Persona 4 FYL

The group trudged on toward the dark, gaping Rift through the desolate landscape, the chill wind seeming to howl through the barren, dusty plain. The black clouds above rumbled ominously as though attempting desperately to unleash a downpour upon the thirsty, broken ground.

Souji held tightly onto Naoto, covering her shivering body with his jacket as she leaned closer to him for warmth. Turning slightly, he looked around at the rest of the group to see how they were dealing with the sudden drop in temperature. Yosuke and Chie huddled together with Yukiko in the middle, all three protecting each other with their body heat. Rise snuggled close to Teddie, who seemed all too happy for the closeness. But Kanji seemed stubbornly oblivious to the efforts of everyone else to huddle together, the only one among them who stood alone against the icy gusts that plagued their progress.

"Come on over here, Kanji-kun..." said Rise, beckoning him over. "You shouldn't be out there alone like that..."

"I-I'm f-fine..." said Kanji, his teeth chattering slightly. "Ya don't-t haveta worr-ry about m-me... I'm a m-man. I c-can take it..."

"No you can't..." Rise pouted. "Look at you. You're turning blue!"

"I-I am not-t!" Kanji's voice rose slightly. "I said don't worry about it, Rise-chan!"

"Kanji-kun, if you'd just let me-"

"I said I'm FINE, dammit!!" Kanji roared, causing every head to turn. Naoto jumped slightly out of Souji's arms, having been engrossed in her own thoughts. Chie, Yosuke, and Yukiko glared reproachfully at Kanji, and Teddie seemed at a loss at what else to do other than pat Rise gently on her back. But Kanji hadn't noticed, he was too busy focusing on Rise, who seemed almost ready to burst into tears.

"...I... I was just..." Rise stuttered horribly, trying not to break down into sobs again. Teddie looked up at her with an expression of pity.

Kanji's face became stony as he looked down at the dusty, barren earth. That's just what makes me so pissed... whiny, weepy little girls who can't control themselves... Why can't they be tougher?

Souji's intuition surged into overdrive. "Get ready," he said to Yosuke, who nodded firmly and began whispering to the girls.

"...Get ready?" repeated Naoto in a whisper. "You mean..."

Souji nodded. "I'll probably be somewhere else around here again in a few seconds."

Naoto nodded slowly, forcing a smile. "Will you tell me what's going on then?"

"I will," said Souji, "if you do the same for me."

Naoto hesitated, but before she could answer, she was swallowed by the bleak grayness. Souji winced at the anxiety on her face, but he forced himself to look away; there were more pressing matters to deal with.

Kanji, deeply embroiled in his thoughts, didn't notice the fading brown color at first, the grays replacing the shattered landscape as a red light flashed for that brief second. However, Kanji jumped at the clap of thunder that boomed within their ears, glancing around in a panic as everything movable had become frozen and still. Rise had stopped exactly where she stood, her eyes filled with tears as Teddie's paw floated in mid-pat.

"Wha-what the hell is this?!" Kanji tried to sound intimidating, yet his voice broke. He turned to Souji and the others that could still move, and blinked in amazement. "Is... is THIS what was happenin' when you guys-"

"....I can see...."

"W-Wha..? S-s-see..??" Kanji felt a penetrating chill that had nothing to do with the cold. The others looked behind him just in time to see the cloaked apparition materialize into being.

"...I can see your fear..."

"Shouldn't we help him?" asked Yukiko, her voice filled with worry.

"...I think he kinda NEEDS this, though," said Yosuke sagely. "We all needed ours, right? A wake-up call."

"It doesn't make it any easier to WATCH, though..." remarked Chie with a slight shiver as the featureless black face transformed into a more rugged appearance, dark hair-like growths sprouting slowly from the smooth skull. A long scar sank into the specter's right temple as it's nose elongated, a black ornament forming where Kanji's actual piercing was located. Its mouth parted in a maniacal grin, displaying once again the sharp, pointed teeth common to the doppelganger.

Kanji, unlike the others, couldn't scream. His fear had become so paramount in his mind that he couldn't articulate a single sound within his throat.

