harperlace-blog

[harperlace-blog]

Persona: The Nightmare Witch Chapter 1

When Nanako Dojima returns to Inaba after a year away, she learns that nightmares have been plaguing the town. Eventually, she finds herself thrown into an investigation to not only save the town, but her father as well. Set 10 years later. A story of bonds, the past and facing your fear.

Monday, April 10, 2021

Samaru City, train station.

It was the brink of dusk but the city showed no signs of rest. Pedestrians and cars buzzed left and right, either on their way home or venturing out for night life. Shielding her eyes from the intense orange glow of sun, Nanako Dojima shouldered her way through a busy sidewalk. A bit behind schedule but the teenage girl managed to catch a spot at the railway platform to wait for the next train.

"Did you hear about that big drug ring?"

"It's all over the damn news, how wouldn't I?"

Nanako lifted her gaze from her cellphone to overhear a conversation between two men in business suits.

"Imagine the loads of cash those guys are making..."

"H-hey, you're not trying to imply something, are you?"

"No. But honestly, money can solve a lot of your problems."

"Seriously, man? Is that what you really think?"

Right on queue, her awaited train slowly pulled up to the platform and the doors slid open. Nanako turned back to her phone and typed in a quick text message:

Dad-

Train just came. See you in a few!

Picking up her suitcase, Nanako joined the crowd to board the train and found a somewhat cramped spot in the corner. She turned her head to the window to gaze at the skyscrapers one last time before the doors closed shut. It only took several minutes before Nanako slowly dosed off.

When Nanako came to, she was standing to what appeared to be the interior of a limousine. The color blue literally emitted itself from the cushions of the seats to the lights on the ceiling.

Am I...dreaming?

Nanako turned her attention to the two figures that sat inside. A woman with elegant blond hair and in blue uniform, much similar to a flight attendant, sat cross legged. She gestured Nanako to have a seat across from them.

As she hesitantly sat down, Nanako couldn't keep her eyes off of the sharply contrasted figure next to the woman. His elbows sat on the table before him, chin rested on his folded hands and a nose that easily reached a foot long. His pointed ears reached to his bald head. The only thing that was normal about him was his black suit, similar to a butler.

"Welcome to the Velvet Room," the mysterious gentleman greeted, which jolted Nanako a bit. He paused, as if analyzing Nanako's thoughts.

"Why, we've been expecting you. For quite some time, I must say."

He paused again, studying Nanako thoroughly. He suddenly let out a chuckle. "My, you have a most unique destiny lying ahead of you."

Unique destiny? What's that supposed to mean? Actually, the better question is...who are these people?

"Let me introduce myself." The man looked up with unblinking eyes that fixated on her. "I'm Igor. I'm quite pleased to make your acquaintance."

He then gestured his hand to the woman next to him, "This is Margaret, my assistant. She is a resident of this place, like myself."

"Yes, welcome." Margaret smiled warmly.

"You see, this place exists between dream and reality, mind and matter," Igor continued. "Generally speaking, only those who have forged a contract can visit this room."

In a blink of an eye, a contract appeared before Igor.

"However, what I am speaking about is not a physical contract such as this." The contract vanished with a wave of his hand. "In actuality, you have a formed a promise in the past. To fulfill the promise, you will acquire my help to hone your unique ability."

Promise? Ability?

For some reason, Nanako found it hard to speak.

Suddenly, Igor swiped his hand over the table to reveal a set of tarot cards. Nanako leaned forward to get a better look. 21 cards laid before him, each with a symbol of what appeared to be double-sided mask.

"That's enough about the past. Let's take a look into your future, shall we?"

Igor flipped over one card to reveal its hidden side and analyzed it closely.

"Interesting. A star, in the upright position. I see renewed hope and fulfillment in the future but only if you endure the trials and tribulations that lie ahead of you." Igor proceeded to flip another card.

"A moon, also in the upright position. This card represents hesitation and mystery in the immediate future. Hmm…"

Nanako sat back in her seat, clinging onto his every word. Even if this was a dream, her subconscious must be telling her something, right? She read something about it in a book once. Although, Nanako couldn't possibly fathom why she would dream up this odd duo.

