Chapter 63; The doubt of the afterlife Pt:2

...09/09/2009 Wednesday; Afternoon...

Mitsuru and Hiro started to leave, but as Hiro reached for the door to close it, his hand met empty air—reminding him that the door had been destroyed when Medea had thrown him and Shinjiro.

Hiro scratched his head, a mix of disbelief and frustration on his face, before following Mitsuru through the hospital corridors.

Junpei approached the bed, grabbing a chair nearby and sitting down.

He observed Chidori, who was staring at her hands as if the world around her didn't exist.

"Thank God nothing serious happened," he said, relieved. "I thought you were going to die."

Chidori slowly lifted her face, her gaze cold and distant. "What do you mean? Why were you so worried?"

Her question caught Junpei off guard. "Huh? Why wouldn't I be? Your Persona was choking you!" he said, both shocked and incredulous.

Chidori turned her gaze to the window, her voice almost monotone. "To me, death just means you won't open your eyes tomorrow… that's all."

Junpei recoiled, disturbed by the coldness of her words. "What the hell are you talking about?! You didn't really mean that, right?"

She looked at him as if she couldn't understand why her words affected him so much. "Junpei?"

Frustrated but still worried, Junpei leaned forward. "I don't want you to die! You should live your life, without being trapped by your Persona!"

Chidori stared at him, surprised, for the first time seeing the depth of his feelings. She didn't understand.

She didn't understand why he was so worried, why he cared so much. It didn't make sense.

She let out a soft chuckle, something close to a smile forming on her lips. "You're a strange person, Junpei."

Junpei scratched his head, confused. "Look who's talking."

He averted his gaze for a moment, his mind drifting back to the moment Chidori captured him.

He remembered when he told her he wasn't the leader of S.E.E.S. and how her face changed into something different, as if she had felt guilty.

That memory made him question something.

"Chidori," he started, his voice more serious, "why didn't you tell me you were part of Strega?"

Chidori hesitated, her voice firm but distant. "I… couldn't."

"But why did you look… guilty when I said I wasn't the leader of S.E.E.S.? I saw that… you didn't…"

Chidori lowered her head, her fingers lightly touching her chest as if trying to find the right words.

Junpei's words echoed in her mind—that moment when he confronted her, when he asked if everything she did was a lie.

"Tell me… was everything you did a lie? The cut on your hand, the drawings… was it all just to set a trap?"

She looked at Junpei, her expression uncertain, but he was still there, with the same look in his eyes, filled with worry and sadness.

And for the first time, Chidori felt something she couldn't understand.

"I didn't lie…" Chidori murmured, looking at him, not knowing why she was admitting it.

"Huh?" Junpei was surprised.

Chidori met his gaze, her voice softer. "I didn't lie about the drawings… or anything else… but why am I even saying this?"

She looked down at her hands, her mind tangled in emotions she couldn't comprehend.

"Why do I feel like I shouldn't have done this? I… don't know."

Junpei leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms, his eyes scanning Chidori's face, which still looked lost.

He scratched his chin, as if trying to solve a complicated puzzle.

"I think I have an idea."

He stood up, walked to the table beside the bed, and grabbed Chidori's sketchbook.

Flipping through the pages, he saw that many of the drawings were chaotic scribbles, like scattered traces of someone searching for answers that didn't exist.

He stopped when he noticed the sketchbook was almost full, with only a few blank pages left.

Junpei smiled and held the sketchbook up to Chidori. "Even if you don't know what you're feeling, maybe drawing can help you understand yourself."

Chidori looked at him, the confusion still evident in her eyes. "Understand… myself?"

Junpei placed the sketchbook on the bed, pointing at the blank pages. "Yeah, like… I don't know anything about drawing, but try this. If what you're feeling is caused by something beautiful, draw that."

He glanced around the room, looking for inspiration, until his eyes landed on a small vase of flowers in the corner. "Like that vase. If you think it stands out, why not draw it?"

