 
"That's all that I'm asking." 
"Jeez, you kids had me talking so long I forgot all about the tea. Guess I have some reheating to do..." 
"BRAWK! MIMI'S LOVE LIFE NEEDS REHEATING! ROOM TEMPERATURE, BRAAAWK!" the bird squawked. 
Mimi brought out a hook sword. "DIE." 
Tenko frantically got in front of her. "Meemster, stop it! Put that thing away, before your mom sees..." 
As Mimi continued griping, Risa worked on the tea, a cheeky grin crossing her face. 
--- 
"Awww, you sure you don't want to come with?" Natalia asked Layla, the two on the ground floor of the hotel. 
"I've been really sleepy for most of the day. I'm good with calling it an early night. Besides, I'd only be a wallflower." Layla replied. 
"Don't say that. I really wanted you to meet everyone, after all. I know we've got some characters, but they're all really nice. You don't have to be scared of them." 
"I'm still not totally sure if it's okay for me to be around you, Natty." 
"Layla..." 
"Nnh, sorry. I'm just...really tired. And anyway, you've gotta want some alone time with Mr. Kenny, huh? Maybe a romantic trip around that ferris wheel I saw earlier?" 
"Ahhhh, maybeeee..." 
"Go and have fun, Natty. I'll be up for it after a good night's sleep. I'll see you in the morning." 
"Okay..." The girls hugged. "Good night~. See ya bright and early!" 
Natalia departed. Layla returned to her room, connected by a single door to the adjacent room where her parents were staying. She quickly got into bed, looking over her latest ink drawing, detailing the moment Natalia embraced a very surprised Kenneth. 
"Natty...I'm glad you're so happy now. This life you've made...I want to be part of it, so badly. I want to know what it's like to really live. But how do I not feel guilty about it?" she pondered. 
She put her sketchbook to the side, and slowly drifted off to sleep. 
..... 
When her eyes next opened, it was still pitch-black. No light was coming through the window, so it was clearly still nighttime. 
In her drowsy haze, she could barely make out a shape at the foot of her bed. At first, she thought she was still asleep. 
As her vision adjusted to the darkness, it became apparent that she was very much awake. The shape took on a clear form: a humanoid figure, garbed in black armor evocative of a medieval knight, a pair of glowing "angry eyes" shining through their helmet's eye slits. 
Before she could react, the armored intruder was right on top of her, covering her mouth. 
"Not a sound." the intruder ordered, an echo in their voice. "If you scream, or make any sudden movements, I will kill your parents. Do not test me. Do I make myself clear?" 
Still in a state of shock, Layla nervously nodded. 
"Good. Now that we're in agreement, I need you to do something for me." The intruder rose up. 
"W-what do you want from me...?" 
The figure pressed a set of buttons on their arm, bringing up a blue, holographic screen. "You're going to let me save you." 
"Save...?" 
PRISON OPERATING SYSTEM NOW ONLINE. WELCOME, CAPTAIN. HOW MAY I BE OF SERVICE? 
"Start the creation process. I'm entering the name now." 
"What are you--" 
The "Captain" put a finger to Layla's forehead, and in short order, she lost consciousness. 
"You've seen too much. Shame you won't be reaping the rewards anytime soon. Start the process." 
PRISON CREATION PROCESS NOW ACTIVE. 
PRISON LOCATION: CHŪŌ-KU, SAPPORO. 
PRISON WARDEN: LAYLA DE ROOS. 
ARE THESE THE SETTINGS YOU DESIRE? 
"Yes. Proceed." 
PRISON GENERATION NOW IN PROGRESS. 
CREATION TIME: 1 HOUR, 17 MINUTES, 37 SECONDS. 
WILL YOU BE NEEDING ANYTHING ELSE OF ME TODAY? 
"Unless you can find me a place for dinner nearby, that will be all." 
UNDERSTOOD. HAVE A GOOD NIGHT, CAPTAIN. 
"Your move, 'heroes'." The "Captain" turned around, opening a blue-colored portal and walking through, disappearing into the night, leaving the sleeping Layla behind. 
--- 
February 4, 2030 
"Still nothing, Hoods?" Kat asked. 
The group were seated in a local diner, eating breakfast. 
"She's probably still asleep. Plane rides can be killer, y'know?" Natalia replied. 
"You think we came on too strong? Maybe we spooked her?" Sahir questioned. 
"Spooked? Of us? But we're so charming!" Ibuki replied. 
"No, he's got a point. She seemed really nervous and quiet yesterday." Kibō said. 
"I mean, it's no secret that we can be a bit...much." Max stated. 
"I hope we didn't intimidate her in any way. Yesterday was a fair bit hectic, to put it generously." Kenneth said. 
"Good morning, all. Sorry, I may have overslept." Rin approached. 
"Morning, Prof. No arguments from this corner." Kat replied. 
"Is the whole crew here? Natalia, didn't you say that a friend of yours was here, too?" 
"Yeah, but she might still be asleep." Natalia answered. 
"There's also the possibility that we may have made her nervous, and she's afraid to approach us now." Sakuya added. 
"I hope that isn't the case. She seems like such a lovely girl. She just needs a little more confidence in herself." Carrie stated. 
"I feel like we've made progress there, but..." Natalia uttered. 
"She's still feeling guilty. You can tell." Barbara surmised. 
"That's right. You said that she was one of the girls who..." Rin began. 
"That doesn't matter now. She's not like that anymore. I know she isn't..." Natalia interrupted. 
Her phone chimed. She checked her messages. "Oh, it's from Layla. Wait..." 
