01 // audio

[fatemeter]

Good evening. [However little that means in a place that doesn't seem to have actual days, it hardly hurts to be polite.] My name is Naoto Shirogane. In my... own world [there's just a moment of hesitation], I'm a detective by trade. As such, in the interest of consolidating what information we have, I have a few questions I'd like to ask.

[It might be a bit difficult to put a gender to the voice here without any visual cues. It is unambiguously young - but given the practised, professional air with which all of this is being reeled off, you might overlook that. To some extent, that's the point.]

Firstly: what are the last events you recall before waking up in this "realm of dreams"? Is the memory continuous as far as you can remember, or is there a gap?

Secondly: were you previously familiar with the phenomenon of movement between different worlds, voluntary or otherwise? If so, what comparisons could you draw, if any, to the process of entering this one?

Thirdly: from what you know of those in this same situation, can you think of any commonalities we may have had prior to our arrival here? Is there evidence to suggest that the selection is something other than wholly random - based on certain criteria, perhaps, or even a conscious choice on the part of some other entity?

And, finally... [This level tone of voice doesn't change.] Where in this place might somebody procure firearms, should the need arise?

[Potentially unfortunate implications? What unfortunate implications?]

I assure you, any answers you can offer will be helpful. Thank you for your time.

[Without fanfare, the recording switches off.]

Comments

[realmenknitplushies]

[Oh, that sort of ontological mystery. He nods, and starts to step away, ready to get going.]

Sure, c'mon. I think I know the way, at least...

[He hopes, anyway.]

[fatemeter]

In that case, I'll follow you.

[Since she was already standing, all she does is take a step forward, assuming that Kanji is going to turn and lead the way.

But then she hesitates before getting any closer, because suddenly there's a bat on her head. It squeaks again and leans over to try and catch the Pricklemane's eye, clearly pleased with itself.]

[realmenknitplushies]

[And that just sets the Pricklemane off bouncing happily, seeming somewhat amused. Kanji smiles himself, but worrying that he looks like he's staring, goes red for a moment.]

Uh - whenever you two're ready... are you gonna be okay with, y'know...

[fatemeter]

[Naoto tries in vain to look up. The creature is far from heavy, that's not the problem, but the perch it's chosen is a little uncomfortable for her in another sense... She's sure the excitable chittering she can hear must be some form of chiropteran snickering.

But she's had plenty of practice at swallowing down this sort of feeling, so that's what she does, keeping her expression carefully neutral.] It's quite all right, Kanji-kun. Which way was this fountain?

[realmenknitplushies]

It's on a big square. C'mon, follow me.

[He's leading the way, then: he thinks he knows where he's going, but he's still not quite sure, given how similar a lot of the streets around here look. Ah, well. They'll get there, hopefully...]

[fatemeter]

[Naoto trails a little way back as they make their way through the neon glow of the town, not because she isn't interested - she wouldn't mind seeing what exactly is powering all of this, she thinks - but because she's keeping a thoughtful eye on her surroundings as she goes, and this way he blocks out less of her field of view. She isn't sure what she's expecting, but she was paying attention when the moogle earlier mentioned that these strange animals they've acquired were supposedly for fighting...

For now, besides their footsteps on the cobblestones, the streets are quiet. Still, after a while, something does catch her attention.]

... Kanji-kun, have we passed this street already? [She gestures towards some of the nearby lights.]

[realmenknitplushies]

...ah, crap!

[He looks around, trying to recognise what's going on. And yes, these do look familiar - they're going backwards over this patch of street, he suddenly realises. They must've looped around on themselves.]

Ugh. Lemme think about this.

[fatemeter]

Perhaps we should retrace our -

[She doesn't quite freeze as she stops talking, but all of a sudden, she's tense - more so than usual. Was that noise just her imagination?

On top of her head, her Spirit's ears seem to prick up, too.]

[realmenknitplushies]

Huh? Naoto?

[The Pricklemane seems a spot agitated by whatever it was, bounding around with tail lashing. Kanji looks at it, puzzled.]

[fatemeter]

...Behind you!

[Which, depending on whether he hears Naoto in time, may mean he's not looking in the right direction to spot the Meow Wow barrelling through the air towards him. It's an unfamiliar creature, and its expression is innocent enough, but with that red gleam in its eyes, there's no mistaking its intentions.

Where did it come from...? Well, they can figure that out in due course. Wasting no time, almost on reflex, Naoto's hand flies to her side - but there, it falters and drops. Damn... No, not in close quarters like this...

A little belatedly, she notices that her bat is no longer weighing down her head.]

[realmenknitplushies]

Ah, crap!

[Kanji's not quite there on time. He's knocked flying - how can a creature like that hit so hard? It's not the worst he's taken, though, not by a long way... He rolls with the Nightmare, lunging punches in to try and pry it off him.]

Get off me, ya furball...

[fatemeter]

[Naoto grits her teeth. Recklessness isn't her style, she thinks, but neither is standing helplessly by. As Kanji and the Meow Wow hit the ground, she quickly steps out of the way and circles round. From behind, maybe she can -

But before she can move again, let alone dive in, a squeak rings out overhead, and her Komory Bat cannonballs straight into the fray.