"What'cha afraid of, big man?!" grinned the dark Kanji with derision, the deep voice echoing with the shrill whisper of the apparition. "I ain't gonna go effeminate on ya, if that's what you're thinkin'!"

"...What the hell..." Kanji croaked the words as his voice returned. His entire body shook uncontrollably, hands clenched into tight fists around his plate.

"What the hell's right, pal!" The doppelganger began to descend, the cloak wrapping around its form and morphing into a black replica of Kanji's own clothes. "Turned into a whimpering, cowering sack of shit, huh? Yeah, you're a REAL man now! Damned if you do, damned if you don't! Emotion makes you look weak and stupid, and being tough just pushes you into a corner! You're pathetic no matter what ya do!"

"S..Shut up.." Kanji's voice continued to falter. He wanted desperately to rush the bastard, to punch that face in, and yet... he couldn't move a muscle.

"Oooooh, I'm sooo scaaared!" mocked the other Kanji, laughing almost hysterically. "Tried to put on that tough-guy face with Mina too, huh? Tried to make sure you didn't seem weak or vulnerable? That you could stand up to anything? You remember what happened there, right?! RIGHT?!"

"No! Don't-!" All Kanji seemed to be able to do was cringe. It sickened him.

Souji began approaching the scene quietly, looking at his friends and raising a finger to his lips. They nodded apprehensively, though Souji caught their universal look of concern.

"You pushed her away! Left her out in the cold! By bein' a MAN!" The black Kanji continued to laugh, showing off its sharp, pointed teeth. "Like I said! Damned if you do, damned if you don't! You can't do NOTHIN' right! Just face it!" It leaned in, its red eyes penetrating into Kanji's soul. "You ain't changed at all, have ya?!"

"...I HAVE, dammit!" screamed Kanji in rage, punching the ground with his fist. "I DID!!"

Souji stood behind his friend now, but ignored the false Kanji. He placed his hand on the real Kanji's shoulder as he raised his sword, pointing it toward the wraith as he looked down at his friend, smiling gently. "I'm here, Kanji. You don't have to deal with this alone."

"Senpai..." Kanji turned to stare at Souji, his eyes teeming respect and admiration. "I... I don't deserve..."

"HAH! What a total loser!" sneered the dark Kanji, its eyes glowing with malice. "Can't defend yourself on your own, so you gotta let THIS pansy babysit ya! Not that he could beat ME, the stupid jackass!"

"...Oh, that's IT!" snarled Kanji, turning back to glare at the gaunt apparition. "No one, NO ONE disrespects Senpai and gets away with it on MY watch!"

"Ya think you can take me, tough guy?!" laughed the doppelganger as it hefted a cold-iron plate carved with intricate red runes. "I'd LOVE to see you try!"

"You asked for it, shithead!" Kanji's grip tightened around his own plate, and he stood up and charged forward with a roar as he raised the heavy metal above his head. The mimic swung its own thick slab at an opposite angle just as Kanji brought his own down upon it, and the two weapons emitted a loud gong that vibrated throughout the battlefield.

"Let's go!" yelled Chie, but a hand caught her by the shoulder, making her turn around. "H-huh? Souji-kun?"

"Wait until he asks for help." Souji's gaze was solid and stern as he looked toward the two Kanji's battling it out.

"What? But..." Yukiko appeared torn. "He needs us."

"He wouldn't forgive us if we interfered now," agreed Yosuke, although he appeared worried. "He'll let us know when he does need our help... though we do know how stubborn he can be."

"We have to trust him to know his limits," said Souji firmly. "He knows we're here if he needs us."

Another gong rang out as the two plates collided once again. Kanji's plate was jarred into the ground, forcing him to duck as the ghoulish specter swung its own weapon at his head.

"I think I'm gonna need some backup, guys!" hollered Kanji as he pulled his weapon from the dusty earth. "This thing's more of a pain in the ass than I-- GAH!!" Kanji stumbled backward as the doppelganger kicked some loose dirt into his face. "T-the hell?!"

"Now!" Souji and Yosuke yelled together as they charged forward. Chie and Yukiko summoned their Personas together and sent a tempest of fire and ice at the dark Kanji, forcing it to lose ground as Yosuke slashed at it furiously with his knives. Souji stood in front of Kanji in a defensive stance.

