Persona 4 FYL: Ch. Seventeen

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Persona 4 or its characters, nor do I seek monetary profit from the writing and presentation of this story.

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Persona 4 FYL (Five Years Later)
Chapter Seventeen: Rapid Transit





“Naoto! W-watch the corner!”

“I am, Yosuke-san. I’m passing by it right now.”

“C-cut the crap! We don’t have seatbelts on!”

“…You don’t trust me?”

“It’s not that! It just that we wanna live!”

“I do believe that’s why we must make haste. Is that not true?”

“Don’t get technical! You’re—“

“Naoto-kun! It’s them! Stop here!”

The black car skid to a halt next to Daisuke’s own vehicle as Kanji and Rise lowered their windows. Peering out, they all saw their other school friends from so long ago approach them, each looking torn between relief and worry.

“Hey, it’s the others!” said Kou with a smile, looking inside. His eyes widened as he saw almost everyone in the back seat paired up, and he looked away with a blush. “I-is now the best time to be joyriding, though?”

“This isn’t a joyride!” Yosuke yelled, looking offended and embarrassed. “We’re going after Souji!”

“Where is he, though?” asked Rise, looking around in concern. “I thought he was still here with you guys.”

“You’re late!” said Ai, moving toward Rise’s window. “We already sent him on his way. He said something about getting to the school.”

“…And why didn’t you stop him?” asked Naoto icily.

“You know how he gets when he makes up his mind,” said Ai matter-of-factly. “He can be just as stubborn as…. Well…”

“You?” piped in Naoki. Everyone laughed, and even Ai smiled.

“Well, I guess I DO have that reputation. But still…” Ai looked down at Naoto in complete seriousness. “I thought you’d be with him. I really hope you’re not planning to drop the ball, Shirogane!”

“Hey, go easy on her,” said Yumi, reaching through the window and putting a thin hand on Naoto’s.  “She’s been through a lot recently. I can’t really blame her for how she’s been. It’s… really hard to lose your father-figure…”

Naoto blinked as she looked into Yumi’s eyes, an understanding flowing between the two of them that surpassed emotion and logic. It was then that Naoto remembered something she had heard about Yumi five years ago: that Yumi’s father had suddenly passed away because of cancer. Granted, she didn’t know all the details, but the genuine sympathy in the black-haired girl’s eyes caused Naoto to smile up at her in gratitude. I’m… not alone after all, am I, Senpai?

“Thank you, Yumi-san, but we need to keep going,” she added, trying her best to stay on task. “Which way did Souji go?”

“He drove off toward the Floodplain,” said Ayane, pointing southward. “But the Shadows…”

“So they gave chase,” said Yukiko, looking disappointed. “I was wondering why you all weren’t being attacked. I hope he doesn’t run into any trouble.”

“He won’t,” said Ai confidently. “He’s riding my motorcycle, after all.”

“Dude!” yelped Yosuke, looking VERY jealous. “You mean he’s on the 2X-12R?! Man, what the heck?! I never get to—OW!!” The brunette winced as Chie ‘nudged’ him with her elbow. “Wh-what was that for?!”

“Slipped. Sorry.” Chie didn’t look the least bit apologetic.

“Still, Senpai’ll be in big trouble if those Shadows catch up to him,” said Kanji, trying to get the conversation back on track. “Maybe you should check on him?” he suggested, glancing over at Rise.

The idol looked at their other friends in concern, obviously wary of using her Persona around them, but yelped as a large explosion lit the sky to the south. Everyone instinctively turned to Naoki, who was beaming with quiet pride.

“Head toward that,” suggested Daisuke with a grin.

“Thanks,” said Naoto, shifting the car into gear. “All of you be safe.”

“Hey, Shirogane!!” yelled Ai as the detective sped down the road. “You’d better treat him right, or I’ll be a hell of a lot scarier than any of these Shadow things!!”

“Too late,” muttered Rise under her breath.

“That was… Snrk… so mean…” said Yukiko with difficulty. “…Pffft…”

“I think that was as close to a blessing as she’ll ever give you, though, Naoto,” said Kanji thoughtfully. “Oh, wait! Take that alley!” he yelled more loudly, pointing to the right. “That’ll take us straight to the Samegawa! I took that shortcut all the time back in school!”

