Persona Series 1. Chapter 1: Chance Meeting

_Well, here I am with my very first Persona fanfic. I'd like to thank my friend Ohta-Suzuke who encouraged me so much on this. Hope you enjoy it_

_A few warnings for starters:  
><em>

_-There will be spoilers for all games! You've been warned.  
>-The Main characters from each game in this fanfic are called Minato Arisato (P3:FES), Minako Arisato (P3P) and Souji Seta (P4)<br>-There'll be some cursing. (Anyone that played any persona games knows that some characters on it curse quite a bit.) as well as some heavy subjects.  
>-Main Pairings in this fanfic: MinatoxYukari, ShinjiroxMinako, SoujixYukiko, KanjixNaoto, AkihikoxMitsuru, YosukexChie.<br>-Hinted Pairings(in later chapters): JunpeixChidori. (Hinted because Chidori doesn't appear much on this story) KenxNanako (Ya know those little girl's crushes on older boys? It'll be along those lines) FuukaxKeisuke (Other than Minato and Junpei, Fuuka only displayed some sort of close relationship with Keisuke the club president. I found it kinda cute.) TeddiexRise (Just for giggles. They are afterall the two hyperactive cuties of the team X3)_

Have fun ya guys.

Persona series and all its characters (c) Atlus

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><p><strong>Chapter 1: Chance meeting.<strong>

Tatsumi Port Island… The place wasn't that bad. Sure, he'd been living there for only a few months, but then again he was used to his life changing over and over again because of his parents' busy careers. This time, however, his world had been turned upside down.

Only that afternoon, Souji Seta had been released from Tatsumi Memorial Hospital, with no clue of what had happened to his parents, and still reeling from it. Just a few months ago, he felt happy that, while leaving behind all his friends back in Inaba, with all of whom he had formed deep and unbreakable bonds, he would be seeing his parents for the first time in just under a year.

And a heartwarming reunion it was for the silver-haired boy. The night he arrived home, Souji surprised his mother by enveloping her in a warm hug, repeating the process with his father before talking long into the night with them about many things, enjoying their company and presence as they caught up with one another.

Time passed and Souji enrolled in Gekkoukan High for his senior year. The school was fine and all, but he couldn't help getting an odd feeling about the place, almost like déjà vu. Despite that, he had no problems studying, constantly maintaining his grades.

But then, summer came and there was the accident. On a rainy night, the Seta family was on their way home from dining outside when it happened: a drunk driver in a large pickup truck had been speeding, and had run through the red light of the intersection just as their smaller car was going through. Souji fainted after that. When he came to, he was lying on a hospital bed. According to a police officer, he was the sole person the paramedics found inside the wreckage of the car, with a gash on his forehead and a broken arm. His parents were never found, and no traces of blood were found on their seats as well, despite the fact that it was impossible for anyone to survive that crash unscathed.

Souji couldn't really remember the rest of that night, or much of the next days, until the call from his uncle Dojima had come. The police had called him, informing the detective of the situation, and he immediately offered to take him in, for as long as he needed, and Souji was deeply grateful for that.

Everything had been taken care of by Dojima over the phone. All he needed now was paperwork from the school and Souji would be transferred back to Inaba. Tomorrow, he'd pick up the papers and hopefully board the train on the day after. His uncle had already purchased the ticket for him.

As Souji walked home, going against the doctor's order to take a taxi, he wondered if any of his friends knew anything about the accident that had claimed his parents. They probably didn't, since Dojima was sensible and had mostly likely figured that he wouldn't be able to handle any of his friends in his current state. He'd have to thank him when he arrives in Inaba.

With a sigh, he gazed at the sky; the sun was setting. The sight comforted him a lot. It brought him back memories; deeply buried memories from when he lived in Port Island all those years ago, when he was just a toddler. His parents were busy, but they always had time for him. And he was never alone, because there was always somebody who would play with him…

_'Why am I even thinking about them now? It's been so long…'_ Souji shook his head, frowning. It was something he never told anyone about, not even his girlfriend, Yukiko. _'Well, we did live here once…'_

All of a sudden, his surroundings changed. The sky turned greenish-black and the setting sun was replaced by a full moon with an eerie yellow glow. "What the hell?!" Souji gasped, frantically looking around. The street he was walking on was crowded, but now, instead of people, coffins stood in their place. "What's going on here?!"

A sudden rush of adrenaline started pumping through his veins. Not too far from where he was, three creatures stood: humanoid figures in samurai armor standing over what seemed to be two bodies. _'Shadows…'_

Before the Shadows could come any closer, Souji quickly drew a Smart Bomb (made into a keychain as a souvenir from one of his ventures in the TV World) from his jacket pocket and threw it at the trio of monsters. The Almighty impact blew the Shadows back, without hitting the humans, giving Souji enough time to check on them.

As the silverette ran towards them, he got a better at the two people on the ground. Both were male; one was pretty tall, almost as tall as his friend Kanji. He wore a maroon pea coat, a black beanie, black pants and brown leather boots. His hair was slightly long and brunette. The other was a bit shorter than he was, and more slender. He had dark blue hair and wore the uniform from Gekkoukan High, the only difference being the red armband around his left arm, which said 'SEES' embroidered in black.

"Hey? Hey!" Souji called, shaking the blue-haired teen. "Are you okay? Answer me!"

With a soft moan, he opened his eyes; storm blue-grey. "Ugh… My head… What happened?" he mumbled, uncoordinatedly trying to get up. As Souji helped him sit down, the young man noticed the other guy also getting up. "Huh? Is that you, Shinjiro-Senpai?!"

"Dammit, that hurt… I feel all stiff…" the tall guy muttered as he rubbed his shoulder. When he heard his name being called, he immediately looked at Souji's direction, recognizing the blue-haired guy. "What the…? Minato?! The hell you're doing here?!"

_'Minato?'_ Souji stared at said person more than necessary. _'I know that name! And that voice…sounds so familiar…'_

"Might as well ask you the same question since the last time I checked, we were both dead…" Minato brushed the dirt off his jacket, before spotting the Shadows trying to get back up."What the…? Shadows! The Dark Hour's back? What's going on?!"

_'Dark Hour? And what's with him saying they were dead?' _Souji slightly begin to panic, but his leadership and fighting skills enabled him to keep calm._ 'This just keeps getting more and more confusing…'_

"Save questions for later," the one called Shinjiro said, nudging his chin at the enemy. "Looks like those guys want to get their asses kicked. You got your Evoker?"

"Of course..." Minato replied, calmly sliding his hands into his pants pocket. Then he noticed Souji. _'That guy… I know him…'  
><em>  
>The more he stared at Minato, the more and more familiar he was to Souji. <em>'Is it possible? Could it really be him…?'<em>

"Hey!" Shinjiro shouted, snapping them out of their trances. "Stop zoning out!"

"R-Right…" Minato mumbled apologetically, and turned to Souji. "I'm sorry. I'll tell you everything later. But for now, can you fight?"

"I'm...not sure." It was true, Souji knew he's unable to summon his Persona out in the real world, plus he didn't have a weapon in hand.

"You have a Persona, right?" Minato cut off his thoughts. "You must have, if you can still function during the Dark Hour. Can you summon it?"

Souji was bewildered, and slightly dumbfounded. Not only did this guy know about Personas, but expected him to summon his? It had been only about a few months since he last did it, but that was in the other World. In that slight moment of doubt, a voice spoke within him. _"I am thou… Thou art I… The time has come… Open thy eyes and call forth what is within..."_

The Shadows were closing in on the trio. A small light appeared in Souji's right hand, and a card appeared. It was blank. _'This sensation…'_ Pure, raw power coursed through his veins, a grin forming on his lips. "Per…so…na…!" He shattered the card. "IZANAGI!"

A naginata-wielding Persona in a long black trench coat and white mask appeared before them, lunging at the nearest Shadow and slashed it in two.

"No shit… He can summon his Persona without an Evoker!?" Shinjiro was in disbelief, before he noticed the other Shadows readying their katanas to attack. "Heads up!"

Minato swiftly evaded the attack be jumping to his side, but there was no time for Souji to dodge. The Shadows' physical attack knocked him back, very hard, causing him to collide into a mailbox by the street. The pain of his barely-healed broken arm shot through his whole being. _'Ugh...Crap, this can't be the end!'_ he thought, trying to shake off the dizziness.

Souji felt helpless. He needed Rise. He needed Yosuke. He needed everyone, especially Yukiko. He felt panic and desperation at the thought of Yukiko, knowing full well she would not have wanted him to die when she wasn't around. Wait, what was he thinking… _she wouldn't want him to die at all!_ His thoughts were cut short when he saw the Shadows charging up to attack again. He narrowly dodged the next one, but they just kept on coming. The pain had gotten so bad, he was unable to focus enough to summon Izanagi again, leaving him wide-open. _'This is it,'_ he thought, too fatigued to get up. _'It's all over, and it hasn't even started._'

The sound of gunshots and shattering glass was heard, followed by shouts.

"Orpheus! Maragi!"

"Castor! Blade of Fury!"

The combination of fire magic and slash attacks seemed to work well on the Shadows, making them back off. Minato and Shinjiro bought enough time to get close to Souji and help him up. "Are you okay?" Minato asked.

"Yeah…" Souji winced as his arm ached and bleed. He swore he could feel blood dripping down his forehead.

"This ain't good... Gotta get ya out of here," Shinjiro said. Frantically looking for a way out, his gaze landed on the Shadows. "Talk about some tough bastards...any ideas on how to get rid of them?"

"They're strong against physical attacks, but they can't repel it…" Minato observed.

"They seem…to be weak against fire… A stronger fire attack…might work…" Souji panted, trying to find a strong fire-based Persona in his psyche. He held out a palm and a glowing blue card materialized, spinning softly. "Mada…"

"Agi-skilled, huh?" An idea popped into Minato's head. "Senpai, hit them hard. We'll handle the rest."

Shinjiro raised an eyebrow at that, noticing how Souji's face screwed up like Minato's when changing Personas. "Don't tell me this kid can also use more than one Persona like ya? Tch, whatever, let's get this over with."

Minato looked at Souji, who in turn nodded as well. As Shinjiro and Minato readied their Evokers, Souji couldn't help but find it strange that they were pointing what seemed to be guns to their heads.

"Here goes! Castor! Heat wave!"

"Mada! Maragidyne!"

"Surt! Maragidyne!"

The remaining Shadows had no chance against their onslaught, and were reduced to a cloud of black smoke that dissolved in the air.

"Well… That's that," Shinjiro concluded, rubbing his shoulder again. "Damn, I'm sore all over."

"You're telling me…" Minato sighed. "My muscles are all aching…Then again, we haven't used our bodies in like what? Two years…?"

Souji could only stare at them, just plain confused when his wounds started taking their toll on him. "Ngh…" He let out a groan as he rested his body against a nearby wall.

The other two turned their attention to the silver-haired teen. "Hey, you okay?" Shinjiro asked.

"Yeah… Luckily I didn't break my arm again…" Souji said, wincing as he rubbed it.

"Hold on." Minato readied his Evoker again. "Melchizedek, Mediaharan!"

As the mechanical-looking angel appeared, a soft violet light enveloped them for a few seconds. Souji's bleeding began to cease and his arm finally stopped hurting. "That's a lot better…" He smiled at Minato. "Thanks."

"No problem," Minato smiled back at him. Just as it happened, the sky was turning back to normal and the eerie moon is nowhere to be seen. "The Dark Hour is vanishing… We should get out of here. I seriously don't want to handle people's shocked expression at the damage caused by those Shadows."

"I'm with ya, but where do we go?" Shinjiro asked.

"Let's go to my place," Souji suggested. "I don't live too far from here."

Minato nodded. "Good idea. Lead the way."

As the Dark Hour ended, the trio quickly ran off, leaving several passersby confused at the damage caused by a battle that no one witnessed.

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><p>Soon enough, they reached the apartment where Souji's family lived. "And I thought I've seen everything after what went down in Inaba…" he mumbled loudly as he plopped down in the couch. He turned to his two odd companions. "Uhh… Please, make yourselves comfortable."<p>

Minato and Shinjiro nodded and sat on the other couch. After a few minutes of awkward silence, Minato decided to take action. "Well, I suppose we owe each other some explanations so might as well start with the introductions," he said. "I'm Minato Arisato."

"Name's Shinjiro Aragaki," Shinjiro said flatly.

"Nice to meet you both." Souji gave a short bow with his head. "I'm Souji. Souji Seta."

Minato's eyes went wide. "Souji… Seta… So it IS you!" He radiated a mix of surprise and joy as a genuine smile formed on his face. "Wow, I barely recognized you, Banchou-kun!"

The familiar smile and pet name stirred up some memories, which made Souji smile as well. "I knew you were familiar…" His eyes turned misty. "It's been a long time… Aniki."

Minato got up from his seat to gently hug him, being mindful of his arm. "Too long if you ask me…" he said, breaking off the hug. "You were just a toddler the last time I saw you!"

"I know… I tried to get a hold of you over the years, but my parents kept moving all across the country over and over because of their work…"

Seeing that he was the odd one out, Shinjiro decided to butt in before they wasted any more time. "Hey!" he snapped, interrupting the two of their nostalgia. "Sorry to interject, but mind explaining to me what the hell are you two talking about?"

"Oh, sorry, Senpai." Minato rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "You see, Banchou – I mean, Souji-kun and I have known each other ever since we were little kids. Our parents went to college together and used to be good friends. In fact… it was his family who found me after the car accident on the Moonlight Bridge."

"You mean the one that happened on the day Aigis sealed that thing inside you?" Shinjiro asked incredulously.

"Yup. That one."

Now Souji was confused. "Umm… I'm gonna take a wild guess. Is that somehow related with you guys knowing about Personas and Shadows?"

"More or less…" Minato sighed. "You too have the power of the Wild Card, I see. So I assume what happened to you in Inaba is also related to Shadows."

It was Souji's turn to sigh. "Yeah… It's a long story."

"So is ours," Shinjiro said. "We got all night. You go first…after I make us some coffee."

Seated in the Seta family's living room over mugs of strong, black coffee, Souji began narrating the story about his adventures in Inaba. The fog, the murders, the TV World, his friends' personal Shadows, how they summoned their Personas, the final battle with Izanami; he continued on until he felt he had covered everything possible.

"So that's how you can summon your Persona without an Evoker…" Shinjiro whistled.

"Evoker? Ya mean that gun like thing? That's just…" Souji trailed off.

"Crazy? Yeah, I know. Blame Aki and Kirijo for that."

Souji raised an eyebrow, still confused. Minato laughed at that. "Don't worry. I'll explain."

With Shinjiro's help, he told Souji about their own adventures with SEES, the Dark Hour, Tartarus, the twelve Full Moon Shadows, the battle with Strega, including the one where Shinjiro died, Death being sealed within Minato, The Fall, the battle against Nyx, and finally him becoming the Great Seal.

"...And that's how we got to here," Shinjiro finished off Minato's explanation, expecting Souji to be shocked. He was partly right as the silverette was a little surprised, yet thoughtful.

"You two are probably wondering why I don't seem as shocked to yours and Aniki's return," Souji started before Shinjiro could ask. "While I am curious to as why and how you guys returned from the dead apparently, my friends and I witnessed our own... miracle as well."

"Go on," Minato urged.

"The TV World contains places that are created from the victims' mind and well... My cousin was one of the victims we had to rescue. The only difference was that she was a six year-old kid..."

Shinjiro put the pieces together. "So with someone that young, the effect of that world is harsher on her?"

"Yes, that's right. Her name is Nanako, and she was forced to stay in the hospital for a long time. At first, we all thought she would get better, but then...she took a turn for the worst." Souji closed his eyes at the memory, reliving the pain, sadness, and the anger he had felt when he thought he'd lost her.

Sensing his friend's sadness, Minato placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. Souji snapped out it, giving him a grateful smile. "She survived, or rather, came back to life, thanks to one of my friends, which is why I wasn't that surprised to hear of your story. The Seal part worries me though. I mean, if you were released from the Seal, doesn't that mean this Nyx being might try to wipe out all life on earth again?"

"To be honest, I don't know…" Minato said thoughtfully. "The Great Seal was made from my soul. If it was broken, then I wouldn't be alive now. And there's the mystery regarding Shinjiro-senpai's return as well."

"Tch, I'm about as lost as you two," Shinjiro said.

"Hm… If only I could contact those two, maybe we could get some answers…" Souji wondered out loud.

"Two?" Minato asked. "One of them wouldn't be called Igor, would it?"

Souji smirked. "I should've known. Of course you'd be familiar with the Velvet Room."

"So, that guy was the one helping you out with those multiple Persona?" Shinjiro asked. "I've always wondered about that."

"That's him alright," Souji replied. "If there's anyone who can give us any info, it's Igor. Though, I don't know how we can reach the Velvet Room from Port Island."

"There used to be a door to it in the alley next to the police station in Pauwlonia Mall," Minato said, digging into his pockets. "Good. I still got my Velvet Key."

"I got mine too." Souji took out a glowing blue key from his own pocket. He looked at the clock. "Shoot, it's almost midnight."

The two SEES members quickly looked out the window. As the clock struck midnight… nothing happened.

"Huh? No Dark Hour? Man, things are more screwed up than ever," Shinjiro sighed.

"In a way, that's a good thing. No Shadows roaming around and no Tartarus either. For now, at least," Minato stated. "And we did experience the Dark Hour before midnight today so it might be related to that, strange as it is."

"It's possible…" Souji yawned widely. "Sorry, but I'm beat."

"You aren't the only one," Shinjiro said, covering his own yawn.

"Yeah… I'm tired myself." Minato agreed.

"You can stay here tonight if you want," Souji offered. "Tomorrow morning, we go to the Velvet Room to see if Igor knows anything about what's going on."

"Yeah, that's a good start," Minato said. "Thanks, Souji-kun."

"No problem. Be right back." Souji left the room to get some pillows and blankets.

Shinjiro leaned by the window, crossing his arms. "Hey Minato, think that kid know Aki and the others?"

"I'm not sure, Senpai. Except for Ken and Koromaru, everybody else probably graduated by now. Even Junpei." The blue-haired teen took off his school jacket and shoes. "But we can try looking for them tomorrow."

"Got a point there." Shinjiro took off his coat, boots and beanie. "No point thinking about that now. Let's call it a night and get some rest."

They silently agreed just as Souji returned with two sets of pillows and blankets. "Here. If you need anything else, let me know."

"Thanks." Minato and Shinjiro took one each and made themselves comfortable on the couches.

After wishing them good night, Souji headed for his room. So much has happened today, he could barely believe it. Despite the mystery of his parents' whereabouts, he was glad to meet an old friend again. However, that meeting brought several questions to mind and couldn't help but feel that he was about to embark on yet another Journey. As he drifted off to sleep, all he could hope was that this one would not be related to murders and death like his last one.

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><p>Was he dreaming? He felt like he hadn't done that in ages. The scenery was all too familiar; Naganaki Shrine. Shinjiro often came here in the evenings to walk Koro-chan by himself, or that one time with Minato.<p>

However, instead of his blue-haired team leader, an auburn-headed girl sat next to him as they watched Koromaru playfully running around the Shrine. She smiled at him, her ruby red eyes sparkled with something he couldn't quite read, but for some odd reason he felt very comfortable around her. Her laughter was the sweetest music his ears have ever heard.

The girl suddenly frowned, looking sad and lonely. Not understanding why, that really bothered Shinjiro. Instinctively, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, muttering something about the cold. The girl looked up at him, gasping softly, but then she smiled, her cheeks becoming a light shade of pink. Shinjiro couldn't help but smile himself, his face turning warmer.

As the girl rested her head on his shoulder, he felt at peace. He closed his eyes and they simply remained like that.

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><p>Shinjiro woke up with a jolt. His eyes wondered around, trying to get his bearings and found Minato sleeping soundly on the other couch. He took out a silver pocket watch from his pants pocket and looked at the time: 5.00 AM. <em>'What the hell was that dream all about…? Who was that girl?'<em> Shaking his head in confusion, he took another glance at his watch. There was a huge dent on the back. _'Why do I feel like I'm missing something important? Shit… Am I going crazy now?'  
><em>  
>Ruffling his hair in frustration, Shinjiro decided to try and get back to sleep. However, he couldn't get the mysterious girl of his dreams off his mind. Little did he know that this girl would be connected to him, as well as the two Wild Cards.<p>

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><p><em>Not bad for a start, huh? Well, things will be getting interesting in the next chapters.<em>

_**PS:** A few terms that you guys may not be familiar with:  
>-Banchou means "gang leader" in japanese. It's a name some japanese artists give to Souji due Izanagi's appearance. Minato gave Souji this nickname due the games they used to play as kids and tends to call him that when they're alone.<br>-Aniki is a japanese term that means 'Big Brother' and it's also a slang for 'Boss.' Souji calls Minato that due him being an older brother figure to him_

_Read, Review and Enjoy!_


	2. Chapter 2: The Velvet Room's Siblings

_Wow, thanks for the nice reviews and story watch, guys. This really brightens up my day. owo Oh and to answer someone's review, Minako is a member from SEES and a persona-user. The reason Shinjiro doesn't fully remember her will be revealed in the upcoming chapters. ;3_

_A few warnings: (Yes, I put those before every chapter to avoid issues)_

_-There will be spoilers for all games! You've been warned.  
>-The Main characters from each game in this fanfic are called Minato Arisato (P3:FES), Minako Arisato (P3P) and Souji Seta (P4)<br>-There'll be some cursing. (Anyone that played any persona games knows that some characters on it curse quite a bit.) as well as some heavy subjects.  
>-Main Pairings in this fanfic: MinatoxYukari, ShinjiroxMinako, SoujixYukiko, KanjixNaoto, AkihikoxMitsuru, YosukexChie.<br>-Hinted Pairings(in later chapters): JunpeixChidori. (Hinted because Chidori doesn't appear much on this story) KenxNanako (Ya know those little girl's crushes on older boys? It'll be along those lines) FuukaxKeisuke (Other than Minato and Junpei, Fuuka only displayed some sort of close relationship with Keisuke the club president. I found it kinda cute.) TeddiexRise (Just for giggles. They are afterall the two hyperactive cuties of the team X3)_

Have fun ya guys.

Persona series and all its characters (c) Atlus

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><p><strong>Chapter 2: The Velvet Room Siblings.<strong>

By the time Souji woke up the next day, Minato and Shinjiro were already awake, chatting at the living room. "Morning, Aniki, Shinjiro-san," he yawned.

"Morning, Souji-kun." Minato greeted. Shinjiro gave him a silent nod. "How's your arm?"

"Better." Souji started rubbing it. "I just changed the bandages."

Minato nodded. "Good."

"Hey, you guys hungry?" Souji asked. "I'll make us some breakfast."

Shinjiro raised an eyebrow. "With your arm like that? Aren't you pushing yourself a little too hard?"

"It's no trouble. I mean…truth be told I never tried cooking with only one arm…"

"In that case, better not take chances." Shinjiro stood up. "Just tell me where the ingredients are and I'll do the rest."

"Eh? No, seriously, I can handle it." Souji protested, surprised at the offer.

"How do you expect that arm of yours to heal if you keep putting strain on it?" Shinjiro crossed his arms with a serious expression as he stared at the silverette. "If you don't eat healthily and rest enough, you'll get sick you know."

Minato chuckled, knowing it was useless to get into an argument with Shinjiro right now. "It's okay, Souji-kun. Shinjiro-senpai may not look it, but he is a great cook."

Having heard that, Souji gave up and told Shinjiro where to find everything. Shinjiro pulled up his sleeves. "Right, I'll get to work."

While he was cooking, Minato and Souji started chatting. "So… You're attending Gekkoukan now?"

"Yeah. But I'll be transferred to a school in Inaba after summer vacation. I don't really have a reason to stay here." Souji suddenly remembered something. "Oh, crap! I almost forgot! I'm supposed to go to school and get some papers my uncle asked for my transfer. I'm sorry, Aniki, but would it be too troublesome if you and Shinjiro-san come with after our visit to the Velvet Room?"

Minato couldn't help the grin from appearing on his lips. "That'd be nice. In fact, Senpai and I were gonna ask you about checking out Gekkoukan. Remember I told you that my friends and I studied there? I'm sure they all graduated by now… but at least we might be able to find out how they've been doing."

"Actually, I heard a couple of rumors saying that a few former students planned to hold a meeting at the school gates today. Maybe someone you guys know will be there?"

"It's worth investigating..." Minato decided, looking out the window. "I miss them…"

"They probably miss you too, and Shinjiro-san as well…" Souji pointed out. "I mean… I hadn't seen my friends from Inaba in months and I miss them like hell. Even though they know you died, it doesn't stop them from missing you."

"I guess so…" Minato closed his eyes. His thoughts drifted to a particular girl. _'Yukari… Will you forgive me for leaving you?'_

"Hey, Minato." Shinjiro's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. "Breakfast's ready. Set the table while you're at it, will ya?"

"Oh, sure…".

As the three Persona-users were quietly having breakfast, each one was lost in their own thoughts. Minato's floated between Yukari and the mystery of his return. Shinjiro's was about the girl he saw in his last dream. Souji's were about his parents and his friends in Inaba.

Once they had finished eating, they immediately headed out to Paulownia Mall. As they arrived at the fountain, Souji stopped.

"What is it?" Minato asked.

"I don't mean any disrespect, but… you do know that very few people can even see the door that leads to the Velvet Room, right?" Souji looked at Shinjiro. "I'm not sure if Shinjiro-san can enter."

Minato sighed and rubbed his head."Oh yeah… I forgot that part…"

"We won't know until we try," Shinjiro shrugged. "Where is this door?"

"It's in the alley beside the police station." Minato replied. "Let's go."

They were about to enter the alley when a police officer stopped them. "Excuse me." His attention was entirely on Souji. "Souji? Souji Seta?"

Souji's heart began to pump faster, an automatic response whenever his uncle used that cop tone on him, until he recalled who the police officer was. "Oh, you're the officer who contacted my Uncle Dojima after the incident… Officer Kurosawa, right?"

Minato and Shinjiro were caught off guard at their exchange, while the policeman nodded. "That's right. I see you're recovering fine." He noticed Souji's two companions and gave them a small smile. "Ah, Aragaki and Arisato..."

"H-Hello, Kurosawa-san…" Minato greeted, looking a bit uncomfortable. _'Oh crap, how are we gonna explain that we're alive after being considered dead for over two years?'_

"So you finally woke up from your coma and Aragaki is done with his rehabilitation?" Officer Kurosawa asked.

Now that confused not only Minato and Shinjiro, but Souji as well. Thinking fast, Minato looked at his friends and mouthed _'play along'_. Both nodded. "Yeah… I woke up yesterday and by a stroke of luck I met with Shinjiro-senpai and Souji-kun as we were all released from the hospital. Souji-kun is an old friend of mine."

"I see…" Officer Kurosawa said. "Then I guess your uncle won't need to worry about you until you go head back to Inaba. I've known these two young men for a while so I'll assure him that you are with good companions."

"My uncle has contacted you?" Souji asked.

"Just a few hours ago. He wanted details regarding the car accident. Unfortunately the investigation uncovered nothing so far…"

"Oh…" Souji frowned, eyes darkening. "I see. Thanks for the help though."

Officer Kurosawa nodded curtly and returned to the police station.

The atmosphere was tense. "Okay… Anyone mind telling me what the hell that was all about?" Shinjiro asked, keeping his voice low so only Minato could hear.

"Your guess is as good as mine…" Minato replied, concern growing in his voice. "Souji-kun…"

"Let's go," Souji said and walked towards the alley, without turning around.

"Something's up," Shinjiro confirmed.

"I know, Senpai." Minato sighed. "C'mon, he doesn't seem to be ready to talk about it."

Silently agreeing, Shinjiro nodded and followed the Wild Cards into the alley. He was surprised to see a blue glowing door there. "Okay…I don't remember ever seeing that here…"

"If you can see the door, then that means you can enter the Velvet Room," Souji said, readying his Velvet Key. "Aniki?"

"Time to get some answers." Minato said, raising his own key.

The blue door began to glow brighter and brighter. Not knowing what to expect, Shinjiro could only brace himself. Minato and Souji's hearts were pounding, wondering just how much the once familiar and soothing room had changed.

The Velvet Room was entirely different from what the two of them remembered. The room was, of course, covered in blue. Wall to wall, floor to ceiling; it was all blue. Various shades of mysterious blue. It wasn't an elevator or a limousine, just a cubic room. To their right, a small stage lined with velvet, decorated with nothing more than a grand piano and an antique standing microphone. A crystal chandelier hung at the center of the ceiling. Glowing geometric patterns decorated the edges of the wall where it met the ceiling.

Focusing their attention to the center of the room, the three noticed a big blue table with a wide black couch suitable for three, and across the table sitting in a regal chair was none other than Igor, who had a grin as big as his nose on his face, as always.