"You alright?" asked Souji calmly, looking concerned as Kanji blinked the dust from his eyes.

"Yeah, I got it." Kanji rose to his feet and hefted his plate up again. "Thanks, Senpai."

"URGH!" Yosuke dodged a particularly violent strike from the specter, but its plate slammed into the ground with a tremendous force that sent him flying. He hit the ground hard and rolled several feet, wincing as he regained his senses.

"Yosuke!" Chie started forward, but Yukiko summoned Amaterasu and quickly healed their fallen companion.

"Thanks, Yukiko-san," said Yosuke, looking frustrated as he stood up again.

"C'mon, you wimps! You guys hit as hard as that bleach-haired baby over there!" hollered the doppelganger, rushing forward and aiming a blow at Souji, who raised his sword to block the strike. The blade was jarred from his hand, and he ducked a return blow from the dark Kanji as he attempted to retrieve his Blade.

"You know," smirked Yosuke, "I think what he REALLY meant was, "Man, I REALLY wish you would beat my ass, Kanji!"!"

"Wish granted!" snarled Kanji as he charged forward yet again and swung the plate with as much force as he could muster. The attack took his clone off guard, too focused on Souji to react. Kanji's plate slammed hard into his opponent's skull, forcing the doppelganger into a long, barreling spiral that sent it into the dusty ground with a loud crash. The fallen specter attempted to claw it's way back up, but all it could do was quake in shock as the mortal blow overtook it.

"F.fff....feeeeearrr..." The dark Kanji whispered in the grating hiss, all traces of Kanji's voice lost. It stopped moving abruptly as its body crumbled and evaporated like the other clones, disappearing as rapidly as it had emerged and leaving the gray, lifeless battlefield in silence once more.

"Damn... I think I would have been better off not knowing." Kanji dropped the heavy plate to the barren ground, a small cloud of dust emerging from beneath.

"You okay?" asked Souji as he finally retrieved his sword.

"Yeah... I dunno what would have happened if you guys weren't around. You saved my ass again... Thanks, Senpai." The two clasped their hands and pulled each other into an embrace, patting each other on the back.

"You don't have to give me one of those," said Yosuke warily as he brushed the dirt from his pants. "Really, don't worry about-"

"Oh, don't be such a baby, Yosuke!" Chie rolled her eyes as she approached and embraced Yosuke from behind. "And would you be more careful? Geez, you had me worried there for a second..."

"Are you okay, Kanji-kun?" Yukiko placed a soft hand on Kanji's shoulder, looking concernedly up at him.

"I... I don't really know." Kanji looked worriedly at Souji. "Do we have time to sort things out, maybe? I know we gotta keep going, but..."

"While things are like this, there should be time enough." Souji gave his good friend a confident smile.

"Just start from the beginning, Kanji-kun." Yukiko smiled, as well, and Kanji seemed to take comfort in the support that was shown.

"Alright... Well, after you left, Senpai, I started teaching those classes and met Mina, like I said before. My dolls got nationwide recognition thanks to Ma's advertising, and I actually... started doing a whole lot better in school, and even graduated! Ma was real proud of me... I couldn't remember her being so happy. I felt like I was doing something right for a change..."

Kanji appeared puzzled. "I just... dunno what happened..."

"Perhaps I might be of assistance?"

"Hotei-kun!" Yukiko smiled brightly as the elderly gentleman approached. "Welcome back!"

Hotei chuckled as he returned the smile, pushing his glasses up his nose. "Thank you very much, Amagi-san. You're far too kind."

"Wait..." Kanji stared at Hotei with a dazed look. "Don't I know you from somewhere?"

Hotei pondered the question for a moment. "Now that you mention it, I have indeed traveled to Inaba on numerous occasions. However, that is of no consequence at the moment."

"He's right," said Yosuke, unable to keep from smiling as he felt Chie's arms around him. "This is about you, Kanji."

"Indeed." Hotei's smile broadened. "Please continue, Tatsumi-san."