Chidori blinked, still unsure, but something in Junpei's tone was sincere enough to make her think.

She looked at the vase of flowers and then at the sketchbook, as if considering his words.

"Stands out…" she murmured.

Junpei smiled, seeing that he might finally be getting through to her. "Oh, and don't worry about the pages running out. I'll buy you a new sketchbook later."

Before he could continue, his phone started ringing. He turned away from Chidori and answered. "Oh, hey, Yukari. What's up?"

As Junpei talked on the phone, Chidori kept staring at the vase of flowers, something beginning to clear in her mind.

A slow but growing image took shape, as if her emotions were finally finding a way out.

Slowly, she picked up a pencil and started drawing a circle.

Bit by bit, sketches began to fill the page—hesitant strokes, but with purpose.

Junpei hung up the phone and turned back to her, ready to leave. "Look, Chidori, I have to get go—"

He stopped, surprised.

Chidori was drawing again, her eyes focused on the paper in front of her.

She was actually doing what he suggested.

"Whoa," he whispered, still in disbelief. "I can't believe that actually worked. I was sure she'd just ignore me."

He looked at Chidori once more, completely absorbed in her drawing.

A satisfied smile formed on his face, relieved to see her engaged in something that seemed to bring her a little peace.

"Well, I'm heading out, Chidori. I'll drop by tomorrow to check on you."

Junpei started leaving the room but completely forgot about the broken door and ended up tripping over the debris.

He grabbed onto a nearby fire extinguisher just in time, barely avoiding a fall.

"Phew, that was close…" he said, relieved.

Chidori watched as Junpei walked down the hallway, her eyes following him until he disappeared from sight.

A gentle smile formed on her lips—something rare, almost unexpected.

"You really are a strange person, Junpei," she said, letting out a soft laugh, as if she was finally starting to understand a little more about this unique person who had entered her life.

...09/09/2009 Wednesday; Dark Hour...

The green sky of the Dark Hour shone like a supernatural mantle, covering the city in an agonizing silence.

The Tartarus Tower loomed with its clocks spinning incessantly, as if time did not exist there.

Takaya stood on the rooftop of an abandoned building, watching Tartarus from a distance, his eyes fixed on the colossal structure.

S.E.E.S. was becoming a thorn in his side, and his hand rested on the revolver strapped to his belt.

Every time he thought of them, a growing anger welled up inside him.

The hideout door creaked open, and Jin entered, carrying his briefcase full of grenades and equipment.

He placed everything on the couch, his footsteps echoing through the empty space as he approached Takaya.

"And Chidori?" Takaya's voice was cold, almost devoid of emotion, but the weight of the question was clear.

Jin sighed, his expression tense. "They got her. S.E.E.S. is keeping her in the hospital. Without her, we can't move through the Dark Hour or use our Personas."

Adjusting his glasses, frustration was evident in his every movement. "She asked for our help to kidnap that guy. And it was reckless to invade their base, but don't you think we should go after her? After all, she's one of us."

Takaya turned to Jin, his icy gaze meeting his comrade's. "Don't be impatient, Jin. She's still captive because they probably took her Evoker."

His hand moved to his chin, deep in thought. "Our first goal is to recover the Evoker. Our Personas are as valuable as our lives."

He turned his eyes back to Tartarus, as if searching for answers in the enigmatic structure. "They found their own navigator. Their own pair of eyes. Without Chidori, stepping out into the streets would make us easy targets. They would locate us in minutes."

Jin crossed his arms, absorbing Takaya's words. "You're right. Sorry for losing my cool."

He paused, reflecting on the situation.

"But what do we do now? If they have someone who can predict our movements, catching them by surprise is impossible. And besides, they've already taken down another Shadow Arcana like it was nothing."

Takaya narrowed his eyes, his mind calculating every future move. "We need to eliminate their navigator. Without them, they'll be blind. But to do that, we'll have to get past the other members."

Jin clenched his fist, grasping the gravity of what was to come. "It's going to be tough. But if it's the only way to take down S.E.E.S., then we'll do whatever it takes."