Four people stood on either side of Igor, two on his left and two on his right. The first one they noticed was a female who had short, bob-cut white hair and yellow eyes wearing a blue dress and a hat similar to an elevator attendant; the second was also female, slightly taller than the first one with long, blondish-white hair and yellow eyes, also wearing a blue dress like that of a secretary; the third one was a male, taller than both females, with neat, short white hair and yellow eyes. His blue clothes also reassembled that of an elevator attendant.

However, it was the fourth one that attracted Shinjiro and Minato's attention the most. A female, with black hair, pale skin and red eyes. Her body was entirely black, save for her right arm which was white, and she adorned a strange red and gold visor-like thing on her head, the patterns matching the strange metallic skirt around her waist. She wielded a strange, rod-like weapon.

"Welcome to- or rather...welcome back to the Velvet Room, my dear young men." Igor greeted in his enigmatic fashion. "It has so far been unprecedented for a previous guest to return to the Velvet Room once their challenge has been met, and they have fulfilled their contract, let alone two wielders of the Wild Card ability meet, but it would seem that Fate is not yet done with you, and your friend here as well." He motioned a gnarly, gloved hand to Shinjiro.

"That much we're already aware of…" Souji said, not expecting a straight answer from Igor.

"Ah! Forgive my manners. Allow me to introduce my three assistants: Elizabeth, Margaret and Theodore." Igor motioned to the blue-clad trio. "Like myself, they are residents of this Velvet Room."

Elizabeth and Margaret smiled at Minato and Souji respectively. The two returned their smiles as well. However it was Theodore who spoke first. "My name is Theodore. It's an honor to meet the two men that had accomplished so many brave deeds and my sisters have become so fond of."

"Your sisters?!" Minato and Souji said in unison. Shinjiro only stared at them, confused.

"Please excuse my brother." Margaret said in a crisp warning tone, clearly aiming at Theodore, who seemed to flinch at that. Despite the seriousness in her voice, there was a small hint of mischievousness as well. "He can be quite blunt sometimes."

"He is easily excited, which causes him to run off his mouth sometimes," Elizabeth giggled. "However, I can understand his excitement regarding this encounter."

"Now I remember…" Souji said suddenly. "When Margaret and I battled, she told me about her sister whom had left the Velvet Room looking for a way to release the soul of a blue haired boy that became a seal to protect mankind from destruction. Back then, I had no idea she was talking about you, Aniki."

Minato looked at Elizabeth with surprise, who in turn nodded. "But if the Great Seal was broken, shouldn't I be dead? My soul broken to pieces?"

"Not necessarily. The Seal wasn't broken, but something slipped through it, causing something to change and your soul to be released, which allowed it to be teleported to the human realm," a sudden voice said. It was the dark haired girl. "About a month after your sacrifice, your friends discovered something unimaginable relating to your death and their pasts. They also discovered the sacrifice you made, resulting in your death. From there, they fought a being known as Erebus, which was created by the thoughts of humans wanting to end their life, and defeated it. But they figured out that Erebus would soon return one day, and try to break through your seal to reach Nyx, therefore unleashing the Fall once again."

Minato was in shock at what he had just heard. His friends, the former SEES members, had ventured into some unknown place to discover the reason behind his death, but that brought another question up. "How do you know about that? Clearly you're not a denizen of the Velvet room, are you?"

"No, I'm not," the girl replied. "And the reason I know about what happened was because –"

"Because you were there when it happened, weren't you?" Shinjiro interjected. "You're Metis, Aigis' sister."

Metis' eyes widened in surprise, but didn't deny. "Yes, I'm Metis…and Aigis is my sister." She stared at Shinjiro. "I remember you. Out of my sister's friends, you and that girl, Fuuka-san, were the least hostile towards me…"

"Not surprising, after the way ya attacked everybody in the dorm, it's no wonder Aki and the others didn't trust you that much at first –" Shinjiro stopped, surprised at what he even said without thinking. "Wait a minute… How can I know you if by the time that happened, I was already dead?!"

"I… I don't know…"

"Okay, this is getting more confusing…" Minato said.

"Ya said it, Aniki…" Souji sighed.

Metis stepped closer and gave them both a long look. "You… You two have the same power my sister had."

"Huh? You mean Aigis had the power of the Wild Card?" Souji wondered, trying to fit in the piece of information with Minato's story, but came up with a blank.

"For a brief time out of necessity, one might say." Igor said, drawing their attention. He then explained to them about when Aigis inherited Orpheus and Minato's power of the Wild Card, how that led to SEES' journey into the Abyss of Time and well as Metis' creation.

"So… She is like Teddie…" Souji said out loud.

"What do you mean?" Metis asked.

"One of my friends from Inaba was originally a Shadow who had awoken to human emotions, learned to speak human language and became friendly with humans, taking a bear-like form so that people would like him upon meeting him. Teddie eventually took a human form so that he could be with me and other humans outside the TV World. After gaining a personality and losing his Shadow mask, he received his own Persona." Souji explained. "From what I know, Shadows arise from human emotions. You said you were actually the physical manifestation of the emotional side of Aigis, separated from her after Aigis wished to return back to being fully machine to escape the emotional burden of losing Aniki. During your journey, you developed your own personality and gained your own Persona, both born from your resolve of protecting you sister. That also explains how you possess knowledge about the places and entities related to Shadows. It's similar to how Teddie knows about the TV World. The two of you are the same regarding that sense."

Metis nodded. "I see now…"

"There's just one thing I don't get." Minato said. "After the fight with Erebus, you said Aigis and Metis reconciled and Metis returned into Aigis, or something like that. Her being here now means that something happened with Aigis?"

"Do not worry. She's still herself. Her emotions as well as her psyche are the still the same from after she found her answer to life." Elizabeth replied. "However, your release from the Seal caused the power that was with her to return to you. That release caused Metis to become a whole individual and reached the Velvet Room sometime ago. Around the same time you and your friend returned to your world."

"When the Seal was broken and your soul released, Shadows leaked from it, leading to the phenomena you call 'Dark Hour'. The Shadows sensed your power and chased after you both," Margaret continued. "That was what led to the fateful meeting that brought the three of you together."

"While we are still unsure of what caused your Seal to be attacked, it seems to be interested in meddling with both worlds," Igor stated. "It'll take the power of several bonds to defeat whatever is behind this new threat."

"Um… That kind of makes sense now…" Minato said. "So I guess this means we'll be starting another journey again, huh?"

"Yes…" Souji quickly grasped the flow of information and pieced it all together. "A new contract huh?"

"Oho, you are fast thinkers, my boys." Igor spoke again, his grin even broader than before. "You are, in fact, correct. As for this new threat, you must never forget the bonds you both have created, as well as the new ones you will create and reforge."

"The bonds we have created… You mean my friends, but I don't know where they are…" Minato frowned, looking at Shinjiro who just shook his head in response.

"And mine are back in Inaba…" Souji said.

Igor grinned, seemingly enjoying himself. "As you three were brought together by Fate, then Fate shall also bring your friends together. How that may be brought about, is entirely up to her."

"Right…" Shinjiro said skeptically.

"By the way, what did you mean when you said 'new bonds that will be created and reforged'?" Minato asked.

"Allow me to explain that," Theodore said. "There's a third wielder of the Wild Card who was also guest of this room as well."

"And quite a remarkable guest she is," Igor chuckled. "She is also aware of this threat so she will try to contact you sometime in the near future."

"And how will we find her?" Souji asked.

"You will recognize her when the time comes. After all, she has strong ties with you both, wielders of the Wild Card, as well as with your friend here." Igor looked at Shinjiro.

"Huh? Me?" Shinjiro asked.

"Only those who are bound to a contract may enter the Velvet Room. However, any being with a strong ego or high spiritual sensitivity might be able to reach this place," Igor explained. "I believe this seems to be your case as well, as it may be related to you being alive."

"Hm…" Shinjiro crossed his arms, thinking.

"Now, time marches on in your world. Do not worry; you will see your friends again very soon, and your answers will become clearer. Well now, I shall let you figure out the rest of your New Journey. Until next time..."

The room began to grow fainter and fainter, the three young men once again finding themselves in the mall's alley. Only with something different: Metis was with them.

"Huh? What are you doing here?" Shinjiro asked.

"I told you I'm not a resident of the Velvet Room so I'll be going with you three from now on," Metis replied. "I want to find my sister. You guys are gonna go look for her, right?"

"Well, we did plan to look for info on her and the others' whereabouts…so I don't see any problem with you coming with us." Minato stated, and smiled at her. "Besides, Aigis will probably be really happy to see you again."

Metis was so happy that her smile almost split her face. "Thank you, Minato-san! I'll do everything I can to help you guys!"

He couldn't help but laugh. "Wow, you sure sound like her." The sound of broken glass rang through his mind as familiar card flashed, a surge of power resonating through his soul. _'The Aeon arcana, huh? I thought I had already mastered that Social Link, but I guess there's still more to learn about Aigis… and now Metis too.'  
><em>  
>Souji smiled as well. Metis had a childlike air about her that reminded him of Nanako. "So it's settled then. Now we need to find some leads as to where your friends might be."<p>

Shinjiro quirked an eyebrow at Souji. "Didn't ya say you had to pick some papers at school or something?"

"Oh, yeah, I almost forgot! Let's go to Gekkoukan! Maybe we'll find something there."

The other three nodded and left the mall. As they headed towards Gekkoukan, they discussed the situation.

"A few things became clearer but others didn't. However, I'm intrigued by this third wielder of the Wild Card," Minato said.

"Since Igor referred to this person as a she, I guess it's safe to assume it's a girl," Souji stated.

"And from what he said about my sister no longer having that power, I guess that rules her out as a possible person," Metis added. "But what did he mean by that person having strong ties with you three?"

"Someone we both know well and somehow connected to Shinjiro-san…I can't recall anyone that fits that profile. What do you think, Shinjiro-san?"

Shinjiro was quiet, trying to make sense of what he had heard in the Velvet Room. "Honestly, I'm still trying to sort out what that weird guy said."

"Heh, that's natural. At first, what he talks about seems to make no sense at all, so you really have to pay attention," Minato said. "It takes a while to get used to."

"Well, he did say his role is simply to assist us, so I guess he can't give us straight answers or else he'd be interfering…too…much…" Souji trailed off, looking around. "Uh-oh…"

"What's wrong?" Metis asked.

"Don't look now, but a lot of people are staring at us."

The silverette was right. The group of four was attracting a lot of attention. "Why are they looking at us?" Metis asked curiously.

"I think I know…" Minato said, sweatdropping. He tried to shield Metis from view.

The android was clueless, but not for very long. "Huh? Me?!"

"A robot girl is not exactly something common," Shinjiro said.

"At this rate, there'll be a lot more commotion by the time we get to school…" Souji said. "What do we do?"

"Tch…" Shinjiro took off his coat and draped it over her shoulders. "Hope you don't overheat."

"Hmm… Not exactly an ideal camouflage for me, but it'll have to work for now," Metis said, buttoning the coat on.

"Good thing you always drag that pea-coat around with you, Senpai," Minato laughed, amused at their current predicament. "But seriously, how can you wear that thing in the middle of summer? It's scorching hot today..."

"Whatever," Shinjiro grunted.

* * *

><p>Luckily for the odd group, the rest of the trip to Gekkoukan was uneventful.<p>

"So this is a 'school'…" Metis said in awe as she stared at the entrance gates. "It's huge!"

"Yeah…" Minato said with a nostalgic look. "It's just the same as I remember…"

"Good thing they're holding summer classes or I'd have to wait until September for my transfer," Souji said. "I'll head to the Faculty office get the papers. I'll be back soon."

"Okay. We'll hang around the main gate to see if that rumor you heard is for real."

Souji ran ahead into the building.

The rest stood there in silence, waiting for Souji to come back.

Fifteen minutes passed and nothing happened. Minato was half glad, half disappointed. A part of him wanted to meet his old classmates, but another part was afraid of how they would react to seeing him again. It was really conflicting.

Finally, after another fifteen minutes, Souji returned. "Sorry about the holdup… I ran into Mr. Edogawa as I was leaving the faculty office." He rolled his eyes. "He kept lecturing me about magic and stuff. I swear I don't know what's worse: his lectures or his potions."

"I know what you mean…" Minato said with a sigh. "Good thing that was the only lecture you received."

Souji noticed his frown. "So no one came?"

Minato shook his head. "I guess it was just a silly rumor after all…"

"I'm really sorry, Aniki…I was really hoping someone would show up."

"It ain't your fault…" Minato gave him a forced smile. "I'm sure we'll discover something. Come on, let's get goi–" Just as he turned around to leave, something short bumped into him, or rather someone.

"Ow! Oh my gosh, I'm sorry!" A rather nervous female voice squeaked. "I'm so clumsy!"

"H-Hey, no worries. I wasn't looking where I was going either." Minato attempted to calm the person down, and got a good look who he had bumped into – a brown long-haired girl wearing glasses. "Chihiro-san?!"

The flusterd girl looked up at him with a mix of shock and joy. "M-Minato-senpai?! Is… Is that you?!"

Minato smiled, surprised to see how much Chihiro had changed these past years, and unsure about how she would react to his return.

"You… You finally woke up from your coma!" Chihiro cheered, her eyes brimming with tears as she hugged him. "It's a miracle!"

_'Again with the coma thing… I guess I'll just have to play along with that for now…'_ Minato thought as he lightly returned Chihiro's embrace.

Souji and Metis smiled. Shinjiro snorted and turned around. Chihiro broke the hug and noticed them. "Oh, hello…you're Minato-senpai's friends, right?"

"That's right… Oh, now I remember you!" Souji suddenly said. "You were the Student Council's president back when a group of students from Yasogami High came here on a school trip last year."

Chihiro nodded with a blush. "Y-yes…I think I remember you too. No wonder you seem familiar."

"For some reason I always thought you'd end up becoming president," Minato smiled. "Congratulations."

Chihiro blushed harder. "T-Thank you…"

The commotion suddenly picked up for some reason. "Dude, it's Minato!" A voice exclaimed. Next thing they knew, a small group had surrounded the blunette, who was surprised yet happy.

"Kenji… Rio…Kazushi…Yuko…Hidetoshi… Keisuke-senpai… Nozomi…"

"Man, now this is something I didn't see coming. Of all places to see you, it had to be in school!" Kenji smiled, slinging an arm over his best friend's shoulder in an enthusiastic half-hug. "I was complaining about missing a date to come to this meeting, but now I'm glad I did."

"Slacking as ever, huh? Some things never change," Minato chuckled. "It's great to see you all. How have you guys been?"

The group told Minato what they've been doing since they graduated. Kenji now attended acting school in order to improve his comedy skills, had stopped trying to date older women and now had a girlfriend which was Rio, his childhood friend, currently studying to become a tennis instructor. Kazushi's knee healed completely and considered as one of the best athletes in his college kendo team. Yuko was studying to become a P.E. teacher and dating Kazushi, much to Minato's surprise and amusement. Keisuke managed to enter medical school, although his passion for photography was still strong. Hidetoshi was studying to become a professor. Nozomi was now a renowned food critic whom had appeared in several cooking and traveling magazines; Chihiro just graduated, but she plans to become a novel writer and was already admitted into a good college.

"So how have you been, Minato-kun? When did you get out of the hospital?" Yuko asked.

"I'm doing well. Just got released yesterday too," Minato lied. He really didn't want to explain to them what had really happened. He then pointed to Souji and the others. "They were released with me on the same day."

Hidetoshi studied Shinjiro from top to bottom. "You're Aragaki-san, right? The guy who was shot trying to protect a kid from a madman and barely survived."

Shinjiro didn't want to comment on anything, but recalling what had happened with Officer Kurosawa, he shrugged. "Pretty much…"

"I must say you were really lucky to have survived that. From what I heard, that shot would've been fatal had it been anyone else," Keisuke stated. "Even so, it's no wonder you were in coma for months and was going through rehabilitation until recently. Your recovery is astounding, though."

"Yeah, I guess…" Shinjiro said, rubbing the back of his head. The annoyance of being surrounded by too many people started to make him itch, but he stood his ground.

"So, Minato-kun, what brings you to school in summer?" Nozomi asked. "You intend to resume your studies?"

"I actually came with Souji-kun so he could pick some papers. He's being transferred to another school. And…I was wondering if I'd run into some familiar faces here."

"Like Yukari-san and your other dorm mates?" Rio asked. At the mention of her name, Minato blushed faintly, making the long-haired girl laugh. "I knew it. Well, you're in luck. Chihiro-chan keeps in contact with Kirijo-senpai quite often, so she might know where they are."

"Oh, yes. Kirijo-senpai helped me a lot when I was Student Council's president. After she and Sanada-san graduated, the dorm you guys lived in was closed down. There were rumors about a redevelopment project, but it never really happened. It reopened after Takeba-senpai and your other classmates entered college. My guess is it was the only dorm in town that allowed pets, and the closest to the college they attend to." She stopped for a while, trying to remember some recent information. "But I don't think they're in Port Island at the moment. Kirijo-senpai said she and her friends were going on a trip this summer. I think they left this morning, or was it yesterday?"

"Do you know where they went? Is my sister Aigis with them?" Metis suddenly asked, gaining weird and curious looks from everybody.

"Please excuse her," Souji interjected quickly. "She's an amnesic girl we met in the hospital. It was by chance we found out she is Aigis' younger fraternal twin."

_'Nice save, Souji-kun!'_ Minato thought. "Yeah, she regained her memories after she saw some photos of Aigis I had on my cell phone."

"Oh, I see. Well, I believe she's travelling with the others as well. And the place they went is a little town in the country… I think it was called Inaba…or something like that," Chihiro said.

"Hey, I know about that place!" Kazushi said. "It was on the news a few months ago. Something about bizarre murders and stuff, and weird weather."

_'You don't know the half of it…'_ Souji thought.

"The tennis team and Kazu-kun stayed there during our fellowship. Of course, that was a long time before all that crazy stuff happened," Rio stated, hugging Kenji's arm. "Kirijo-senpai and the others are probably staying over at the Amagi Inn. That place is pretty ritzy."

"Inaba… that's the place Souji-kun is transferring to," Minato said. "He's staying with his uncle there."

"Yeah, that's the one," Souji replied. "That reminds me. I gotta phone him and tell him I've got the papers for the transfer."

"Then I guess we're done here. We should get going too," Minato said, looking back at his dear friends. "It's wonderful to see you guys again. Thanks everybody, for all your help."

"Don't mention it, man. It was great seeing you too," Kenji grinned and winked. "Oh, and don't worry. We'll keep your return a secret to Yukari-san and the others. We don't wanna spoil the surprise."

"Thanks, Kenji. See you guys some other time."

The group waved and uttered collective goodbyes to Minato and his friends. After they had left, the former Gekkoukan students exchanged glances. "Well, I must say it's been one surprise after the other today, huh?" Hidetoshi said. "Although I still think we should have told them that she had also awakened from her coma."

"Hey, you remember what she asked us when we met up with her on our way here, don't ya? Keep it a surprise from Minato-kun and the others," Rio reiterated.

"Yeah, I know they'll probably be shocked when they meet up with her, but hey, isn't that part of the fun too?" Keisuke added with a smile.

The others nodded in agreement and left their former school grounds, talking about high school memories, happy to meet up with old friends again.

* * *

><p>"Well, that went better than I expected," Minato said as the group walked down the street. "Although I still don't know why everybody kept thinking I was just in a coma and Shinjiro-senpai survived getting shot. That's nothing like how I remembered it."<p>

"Maybe it has to do with the Great Seal being damaged?" Metis suggested. "It seems like everybody whom developed bonds with you had their memories altered or something."

"Who knows? Not even that could be covered up by Mitsuru's family," Shinjiro said. "I'm starting to get what you meant by that Igor guy not making sense at first. He said that Fate will bring our friends and Souji's friends together like it brought us together. Who would've thought they'd go to Inaba of all places?"

"I'm surprised as well, but that makes things more convenient for us in a way," Souji said. "What's the plan now, Aniki?"

"First, let's head to the dorm. I still got my key to it. Hopefully Mitsuru-senpai didn't change the locks," Minato said. "If my guess is right, they left Shinjiro-senpai's and my room intact. So we might as well pack our stuff for the trip. We should be able to get some more proper clothes for Metis."

"How? Knowing the girls, they all probably locked their rooms before leaving," Shinjiro stated.

"I know how to get in to my sister's room," Metis mentioned quietly. "She taught me once."

"That should work. After we're done packing and getting ready, we head for Souji-kun's place," Minato planned out. "He can get his stuff ready and we'll order the tickets for Inaba."

Souji looked confused. "Huh? My place? But…"

"You still haven't packed your things for your move to Inaba, and your arm is hurt so you're gonna need some help. Besides, it'll be easier if we go to the train station all together." Minato gave a casual shrug, like it was no trouble at all. Truth be told, he really didn't want to leave Souji alone by himself.

Souji acquiesced. "Good idea..." He wouldn't admit it out loud that he didn't want to be alone at the moment. _'Thanks, Aniki…'_

"Fine by me. Let's get going," Shinjiro said.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Iwatodai Dorm, Lounge…<em>**

"Ah, I never thought I'd be that happy to see this place again," Minato said as he and the others walked into the dorm's lounge. "Looks like things didn't change much here in the past two years."

"Maybe it's just me, but the atmosphere is different from when I was last been here," Metis said. "I don't know. It feels… peaceful…"

"Probably because back then, everybody was still trying to come to terms with the aftermath of the battle against Nyx and…" Shinjiro furrowed his brows, growling in frustration at yet another memory he didn't recall experiencing. "Dammit, how do I keep knowing this stuff?!"

"No point in worrying about that for now, Shinjiro-san," Souji said. "We'll probably find the answers to that as we uncover more about this new threat we heard about. Maybe your other friends know something too."

"Souji-kun is right. For now we should focus on what we do know," Minato decided. "I'm gonna check out my old room. With a bit of luck, all my stuff should still be there." He wiped some sweat off his forehead. "Might as well take a shower to cool off too… man, summer is as brutal as I remember. You should do the same, Senpai."

"I guess…" Shiniro agreed, though still somewhat restless.

Minato turned to Metis. "You said you know how to get into Aigis' room right, right? So you should have no problem picking out something to wear. Oh, and try to find a bag big enough to guard your weapon. We don't want to raise any suspicions."

"Okay. Should...should I wear something my sister would in the summer?" Metis asked.

"Good idea. Just make sure it covers your arms and legs. That way you won't attract any unwanted attention." Minato turned to Souji. "Make yourself at home, Souji-kun. We won't take long."

The other three vanished up the stairs, leaving the silver-haired boy alone so he took his time to look around the place. "It's kinda funny, but this place somehow reminds me of the 'special headquarters' back in Inaba," he mumbled to himself, a faint smile forming as he recalled the afternoons he spent with his friends at the Junes food court, thinking and working hard to figure out the mystery.

The smile turned into a frown. Souji was too caught up with the all things that had happened recently, he nearly forgot about what might have happened to his parents. Now that he was alone, the memory hit him full force. _'Dammit, not now…'_ The tears suddenly welled up. _'I can't cry now…'_

He didn't know how long he just stood there, just fighting back tears only to be snapped back to reality when he suddenly heard footsteps. He quickly wiped the tears away before anyone saw. Minato came down first, wearing jeans and a t-shirt. He was soon followed by Shinjiro, now in a light brown cotton sleeveless t-shirt under an open black shirt and jeans, his trademark beanie still on his head. Each carried a duffel bag filled with clothes.

"Phew, now that's better! Good thing they still kept all my stuff," the blunette said. Souji remained silent. "Banchou-kun, is something wrong?"

"N-No…" Souji stammered, not facing Minato. "Just looking around…"

Minato knew he was lying, but decided that now wasn't the best time to ask about what was troubling him. "If you say so…"

"I'm ready!" They heard Metis calling as she skipped down the stairs.

They turned to face her. The android was wearing one of Aigis' winter school uniforms while holding a cylindrical-shaped bag. "H-how do I look?" she asked uneasily. "Is this camouflage appropriate?"

"It looks pretty good on you," Minato complimented. "Yukari and the others would probably say you look cute in this. I'm sure Aigis would like it too."

Metis nodded with a smile and a faint blush. "Thank you, Minato-san…"

"This solves one problem," Shinjiro said, slinging his bag over his shoulder. "Can't believe they even kept our weapons…but transporting my axe in a bag will definitely cause suspicion."

"They probably thought it was the best way to honor your memories," Souji stated. "You don't have to worry about your weapon. We can have it delivered to Inaba if you want or buy you a new one at Old Master Daidara's metal shop."

"I guess you're right. I can still carry my sword around in my shinai case, so that won't be a problem," Minato said. "Well, let's get going. Anyone up for some takoyaki on the way back?"

"I'm cool with that. Haven't had those in a while," Shinjiro mused.

"I'm in too," Souji said. "The takoyaki opposite the Iwatodai Station are the best ones I've had yet."

"What's 'takoyaki'?" Metis asked, curious to know what it was.

"Hm…I guess showing is easier than explaining," Minato said, opening the door. "Let's go."

They made their way to Souji's apartment after a quick stop at the takoyaki stand for a snack.

* * *

><p>By the time the four arrived at Souji's place, it was already evening. Souji was exhausted, but he still needed to finish packing his stuff for tomorrow's trip back to Inaba. It had been one exciting event after another for the silver-haired boy ever since the accident.<p>

The first miracle was Minato, his long lost friend and brother figure, literally appeared out of nowhere bringing along a tall and older guy named Shinjiro Aragaki. Then they got attacked by Shadows, only for Minato to exhibit the same power of the Wild Card like he possessed, and Shinjiro being a Persona-user himself. If that wasn't enough, when they went to the Velvet Room for explanations, they stumbled across yet another interesting character – Metis, an android girl with the power of Persona. For a guy who was recently released from the hospital and just waiting for his transfer back to Inaba, it was a little too much.

On the other hand, he really couldn't complain. Minato was still the friendly, big brother figure he had been when they were children. He noticed that something was wrong with Souji, but didn't bring up, hoping that he would open up when the time was right. His friends were nice as well. Shinjiro had that intimidating look and the 'badass attitude', but he an excellent cook and didn't seem bothered to help in the kitchen. Metis was awkward at first, but she slowly warmed up to them. Perhaps because Minato was close to her "sister", Aigis, and both he and Souji had the power of the Wild Card like she did. As for Shinjiro, maybe it was because their Personae shared the same Arcana, the Hierophant. Oddly enough, they seemed to know each other. As confusing as that was at the moment, they couldn't figure out that mystery for now.

Despite enjoying their company, Souji couldn't help but feel the loss of his parents. There were no proof of their deaths, but there was no sign of them being alive either. It was driving him _crazy! _He needed to find the truth, but where to start?

As he was mulling around in his room, a soft voice called him. "Banchou-kun?" A hand gently touched his shoulder.

He turned to see the storm grey/blue eyes he knew so well. "Yeah, Aniki? Something wrong?"

"You're crying…" Minato pointed out, frowning as he whipped a small trail of tears running down Souji's cheek.

Seeing how sensitive and concerned his friend was being, Souji felt an onslaught of relief, the tears wouldn't stop flowing. He hated being this emotional and unbalanced around another person, but if he was going to be like that anyway, then he was glad that it was with Minato.

His brother figure was at his side in an instant, one arm wrapped around his shoulders in a soothing gesture, guiding him as they sat on the sofa. "H-Hey! Everything's going to be ok… Don't worry. I'm here…"

Even as tears spilled down his face, Souji gave him a small grin. "Heh, you haven't changed one bit..." He covered his eyes, but it was pointless. The dam finally broke. "... Damnit! I miss them!"

His words were just whispers, but Minato heard him anyway, and pulled Souji's head to his shoulder seeing he was taller. "... It's about your parents, isn't it?"

After all, it didn't take a genius to figure it out.

Souji buried his face into Minato's neck, soaking the other teen's t-shirt with his tears as he sobbed quietly, just like a lost little boy.

Minato only held him as he cried; rubbing his back gently with one hand as his little brother grieved and cried himself out. It was all he could do, and he'd gladly do it for Souji.

After a while, Souji had no more tears to cry. Sniffling quietly, he pulled away from Minato, his eyes a bit puffed up, blushing with embarrassment at the large wet spot he'd caused with his tears on his shirt. "Sorry about that..."

Minato looked down at his damp shirt, shrugging it off with a grin. "Nah, don't worry about it. Looks like you needed a good cry." The silverette yawned suddenly, exhausted from the long day's events. "Need some sleep too, no doubt. Let me help you finishing packing so you can get some rest."

Souji was grateful. "Thanks, Aniki..."

"Hey, that's what big brothers are for, right, Banchou-kun?" Minato smirked, patting him on the head.

As he helped Souji with his things, Shinjiro and Metis watched them from the door. "So… Souji-san's sad because his family is gone?" Metis asked with a frown.

"Looks like it, but it's not confirmed so there's still hope," Shinjiro said. "Can't butt in on his problems now. If he wants to talk, he'll come talking."