"This is Layla's mother. We're taking her to the hospital. She hasn't woken up, and she won't respond to any attempts from us. Something is terribly wrong. Please, come quick." 
"What...?" Natalia froze. "N-no, that can't be...she was just fine yesterday..." 
"The actual hell? Unresponsive?" Kat questioned. 
"I...I have to be there! This isn't right, she can't be..." 
Kenneth grabbed Natalia's hand. "Please remain calm. We don't know the details yet. Professor, do you know where the closest hospital is?" 
"I'll look into it right now. I'll get us there in no time." Rin replied. "What a horrific sense of deja vu..." 
"....." Natalia was frozen in shock. 
--- 
"I've never seen anything like this." the doctor said. "Her heart rate is normal. Brain activity is normal. I wouldn't even say that she's unconscious so much as she's in an extremely deep sleep." 
"Then why won't she wake up? There's obviously something wrong with her! Keep looking!" Viv demanded. 
"Vivienne, please..." Leander pleaded. 
"Don't 'Vivienne' me! This isn't normal! It's like she's been put under a spell!" 
Over in the waiting room, Natalia entered. "How is she?" Carrie asked. 
Natalia shook her head. "They can't find anything wrong with her. It's like she's in some kind of trance." She looked down. "I just wanted to hang out with her for a bit...why did this happen?" 
"Don't start with that thinking, girly. There's no way this is your fault. We don't even know what this is." Kat replied. 
"Uh..." Sahir walked in. "I just came from outside. Y'all are gonna want to see this." 
The group shifted over to the main entrance, and looked out the door. "What the..." Kibō uttered. 
A crowd had gathered outside, many of whom were carrying signs with supportive messages. "They're all here to see Layla-san. All of them are singing praises for her art." Sakuya explained. 
"This is like...what happened with Mom." Rin realized. 
"You've gotta be fuckin' kidding..." Ibuki uttered. 
"How did they even find out about this?" Barbara asked. 
"Look at this." Carrie had her phone out. "I've searched through local forums for mentions of her name. Someone's put a page up with examples of her art and explaining her current plight. It's been updated as recently as a few minutes ago." 
"Then there's no way she could've done any of that. Who set that page up?" Max questioned. 
"I don't have any of my usual equipment with me, so I can't look them up. The original account was only set up a short time ago." 
"This is insane. Girl comes in yesterday and today she's got a fan following?" Ibuki questioned. 
"Prof...what was that earlier about deja vu?" Kat asked. 
"They're stalking us." Natalia uttered. 
"Nat?" 
"The monster behind all this...they followed us here. They already made the point before that they can meddle with the people close to us. This...this is worse. Hundreds of miles from home and this happens. What did she even do? She was getting better...her life was starting to come back together." 
"What's this creep's angle, anyway? Is this some sadistic freak who likes making struggling people do bad things? Do they think they're helping by doing this? Or are they just mad at us now that we've messed up their work?" Natalia began to shed tears. "What gives them the right to do this to her? To use her pain to get to us? Who does this piece of shit think they are?!" 
Her companions were caught off guard by the outburst. "I...don't think I've ever heard you swear before." Kat uttered. 
"I think in this instance it can be excused." Kenneth said. 
"I don't think it's even up for debate what needs to be done. We have to go, right this moment." Carrie stated. 
"...you guys wait here. I need to see her." Natalia left for the hospital room. 
"What a mess. That poor girl...this honestly pisses me off worse than what happened to me! We've gotta hunt this bastard down and give 'em what they deserve..." Ibuki grumbled. 
"First thing's first, we've gotta fix things here." Kat glanced over at Rin. "Hey, Prof. Feel like tagging along?" 
"Hm. You beat me to it. I'd be more than happy to. I'm eager to watch you work. But more importantly, I can't leave that poor girl suffering. Especially not after you all dropped everything to help my family out of this exact same situation. Consider me an extra for today." Rin replied. 
"Far out, we're getting a full XI for today!" Sahir stated. 
"A little nostalgic for the glory days, eh, Professor?" Max asked. 
"The 'glory days' were barely a decade ago. Seriously, do you all think I'm some old granny?" replied an exasperated Rin. 
Elsewhere in the hospital, Natalia entered Layla's room. "Hey, are her parents around?" she asked the attending nurse. 
"Her father went to get some supplies from their hotel room. Her mother's speaking with the doctor. Did you need to speak with them?" 
"No, no...I just have to say some things to her." 
"Say what you need to. I'll give you some privacy." 
The nurse stepped out. Natalia sat down next to Layla, grabbing her sleeping friend by the hand. "I'm so sorry...I wanted to spend this week with you. I wanted you to meet my friends, and help you the way they helped me. The only reasons you're laying here like this are because you know me, and because you're struggling. I swore I'd help you fix your heart. This isn't how I wanted to do it, but it's the way it has to be done now." 
"When you wake up...let's take a ride on the ferris wheel together. Let's give you a great sight to sketch. I'm gonna give you the best time ever! It's what a friend does...because we are friends, Layla. And it is okay. Kenny, Kat, Saku, Ibuki...they've all done bad things in the past. But they've all changed for the better. What you did was bad, but that doesn't mean you're a bad person forever. I'm gonna help you see that. Because believing in yourself is..." 
Natalia stopped herself. "...hang in there, Layla. I'll be back soon." 
With some trepidation, Natalia got up and left. "Tell her parents that we've gone to fix this. We'll be back." she told the nurse. 
"Um, sure. How do you plan on doing that?" 
Natalia walked away. "The usual." she mumbled to herself. 
She returned to the entrance. "You take care of everything?" Kat asked. 