“Understood! Hold on!” Naoto wrenched the wheel around, putting the car into a skid as she skillfully maneuvered the speeding vehicle into the narrow back street.

“D-damn it! Did you learn to drive in America or something?!” Yosuke shuddered reflexively.

“…You’re.. uh…” Chie blushed heavily. “You’re squeezing too tight, Yosuke…”

“Ah! S-sorry!!”

The car leaped out of the alley as it reached the Samegawa road, and Naoto turned westward, glancing down at the few fires that blazed around them. “What happened here? It’s like a war zone..”

“Probably Souji-kun,” said Chie, looking around out of the windows. “But.. where is he??”

“I don’t see Sensei anywhere, either!” cried Teddie, looking worried.
Rise concentrated, bringing up Himiko, who passed through the solid car in a ghost-like manner. “I sense him! He’s… Huh?”

“What’s wrong?” asked Yukiko.

“He’s right next to us! But I don’t see him any—KYAAAHH!!”

Another violent explosion caused the car to shudder, Naoto battling with it to maintain control. A gazebo to their right went up in flames, Shadows flying in every direction like a swarm of meteors. A motorcycle flew over the speeding vehicle, landing lightly in front of them, tires squealing against the pavement. The headlights of Naoto’s car shined upon a silver motorcycle, its driver bearing hair of the same color.

“Damn it, Souji!!” yelled Naoto, leaning out the window and glaring at the cyclist in anger. “If you die, I’ll bring you back to life and kill you myself!!”

Souji glanced backward, not expecting Naoto’s voice to emerge from the car. His shock gave way to relief and gratitude, and he saluted the car as he maneuvered to the vehicle’s right side. A loud collective shriek from behind signaled the approach of more pursuing Shadows.

“Himiko up!” announced Rise, staring back at the charging enemies. “Wow, Souji-kun! Did you bring all the Shadows in the world with you?!”

“It feels like it,” admitted the silverette, slightly irritated. “It’s about time you got here!”

“A little worried we wouldn’t make it?” asked Yosuke, grinning.

“You might say that,” replied Souji, giving Teddie a wink. “Good job, buddy. I knew you could slap some sense into them.”

“Literally,” admitted Kanji, rubbing his jaw.

“Cut the chatter, all of you,” interjected Naoto, looking through her mirrors. “We need to figure out how to get these Shadows off our tail.”

“The school isn’t much farther,” said Souji, striking out with sword in hand as a Shadow moved too close to the cycle. “Any magic buttons in that car of yours to slow them down?”

The sleuth grinned mischievously. “Well, as luck would have it…” Naoto pushed a hidden button on the steering wheel, and smoke poured copiously out of the exhaust pipe. Rough, hacking coughs emerged from the mass of Shadows pursuing the team, and they began to back off from the chase.

Yosuke shook his head in disbelief as he stared back behind them. “Whoa! You really are double-oh-juni— mmmpphh!!”

“Don’t piss off the driver, Yosuke!” cried Chie, her hand covering his mouth.

“We still have some on our tails, guys!” Teddie whimpered.

“Mmph?!” Yosuke pulled Chie’s hand away. “Bears don’t HAVE tails!!”

“Yeah they do,” said Kanji. Everyone turned to him, not expecting the reply. “You know… little ones.”

No one spoke for a moment, the purr of the engines broken by a loud collective roar.

“Let’s get back on target here!” hollered Chie, giving Yosuke a “you should have known better” sort of look.

“Yukiko,” said Souji, making the raven-haired girl jump in Kanji’s lap. “When I give the signal, torch the bike with Amaterasu.”

“Souji-kun, I’m not sure if that’s such a good idea,” said Yukiko, shaking her head.

“Lower the passenger-side front window, Naoto,” continued Souji, ignoring Yosuke’s look of horrified shock. The silverette knew that his old friend considered his suggestion to be a crime against motorcycles everywhere, but he needed to be creative.

“Reckless as usual, I see,” remarked Naoto, but she lowered the window nonetheless.

Souji summoned Izanagi-no-Okami as more Shadows came close to his position. But he summoned a tornado of wind, letting go of the cycle as he kicked off of it into the middle of the funnel. The force from the strong air spell shot him straight through the open window, but his height worked against him. The tight, close confines of the vehicle didn’t allow room to maneuver, so his head slid into Naoto’s open lap, his feet and lower legs still sprawled outside of the window.