"I see…" Metis said thoughtfully. "I… I think… I can understand how he feels…"

"Ya do?" Shinjiro raised an eyebrow at that. "I'm guessing you're missing Aigis a lot, huh?"

"How did you know?"

"Beats the hell outta me. The way ya talk about her gives that impression, I guess. Ya really dislike being alone."

Metis nodded. "Do you…do you think she will be happy to see me again?"

"Can't see why not. After all, you are her sister. It doesn't matter if you were born from her emotions or whatever Souji said."

"Thank you… Shinjiro-san."

"No big deal." Shinjiro simply shrugged, walking away. "Let's get some rest. It's already late and I doubt we'll be leaving tonight anyway. I'll fix up some dinner."

* * *

><p>Early the next morning, the group freshened up and left for the train station right after breakfast. Souji received a phone call from Uncle Dojima earlier and informed him that he was bringing three friends with him to Inaba. That way, the detective wouldn't be surprised upon meeting them, and prepare the house for visitors.<p>

As they waited for the train to arrive, Shinjiro took his time to look around when someone caught his eye – the girl who looked just like the one he saw in his dream. She seemed to be waiting for the same train he and the others were taking. She suddenly perked up and stared at him, giving a small smile. _'It's her! So she wasn't a dream after all…'_

He was about to walk up to her and demand answers when Minato called him, tinkering with his MP3 player. "Hey Senpai! Uhhh…is something wrong?"

"Nah… It's nothing," Shinjiro replied. When he turned his gaze back to where the girl was standing, she was already gone. '_Shit! Not again… am I seeing things now?'_

Soon their train arrived. As the four boarded, none of them noticed an auburn-haired girl entering the same coach as they were on, only from another door at the back.

_'This is gonna be a very interesting summer...'_ the girl thought, smiling as she put on a pair of red earphones, and turned on her own MP3 player, the same model and maker as a certain blunette's. _'Right Aniki, Banchou-kun?'_

* * *

><p><em>That's it for now. That should leave you guys on your toes for a while .w. <em> _Don't forget to __Read, Review and Enjoy!_


	3. Chapter 3: Meeting of Persona users

_Howdy, folks! How ya been doing? Things are getting trickier at college so I can't promise when the new chapters will be up, but i'll get to work on them as I can. Well, on with the show. =3  
><em>

_A few warnings: (Yes, I put those before every chapter to avoid issues)_

_-There will be spoilers for all games! You've been warned.  
>-The Main characters from each game in this fanfic are called Minato Arisato (P3:FES), Minako Arisato (P3P) and Souji Seta (P4)<br>-There'll be some cursing. (Anyone that played any persona games knows that some characters on it curse quite a bit.) as well as some heavy subjects.  
>-Main Pairings in this fanfic: MinatoxYukari, ShinjiroxMinako, SoujixYukiko, KanjixNaoto, AkihikoxMitsuru, YosukexChie.<br>-Hinted Pairings(in later chapters): JunpeixChidori. (Hinted because Chidori doesn't appear much on this story) KenxNanako (Ya know those little girl's crushes on older boys? It'll be along those lines) FuukaxKeisuke (Other than Minato and Junpei, Fuuka only displayed some sort of close relationship with Keisuke the club president. I found it kinda cute.) TeddiexRise (Just for giggles. They are afterall the two hyperactive cuties of the team X3)_

Have fun ya guys. Don't forget to Read and Review.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 3: Meeting of Persona-users.<strong>

While Minato, Shinjiro, Metis and Souji were still in Tatsumi Port Island gathering information about the former members of SEES' whereabouts, a train just arrived at Yasoinaba Station.

A group of young adults gathered around the train door as the announcement came on. _"We have arrived at Yasoinaba…Yasoinaba Station…"_

"We finally arrived. What a charming little place this is." A red-head young woman named Mitsuru Kirijo looked around the station as she boarded the platform from the train, followed by a small yet peculiar group. One by one, they disembarked the train – a young woman with disheveled light blue hair named Fuuka Yamagishi, a taller woman with blonde hair wearing a large hair band known as Aigis; a brown haired pre-teen called Ken Amada; a young man with silver hair and a devilishly handsome face named Akihiko Sanada, a young woman with short brown hair and bright, intelligent eyes, Yukari Takeba. Lastly, a young man easily depicted as a jokester, wearing a baseball cap and goatee, a mischievous grin on his face going by the name of Junpei Iori. "Yasoinaba Station. It's smaller than I thought..."

"May be small, but some weird stuff happened around here," Junpei said, grinning widely.

"I swear, Junpei, if you hadn't showed us that website, I'd say it was just some silly paranormal rumor," Yukari scolded.

"Hey, I know ya don't like ghost stories, Yuka-tan, but even you gotta agree that this whole stuff sounds way too similar to what WE experienced back in high school."

"Got a point there…" Akihiko stated, looking around. "So, what's the plan now, Mitsuru?"

The red-head flicked her hair. "After we leave our belongings at the Amagi Inn, let's take a look around town. I've made arrangements with the Inn's manager and her daughter agreed to be our guide."

"That's convenient. Hopefully we'll find some useful information," Fuuka agreed. Suddenly she remembered something. "Oh, shouldn't we release Koro-chan now?"

" I'll get him," Ken volunteered. He ran up to a dog carrier on a pile of their luggage and swung open the door. "Here, Koro, come on out!"

Out bounded a white dog. He wore a white sleeveless dog tunic with two small wings sewn onto the back. His deep, red eyes looked around curiously, nose sniffing everywhere.

"I'm sorry you had to travel in that thing, Koromaru. Forgive me?" Mitsuru implored, bending down slightly and extending her palm.

Koromaru nuzzled her hand, barking excitedly, tail wagging. "Koromaru-san is saying: 'I understand. Don't worry about it,'" Aigis translated.

"If we're all set here, let's get going!" Junpei cheered enthusiastically.

The group headed out to catch the bus headed for the Inn. Aigis stared at the sky with a distant look in her eyes.

"Hey Aigis," Yukari called. "You okay?"

"Oh, yes… I'm fine, Yukari-san…" Aigis sighed melancholically. "For some reason, I've been thinking a lot about them lately… Him and… Her…"

Yukari was silent at first. Aigis had become one of her closest friends after the whole Abyss of Time thing, so she knew that every now and then Aigis missed not only Minato, but Metis too, as she was the closest thing to a family she will ever have, despite the fact she was "born" from Aigis' very own emotions. "I know. I miss them too. But don't forget…you're not alone, okay?"

"Thank you, Yukari-san."

"Don't mention it." Yukari smiled gently. "Now, c'mon, the others are waiting."

The tagged along behind the rest of their friends, never leaving each other's side.

* * *

><p>Yukiko walked slowly towards the bus stop, lost in her thoughts. According to her mother, she was supposed to meet with a group of college students from Tatsumi Port Island, who will be staying at her family's inn, and tour them around Inaba. She didn't mind such a task. They weren't much older than her so a conversation wouldn't be hard to do. She asked Chie and the others for help, and they had agreed, so it shouldn't be too difficult.<p>

_'They're from Port Island…the same place Souji-kun is now. I wonder how he's doing?'_ Yukiko thought, a bit worried. _'It's not like him not to answer my e-mails or anyone else's… Of course, he might just be busy because of school. Well, my situation isn't any different so…'_

"Yo, Senpai!" A rough yet friendly voice snapped Yukiko out of her thoughts.

She turned around, smiling as Kanji Tatsumi and Naoto Shirogane walked up to her. "Good day, Yukiko-senpai," Naoto greeted.

"Oh, Kanji-kun…Naoto-kun. Hello." She bowed slightly, returning the greeting. "Thank you for coming."

"S'no big deal," Kanji shrugged. "So, where are Chie-senpai and the others?"

"Chie went to get Rise-chan, since she said she had to help her grandmother over at the tofu shop first. Yosuke-kun said he and Teddie will catch up with us as soon as their work at Junes is over." The raven haired girl looked at her watch. "Kirijo-san's group should be arriving soon. Shall we go ahead?"

"Yes, let's," the Detective Prince replied. Kanji nodded.

The three teens headed for the bus stop. Ten minutes of waiting later, the bus with Mitsuru and her friends arrived.

There was some commotion as the group from the city unloaded their luggage. Finally, an elegent woman with red hair approached them. "Excuse me, are you Amagi-san?" Mitsuru asked as she looked at Yukiko. She was easy to spot since she was the only one wearing a pink kimono.

Yukiko nodded with a confident smile. "I am Yukiko Amagi. Please, just call me Yukiko. You must be Kirijo-san." She motioned to Kanji and Naoto who bowed to greet the group. "These are my friends, Kanji Tatsumi and Naoto Shirogane. I hope you and your friends don't mind, but I asked them to help me with the tour. The others should be arriving soon."

"The more the merrier!" Junpei grinned. Koromaru barked happily.

Kanji couldn't help but smile when he saw the Shiba Inu and his fluffy, white fur. "H-hey that's a cute dog… C-Can I pat him?"

"Sure. Koro-chan, go say hi to Kanji-kun," Fuuka said.

Koromaru trotted up to Kanji, who dropped down to one knee to pet him. He nuzzled Kanji's hand, showing acceptance. "Wow, nice fur, so soft and fuzzy..." Kanji praised, scratching the canine behind the ears, a spot he loved to be scratched. "And his doggie shirt is pretty well made too. I mean, the wings are neatly sewn and it's pretty comfy for him to run and play around in. The design–"

Yukari was amazed at the details Kanji was describing. "Wow, Kanji-kun, how do you know so much about clothes?"

"W-well, my Ma runs a textile shop and I k-kinda help out there..."

"Kanji-kun is really good at sewing, having grown up in that kind of environment. He also teaches others how to make the stuff he does, like dolls," Naoto continued for him, much to his surprise. "He's quite good at it, actually."

"N-Naoto!"

"That's pretty cool, Kanji-san," Ken said, a bit in awe. "You can make stuff that no one else can."

Kanji turned a little red at the praise, but glad nonetheless. "Thanks, kid. You guys are welcome to drop by our store later. I can show you some of my stuff there."

"That would be very pleasant, Kanji-san." Aigis said.

"Starting with the tour, where would you like to –" Yukiko was cut off by a familiar shout.

"Yukiko!" Chie shouted as she and Rise ran up to them. "Whoa, they're here already?!"

"Wow, talk about a cool group," Rise said excitedly. "Hi there, guys! I'm Rise Kujikawa!"

"Rise Kujik… No way! I must be dreaming…you're Risette?!" Junpei exclaimed. "Sweet! You're even cuter in person!"

Rise giggled. "Thank you!"

"You can always count on Rise-chan to get all the attention," Chie said amusedly. "Oh, I'm Chie Satonaka by the way. Nice to meet you guys." She looked around. "Hey, where are Yosuke and Teddie? I thought they'd be here already…."

"TED, GET YOUR HANDS OFF MY FACE! I CAN'T SEE WHERE I'M GOING!"

"STOP!" Another voice yelled. "YOSUKE, STOP THIS THING!"

They turned around and saw two teens riding a bike heading towards them, and it seems to be out of control. Mitsuru was confused. "What in the world…?"

"It's coming straight at us! Look out!" Akihiko shouted, grabbing Mitsuru's arm to pull her out of harm's way.

Everybody quickly got out of the rogue bike's way as it zipped past them, only to crash into some trash cans.

Chie sweatdropped. "Ugh… I had to ask…"

Yukari looked at her. "You know them?"

"_That_ was Yosuke and Teddie." The martial artist rolled her eyes. "I don't know why he keeps using that bicycle…he always ends up crashing it."

"H-Hey!" Yosuke shouted, rolling around while stuck inside a trash can. "Help! Someone!"

"Please, someone save meeeeeeee!" Teddie whined, also in the same predicament.

"Um… Maybe we should help them?" Fuuka wondered.

With Akihiko and Kanji's help, Yosuke and Teddie were saved. "Phew…that was some crash. Thanks for the help, everyone," Yosuke said. "Oh, you guys must be the ones Yukiko told me about. I'm Yosuke Hanamura, and this little troublemaker is Teddie."

"Are you ok, Yosuke-senpai? Teddie?" Naoto asked. "Why were you riding in tandem? You know that's illegal."

"I'm fine, Nao-chan. Thanks for caring about me," Teddie answered, ignoring her last question with a dazzling smile and added sparkles. "Can't say the same about Yosuke though…"

"Shut it!" Yosuke growled. "It's your fault we even crashed in the first place! No thanks to you busting up my scooter, now you gotta ruin my bicycle too?!"

Teddie whimpered in fear. "But Yosuke, my roller skates were missing a wheel. How was I supposed to get here in time without transport?"

"You're lucky we weren't arrested, you little–"

"Hey, take it easy on the little guy," Yukari said. "It was an accident. And he said he was sorry."

Teddie's face lit up as he stared at her. "My, my, what a nice and pretty girl you are. You're bear-y nice to Teddie..."

"Bear-y?" She raised an eyebrow. "Geez…and I thought Junpei's jokes were lame."

"Right… HEY!" Junpei shouted in protest.

Everybody laughed at that except for Aigis, who was glaring at the blonde boy for some reason.

"Hm? Aigis, is something wrong?" Mitsuru asked, noticing her strange behavior.

"Him…" The blonde girl pointed at Teddie. "He…he is not human…"

Everybody immediately stopped laughing. Aigis continued. "He's not a human, but he is not dangerous either… He is a Shadow... with a Persona…"

The Investigation Team was at a loss of words, and so were the rest of SEES. "W-Wha?! H-how did she find out…?! I mean, what do you know about Shadows and Personas?!" Naoto demanded. She wondered how their well-kept secret was discovered so easily.

Junpei grinned like an idiot. "Like I mentioned before, this place is perfect for our vacation."

"Wait, so you guys are Persona-users?" Rise asked, surprised yet very curious.

"That's right," Akihiko replied. "Look, this is not the best place talk about that. You guys know where we can discuss this?"

"How about our special headquarters?" Chie suggested. "It's the only place I can think of."

"That will work just perfectly," Mitsuru declared. "Please lead the way."

* * *

><p><strong><em>Junes' Food Court…<br>_**  
>"So, <em>this<em> is your 'special headquarters'?" Junpei asked as they gathered around a few tables.

"Well, what did ya expect?" Chie retorted. "Some sort of high tech, top-secret facility?"

"Meh… sort of…"

After they introduced themselves to each other, the atmosphere was no longer awkward.

"Alright, let's get this started." Yosuke turned to Mitsuru. "You guys are also Persona-users, right?"

Mitsuru shook her head. "That's partially accurate. We can no longer summon ours."

Yukari nodded. "Yeah, when the Shadows disappeared from this world two years ago, we lost the ability to summon our Personas."

Yukiko perked up. "Wait, did you say 'this world'? You guys could summon your Personas in this world?"

"We used our Personas in an altered dimension parallel to this one. Well, kind of. It's…hard to explain," Fuuka said.

"Our school was, for one reason or another, 'cursed' several years ago, and transformed into a gigantic tower, Tartarus, whose sole purpose was to usher in the bringer of death, Nyx," Mitsuru continued. "Our Personas could be summoned in our world because we never left our world. "

"A giant tower…" Kanji whistled. "Damn…that must have been something to see."

"Shadows in this world?!" Teddie demanded. "That's not possible. Shadows can't exist in this world!"

"They didn't exist long, mind you," Mitsuru replied. "They could only leave the tower every full moon, and occasionally a few strays would wonder the streets."

Teddie shook his head. "But how? They shouldn't…"

"Their situation was different, Teddie," Naoto interjected. "The Shadows manifested in our world during their time, whereas we enter the Shadows' world." She looked at Mitsuru. "How long was this tower around?"

"The school would only transform into the tower for one hour every midnight."

"I get it." Naoto held her chin pensively. "If Shadows really can't stay in our world for long, that explains why Tartarus would go away after the Dark Hour ended."

"Guys, this is all really interesting. But let's hear them out first, yeah?" Rise suggested. "Speculations can wait."

"For one hour every night, the world would shut down. We called this the Dark Hour. Only those with the potential to host a Persona could function during this time, and electronic equipment would cease functioning. I was the first person in the area to successfully control a Persona in order to fight a Shadow," Mitsuru began.

Akihiko leaned forward. "Mitsuru and I were the first two people to decide to explore Tartarus. Along with a friend named Shinjiro, we started an investigation team called SEES – the Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad. We were devoted to discovering why Tartarus appeared, and seeing if we could put a stop to the Dark Hour."

Yukari spoke up next. "Eventually, every full moon brought out a monstrously powerful Shadow that would leave Tartarus and wreak havoc on the outside world. We took it upon ourselves to destroy these Shadows before people were hurt. Unfortunately, some people had already fallen ill to the Shadows. They developed what we call 'Apathy Syndrome', a condition where the victims were awake but couldn't feel or think for themselves…remaining alive, but lifeless at the same time. Many rumors started out because of this condition, but only we knew the truth. Every time we defeated a large Shadow, the number of victims would dwindle, but they would increase again as the next full moon approached. "

Fuuka's hands started moving as she spoke. "Unfortunately, we didn't realize that by destroying the 12 large Shadows, we were actually rejoining them into one entity. Eventually, we defeated all the large Shadows, but another problem presented itself – because of our actions, mankind was going to die."

Aigis stepped forward. "I was originally created to battle Shadows, specifically one large Shadow represented by Death, the 13th Arcana. I was defeated and reconstructed, years ago. After we defeated the last of the large shadows, Death reappeared before us in a false image. We discovered this fallacy and faced him on, but he disappeared before we could defeat him. He claimed that he would return on New Year's Eve with a decision for us; either we could have our memories erased and die with the rest of the world peacefully, or continue to retain our memories and suffer the fear of knowing that the end was coming in thirty days. Either way, the world would end on January 31st."

Junpei's voice was rather sudden, as he didn't make any movements to let anyone know he was speaking. "Problem was, we didn't like those choices. So we fought our way to the top of Tartarus, and on January 31st, we fought the representation of Nyx, the entity formed of mankind's desire to end all suffering through death…or something like that. In any case, we kicked his ass, but he had one last trick up his sleeve. He summoned, like…the moon or something, and the world was really almost over. But…"

The entire table went silent.

"But what…?" Chie demanded, leaning on the edge of her seat.

Everyone who had spoken turned to look at Aigis. She smiled sadly. "But our squad leader sacrificed his life to seal away Nyx and block out the desires for destruction of mankind. He single-handedly stopped Nyx and saved the world. All he needed was our thoughts of him and our unstoppable wills."

The Inaba group was quiet now. Yukiko couldn't believe her ears. Everything they had just said seem to line up somehow with their own incident.

"But that wasn't the end of it," Ken voiced, breaking the silence. "We were about to go our separate ways, when the day started repeating itself. Because of our involvement in Nyx's defeat, we've been tied to the Desert of Time. For some reason, Aigis was granted the same special powers as our first squad leader, and we had to dive into the desert to defeat the actual embodiment of mankind's desire to die. You see, when our leader sacrificed himself, he established a physical barrier that our desires were constantly beating against. It was strong and solid, but it was already beginning to crack, just two months later. We saw a lot about each other in that desert, and when everything was said and done, it was us versus the will of mankind to die, that became a huge monster called Erebus."

"I assume that you guys won, right?" Kanji asked. Ken nodded.

"So then, what's your story?" Akihiko asked.

Naoto stepped forward. "I can retell the story."

Yukiko nodded. "That'd probably be the best. We can fill in the parts you missed."

Naoto delved into their story of the Inaba murders, the world inside the television, and the eventual confrontation with mankind's desires to hide the unwanted truth in a dense fog. The embarrassing stories were left out, but the failure in capturing the correct criminal was included, which led to the worsening fog leaking into their world, threatening to change every living being into Shadows. Even Teddie's origin was recollected, which shocked the others.

Finally, Naoto told the story of Izanami, and how their own team leader squared off against the original goddess of Japan one-on-one, with only the thoughts of those who knew him to support him. When she spoke of this, everyone in the room became very somber. The connection between the two people was undeniable. Both had been exceptions to the Persona rule, and both had faced off against the will of man and won.

"So what happened to your leader?" Yukari asked.

"He moved back with his parents," Chie said. "He's living at Port Island now."

Yukari looked at the ground. Her face seemed to be…bitter.

"It's been three years, and yet we still wish he'd come back to us," Aigis explained. "When I inherited his power of multiple Personas, we worried that I would die as well. While I didn't, from that day on, I promised myself to do whatever I could to ease his burden…"

Yosuke scratched the back of his head nervously. "Well, I hate to say it, but what's done is done. We can't live in the past, right?"

"You're exactly right," Mitsuru admitted. "However… It's just very difficult to let go the death of two of your best friends."

"T-Two?" Yukiko asked.

"Remember Shinjiro, who helped us start SEES?" Akihiko looked away. "Yeah…he…"

The table became silent again.

"Well!" Rise smacked the table and stood up quickly, a grin on her face. "Enough of this mopey stuff! Collectively, we've saved the world how many times? We should go do something happy for a change!"

"What about the TV World?" Chie suggested. "Their reason for using Personas is gone, but ours still exists. Maybe we could show them? And maybe they'll be able to summon theirs again."

"And now, since it's so beautiful there, it'll be a real treat for everybody!" Yukiko added.

"Sounds like a plan!" Yosuke said. He was interrupted when his cell phone rang and picked it up. "One minute please. Hanamura speaking. Oh, hi Dojima-san… What? Sure, of course we can! That'd be no trouble at all! Okay, we'll be there tomorrow. No problem. See ya." He hung up and looked at the others. "That was Dojima-san, our leader's uncle. He asked us to look after his daughter, Nanako-chan, for him tomorrow. He said he had some business to take care of out of town."

"In that case, let's bring Nana-chan with us tomorrow!" Teddie suggested. "I promised her I'd show her that place, now that it's not dangerous for her anymore, and play with her lots!"

The SEES members felt a tingle of excitement at the idea. "Very well, then. We agree," Mitsuru said. "We'll meet up tomorrow and proceed to this place together."

"Okay then. It's a date!" Teddie exclaimed, making everybody laugh.

"Wow, time flies…" Rise said, looking at the sunset. "I gotta go home. I promised Grandma I'd help her close the tofu shop."

"I must be leaving as well. My grandpa is expecting me for dinner," Naoto said, standing up.

"Hey, Naoto… I-If ya don't mind… I'll go with ya…" Kanji offered, a faint blush on his face.

She was surprised, but agreed to it with a smile. "Thank you, Kanji-kun."

"I'll take Mitsuru-san and the others back to the inn," Yukiko said. "Where we should meet up tomorrow?"

"In front of Daidara's at the Shopping District," Yosuke said. "We probably won't be needing it, but ya know what they say, better safe than sorry."

As they said their farewells, Yukiko escorted SEES back to the Amagi Inn. That had been quite the gathering of people. Each one had a story, and each one had a reason that they fought. In the morning, they would enter the TV World once again, not as people searching for answers, but as people who know the answers, and are merely seeking a good time.

_'I wish Souji-kun was here to see this… I'm sure he would've liked to meet Mitsuru-san and the others…'_ Yukiko thought to herself. _'As soon as possible I'll tell him everything…'_

* * *

><p>The next day, everybody, save for Yosuke and Teddie, stood in front of Daidara's Metal Works.<p>

"Where are Yosuke-kun and Teddie-kun?" Fuuka asked.

"They went pick up Nanako-chan," Yukiko replied. "They should be arriving soon."

"Yo!" They heard Yosuke calling. The headphone wearing teen walked up to them alongside a little girl.

"Um… Are you sure it's a good idea bring her with us?" Ken asked, a bit uneasy.

"Don't worry. If anything comes up, I'll protect Nana-chan!" Teddie exclaimed from behind Yosuke.

As they got a good look at Teddie, everybody laughed a little, surprised to see him suited in his infamous blue bear costume. Adorned in red and white pajamas, the bear was still a sight to behold.

"Nice outfit!" Junpei cracked a grin. "Dude, you were right. He looks so fluffy! Hey, Teddie, can I pet you?"

Teddie's glass eyes narrowed dangerously, proving that his 'costume' was more than just a costume. "No."

"Aw," Yukari whined. "What about me?" she asked, striking an innocent pose, placing a hand on her hair.

A faint red flooded the cheeks of Teddie's bear face. "I-If I say yes, will you let me score with you?"

Her eyes flashed immediately, the innocence gone from her face and voice. "What? 'Score'? Oh man, that was terrible."

"That's Teddie alright," Yosuke shrugged rolling his eyes. "Dude, watch what you're saying. Nanako-chan's right here!"

"He's funny," the girl giggled, bowing politely. "Oh hi. I'm Nanako Dojima. You guys are Teddie's new friends?"

"Yeah…sort of..." Akihiko said. There was something about the little elementary school girl that reminded him of his late sister Miki. He turned to Kanji and Naoto, concern in his eyes. "Hey, you guys sure about bringing a kid along?"

"Plenty sure. That's why we came here first," Kanji said, pointing his thumb to the shop.

"Uh…what's this place again?" Junpei asked.

"A metal shop. The owner here crafts armors and weapons from all different sorts of materials," Naoto explained. "While we don't think it'll be necessary, it's definitely safer if everybody is properly equipped before we head out for the other world."

"A metalworks huh? Well, we did bring our Evokers with us, but of course they might not be enough in case we run into something."

"What's an Evoker? Some kind of gun?" Kanji asked spontaneously.

SEES looked at each other uneasily. "Well, yeah..." Ken started.

"We point these Evokers to our heads to summon our Personas," Akihiko said, and with that, he pulled out his own Evoker to show their new friends what he meant.

Rise was the first to speak up. "It just seems so..."

"Emo, crazy, demented? Yeah we all figured that, but–" Junpei was cut off by a smack from Yukari. "OW!"

"Junpei, don't be such an idiot! Don't mind him. He just likes to say whatever's on his mind."

"It is a wise idea to equip ourselves before our exploration, though," Aigis said.

"Agreed. Let's get inside and see if we can find any suitable weapons." Mitsuru said.

After some browsing and shopping, some of them came out the shop with their new weapons.

"So, you guys used to hide your armors and weapons underneath your school uniforms too?" Chie asked as they made their way back to Junes.

"It was the best way not to draw too much attention," Fuuka replied. "Now that we graduated, it feels strange if we were to walk around wearing our school uniforms though."

"You guys aren't from this town, so I would recommend wearing normal clothes over your armor," Rise pointed out. "That way, people won't be too suspicious."

"True, that's not such a bad idea," Ken said.

"Right, now that we're set, next stop…Junes!" Yosuke said.

* * *

><p>"So how exactly does this work?" Yukari asked Rise as the party of sixteen moved through Junes' electronics department.<p>

"It's a hugely involved process. Everyone has to go through it," Rise enlightened them with an air of dignity about her. "Each person stands directly in front of the television, and then we step right through."

The older Lover raised an eyebrow, amused. "You're not very funny, you know."

The pop idol gave them a signature Risette wink. "Yeah…but hey, gotta make do with what you got."

Yosuke and Teddie were the first to reach the large screen television set up as the main display in the electronics department. This television was almost a relic to the Inaba Investigation Team; it was their gateway to saving those who had been thrown into the world up until last March.

"Up until some months ago, we would follow our leader into this specific TV," Chie told Junpei. "He moved back home just a few months ago. We all miss him, though."

"Hey, Teddie, did you bring them?" Yosuke asked. The bear nodded with a grin and revealed a plastic bag from behind his back.

The group was a chaotic mess of conversation as it gathered around the single television screen.

"Okay, then. Everyone should pay attention over here," Yosuke announced. The group quieted down and their eyes all fell on Yosuke, who was standing directly in front of the screen. Teddie stood directly to his left, with a goofy grin on his face. "Teddie, if you would be so kind."

Teddie moved to Nanako, reaching into the plastic bag and pulling out an object – a pair of pink child glasses, which he then handed to her. While he was busy passing the rest of the glasses out, Yosuke began speaking.

"Well, uh, we don't really think the glasses will be necessary, but we wanted to cover all our bases. Kind of a 'just-in-case' situation. The atmosphere on the other side is harsh for humans caused by the fog, so you might feel sick or tired if you're not used to it. Take a pair from Teddie before we proceed."

"That's kinda like exploring Tartarus during the Dark Hour," Fuuka stated, studying her oval, half-rimmed glasses. "The atmosphere made it easy for one to feel sick or fatigued until they become adapted to it."

"So we'll probably have no problem there," Akihiko pointed out, confident of his stamina.

Yosuke nodded in approval. "That's cool, then. Alright, everyone, gather 'round. Time to show you guys how we do things around here." Their attention was returned to him and the large screen behind him. The third-year student swiveled around and reached out a hand to hover over the smooth screen of the television. "Those of us who have a Persona can still access this world, but I don't know about any of you guys, so go ahead and pair up as best you can. Now, check it out." He used his index finger and touched the screen. A series of ripples traveled out from the tip of his finger, as if he'd dropped a pebble into a lake's surface. When he pulled his finger away, the ripples stopped.

