AN:Hello there! Yes, this my first story being published. So please enjoy a nice drink of milk or a hot chocolate while reading this. Also, if you have some time, please leave a review to let me know how it is. Thank you! Now then TALLY HO!

"Welcome to the Velvet Room." That was one thing Yu Narukami was not expecting to hear any time soon.

"Wha-? Igor?" Why was Igor here? The last thing he remembered was riding a train to visit his friends and family at Inaba for Culture day. At this moment Yu realised an important detail, which was currently resting in his lap.

"Chie?" Why was Chie here? Yu's surroundings were becoming clearer by the second. He soon found all his closest friends from Inaba here within the Velvet Room, sitting on one big couch. Yosuke was leaning on Yukiko, which caused Yu to chuckle at what reaction might happen when they woke up. Kanji and Naoto were also leaning on one another.

This was starting to weird Yu out a bit, because just to the left of he and Chie were Rise and Teddie, also in the same position as his other friends. Yu decided to see if anything else was out of place. Much to the silent shock of Yu, was that the Velvet Room didn't look like a limo anymore, but more akin to living room filled with clocks. Yu decided to ask about this later, as he needed to know if his friends were in danger or not right now.

"Igor, why are my friends here?" Yu knew that if he was called to the Velvet Room, it was because he was soon going to face a great trial soon. His friends however, shouldn't be here, which lead to a single thought running through his mind 'Things are about to become complex again'. Whatever was going to happen was going to be big.

"I'm sorry for suddenness of this meeting, but a great trial lies ahead. Not just for you alone this time." Igor said in his ever calm but creepy voice, which leads to the very girl resting in Yu's lap to wake up.

"Huh? Yu? Oh you're here early I'm going back to sleep…" Chie somehow did not realise she was in a big blue velvet room. This was something Yu quickly corrected.

"Chie, I think you need to wake up now." Yu said in soothing voice. He needed Chie to NOT freak out and potentially scare everyone else as well. They need to look at this with a calm head.

"Huh? Wait…" Chie shot up quickly bumping into Yu's chin, thus silencing him.

"Ouch! Oh sorry Yu, no! Wait! I mean, where are we?!" Everyone woke thanks to Chie's yelling and possibly to the sound of their leader in groaning slightly in pain.

"Partner? Why are you in my OUCH!" Yosuke was slapped in the face, 20 damage.

"Yosuke?! What do you think you're doing?! I mean… Wait, where are we?!" Yukiko shouted while gaining some space between her and Yosuke.

"AH!" was the reaction Kanji and Naoto shared.

"Wah?! Teddie!" SLAP! Teddie was slapped in the face, 15 damage.

"Wah?! Rise-Chan why did you slap me?" "You seemed so at ease that I couldn't bear to wake you up." SLAP! Critical hit, 30 damage.

"Wait Teddie, you were awake as well?" Yu asked hesitantly in fear for Teddies face.

"Yeah Sensei, I woke up when I heard a bear-y creepy voice talk just before." Rise glared heatedly at Teddie, he wisely moved away from Rise and closer to his beloved Sensei.

"Has everyone calmed down?" Yu asks after a few moments once everyone has gained some spaced from each other. The two with most space between them… Naoto and Kanji.

"Are your friends ready?" Igor finally breaks his silence, alerting everyone to his presence.

"Don't worry everyone, this is Igor. He's the one who helped when I went to the Velvet Room." Yu said, getting everyone's attention.

"Wait, this is the Velvet Room?" Chie asks in awe.

"Wait, THAT Velvet Room! Holy cow, partner so this is where you went." Yosuke looks like he's found a hidden treasure.

"Oh, you all know of the Velvet Room?" Igor asks showing genuine curiosity.

"Yeah, I told them Just after we saved Yukiko." Yu said in his leader voice.

"I thought it was just Yu-kun trying to play a joke on us but he kept on insisting it was real. We got used to it after a while and just accepted it." Yukiko had a face that spoke of fond memories.