"In the upcoming days, you will encounter a great mystery, one that is deeply rooted to your past. You will then awaken a great power within you, after which you will return here."

Igor gestured around him, indicating the Velvet Room.

"There will be a great turning point in your destiny. Should the mystery go unsolved, you will have to face the consequences of a broken promise," He continued. "My duty is to provide assistance to ensure that does not happen."

Igor didn't falter his smile and Nanako felt a little uncomfortable under his stare. She felt like her mind was being analyzed and picked apart.

"We shall attend to the details another time. Until then, farewell…"

Then all went to black.

"Thank you for riding with us. In just a few moments, we'll reach our final stop at Yasogami station."

Nanako jolted awake at the sound of the intercom above her.

"Please prepare to exit," the conductor instructed over the intercom.

Nanako tried to re-collect herself, still shaken from her dream. It...was a dream right? For some reason, she was doubting herself. It was just so weird.

Nanako shook her head and reached over to the compartment above her for her bags. The view from the window was nothing but long, green hills illuminated by the moonlight.

"It's so beautiful," Nanako said to herself, feeling her heart clench at the sight of her home town once again. The city may be colorful and exciting, but nothing can take her breath away than the gentle quietness of Inaba. The image of her father suddenly flashed in her mind. She missed him so much.

The train had reached a full stop and she hurried toward the exit. Upon stepping onto the platform, Nanako looked behind her, curious to see anyone else exiting with her until she remembered that she was the only one heading for Inaba. Not that it surprised her, she knew very well that her hometown was desolate but had garnered quite a reputation in the last few years.

The urban legend of the 'Midnight Channel' and the creepy, unsettling fog that covered the town captured the attention of many paranormal enthusiasts. However, because she was at such a young age during that time, she couldn't quite understand the details of it all. All she knew was that the Midnight Channel disappeared one day and everything went back to normal. She figured the flood of visitors died down by now.

Shrugging, Nanako started to walk past the station. Now, where could her father be?

"Nanako!"

Nanako instantly smiled at the sight of her father standing under a streetlight and waving. She hurried to her father's arms and the two held together in a tight hug.

Ryotaro Dojima, Nanako's beloved father. Now that she noticed, he was still wearing his usual dark gray shirt with pulled up sleeves and red necktie, an outfit that she continuously told him to get rid of by now. Of course, when your father is a 24/7 working police detective, attire is the least thing that's on his mind.

"Can you do me a favor and stop growing so much," Dojima joked and loosened his grip to see her face clearly. Nanako didn't want to cry in front of him but she couldn't help feel her eyes water a bit. She felt that she had forgotten what her father's embrace was like.

"I've missed you so much, Daddy," Nanako said and pulled him into a hug once more, ignoring the fact that she hadn't called her father 'Daddy' in a long time. She let go of him and saw that someone was missing.

"Where's Yu?" Nanako asked.

"Back at the house, everyone's waiting for you." Dojima replied as he picked up Nanako's belongings. Suddenly, he stopped short and scratched behind his head. "Ah...I think I just ruined the surprise."

Nanako laughed. "You're bad at keeping secrets."

"Oh well," Dojima shrugged. "Let's get going. You can tell me all about your trip while we get there."

"Oh yeah! Can you believe there's not a single Junes in the city?" Nanako said as she followed her father to the car. Dojima chuckled, and replied, "It's probably because big city folks don't go to department stores for fun like we do here."

Inaba, Dojima Residence.

"Welcome back, Nanako-chan!"

Upon entering her home, Nanako was immediately greeted by all of her friends. Well, they were mostly friends of Yu, but she grew to consider them her friends too.

Chie, Yosuke, Yukiko, Kanji, and Teddie. Out of his costume of course.

"Nana-chan!" Teddie screamed in joy and ran up to her to give her a tight embrace.

"Hey, Teddie!" Nanako laughed and returned the hug.

"We've missed you bear-y much." His cheeks flushed red when he added, "And you're so beaut-"

"Hands off my daughter, bear," Dojima suddenly cut him off and gave him a cold stare.