Gasps of excitement and awe spread throughout the group. Nanako, already donned on her kiddie pink glasses, clapped and laughed.

"Our TV sure doesn't do that," Junpei remarked.

"May I test something?" Mitsuru asked. "You say that it's your potential to wield Personas which allows you to traverse the two worlds. Perhaps we can also do so, because we have the potential to carry them as well."

"A logical conclusion," Naoto observed. "Senpai, let her touch the screen."

Yosuke stepped away as Mitsuru sidled her way next to it. She reached out and gingerly touched the television screen. From the point of contact, a ripple traversed the screen's surface, exactly as it had done under Yosuke's touch. There was a second wave of awe and excitement throughout the crowd.

"Sweet!" Junpei cried. "So we can do it too, because we used to have Personas?"

"It appears that way, anyway," Mitsuru replied. "I'm satisfied. Everyone, please stay together. We don't know what's going to happen."

Nanako moved forward. "Let's go! Let's go!" she cried with squeals of laughter.

"Nana-chan, Ken and Koromaru can go with me first," Teddie suggested.

Yosuke motioned to them to go ahead, and the four youngsters moved up to stand abreast in front of the television. Koromaru leapt up into Ken's arms as he stood next to Nanako, who cheered as she held hands with both. "One," Teddie started, "two, three!" They leapt forward, pulling Ken and Koromaru along with them. Both of them let out shouts of excitement as their bodies contacted the screen, swallowing them as if they were sinking through a vertical wall of water. Ripples crashed out from the screen, never leaving the two-dimensional plane, but traversing the screen violently as such a disturbance interrupted its peace. In an instance, Teddie, Nanako, Ken, and Koromaru were gone, much to the amazement of the college students.

"Next up," Yosuke called.

Rise stepped up and next to her was Yukari. The scanner grinned and leapt forward with an excited cry, followed quickly by Yukari, who shouted in surprise as they plummeted through the screen's surface.

Shortly after that, Kanji and Junpei stood next to each other, supporting cocky grins. They simply leapt forward, both without a word, and entered the screen simultaneously, leaving the group smaller than before.

"I'll go next," Yukiko proclaimed. Mitsuru decided to go with her, standing confidently next to her with arms crossed. The two of them looked almost regal in their reflections in the screen, before letting out girlish yells of excitement – not screams, of course, but mere exclamations of adrenaline – as they leapt into the screen as well.

Chie and Fuuka were next, standing quietly in front of the screen. The martial artist wannabe smiled widely and let out a whoop of excitement. She grabbed the other scanner's hand and leapt forward, Chie yelling in excitement and Fuuka screaming in protest. Soon, they were both gone.

Naoto nodded to Yosuke and moved to face the screen next. Aigis stood beside her. The two of them, silent as the grave, calmly stepped forward, allowing the rippling screen to envelope them much more delicately than the previous pairs. In just so many seconds, they, too, were gone, leaving only Yosuke and Akihiko.

"This is quite the way to travel," Akihiko remarked as he and Yosuke moved up next to each other.

"It's great. Only thing is, every television is connected to a different location. And there's no way out once you're in. Only Teddie can make an exit," Yosuke said. He saw Akihiko's worried expression and laughed. "Remember, Teddie's on our side. We've gone into this world so many times it'd be impossible to count! Now let's go join the others."

Akihiko nodded and faced the screen as confidently as he knew how. With a push of fear and anticipation, the boxer leapt forward alongside his high school chaperone, slipping through the dark screen into a world of white.

Moments later, Yosuke held out his hand, which Akihiko graciously took. Pulling him to his feet, Yosuke had to laugh a little. "Sorry 'bout that first step, man. It's a bit of a dozy."

"No kidding," Akihiko chuckle to himself. "I'm afraid my pride will remember that one for a while." He looked around. "What is this place? A studio?"

"Think of it as an entrance hall." Yosuke took in his surroundings, remembering his bearings. "Okay, guys, follow me."

They followed him through the parallel world, taking their time to soak in the view before them. The world inside the television was nothing less than picturesque. Beautiful mountain ranges and waterfalls cascaded across the horizon; clear lakes reflecting the perfect blue sky; gigantic fields of gorgeous wildflowers bloomed unnaturally close together, forming a sheer carpet of various colors.

This world no longer even remotely resembled the dreary, fog-filled world that the Investigation Team knew so well. Under their leader's guidance, they had finally rid both worlds of the terrible fog that was threatening to meld all realities together. Now, this world truly reflected that which it was supposed to – the human heart. The heart was a strong entity, shared by all, yet unique to each individual. This world represented that unity, and that individuality, in its absolute splendor.

Teddie beamed. "There's no fog around. Guess we won't need the glasses!"

"Anyway, now that we're here, what do you guys want to do?" Chie asked casually, looking around.

"You say that like it's not the most beautiful landscape ever," Ken replied, his eyes wide and brimming with excitement. He was looking every which way, trying to take in as much of the scene around him as possible and committing it into memory.

"Oh, it's beautiful, but it's not something we haven't seen before," Yukiko told him. "Ever been to the mountains in your dreams? Or gone deep lake diving? Or maybe you went frolicking through a field of flowers with a crush? Where do you think those images came from, Ken-kun?"

Junpei looked around in astonishment, then back at Yukiko. "Wait, are you kidding me? This place is where our dreams come from?"

"That's not entirely true," Naoto answered with a shake of her head. "More accurately, this place is formed _from_ our dreams. This world reflects the human heart in the majority."

"It's so pretty," Nanako said in awe. "Even if I don't remember, it wasn't like this at all."

Yosuke felt a slight sting in heart. Despite Nanako having forgotten the memory of getting kidnapped, the same couldn't be said about her emotional experience. "Well Nanako-chan, this is just what your big brother helped make this place like it is now."

A tiny gasp escaped the girl. "Big Bro made this place so pretty?"

"Yup. And all of us helped. Even you!" Chie added

"Even me?" Nanako was in sheer ecstasy now, her eyes alight with wonder.

"Yep, Nana-chan! Thanks to you and everybody's hard work, Sensei did this!" Teddie said.

Junpei raised an eyebrow. "Sensei?"

"That's how Teddie calls our leader, Souji-senpai," Naoto explained. "He really admires and looks up to him."

"Your leader sounds like a great person," Aigis said. Her thoughts drifted back to Minato as she placed a hand on her chest and closed her eyes. Without realizing, an eerie blue-black smoke started lifting from the ground around her.

"Aigis?!" Yukari shouted startled, drawing everybody's attention. The group turned at the android and was surprised at the scene.

"She… She's summoning her Persona!" Fuuka gasped.

A sound similar to shattering glass was heard. A silhouette formed above Aigis, who looked up and stared, rather surprised at first. Floating above her was a humanoid male with a mechanical body, holding something that resembled a harp. But then the outer layers became mosaics, its shape beginning to change. A metallic circumference surrounded what appears to be a female in a white robe. When the transformation completed, the figure was now wearing a Roman battle helm, holding a lance and shield.

"Athena…"

The goddess of strategic warfare looked down at her, smiling gently before vanishing into thin air. Aigis smiled too, and sank to her knees, panting.

"Aigis!" Yukari cried, kneeling by her side. "You okay?!"

"Yes… I'm okay, Yukari-san… Just…a little fatigued…" She got up with Yukari's help. "But, my Persona…"

"It changed…" Fuuka concluded for her. "Not only has Aigis' original Persona returned, but she doesn't seem to be able to use multiple Personas anymore. I mean… I don't sense them within her..."

"Huh? What do you mean?" Kanji asked, confused.

"Remember when we said that Aigis-san obtained the same power as our former leader? When that happened, her Persona, Athena, transformed into the initial Persona of our leader," Ken explained. "But, if her persona changed back to its original self, then that means she no longer has that power. I wonder what that means, though."

"Maybe that power is no longer needed," Aigis said, wistfully looking at the sky. "Things change, for better or for worse. It's part of life."

"Perhaps…At any rate, it looks like we're able to summon our Personas in this world," Akihiko stated, clenching his fists in excitement.

"Since you guys did something similar a few years back, seems like this place lets you do it again." Yosuke reached into his pocket and pulled out a card containing the image of Susano-O, his Persona. "We're used to having these things appear with us when we enter here."

"Appear? Then, they don't travel with you to the real world when you leave?" Mitsuru inquired.

Naoto shook her head. "No, I'm afraid they do not. We are unable to summon ours in the real world."

Rise sighed. "Which is a bummer, 'cause that'd totally be useful. It'll be so awesome if I could sense people's locations just like I could in here, and telepathically communicate with them."

Fuuka gasped, surprised. "What? You can sense people too, Rise-chan?"

"Yep! I'm like Teddie, but more accurate. His Persona is more battle-oriented than mine though, which is fine since I'm not the fighting type anyway. He helps fight off Shadows with the others and I give analytical support from a distance."

Akihiko laughed. "Wow, Mitsuru, this is sounding really familiar."

"I agree," the red-head beauty said. "There are too many correlations between our groups to be mere coincidence. In my experience, such gatherings are formed in the ways that they were for a reason."

"It's nice to think about it that way, that's for sure," Chie agreed. "Without that thought, we might not have been able to save Naoto-kun, Kubo, or Nanako-chan, since Rise-chan was the one who pin-pointed their locations."

"By the way, I remember you guys saying something about using cards to summon your Personas," Yukari said. "But how do you summon them?"

"Hey, Yukiko, you have your fan on you, right?"

Yukiko drew an ougi from her waistband. "Are you asking for a demonstration?"

Chie nodded. Yukiko elegantly opened her fan. A glowing blue card materialized in front of her face, floating and spinning around. "Amaterasu!" As she twirled, Yukiko extended the arm holding her fan, spreading it out horizontally. The razor edge of the fan sliced cleanly through her card, which immediately cut into two pieces, then disappeared in a puff of light and smoke. The air above the raven-haired girl shimmered, and a physical body appeared – a female silhouette with wing-like protrusions resembling sakura petals. Tied to her wrists were shield-like accessories in the shape of sakura blossoms, her right hand holding a katana while the other held its sheath, glowing brightly. The sun goddess bowed its head at the group, then disappeared in a flash of light as quickly as it had appeared. The card reappeared in Yukiko's hand, completely mended.

"Wow!" Nanako squealed. "So pretty!"

Mitsuru was in awe. "Did you say 'Amaterasu' when you summoned it?"

"Yes. Our Personas are named after gods and entities of various myth and legends, fables, and stories. We don't know why, though; they just presented themselves to us as such."

Mitsuru sighed and shook her head, placing a hand against her temple as if she had suddenly become very tired. "Another quality we seem to share. Will the correlations ever cease?"

"So, are you guys gonna try summoning your Personas or what?" Kanji asked.

Junpei was ecstatic. "Hell, yeah! I haven't seen Trismegistus in ages. He probably forgot about me by now!"

"It'll be nice to try it out." Akihiko pulled out his Evoker. "Do you think it will work?"

"Not if you question if it will or not," Teddie replied simply. "It's your Persona, after all; it's part of you. If you don't believe it will appear, then it unmistakably will fail. That's how it works, after all."

Akihiko lips set in a firm line as the grip on his Evoker tightened. "Alright, then. Let's do this. Caesar, show yourself, for old time's sake!" He pointed the muzzle of the gun-shaped object to his head, closing his eyes as he pulled the trigger, creating a noise similar to shattering glass. He grunted as his face contorted in discomfort, forehead slightly sweating as an eerie blue-black smoke lifted from the ground around him. A large, silver Roman warrior appeared overhead, a grand sword in one hand and a globe in the other. He lifted his sword high into the air in triumph before disappearing in a flash of light. Akihiko fell to one knee, panting.

"Akihiko!" Mitsuru gasped, rushing over to help him. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah…I'm fine…" he answered between gasps.

"That was definitely Caesar," Yukari observed. "Akihiko-senpai summoned his Persona!"

"It feels just like the first time I used my Evoker," Akihiko finished as he got up with Mitsuru's help. "I'm tired just from that tiny summoning."

"That's understandable. It's been 2 years since we've last summoned them," Fuuka noted. "I think it would be only natural that we'd feel a bit of fatigue."

"The same happened with Ai-chan so it kind of makes sense, huh?" Junpei added.

"Don't forget, we also haven't experienced a suppressing atmosphere like the Dark Hour in a long time," Ken said. "We'll just need to get used to it again."

"That was so cool!" Nanako said ecstatically, cuddling Koromaru.

There was a wave of shock as everyone finally remembered that Nanako was still present. The little girl then yawned and rubbed one eye. Koromaru whimpered slightly and rubbed his head against her chest. Nanako smiled at him, softly patting his head.

"Nanako-chan's getting tired. It's getting late," Yukiko said in a worried tone. "We should leave now. We can come back tomorrow."

"I say we call it a day, too. We'll return tomorrow, and be more prepared to enjoy this place," Mitsuru declared. "How does a picnic sound?"

Nanako immediately started bouncing up and down, still latched onto Koromaru. "A picnic! A picnic! Yay! We can bring boxed lunches!"

"That's a great idea, Nanako-chan! I'll make a whole bunch of them for everyone," Chie said with a confident grin.

Yosuke's stomach did a somersault. "Uhhh…Chie? That may not be the best idea."

"Hey, I've been practicing! I'll have you know, Yukiko and I have been studying under the Inn's head chef for weeks! I'll show you!" She raised a fist in defiant vigor.

"Fine, fine, but only make it for yourself. I _might_ just take a bite if it's that important to you."

"Hmph!" Chie turned her back to Yosuke, her cheeks turning pink.

Rise giggled. "Yukiko-senpai, Naoto-kun, let's make another cake!"

"What about our group, Mitsuru-senpai?" Yukari asked. "Mind ordering in some sushi?"

Junpei's ears perked up immediately. "Did I hear someone say 'sushi'? Because I think I heard someone say sushi!"

Koromaru barked and wagged his tail in happiness, licking Nanako on the face repeatedly. She giggled because it tickled.

Chie stood up tall as an air of invigoration appeared about her. "All right! Once we get home, we'll be prepared for a grand picnic feast!"

Everybody cheered as they headed back to the Entrance Hall.

Junpei looked around. "Uh…so how do we get out, exactly?"

Teddie grinned and waved his arm. A large, triple-stacked set of televisions appeared in a comedic puff of smoke. "Just go through these! Don't worry, they automatically take you back to where you entered. Oh, and when you get back to the inn, don't go through the televisions, or any other TV screen for that matter. I dunno where they lead, and I won't be here to let anyone back out."

Taking the warning to heart, the SEES team nodded in understanding.

One by one, they left the blissful environment behind in order to properly prepare for the next day's banquet. Being last as always, Teddie looked around and sighed happily at the beautiful scenery that had become his world, before leaping through the televisions. Whether it was his own excitement over the idea of a picnic with such a huge group of people, or just absentmindedness, the stack of televisions remained.

_Scrtch… scrtch…  
><em>  
>The coast was clear, now. It was safe to come out.<p>

Out from behind rocks, trees, and even from inside the lake, dark masses appeared. They oozed and slithered along, their strange, goo-like matter pulling themselves along. There were only a large handful of them, and they were highly cautious towards the strange stack of televisions standing in their utopia. They knew who the people who had appeared here had been. They were, after all, Shadows – embodiments of the hearts of man. The connection between the hearts of mankind allowed the Shadows to understand the identities of every single human who had just been there. The Shadows weren't crazy enough to confront such powerful humans.

…But this new structure, this triple-stacked television set… It was just as they've been told…

Now_ **that** _was an open invitation.

* * *

><p><em>The plot thickens. :D <em>_Don't forget to __Read, Review and Enjoy!_


	4. Chapter 4: Reunions

_Wow, I'm so happy to see everybody so excited about the upcoming chapter. ^w^ Thank you so much for all the encouragement. Oh, answering Crow's statements about Souji, well, he may seem cold and aloof at first, but his time at Inaba and the bonds he made melt the icy and distant facade of his, allowing him to show more his emotions (The P4 anime confirms that.) Besides, family tragedies eventually affect even the most stoic person. That's just my view anyway._

_A few warnings: (Yes, I put those before every chapter to avoid issues)_

_-There will be spoilers for all games! You've been warned.  
>-The Main characters from each game in this fanfic are called Minato Arisato (P3:FES), Minako Arisato (P3P) and Souji Seta (P4)<br>-There'll be some cursing. (Anyone that played any persona games knows that some characters on it curse quite a bit.) as well as some heavy subjects.  
>-Main Pairings in this fanfic: MinatoxYukari, ShinjiroxMinako, SoujixYukiko, KanjixNaoto, AkihikoxMitsuru, YosukexChie.<br>-Hinted Pairings(in later chapters): JunpeixChidori. (Hinted because Chidori doesn't appear much on this story) KenxNanako (Ya know those little girl's crushes on older boys? It'll be along those lines) FuukaxKeisuke (Other than Minato and Junpei, Fuuka only displayed some sort of close relationship with Keisuke the club president. I found it kinda cute.) TeddiexRise (Just for giggles. They are afterall the two hyperactive cuties of the team X3)_

_Have fun ya guys. On with the show!_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 4: Reunions.<strong>

The train cart they were was oddly empty as the four rode to Inaba. Except for a girl who sat a few seats behind them, they were pretty much alone. Each one of them was lost in their own thoughts, though Minato, who shared a seat with Souji, kept looking at him every now then.

As for the silverette, he kept staring out the window at the passing countryside, just like he'd done last year when he'd taken the train to Inaba the first time. He was feeling a heavy weight in his heart, and he considered his options before making a choice.

Then he started to talk. "It was a car crash…"

Minato, as well as Metis and Shinjiro, turned surprised eyes towards him, but they didn't say anything. They just waited for Souji to continue.

"The accident happened nearly a month ago, I think. Memory's a little fuzzy, from the shock and the concussion I've suffered, I've been told..." Souji's voice was now monotonous, clipped, as he recited the tragic event.

Minato shifted closer to his friend, and he lightly put one hand on Souji's knee, as a reminder to the other teen that he was there, if he needed him. Shinjiro and Metis remained quiet, listening. None of them were aware that the girl had shifted to the seat behind them and she was listening as well.

"We were going home from a family dinner. I remember that night was raining pretty hard… I was in the back seat talking with them about trivial things like school and such…" Souji broke off for a bit, drawing in a shaky breath, and he reached for Minato's hand, clutching it in his. His gray eyes were closed in recollection, and other than the hand he held onto, he seemed unaware of Minato's presence, as well as everyone else.

Minato felt his heart breaking as he could only imagine what had to come next. Shinjiro and Metis seemed to know that as well

"All I remember then was a huge noise and a strong impact, like something huge had hit the car on the driver's side and then… Everything went black. I don't know for how long I was unconscious after that, but when I came to, I was already in the hospital. The nurses told me what had happened." He frowned, and a tear leaked out from his clenched eyes. "My mother had been driving through the intersection on the green light, but there was some stupid, drunk-ass driver in a larger pick-up truck, one of those American models, who ran a red light, colliding head-on with our car. The police caught the guy; still passed out from the crash with only minor injuries; a severe concussion and a whiplash at most."

Souji's grip on Minato's hand tightened and his posture was hunched in grief as he continued to recount the events of that night. "When I asked about my parents, they simply turned away. That was when a police officer walked into the room. He told me I was the sole person the paramedics found inside the car or what was left of it… And that it was a miracle I had survived that crash with only a broken arm, a mild concussion and a gash on my forehead… But when I asked about my parents again, he simply said that they didn't find their bodies or their blood on the car… something about the impact might've been so strong that it threw them out, but nothing was found until then…"

"Souji-kun..." Minato felt a little like crying himself.

"There was nothing more they could do, except to keep looking for them… Nothing at all... The officer gave me a moment, since, well..." He shrugged, the motion stiff. "Everything else seems a little hazy after that."

Minato could only sit there, beside his long time friend, watching as more tears slowly leaked out from the corners of his tightly shut eyes. To be told that your parents were missing and possibly dead in that way, well, that had to be the worst way to find out, and he was at a loss as how to help Souji with this. It was beyond him, and the closest thing in comparison had been his own family's death over 10 years ago. So he did what he had done last night, and he pulled Souji to his shoulder in another comforting embrace. He would do anything for his friend, his brother.

Metis seemed to be about to burst into tears even though she barely knew Souji. She seemed to be a very emotional individual for an android. Also, the loneliness in Souji's voice reminded her of her own.

Shinjiro tried to not show, but he was shocked at that. Sure, he had been an orphan ever since he could remember, but Souji's story made his stomach tie in a knot, something that didn't happen ever since Akihiko's sister, Miki, who was pretty much like a little sister to himself as well, died in that fire back in 1999. He looked away for a second only to see the unknown girl sitting behind them with red, teary eyes and sobbing quietly. _'Her again…' _He noticed her tears. _'Why is she crying? Is she… Is she lonely…?'_

Minato failed to notice the girl since he was still comforting his friend. After a while, the other teen had stopped crying, but he hadn't moved, so Minato leaned back a bit, still holding him, trying to take a look at Souji's face.

His gray eyes were open, tear tracks down his face, and he looked so sad, so lost that Minato couldn't stand it. "I realize it hurts a lot right now, but everything's going to be ok. I'm here with you, and I'll take care of you." Minato said softly as he gently rubbed Souji's back. He gave him a reassuring smile. "You're not alone. Don't forget that."

Metis and Shinjiro nodded. Souji smiled at Minato and his friends' understanding despite the tears on his face. He hated being so emotional, so out of control, so in touch with his emotions! Before arriving in Inaba last year, he'd perfected his aloof front and distanced himself from everything and everyone around him. But meeting Yukiko, Yosuke, Chie, his uncle Dojima, Nanako and the others had softened him, everyone becoming precious to him. Being with his big brother again helped him realize that there were people that he could open up with.

"Feel any better? Sometimes it helps talking about stuff like this." Minato said quietly, and Souji pulled away, breaking the other teen's hold on him.

"Actually, I do feel better. Thanks for listening, Aniki." He smiled at Minato, then at Shinjiro and Metis. "Thanks to you guys too, Shinjiro-san, Metis-san."

"No big deal." Shinjiro said, shrugging. "Guess ya really needed to let that out."

"Yes… It's okay to still feel sad regarding what happened, but as long as you remember that there are other people looking out for you, you'll be okay." Metis stated.

"Metis is right." Minato smiled a bit. "So, take your time, okay?"

Souji nodded. His gray eyes were heavy, and his heart was still a bit numb, as he felt sleep's grasp reaching for him. Minato yawned suddenly showing he was tired as well.

"Take a rest." Shinjiro told them. "There's still some time until we reach the station."

"We'll wake you up when we arrive there." Metis added.

Both teens nodded. The past two days were really eventful for them and they were more than ready for at least a few minutes of somewhat restful sleep.

The place was fuzzy as Minato and Souji looked around. Fog seemed to envelop everywhere they looked. Trying to glance through the fog, the only thing barely visible was the green grass around their bare, tiny feet. _Wait a minute…tiny?_

Hearing some rustling noises, they glanced to their right, where light footsteps on the grass were approaching them. It was a little girl with auburn hair.

"Onii-chan! Banchou-kun! There you are!" she cheered, happy to see them.

Minato and Souji could see she was smiling... but her face... they could not clearly see it. It was out of focus.

"Onii-chan? Why are you and Banchou-chan crying?" The girl questioned, looking sad. "I'm here with you guys… Don't cry…"

Without knowing why, both Souji and Minato hugged the little girl tightly who in turn hugged them back, humming a soft melody similar to a lullaby.

The trio lied down on the grass together and smiled at each other as they drifted off to sleep.

Both teens woke up with a jolt, earning surprised looks from their traveling companions.

"Are you two ok?" Metis asked, confused by their behavior.

Souji glanced at Minato wanting to ask him about the dream, but Minato looked back at him and shook his head, telling him to wait until they were alone to discuss that.

"Looks like you two had a nightmare or something," Shinjiro pointed out. "Well, we're almost at the station so maybe you'll get to rest better when we get to your uncle's place."

Minato nodded in agreement as he adjusted his headphone wires that got tangled while he dozed off. Souji yawned a bit, raising his head from where his chin had rested on his chest, as the train pulled into the station.

The group got off their seats, grabbed their bags and left the train without noticing the auburn-haired girl following them.

While the cart they had been in wasn't full, Yasoinaba station was crowded. Souji, Minato, Shinjiro and Metis decided to stand around a bit; Minato and Souji in the middle, in order to wait until the crowd start to decrease before moving on so they wouldn't lose sight of each other.

Eventually, they didn't notice the girl as she started weaving in and out of all the people on the station, working her way to Shinjiro who seemed to have spotted her as well but made no move, hoping that way she wouldn't vanish like their previous meetings.

When the girl finally caught up with them, she caught Souji's attention for a moment. There was something peculiar about her. _'Who is that…?'_ Souji thought as the girl smiled warmly at him. It was as if she's trying to comfort him. _'That smile… I've seen it before…'_

Noticing that someone made Souji get distracted, Minato noticed the girl smiling at him as well. _' She's…'_He kept staring at her as if he knew who she was.

"Huh? Hey, is something wrong?" Metis asked her companions. Following their gazes, she saw who they were looking at. "Who are you?"

The girl simply smiled at Metis, before she hugged both Minato and Souji at the same time much to the two teens' surprise. Shinjiro was also surprised at that and he couldn't help but feeling a slight pang of jealousy in his gut. _'Lucky bastards… What the hell…why am I feeling jealous?'_

The girl soon broke off the hug. While Minato and Souji were still stunned, she snuck over to Shinjiro and gave him a kiss on the cheek before she ran off giggling, soon vanishing in the crowd.

"H-Hey! Wait!" Souji tried to stop her, but she was long gone. "That girl…"

"What was that all about?" Metis was becoming more confused as she looked at the three guys who were blushing. "Hey, why are your faces red? Is it because of the heat?"

Realizing what Metis was talking about the trio exchanged embarrassed glances. "Er… That girl caught us off guard… I mean, the way she acted…" Minato replied while scratching his cheek in thought before he glanced at Shinjiro. "Umm… is she someone you know, Senpai?"

Shinjiro had one hand touching his cheek that had been kissed by the girl. "Part of me is confused as hell, but other part feels like I know that girl…" Shinjiro replied with a frustrated groan. "Damn… I don't get it at all!"

Minato crossed his arms. "She acted like she knew Souji-kun, Shinjiro-Senpai and me really well… As if she was really close to all of us…" Suddenly it hit him. "That's it! The Wild Card!"

"Of course…" Souji finally understood. "According to Igor, the third wielder of the Wild Card is a girl that has strong ties with me, Aniki as well as Shinjiro-san. That explains her behavior towards us, although it doesn't explain how she knows us… On the other hand, I can't help but feel happy seeing her…"

"But if she's close to you, why she ran off like that?" Metis asked.

"That I don't know, but it might have to do with why we don't know for sure who she is…" Minato sighed. "First things first, we need to find Yukari and the others and explain to them the whole situation."

"Yeah, after that we can try finding that girl," Souji added. "Inaba is a small town so it won't be that hard finding her if we get everybody's help."

"Fine." Shinjiro said. _'Next time I see that girl, I'm gonna give her a piece of my mind! Then again…it felt kinda nice the way she kissed me…'_ Shinjiro held back a frustrated growl. _'Gah! What the hell is wrong with me!'  
><em>  
>"Come on, guys, my uncle Dojima must be waiting for us already." Souji said as he walked towards the station exit.<p>

Minato and others soon followed after him. The auburn-headed girl watched them from behind a pillar, smiling. _'Aniki and Banchou-kun haven't changed one bit. And neither has Shinjiro-senpai…'_she thought with a giggle.

* * *

><p>Ryotaro Dojima stood waiting for his nephew in front of the station, smoking a cigarette as he leaned against the front of his car. He looked up, catching sight of Souji and his friends and hurried over to help them with Souji's bag.<p>

"Hi…" Souji greeted his uncle.

"Hey, glad to see you're recovering well." The detective said, patting the boy's shoulder, before looking at the trio that was with Souji. "I'm Ryotaro Dojima. You three are the ones that Souji told me about, right?"

"Yes, sir." Minato replied while Metis and Shinjiro nodded. "I'm Minato Arisato and these are Shinjiro Aragaki and Metis."

Dojima gave a long and hard look at Minato who seemed rather confused. "You're that kid Souji used to play with all the time when he was little, aren't you?"

"Huh? How did you...?" Now Minato was confused.

"I'm a detective. Good memory is part of the job." Dojima replied when his look became distant. "Your folks were pretty close to my sister and her husband…"

"Yeah…" Minato trailed off, unsure of what to say next.

"Does anyone know I'm here yet?" Souji suddenly asked.

