Part 102: December 6: Reconciliation

-The Path is Open-


The finalized design for Kintoki-Douji, Teddie's Persona. Since the hero of the children's story Kintaro has a tomahawk, this design modernizes that concept with the missile.



> Junes, Electronics department...

-Junes Theme-


No, and no one's seen him either.
Ooh, that annoying little furball! Just when we're at a turning point in the case, too!
We have no choice. Let's pursue Adachi for now.


Whoa...Look how dense this fog is...It's gotten even worse than before.
What the...? There's this malicious aura everywhere...It feels completely different from the last time I was here...I think we'd better hurry.
Give me a sec to try finding Adachi.


Does this mean both this world and ours are getting messed up?
Our glasses work on the fog on the other side. It can't be normal...And I heard more people are falling ill because of the fog. I wonder what's going to happen.
I sense him! Adachi's definitely in here!
Are you serious!? Which way!?
Hold on...
So he did come to this side...
Well, that settles it. There's virtually no doubt remaining that he's the true culprit. Once we capture him, solving the mystery of this world and the rest of the case can't be far behind.
Then...maybe we'll find out where Teddie came from, too.
Man, where is that bear, anyway...?
Well...I can say for sure he's not here. And I know Adachi is here, but I can't track him down myself...
Gee, Ted! Why aren't you here when we need you most!?


I see...I...came back. But it really doesn't matter...I'm completely useless...Nana-chan...I'm so sorry...


It is you...Teddie...I heard...your voice...You said...hang in there...I heard...my big bro...and everyone else, too...
N-Nana-chan!? Hold on, I'll get the doctor!


U-Um, Nana-chan told me that she heard my voice...She heard me say, "hang in there"...
Doctor: It could be that her frankly miraculous recovery was because everyone's voices reached her. Even unconscious people are capable of hearing others' voices.
Translation: "I am completely lost at sea here, so I'll make up something soothing to stop the blonde lunatic from getting bored and trashing all our equipment like he did during his last check-up."
My voice...And theirs too...Everyone...
Doctor: In any case, there are too many things we don't understand about her condition and what caused it. We're doing our best, but it's difficult when everything about her illness is a total unknown.
Unknown...
Doctor: Well, if anything happens, please send for me...

-Smile-


So all I have to do...is make them not-unknown. Nana-chan's doing her best...Sensei and the others are probably fighting now too...I...I'm just a Shadow, but Nana-chan cheered up when she heard my voice...So what if I'm just a Shadow...!? There must be something I can do! I can't just give up thinking about things...That's why I came back here. Right, Nana-chan...?

-Strength of Heart-



> Teddie's strong will that allowed him to accept and overcome his weakness has awakened his heart's true power...



> Teddie's Persona has been reborn...! Kintoki-Douji has transfigured into Kamui!





Kim-un Kamui, the ancient bear god.


Hang in there, Nana-chan. I'll be back soon!


Rise-chan...
If only Teddie was with us...
Didn't he say his nose is practically useless now? Could he even help us find that bastard?
Haha, nope. He'd be no help at all. But he was always there to support me whenever...
That bear's a loudmouth, but he's nice to have around. He's always so full of energy...
He's lighthearted, and always optimistic...




The fog's so dense...It's hard to see through it...
Why don't we call it a day? It won't do us any good if you collapse.
I agree. If Rise-san became fatigued, even if we found Adachi, our capacity in battle would be reduced. Moreover, it's almost nighttime...We should return to our world for the present.


I know he's in there, too...What's wrong with me...? My powers are completely useless...!



-Smile-






You're so late! Who do you think you are!?
*sob*
U-Um, R-Rise-chan...Are you faking?
No, stupid!
S-Sorry...!
I want to help you all again.
You know how much trouble you caused, y'dumb bear!? Where the hell were you!?
I'm sorry. I figured out a lot of things. Stuff about me...and that world. I wanted to tell you all...



> That he was only a Shadow...And that although he was at his wit's end, he was able to come back to your world...

A Shadow...? You mean you're one of those things we've been fighting?
Yup...just like the ones you all know about. Shadows are suppressed human thoughts given form...Everyone has them inside.
Wait...You say you're a Shadow, but you didn't attack us. And you kept telling us from the start that you wanted to bring peace and quiet back to that world, right?
But in the end...I was just an ordinary Shadow. Nothing special about me at all. I did everything I could until now to try and make my world peaceful...But instead, the weird fog started seeping out into this world too...I'm sorry...I'm really sorry. If I really was special, then maybe...
It's no big deal. I mean, we weren't expecting much from you in the first place. And about you being a Shadow, we pretty much figured you were something like that anyway.

-New Days-

Huh...? Wh-What're you saying!?
Here I am, pouring my heart out to you, and you say you thought I was something like that anyways!? No normal person would think such a pretty bear could really be a Shadow!
So what's the problem with being a Shadow?
It's true that you may have been born that way. But you now possess the power of Persona. A Shadow is suppressed power...Once controlled by the ego, it becomes a Persona...Doesn't it follow, then, that you must have developed an ego? Whether the ego masters its Shadow, or the Shadow awakens to its ego...
The only difference I see is the order in which the process occurred.
Oh! Teddie's practically human, then.
I-I'm...the same as humans...?
You keep trying to figure out who you are, just like all of us here. You can't do much on your own...You really aren't that special...See? What's so different between you and us?
*sniff* Raaaaaaaawr! Th-Tha...Thank you...I-I'm so glad...I met you guys...
The rest of us were pretty much a group of misfits to begin with too, right? You fit right in, man.
I beg your pardon? Who are you calling a misfit?
Isn't that just you, Senpai?
Hey...That's not something a detective would say...Or an idol, either!
Geez...Stop crying, will ya? Now's not the time for that. While you were gone, we figured out who murdered the announcer and Senpai...
It was Adachi.
Huh!? Adachi!? That total goofball!? Whoa...I didn't notice at all. Looks like I'm pretty blind to that sort of thing...
Mmm...But you all know him...If you can't find someone like that, I don't think I can help you...
Like I said, we're not expecting much from ya.
The main thing is, it's hard to get pumped about this without someone nice 'n fuzzy around.
Yeah, what Kanji said.
O-Okay...Thanks, guys...
Alright, now that the band's back together, let's take it from the top, starting tomorrow!
It's been a while, but I'll do my best to look for him too! Leave it to Fuzzy!

> You've taken another step toward the truth...



> Since you'll start fresh again tomorrow, each of you decided to go home for today...