"H-huh? But I'm not in my bear costume," Teddie protested which earned him an even colder stare from her father. Everyone in the room laughed at the ordeal and Nanako smiled warmly. She had no idea how good it was going to feel coming back.

"It's so nice to see you all again," Nanako said as she walked to the center of the room where everyone was sitting around the table. While her father took her bags to her room, Nanako surveyed her home. It was like nothing has even changed. Blue curtains draped over the backdoor and the retro-style TV still sat in the corner of their tiny home.

Suddenly, she felt a tug at the end of her dress and when she looked down, she met the hazel eyes of a four-year-old boy. The toddler was dressed in blue overalls with a green-striped shirt underneath. His other hand clenched tightly to a stuffed fox.

Nanako's eyes widened. He. Was. Adorable.

"Oh hey, you two haven't met, right?" Chie spoke up and went over to her son to ruffle his silver hair. "Koji, this is Nanako. She's your-uh, what would it be? Second-cousin?"

Nanako bent down to match Koji's line of sight and said, "I can be your Big Sis. Nice to meet you, Koji."

She held out her hand for a shake and after a blank stare from the boy, he reluctantly reached out to touch her hand.

"Aw, how cute!" Teddie squealed followed by a giggle from Yukiko. Chie smiled warmly and picked up her son in her arms to settle back near the table. Nanako straightened up, finding it hard to keep her eyes off the new member of her family. She found it endearing how he shared the same features as his father.

"You have one damn cute kid," Kanji commented as he watched Koji play with his stuffed fox on his mother's lap. Nanako's attention immediately shifted to Yosuke's laugh.

"Already wondering if you and Naoto's kid is gonna be just as cute, huh Kanji?" Yosuke teased while Teddie made smooching noises.

"What the hell man!" Kanji yelled, failing to mask the heat that scorched his cheeks in embarrassment. "Can't a guy just give a compliment without meaning anything behind it?"

"Oh, but it has so much meaning!" Teddie declared dramatically, "The meaning of love!"

Kanji only responded with clenched fists and threatened to throw Teddie out but it only resulted in more laughter.

"You guys better quit yelling, at least not when Koji is around," Chie huffed. Yukiko nodded in approval and said, "Chie is right. We should all take responsibility like her."

"Thanks, Yukiko!" Chie smiled brightly, narrowly missing Yosuke's snide remark, "You call that taking responsibility?"

Nanako simply smiled as she watched the group continue their endless teasing. She then noticed that someone was still missing.

Right then, the room stiffened at sound of the front door opening. It was none other but Yu Narukami. He stood at the doorway with grocery bags in his hands.

"Oh, you're back," Yu smiled.

"Big Bro!" Nanako rushed over to him to give him a hug, which happened so quickly that she might have knocked air out of him.

Yu chuckled, "That's odd. I don't remember you that tall." He returned the hug and Nanako felt slightly embarrassed for clinging onto him like a small child but at the same time, she didn't care. She was so happy to see him again.

Yu Narukami. Nanako's older cousin but she prefers to call him Big Bro. Aside from his black, framed glasses and white collar work shirt, Yu didn't look that much different than from his high school days. Alongside his same old appearance was his same old personality; cool and collected as Nanako always described him.

"Senpai! Glad to have ya back!" Kanji smiled, as if the previous situation hadn't happened. Once Yu was greeted by everyone, Nanako followed her cousin to the kitchen to help out with dinner.

"Man, I can't believe Yu actually tied the knot with Chie of all people," Yosuke said out loud which earned him a stern look from Chie.

Everyone was sitting around the table, eating dinner specially prepared by Yu. Nanako took another sip of her miso soup and took a moment to appreciate the herbal flavors on her taste buds. Without a doubt, it was delicious.

"What's that supposed to mean!" Chie pointed a finger at him. "At least I'm not the one who's been in a relationship with some nurse for five years and have yet to get married."

"Hey! She's just…y'know taking her time," Yosuke defended himself. Yu quickly interjected, "She has a point, Yosuke. What if something else is going on?"

"W-what do you mean?" Yosuke stuttered. "Whatever, it's personal. Besides, Kanji isn't married either and he's been with Naoto for as long as we can remember."