Dojima shook his head. "No, I haven't told anyone, but I think that Nanako's made a guess. She won't say anything. I figured that you would want to tell your friends when you were ready, and not before. I do have your friends watching over Nanako since I didn't want to leave her alone after her... ordeal… So they might be drop her off at home by the time we get there."

While Souji was a little nervous to approach his friends, he understood his uncle's concerns for his cousin, especially since her kidnapping. She had only been in the TV World for a few days, but it had severely jeopardized her health afterwards. So he understood and he couldn't fault his uncle for keeping someone with her. "I understand. I'll always be happy to see Nanako, but I'm not ready yet for the others."

"Figured as much. Don't worry. If we do run into them I'll come up with something." Dojima said.

"Thank you…" Souji said barely in a whisper.

Dojima shrugged before he piled everything in the car with Minato and Shinjiro's help. Everyone got into the car and Dojima pulled away from the station. He glanced at his nephew, who was sitting with him in the front. "I know it's hard, and I miss them too, but you'll always be family to us. Remember, I told you before that you're more like a very young brother to me. I don't want you to forget that."

Souji managed to smile weakly. "I remember that. I know."

The car ride was blissfully quiet, and Dojima avoided most of the areas his nephew had frequented, instead taking a more roundabout route back to his home. It wasn't until they pulled into the small driveway in front of the house that he spoke again. "Looks like they're here…"

Looking through the window, Souji and the others saw a group of teens at the entrance of the house. Apparently, they had just dropped Nanako off and were about to leave. Some Souji easily recognized as his friends but the other group was faintly familiar, mostly due to some photos he saw at the dorm. "Aniki… Aren't those…?"

"It's them…" Minato couldn't help but smile and even tear up a little.

Shinjiro only closed his eyes with a small smile. Metis could barely contain her excitement.

Dojima got off the car and went to talk with the group of teens, probably to thank them for looking after Nanako as well as make sure they wouldn't find out Souji had returned before he was ready to talk with them.

A few minutes later, the group left and Dojima walked up to the car. "Talk about a group," he chuckled before looking at Minato. "You and Souji seem to have a knack for befriending people."

"You might say so, Dojima-san." Minato smiled a bit as he, Shinjiro and Metis got off the car.

Souji was about to get off the car when he saw, or so he thought, the same girl he and the others had bumped with at Yasoinaba Station earlier walking down the street. _'Huh…? Isn't that…?'_

Seeing that Souji wasn't leaving the car, Minato looked at him worried. "Souji-kun?"

"Hm?" Souji looked at Minato before getting off the car. "Oh, sorry, Aniki… I just thought I had seen someone… must've been my imagination or fatigue…"

Minato nodded and went to help Dojima and Shinjiro with the bags while Metis chatted a bit with Souji.

"Arisato." Dojima looked at Minato.

"Yes, Dojima-san?" the blue haired teen asked.

"How… How's Souji holding up?" The detective asked looking really concerned.

"Truth to be told, I'd say he's still grieving a bit about the car accident…" Minato said honestly.

"Can't blame the kid for feeling that way…" Dojima sighed. "But he does look better from the last time I talked with him. I have to thank you and your friends for looking after him."

"It's no big deal, Dojima-san." Shinjiro shrugged. "Souji's a nice guy."

Dojima nodded, hauling the last bag out from the trunk of the car. "Yeah, I thought as much." He glanced at Souji. "Let's get inside."

As they opened the door to the house and took off their shoes, Nanako came running around the corner with a smile on her small face. "Dad! Welcome home!"

She paused, seeing Souji there, luggage at his feet and a downcast look in his eyes before rushing up to him, throwing her arms around his waist. He dropped down to her level and hugged her, holding her tightly.

"Big Bro! You're back!" she said excitedly, before she grew solemn. "Did something bad happen?"

Tears pricked at Souji's gray eyes and nodded into her small shoulder. "Yeah, something happened…"

Just at that moment, Minato and his friends walked in, only to face the depressing sight in front of them. Dojima was standing there, looking away from his nephew and Souji was hugging Nanako as though afraid to lose her, and his grief was almost tangible in the small hallway, thick and oppressive.

Nanako looked up and noticed Minato and the others as Souji let go of her and got to his feet, surreptitiously wiping away his tears as the trio came closer. "Um… Hello…" she greeted them shyly.

"Nanako, these are some of Souji's friends from the city," Dojima explained motioning to Minato, Shinjiro and Metis. "They'll be staying here tonight."

"Hi there. I'm Minato. You must be Souji-kun's little sister, Nanako-chan." Minato said with a gentle smile as he bent over to make eye contact with Nanako. "He told me a lot about you, but he didn't say you were so cute."

Nanako blushed a bit. "Thanks… Are you Big Bro's friend?"

"Yep. Souji-kun and I have been friends ever since we were your age." Minato smiled at Souji. "He's like a little brother to me."

"So, you're Big Bro's big bro?" Nanako asked sounding excited.

Minato chuckled at that. "Yeah, it's something like that."

Souji couldn't help but smile at how Minato had a way with children as well as Nanako's thrilled expression at meeting him. "Oh, Nanako-chan, these are Aniki's friends Shinjiro-san and Metis-san." He said, motioning to the other two.

"Hey." Shinjiro said as nicely as he could, hoping not to intimidate Nanako.

"Hello." Metis greeted.

Nanako smiled at both, but she kept a longer look at Metis. "Um… Metis?"

"Yes?" Metis said.

"Do you have a sister?"

Metis was surprised at that. "Y-Yes… I do."

"I knew it!" Nanako smiled happy. "Her name's Aigis, right?"

"Yeah, that's my sister..." Metis smiled softly at hearing Aigis' name.

"How did you know, Nanako-chan?" Souji asked.

"She's one of Teddie's new friends!" Nanako replied smiling before pointing to Metis' red ribbon on the uniform she was wearing. "And the ribbon she's wearing looks just like the one Aigis was wearing."

"I see…" Metis smiled softly as she gently caressed the ribbon. "Sister…"

"As soon as we get the chance, we'll go see them, Metis." Minato told her. "Promise."

"They'll be at Junes tomorrow." Nanako said. "We were going to make a picnic, but Dad asked them to wait a few days. I guess he wanted Big Bro and you guys to join them."

"Gee, Uncle, that was pretty nice of you." Souji smirked at his uncle.

"Heh, thought it'd do you some good." Dojima smirked back. "Especially because you'd be able to hang out with your friends, specifically that Amagi girl."

Souji blushed at that, making Dojima laugh heartily. Minato chuckled a bit himself. Souji had told him about his friends as well as Yukiko, the girl that had captivated his heart.

"Dad…" Nanako tugged her father's shirt, yawning. "I'm sleepy…"

"Oh, that's right…" Dojima picked Nanako up and looked at the four. "You must be tired as well. There's another couch in Souji's room and an extra futon in Nanako's room."

"Then Metis can sleep with me." Nanako giggled. "It'll be like a sleepover!"

"A sleepover… sounds really fun." Metis smiled.

"Yay!" Nanako squealed.

"Alright, then. Time for bed." Dojima glanced at the three boys. "I need to put Nanako to bed, so make yourselves comfortable. G'night."

The three nodded and Dojima took Nanako and Metis to his daughter's room.

"Your uncle is quite the fellow, huh?" Minato said.

"Yeah… He may look and talk rough, but he's reliable…" Souji said with a faint smile before he yawned.

"Alright you two, I don't know about you, but I'm ready to get some rest." Shinjiro said. "Minato can use the couch in Souji's room. I'll just crash on this one."

"That works for me just fine." Minato nodded. "Good night, Senpai."

"Good night, Shinjiro-san." Souji said.

"Night." Shinjiro said.

Without another word, Minato grabbed his and Souji's bags and followed Souji upstairs.

The room was exactly as he'd remembered leaving it, barren of anything even remotely personal and, somehow, colder. The futon was still in the corner, out of the way of the dresser and desk. It looked like Dojima had pulled everything out again, once again turning the room into a living space. The rest of Souji's belongings, some furniture and a few other items that could not be easily transported in a suitcase had already been packed up and shipped out to Inaba by Dojima before Souji returned and the detective had already replaced the cheap metal bookshelf Souji' had been using for a medium-sized wooden bookcase.

With a small sigh, Souji dropped the duffel bag he's been carrying on the floor and sank onto the couch, eyes closed. His thoughts had once again decided to replay the latest events; the car crash, the unexpected meeting with Minato, the trip to the Velvet Room, the dream on the train and the strange girl they met at the station.

There was so much stuff he still didn't understand and he still needed to face his friends regarding his sudden return. Even though Minato and the others had helped him deal with a great part of his grief, he still felt nervous about facing them. He just hoped that they didn't flip about why he hadn't told them about his return sooner, especially Chie, Teddie and Rise. He also hoped that Yukiko wouldn't be worried too much about him or gotten angry for not answering her e-mails.

Minato closed the door and looked at Souji with concern. "Go get ready for bed, Banchou-kun. You look ready to pass out."

With a weak nod, Souji wearily rose from the couch and he started digging through his bag for some comfortable clothes while Minato did the same. While rummaging, he pulled out something he didn't expect to see. He didn't even remembered packing it; a framed photo. He glanced at it and gasped. "This photo…" he whispered. "I thought I had lost it…"

Seeing Souji's surprised look, Minato looked at the photo as well and he was quite shocked: the photo showed his parents and Souji's standing close to each other and in front of them were three toddlers: a small boy with dark silver hair in the middle, to his right was a slightly taller boy with blue hair and to his left was a little girl with brown hair. Everybody was wearing kimonos and smiling.

"After all these years… I've forgotten all about this photo…" Minato whispered. "We took it in 1999… during the Summer Festival, right?"

"Yeah…my parents had gotten the day off from their work just for our families to be able to spend the festival together…" Souji smiled fondly at the memory. "Playing games… eating cotton candy… trying to catch a goldfish…"

"And don't forget watching the fireworks too." Minato grinned. "We got scared at the noise, but we couldn't get our eyes off them…"

"Shooting stars trying to return to the sky… She used to say that's what fireworks were," Souji said as one finger caressed the little girl's face on the picture when he realized something. "Aniki, that dream we had on the train and that girl we saw at the station… Do you think she might be…?"

"In normal circumstances, I'd say that's impossible…" Minato looked at the window and sighed. "But since things are hardly normal when it comes to us, I can't entirely rule out that possibility. For now, let's keep this between the two of us."

"Agreed." Souji nodded and put the photo on his desk. "Let's just go to sleep. Something tells me we'll have a really long day tomorrow."

Minato nodded. They brushed their teeth and got ready for bed. Souji slipped into his futon and Minato lied down on the couch, both sighing as sleep descended almost immediately.

* * *

><p>Next thing they knew, both teens were back in the Velvet Room, where Igor was waiting for them, like he always was. Elizabeth, Margaret and Theodore sat next to the small, strange man, and they acknowledged the two with small nods.<p>

However, to their surprise, the girl they saw before was also there, sitting between the two boys and smiling at them as if she expected to meet them there. Before they could ask her anything, Igor spoke up.

"Welcome. We are here in your dreams, so do not worry. However, we came across some information that I felt I should inform you all at once." Igor said.

"This threat that has appeared... Its actions are creating a large rift between the Shadow World and the Real World." Elizabeth spoke up, folding her delicate hands on her lap. "This rift is causing a  
>shifting in the balance that keeps both worlds in check."<p>

"What does that mean?" Minato asked.

"The balance of the two worlds is essential to each world's survival, meaning that should one be destroyed, the other will follow." Margaret was ever calm, though Souji was aware of her affection for him. "The balance needs to be restored, or your world will destroy itself, despite your efforts to allow humanity to live according to its own will and by humanity's choice alone."

"So we have to defeat this threat to restore the balance?" Souji questioned.

"And for that the Wild Cards must work together?" the girl added.

"Correct. You will find a way, and we will most certainly assist in any way that we can. I have very little desire for my own existence to cease." Igor smiled that creepy smile of his.

"Can you tell us what we should be aware of for the effects of this rift? What signs should we look out for?" Minato asked.

"Things will start out small, and harmless." Theodore answered. "Odd lights and shapes, especially around spiritual or ancient places. Anything and everything that would be considered as out of the ordinary are likely to happen. The severity might worsen as time progresses, until, possibly, you'll be trapped in a hellish nightmare."

_'Well, that is very reassuring…'_the three Wild Cards thought.

"So," It was Igor again, "Now this is where the mystery truly begins. Where did that threat come from? What lies ahead for everyone?"

Minato and Souji looked at each other and at the girl, for they were thinking the same thing: '_Stop with the damn questions!'_

They couldn't argue with Igor though, because he had a point. All of these questions needed answers, and they were the only ones who could do it. No, they had their friends, and they would answer it together. With their minds set on the right track, Igor spoke once again.

"Now, I must remind you that this mystery should not overshadow your lives. Enjoy your time with your friends, and when the time comes, your adventure shall begin. As always, my services for fusing Personas are available, and you can access your Persona Compendiums through my assistants."

Minato and Souji looked at Elizabeth and Margaret, respectively. "No more requests?" they asked in unison.

The two sisters looked at each other with a slight blush across their faces. Theodore tried to suppress a chuckle though he was failing badly. The girl looked at him, giggling, and he stopped chuckling, seemingly blushing faintly.

"No, it's alright," said Elizabeth.

"Yes, no more requests," replied Margaret.

"Now my children," started Igor. "Let us not dwell on your precious time any longer. Until then, pleasant dreams."

As Igor's voice faded out, blackness consumed their sights and they drifted off into true slumber.

* * *

><p>Next morning, Minato and Souji were awakened by Nanako knocking on the door. "Big Bro! Aniki! Breakfast's ready!"<p>

"We're coming…!" Souji replied with a yawn when he glanced at the clock. "Ten A.M? We really slept in…"

The two friends quickly changed and headed downstairs where they were greeted by an amusing scene: Metis and Nanako were at the coffee table; the little girl was teaching Metis the right way to eat fried eggs, Dojima sat at the dining table drinking some coffee while reading today's paper while Shinjiro just finished cooking breakfast.

"Oh, you two are finally up." Dojima said to the two teens. He was probably on his day off. "Looks like you two really needed some rest. How's your arm, Souji?"

"It's better, Uncle. Some cuts hadn't fully healed yet, though." Souji said, rubbing his arm. He wasn't planning on telling his uncle that those cuts were gained while fighting Shadows with Minato and Shinjiro. "I'll just change the bandages after breakfast."

Dojima nodded and resumed reading his paper. "Oh, by the way, since today is my day off, I'm taking Nanako to Junes to buy some groceries in the afternoon, so after you're done unpacking I can give you and your friends a ride there. Your friends will probably be there too."

"That'd be wonderful. Thank you, Dojima-san." Minato said, grateful for the offer.

"Don't mention it. Now you two sit down and eat something," the detective said.

Breakfast was soon finished, with everybody praising Shinjiro's talent for cooking. While Metis helped Nanako with the dishes and some other chores, the three boys went to Souji's room. Minato and Shinjiro had offered to help Souji unpack his stuff.

After getting his bandages changed, Souji unpacked his clothes while Minato helped him with the more personal items he'd brought from his house, filling his desk with some of the mementoes his parents had brought back from their various trips and excursions, as well as placing the photos of his and Souji's families on the drawer, Shinjiro was getting all the books he'd gotten in the last year, a few favorite DVDs, and a couple of small framed photos for variety in the bookcase, doing their best to turn Souji's room into a comfortable living space.

They had just finished and in silent agreement, headed downstairs to get something to eat for lunch, finding Nanako and Metis playing cards while Dojima was watching TV. It was rather funny seeing the android and the little girl playing as they couldn't tell who was having more fun.

After lunch, they went to Junes. While Dojima and Nanako were buying the groceries, Souji led the other three to the Food Court where he thought his friends would be with Minato's. All they could hope was that the reunion wouldn't cause too much commotion.

_At the Food Court…_

"This is a 'special headquarters?'" Metis asked as the group sat down. "I thought it was more like the dorm…"

"Well, you gotta make do with what you've got. Besides, this place is the nearest to the entrance to the TV World." Souji shrugged. "My friends and I usually hang out at the third table on the left and I'm sure they're over there with your friends. I'll go ahead to make sure everybody is there. When I find them, I'll call you guys."

"Got it," Minato said before he put on his earphones and turned on his MP3 player.

Souji left and headed for the favorite spot of his friends. He had to grin when he saw that his hunch was right. The two groups of Persona users were hanging out together chatting about the abilities of each other's Persona or simply about trivial things. Everybody seemed to be having an overall good time.

"By the way, Rise-chan, Nanako-chan will be coming to see us today?" He heard a soft voice that belonged to Fuuka.

"I'm not sure, Senpai." That would be Rise. "Dojima-san said he and Nanako-chan were gonna go shopping for groceries today, so maybe she'll come over after they're done, but I don't know."

"You think my Nana-chan won't come to see me? That won't do at all!" Souji had to grin at Teddie's drama. Good thing that some things never changed.

Souji slowly approached the group who was really distracted before revealing himself. They hadn't noticed him at all, yet.

"Actually…" Several heads whipped around to stare at him in shock. "Nanako's not the one visiting you today."

"SENPAI!" Rise and Naoto both squealed before colliding with him in bone-crushing hugs, knocking the air out of him, and he just barely managed to stay on his feet from the onslaught, despite his arm's protest.

_ "Talk about a warm reception…"_Souji thought with a smile.

"SENSEI!" Teddie squealed, jumping at the trio.

_ "Okay, I spoke too soon…"_Souji blinked up at the sky before casting his smile at the three people on top of him. He was now stuck on his back, on the floor, having narrowly missed hitting a table on his way down with Teddie's extra weight. His arm was going to feel that for a while, but he was so happy that he didn't care.

"Come on, let Senpai breathe! You can maul him later!" Kanji saved him, as he and Yosuke pulled the girls and Teddie off, giving him some room to breathe again.

"Dude, you sure know how to make a surprise!" Yosuke grinned as he helped Souji back to his feet. They high-fived. "Nice to see ya again, partner."

Souji grinned back at his best friend. "Same here, buddy."

"When did you get back? Why didn't you tell us you were coming?" Chie asked, bouncing on the balls of her feet in her excitement.

"I got back yesterday and well, if I had told you guys it wouldn't be a surprise anymore." Souji smiled at his friends. How terribly he had missed them.

Suddenly, Souji caught sight of Yukiko who watched him from afar with red cheeks and a warm smile. With a smile he walked up to her. "Hey…" he started, a bit embarrassed. "I'm sorry I didn't answer your e-mails. Some stuff happened and…"

Yukiko shushed him by gently placing her index finger over his lips. "I understand. I'm glad you're alright…and I'm glad you're here…with me…" she said quietly.

Souji just smiled and gave her hand an affectionate squeeze to say he felt the same way. Their fingers interlocked, and they looked at each other, happy that they were in each other's company again.

There was no awkward moment at all, as everyone around them could sense the deep connection the two possessed between each other, and simply smiled.

While Souji talked with his girlfriend and his team, the members of SEES kept on watching him with sad smiles. The way he held himself; cool and aloof at first glance, his calm demeanor and quiet voice, yet there was a warm, trusting and friendly aura around him with an unshakable, confident determination and that strongly, no, _fiercely_reminded them so much of Minato that they almost stopped breathing.

Finally, Souji glanced at the group and smiled. "Oh, hello." He gave a short bow. "Pleased to meet you all. I'm Souji Seta."

"Yo, what's up, Dude?" Junpei grinned. "I'm…"

Souji raised one hand with a grin, interrupting Junpei. "Junpei Iori, right?" At Junpei and the others' surprise, Souji continued, glancing at each member of SEES. "Let's see… Mitsuru Kirijo, Akihiko Sanada, Fuuka Yamagishi, Ken Amada, Koromaru and… Last, but not least, Aigis and Yukari Takeba. Did I get everyone's names right?"

"Wow, Sensei, you can read minds?" Teddie said amazed.

"How do you know who we are?" Mitsuru questioned.

"Some friends of yours from Port Island came with me on my trip to Inaba," Souji explained.

Yukari raised an eyebrow. "Friends?"

"Yep. Might as well let them do the explanations." Souji turned towards some more distant tables. "Hey, Aniki, guys, get over here! They're all here!"

Everybody exchanged confused glances when they heard someone talking back to Souji. "Tch, easier said than done. He dozed off. Must be those earphones."

While the voice was unfamiliar to the Investigation Team, it wasn't for SEES. However, they hadn't heard that voice in years and they didn't think they'd hear it again.

"That voice…" Ken gasped. "No way…!"

Koromaru started barking excitedly, his tail wagging happily. "Huh? Are you sure about that Koromaru-san?" Aigis asked, looking surprised.

"Huh? Ya can understand dogs, Aigis?" Chie asked. "And what' Koro-chan is saying?"

"Somehow," Aigis replied. "And he says that he smells a dear friend's scent and that voice we heard belongs to him."

"A dear friend…?" Akihiko's eyes widened. "You gotta be kidding me…"

"Jeez, Aki, you look like you saw a ghost." The voice said again with a hint of amusement as its owner got closer to them.

As the group caught a glance of the stranger, except for Koromaru, all members of SEES were shocked to see the newcomer. However no one was more shocked than Akihiko and Ken.

"S-Shinji?" The boxer was at a loss of words as he saw Shinjiro. "Is… Is that you?"

Shinjiro stood there in front of them as if expecting them to be surprised. Mitsuru and the younger members of SEES were at speechless as well as the Investigation Team, except for Souji. "Hey… Been a while, huh?" Shinjiro shrugged, a small smirk forming on his lips. "You guys seem to be doing well."

No one dared speak until Koromaru walked up to Shinjiro. The white dog sniffed him a few times and then let out happy barks while running around him, truly happy. Shinjiro grinned at that and dropped to one knee to pat Koromaru. "Hey, boy… How've ya been, Koro?" He patted Koromaru, which the dog answered by licking the beanie-wearing teen's face. "Heh, glad to see ya too."

"Oh my… It IS Shinjiro-senpai!" Fuuka exclaimed with teary eyes. "Koro-chan proved that!"

"Dude, he's alive! That's awesome!" Junpei exclaimed in a mix of disbelief and joy.

Ken shyly walked up to Shinjiro. His eyes were brimming with tears. "S-Shinjiro-san… I… I…" he whispered, trying to muster up his courage.

Shinjiro stood up and looked at Ken. He was showing a rare yet warm smile. "If it's about saying you're sorry, save it, kid. Already forgave ya a long time ago." He placed a large hand on Ken's head. "Now, will ya just forgive yourself already?"

Ken's eyes widened at that. "Shinjiro-san…" He smiled as he could no longer hold back his tears. Without warning, Ken buried his face into Shinjiro's chest and hugged him, sobbing loudly. "Thank you…"

Shinjiro gently rubbed Ken's head as the kid cried, still smiling.

Even though everybody was still confused, the heartwarming scene brought a smile on everyone's face.

"Heh, never thought I'd see that soft side of yours, Shinji." Akihiko smirked weakly as he walked up to Shinjiro.

"Keep the wisecracks to yourself, Aki." Shinjiro smirked back at his friend as Ken let go of him.

Both friends slammed their fists together, smiling sincerely at each other. "Welcome back!" Akihiko said with a sincere smile and eyes brimming with tears.

"Thanks." Shinjiro grinned at him before noticing Teddie watching him with curious eyes. "Huh? What's with him?"

"Hm… He doesn't look like a ghost…" Teddie stated as he poked Shinjiro's arm a few times. "He's solid and I can't see through him…"

The Investigation Team's eyes widened at Teddie's antics. "Teddie!" Yosuke hissed before grabbing the smaller blonde. "Cut that out!"

"But Yosuke…it's true!" Teddie whined. "He's one of the guys from Ai-chan and the others' story, right?"

"W-Well, yeah… but that doesn't mean you can say that!" Yosuke rubbed his head, trying to find the right words in order not to offend or anger the taller and intimidating teen. "I mean…"

"No sweat about that." Shinjiro told them. "Kinda expected that to happen."

"Expected?" Mitsuru stood up. "Shinjiro, does that mean…?"

"Yup. It's exactly what you're thinking, Mitsuru." Shinjiro shrugged. "Don't ask me about how I got back because my guess is as good as yours. One minute, I felt like I was sleeping, next thing I know I bumped into Souji."

Everybody looked at Souji who smiled sheepishly. "That was pretty much what happened," he said. "But before you guys ask further questions, I think Aniki would explain things better."

"Aniki? Who are you talking about?" Yukari asked, before she gasped as a thought crossed her mind. "Wait… Don't tell me…"

Souji just smiled gently at Yukari. "All I can say is that you're really important to him, Yukari-san." He turned his glance at Shinjiro who nodded. He then looked to his right. "Aniki, come out now. And bring her too. I think she's too shy to come out on her own."

"Okay, Souji-kun..." A soft voice replied before yawning. "We're coming…"

Startled by this, everyone turned around and looked in shock at what, or who, was in front of them. Unable to speak, they just stared at the two newcomers when out of nowhere Yukari found her voice again. "M-Minato-kun! And Metis?"

For a moment, time stood still: two groups standing on opposite sides, facing each other. Minato, Shinjiro and Metis staring at them; the other members of SEES looking right back. The Investigation Team, save from Souji, watched everything in complete and utter shock while the silverette simply smiled.

_ 'It feels like forever since I had last seen them…'_Minato thought as he smiled at his team.

It was a while before anyone spoke again. Finally, as if he knew it was his time to chime in, Junpei spoke. "Dude... Are you… are you guys for real?"

The tension surrounding the atmosphere lifted with Junpei's simplistic remark. Everyone seemed to have lightened up, and they were waiting anxiously to find some answers.

Minato chuckled slightly at his best friend's statement. Leave it up to Junpei to lighten things up. "Yes, it's me. And that goes for Metis and Shinjiro-senpai too."

Everyone's eyes were wide as glass orbs, still shocked at this miracle that stood before them.

"But, how is this possible?" Minato focused on the newest talker, and found Mitsuru staring back at him, eyes wide and mouth hanging open in astonishment.

"First Shinji, and now you and Metis appear out of the blue." It was Akihiko this time.

"This is just so hard to believe…" Ken added with his quiet voice.

Minato held up a hand, and everyone went quiet. "I know this is a big shock to you guys. Trust me, it's a big shock to me and the others too. I'll keep it short; something has broken through my seal, releasing my soul." Leave it to Minato to say so little, yet so much at the same time.

As if the shock of Minato's return hadn't shaken them enough, this new statement brought confusion, shock and fear.

"How is that possible? Nyx has returned?" Fuuka cried out.

"Wait, what?" Chie yelled. "Ya mean the world is gonna end!"

By now, both groups were close to completely panicking. Luckily Junes Food court was still empty so no one was listening to them.

"Please, stay calm, everybody!" Metis suddenly said, drawing everybody's attention. "The Great Seal wasn't destroyed, so Erebus can't reach Nyx even if he was at full power. Don't forget, mankind's wish for death was built over during countless centuries so I don't think it'd be strong enough to break through it so easily only two years after its defeat."

"Metis…" Aigis said after finally getting over the shock. She smiled a bit. "You… You're right…"

"Sister…" Metis said, barely audible. She had been so eager to see Aigis again and now that she had finally found her, she didn't know what to say or how Aigis would react upon seeing her.

Aigis walked up to her and gently adjusted Metis' ribbon on the uniform. "You… changed. And yet, you didn't." She smiled. "I missed you…"

Metis' eyes widened. "You… missed me?"

Aigis nodded. "I missed hearing your voice… I missed having you around. Even though you were always with me…. I missed talking with you…"

Metis couldn't contain her tears as she hugged Aigis tightly, crying out of happiness. "I missed you so much too, Sister… I wanted to talk with you more… I wanted to spend more time with you… But most of all, I wanted us to live like real sisters…Together."

Aigis smiled softly as she cuddled Metis. "I know… I know… I'm so happy…" A few tears of joy ran down her cheeks. "You're here… Minato-san and Shinjiro-san are here too… I don't care how illogical or impossible this may seem… I'm just happy things are the way they are now."

The other members of SEES watched the sisters' embrace happy. "Dude, I don't remember seeing Ai-chan this happy." Junpei grinned. "By the way, is it just me, or does Metis kinda act a bit like Aigis now?"

"Now that you mentioned it, Iori, you seem to be right." Mitsuru stated. "I'd say that they have gained personality traits from each other over the time they haven't seen each other."

"That's not really surprising, if you consider that Metis came from Aigis' emotional side." Akihiko shrugged.

"Eh? She was born from Ai-chan's emotions?" Teddie gasped surprised. "So Metis-chan…is like Teddie?"

Everybody looked at Teddie. "Well, in a way, that's right Teddie." Souji replied, patting the blonde's head. "She was born from Aigis' emotions, but she gained her own personality and a Persona shortly after. While she's not exactly a Shadow, you and Metis do share similar origins."

"Awesome!" Teddie squealed happily jumping up and down.

"Gee, Souji-kun, you were right about Teddie." Minato chuckled. "This little guy is really funny."