"I'm ready. Let's find a hiding spot and get this going." Natalia affirmed. 
The group took to a secure spot next to the hospital out of public sight. "Alright, we should be good here. Now all we need is...a key phrase." Rin stated. 
"Nat, you know her better than anyone. What do you think it is?" Kat asked. 
"Bring up the app. I know what it's gonna be." Natalia replied. 
"Welcome. Please enter the keyword." 
"'Believing in yourself...is your magic.'" 
"Thank you. Beginning navigation." 
As it had so many times before, reality itself shifted.
--- 
Once the world reformed itself, the developed city was replaced with an arcane village, the wooden cabins taking on something of a bouncy composition, as though they had come out of an animated cartoon. 
Out in the distance, in the vicinity of Odori Park, the famous TV Tower was replaced with a steep, menacing-looking mountain. Atop it was a cave opening, with the glow of a torchlight illuminating it. Above the opening, the mountain's peak was covered by a giant, black witch's hat. 
"Well, there's our magic." Kat stated. 
"The cave of a witch...is that how Layla sees herself?" Carrie asked. 
Natalia thought back to that cold December day back home. The responses from her grandmother... 
"What is she doing here? She knows she and her little witch friend aren't welcome around here." 
...her father... 
"Nattie, did I forget to put the sign up front that said 'No Witches Allowed'? Could've sworn I had it plastered on there." 
...and her mother. 
"You have no idea how it feels...what she has to go through because of you and the other witch!" 
"....." she mumbled. 
"Well, since this place only just appeared, that means no Prison Towers or Doors blocking us from going in. Only that creepy cave." Max stated. 
"Should probably hop to it, then...once we amend one slight problem." Kenneth glanced over to Rin, still in plainclothes. 
"What? Is there something wrong with my glasses?" she asked. 
"I'm not knocking your wardrobe or anything, Prof, cuz the red works for ya, but it's not what you'd call sneaky. Like, we've got the hoods over our heads for a reason." Kat elaborated. 
"Oh. Well...you've got a point. Luckily for you, I've got just the solution. Bankai." 
Rin's glasses vanished in a spurt of flame, and a suit of technological armor, white-and-red with an insectoid helmet, crimson scarf and the stylized image of an apple with "angry eyes" on the back, manifested around her. "Applerider, reporting for duty." 
"Yo! That wasn't just something your Ma made up? That's seriously a thing you can do?" Ibuki asked. 
"Think of this as a second release for a Persona. Creating a strong enough harmony that you and your inner self become one and the same. This is my spirit in its ultimate form." 
"Basically her becoming ultimate besties with...uh..." Kat scratched her head. "Say, Prof...what is your Persona, anyway?" 
"Yeah, come to think of it, I don't think we've ever heard you say what it is." Kibō added. 
"I haven't? It's Amaterasu. You know...with the red and the white and the solar...power..." Rin trailed off. "I seriously never mentioned it?" 
"Nope." Sahir replied. 
"It does make a fair bit of sense, though." Sakuya added. 
"So how does Imperial Sun Goddess translate to Kamen Rider?" Ibuki asked. 
"This armor was designed by my friend Miko. Shizuka's older sister. She was such a huge fan of Kamen Rider and wanted us to go to cons wearing costumes she made. Unfortunately...she never got to see it to completion. I imagine that's why it manifests from my glasses--her glasses. It's my way of honoring her." Rin explained. 
"I love that story more every time I hear it. Helps that it's not too bad in a fight, either." Barbara said. 
"I'll be withholding my maximum strength for this, but if a bit of force is what you need, I'm more than happy to oblige. And yes, I realize this is still clashing with your disguises, but it's either this or trying to fight in a scarf and heeled boots." 
"I ain't complaining about having a miniature sun on our side. Even if you do stick out like Keebie's hair." Kat replied. 
Kibō grumbled. 
"What's she mean by 'miniature sun'?" Ibuki asked. 
"It means that if the Professor unleashed her full strength, this entire Prison and everyone in it would be turned to ash in an instant." Kenneth answered. 
"...could you have said that any more plainly." 
The group maneuvered towards the park. What had been filled with snow and ice sculptures in the real world now more closely resembled a cartoony village. "This is way too easy. I wasn't expecting an army, but there wasn't even a welcoming committee." Kibō said. 
"Not a single Shadow to be found. Is this place so nascent that nothing has developed here?" Sakuya questioned. 
Carrie brought up her holographic screen. "Nothing as far as I can--huh?" 
"What's up?" Kat asked. 
"All of this energy just manifested out of nowhere. And it's coming right for--" 
Rin could feel the ground begin to shake. "Something's coming...and fast!" 
"Shoot, we've gotta hide...Barbie, we've gotta puddle up!" Kat stated. 
"On it!" Barbara's eyes glowed, and a large pool of water appeared below the group, all of them sinking in. The puddle shrank into nothing. 
The team reappeared atop the roof of a building overlooking the park. Below, an odd scene unfolded. 
"Hee-haw~! Hee-ho~! Hee-haw~! Hee-ho~! Hee-haw~! Hee-ho~!" 
A sea of small beings stampeded and crowded into the village, all of them chanting that cheerful chant. They appeared to be rotund snowmen, adorned with blue clothing and shoes resembling those of a jester, with hollow black eyes and big, sharp-toothed smiles. 
"Jesus, what's with all these little freaks?" Max questioned. 
"I can scarcely comprehend this...the entire park is just covered." Kenneth said. 
"It's the hee-horde from Hell!" Kat exclaimed. 
"What are they going on about?" Ibuki asked. 