"Actually, we are married," Kanji said bluntly. Everyone responded with a resounded "WHAT".

"Married!" Chie said in surprise.

"Since when?" Yosuke asked, now standing up.

"Last month, actually," Kanji answered confidently and crossed his arms.

"Congratulations, Kanji-kun," Yukiko smiled, followed by Chie's remark, "How come you didn't invite us?"

"Eh, well," Kanji rubbed behind his head to ponder his next words carefully. "We didn't have a wedding. We're just married legally, y'know, making it official and all."

"I don't see a ring," Yu noted which instantly resulted in Kanji bolting straight up with a fisted fist.

"H-hey! It's none of your business!" Kanji said defensively.

"How is Naoto, anyway?" Yukiko asked.

"Busy," Kanji answered, "That's what'd you expect from being the head detective." Nanako sensed a bit of sadness in his voice. She hoped things were alright between the two. If there was anything that made Nanako instantly sad, it would be the bad ending of a relationship.

"She's in the middle of a big case right now. Heard of that international smuggling ring?"

"Oh yeah. I heard the drug can be dangerous," Chie said.

"Isn't that stuff illegal in Japan?" Yosuke sighed, "I've been so busy at work that I can't keep up with news lately."

"Well, you're right about that" Kanji confirmed. "There are smugglers trying to bring it here. And Naoto is after the bastards."

He sighed. "I don't see her much but if that's what she loves doing best, then I'm fine with it."

"Well, that's good to hear," Yu nodded. "That takes a lot of strength."

"Yeah," Chie agreed. "Just don't let her work herself too hard, okay?"

Kanji nodded and Yosuke gave him a pat on the back.

"I heard Rise-chan is working hard too," Yukiko piped in. Everyone agreed with a nod.

"She's still bear-rific on TV!" Teddie exclaimed, throwing his arms up in the air.

"Good thing her comeback went well. She should be off tour soon so she'll get a chance to visit us sometime," Yosuke said and added with a mischievous grin, "Maybe I should get her to play at Junes again?"

"And put together another performance from our lame-ass band? Not a chance, you won't catch me playing another instrument again," Kanji declared, which resulted in laughs all around the table.

"Youth these days…" Dojima muttered and took another sip of his drink.

Once Nanako finished her dinner, she decided to take a breather. The exhaustion from the train ride home had finally gotten to her. She excused herself and headed outside.

She settled down on the porch and glanced around her tiny backyard. Moonlight casted a glow on the grass and bushes that hugged around the fence. Her father's long sleeved shirts were fluttering in the breeze as they clung onto the clothes line.

I wonder how long he left those out to dry, she wondered. He probably forgot as usual. I'll bring them in before I head back inside.

She chuckled at the thought of her father washing his clothes, a mundane task she had been doing for so long. She brought her knees up to her chest, thinking about her father more.

Even now, she wasn't sure if leaving to the city was a good idea. The thought of leaving her father alone for a single year had held her back from even considering. Ever since her mother passed away, she had promised to her father that she'll take her place and never leave him.

Nanako sighed. Maybe this was a pointless dilemma to be worried about. After all, she's back now and she can attend the house as usual. As she was thinking this, she heard the glass door slide behind her.

"Hey, how's it going?"

Nanako looked up at Yu as he sat down next to her. The two looked up at the stars and felt the spring breeze pass.

"A lot," Nanako admitted, breaking the silence between them. She felt Yu turn to her with a concerned look and asked, "What's on your mind?"

Nanako didn't feel comfortable talking about her feelings about her trip and her father, at least not until it's all sorted out in her head. So she decided to bring up another topic that's been bugging her.

"It's kind of silly but…I'm kind of nervous about tomorrow," she explained. "I know it's only my second year of high school and I should be happy that I'm back in town…"

She paused for a moment before continuing. "…but I feel like I don't know how to start again. By now, everybody probably has their own group of friends to hang out with. I'm not sure if there's any room for me…" Nanako trailed off, avoiding Yu's eye contact.

"I wouldn't be too sure about that," Yu responded and looked behind him at the glass doors. Nanako also looked behind her to see everyone laughing around the table as Chie lifted Koji's arms to make kung fu gestures.