“Now!” yelled Souji, not bothering to use Himiko’s link. Yukiko concentrated hard, Amaterasu appearing beside the now riderless motorbike and surrounding it in a fireball. The vehicle tumbled backward toward the oncoming Shadows, the intense heat causing the gas tank to detonate, scattering even more of the horde.

“Uhm… S-Souji…”

The silverette looked up reflexively, blinking as his eyes met Naoto’s silver-blue irises, a soft blush covering her pale cheeks as she glanced down at him.

“…I… don’t think now is the best time for… um…”

Souji blushed as well. He hadn’t been this close to Naoto for some time, and he was hesitant to move away. But he knew he would keep her from focusing if he stayed like this…

“I smell reinforcements coming!” cried Teddie again, his blue eyes wide with fright and panic.

The silverette turned serious, trying to find a way to readjust his postion in the passenger seat, but Naoto put a hand on his arm, stopping him from moving.

“I… will say this, though…” Naoto’s voice was completely calm, her weighed words meant only for his ears alone. “The next time you try something that stupid, I’m going to—“

Souji looked up at Naoto in surprise, wondering what could have possibly stopped her in mid-lecture. He saw that her silver-blue eyes were staring not at him, but at his half-open satchel, bottles with cloth tops peeking out of the container.

“Are… are those… molotovs?” Naoto asked quietly.

“Aw, shit.”

“What?!” cried Chie, staring at Kanji in fright.

“Nothin’! Nothin’ at all!” said Kanji, trying to cover up his slip of the tongue. “Keep drivin’, kid! We’re almos—“

“Hey! Keep your hands on the wheel!!” yelled Yosuke as the detective snatched up the bottles where they lay.

Souji was speechless. He had never seen Naoto look so joyful before, and yet… it frightened him all the same. It finally occurred to him to actually stop Naoto from taking the explosives, but it was too late; she had emptied the satchel.

“I think the term is ‘Don’t think; feel?’” suggested Yukiko, who had become pale.

“No! Now’s the time to think!!” yelled Chie, pulling herself between the two front seats in alarm. “Think, Naoto-kun!!”

However, Naoto was too far gone to do anything of the sort. Giggling like a little girl, the sleuth began lighting the explosives and tossing them back out of the window. The more she threw, the more she laughed, but her accuracy could not have better. The onslaught of explosives caused the Shadows to begin scattering to the four winds, but it left the vehicle quite driverless. Souji tried to climb right-side up again before reaching for the wheel, and Chie assisted him in keeping the vehicle on the road.

“Never fails,” groaned Kanji, rubbing his temple. “Find any explosive material and the kid goes apeshit.”

“Yeah,” Rise chimed in, shaking her head solemnly. “She was almost banned from chemistry class, remember?”

“I didn’t know we had apes in Inaba!” said Teddie, looking interested.

“Would you all quit monkeying around?!” yelled Yukiko. “We gotta—“ She was interrupted by a fit of giggles, abruptly realizing her own unintentional pun.

“Oh, good grief,” muttered Chie, looking behind her at her dear friend.

“Well, at least the Shadows are gone,” said Yosuke in relief, running a shaky hand through his hair as he noticed Naoto place her hands back on the steering wheel. “Are you feeling better now, Naoto?” he added warily.

“Hm? Should I be?” asked Naoto, looking genuinely confused.

Souji clearly wasn’t amused. “No more ‘reckless’ speeches. You’ve lost the priviledge.”

“I’ve no idea of what you speak, Souji,” said Naoto blankly.

“We’ll… tell you later,” said Yukiko quickly. “We’re almost there now. We should make sure we’re ready for anything.”

“About damn time,” muttered Kanji, a little too loudly.

“Now just a moment!” retorted Naoto, looking hurt. “My driving wasn’t deplorable—“

“…Until the molotovs,” said Souji bluntly.

“Where?!” yelled Naoto, glancing around the passenger seat and grabbing the empty satchel with her right hand. “You have more?! Give them to me!! I’ll—…I’ll…”

Her voice died in her throat as she noticed Souji giving her his own version of “the look,” causing her to blush brighter than a stoplight.

“Busted,” said Kanji and Rise in unison, looking quite smug.

“L-let’s just go!!” hollered Naoto, her blush increasing in intensity as she braked and parked the car, quickly exiting the vehicle to hide her deepening embarrassment.