"O-okay..." Kanji was nonplussed by all of the eyes focused on him, but he attempted to recall past events within his mind. "Well, about a year after graduation, everyone just... stopped talking to each other. I thought it was just a phase or something, myself, so I decided to just tough it out like I always did, you know? Just... ride out the storm... But Mina didn't like that. I didn't want her to worry about me, so I just took the punches as they came. She said she needed someone who would be able to talk to her about their problems, to share the burden... So she left."

"Oh, Kanji-kun..." Yukiko shook her head, her eyes filling with tears. "I'm so sorry..."

"I... toughed that out, too, though." Kanji shook his head, running a nervous hand through his bleached hair. "I thought it was what everyone expected of me, you know?"

"Tatsumi-san," said Hotei in inspiration, "that is an interesting trinket you wear around your neck.. Might I see it for a moment?"

"Huh?" Kanji glanced down at the chain, and took it off hesitantly. "Sure.. I guess you can, though I dunno how it fits in with everything. It's just a... hollow bullet, that's all."

Hotei turned the trinket in his hands, his eyes sparkling from behind his glasses as he spoke. "This is very interesting... Perhaps your attempts at endurance have made you like this bullet: empty, hollow, a mere ornament. A tough, steely skin, yet lacking in substance."

Chie blinked. "Wow, so Kanji's toughness was his wall?"

Everyone turned to Chie in astonishment except Hotei, who grinned more broadly. "I'm impressed, Sato-san. You're beginning to see one of the many connections."

"So, wait." Yosuke's face contorted painfully as he struggled to get his thoughts in order. "Each of us put up a wall? And that wall was... forced on us two years ago? But what happened back then that made us do such a thing?"

"I don't know..." said Yukiko thoughtfully, "but some of us had more pain to face than others..." She put an arm around Kanji's shoulders and smiled sympathetically.

Kanji appeared thoughtful. "I... thought toughing stuff out was what it meant to be a real man." He looked up at Hotei, curiosity flooding his face. "You've been around. What does it mean to be a man?"

Hotei smiled wider, his hand rising to stroke his beard as he spoke. "That remains a topic of serious debate, my boy. However, in my experience, I've found that being a true 'man' simply involves having the courage to do what must be done for the sake of love, compassion, and protection of others. Communication, honesty, and integrity are essential to this principle, which are far more potent than silence. In other words, it's the pursuit of being a true human, and not merely based on gender alone."

"So.. did I change back to the way I was? Did I really fail?" Kanji winced in pain at the thought.

"You didn't fail, Kanji-kun." Yukiko turned Kanji's face toward hers and gave him a stern, yet compassionate, look. "You proved only moments ago that you are a true man... You protected us and communicated effectively when you needed help. You've become a much better man than you were before... I truly believe that."

"Yukiko-senpai..." Kanji blushed slightly at the praise. "So.. I know what I have to do now... I just need to stand tall and keep going."

"Indeed, Tatsumi-kun." Hotei grinned wider as he removed his glasses, cleaning them with a white handkerchief. "It is important that you commit to what you truly wish to be, and hold your head high without regret."

"Right. I guess I just need to turn my head around, huh? Being tough is one thing, but using it to block out pain and avoid actually dealing with it is something else. And I promise I won't fall back into that trap, either! Not when I have friends like you guys keeping me in line!"

Kanji stumbled back as a glowing blue card materialized in front of him. He reached out and grasped it in his strong hand, shattering it easily, trails of flame rising into the air to form the massive shape of a Persona.

"Rokuten Maoh!" Kanji beamed, unable to conceal his excitement.

"The chains have been severed," said the Persona in a deep whisper. "Your heart has once more been opened to the truth."

"Huh? Wait a sec." Kanji appeared taken aback at the Persona's words, turning around to face the group as it faded in a cloud of blue flame. "I thought we already found the truth."

"Perceptions have been forcibly altered," said Hotei, his smile fading into a more serious expression, "and so the truth is once again obscured from your sight."

"But... you said we placed the chains around our Personas ourselves." Chie shook her head in disbelief.

"Maybe someone or something gave us the chains to begin with?" suggested Yukiko. "We hid the truth from our own eyes, even though we knew it was there."