"Good witch, hee~! Good witch, ho~! Good witch, hee-ho, here we go~!" 
"'Good witch'?" Natalia pondered. 
Near the entrance to the cave, a set of spotlights shined down on a single spot, where a platform manifested. "Ohohohohohohohoho~!" Laughter came from seemingly nowhere. 
"I dunno why, but I'm already super annoyed." Kat stated. 
A cloud of pink smoke appeared on the platform. Once it cleared out, there was a figure standing in its place: a girl in a sparkling pink dress, with a tall pink crown. "How do you do, my adorable Jacks~?" she chimed. 
"Vicky?!" Natalia uttered in disbelief. 
"You know that chick, Natty?" Ibuki asked. 
"She's the other girl that used to bully me. She and Layla were best friends, until she stabbed Layla in the back and pushed all the blame on her. Why is she here?" 
"I imagine that's Layla's cognition of her. Let's listen in." Rin replied. 
"Vicky" continued. "Ohoho, you all are so sweet! I just love having so many adoring supporters out there! Every little bit helps to heal the old wounds. I was suffering for soooo long, all because of that ugly Bad Witch hiding away in her cave!" 
"Boooo! Hee-hiss! Bad Witch, so mean and nasty, ho!" 
"Stuck up there in that dark, gross hee-hole! Ugly as her hee-heart, ho!" 
"Bad Witch...?" Natalia questioned. 
"My BS alarm is ringing like you wouldn't believe right now." Kat stated. 
"So that's how it is. Layla sees herself as the 'Bad Witch' shouldering the blame for all of her past misdeeds, while her co-conspirator passes herself off as a 'Good Witch' who gets away without any persecution or comeuppance for what she's done." Kenneth surmised. 
"This girl has such blatant 'mean girl' energy you might as well start calling her Regina." Barbara added. 
"So we gonna go waste this broad or not?" Ibuki asked. 
"You nuts? You forgetting about the hee-horde down there?" Sahir questioned. 
"Pfft, I've seen way scarier. Besides, we've got experience in turning an army into shredded wheat. Right, KittyKat?" 
"I'm up for it. Sounds like it'd be a hee-hoot." Kat replied. 
"We need to think more carefully. A massive brawl in the middle of the park could get very messy, very quick." Sakuya retorted. 
"Something tells me that'd suit some of us just fine...hm?" Kibō glanced to the side. "Hey...where'd Nat go?" 
"Good Witch, hee~! Bad Witch, no~! Bury her in pure white snow~! Heeee-HO~!" the horde chanted. 
"Ohohoho, so spirited! I'm motivated to just trot up there and give her a spanking right now! Mean old bullies should get what's coming to them...buuuuuut, letting her stupid face rot away in the dark is just as tempting, hohohoho..." "Vicky" responded. "Huh?" 
Several of the Jack Frosts directly in front of the platforms were now floating in the air, and were promptly flung away. Natalia, arms crossed and stern-faced, stared down the cognition. 
"My, my, my, if it isn't the lass behind it all! Fancy seeing you here, Natty!" the fake cheerily exclaimed. 
"Give it a rest, 'Vicky'. I can feel my brain pounding every time you open that hate hole you call a mouth." Natalia bit back. 
"Why, Natty, that's such a mean thing to say! I thought we were pals. We're both where we are thanks to that snobby Witch sitting in her hidey hole, right?" 
"There's only one snobby Witch in this place, and it's not Layla. We both know who the evil one really is. Now get out of the way and let me see her." 
"Oh, of course, by all means...pfeh. As if. You're not as dumb as you look, Fatty Natty." 
"Fatty Natty, Fatty Natty, ho!" the horde chanted. 
"I am so sick of that name, and your disgusting face. Move. Or I'll move you." Natalia demanded. 
"Going to try pushing me aside like a healthy breakfast option, huh? Suit yourself. Grab her!" 
The hee-horde moved in towards Natalia, many of them lunging into the air. And then... 
There was a burst. A pillar of flame sprouted out from the middle of the park, the fire spinning as though it were a twister. The Jack Frosts in the vicinity were incinerated instantly, while the remainder were engulfed in flames. "Vicky" was frozen by shock. "Wa-wa-wa-wa-wa..." 
Natalia, meanwhile, was shielded within a cocoon of water. Barbara had her arms wrapped around her. "You shouldn't have gone off by yourself like that, Nat." 
"I'm sorry...I know it's not really her, but she just brings out the worst in me." 
"I get that. Count yourself lucky that the Professor came along. Still so scary how much power she has bottled up." 
With the enemy Shadows smoldering to ashes, Rin casually walked out from the flames. Four streams of fire were coming from her back, and with a single gesture, the surrounding inferno began to dissappear, flowing and being absorbed into her armor. With the fire subsided, she approached the platform. 
The rest of the group poked their heads out from behind a building. "So that's...that's what a miniature sun looks like when it's holding back, huh." Ibuki uttered. 
"Count your blessings that she's good-hearted." Carrie replied. 
Rin arrived before a trembling "Vicky". "Hello." the educator nonchalantly greeted. 
"W-w-w-what kind of demon are you?!" the cognition demanded. 
"The kind that doesn't much tolerate bullies." 
"Then why waste your time on the likes of me?! The witch inside that cave is the one deserving incineration, not me!" 
"Honey. Honey. Nobody here believes that for a minute. Now how about you move your twinkly little shit-maker out of the way before we light it up in more ways than one?" Kat responded. 
"W-what other ways are there?!" "Vicky" shook her head. "Forget it! If you meddling elves won't punish the witch properly, I'll do it myself! Ohohohohoho..." The cognition vanished. 