"I see, then let us continue on to why you're all here." The Investigation Team nodded at this.

"Usually, only people who have signed a contract of sorts, are permitted to enter this space, between mind matter, dream and reality. There are of course exceptions." Igor quickly looks at Yu. "To this rule, for instances like now. You have all been summoned here by a very powerful being. Please, show yourself to my guests." Igor gestured to left, a tall man walked out from the shadows of the room, he looked to be wearing a white button up shirt with a black vest on, along with long black pants and shoes.

"Hello, my name is Chronos. I am the one who rules over time and death." Chronos' features where in full light now, he had dark skin colour with unruly brown hear with light blue eyes. Everyone was silent.

"I am sorry to say but, I am the reason you are all here now." This sent The Investigation Team into shocked silence.

"I have not brought you here without reason. While helping souls move to the next world something unusual happened. I was attacked by the being known as Erebus. I was forced to retaliate but the being did not yield until it achieved what seemed to be its goal. Parts of my power were sent to a specific part in time and I cannot find them. But I have an idea of where my power may be hidden. That is why I asked Igor to bring you Persona users to the Velvet Room." Chronos seemed to finish his tale.

"This is why The Velvet Room is involved as well. Erebus is a being that should not have been able to interfere with Chronos' duty. This has lead me to believe that Erebus was being controlled, by who I cannot say." Igor looked as he was about to continue, that is until one Mr Kanji Tatsumi decided he wanted an answer.

"Yeah, most of this is going over my head but… You still haven't told why you brought us here." Kanji looked to Naoto and quickly looked away due to being closer than normal to her.

"Kanji-kun's right. You haven't told us what our purpose in all this is." Naoto eyes where closed in thought. Chronos decided to answer.

"As I said before, my power was sent to a specific time period, which for you would be the past. 2009 to be precise." This caught Naoto's attention.

"That was the year Apathy Syndrome nearly caused an epidemic and, from what I gathered with our last encounter with Kirijo-san and her friends, was also when they took action against the shadows that where causing the outbreak in the first place." Naoto finished but seemed to be thinking other things over.

"Wait! Then why not just get them to handle this problem. You're the ruler of time right? Why not ask them for help." Yosuke's question got the others rolling as well.

"Partner, I think if he could have done that, he would have." Yu looked at Chronos expectantly.

"I think I get, Yosuke-sempai. What Yu-sempai is trying to say, is that the Fuuka and her friends can't help out because they already have something important to do, right Sempai?" Rise looked to Yu to see if she was correct.

"Yeah, although I have a feeling Chronos choose us for another reason." Yu switched his gaze Rise to give her a nod, then focused on Chronos once more.

"Unsurprisingly perceptive of you Narukami-san. I choose you Persona users for two reasons. Number one being the goal you achieved in Narukami-san's time at Inaba; you found the truth that was hidden deep within a fog of lies and have become more perceptive because of it. Your combined gaze can find what it chooses to seek. Unlike the persona users you will be helping who proved their will to live despite any and all hardships. Number two however, is what also gives me confidence that you can prevail in this trail; traces of my power linger around you. You must have had an encounter with me beforehand. The fact that time is not broken already proves you survived, despite my presence in what must have happened." Chronos smiled unknowingly and quickly went back to a neutral expression.

"OH! Like a paradox from the movies! Maybe we forgot, because remembering would've been bad! That's sound like something we would do!" Chie said with pride but stole glances to her friends, to assure herself as well.

"Now unlike most events that require the Velvet Room, we already know the destination and the path that was taken to get there." Igor started

"Yes, the SEES I believe they are called, fought Powerful shadow's during the full moon when he who carried the wild card arrived, which lead to his ultimate fate. However that path is now unclear, leading both Igor and I to believe that my power will be tied to him, and the shadows he will face." Chronos finished.