"Souji-kun…" Yukari finally spoke since her outburst when Minato first arrived. That had been the first time she had heard Minato calling a guy that way. Not even Junpei, his best friend, was addressed as such.

Minato made eye contact with Yukari. Their eyes lingered together for what seemed like centuries, pouring their emotions to one other. Minato looked at her, with sadness in his eyes, feeling guilty about not being there for those past two years for her…for everyone.

Minato's stare made Yukari blush, which made her mind to run frantic. _'Why am I blushing? I knew I loved him, I guess I still do, but we thought he died... Now, suddenly he's back...this is too confusing…'_

Luckily, only Minato spotted Yukari blushing through her inner turmoil, so he walked up to her and gently held her hand. "I know things are confusing, and what I'm about to say will probably sound weird, but..." Minato pulled Yukari into a comforting hug. "I missed you, Yukari…"

That was all it took for Yukari to smile with red cheeks and teary eyes. "I missed you too… Minato-kun…" She whispered, hugging him back.

Souji just sighed as he wrapped one arm around Yukiko's waist. The black haired girl looked at him, both with smiles on their faces. "I'm happy for Aniki and Yukari-san…" he said before looking at Yukiko. "And I'm glad to be with you again."

Yukiko simply blushed before giving Souji a soft kiss on his cheek. "Me too…"

Mitsuru watched the scene, along with everyone else, and smiled. However, there was something she needed to know and she wasn't the only one wondering that. She turned to Souji. "Seta, right? You seem to be a long time acquaintance of Minato. Care to explain to us how the two of you know each other?"

Souji and Minato looked at Mitsuru then at each other and nodded. "Of course," Souji replied as he took a seat, smiling as Yukiko claimed the seat beside him on his left, while Minato and Yukari sat on his right.

"My parents and Souji-kun's were long time friends, having attended the same college and majoring in Psychology," Minato began to explain. "Since both couples married and had children between a short time period, Souji-kun and I pretty much grew up together. Since I was two years older, he usually called me big bro or simply Aniki."

"Due our parents' careers they had a very limited circle of friends, so we usually spent the day at a daycare playing with each other." Souji continued. "Holidays, vacations, outings… our families usually did all that together."

"Until 1999…" Minato looked down for a bit. The memory of the car accident would always hurt.

Aigis looked at him with sad eyes, feeling a sting of guilt in her heart. Seeing that, Minato looked at her and shook his head. "What happened to them was not your fault, Aigis, so don't blame yourself for that please…"

Aigis silently nodded. "I know…"

"On the same night the Dark Hour first manifested in this world, my family was heading home. We were crossing the Moonlight Bridge when the car went out of control and there was an accident. Shortly after that, I met Aigis for the first time. I suppose you guys already know what happened next right?"

Yosuke and the others exchanged glances and nodded.

"Yeah… You don't need to go through that part if it makes you feel uncomfortable…" Kanji replied.

Minato nodded. "Thank you..." He glanced at Souji. "Souji-kun?

"I'll continue from there. As fate would have it, after the Dark Hour ended my parents and I were crossing the same bridge. Once my parents realized who had gotten into the crash, they called for help…" Souji sighed. "I still remember how sad they were when they heard about Aniki's parents… We'd visit him in the hospital every day until his wounds had healed and he was sent to live with some distant relatives. After that, my parents got transferred to another city because of work and I never saw him again… Until 3 days ago..."

"So, how exactly did you run in with Minato and Shinji?" Akihiko asked.

"That's the hard part to explain…" Souji scratched his head before starting to retell the events.

Both groups were listening intently to Minato and Souji's explanation. Shinjiro and Metis also helped. The group went over the sudden manifestation of the Dark Hour, the run in with the Shadows, the talk in the Velvet Room, meeting Metis, explaining the new threat, the question behind Minato and Shinjiro's return, as well as the third owner of the Wild Card ability.

"So, there's a girl that has the same power you two have?" Junpei asked.

"And she's here in Inaba?" Chie added.

"We have strong reasons to believe so." Souji replied.

"How do you guys know all that?" Yosuke asked.

"Someone I've known ever since I first joined SEES and Souji-kun also knows told us…" Minato looked down, embarrassed at his explanation, feeling like the others would think him crazy.

"Do you mean...the Velvet Room?" Aigis asked softly.

Minato looked up, rather surprised. "That's right. Silly me… I forgot Metis told us you were familiar with that place." He chuckled.

"Excuse me, but what is this Velvet Room you speak of?" Naoto asked. "You speak of it as if it was a place that cannot be reached easily."

"Let me put this way: the Velvet Room is a room located between consciousness and sub consciousness." Minato explained. "Very few people can enter that place."

"Wait, there's something wrong." Yosuke commented. "Where is that room exactly? We never saw Souji leave into a place nobody knew of."

"That's a little hard to explain. Remember the corner in the TV World entrance hall I always go to?"

"Yeah, what about…" Yosuke started to say before he realized what Souji meant. "Wait, are you telling me that…?"

"Exactly." Souji nodded. "You probably saw me just standing there, but I really was in the Velvet Room at those times. My mind was there anyway…"

"So from us only you could go in Senpai?" Rise commented. "That's too bad. I wonder what it looks like…."

"You can always ask Teddie. He was there once," Souji said.

"Wait, I have?" Teddie asked. "But when did that happen?"

"Remember that bleu room we talked in at the start of December? That was it. Incidentally, Igor mentioned that no normal Shadow could enter it," Souji explained, refreshing Teddie's memory.

"Really? Then that means… Teddie is a bear-y special Shadow! Yay! Go me!" He exclaimed happily while doing a little victory dance.

"Oh great…" Yosuke groaned, knowing he would hear Teddie repeat this for the rest of the day; and likely for a very long time.

"You all also met a resident of that place once." Souji continued.

"A resident…? Wait, ya don't mean that lady dressed in blue that fought you?" Chie gasped.

At Souji's nod, the younger group exchanged shocked glances. They all recalled when Souji faced Margaret all by himself before they went after Izanami. They only found out what Souji had in mind when the battle had already started. It was an intense battle, but Souji forbade them to interfere. Eventually, Souji was the winner, but he had a few close calls along the way. When questioned about why he did that or who Margaret was, he simply answered that she was someone he knew, who sought an answer through battle so he helped her. He also told them he was searching for his own answer in that fight: to prove to himself he had what it took to find the truth. That didn't stop Yukiko from nearly slapping him for worrying her before kissing him, though.

"Dude… That's crazy…" Kanji said. "She really gave Senpai a run for his money that day…"

"If she is like her sister Elizabeth, I can imagine that." Minato said recalling his own duel with the younger Velvet Room sister. His victory had been a narrow one on the night before the confrontation with Nyx. He needed to prove to himself that he could lead his friends to victory. Of course, that didn't stop Yukari from scolding him for fighting alone, before hugging him and crying out of concern. "They pack quite a punch…"

"No kidding…" Souji grinned sheepishly. "Well, we kinda went off on a tangent here so let's get back on topic."

"Regarding this new threat you mentioned, you said it was meddling with both worlds." Mitsuru started. "Please elaborate on that."

"As far as we know, its actions are affecting the other world and this one, disturbing the balance between worlds and the effects will gradually show up." Souji explained. "We haven't been out much since we got here, so I have to ask; have any of you seen anything... strange, recently? Even remotely out of the ordinary, no matter how silly it may be."

The others glanced amongst themselves, looks passing between the two groups as they silently asked each other that question.

"Anything?" Minato asked.

"U-Um…" Yukiko started fidgeting her fingers.

Souji looked at her, frowning slightly at her sudden nervousness. "What is it, Yukiko?"

"Um, well… I-I've only seen it once, in the hot springs at the Inn, and it was getting late, so I thought I'd only imagined it, but I did see some odd lights the other night. Like how the old myths and legends talk about lost souls." A nervous blush was settling in on her features. "There were only a couple, and they disappeared quickly enough, but the rest of the staff at the Inn had seen them as well."

"I-I've seen those too!" Fuuka suddenly said, drawing everybody's attention. "On the first night we arrived! I… I didn't say anything before because I thought I was just too tired from the trip…"

"I… I saw those too…" Yukari said quietly, feeling really uncomfortable at the idea of seeing ghosts.

"That's the start, then." Minato pointed out.

"It also means that soon enough we'll probably see changes on the other side as well." Souji said. "I'd like you all to keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary, and please let us know about anything you see or hear."

"You got it, Sensei!" Teddie grinned at him, eager to help out his friends. "I'll try my very best!"

Souji smiled at the Shadow in human form. "Thanks, Teddie."

"Yeah, we can do that!" Chie nodded once, firmly in agreement.

"Count me in too, dude!" Junpei said. "I'm always up for some action!"

"Heh, I could use some extra training." Akihiko smirked. "I'm in too."

The others nodded as well. "Very well, it's decided. We'll work on our strategy as more unusual sightings are detected. Venturing into the other side should provide more information as well as a way to train ourselves in case we need to fight." Mitsuru decided.

"Right! We'll get to the bottom of this mystery." Minato said.

"Together!" Souji added.

Everybody stood up. "Yeah!" They cheered in unison. The two groups were now one, determined to work together to find the truth and protect their world and the other.

"Oh, all that talk reminded me about the Summer Festival at Tatsuhime Shrine which is coming pretty soon." Yosuke recalled. "You guys think something might appear there?"

"It's possible. Spiritual places seem to be more sensitive to things like that." Minato pointed out. "What do you think, Souji-kun?"

"Maybe…" Before he could continue, Souji's hand immediately pressed to his temple as a sudden image flashed in his brain. He had seen himself as a young boy, watching the fireworks during the festival... and he had not been alone. Two people were holding both his hands... One was Minato the other was a girl… The image disappeared as soon as it came. As the image faded, he started to feel dizzy. His arms suddenly turned weak and his vision was shaky.

"Souji-kun? Souji-kun!" Yukiko shook him worriedly, noticing something wrong with the silverette.

Without warning, Souji collapsed, much to everybody's shock. Minato and Yosuke quickly reacted and grabbed him before he could hit the ground.

"Souji-kun!" Yukiko cried.

"What the hell! Souji?" Yosuke got a bit scared. "Partner, you ok?"

"H-Hey? You okay?" Chie gasped.

"Senpai?" Naoto and Rise cried.

"Senpai, are you okay? Senpai!" Kanji started to panic.

"Sensei! Sensei!" Teddie cried.

Souji groaned. "I'm okay… I just feel a little faint…" he whispered, trying to steady himself.

"Help me sit him down!" Minato told Yosuke and Kanji. "Someone get him some water now!"

"I'll get it!" Rise said as she quickly made a dash for the nearest counter.

Carefully, Minato, Yosuke and Kanji sat Souji on one of the seats while Yukiko held his hand.

Rise quickly returned with a glass of water. "Here you go, Senpai. Drink this, you'll feel better.'"

Souji took the glass and took a few gulps. "Thanks, Rise…"

"Souji-kun?" Yukiko called softly, worried.

"I'm fine now, Yukiko…" Souji said as he kept his eyes closed as the dizziness stopped. "I'm sorry I scared you guys…"

"It seems your body is not fully adapted to Inaba's weather yet, Souji-san." Aigis stated. "Your body temperature seems higher than a human body should normally be."

"Huh? What does that mean?" Teddie asked, worried and confused. "Is something wrong with Sensei?"

"Aigis means that Souji-kun's got a heatstroke due to the summer heat, Teddie-kun." Fuuka explained to calm the little bear down.

"Big surprise. Dude's wearing a black jacket in summer!" Junpei said. "Take that off, man, and you'll feel a lot better."

Souji involuntary flinched at Junpei's suggestion. His arm was still bandaged up and he was sure some of the wounds he had gotten from the battle against the Shadows had reopened when his friends knocked him down. The sight of the blood would definitely freak them out and force him to tell them about his parents.

"Senpai… You're hiding something from us, aren't you?" Naoto asked, staring him in the eye, surprising everybody. "You're favoring your other arm and it's not like you to wear this kind of clothing in plain summer, either..."

"It was foolish of me trying to deceive a detective…" Souji sighed in defeat. "Fine, you win…"

Carefully, Souji removed his jacket, revealing his left arm covered in bandages from his shoulder to his wrist. Some fresh blood stains could be seen seeping through. As he expected, his friends were shocked at the sight and so were Minato's friends.

"D-Dude, what happened with your arm?" Chie nearly shouted.

"Someone did this to you, Senpai? I'm gonna crush them!" Kanji growled. He looked ready to beat the crap of whoever had harmed his leader.

"Guys, calm down." Souji said calmly. "It's okay. My arm's already healed. The blood is from a few cuts I got fighting Shadows when I bumped with Aniki and Shinjiro-san. I think they reopened when I greeted you guys."

As his words sank in, the others settled themselves around the table, and he sighed, not really wanting to talk about the crash.

"Something happened, didn't it? That was the reason you didn't answer to anyone's e-mails?" Yukiko asked while giving Souji's hand a soft squeeze.

Souji looked at her and nodded with a sigh before he explained about the accident, giving them the bare facts. All people present, including the ones that didn't know Souji that well, were saddened by the news.

With a choked sob, Yukiko hugged Souji tightly, in an attempt to comfort him.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Chie looked about to cry, like Rise and Teddie were doing. Fuuka was also on the verges of tears.

"How are you holding up, Senpai? I know that the loss of your parents is always hard and difficult to deal with, even at the best of times." Naoto's soft concern reminded Souji that she, too, had lost her parents, albeit when she was much younger.

"Actually, if it wasn't for Aniki and his friends, I'd probably still be a wreck right now…" Souji replied while smiling at Minato, Shinjiro and Metis and then at Yukiko and his friends. "Besides, I'm not alone, so I'll be okay."

"That's right. We've got your back so if ya need anything, you know you can rely on us, partner." Yosuke grinned at him patting his back.

"I know that." Souji nodded smiling. "Thanks, guys."

The rest of the day was spent with everyone talking about past memories. As the sun was close to setting, they suddenly heard Nanako's giggling drifting to them, and Souji could make out the distinct tones of his uncle's voice as well.

Then they saw Nanako walking towards them, her little arms wrapped around a shopping bag, vegetables poking out the top, with her father right behind her carrying the rest of the obvious shopping. Her face lit up at the sight of all of Souji's friends as well as Minato's. "All of Big Bro and Aniki's friends are here! Are you visiting that place today?"

"Sorry, Nanako-chan, but maybe next time. We were just talking with your big brother." Yukiko flashed her smile at the young girl, rising to her feet quickly.

Nanako pouted for a minute as she thought about it. "Okay, I guess. But you promise to play with me again, right?"

Koromaru barked in response. "Koromaru-san says he'd love to play with you again anytime, Nanako-chan." Aigis said glancing at Metis who seemed happy at the idea of playing with Nanako. "My sister and I will play with you as well."

Metis looked at Aigis surprised, but nodded happily. "Sure!"

Teddie leapt to his feet, veritable sparkles dazzling everyone. "Of course, my Nana-chan! I'll come back really soon, and we'll go play lots together with Ai-chan, Metis-chan, and Koro-chan too!"

Souji smiled as his younger cousin laughed and nodded. He caught the amused look on his uncle's face, turning his smile into a teasing grin, which earned him a mock-scowl in return.

"Okay, thanks for checking on him, but I'm taking him home now." His grin belied the bluntness of his words as he turned to Minato, Shinjiro and Metis. "The three of you are probably gonna need better accommodations from now on."

"Accommodations?" Mitsuru turned to Yukiko. "Amagi, would it be too troublesome to arrange for Arisato and Aragaki to stay in the room with Akihiko and the others and for Metis to stay with me and the girls?"

"Not at all, Mitsuru-san." Yukiko smiled. "I'll personally take care of that."

"Sweet! That means me and my buddy here…" Junpei came beside Minato and swung his arm around him. "…can catch up on what's been happening by taking a dip in the great hot springs at the Amagi Inn! Akihiko-senpai, Shinjiro-senpai, Ken and Koromaru can come too!"

_ '_Typical Junpei._He never misses a chance to lighten the situation,'_Minato thought with a smile on his face.

"Uh, I don't think that hot water would be good for Koro-chan," Ken pointed out.

Junpei looked crestfallen. "Dude, ya had to remind me of that…?"

"Junpei, I'm sure that he's tired, but we can all talk after we get back at the Inn." Yukari said with a laugh, looking at Minato with her bright smile which made his heart skip a beat.

"Yeah, I would like some rest for now." Minato smiled back at her. "But I'd like to hear about how you guys have been doing."

"Um… We'll be sleeping in the same room?" Metis asked. "Like a sleepover?"

Aigis nodded with a smile while Yukari giggled. "Sure, Metis. I'm sure you and Aigis got a lot to talk about. That reminds me, we'll have to go shopping for some new clothes for you some other time."

"Hey, if ya need some help on shopping, count us in." Rise giggled, glancing at Naoto. "We were thinking about taking Naoto-kun to go shopping for some cute outfits for her this summer."

Naoto blushed furiously. "R-Rise-san! I told you that I have no interest in…"

"Aw, c'mon, it'll be fun!" Rise pouted. "Oh, I know! We can first stop at Kanji-kun's family's shop and ask his mother about a yukata for you to wear at the festival." She grinned mischievously at Kanji. "I bet Kanji-kun would like to see you wearing one…"

"Wha? HEY!" Kanji shouted, his face turning red as a pepper. Naoto blushed as well.

Everybody laughed at that. Souji chuckled at their antics. It was good to be back. "Alright, enough teasing, guys. Let's call it a day. We can talk more tomorrow."

And with that, the group went their separate paths, failing to notice a certain brown haired girl watching them the whole time. With a small giggle, she skipped off, longing for the time to experience the same feeling of reunion Souji and Minato felt. Despite everything that still didn't make any sense, things were looking up.

* * *

><p><em>Oh yeah, this is so exciting I'm almost blowing up with excitement. X3<em> _Don't forget to __Read, Review and Enjoy!_


	5. Chapter 5: Dog gone Search

Hello! How ya guys doing? I hope you're doing well. I'm taking my time with this story. Editing, updating, correcting stuff as we go. These chapters have a lot of details and information on it. They take quite a while to be complete. 

Speaking of wich I want you guys' sincere opinion. Are these chapters too long? Would you like me to make them shorter? I mean, in my DeviantArt page I split a chapter into smaller bits due size limitations. Please, this feedback means a lot to me.

A few warnings: (Yes, I put those before every chapter to avoid issues)

-There will be spoilers for all games! You've been warned.  
>-The Main characters from each game in this fanfic are called Minato Arisato (P3:FES), Minako Arisato (P3P) and Souji Seta (P4)<br>-There'll be some cursing. (Anyone that played any persona games knows that some characters on it curse quite a bit.) as well as some heavy subjects.  
>-Main Pairings in this fanfic: MinatoxYukari, ShinjiroxMinako, SoujixYukiko, KanjixNaoto, AkihikoxMitsuru, YosukexChie.<br>-Hinted Pairings(in later chapters): JunpeixChidori. (Hinted because Chidori doesn't appear much on this story) KenxNanako (Ya know those little girl's crushes on older boys? It'll be along those lines) FuukaxKeisuke (Other than Minato and Junpei, Fuuka only displayed some sort of close relationship with Keisuke the club president. I found it kinda cute.) TeddiexRise (Just for giggles. They are afterall the two hyperactive cuties of the team X3)

Have fun ya guys. On with the show!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 5: Dog-gone search.<strong>

**_ Amagi Inn, late at night…_**

Shinjiro was awake, looking out the window. He woke up after having another dream about the unknown girl. This time she was with him and Akihiko at Hakagure, eating ramen together and having an overall good time. With a sigh he glanced at the others. They were fast asleep; or so he thought.

"Still awake? Man, don't you ever get any sleep?" Akihiko asked as he sat next to Shinjiro.

"Actually, I've got more sleep these past days than in years," Shinjiro said, looking at Minato who slept soundly a few feet away from them. "But he seems to need to catch up with his sleep."

"Guess being a seal is tiresome, huh?" Akihiko said in a jokingly manner. "You know… he's changed. And so did you."

Shinjiro raised an eyebrow. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Think about it. Minato was usually quiet, reserved and not one to express his emotions." Akihiko started. "But now he looks more talkative, more expressive. As for you…" He glanced at his friend with a smirk. "Well, you still look and act a bit like a jerk, but now you're more like how you used to be when we started SEES with Mitsuru."

Shinjiro glared playfully at Akihiko and gave him a light punch on the shoulder. "Yeah, right…" He sighed and looked back out the window. "I do feel different, though… About Minato, it's just a guess, but it's probably because of having Souji around."

"Got a point there. Souji is the closest person to a family he still has…" Akihiko said, deep in thought. "They act a lot alike. I wonder if it's got anything to do with their Wild Card ability."

"I doubt it." Shinjiro said.

"And what makes you be so sure about it?" Akihiko asked.

Shinjiro was silent at first, reflecting about the mysterious girl from his dreams. "Because the other Wild Card doesn't act like them that much," he finally replied.

"What? You mean you know who she is?" Akihiko blinked surprised.

Shinjiro sighed. "Yes and no. Look, you're probably gonna think I'm crazy, but… do you remember a brown haired girl with red eyes that often walk Koromaru at the Naganaki Shrine with me? Or that went eat ramen with any of us at Hakagure?"

Akihiko gave his friend an odd look at first, but he suddenly recalled something. "You mean a girl with some barrettes in her hair and an MP3 player just like Minato's, only red?"

Now Shinjiro was the one surprised. "That's it!"

"No wonder I got a weird feeling about her…" Akihiko stated, crossing his arms.

"Huh? You're saying you saw her? When?"

"Yesterday, after we left Nanako-chan at her place." Akihiko explained. "It all happened too fast. She simply appeared out of nowhere while we were heading back to the Inn. She just smiled at us and then walked away without another word. When we got here, I asked Mitsuru about it and she said she had a feeling she knew that girl, like she'd been at the dorm before..."

"The dorm? But only members from SEES could be there!" Shinjiro retorted.

"Don't I know that already? That's the weird part…" Akihiko frowned. "When I saw her, the first thing that came to my mind was seeing her hanging around the lounge chatting with everybody, even you. And you kinda looked like you enjoyed hanging out with her."

Shinjiro was silent. If what Akihiko said was true, it could explain his mixed feelings about the girl. But… if she was part of SEES, why they couldn't fully remember her? "Tch… The more I think about it, the more messed up things get." Shinjiro muttered, running a hand through his shaggy hair.

"Yeah, I know… At least we know she's here in Inaba so finding her and figuring out who she is shouldn't take long. Also, Minato and Souji seem to have an idea on who she might be," Akihiko pointed out, patting Shinjiro's back. "So, try not thinking too hard about it, Shinji."

"Whatever…" Shinjiro replied, but he was smirking a bit. It felt good talking with Akihiko about stuff without them arguing for a change. "By the way… How are things going with you and Mitsuru?"

Akihiko stared at him, wide-eyed. "Wha…?" He nearly shouted as his cheeks turned light red. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't play dumb with me, Aki. I can tell you two have gotten closer." Shinjiro let out a sly grin. "I always thought ya had a crush on her, ever since you guys met, but I never thought you'd get the guts to ask her out."

"S-Shut up!" Akihiko said really flustered. He looked around to make sure the others were fast asleep before looking at Shinjiro with a serious expression. "Tch… Fine! Fine! I admit! We've been going out for a while! Happy now?"

"Yes." Shinjiro snickered.

Akihiko glared at his friend. "Look, don't even think about telling this to anyone! Especially Junpei!" he hissed. "Mitsuru will have me executed if anyone finds out!"

"Man, you two are dating and she can still scare the shit out of you with her 'executions'?" Shinjiro smirked. "That's just priceless."

"Shut it, Shinji…" Akihiko muttered still blushing.

Shinjiro just chuckled, getting a kick out of teasing his friend. Akihiko glared at him, but the seriousness didn't last long, and the two friends chatted about trivial things until they fell asleep again.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Inside a room at a more secluded area of the Amagi Inn…<em>**

A certain auburn haired girl with red eyes watched the moonlit sky from her window while holding a rabbit plush toy with a worn out dog collar around its abdomen.

"What a pretty night…" She smiled. "This may be a small room, but it has a great view."

A sigh escaped her lips. "Who would've thought all that money from part time jobs and dungeon grinding would come in handy…" she whispered to herself. "It covered traveling and inn expenses just fine, but it feels kinda lonely here…"

She cuddled her plushy closer to her chest. "I wonder what Aniki and the others are dreaming about… I bet it's something nice." She giggled. "Banchou-kun must be dreaming about his friends here. Aniki and Yukari-chan must be dreaming about each other... Akihiko-senpai and Mitsuru-senpai too. Junpei-kun is either dreaming about Chidori or ramen…typical Junpei-kun," she grinned. "Fuuka-chan might be dreaming about creating a super computer device… Ken-kun is certainly dreaming about Phoenix Ranger Featherman R! Aigis and Metis… that's tricky, but maybe they're dreaming about their new life together… Koro-chan is probably dreaming about the shrine back home and Shinjiro-senpai…." She stopped for a second as a faint blush crept up her cheeks. "Nah… He's probably dreaming about cooking or playing with Koro-chan…"

A huge yawn made it out of her mouth, teardrops forming at the edge of her eyes. "Maybe I'll dream about him tonight..." she mumbled, getting settled in her futon. "I should get some rest. It feels like tomorrow is gonna be quite a day."

As she succumbed to sleep, she smiled. "Good night, Aniki… Good night, Banchou-kun… Good night, Shinjiro-senpai…"

* * *

><p>The next day, right after he had breakfast, Souji left Nanako at a friend's house and headed for the Amagi Inn. Yukiko had asked him to go see her at the inn before they met up with the others to go look for the unknown girl. Since he did long for some time with her, he had agreed.<p>

As he walked, Souji tried to figure out the mystery of the Wild Card girl. There was something familiar about her. Both he and Minato felt that, but the only explanation he could come up with for that feeling seemed impossible. But then again, he had seen the impossible happening several times ever since he first came to Inaba, so he couldn't discard that theory for the time being.

As he arrived at the inn, Souji found Yukiko at the entrance wearing her trademark pink kimono. "Hey, Yukiko," he greeted her with a smile.

"Oh, Souji-kun, good morning." Yukiko smiled at him. "Thanks for coming."

"Anything for you. I really wanted to see you anyway." Souji smiled warmly before kissing her forehead.

Yukiko blushed madly. "You really like embarrassing me, huh?" she said before smiling. "But, that's one of the things I like about you… You're so nice to me…"

"I try." Souji grinned, rubbing his arm. He wasn't wearing a jacket today so the bandages were visible.

Yukiko frowned slightly at that. "How's your arm?"

"The cuts are healing slowly, but steady. My arm gets a bit sore every now and then though…" Souji replied studying his arm. "The doctors said it could happen because of the fracture, especially after I change environments."

"I see…" Yukiko said before she headed to a small cupboard behind the counter, looking over vases and bottles in search of something. "Please, sit down. I've got some medicine to help you."

Souji cocked his head to the side. He was confused, but did as he was told. Instead of taking a seat on the available cushions, he sat down on the open veranda facing the inn's Japanese garden.

Yukiko soon sat next to him holding some new bandages, a small bowl filled with water, a clean cloth, and a vial with some ointment. Yukiko's 'medicine' was really water from the inn's hot springs kept in a bottle mixed with several herbs from the garden. "Can you get the bandages off?" she asked softly as she dipped the cloth in the water.

"Sure…" Souji easily removed the bandages, gingerly placing them aside. He was glad the cuts didn't start bleeding again.

"This may sting a bit," Yukiko warned him. At Souji's nod, she gently started cleaning the cuts, being careful not to hurt him further. Carefully she then poured a bit the ointment on his arm, gently massaging it with almost a ritual sense in her movements.

Souji couldn't help but blush faintly as Yukiko finished bandaging his arm. "How exactly does this help, may I ask?" he asked, trying to disguise his blush by playing with his bandage.

"Don't mess with it," Yukiko scolded as she returned everything to the cupboard. "The ointment will take care of open wounds and the pain. Your body will heal itself."

"I see… Thanks, Yukiko." Souji said as Yukiko knelt down beside him again. "So, how are Aniki and his friends doing?"

"After we returned yesterday, Minato-san and his friends stayed up talking until really late," Yukiko replied. "They all sounded so happy together, especially Yukari-san. She must've missed him terribly these two years… I can't even imagine how she felt…" She looked at Souji, her eyes glistening. "If anything like that happened to you… I… I…"

Souji just held Yukiko close. "I know, Yukiko… I know…" he whispered. "I'm here now…"

The young couple had no idea how long they stayed like that, but they were suddenly brought back to reality when they heard Minato's voice. "Oh, Souji-kun, you're here already?"

Quickly they broke off the hug. "Oh, hi Aniki, Yukari-san…" Souji greeted, blushing as he and Yukiko got up. He noticed Yukari was next to Minato, holding hands with him.