"That doesn't sound good." Kibō said. 
"What would her Shadow being hurt actually do, though? It's not really her, right?" Ibuki asked. 
Natalia thought back to a few months prior. The encounter with the demon in the forest. 
"Do you know what happens when a person's Shadow dies? It's pretty gnarly stuff. Your eyes roll back into your head, your nervous system shuts down...your brain dies, basically. And all that's left is a messed up corpse, face curled up with fear." 
Without another word, Natalia sprinted towards the stairs. 
"Please wait, Natalia! She could be luring us into a trap." Kenneth warned. 
"I don't care! I'm just so sick of it all...the misery and grief and letting every bad thing that's happened ruin everything! I refuse to be the weak, bullied girl anymore, and I won't let Layla suffer for it! I'm putting a stop to this, right now!" Natalia ran up the stairs. 
"Damn it all...we can't let her go it alone. The more the better." 
"You gonna be alright going up the--" Kat began. 
With some measure of trepidation, Kenneth stepped onto the stairs. "To hell with the stairs. As good a time as any to ignore my fear." 
After a period of running, Natalia reached the mouth of the cave, entering it with zero hesitation. The inside of the cavern was illuminated by torches, and lining the walls were a series of images, visually resembling sized-up versions of Layla's own ink drawings. The drawings told the story of her and Vicky tormenting Natalia, with the consequences and her own isolation following. In all of the drawings, Layla's eyes were covered by shadow. 
All the while, the sounds of weeping echoed through the halls of rock. Natalia picked up her pace. 
At the end of the cavern was a wide room, with more super-sized ink drawings covering the walls. At the head of the room was a single wooden chair, and in that chair sat a figure, curled up and crying. She was wearing a black robe, and wore the sort of black, pointed hat that was closely identified with witches. 
"Layla!" Natalia called out. 
Layla ceased weeping, and looked up, revealing a green-colored face, and the Shadows' yellow eyes. "Huh? Natty...?" 
"It's me Layla, I'm here. It's gonna be alright..." 
"Go away, Natty, nothing good can happen to you here...being around me's just gonna cause you more pain..." 
"That's not true! I'm not angry about what happened anymore, I promise! You don't have to keep beating yourself up over it!" 
"How can you say that? You almost died because of what I did. You can forgive me, just like that?" 
"It wasn't just a sudden thing...it took me a long time to get to this point. It was so hard for me to change my mindset, and even then, I didn't completely move on from what happened. But seeing you on that bridge, and hearing what you've had to go through, I couldn't just sit back and do nothing. I could never be happy with someone being bullied, no matter what they might've done to me. And I know that isn't who you are now!" 
"Oh, psssh! What would you know?" "Vicky" appeared between Natalia and the Shadow. 
"Get lost! Why can't you just leave her alone?!" Natalia demanded. 
"I was gonna ask you the same thing." 
"What's that supposed to mean?" 
"You realize how desperate and pathetic you look right now? The little witch ruins your life and when she finally gets what's coming to her, you decide you want to be her friend? That is so totally stupid it makes me wanna gag. Are you that clueless, or are you trying to prove that you're the better person for doing it?" 
"You don't have any room to talk! You wouldn't know anything about being a good person! You're the reason any of this is even happening!" 
"Oh yeah, I'm the terrible one. At least I'm not pretending to be her friend anymore. So what's your game, Fatty? You waiting for your opportunity to stab her in the back? Trying to make yourself feel better? Or do you wanna look like an angel for everyone watching?" 
"Shut up already! I'm not like you! I'm not lying about being her friend!" 
"What's even drawing you to her, anyway? Is it the whole depressed act? Do you just feel sorry for her? Or is it the chickenscratch she calls drawings? Everything about her is so painfully pitiful, why wouldn't you want to toss her into a dark pit and forget all about her?" 
"I want to be her friend because I want to be her friend! I can see how much she wants to change and be better! She's not a witch, or whatever you want to call her! I can see her beautiful spirit every time she draws something! A monster like you could never understand that!" 
"Natty..." the Shadow mumbled. 
"I don't know how I haven't puked yet. Enough with this huggy crap. I'm doing the world a favor with this." The cognition drew out a wand and began to wave it around. "Abracadabra, alakazooooo--" 
"Disappear." 
Flying past Natalia, a lance emanating shadow energy impaled "Vicky" through the chest. "Guh...uh...wha...?" 
Kenneth arrived, Elegor trotting in behind him. He snapped his fingers, and his Persona dissipated. "Enough of your venomous shrieking. It's time for the mature people to talk." 
The cognition was set alight by the lance's energy. "EEEEEK! I'M MELTIIIIING--" She crumbled away. 
"The proper term is 'disintegration', by the way. Large words are difficult for your ilk, I understand." Kenneth pointed out to the empty air. 
He walked over to the trembling Shadow and knelt. "What is it that you're so fearful of? Is being forgiven truly such a frightening prospect? Or is it that you think change is impossible?" 
"I'm...I'm just not good to be around. Whenever I'm around, bad things happen. Especially to Natty. I'm not like--" 
"'Like you', is that what you're thinking? I can assure you, I'm not what many would call an angel, myself. Ask anyone in my class and they'll tell you about what a solitary, petulant, misogynistic fool I was when I first came here. Correcting my worldview was a long, slow process. Even now, I'm still learning about what it means to really live. You can't allow the mistakes of the past to control you for the rest of your days. What kind of life is it where you spend it in remorseful misery?" 