"We debated how you would be most able to help our guest, whether it be by assisting in the Velvet Room and acting as one over-power and help discreetly, or to allow you to follow him directly in the past helping openly. Both have flaws that could very well lead to Time's end, fortunately we came to a convenient middle road. You shall all be temporary additions to the Velvet Room as "Guides" to our guest." Igor sounded quite excited and pleased by this. The team has been afflicted with fear.

"Uh, guides? Like the ones for forests?" Kanji seemed to be mulling over what he understands.

"What do mean by that?" Yukiko asked in confusion.

"You will walk the in-between by assisting our guest in the Velvet Room and in his pursuits in reality." Igor replied in his usual manner. Yu translated this to the team as helping him in making persona and in battle.

"Oh… That makes a lot more sense." Chie said happily.

"Yeah, thanks Partner I don't I would've gotten that from this guy." Yosuke said while nodding.

"Sensei must have levelled up when he was away! He's even smarter than before." Teddie was glared at by Igor.

"Ted's right for once. That wouldn't have made sense if Yu-sempai hadn't been here." Igor's glare intensified and spread to Kanji.

"We are all in agreement on this I believe." Naoto is added to the glare.

"Yeah!" Igor's cough stops the conversation.

"It seems you are all ready. With Chronos help, you will arrive on the day our guest first visits in the Velvet room. How you join his efforts remains up to you. But, you mustn't do all the work for our guest and his friends; help them grow as you all have done. Maybe the result will lead to a new possibility to help our guest once time is restored to how it should be." Igor was starting to look excited by the journey ahead.

"I have a gift to help you on this trail. Here." Chronos clicks his fingers, and a blue V shines on everyone's shoulders, even through their clothes. "This mark will show your new position as a Velvet Room guide. It will allow you to visit the Velvet Room whenever you wish, as well as let you summon your persona when you wish as well." The Investigation Team is sent in to shock again.

"Dude, that's… I don't know what to think about that." Yosuke seemed to voice everyone's thoughts at that point.

"Yeah, I didn't think it was something we would be able to do." Yu thought back to all the times when in the TV world. They were fighters, with their persona being their most powerful tool. When they came back from the TV world, they went back to being teenagers. Only worrying about tests and how they would do in the future and how they would change as a person. A strange sort of balancing act only they could do, and were grateful for when they finished and could just enjoy the rest of their days together.

Because unlike the SEES, they weren't about tracking down shadows and keeping watch. They were fighting so things could be normal once again. They saw that calling out your persona was possible in the real world, but they didn't want to have to do that. They wanted normal, once they saw someone close to them get hurt because of their powers.

"Why would Teddie need to use his Persona in the real world? It's bear-y strange that you would allow us to do this." Teddie said in one of his moments of wisdom.

"I have my reasons for this, you will see when you get there." Chronos said in a strange neutral tone.

"You now know where your destination is and what path you must take. I will call Margaret here, so she may teach you the basics of the Velvet Room." Igor reached into his breast pocket and pulled out and a strange looking flip phone and began to talk into it.

"Hey, uh Yu… before I woke everyone up… where was I sleeping?" Chie asked clearly embarrassed by this.

"Chie-chan, you were sleeping on Sensei's lap." Teddie answered just before Yu could.

"WHA-! Teddie! I WAS TR-" Chie started but was stopped by a hug from Yu and his most useful advice.

"Clam down Chie." Yu said clearly happy to be hugging Chie.

"Oh Chie, how did you manage to get Yu to be your boyfriend?" Rise jokingly moaned.

"I… I don't know…" Chie was beet red from the teasing.

"By being Chie, that's how she got me." Yu added teasingly as well.

"Wha-" Chie was stunned but still beet red.

"Yes, it seems Chie-sempai does make Yu-sempai weak at the knees." Naoto added in good humour.

"But aren't girls meant to be weak at the knees when in love… but Yu-kun in a dress… Snirk… hahaha… bu-but then would Chie be-be HAHAHA!" Yukiko had somehow come to a funny conclusion in her mind. Let's leave her be.