Minato chuckled softly while Yukari giggled. "Be glad it was us who found you two, not Junpei. You wouldn't hear the end of it," Yukari said.

"Nah, it can't be worse than when Rise and the others found out about me and Yukiko dating." Souji rolled his eyes at the memory. The team had caught them kissing while they were resting after a training run at the TV World. Until then, their relationship had been secret to all their friends. Of course, before anyone could make a bigger fuss about it, Souji casted a really serious glare at them, almost bringing out one of his more intimidating Personas, making the others quickly drop the subject and made a break for the exit.

"Bet their reaction was priceless," Minato smirked.

"After Souji-kun scared them off, yes." Yukiko giggled, trying to suppress an incoming laughing fit.

"Figured as much." Minato chuckled. "Come on, it's almost time to go meet the others."

"O-Oh? Is it time already? Let me go get changed." Yukiko flustered as she left for her bedroom. She soon came back wearing her casual summer clothes. "Sorry for the wait."

"No worries. That was pretty quick. By the way, Yukiko-chan, don't you get tired of walking around in a kimono all day?" Yukari asked curious.

"Well, when you are raised to wear one, you get used to it." Yukiko replied. "Do you like to wear one, Yukari-san?"

"Please, just call me Yukari." Yukari replied. "And, yeah, I do, but only on special occasions."

Minato and Souji looked at each other, and then at the girls. "We don't mind you girls wearing kimonos at all." said Souji.

"Yeah, you should wear one more often," Minato added.

This earned both boys a swift smack on the head from the girls, which ended up in the four of them laughing.

* * *

><p>The two groups gathered at Junes to discuss their next course of action. Souji and Minato described to their friends what the girl looked like and their run in with her at the Yasoinaba Station, without mentioning her behavior towards them and Shinjiro because of obvious reasons, and in return, Akihiko and the others told them about meeting the same girl after they left Nanako at the Dojima residence. Needless to say, they were all surprised at the girl's friendly attitude towards them all and her cheery disposition.<p>

"Dude, this is really weird… I kinda had a 'Déjà vu' feeling when I saw her." Junpei scratched his head. "Like I knew her from somewhere, but couldn't figure out where."

"The plot thickens…" Souji said. "I don't think she could simply act the way she does if she weren't acquainted with you all."

"Then, this means that girl doesn't only have ties with me, Shinjiro-Senpai and Souji-kun, but to every member of SEES as well…" Minato said.

"I believe the fastest way to gather information about unusual sightings and the whereabouts of the Wild Card wielder would be splitting up in several parties and searching around town," Naoto stated.

"In that case, we should pair off in small groups and start exploring!" Teddie said, his eyes shining at the 'pair off' part.

At that moment, Souji, Yosuke and Kanji glared at Teddie, who sweatdropped. "What?" he said, looking at the three with naïveté.

"This ain't gonna be like the last Summer Festival, is it Teddie?" Kanji crossed his arms, looking at the blonde with a questioning glare.

Teddie, however, shook it off and continued to spill out his plan. "Friends reunited, emotions tied up, the memories of everyone's past...the atmosphere of love is upon us!"

The younger group just shook their heads, some of them face-palming. Minato and his friends, however, looked at each other, amusement appearing on each of their faces. "Hey, is he like this all the time?" Junpei asked.

"Sadly, yes…" Yosuke answered with a sigh.

"At any rate, he does have a point. If we split up we'll have a better chance of uncovering anything." Mitsuru said.

Everyone looked at each other. After much discussion, and plans to meet at Aiya Diner later and then heading for the TV World for some training, everyone went off in their own little groups: Rise and Teddie went with Aigis, Metis, Koromaru and Ken; Yosuke and Chie went with Fuuka and Junpei, while Kanji and Naoto headed off with Mitsuru, Akihiko and Shinjiro. That left Minato and Yukari, as well as Souji and Yukiko.

"Am I the only one that thinks they paired us up on purpose?" Minato asked, amused at their current situation.

"Personally, I don't mind." Souji smiled. "While we search for clues we can also talk."

"Yeah, that's fine with me," Yukiko said looking at Minato and Yukari. "I'm interested in hearing about you two."

At this, both Minato and Yukari blushed a bit. "Well…" Yukari started "It would be nice to hear about you two as well."

Souji and Yukiko immediately turned the same shade of red as the other two. Talking and laughing, the four of them started to head to the Shopping District for their search.

* * *

><p><strong><em>In front of Junes...<em>**

"Ken-kun, you are just too cute!" Rise's outburst of energy brought a smile to Teddie, Aigis and Metis' face, and a bright shade of red to Ken's. "You're sooooo mature for your age, not like someone _ELSE_I know," Rise gave a playful glare to Teddie.

"Aw, c'mon Rise-chan, Teddie can be really mature too!" Teddie said trying to use his sparkly charm.

"Oh sure, like when you try to compete with Kanji-kun on who eats more Topsicles?" Rise said mischievously.

"W-Well, it was a challenge!" Teddie said in self defense. "Real men don't back away from a challenge! That was what Yosuke told me anyway…"

The duo's hyper attitude brought a smile to everybody's face, but for some reason, Metis seemed uncomfortable, constantly adjusting the red summer dress Yukari had given her as well as playing around with the red ribbon that now adorned her visor.

Trying to stop blushing from Rise's praising, Ken glanced at Metis and noticed her troubled look. "Metis-san, you're okay? You've been quiet this whole time…"

Everybody turned their glance to the younger android who looked down, trying to think on her words. "I… I never apologized to you or the others, did I, Ken-san?"

"Apologize? For what?" Ken asked confused.

"For what I did when I first met you and all of my sister's friends… I was really… mean to you all…" Metis replied. "And now, you all treat me so nicely… Fuuka-san and Mitsuru-san talk with me about all sort of stuff, trying to teach me about anything I ask, Yukari-san gave me this pretty dress and the ribbon; Akihiko-san and Junpei-san talk to me like I had always been part of the group, you and Koromaru-san are also really nice with me..."

Ken was silent at first. "Well, you really gave us quite a scare back then, but we weren't exactly nice with you either," he finally replied. "You gave us a reason to distrust you, but we also gave you a reason to dislike us. In the end, we realized you weren't a bad person, like you realized we weren't bad either."

Metis was surprised at his answer. Ken continued. "I'm not exactly the best person to say this, but you simply acted like a lost child that was trying to protect what mattered the most to you, that being Aigis-san. Thinking back on it, your actions did protect her."

"Really?" Metis asked looking at Aigis. "Is that true, Sister?"

"What Ken-san said is true. Recalling the incident, you reminded me of several things that meant a lot to me and that I had forgotten." Aigis stated. "In a way, your actions did prevent my death, the death of my heart, to be more exact."

Metis was in disbelief. "Even after all the trouble I cause to you and your friends?"

"Everything pretty much started from a misunderstanding. I made that mistake with Shinjiro-san as well and he forgave me for that." Ken smiled. "I think Akihiko-san and the others would agree with me when I say that we all have already forgiven you for what happened that day."

Koromaru barked in agreement making Metis look at him surprised. "H-Huh? Are you sure about that Koromaru-san? You're saying that you agree with Ken-san and that I shouldn't refer to you and the others as my sister's friends, but _my_friends because that's what you are?"

Koromaru nodded and panted excitedly as if saying that Metis was right. "See? Koro-chan agrees with me, so you don't need to worry about that, Metis-san." Ken smiled. "We're friends now, right?"

Metis smiled and nodded. "Right! Thanks, Ken-san, Koromaru-san!" She knelt down and hugged both, feeling really happy. Koromaru simply enjoyed the affection while Ken blushed deeply at the close contact.

Aigis. Rise and Teddie smiled at that. "Wow, Metis-chan understands Koro-chan just like Ai-chan does!" Teddie was amazed. "You two are really smart!"

"Of course they're smart, silly. They're sisters," Rise said before turning to Metis. "If you ever need any help about clothes or anything else, Metis, you can ask me. I have some outfits that will look sooooo cute on you!"

Metis smiled and nodded. "I'll remember that, Rise-san. Thank you."

The group continued to socialize until they had to meet up with the others.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Shopping District, North Area…<strong>  
><em>  
>"I see… Thank you for the information, Yakushiji-san." Naoto was talking on her cell phone with the secretary of the Shirogane Estate. "Please, only tell my grandpa this information if he questions about it. I don't want to concern him with this for now. I understand….I'll be careful. Thank you."<p>

Naoto hung up and looked at the others. "According to Yakushiji-san, there are many sightings of ghosts and spirits at the Shirogane Estate at night," she stated, her usual hat pulled down in front of her dark blue eyes. "But that would be because we try and bury our deceased family members somewhere on the grounds whenever possible, to keep them closer to home."

"Your grandpa knows about this?" Kanji asked.

"He's currently on a trip as his detective services were required in another city so he doesn't know about it at the moment," Naoto replied. "Of course, when he returns, he'll most likely notice this strange phenomenon."

"Don't worry about it. With you and Senpai around we'll get to the bottom of this case in no time so ya don't have to worry him," Kanji grinned yet showing a faint blush on his cheeks. "If any detective can solve this, that's you, Naoto."

Naoto was surprised at Kanji's confidence in her. Sure, after Souji left Inaba she hung out a lot with the taller teen who started acting less shy towards her, but she wasn't used to be praised like that, let alone by him.

"So you work as a detective, yes?" Mitsuru was interested in Naoto's situation. "It's connected to your family too? I guess with have something in common." Naoto looked up to see Mitsuru giving back a warm smile.

"Detective, huh? I'm hoping to become one too, someday," added Akihiko. Naoto looked up at him with a bit of red in her face.

"Naoto knows a lot about tinkering with mechanical stuff too." Kanji said to Naoto's surprise. "She once whipped up a little robot with a secret spot inside to store candy for Nanako-chan. It even got a detective badge on it that flashes!"

"K-Kanji-kun..!" Naoto stuttered, looking particularly cute with her red face. She continued to pull down her hat over her eyes; she still wasn't the most social one.

"There is no need to be shy about your skills, Shirogane," said Shinjiro.

Naoto looked up at the beanie wearing teen, rather surprised. "If ya got a talent that helps people or make them happy, you should be proud of it, no matter what it is." Shinjiro also gave her a reassuring nod. Akihiko, Mitsuru and Kanji nodded as well.

Naoto began to warm up, and asked each of them to tell her and Kanji more about themselves. So for the next hour, the four of them did just that. And for the first time in a while, Naoto smiled.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Samegawa Flood Plain…<strong>  
><em>  
>"W-Whoa, check that out!" Chie shouted pointing at the riverbed.<p>

Yosuke, Junpei and Fuuka did so and were surprised to see the shadowy glimpses floating above the Samegawa River.

Junpei was in awe. "Whoa, what are those?"

"I think they're water spirits." Fuuka replied. "It's almost like they're playing with the fishes that made a home in this river."

"Man, it's just like what Souji said…" Yosuke said. "But why are those things appearing here if something is happening on the other side?"

"The concept of nature spirits and ghosts were originally created by humans to try to explain strange and mysterious phenomena they couldn't explain through logical thought, Yosuke-kun." Fuuka explained. "You said that other side represents a collective of mankind's heart and mind so this disturbance on the other side might have to do with why these supernatural things are manifesting in our world."

"So, that could be the reason why our Personas are based on beings from myths and legends?" Chie asked, looking at Yosuke for reassurance who nodded in agreement.

"I think so, Chie-chan." Fuuka replied. "A Persona is a side of your personality and since myths and legends are created by human thoughts, it does make sense they would take such forms."

"Speaking of which, you guys said that you had to accept your Shadows to get your Personas, right?" Junpei asked. "What was that like?"

"Not a pleasant experience that's for sure." Yosuke forced a laugh. "Long story short, ya need to accept the darkest side of your personality that took form of a Shadow and that isn't easy. It also usually leaves you pretty drained afterwards."

"Kinda reminds me of the first time I used my Evoker," Junpei said. "It scared the hell outta me and I was beat after that. That reminds me, when I was holding it, I kept thinking. 'I gotta stop being a kid so I can really be a hero and do something important!' and stuff like that. Maybe that's why we can summon our Persona when we use those."

"The method differs, but the outcome ends up the same then." Chie pointed out. "But I still think you guys' method is still harsher than ours."

"Ya get used to it eventually, but it is nutty." Junpei shrugged. "Whatcha gonna do?"

The four chuckled at that and resumed talking as they walked along the flood plain.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Shopping District, near the Bus Stop…<strong>  
><em>  
>Minato's group walked down the street talking about trivial things when they heard two male voices.<p>

"Yo, it's Souji!" the first one said.

"For real? Nice!" came the latter.

The four turned around and Souji smiled. Before them were the grinning faces of Kou Ichijo and Daisuke Nagase, Souji's friends from the basketball and soccer teams respectively.

"Whoah! Dude, you never told us you were coming back so soon!" Daisuke was at his side instantly, slapping his back enthusiastically in greeting.

"Hey! Don't knock him over, you lug!" Kou shoved the soccer player away, and Souji could only grin at their antics. How he missed these two idiots.

"To be perfectly honest, I wasn't expecting to be back so soon, but stuff happened," Souji shrugged, not bothering to go into the details. "And here I am."

"I see…" Kou contemplated to pry, but now wasn't the time. He looked at Yukari and Minato. "Oh, hi there, I'm Kou Ichijo. Lumpy here is Daisuke."

"Daisuke Nagase. Nice to meet ya." Daisuke said. "You two are Souji and Yukiko's friends?"

"I'm Minato Arisato and this is Yukari Takeba," Minato replied while Yukari nodded with a smile. "And while I met Yukiko-san recently, Souji-kun and I go way back."

"That's pretty cool, man!" Daisuke grinned. "You're like Kou and me!"

Minato sweatdropped at the comparison, but couldn't agree more.

"So Souji, are you coming back to the basketball team for this season?" Kou asked.

The silverette shrugged again, he hadn't really decided on anything. "I don't know yet; I'm still getting settled."

"That's cool. The season doesn't start for another two weeks after school starts, so take your time," Kou said.

Souji nodded. "Sounds good." He was about to make a joke about Daisuke, but realized immediately that whatever was going on was serious when Daisuke nudged his friend to start him into talking.

"Hey, Souji. I know that you have a sharp sense when it comes to weird things, so you're the only one I can go to," Kou started, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Remember when we went to that fancy school in Port Island last year? You kept saying you had an odd feeling about that place, like something serious had gone down there," Daisuke said. "Kou and I did some research and it turned out there were several cases of a strange illness that hit there around three years ago. People called it 'Apathy Syndrome'. And they were pretty much like the cases of illness caused by that funky fog covering Inaba back in December last year. There was also a freaky cult about the end of the world going on too, and according to the site we found, there were too many similarities for it to be a coincidence."

"Must be the same paranormal site Junpei showed us," Yukari supplied, before looking at Minato. "He found a site that was gathering information about strange events: People falling ill suddenly, rumors spreading around about the end of the world, and the increase in fog. That's what gave Mitsuru-senpai the idea to come to Inaba this summer to get more information about it."

"So that's how you guys came to know about the Midnight Channel?" Souji asked which Yukari nodded in response.

"It is similar to the Dark Hour when ya think about it." Minato stated before looking at Kou and Daisuke, who looked confused. "Yukari and I, as well as a group of friends, have some sort of connection to the events you researched about, so we are aware of what you're talking about."

"Well, in that case ya might be able to help us too, man." Kou said. He turned to Souji again. "You were involved with what went down here last year, weren't you? You know most of the people who disappeared for up to a week, or had some kind of interaction with the ones that were killed. I started putting it together when your cousin, Nanako-chan, went missing." This drew alarmed looks from both Yukiko and Souji as well as concerned ones from Minato and Yukari. Kou raised his hands to forestall anything they were about to say. "But then, the murders and disappearances stopped, and everyone was ok, so I didn't bother to say anything."

"So, if you figured out that we were connected with the case, what's stopping anyone else from doing the same?" Yukiko asked worried.

Daisuke held up his hands, shaking his head. "Because only Kou and I knew all of you as a group. Since Souji and Yosuke both came from the city it was only natural they became fast friends. You and Chie have been best friends since you were kids, and were in the same class; so of course you'd know each other. Kanji Tatsumi is seen as a thug turning his life around by taking you – " the soccer player pointed in Souji's direction "– as a mentor or role model figure."

"Rise Kujikawa lives with her grandma above the tofu shop which is close to the Tatsumis' Textile shop at the shopping district, and it's a place where people go often, not to mention she's taken quite a liking to you. Your friend Teddie lives with Yosuke and works at Junes, a place you guys hang out usually. Naoto Shirogane knows you through your uncle, Detective Dojima," Kou added, continuing where Daisuke left off. "But because you've become so popular at school, with all the clubs you joined last year, all the part time jobs you took and the fact you're a genius to boot, well, all the connections leading to Souji seemed coincidental at best."

Daisuke shrugged. "You don't have to say anything about the case if you don't want to. You're our pal so we know you're not doing anything nasty."

"Thanks, guys." Souji smiled weakly, relieved. "I don't think I have the words to explain what happened, and I don't think you'd believe me even if I tried."

"No problem." Kou smiled back at Souji. "Ok, since we went off tangent, I haven't told you yet."

"Uh, told me what?" Souji asked.

"I'm not sure if you've heard anything yet, but I've been seeing some pretty weird things around the Ichijo Estate. It's kind of cool, but still weird." Kou sighed heavily. "My family has been in Inaba for a long time, for generations, so the estate we live in is old; some of the trees in the back gardens have been there, untouched, for at least a few hundred years, probably more. Well, it's only been in the last day or two, but at night, I've been seeing some lights. They look like floating balls of white fire, drifting around without a breeze."

"He even brought me by last night to check and I saw them too. It freaked the shit out of me!" Daisuke cut in.

Kou rolled his eyes at that. "Thanks for pointing out that extra detail, numbskull."

"Anytime," Daisuke grinned.

"Anyway, I've also seen some shadowy figures in the koi ponds, when nothing's there," Kou continued looking at the group.

Souji tapped his right index finger on his chin as he thought of Igor's warnings and Yukiko's story about the mysterious lights at the Inn. This was another sign. He looked at Minato who nodded in agreement.

"It's the supernatural. Ghost lights and spirits. The walls between our world and the other world are being damaged, affecting both. This is bad." Minato started looking serious. "It is probably related to what happened in Port Island three years ago and the incidents in Inaba last year."

Neither Kou nor Daisuke responded right away, a little stunned. They certainly hadn't expected this!

"I need you guys to please keep your eyes and ears open for anything out of the ordinary. I've been warned that this could escalate from the harmless ghost lights to something worse. I just don't know what yet." Souji knew he was taking a huge risk by telling his fellow athletes even this much of the truth, but since they had come to him in the first place, he was willing to take that risk.

With a frustrated sigh, Kou rubbed at his eyes. "Dude, this is some heavy shit you're involved in now."

Souji grinned at that. "Heh, you're telling me."

"Why?" Daisuke asked.

Yukari blinked at him. "Huh? Why what?"

"Why you guys? No offense, but what's so special about you guys?"

Souji took a few moments to collect his words to answer. "We have found our true selves, and sought out the truth from the very beginning, overcoming all the obstacles in our path. We freed ourselves from the fog of deceit and ignorance, seeking that truth, and not even gods could stop us."

Yukiko smiled weakly at his carefully chosen words, appreciating the subtlety that gave the athletes across from them no details of the hardships they endured. With one hand, she gently squeezed the silver-haired teen's hand. Minato and Yukari also smiled as that could also be said about the hardships they and the rest of SEES had gone through.

"That was smooth, my friend," Kou said with a grin. "You didn't say a word of a lie, but you didn't give us anything, either. Okay, I won't ask again, until you're ready to tell us."

"We're gonna trust you on that one." Daisuke added.

"Thanks, guys." Souji gave them a grateful smile.

"Oh, by the way, Yukiko-san, how is Chie-san doing?" Kou asked. "She's still training with Yosuke in the afternoons?"

"Chie? Oh, she's doing fine, and yes, she and Yosuke-kun train together nearly every day," Yukiko replied.

"I see…" the basketball player said.

Souji looked at Kou, concerned as he recalled his crush on Chie last year. Seeing that, Kou grinned at Souji. "It's cool, man."

"Hey, we gotta jet. Kou and I are supposed to meet up with Ai and Yumi for some movies in Okina." Daisuke interjected. "They call it a…what was that? Oh yeah, a double date!"

"Yumi and Ai?" Souji grinned. "You guys are going out with them?"

"Nice going, you doofus!" Kou blushed, smacking Daisuke. "Ya had to say that?"

"What? It's true." Daisuke shrugged before looking at Souji. "After ya left, Kou decided to apply for the Student Council with Yumi. From that, they started becoming good friends. As for me and Ai, we started talking one day when I decided to help them put away the balls after basketball practice and she turned out to be a really nice girl. She and Yumi are good friends along with Ayane. In fact, she and Naoki were gonna join us, but she had band practice and he had to help at his parent's liquor shop. That guy is really trying hard to help out his folks, so we stop by to check on him every now and then. He and Ayane are really hard workers so it's no wonder they got a lot close."

"Okay, enough with the love life bulletin, man." Kou's face was a deep shade of red. "If Yumi-san or the others find out that you blurted the whole thing, we're so in trouble. But then again, they'll be happy to know Souji's back to town. We should go eat at Aiya's some other time to celebrate."

"That'd be great." Souji smiled. "You guys have fun and give my regards to Ai and Yumi."

"Sure thing, man. We'll see you around." Daisuke grinned.

"Basketball team this year; think about it!" Kou said and then they were gone, leaving the four alone.

"Quite a duo they are," Yukari said amused.

Minato smiled a bit. "Kinda reminds me of Kenji and Kazushi."

"I guess, but I sure didn't see that coming…" Souji said still soaking up all the details regarding that conversation.

"I know," Minato said noticing the seriousness on Souji's face.

"Do you think anyone else has made the connections?" Yukiko asked softly, glancing sideways in Souji's direction.

Souji could only shrug. "Dunno. My Uncle Dojima already had his suspicions; kept trying to interrogate me every so often, but after we saved Nanako-chan, I think he stopped caring."

"Go figure." Minato said. "Well, at least we got more information."

"Which reminds me..." Souji looked at Yukiko. "Since when did Yosuke and Chie start training together?"

Yukiko giggled; "I was gonna tell you that. After you left, Chie was kinda upset she had no one to train with. Me, Rise-chan and Naoto-kun tried to help, but it's too hard for us to keep up with her. Kanji-kun and Teddie tried too, but after a few times, they were too scared to spar with her anymore," she explained. "So, Yosuke-kun offered to train with her. He said it was a good way to get rid of boredom and with his knifes sheathed he could fight without having to worry about hurting Chie. In turn, Chie helps him out at Junes whenever she can, but I personally think they are both enjoying each others' company."

"Are those two going out?" asked Yukari.

"No, they are just good friends, but after this, who knows," replied Souji, trying hard to suppress a grin, and failing miserably. "Gotta talk with Yosuke about that later."

Yukiko pounced on that. "I KNEW you wanted the two of them to be closer! Why did you never tell me?" Yukiko pretended to pout.

"Because, then you would tell them, and my secret matchmaking plan would be ruined," Souji teased back and proceeded to pick Yukiko from behind and lightly swing her around in circles.

"Souji-kun, stop it or I'll get sick!" Yukiko giggled. Souji's hold was tickling her mid-section.

"Sorry, sorry," Souji put her back on the ground and stood back a little.

Not too soon, Yukiko ran back at him and circled her arms around him. "I never said you could stop holding me," she said with a bit of embarrassment, making Souji smile.

Minato and Yukari looked on, both with smiles on their faces. Minato turned to Yukari. "Hey, was I ever like that?"

"No, you were quiet and just held me," Yukari replied with a fake angry voice. "But..." she said with a blush, "I liked it."

With that being said, Minato pulled Yukari into a warm hug. "Like this?" he asked before kissing her cheek.

Yukari blushed and nodded. "Yeah… Just like that. Don't ever let go, okay?"

* * *

><p>Around noon, the two groups were gathered in front of the Aiya Diner. The sun was high and their stomachs were growling. They made a quick stop at Daidara's for a while to check out any new weapons the old man had forged.<p>

"I don't know about you guys, but I'm starving." Chie said, her stomach easily growling the loudest.

Yosuke smiled and turned to her. "Me too. How about a beef bowl, Chie? My treat."

She was surprised by his kind offer, but accepted it with a smile. Souji and Yukiko exchanged secret smiles.

The lunch crowd was starting to subside, and the Persona users waited outside for a while so that they all could fit inside.

"Well, let's get something to eat and discuss what we uncovered around town." Minato said, browsing the menu mounted beside the restaurant entrance. "I think I'll stick to ramen. I hadn't had that in a while."

"In that case, you'll enjoy Aiya's ramen, Minato-senpai," Naoto said. "It's a bit spicy, but it tastes really good."

"Alright, let's get in." Junpei said after he poked his head in and saw that there were enough seats for everybody. He was about to step inside when he noticed Koromaru sitting on his hind legs, whimpering and looking rather sad. "What's wrong, boy?"

Rise suddenly realized what was wrong. "Oops…Dogs are not allowed in the restaurant…" She gave Koromaru an apologetic look. "I'm so sorry, Koro-chan. I completely forgot about that."

The rest of the group exchanged awkward glances. Koromaru barked a few times. "He's saying he's used to that so don't be sorry for that,'" Aigis translated.

"What should we do?" Teddie asked.

"I can't allow dogs in my restaurant, but I can cook something special for your little friend." A rather elderly man with glasses and a moustache said, walking out of the restaurant. It was Mr. Aiya, the head cook and owner of the restaurant. He smiled at Koromaru. "Would that be acceptable, little pooch?"

Koromaru barked happily. "Very well, I promise it'll be delicious." Mr. Aiya smiled before glancing at Kanji. "Ah, Kanji-chan, I was looking for you."

Kanji looked rather annoyed at the elderly man. "Huh? What is it? And how many times do I have to tell you not to call me that?"

"Could you deliver some spices to your mother? It's a little token of my appreciation for those adorable little dolls of me and my wife you made," Mr. Aiya explained.

"Sure, no big deal." Kanji said when he had an idea. "Hey, Koro-chan, why don't ya wait near Ma's store? Once Mr. Aiya gets everything ready, I'll bring ya lunch."

Koromaru nodded and ran off. Shinjiro looked at Kanji then at Souji. "Reliable fella, huh?"

"Kanji may be a bit rough on the edges, but he's a nice guy." Souji smiled. "He's someone you can always count on."

"Kinda reminds me of someone." Minato grinned at Shinjiro, who smirked back at him. "Okay, guys. Let's get in."

* * *

><p>Koromaru sat near the Tatsumi Textiles shop, diligently waiting for the others as he was told to.<p>

"Koro-chan?" A voice called rather surprised.

Koromaru's ears perked up, recognizing the voice. He turned his head only to find himself looking at the girl he and his friends were looking for. His tail started to wag rapidly.

Wearing an orange cutsew blouse with a light pink top underneath, white skirt and sandals, she carried a sheath for what seemed to be a long weapon in one hand and a dish with a few steak skewers in the other, the girl calmly walked up to him. "You're here all by yourself?" she asked softly and she knelt before him, putting her sheath on the ground to pat him.

The girl's presence was somehow soothing to Koromaru so he didn't mind her patting him and barked in response. "I see. So the others are eating at the nearby restaurant and you're waiting here…" the girl said when she had an idea. "Wanna come with me? I've got some steak skewers from a nearby place called Souzai Daigaku for lunch. We can share."

Seeing Koromaru's concerned expression she smiled. "Don't worry, we'll be back before the others are done and besides, I just wanna check out the nearby shrine. It's not like the one back home, but you feel happy at places like that, right?"

Koromaru barked running around the girl, really happy. "Hehe, you're always so full of energy, Koro-chan!" she giggled. "Well, let's go."

The girl walked off to the Tatsuhime Shrine with Koromaru following her close behind

* * *

><p>"So, the sightings started a few nights ago?" Souji questioned as everybody was eating. He was sharing a table with Minato, Yukiko, Yosuke, Chie and Yukari.<p>

"Apparently, yes," Mitsuru replied from the counter. Akihiko and Shinjiro, who were seated beside her, nodded in affirmation.

"According to the rumors, they started on the same night you encountered Minato-senpai and Shinjiro-senpai," Naoto added.

"That means they are related to the attack on my seal…" Minato said before eating a bit more of his ramen. "Ghost lights… nature spirits… Soon enough they won't be limited to woods, holy areas and ancient homes…"

Junpei turned around from his seat to join in. "By the way, how long have you guys known to watch for these signs?" he asked, having finished his food in record time.

"We were first informed on the day before the train ride to here," Souji explained. "About the specifics, we got them a few days ago."

"This is happening a bit fast, isn't it?" Chie questioned, sounding worried.