"You'll be surprised at how the closest of friends come to you when you least expect it," Yu continued and turned his attention back to Nanako. "You have a heart for people, Nanako. That alone is enough to make bonds with people that you'll trust."

Nanako smiled at his words and looked down at her hands resting on her lap. She knew she could count on her cousin to comfort her. "Thanks, Big Bro."

Yu nodded and stood up. "And besides. Marie said she'll make sure it won't rain tomorrow."

Nanako's eyes instantly lit up at the mention of the mystical weather woman on TV. "Wow, she must be a goddess right, Yu? To control the weather like that?"

Nanako was always amazed by the local celebrity, seemingly changing the weather by her will. She liked how positive she was on television every morning, motivating the residents of Inaba to push through their challenges and work towards their wishes every day.

Yu simply chuckled and held out his hand to help her up. Nanako was confused by his vague answer but reluctantly took his hand anyway. Suddenly, she felt a raindrop plop on her nose.

"Oh! The clothes!" Nanako rushed to the clothesline and plucked the pins from her father's shirts. She turned to her left to see Yu doing the same thing and she smiled.

The two hurried inside with laundry in their hands as rain began to pour.

It was the peak of midnight when Nanako twisted and turned in her bed sheets.

She was dreaming, she was sure of it.

Nanako had woken up in a strange place of nothing but surrounding fog. Even with not a single thing in sight, she could tell she was in Inaba by the outline of the buildings. She had been walking forward for what felt like several hours. She shivered and she rubbed her arms for any warmth. It was unnaturally cold.

Suddenly, a figure began to appear amidst the fog. Nanako could barely make out its form, but she knew it was human.

"Hello?" Nanako said in hesitation, reaching out to the figure. In that moment, the dark form turned and disappeared again.

"H-hey! Wait!" Nanako yelled and began to run. She charged through the fog, searching for anything. The figure reappeared again but this time, it was crouched with its back turned away from her.

Upon closer inspection, Nanako could see the crouching figure of a girl clad in Yasogami uniform and her hair, tied into a long braid, drooped along her back. The girl was shivering, possibly due to the cold. Eyebrows furrowed, Nanako reached her hand out when suddenly, the girl bolted up.

"Get away from me!" She yelled, facing Nanako. Her eyes looked glassy, as if she had been crying for a long time. The girl then ran off, despite Nanako's protests.

Who is she? What's going on? Nanako thought, feeling very confused.

Suddenly, an unknown voice whispered, "how curious. How did you manage to escape?"

"Huh?" Nanako spoke to the voice, unsure who she was speaking to exactly. "Are you keeping her trapped here?"

"A soul cannot trap another soul. Only the soul traps itself," the voice responded in an almost mocking manner. Nanako frowned. A silhouette appeared with crossed arms and had the form of a human, but it seemed to be wearing a white, robe garment.

"Hm, it seems that you are different from other humans. I wonder...have you been here before?" the unknown voice continued.

"Who are you?" Nanako asked in frustration. Is it so hard to ask for straight answers? The unknown voice only laughed and the fog seemed to grow thicker and thicker.

"I am the ruler of this domain." The voice then snickered, "humans can be so vulnerable. They become entrapped by their own fear." The voice said barely above a whisper, "Let's see you if you are any different, my special human."

That's when Nanako began to weave back and forth until she dropped onto her knees. She glanced up at the form, still disfigured by the fog, and whispered weakly, "W-what are you?"

The form stayed silent and without an answer, Nanako lost consciousness.

A/N: Thank you for reading the first chapter! Initially, I did not have the intention to publish this story. I've been writing this as a means of practicing my writing skills and character development.

With that said, this story will have Yu x Chie, Kanji x Naoto and Yosuke x OC character (although not majorly important and will be very little). In fact, because this story focuses on Nanako, there will be a lot of OCs, but please keep in mind that I took great care in imagining them and implementing them in this world. So, if none of these aspects appeal to you, then this fic may not be your cup of tea. Also, Persona Arena, Ultimax, Dancing All Night and Q will not be canon in this story. If you do choose to read this story, welcome aboard the journey!

~HarperLace