"Heh, you know Partner, I'm sure you and Chie do like to try out different techniques. Hehehe." Yosuke seemed to be hinting at something. Kanji looked about ready to ask something, Yu acted before this however.

"Partner… How did you know?" Yu asked with a tilt of the head, but ended up chuckling after a second.

"Heh that's our sempai; never quite know what he's going to say next." Kanji looked like he was trying to hold back a chuckle. Chie had recovered.

"Does that mean sensei's heart is really that of a young lady's?! Chie-chan it seems that you're my rival now! Per-Bear yourself Chie-chan!" Teddie had also joined the teasing.

"Alright, alright, enough with the teasing okay." Chie still seemed to be blushing.

"Hello again." Margaret said making herself known.

"My dear guest, you seem to keep finding yourself in the Velvet Room. But this time it seems, you'll be joining it." Margaret chuckles at this, confusing the group.

"Now, all of you please follow me. We have much to do." The Investigation team is lead down a hall hidden from view whilst they were sitting on the couch.

"Sooo, what is it we're going to be learning?" Yosuke said after a long period of silence.

"We will be covering Velvet Room etiquette and what you should try to avoid during your quest. Each of you will also play a new part in making persona for our guest." Margaret's voice was riddled with excitement. Yu sighed. He was correct, things have once again become complex.

The hallway ended with nine doors that looked quite tempting to open. Like a really elaborate cookie jar filled, with either secrets or cookies, both were tempting.

"These rooms are where you'll stay until you must leave on your journey to help our guest. Although I'll discuss with Master if you'll be allowed to stay for lunch. Having all of you around would prove most entertaining."

"Partner, are they always this weird? I thought they would be more serious than this?" Yosuke whispered to Yu.

"That may have been my fault, as I learned more about Margaret she started to play around a bit more." Yu looked surprised by Margaret's playfulness as well.

"If you must know, it's my first time being a teacher, and getting to teach such interesting humans too! It's honestly quite exciting"

"Uh, maybe we shouldn't start with the lessons just yet?" Yu tried getting away from excited Margaret, seems like her and Elizabeth have a bit more in common than at first glance, Margaret chuckled at this.

"Very well, first let me assign your rooms to you. Girls will take the rooms to the right and boy will take the rooms to the left. There will new clothes for you inside the room, you don't have to wear them but it would most certainly fit the mood, wouldn't it?" Margaret seemed quite happy with this.

"I think you should let everyone settle in first Margaret, give us some time to think." Margaret gave Yu a nod and started to walk off but decided to add with a chuckle, "Don't take too long. I must admit I'm quite fond of the idea of teaching you and your friends the way of the Velvet Room."

In Yu's Room

Everyone is either sitting on the bed in a circle, Yu doesn't bring this up.

"You know, I kinda admit that this whole thing is a bit overwhelming to hear. Do you think we should've been given a chance to say no, or at least a warning?" Yosuke started to complain.

"While we most likely would have said yes to helping our friends, I believe Yosuke-sempai is right. They didn't seem like they were going to give us the option to turn down this request." Naoto added.

"That's something that worries me." Yu caught his friends attention with this.

"One of the things I learned about the Velvet Room is that people who are called here, are going to face a trail soon. And from what I learned from Igor, is that they are given a contract that encourages them to make real choices and accept the responsibility that comes with making them. What happened back there doesn't match what Igor normally does." Yu seemed to start thinking about the journey ahead.

"Well it might not be as bad as it seems." Kanji decided to speak up.

"Huh? Why do you think that Kanji-kun?" Yukiko asked with a head tilt.

"Well, that Chronos guy said he was attacked and lost something right? All we have to do is find the lost stuff and we can go home! Simple. Right, sempai?" Kanji's words lifted everyone's spirits.