"Indeed." Hotei grinned again, thoroughly impressed. "The truth is always there. It is unchangeable, immutable, though human beings differ regarding how the truth is seen and reached. And while it was obscured in fog five years ago, truth is now threatened to be engulfed by infinite darkness."

"Darkness?" Yosuke rubbed the back of his head in annoyance. "Geez, what did we get into this time?"

"We can't worry about that now, Yosuke-senpai." Kanji looked down at the pendant in his hand, his eyes dulling slightly as he reminisced. "I guess I should let this go, huh?"

"If you believe that what it means holds you back, then perhaps you should." Hotei's eyes twinkled, and Souji seemed to catch a hint of silver in the blue irises.

"It's kinda funny," said Kanji to himself as he turned the bullet around in his fingers. "I got this when pop died, thinking it might help me look tougher. Ever since then, I've always worn it... But I think it's time to face my problems head on now."

And without a word, Kanji tossed the pendant behind him, the chain jingling in the silent air.

The grayness disappeared, replaced by the pale brown of the dusty earth and the dark, shadowed clouds above. Kanji turned to a startled Rise, who had peered around when time began again.

"I'm, uh... sorry for yelling at you, Rise." said Kanji awkwardly, a slight hint of pink flooding his cheeks. "You didn't deserve that..."

Rise blinked a few times in astonishment, but suddenly waved her hands and gave her most winning smile. "Aw, hey! Don't worry about it, Kanji-kun! We're all a little stressed right now, so I won't hold it against you! Just don't expect any autographs for a while, kay?"

Souji gazed at Rise nervously. He knew that high-pitched tone of voice, as well as the dull look in her eyes. She's faking it... she's still hurting, but she doesn't want us to worry..

"We should stop and rest," said Souji as he looked everyone over. "We need to keep our strength up if we plan to make it to the Rift without any worse problems."

"But where could we go?" asked Chie worriedly. "And this wind is murderous! If we rest out in the open, we'll freeze to death!"

"We could go to my hideout." Teddie waved his blue-furred paw, his large eyes sparkling with pleasure at finally being able to do something constructive. "Yep! I have a cave not too far from here! It could shelter us from the wind, and we could even build a fire to keep us warm!"

"We'll have to gather firewood on the way," said Naoto. "I have a lighter, but I doubt it will be enough to ignite the tinder. Perhaps Yukiko-san's Persona would be more suited to that particular task."

"Alright! Lets get to it, then!" Yosuke picked up some nearby sticks and gave Teddie a nod. "Lead the way, Ted."

Teddie took point this time, his squeaky footsteps clashing horribly with the morbid landscape around them. Everyone took time to gather dried pieces of wood, but Kanji carried the largest amount on his large plate.

"Kanji-kun!" Yukiko ran up to him as she carried her own branches. "I, uh.. just wanted to tell you something..."

"What is it, Yukiko-senpai?" Kanji blinked, not really prepared for her approach.

"Well..." Yukiko blushed slightly. "First of all, you don't need to call me 'senpai' anymore, Kanji-kun. Just Yukiko is fine. And... second..." Her blush deepened as she looked away. "You... were really brave back there... I was honest when I said I believe you've become a better man."

"I, uh..." Kanji looked the other way, his own cheeks regaining a pinkish hue. "...Thanks, Yukiko-sen-- Uh... Yukiko."

"You're... very welcome, Kanji-kun..." Yukiko laughed nervously, and the two of them didn't talk throughout the rest of their walk, although they seemed very happy with each other's company.

Chie and Yosuke smiled as they watched Yukiko and Kanji from the back of the line. They clasped each other's hand tightly as they carried their firewood under their other arms.

Naoto stood apart from Souji and carried her own wood in silence, grateful that she hadn't agreed to anything and prevented the resurfacing of the issue. I don't know how much longer I can keep this up... They'll find out soon enough. However... I can't talk about it to anyone... Not even Souji-kun...

Souji noticed Naoto's separation... and his fear increased dramatically. She's getting worse... How deeply is she connected to this whole thing, Hotei...? And how can we even save her? ...What do we have to do...?

The only choice loomed right in front of them, a black, ugly scar on the once-beautiful landscape of the TV world.

The Rift held all the answers. For good or for ill.