Persona 4: The Foolish Priestess

Chapter 1: I Love You

Authors' Note: Okay, I know that I have three unfinished stories that I haven't updated in a century, but I really wanted to write this one as well. After playing Persona 3 FES, I got inspired to write something with the same concept for Persona 4, so I hope you all enjoy it! I'll try to update weekly, but no promises, so hope that I don't get brain fart. Thanks again! :)

Update (8/19/14): I added a little more content to the beginning of the story as I forgot one of the most important figure of Wild Card users. Sorry :(

The room was silence, save for the excessive beating of each other's hearts. She never thought that something some so dramatic would happen in her life. Her eyes were vexing all over the room she was in, her mind being overwhelmed by the reality she was facing.

She was inside a boy's rooms, or more precisely, her boyfriend's room, for the very first time.

"So this is your room…" Yukiko finally spoke after getting a decent feel of the place. After glancing across the room again, she noticed her boyfriend's patient glare, and suddenly became flustered.

"Oh, s-sorry!" she spoke, tilting her head away from him. "I didn't mean to look around…" She raised her head again, finally locking eyes with him. "It's just that this is the first time I've been to a boy's room…"

Yu smiled, knowing how uncomfortable it was for her. She couldn't back out of this situation, however, seeing that it was her own decision to come here. Yukiko turned around to keep observing her surroundings, and noticed the pile of blue sheets placed on top of a mattress.

"Oh, you sleep on a futon, I see. I use a futon too…"

…

"Umm, sorry… I don't know what to talk about…"

She couldn't muster any words out of her mouth after that, even if she tried. She had never prepared for this kind of moment in her life, and her body couldn't respond correspondingly. At the moment, defeating Shadows seemed like a cakewalk compared to this.

"So…is the sofa good with you?" Yu joked.

"Huh?"

Her boyfriend's words caught her by surprised, almost turning her as red as her sweater as she turned back towards him. His expression didn't seem to hint at anything dangerous, making her realize what he meant.

"Oh! Y-y-you mean to sit? Anywhere's fine…" Her head turned to the floor once again, making an embarrassed smile. "…I-I'm fine with anything…You don't need to worry about me…"

The both of them set themselves on the sofa, talking about various subjects, such as their current progress on the murder case, their grades, family situations, and personal progress.

"Oh yes, I'm still studying." Yukiko mentioned at one point. "Cooking and job licenses. I don't plan to leave anymore, but I thought I might as well. I'm glad I realized sooner." She couldn't keep a smile from forming on her face anymore as she reminisced.

"If I'd stuck out on my own, I know I would've regretted it. I wanted to become completely self-sufficient. But I think I was presumptuous. I have the inn. I have my family. I have the waitresses and chiefs. I am who I am now because I was raised by such a kind group. When I think about it that way, my problems aren't just my own. That's why…I'm going to stay here, by my own will."

Her boyfriend couldn't help but smile as well. He felt inspired by her speech. Through a new-found conviction in her heart, Yukiko had found her reason to keep moving forward, and he would do everything in his power to help her.

"That's good. I'm glad to hear you say that."

Yukiko nodded, feeling not only her new conviction, but her boyfriend's caring heart.

"…!?"

Everything suddenly froze. Her Persona, Konohana Sakuya, suddenly appeared above her, but was radiating more power than ever. Yukiko's ability to overcome her weakness awakened something inside her. A strong light shined over her Persona, and soon something else appeared entirely. Her Persona had re-birthed into a stronger version of itself; Amaterasu. Soon, it disappeared, and she was once again consciously aware of herself-

"This is…my new power?" Yukiko said, awestruck at what just happened. "The power you've shown to me…Power I will treasure."

The both of them stood up, facing each other with a strong and gentle conviction on their expression.

"I want you to have this." Yukiko pulled a small object that appeared to be a shrine charm, and handed it to him. "It's a charm from that shrine…to protect you."

"Thank you, Yukiko." Her boyfriend replied. "I know you'll protect me with this." Yukiko shook her head at his statement, showing off a smile now filled with sadness.

"I want to but…I'm staying here. This charm will protect you in my place. Then, we'll always be together…" Her trembling voice made him want to comfort her so bad, but before he could act, she lifted her head, and through her teary eyes, she said what she wanted to say for so long.

"Um…I…I love you."

A huge power welded up inside him. He knew for a fact now that this pure, angelic love he felt from her was not fake. The loving bond he had forged with Yukiko could not be broken. That bond was much stronger than anything else that he had come across.