"Yeah Kanji's right! Heck, they asked us to help find this Chronos guy's power. Maybe it'll be in some shadows, then we just have to kick it's butt and take the power back here, right?" Chie looked to Yu at the end and smiled.

"Yeah, I think we were over-thinking things before. Chronos said he rules over time. Then when we're done, we'll probably wake where we were before we got called here." Yu nodded at Chie before smirking and holding her hand.

"Plus with Chie here… I have access to the power of love!" Everyone stared at Yu before cracking up laughing.

"Partner (hehehe) I… I don't think you suit that role… (snirk, HAHAHA)" Yosuke seemed to be running out breath.

"Sensei, that was a beary bold thing to say." Teddie said before giggling again.

Everyone calmed down after a good laugh.

"Kanji-kun is right, this isn't going to be that hard. Plus Fuuka and her friends are going to be there as well, so shadows will be the least of our worries." Rise looked excited at the thought of seeing her friend again.

"Still, we should be vigilant just in case something unexpected comes up." Everyone nodded at Naoto's suggestion.

"Well, we might as well get the lesson over and done with." Yu looked strangely nervous.

"Uh, partner? What's wrong?" Yosuke said, starting to get nervous as well.

"I've only seen Margaret that excited once, and that was when she challenged me to a fight." Yu explained, bringing up memories of the rather intense clash between them and Margaret. Everyone is afflicted with fear at the thought.

Time passes as the Investigation Team learn about the Velvet Room. Yu was grateful when he learned about what they weren't allowed to do. You must not let anyone know you're from the future and are not allowed leave any of the SEES in a situation they cannot handle. What surprised Yu though, was how they were going to be helping with making new personas. He was shocked when he found out that their power was going to be augmenting the power of the new persona.

Still the time had come; Chronos was ready to send them off.

"While I'll be helping you on this endeavour, I'll be nothing more than an alarm for when my power is close by. For that I am sorry." Chronos face scrunched up slightly in distaste.

"Chronos-san, it's alright. While you might not be able to help directly, you'll still be supporting us, a bit like how Rise helps us in battle." Naoto said in attempt to comfort Chronos.

"Thank you Shirogane-san, Alright, get ready." Chronos started to glow in ethereal light.

"Remember, Margaret and I will be only informed of your journey to the past, and as usual, shall assist you as best we can." Igor said in a pleasant tone.

"Thank you Igor, we'll see the you in the past then." Yu said in the same pleasant tone. The same ethereal light start to surround the Investigation Team.

"Goodbye my students, while our time together was short I enjoyed it immensely." Margaret smiled warmly.

"While you were scary sometimes, I have to agree. You made a good teacher Margaret-sensei." Yosuke replied sincerely.

"As usual, you would have more time to say goodbye but-" Chronos was cut off as everyone was transported to the past, but unknown to them, Chronos collapsed as soon as they left.

"Chronos, what happened." Margaret ask while helping up the poor deity.

"I could feel my power there and it interfered with the send-off. They'll either appear a few days earlier or later than when the boy first appears in the Velvet Room. Igor, please inform them of this as soon as possible. I fear it could hinder our plan to keep time from collapsing." Chronos was standing by this point but looked out of breath.

"Of course Chronos, but do tell why you collapsed all of a sudden?" Igor asked as he reached into his breast pocket.

"My stolen power flared in response and tried to take what little power I have left. It was small at first so I didn't have worry but then something made its attempt almost impossibly strong." Chronos had regained his breath by now.

"Interesting, not even Nyarlathotep would be capable of this feat. Normally I would fear for our guests at this point but..." Margaret gave a knowing smile to both Chronos and Igor.

"Even if we can't see things clearly at the moment, our guests surely will. After all, they are the seekers of truth and no lie can deceive them, no matter how great or well hidden." Chronos and Igor didn't nod at this but each had a smile on their face that simply said 'of course'.

4/6/2009

"Argh…" this was the reaction given by a Mister Kanji Tatsumi, a reaction shared among his friends laying on the cold, hard ground.