Natalia got down on her knees next to the Shadow. "I know I said this already, but I didn't get better overnight. It took a lot of time and a lot of help, but I'm finally in a place where I can say that I'm happy. And it's because my friends stuck with me and encouraged me even when I was stuck in a miserable rut." 
"I just...I don't know if I can be like you, Natty..." Layla uttered. 
"Even if you don't think so now, I can tell you from experience that it takes a lot of time to change someone's mind. It might be tomorrow, it might be in a month, a few months, a year...but I know it can get better. I'm gonna do whatever you need me to do to help you get there." 
"But why? After everything I--" 
Natalia put a finger over Layla's mouth. "When I look at KittyKat, I don't see a former thief. I see my big hearted friend. When I look at Kenny, I don't see the jerk that shut himself away in his room. I see the wonderful artist I fell in love with. And when I look at you, I don't see the girl that bullied me. I see someone who's as scared now as I used to be. Someone that makes some really wonderful art and can go so far with that. Someone that I'm proud to call my friend." 
Natalia warmly embraced the Shadow. "I love you, Layla. And if it's hard for you to believe in yourself, I'll do all of the believing for you. Until you find that magic that's inside you." 
Weeping before Natalia had even arrived, Layla was once more in tears. Though these tears were not of despair, but of relief. She reciprocated the hug. "I want to change, Natty...I want to be someone that deserves to be your friend...please, help me...help me live..." 
Her head dropped, her hat fell off, and she disappeared. 
Natalia stood back up, a satisfied look on her face. "The others hiding back there watching?" 
"That goes without saying." Kenneth replied. 
"Let's head back home. I want to be there when she wakes up. I've got a feeling we might be making that ferris wheel ride tonight after all." 
--- 
Late in the evening, Natalia sat in the hotel lobby. Kat leaned on the chair she was sitting in. "Can't believe she's back up and running already. Couldn't even get her to budge this morning." 
"Aside from whatever spell she was under, she was perfectly fine. She's probably well-rested after all that sleep." Natalia joked. 
Emerging from the elevator nearby, clutching her sketchbook as always, was Layla. "Hi." she said with a slight smile. 
Natalia sprang to her feet. "How are you feeling?" 
"Honestly? Okay, considering. It was basically a long nap. Worst thing is that I'm probably not gonna be able to sleep tonight." 
"You remember anything about what happened?" Kat asked. 
"...you're probably gonna think I'm crazy." 
"Try us." 
Layla sighed. "So...last night after I turned in, I went to bed early. I woke up...a few hours later, I think? And there was this...I don't even know. You ever watch a medieval movie and see the 'black knight'? That's what it looked like. This person in a black suit of armor standing at the foot of my bed." 
"'The idiot in the armor'..." Kat mumbled. 
"What was that?" 
"Sorry, it's nothing. You know who this was?" 
"No, they were completely covered. And their voice sounded...wrong." 
"Wrong?" Natalia asked. 
"It was like they had some kind of robot voice. Couldn't tell if it was a man or a woman behind the armor. And I say they looked like a knight, but they had some technology. Like, there was this holographic image coming from their arm. Almost like something out of Star Wars." 
"What did they say?" 
"They covered up my mouth so I couldn't make any noise. Said if I tried anything, they'd hurt my parents...so I followed what they wanted." 
"And that was?" Kat asked. 
"'Let me save you.' And then...they brought out that hologram thingy, and talked to it. Something about a 'Prison Operating System'. Before I could ask any more questions, they poked me in the head and...that was it. Next thing I remember, I'm waking up in the hospital." 
"Hmm..." the girls pondered. 
"Told you you'd think I was nuts." 
"No, we don't think that. We believe that's what you saw. My guess is it was some weirdo taking their cosplay a bit too seriously." Kat stated. 
"Why would they put me to sleep, though? They didn't find anything missing from my room." 
"Who knows why weirdos do things? They're long gone now, probably. If you don't feel okay by yourself, I'm sure Hoodsie would be fine rooming with you." 
"Yep. No wannabe Iron Man is gonna be messing with you while we're on the job!" Natalia proclaimed. 
Layla giggled. "With that confidence, I almost believe you." 
"Was that a laugh? I hope it was~." 
"Just one thing before we head out." Kat said. "Did this creep say anything else?" 
"No...but the computer on their arm did. Just usual computer things, except...they called the knight guy 'Captain'." Layla replied. 
"'Captain', huh..." 
"Well they're gone now. We can get back to our vacation. Everyone's waiting for us down at the park. Let's not keep them too long!" Natalia grabbed Layla and pulled her along. 
"Ah, easy, Natty, the wheel's not going anywhere..." Layla replied. 
Kat watched as they walked out. "...you're either getting ballsy or sloppy. Either way, this game of 'Fix problems for me' is gonna end soon. Ball's in your court, Sir 'Captain'." She followed out of the hotel.
--- 
"....." 
"....." 
"I called it. I called it, didn't I?" Sahir questioned. 
All four of the boys were seated inside of a single carriage on the ferris wheel. 
"How?! How do we always end up doing this stuff together? Ugh, what are people gonna think seeing four dudes sitting in a box together..." Sahir groaned. 
"Chock another one up for Team Sadpathetic." Max replied. 
"Would you have preferred the love hotel, part two?" Kenneth questioned. 
"Oh, come on, this isn't even close! This would've actually been romantic, instead of super awkward!" Sahir griped. 
"It also doesn't smell as funny." Kibō added. 
"And I'm pretty sure if I look under the seats, there's not gonna be a giant, green, inflatable cock sitting there." Max stated. 
Out of a sense of curiosity, the boys all looked under their seats. Sure enough, nothing was there. 