There was no way that they both could be anymore happier at that moment.

Thou art I...and I am Thou...

Thou has established a genuine bond...

These genuine bond...shall be your eyes to see the truth.

We bestow upon thee the ability to create Scathach, the ultimate form of the Priestess Arcana...

"U-umm…"

The both of them faced each other. Silence fell in the room as the both looked at each other, not knowing where to go from here.

"…Sh-sheesh!" Yukiko blurted out, unable to stop blushing. "Don't stare at me so much…"

He knew this was his chance and decided to take advantage of the moment. He walked up to her, and wrapped his arms around Yukiko's summer uniform, embracing her slender figure. "Yukiko, I love you too. Not just now, but I think all this time since I realized that…" he paused for the briefest of moments before speaking again

"…that I'm just like you."

"R-really?"

He unwrapped himself from Yukiko, keeping his hands on her shoulders.

"When we went to rescue you and heard your inner thoughts, something inside me rang bells in my head. Just as you thought that inheriting the Amagi Inn was your only choice in life and that you thought you couldn't escape, I realized it was the same for me too. I was always traveling from place-to-place because of my parent's work, so I was always transferring schools. I felt that I couldn't make any friends at school because one day, I knew I would leave them. That constant cycle felt like it would never end for me, and so, I felt that it was a path in my life that I couldn't run from." His expression became almost distant, recalling his past, but seeing Yukiko's worried face managed to cheer him up regardless.

"But that's not what I think now. Meeting Dojima-san, Nanako, Yosuke, Chie, Kanji, and…you made me realize that I don't have to be saddened by that anymore. Even if I move somewhere else, the bonds I forged here will never be erased from my memory." His hand moved to Yukiko's left cheek, feeling her soft skin as he continued to smile brightly. "You're the one who helped me realize that, Yukiko. How could not love you after that?"

"Y-Yu-kun!..."

Their eyes didn't dare waver from each other's. Yu knew how to continue from here, but Yukiko knew all too well what they were about to do too. They were staring into the eyes that knew each other's pain, knew each other's thoughts, and knew each other's love.

They knew…that they were one and the same

Yu moved forward, but Yukiko moved even faster, and with a single thrust, she launched her lips onto his.

When they made contact, a powerful sensation engulfed the both of them. They felt as if they were melting into each other, even though they were both psychically intact. Even so, the sensation continued to spread throughout them until it felt like they were in the same body.

Yu didn't dare to resist however, and instead, followed her pace. The moment felt like an eternity, with the both of them feeling their own bodies pressing against each other. The sunlight from Yu's window reflected upon the two, as if the day existed solely for them.

Yu then felt the taste of something sweet on his lips, only to see tears falling from Yukiko's lips. He moved his lips away with a face of concern. "Hey, are you okay?"

Yukiko nodded her head. "I-I'm fine. I'm just…s-so happy…that you love and understand me…that I couldn't hold back my tears ." Her body rushed up to him, embracing Yu tightly as to never let him go.

"C-Can I say it again…?"

Yu understood her words, and returned her embrace. "Of course."

"Yu-kun…I…I love you."

The night sky began to fill an illuminating darkness inside the room. The light from the full moon shined brightly as the both of them laid next to each others bodies on Yu's couch. Yukiko leaned on her boyfriends body, listening only to Yu's soft breaths as she watched him sleeping. For the first time, Yukiko could finally feel like she could see Yu's true self, and felt elated that she was one of the first to see it.

Ahh...

Her eyes began to fell heavy as her heart began to fluster in an unusually manner. Something began to rise up inside her soul, and the more in grew, the more she felt that it was also beginning to change her soul in the process.

Ahhh... what... what's going on? My heart fells heavy, but for some reason... I don't feel afraid. It feels like... my own being is shaping into something different.

The heaviness in her eyes began to take over her fatigue, but before it could fully take over her, something came across her line of sight.

H...Huh? Is that... a butterfly?

A small figure in the shape of a glowing-blue butterfly, who became unnoticed until now, flew across the middle of the room. Though beautiful itself, Yukiko pondered for the briefest of seconds on why a butterfly was flying in Yu's room.

However, even though she thought she couldn't have, Yukiko felt she already knew the answer.

...Mmmm... Yu-kun, I...

No longer able to call on the energy to think, Yukiko's eyes finally closed as her body began to slummer on her new love, unaware of the future that who entwine the both of them.