"Okay, where are we?" said a still sore Yosuke, it seems that the group had been dropped into their location, in more literal terms than what the Investigation Team thought.

"Well to answer your question partner, a back street ally by the look of things." The group took a moment to get up and compose themselves. Yukiko was the first to look up and witness the Dark Hour begin.

"Ah, everyone… the sky is turning green." Before the rest of the team could react the world had entered the Dark Hour.

"Ah! Where'd all this blood come from?" Yukiko has so far been reacting faster than everyone else.

"Calm down, Naoto when you last meet with Kirijo-san, did she mention any details that would be useful to use now, like why the everything looks like this now?" Yu asked in full leader mode.

"Yes, I believe this is the Dark Hour, the time when Kirijo-san and her friends had to combat the shadows in something called Tartarus. However, we should also be mindful of certain people Yu-sempai. From what I learned - little though it may be - I found out about a man that was actively using Kirijo-san and her friends for his own purposes. His name was Shuji Ikutsuki and he is our second biggest threat." Naoto seemed ready to continue, that was, until a certain bear without his fur decided to ask a question.

"Who is the biggest threat then Nao-chan? Because this guy sounds a bit like Adachi-baby from what you just said." Teddie said with confusion.

"A group called Strega." Naoto's words caused the group to mull over the information.

"WAIT A MINUTE!" Kanji suddenly shouted, startling everyone.

"I remember that, around the end of that year my house was wanted by some punks who kept saying some stuff about the end of the world. Ma was starting to get scared and was going to call the cops but, I sent them packing, no sweat right? But they kept coming back until New Year's, but each time I sent them packing they said something about Streger or whatever, not giving up so easily." Kanji finished his tale, only for Yosuke to point out.

"I swear your life has some real cliché moments, doesn't it?" Yu decided to add his own experience in as well.

"Yeah, that same group was gaining a good following at the school I was in at the time, I didn't pay much attention at first but some people in my grade started to get quite pushy in trying to get people to join. I remember having to hid during lunch hours because a group of them just wouldn't leave me alone." Yu's face spoke of annoying memories.

"It was the same at my school too, though me and my buddies at the time mainly made fun of them for the end of the world stuff, I guess that's why I wasn't bothered to much about it. Hey, Chie, did you and Yukiko have any trouble with those guys at Yasogami?" Chie and Yukiko seemed to think a bit longer on this than the others.

"Oh! I remember now, it was nothing big at Yaso High, it mostly just a gossip subject that was thrown around during lunch."

"It was mentioned a bit at the inn as well but, it was mostly the same as the gossip at school. Naoto, you must have some more information on this right?" Everyone looked at Naoto expectantly.

"Actually no. I remember being interested in finding out more but my Grandfather said that this case was being handled already by the Kirijo group. I took a different case and hoped to maybe have a chance to look into it later. But, just like Kanji said, it almost completely vanished on New Year's day." Yu then turned to Teddie to ask if the TV world was affected by any of this.

"Teddie, do you remember if there were any changes in the TV world before the fog settled in?" Teddie shook his head.

"Nope! As far as I can remember the TV world was fog filled for a while, and most of my memories don't really start until you guys came along."

Rise decided to ask, "Yu-sempai, why would that be important?"

"Well, that thing that claimed to be Izanami, was affecting the TV world and filled it with fog, and we all remember how powerful she was. So if the TV world was also affected by this then the SEES might have faced something similar." Yu looked at the exit of the alley, the Dark Hour had ended.

"I think we should move, someone-" Yu's phone suddenly rang, and of course he answered.

"Hello?" Yu asked calmly.

"Hello there, you must be Yu, I regret to inform you that Chronos wasn't able to send you to the proper time in which your guest arrives at the Velvet Room, this is only a minor setback for you but, be wary. After all, it can only take a sliver of poison to kill a mighty oak tree. I would recommend keeping a distance from your guest for now." Margaret hung up before any questions could be asked though. Yu explained the situation to his friends.