In another carriage, Barbara sat with Sakuya and Ibuki. "Man, the look on their faces when they realized they were riding together...I should've gotten a pic!" Ibuki stated. 
"Nothing gets under a teenage boy's skin quite like having quality girl time swiped from under them." Sakuya said. 
"It's only ten days until Valentine's. They'll get plenty of that time then~." Barbara chimed. 
"Some of 'em, anyway." Ibuki said. 
"Why don't you try asking Max-kun for some quality time? Your interest isn't exactly a secret." Sakuya suggested. 
"I've tried being as clear as possible, but he gets so wound-up and defensive. You know him better than anyone, Barbie, am I coming on too strong?" 
"Maxie operates at a snail's pace. Him and KittyKat fell apart since she said the 'L' word too quick. I know it's not your style to be subtle, but you should give him some time. Fair warning, he can be a bit of a blockhead." Barbara replied. 
"Not the most difficult thing to pick up on. Doesn't take a professor to figure out he's not the social butterfly his big sis is." 
"From what I've seen, they couldn't be more different. Particularly when it comes to kitchen matters." Sakuya said. 
"It's not that drastic, hehe...let's just say that I wasn't Mama's little helper in the kitchen growing up." Barbara responded. 
"Am I getting this right? I heard something about you almost blowing up the Professor's kitchen cuz a fish you were prepping looked at you funny." Ibuki questioned. 
"Th-that was Care! I got spooked a bit, yeah, but she's the one that brought out her Persona..." 
"A perfectly reasonable reaction. That fish corpse could have lunged at you at any moment." Sakuya deadpanned. 
"It looked me right in the eye! I thought it might've still been alive! Who knows, maybe it could've shot poison at me!" 
"Senpai...as someone who's studied the marine life surrounding Japan...I can assure you there's nothing like that here. In fact, I'm fairly sure that there's nothing like that anywhere." 
"It's a big ocean! We don't even know half of what's down there! I might've just stumbled on an unknown species..." 
"An unknown species that shoots poison out of its mouth and yet they sold it in a market. That the fish equivalent of mystery meat?" Ibuki asked. 
"Now y'all are just being mean." 
"Wouldn't shooting poison be kinda useless for a fish? Since, y'know...water." 
Sakuya sighed. "Oh, the conversations we have." 
In a carriage nearing the top of the wheel, Layla was looking out at the city, sketching away, as Natalia and Carrie watched. "Quite the intensity while working, hm?" Carrie whispered. 
"Guess it's an artist thing." Natalia replied. 
"I'll say. Considering one of us tends to go on all-night sewing marathons when she's feeling inspired." 
"Who needs sleep when there's something cute to be made? Heehee, I'm kidding, I'm kidding." 
"Hey, um, Carrie?" Layla spoke up. 
"Yes? Finished already?" Carrie asked. 
"I've got enough in my mind to finish it. I just wanted to ask you, um..." Layla fidgeted. "I-I found this cute little café in town, and I was wondering if you'd, you know...want to hang out? Get to know one another, one-on-one?" 
"Oh, of course! I've been meaning to ask the same thing. I'd love for us to get along, considering who we have in common." 
"Great! And if you don't mind, I'd love to get a chance to sketch you..." Layla became flustered. "Oh jeez, that's way too forward, I'm sorry..." 
"Don't be so shy, I'd love to model for you. I've never done such a thing before, so if anyone should be flustered, it should be me." 
"Yay! Everyone's friends now! Ain't it great?" Natalia hugged them both. 
"Um, Natty...I don't think you're supposed to be standing in here..." Layla uttered. Carrie giggled. 
Everyone sat back down. "...feels a little incomplete, doesn't it?" Natalia posed. 
"You mean Kat, right? How come she didn't want to hitch a ride?" Layla asked. 
"Kitten wanted to have some time to herself. I won't deny her that." Carrie replied. "We'll just have to make up the time later." She winked. 
In another carriage closer to the bottom, Kat sat alone. She closed her eyes and let out a breath. 
"Quite the place you chose for a meeting, Ms. Kit." 
Kat opened her eyes. Now seated opposite her, legs crossed and hands together, was Rose. "I hope you didn't leave Shizuka by herself." Kat said. 
"Shizuka's sleeping over at Hiyoko's home. I would never abandon her." 
"Yeah, you're right, sorry." 
Rose peered out. "I met Rin in a ferris wheel, you know." 
"Really?" 
"Well, to be precise, I first met her in the Metaverse version of the Academy. But it was inside a ferris wheel where we were properly introduced." 
"I didn't know. Just thought it was a good place for some privacy." 
"Hm. So what is it that you needed?" 
"I wanted to know...if I'm on the right track. I've sat and thought about who this 'Captain' person might be. What kind of person it would take to do what they've been doing. And the more I think about it...the bigger the pit in my stomach gets." 
"What kind of person do you think they are?" 
"I couldn't come up with an answer until just now, when Layla told me about them. How they said they wanted her to let them save her. The more I look back on everything, the more things start to click. Why take people that are struggling and turn them into the kind of people we'd go after?" 
"So you believe that by changing their hearts in such a way, he or she thinks that it 'saves' the person." 
"That's the only thing that makes sense. But what I don't understand is...the Wardens end up doing bad things with their power. They've only been able to get themselves together after we help them. So it got me thinking...what if that's exactly what this 'Captain' wants?" 
"Why would they want to do that? If they already have the power to alter cognition, why would they need you all to finish the job for them?" 