...As well as into Kanji's punching range, but he wouldn't hurt a little critter like that, would he?]

[realmenknitplushies]

[He just about manages to avoid smacking the bat one, but it throws him off his stride for a moment.

Luckily, he's not the only one on the attack. The Pricklemane launches at the Meow Wow, trying to tackle it out of the way. How dare it do that to its person?]

...whoa, thanks, little guy...

[fatemeter]

[The bat hurls itself forward as the Meow Wow is punted aside, volleying it into the cobblestones - if it's getting up at all, it's not doing so right away.

Naoto hasn't quite realised that she's raising both of her fists as if to cheer her Spirit on, but she does know she's pretty impressed.] Good work!

[...Oh, right. Now that he's somewhat less entangled in the big ball of violence, she hurries back over to Kanji and offers him a hand up. (It's the thought that counts.)]

On your feet, Kanji-kun. Are you injured?

[realmenknitplushies]

[While the Spirits do their thing, Kanji gets to his feet - definitely the thought that counts, but he's glad of it anyway.]

Nothin' hurt but my pride. That thing just came outta nowhere!

[He looks across at what his Pricklemane's doing to the Meow Wow, and grins.]

[fatemeter]

[Lowering her hand, Naoto looks across as well. Even for an outnumbered foe, all that tackling and headbutting seems pretty one-sided - nope, the furball isn't getting up any time soon.]

It was a surprise. [Without her prior experience of monsters popping up out of nowhere, she might even have sounded like it.] And from what we were told, it won't be the last.

[She smiles wryly to herself.] I daresay that isn't the only detail about this place that seems unsubtle... I wonder what the connection is.

[realmenknitplushies]

[At least they've got their TV experience to fall back on... it's just that this cheerful neon town's a far cry from anything in the TV.]

If that's one of these Nightmares... yeah. [He pauses for a second-]...hey, what d'you mean, 'the connection?'

[fatemeter]

The same theories that gave rise to the terms Persona and Shadow in our world hold that dreams are a reflection of the human subconscious - a connection, if you will. To be brought here, equipped with tamed versions of the creatures we purport to fight but no further answers, so soon after learning of the foe outside the TV we still need to contend with... [She shakes her head.] We have no way of knowing for now, but personally...

[She stops herself. She trusts Kanji, that's not the problem, but it would hardly be fair to get him worked up over what could after all be a figment of her imagination. ...It'd be nice to have someone she could say it out loud to, though.]

Well, at this point, the most critical part is to keep an open mind.

[realmenknitplushies]

...Ya mean, these guys are the same kinda thing as Personas and Shadows?

[And he just stares at the Dream Eaters for a moment, comparing them to what he knows. Well, when he thinks about it, there'd been enough wild and colourful Shadows out there that they'd run into... not to mention Teddie. It's not outside the realms of possibility, at least. And if anyone'd know this stuff...]

Well, I guess it makes sense. Open mind. Yeah.

[fatemeter]

[Figuring that since the Nightmare went after Kanji first it doesn't mind letting the Pricklemane steal what's left of the show, the Komory Bat backs up and parks itself on Naoto's shoulder with a self-satisfied chirp.

She looks at it awkwardly, although she can't help giving it another small smile. Somehow, with a small furry creature rubbing right up against her ear, she's finding it harder to worry about the ever-widening scope of their little foggy murder case and its implications for their absent friends... It doesn't quite fit her image, either.]

Um, that aside, the fountain... Shall we?

[realmenknitplushies]

[The Pricklemane's finishing up here quickly: soon, it seems, there'll be nothing left of the Nightmare but a scatter of munny on the ground. Kanji can't help but be proud of it, smiling.

As things wrap up, though, he nods.]

We ain't getting anywhere here. And if that thing's got friends anywhere I don't wanna run into them in a hurry either. C'mon.

[fatemeter]

Yes, let's backtrack. It's certainly a more compact town than Yasoinaba - most likely, we simply missed a turning.

[She hasn't seen any sign of this fountain yet, but that won't stop her from taking the lead now. She's still moving cautiously, too... but, for some reason, just a little less so than before.]

[realmenknitplushies]

Probably, yeah.

[He hardly minds the place being compact. It seems to have everything he needs, after all...

As he realises she's slipped into the lead, he figures he should let her know more about what they're looking for.]

You get to the square where it is through one of those big sets of doors. 'Second district', I think the sign said.

[fatemeter]

"Second district" - [Something sparks in her recent memory. She's not certain, but...] Ah, I see! Follow me.

[Indeed, it's not long before they reach one set of doors. Before Naoto can check which it is, though, her bat launches itself off her shoulder and flits joyously into the plaza beyond.

She blanches.] Wait! Where are you going?

[realmenknitplushies]

[The Pricklemane's off, too, and Kanji chases it out the door. He looks around for a moment -]

Yeah, this is it! I recognise the crates. C'mon, it's down this way...

[And he's got it. He leads the way down a twisting ramp.]