The Investigation Team moved out of the alley way and into the public area. As they passed some people by, a few of them started to glance at Rise. Yosuke and Yu picked up on this quickly and move in front of her. Then rest of the team picked up on this try and obstruct Rise from view as much as possible.

"This is bad partner, we totally forgot Rise is still a rising idol at the moment." Yu looked at Chie, his face holding a smirk that said 'I have a plan'.

"Chie, Yukiko, Naoto, As soon as you can I need you to give Rise a complete makeover." Teddie decided his opinion needed to be heard as well.

"Oh! Teddie can help as well! Don't Worry Rise-chan! With us on your side, you'll be shining brighter than ever!" Everyone but Teddie had been afflicted with silence. Yu has recovered from silence.

"Anyway, we can't go and join the SEES just yet. The person we're meant to meet hasn't arrived in the Velvet Room yet. But we're going to need a place to sleep and I don't think when can just stay in a hotel." Kanji brought up a plan.

"Why don't we head into the Velvet Room? We could stay there until night passes and while we're there, we could figure out what to do, right?" Yu shook his head at this.

"The Velvet Room doesn't work that way Kanji, we would still be out here and would still have to face the effects of sleeping outside." The group went quite for a while and tried to find a less populated area so they could plan without having to worry about eaves droppers.

"Whoa, it's starting to get a bit cold now." Chie said with a shiver.

"Yeah, we'll need to find some place to stay now, preferably sooner rather than later." Yu said while shivering a bit himself.

"Still what are we going to tell the SEES? We can't risk them finding out about the us currently existing in this time and how we're in two places at once." Yosuke started to shiver a bit more than before.

"W-well, maybe we can just say we don't have family names any more, that we had to lose them for a cause or something." Naoto nodded at this.

"T-this wouldn't be a lie either, m-maybe have our family names temporarily removed would help us in our goals." The cold of night was getting worse for our summer clothed teenagers.

"Hello there?" The group collectively turned to see an old man walking towards them. "Oh? What are a group of young'ins doing out so late?"

Teddie decided to answer, "Well, we're looking for a place to stay the night." Everyone but Teddie and Rise are afflicted with silence.

"Why would you need to do that. Surely you could just go home to your families." 20 SP lost, due emotional wounds.

"We, we can't do that and, before you ask it's kind of a long story." The old man's face took on a empathic look.

"We all seem to have one or another don't we? Oh, I forgot to introduce myself my name is Kitamura Bunkichi, but please call me Bunkichi for short! I don't need too many reminders that I'm old after all!" The Investigation team all introduced themselves formally, but left out their last names.

"You're a polite bunch! Most children these days aren't so kind to people like me." Bunkichi said with a playful smile. The cold was really starting to get to the group. Bunkichi then surprised them, "Why don't you kids come with me and stay the night?"

Yukiko voiced her thoughts on this, "W-why would you do that? You only just meet us now."

Yu nodded at this, "I-it's a generous offer but we can't accept. That would be imposing on you too much Bunkichi-san."

Bunkichi gave a warm laugh at this, "Then I insist even more, I never meet such polite children! Plus it's the least I could do to help to help a bunch of children who might get sick from the cold."

Kanji than stepped forward, "T-then is there any way to pay you back?"

Bunkichi then went into thoughtful looking state, "Well, maybe you could get some part time jobs or help out at our book store that's opening soon if you really want to. But enough talk, you children are looking colder by the second." Bunkichi then started to wander off with the Investigation Team following nervously, they soon arrived at Bunkichi's house. Yu noted that it was decently sized and had a second floor.

"Now I'll help you get set up for the night and in the morning we can maybe talk some more." A few minutes later, the boys were sleeping in the living room while the girls got a spare room. This was mainly Teddie's fault for the reasons that resemble a hand mark on the cheek and a poorly timed comment by said fur-less bear.

Thank you for reading, I hope to see you again.