"I just don't know. What I do know is that it's made us a lot more popular. I know you've seen the shops popping up around Tokyo. There was one in Sendai, too. And I've seen some peeps around here wearing merch with our logo on them. Who would benefit from making us popular?" 
Kat sat somberly. "Who would...want to make us look like heroes..." 
"Who is it, Ms. Kit?" Rose asked. 
"Hm?" 
"If you're afraid of them listening in on this conversation, I've shut off my phone. I assume you have, as well?" 
"Uh...yeah." 
"Then you mustn't beat around the bush. I think you already have a good idea of who is behind it all. Tell me...who is this 'Captain' character?" 
"....." 
Assured that no one else could hear, Kat uttered the name that had been on her mind. 
Rose took a minute to process it. "Ah...are you certain? What makes you think so?" 
"The little things. I pay attention to everything everyone says. You do the things I've done, you get to be suspicious of everyone around you. And there have been some...weird things I've caught onto these last few months. I didn't want to believe it, but the more I've pieced together, the worse it's looked." Kat explained. 
"How troubling indeed. How do you intend to bring this to light?" 
"That's just it. I have no idea. Care's helped me get some strong evidence, but..." 
"Ms. Blackthorne knows about this?" 
"Yeah. She looked through the phones of all the Wardens, to see if there was anything they had in common. And there was a thing...they were all being monitored. The 'Captain' did a good job covering their tracks, so we couldn't trace who was doing it. But she did manage to get the general area where the Wardens in Tokyo were being followed. It was within a couple blocks of the Academy." 
"I see...this is truly alarming. Why haven't you sounded the alarm yet?" 
"You've seen police shows, haven't you, Doc? If you're gonna go pointing the finger at someone, you need to have solid proof. Otherwise no one'll believe it, and I'll blow my one chance to get it right. I feel like I have it now. The only thing left is to figure out how to get them to fess up to it." 
"Use that trademark wit to best your foe. Like the hero of the book you gave Shizuka. Lee Moon-bin, wasn't it?" 
"Yeah, that's right. His wit got him out of danger a million times. He wasn't the strongest or the fastest, but he knew how to use his brain. In his ultimate duel with his romantic rival, he was challenged to kill him in one blow, and vice versa. Moon scratched his old friend with his trusty dagger. Barely a surface wound. The captain laughed it off. He raised his blade to strike, and...crumpled to the floor and died. Before the fight, Moon had coated his knife in poison. He knew he couldn't win with power alone. So he had to think." 
"That's what you need to do now. Bring your enemy into a situation where they have no choice but to reveal themselves. Outdo the mastermind. Make them uncomfortable and the scenario unwinnable." 
"Easier said than done. But it can never be easy, can it?" 
"You have overcome every obstacle before you up to this point. I'm certain your wits will carry you through to this tale's conclusion. Although..." 
"There's always an 'although' or 'however', isn't there?" 
"The enemy has clearly gained power beyond that of a normal Persona. The power to generate new areas in the Metaverse with the push of a button. I fear that there is another force at play here, aiding them from behind the scenes. Whatever your next course of action is, know that there may yet be further troubles ahead." 
"Figuuuuures. Welp, guess when you've already been through Hell, you can handle anything after that, right? No matter what, or who it is." 
Kat looked downtrodden. Rose put up a reassuring smile. "I can only imagine how difficult this will be. My advice to you is...enjoy the rest of this week with the people you love. Come what may, you will need them by your side to break through the darkness. Your bonds will light the path forward. Good luck." 
The wheel made its full rotation. Kat exited her carriage. She turned back. No one else was inside. "Always gotta keep it mysterious, Doc." She thought. 
"Oy, KittyKat!" Sahir called out. The rest of the group were all together. 
"Carrie-chan found a lovely restaurant nearby for us." Sakuya said. 
"And she made sure it's actually a restaurant." Max added. 
"What's that mean...?" Layla questioned. 
"You really don't want to know." Natalia nervously laughed. 
Even with everything swimming through her head, Kat put up a smile. "Dinner with these kooks. Good an idea as I'm ever gonna hear." 
--- 
Later that night, Carrie was asleep in her bed. A small smile crossed her face as her eyes were closed. "You know you have your own bed now, Kitten." 
Kat had gotten into the bed next to her, nuzzled in close. "Yeeeeah, but...this one has you in it, so...smart decisions." 
Carrie opened her eyes. "Something is on your mind. I can tell. Be honest with me." 
Kat looked troubled. "I can't lie to that face. I think...it's getting to be time." 
"Time? To do what?" 
"End it. Bring out everything we have and expose the 'Captain' for who they are. I need you to help me come up with a plan." 
".....so you're absolutely certain, then. I was fearful of this. How do you propose we do this?" 
"We have to make it so they have no choice but to out themselves. Back them into a corner and hit them with everything we've got. But I won't lie...this has the potential to go horribly wrong. And I'm scared that I'm putting everyone in danger by doing it this way. But...this is our chance to bring this nightmare to an end. More people are gonna get hurt if we don't stop this. So..." 
Carrie put her arms around Kat. "I'll follow your lead. Wherever it takes us. What's important is that we put a stop to a dangerous individual's plans. That is first and foremost. And if anyone can do it, I know that it's you, Kitten. I know that you're scared. I am, too. But that's why we have each other. To hold onto and assure that everything will work out for the better." 
"...hold me, Care. I just really want you to hold me." 
"For however long you need me to, my dearest. Slumber in the depths of my love. All will be well. I promise." 
The girls both drifted into slumber, in the reassuring, comforting arms of the one they love. 
It would be sorely needed. Soon enough, this peaceful existence was going to become very uncomfortable.