The silence was suddenly broken—the metallic clatter of cans falling.

Takaya reacted instantly, drawing his revolver and aiming at the door with cold precision.

Beside him, Jin opened his briefcase, pulling out a liquid nitrogen grenade.

The sound of slow footsteps echoed through the abandoned building, but neither Takaya nor Jin showed any fear.

What they felt was a smoldering rage. Someone had found their hideout.

An unforgivable mistake.

After a few seconds, a figure finally appeared in the doorway.

Dressed entirely in black, the intruder looked like a living shadow.

A flowing trench coat, leather gloves, well-tailored pants, and impeccable shoes completed his figure.

Beneath a balaclava and mask, a fedora hat completed the disguise concealing his identity.

The figure held a briefcase with the Kirijo Corporation's seal.

With a graceful gesture, he spun his hand and made a theatrical bow. "It's a pleasure to meet you, gentlemen. You may call me Noir."

Takaya tightened his grip on the revolver, the menacing sound of the hammer being pulled back filled the air. "Who are you? How did you get in here?"

Noir maintained his bow, his voice smooth and welcoming. "Ah, no need for such hostility. I didn't come to harm you... but to offer my help."

Jin, still holding the grenade, hesitated before putting it back into the case. "Help us? With what exactly?"

Noir, resuming his posture, cast an enigmatic glance at them. "I have what you want. Information on S.E.E.S."

Interest replaced the distrust on Takaya's face.

He lowered the revolver, though his guard remained high.

A sinister smile began to form on his lips. "Go on."

Noir stepped forward with calculated movements, his eyes fixed on Takaya and Jin. "First and foremost, let me warn you: I won't give everything away for free. I believe there's a certain thrill in watching both sides of the coin clash."

He elegantly opened the briefcase, revealing a series of documents. "Here are dossiers on the members of S.E.E.S. Do with them as you see fit."

Noir tossed the documents onto the couch, the papers sliding across its surface.

The first dossier contained detailed information about Mitsuru.

Jin picked it up, murmuring with interest. "Mitsuru Kirijo... who would've thought that the Kirijo Corporation's heiress would be leading S.E.E.S.?"

Meanwhile, Noir pulled out a paper from inside his trench coat.

On it, the words "Project Akuma" were highlighted in bold.

He extended the document to Takaya, who took it with curiosity.

"What is this?" Takaya asked, unfolding the paper and reading attentively.

Noir adjusted his leather gloves, a hidden smile under his mask.

"It's a way to turn one of S.E.E.S.'s members against them. Moreover, it can temporarily enhance your Personas."

Takaya stared intently at the paper, absorbing the magnitude of the information. "Interesting..."

With another bow, Noir announced his departure. "Well then, gentlemen. My time here has come to an end. We will meet again, be sure of that. And know... I am always watching."

With light steps, he began walking away, leaving the hideout.

Takaya watched Noir disappear, but his focus quickly returned to the document in his hands.

Something caught his attention.

A passage mentioned three special Evokers, designed to unleash the Persona's full power—at the cost of the user's sanity and, eventually, their life.

These Evokers had been discontinued after the explosion of the laboratory that created Tartarus, and only three had been manufactured.

The missing devices were the key to unlocking unimaginable power, even for Shadows—if they consumed one of these Evokers, they would grow as powerful as a Shadow Arcana.

A wide, macabre smile spread across Takaya's face as he realized where one of these Evokers might be.

He looked at Tartarus as if he were standing before a divine opportunity.

"Jin..." Takaya began, his eyes gleaming with restrained madness.

"Do you remember the Shadow that is drawn to pure souls? The one I told you to avoid at all costs?"

Jin crossed his arms, puzzled. "Yeah. What about it?"

Takaya burst into a manic laugh, clutching his head with one hand. His laughter echoed through the hideout, reverberating in the empty space.

"She is our key to protecting the Dark Hour!" Takaya raised the paper, still laughing.