"A little. But we're still safe. For now at least…"

"Somehow, that's not very reassuring," Yukari sighed.

"I get the feeling this will be it for a while, maybe a few weeks before it starts getting bad for real," Minato stated.

Yosuke frowned. "Like Yukari-senpai said, not very reassuring."

"With a bit of luck we'll find the other Wild Card before things get out of hand," Souji said, changing the subject. "Speaking of which, did you guys find anything about her?"

"Well, according to what we heard, a few people saw her walking around town," Rise reported. "Some people said she was seen around the Tatsuhime Shrine and the shopping district earlier."

"We've been to the shopping district the entire morning, but we didn't see her," Kanji pointed out. "We also checked out the shrine, but there was no one there."

"Maybe she's looking for us too?" Teddie asked, sounding hopeful.

"Who knows…" Shinjiro said, looking out the window. For the past few hours more and more visions of that girl were becoming a lot clearer his mind. From trivial things like talking at the dorm's lounge to fighting the toughest and meanest Shadows in Tartarus, they did it all together. And the more those images came, the more he felt something strong for that girl. His heart would beat very fast and his cheeks would warm up every time he thought about her.

"Now that you mentioned it, while walking around looking for her, I sort of started remembering more things," Akihiko mentioned. "Mostly casual stuff, but I'm pretty sure she also fought with us in Tartarus too."

"Yeah, I remember that too. I think she was a field leader, just like Minato-san," Ken added, biting into a meat bun. "But her weapon was different… it was similar to my spear, but with a sharper blade on the edge rather than a pointy one."

"I believe the name for that weapon is 'naginata', Ken-san. Instead of piercing, it's an effective slashing weapon," Aigis pointed out. "I also recalled something important about that girl… I feel… I feel I met her before meeting everybody in Yakushima…"

"Even before that trip? But the only possible time for that to happen was…" Yukari trailed off, and looked at Minato who was deep in thought.

"Hm… She has ties with us and yet she doesn't directly come to us…." Minato closed his eyes in thought. "And now all these memories... I also remember those memories you guys mentioned although they're still kinda blurry. "

"Maybe it has to do with the Great Seal being attacked and those strange sightings?" Chie asked. Everybody turned to look at her. "M-Maybe not…"

"No, wait, Chie-chan, you might be right. I can't help but think that these events are related as to why we don't remember how we know her," Fuuka said.

"It looks like all the memories related to this girl are still awakening," Metis said. "I can't say for sure why that's happening, but I can feel that not only my sister, but all of you have a really close bond with her. But...I don't know why you can't remember her in the first place."

"You might be onto something here, Metis," Minato replied with his eyes still closed. "I have a theory about that, but until I get more evidence to back it up, I can only speculate."

Silence fell into the group as everybody ate quietly, thinking about what Minato meant. After a few minutes, Yukiko spoke up. "Why don't we take another look at the shopping district and the Tatsuhime shrine after lunch?" she suggested. "We might run into her this time."

"Great idea, Yukiko," Souji smiled. "And even if we don't see her, our 'friend' at the shrine might know something."

Junpei raised an eyebrow. "Friend?"

"Excuse me for interrupting you all…" Mr, Aiya walked up to them holding two bags. "Here's the special order for your little friend. And these are the spices for your mom, Kanji-chan."

Kanji stood up and picked both bags. "Cool. Thanks, Mr. Aiya." He looked at Souji. "I'm gonna take these to Ma and check on Koro-chan. Be back ASAP, Senpai."

Souji nodded. "If you see anything odd, Kanji, let us know at once."

"Gotcha!" With that, Kanji left.

* * *

><p>Kanji headed back to his house, but he was surprised to find Koromaru missing. "Huh? Where did he go?" He looked around. Seeing no signs of the canine, he started to panic. "Aw man, Senpai is gonna have my ass if anything happens to Koro-chan!"<p>

"What's wrong, Kanji?" Mrs. Tatsumi asked gently as she walked out of the shop.

"Oh, hi, Ma, here's the spices from Mr. Aiya." Kanji hastily handed the bag of spices, not paying attention to his mother. "Did ya see a white dog wearing some doggie clothes with wings around here? He belongs to one of Senpai's friends."

Mrs. Tatsumi thought for a bit. "Oh, yes. He walked off with a girl towards the shrine a few minutes ago. He seemed quite happy with her. In fact, that girl had been in our shop earlier."

"She has? What for?" Kanji asked, surprised at this new information.

"She was asking about one of your friends. I believe it was Souji-kun," Kanji's mom replied. "She said she was a friend of his from the city and she was looking for him."

"A friend of Senpai's?" Kanji cocked his head to the side in thought, but soon put everything together. "It's gotta be the girl Souji-senpai and his friend Minato-senpai are looking for! No wonder Koro-chan left with her. Thanks, Ma! I'm gonna go tell her where to find Senpai right away!"

The bleach blonde immediately bolted off to the shrine. Mrs. Tatsumi just smiled and went back in.

* * *

><p><strong><em>At the shrine…<em>**

Kanji slowly walked up to the Shrine trying to find Koromaru and the girl. Luckily he saw both of them seated on the steps of the offertory box, sharing some steak skewers.

"The meat is kinda tough, but they do taste great," the girl said, giving the last bit of a skewer to Koromaru. "Don't ya think, Koro-chan?"

Koromaru nodded in agreement and the girl smiled. "Maybe when the others get their memories back, we can all eat together…" she said with a melancholic tone. Kanji had never seen anyone look so lonely.

Koromaru whimpered and rubbed his head against the girl's leg. "Thanks, Koro-chan." She smiled weakly. "I know they're looking for me, but until they remember who I am, I can't simply walk up to them and talk. Minato-kun and Souji-kun probably remember me already, but the others…" She looked at her wristwatch, gently caressing the leather strap with affection. "Well, maybe Shinjiro-senpai remembers me too…"

Koromaru barked twice and licked her face. "You think he does too?" she smiled, patting him on the head. "Then maybe he does after all. I wonder why you got your memories back earlier than everybody, though."

Kanji was confused as he watched the girl rubbing Koromaru's belly, giggling at how the dog was rolling on his back in pleasure. Clearly she held Koromaru and the other members of SEES very dearly, but what did she mean with them not remembering her? _'The hell, I'm not gonna find out anything by just watching. Gotta man up and talk to her,'_he thought, face set in determination.

Carefully, Kanji walked up to them. "H-Hey…" he said as nicely as he could, keeping his expression neutral.

Koromaru's ears perked up and he walked up to tall teen, tail wagging all the way. "Hey, Koro-chan. Looks like you're having fun." Kanji grinned and brought out the package containing his promised treat. "Brought ya the Beef Bowl I promised."

"That was really nice of you." The girl's smile got wider as she saw Koromaru's happy look. "You didn't need to be shy and just watch us from afar, though."

"Wha? Ya knew I was there the whole time?" Kanji nearly shouted, feeling bad since he was pretty much spying on them. "Uh… I… I'm sorry I was spying on you guys…"

"No harm done." The girl stood up and smoothed her skirt. "You were just checking up on Koro-chan. So, what's your name?"

"K-Kanji Tatsumi," he replied, and his tense posture relaxed. This girl was oddly easy to talk with. It was almost like talking with Souji.

"Nice to meet'cha, Kanji-kun." The girl smiled holding out her hand. "I'm Minako. Minako Arisato."

Kanji awkwardly took her hand and shook it. "D-Did you just say Arisato? If ya don't mind me asking, ya related to Minato-senpai, Minako-senpai?" Kanji asked, his eyes widened with curiosity.

"You might say so," Minako said, smiling at the mention of Minato's name. "Sorry, but I can't say how I'm related to him. Not yet."

"Guess then ya won't say how ya know Souji-senpai either…"

Minako nodded. "Would it be too much to ask for you not to tell anyone that I've told you my name?" she asked. "I don't mind if you tell them we've met. It's just that I'll explain everything once I'm sure the others remember me."

Kanji frowned at her in concern."Uh, yeah, sure. I can do that, no problem…" He rubbed the back of his head, a bit curious at such a request.

"Thanks, Kanji-kun," Minako smiled, looking truly grateful. If Souji could trust him, then she would too.

Koromaru heard something and started to growl. Seeing the sudden change in the dog's behavior, Minako looked up at the direction he's staring at. "Hey, look!" She pointed to the lanterns that hung at the entrance at the top of the steps. They were lighting themselves, which was strange enough, but that wasn't what had caught the auburn-headed teen's attention.

"Holy crap! Blue fire!" Kanji swore, eyes wide as he took in the sight of the eerie blue flames that were currently flickering inside of each paper lantern.

"I've got a bad feeling about this..." Minako narrowed her eyes as she quickly reached for her sheath.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Back at Aiya…<em>**

"Man, Kanji is sure taking his time…" Yosuke complained as the group waited for him to return.

"He's probably playing with Koro-chan, senpai," Rise giggled. "You know how he feels about cute things. He'll show up soon."

Suddenly, Minato felt a shiver running down his spine. He looked at Souji who felt the same thing. Without warning, both teens stood up simultaneously, much to the others' surprise. "Hey, what's wrong?" Chie asked.

"Something's up…" Minato said with narrowed eyes.

Just as he finished that sentence, the lights of the restaurant went off and all people present, save from the group of Persona users, were turned into coffins. The glasses of water on the table turned into blood. Startled, the others got up, some exclaiming in surprise.

"The Dark Hour!" Fuuka gasped.

"This this is not good!" Teddie said, looking scared. "There are Shadows nearby!"

"Just like when I bumped with Aniki and Shinjiro-san…" Souji said. He reached for his sword from under the table.

They heard a howl followed by a loud bang. "Damn, that was Koromaru!" Shinjiro growled. He quickly unwrapped his newly purchased weapon.

"It came from the nearby shrine," Aigis said, readying her weapon.

"Kanji-kun must be there too!" Naoto said drawing her gun. "We must hurry!"

"Get ready, everybody!" Minato drew his one-handed sword. "Souji-kun?"

"Ready when you are, Aniki!" Souji said drawing his. "Let's go!"

The group nodded, all brought out their weapons and charged off.

* * *

><p>They soon arrived at the bottom of the shrine entrance and encountered a terrible scene: Kanji lied sprawled on the floor, in front of one of the empty shops, a huge bruise on his forehead. Shielding him were Koromaru and Minako, both injured but still able to fight. Minako's hair was a mess and now covered half of her face. The trio was surrounded by five huge bodybuilder Shadows and they meant business.<p>

"Kanji-kun!" Naoto shouted. Her usually calm and collected demeanor was gone and she was clearly worried.

Minako noticed them and smiled a bit. "Thank goodness they're here…" she whispered to Koromaru before looking at Kanji, and then at the Shadows cornering them.

"Oi, you guys okay?" Minato shouted to Minako. There was a lot of concern on his voice.

"Yeah, we're okay, but Kanji-kun got hit on the head! He's out cold!" Minako shouted back as she noticed the Shadows glaring at the group. "Careful! These guys can reflect physical attacks!"

"Well, that makes things a tad harder…" Souji looked at Rise. "Can you detect those guys' weakness?"

"I think so, but it might take some time, Senpai," Rise said as she summoning Kanzeon.

Minato looked at Fuuka who nodded. "I'll help Rise-chan. You guys be careful." She quickly summoned Juno.

The Shadows started hunching towards the group. Minato glanced at the group of the Persona-users. "Alright, here's the plan: Souji-kun and I will attack first to draw those Shadows away from the others."

"Naoto, I want you, Chie and Teddie to protect Kanji, Koromaru and the girl as soon as the path is clear for you to move," Souji told his group. "Yukiko, Yosuke, you cover us so that Rise and Fuuka-san can scan the Shadows."

"Aigis, I want you, Metis and Ken to back up Souji's friends in protecting Koromaru and the others," Minato said to his friends. "The rest of you come with us."

Their teammates nodded. "Everybody knows what to do? Let's go!" Souji said. He made the first move by summoning his tarot card and crushed it. "Alitat! Mabufudyne!"

The ice attack hit four out of the five shadows, but it was enough to fully draw their attention away from the other three.

"Alright, my turn!" Minato drew his Evoker, twirling it around his finger before pulling the trigger. "Cu Chulainn! Magarudyne!"

A really strong gust of wind surrounded the Shadows, causing the ice from the previous attack to break into sharp shards, slicing them for additional damage.

"Impressive combination," Mitsuru said looking at Akihiko. "Shall we try it?"

Akihiko smirked. "You bet!"

Both pulled out their Evokers and attacked.

"Artemisia! Mabufudyne!"

"Caesar! Maziodyne!"

At the same time the ice blocks materialized before the Shadows, bolts of thunder shattered them, unleashing a vicious storm of ice shards at the Shadows, causing mid-heavy damage.

"Good going, Aki," Shinjiro smirked at the boxer. "Never knew you and Mitsuru could come up with an attack like that."

Akihiko just shot his friend a dirty look, but Mitsuru didn't seem to understand what Shinjiro had meant. "Focus, you two!" she told them.

The attack had managed to anger the Shadows. They roared and tried to punch the Persona users, but they easily dodged. Naoto's and Aigis' group made their way to help the fallen fighters.

"Are you guys ok?" Chie asked as she and Aigis helped Minako get back on her feet. Ken and Metis checked on Koromaru while Naoto and Teddie checked on Kanji.

"Yeah… I'm okay…" Minako said trying to steady herself. "Please, heal Kanji-kun and Koro-chan first. They need it more than I do."

"No worries, Teddie will make ya feel all better!" Teddie said, already donned in his bear suit and clawed glove. His card materialized before him and he slashed it. "Kamui! Mediaharan!"

Teddie's healing spell acted quickly, but for some reason it didn't fully heal them.

"Huh? I don't get it. It was supposed to heal all wounds," Ken pointed out.

"It appears those wounds are more severe than we thought…" Metis said. "We might have to use Mediaharan more than once for it to work."

"In that case, I'll assist Teddie-san as well." Aigis stated. "Ken-san, we'll need your help. Metis, you, Chie-san and Naoto-san need to cover us."

"Understood," Ken said drawing his Evoker. "Kala-Nemi, Mediarahan!"

"Gotcha, Aigis!" Chie said, ready to leap into action.

"I've got it," Metis said, arming her rod and pulled her visor down to cover her face.

"Leave it to me." Naoto said readying her gun. _'If those shadows dare to make any move on Kanji-kun, they'll pay for it dearly!'_

Back to the others, they still tangled with the Shadows. They were tough, but the two Wild Cards and former seniors of Gekkoukan managed to land enough damage while evading attacks at the same time.

"Looks like these guys will need to get wacked harder before they get the hint!" Junpei groaned, swinging his broadsword in his usual haphazard fashion.

"I'm open to ideas," Yosuke said after dodging a swing by doing a back flip.

"Hey, Yukiko-chan, are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Yukari asked her fellow healer with a sneaky grin on her lips.

Yukiko grinned back. She nodded. "Yeah, let's do this!"

Yukari readied her Evoker while Yukiko armed her fan.

"Isis! Magarudyne!"

"Amaterasu! Maragidyne!"

The fire attack from Yukiko's Persona set two Shadows ablaze while Yukari's wind spell fanned the flames, increasing the attack's power so much it burned the Shadows, leaving only a heap of ash.

"Whoa, nice combo, Yuka-tan. Pretty hot, too!" Junpei whistled, impressed. He turned to Yosuke. "Hey, Yosuke, fancy some combo of our own?"

Yosuke smirked. "You're on!" He summoned his card and slashed it with his Kunais. "Go, Susano-O! Magarudyne!"

"Trismegistus, time to rock! Maragidyne!"

Just like the girls' attack, the combination of fire and wind magic was really effective, destroying another two Shadows. "Alright!" Junpei cheered. "Only one more to go!"

The offensive group turned their attention to the last Shadow when it suddenly started building up energy. "What the hell is it doing?" Shinjiro asked.

"It's using Power Charge!" Rise shouted, loud enough for everyone to hear.

"It's going to attack you!" Fuuka added. "Please defend yourselves!"

The Persona users tried to defend themselves, putting up their guarding stance as the Shadow unleashed a powerful strike attack that hit everybody twice, including the support group who were looking after the fallen fighters, and sent them backwards in several directions.

"Gah... Akasha Arts... I've never seen a Gigas type Shadow with that attack… this is not good…" Souji muttered as he got back on his feet, and proceeded to help Yukiko. "Everybody okay?" he asked, looking around.

"Ngh… I think so…" Minato groaned. Despite the pain, he helped Yukari stand up when something caught his eye. "Oh no…"

Minako had been knocked a few feet away from the support group and was trying to push herself off the ground when she found herself facing the last Shadow. It was ready to attack her!

"No… NO!" Shinjiro shouted, his instincts kicking in. He lunged at the Shadow with his axe, ready to strike.

"Shinji!" Akihiko gasped.

"Senpai!" Junpei, Yukari and Fuuka shouted.

As the Shadow threw a punch at Minako, she closed her eyes and waited for the blow, raising her arms in front of her face as a desperate attempt to protect herself. The attack never came. "Huh?" Slowly Minako opened her eyes and gasped. She was staring at the back of a tall figure wearing a maroon pea coat. "Senpai!"

Shinjiro had blocked the blow using his axe and he was using all his strength to push the Shadow away from Minako. "I'll be damned if you think ya can lay a single finger on her, asshole!" he growled menacingly. As the Shadow stumbled back, startled at the human's display of strength, Shinjiro swung his axe at the Shadow, missing on purpose. "Back off!"

When the Gigas was far away enough from Minako, Shinjiro pulled out his Evoker. "Shinjiro, wait! It repels physical attacks!" Mitsuru warned him.

Souji, however, guessed correctly at what Shinjiro had in mind. "Shinjiro-san, aim for the ground under its feet!"

With a smirk, Shinjiro nodded and pulled the trigger. "Castor! God's Hand!"

The powerful single strike attack caused the ground beneath the Shadow to explode, knocking it down.

"That was amazing, Senpai!" Minako squealed in awe. That was, until she felt her arm ache. "Ow..." she whimpered softly, gently rubbing the giant bruise.

Koromaru walked up to her and licked her face as if to check up on her. "Koro-chan…Thanks." Minako hugged him in return.

Shinjiro turned around and knelt down to check on them. "You two okay?"

Minako nodded slowly. "Yeah…" She smiled weakly. "Thanks for saving me, Senpai."

Shinjiro's cheeks heated up. "No problem…" he mumbled, shyly scratching his cheek. He got back up and turned around, so that Minako couldn't see his increasing blush. "I'll take care of that Shadow for you. Just sit tight." With that, he ran back into the fray.

Back to the Shadow, it was still trying to get back on his feet. Minato and Souji looked at each other and smirked. "Time for an All-Out attack!"

Their comrades nodded. Everybody, except for the fallen fighters and the support team, lunged at the Shadow with their weapons and proceeded to beat the crap out of it.

At the moment, Koromaru sniffed the air, picking up and odd scent and saw something sneaking into the shrine entrance and decided to follow it. Curious, Minako followed the Shiba Inu.

Aigis froze suddenly, looking around. "Huh?"

"What's wrong, Sister?" Metis asked.

"My sensors picked up something, but I don't see anything…" Aigis said, but quickly turned her attention back to the battle.

"I don't smell anything odd here," Teddie informed her. "Don't worry, Ai-chan, nothing's gonna sneak up on us with Teddie around!"

The combined attacks of the group knocked the Shadow into a lamp post at the side of the street. That was when Minato, Souji, Yosuke, Ken and Akihiko noticed something. The light bulb from the lamp post shattered and fell, sending sparks onto the Shadow, who seemed to have a weakness for it.

"That's it!" Yosuke yelled.

Akihiko and Ken ran up from behind. "We got this one!"

Minato and Souji were thinking frantically. _'Zio skilled, zio-skilled, zio-skilled... Got it!'_

At the same time, Akihiko, Ken, Souji and Minato summoned their Personas and attacked.

"Ceasar! Ziodyne!"

"Odin! Thunder Reign!"

"Kala-Nemi! Ziodyne!"

"Thor! Thunder Reign!"

That had done the trick. The Shadow disappeared in a puff of black smoke, and all seemed calm for the moment as the Dark Hour started to disappear. Until…

"Huh? Koro-chan? Koro-chan!" Yukari called out worriedly. "Guys, Koromaru's gone!"

The group gasped. That was when Shinjiro also realized something. "Damn! She's gone too!" he said.

Now, everybody was really worried. "But…they were here just a second ago!" Fuuka said.

"Where could they be? I mean, they simply couldn't vanish into thin air… Right?" Junpei asked, not really expecting an answer.

They heard a rough groan coming from the ground, and everybody's attention was turned to Kanji, who was finally regaining consciousness. "S-Senpai… Koro-chan…" he mumbled drowsily.

"We got to rush Kanji-kun to a hospital," Naoto explained as calmly as she could.

"No… No hospital…" Kanji whispered, grabbing onto Naoto's arm. "Please..."

"But Kanji-kun... your wounds…" Chie tried to argue.

"If I go to the hospital… Ma will find out…" Kanji panted, struggling to stay awake. "I don't…wanna worry…her…"

Souji gently placed a hand on Kanji's shoulder. "I understand, Kanji. Don't worry, I won't tell your mom. You just take it easy, okay?"

"T-Thanks, Senpai…" Kanji smiled faintly before he passed out again. Shinjiro and Akihiko helped transfer Kanji on a secluded bench near Souzai Daigaku.

The rest of them gathered around, keeping their voices low. "What's the plan now, partner?" Yosuke asked.

"Those Shadows came with the Dark Hour with the clear intent to attack us, just like when I met Aniki and Shinjiro-san," Souji started. "Our best bet is to go to the other world to look for them while Kanji rests for a bit." He turned to the young detective. "Naoto, I'm leaving Kanji under your care."

Naoto was a bit stunned at Souji's decision, but she nodded since she didn't want to leave Kanji alone. "I understand."

Aigis and Metis exchanged glances and nodded. "We'll stay with Naoto-san to make sure nothing happens to her and Kanji-san."

"I'll stay with them too," Ken volunteered. "If he wakes up I'll let you know at once."

"Good idea, Ken." Minato nodded and turned to his friends. "No time to lose, guys. Let's get going!"

They ran off in the direction of Junes, leaving Ken, Aigis, Metis, Naoto and Kanji behind, hoping they would be able to find the missing dog and girl.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Inside the TV World…<strong>  
><em>  
>"This is not a good sign…" Souji said as he adjusted his glasses to better see in the now fog-filled world. "This is almost as bad as when we started investigating this place…" He glanced at Minato. "Aniki, you and the others okay?"<p>

"No worries, we can see through the fog, thanks to theses glasses," Minato replied, adjusting his new pair glasses Teddie gave him and Shinjiro before they entered the portal. "This atmosphere is just like Tartarus'. No wonder Shadows roam this place."

"If the fog is back, does that mean the changes have started on this world too?" Yukiko asked.

"I'm afraid so. It's probably related to why the Shadows got hostile again," Mitsuru pointed out.

"That was bound to happen sooner or later I suppose…" Akihiko said. He looked at Fuuka. "Any signs of them yet?"

"Negative. Juno is not picking their presence in this world," Fuuka replied softly.

"Kanzeon is not picking their presence either…" Rise frowned. "All I sense is Shadows. And they seem to be more agitated than usual."

"This can't be good…" Yosuke glanced at Teddie. "What about you, Teddie? Your nose is picking up anything?"

"I'm sniffing and sniffing, but I'm not picking Koro-chan or that girl's smell here." Teddie looking up at Souji with a sad expression. "I'm sorry, Sensei…"

Souji patted the blue bear softly. "It's okay, Teddie. The Shadows attacked anyone that wandered into this place because they were comfortable in their clouded delusions and despised any source of truth, seeing that the minimal change would make them go berserk." He looked around. "But after Izanami was defeated and the fog of deceit was lift from mankind's heart, that temptation was gone and the Shadows have apparently become relatively peaceful. Until now… This new menace is trying to shroud mankind's heart into a fog of deceit and nihilism. What it intends to do with it is what worries me…"

Shinjiro growled to himself, not caring about anything else. He hated feeling so helpless and he was worried sick about Koromaru and that girl. _'Shit… Where are you?'_

"So, they weren't captured by the Shadows?" Junpei asked, his face lighting up in relief.

"I guess it's safe to assume that for now," Minato said.

"What should we do then, Souji-kun?" Chie asked.

"Let's head back," Souji decided. "If Kanji's already awake maybe he can tell us something."

Minato nodded. "Yeah, let's go."

* * *

><p><strong><em>Back at the shopping district…<em>**

Naoto sighed. She gently caressed Kanji's hair as his head rested on her lap. Aigis, Metis and Ken stayed next to the bench she sat on, all of them quiet. "Kanji-kun…"

"I hope Minato-san and the others found them…" Metis said quietly.

"With Fuuka-san and Rise-san helping them scan the area, I'm sure they'll find them, Metis-san," Ken said, smiling reassuringly.

Kanji suddenly stirred, catching the others' attention. "Ugh… My head…" Kanji muttered, his eyes fluttering open only to find Naoto's concerned blue eyes staring right back at him. "H-Huh? Naoto?"

Naoto smiled gently. "Thank goodness you came to, Kanji-kun."

Startled and blushing madly at resting his head on Naoto's soft lap, Kanji tried to sit up but his head hurt too much. "Ngh…" He pressed a hand on his forehead, applying pressure between the eyes as he stopped mid-way from sitting up.

"Kanji-kun, please, don't strain yourself!" Naoto grabbed his shoulders and forced him to rest his head back on her lap. She was blushing like heck, but was far too concerned about his well being to notice that.

Without resisting much, Kanji did as he was told. That didn't stop him from blushing though, since he was conscious enough to enjoy his current situation. "What… happened?" he finally asked.

"You passed out after the Shadows attacked," Metis answered.

"Shadows…!" Kanji suddenly recalled everything. "What happened to Koro-chan? And Senpai? Are they okay?"

"Kanji-san, please stay calm," Aigis said. "They… they're missing… Minato-san and Souji-san are leading the others looking for them in the other world."

Kanji fell silent. "It's my fault…" he finally said quietly, slightly turning his head away.

"Don't blame yourself, Kanji-kun" Naoto said softly, her hand running gently through Kanji's hair. "No one could predict this would happen."

Kanji was about to retort, but he knew it was pointless to argue with Naoto, so he simply nodded. Besides, he was so comfortable on Naoto's lap and didn't want to leave his position, despite feeling he could have a nosebleed at any moment.

"We should tell Souji-senpai and the others that Kanji-kun woke up," Naoto said looking at the two androids and the young boy.

"I'll go to Junes to let them know," Ken said.

"Okay, Ken-san. We'll stay here to make sure nothing happens." Metis said.

Ken nodded and ran off to Junes.

* * *

><p>Back at Junes, the group of Persona users had just returned to the electronics department when they heard Ken's voice. "Minato-san! Akihiko-san!" he shouted, running up to them.<p>

"Yo, Ken, what is it?" Akihiko said as the boy caught up with them.

"Naoto-san…asked me to….find you guys…" Ken panted a bit trying to regain his breath. "It's Kanji-san… He woke up!"

"He did? Thank goodness…" Rise smiled looking relieved. She liked to tease Kanji a lot, but that only meant that she cared a big deal about him.

"That's great news." Souji smiled glad to know his friend was awake and well. "Aniki, guys, let's go see him. Maybe he can give us some more information."

They all headed back to the shopping district.

Upon getting there, they found Aigis and Metis standing next to the bench Kanji was lying on, his head still rested on Naoto's lap. Both juniors were blushing a lot, but they also seemed comfortable with each other's company.

"Yo, Kanji!" Yosuke greeted him with a smirk. "Looks like you're in good hands."

"Huh?" Hearing Yosuke's voice, Kanji quickly sat up (he'd be damned if he was at the teasing mercy of Yosuke Hanamura!) only to feel slightly dizzy due the wound on his head. "Ngh…"

"Yosuke-senpai, may I ask you not to make Kanji-kun agitated?" Naoto glared at her senior, while holding Kanji's shoulders to help him steady himself. "As you can see, he's still recovering."

"Sorry…" Yosuke sweatdropped, not really wanting to anger the young detective, but still amused at the scene. "How are ya feeling, Kanji?"

"To be honest, like someone dropped a bag full of bricks on my head…" Kanji said with a sigh. He stopped for a moment and looked at Minato and Souji. "You guys found Koro-chan or Senpai?"

Surprised at Kanji's question, both Wild Cards exchanged glances. "They're not in the TV World, but we still don't know where they are," Minato replied. "But we think you might be able to help us."

"Kanji, I need you to tell us what happened," Souji demanded.

The bleached blonde closed his eyes and tried to remember. "I… I went home to check on Koro-chan, but he wasn't there. Ma told me he had followed a girl to the shrine so I went. When I got there, she was sharing steak skewers with Koro-chan. He... he looked really happy to see her, like they'd been friends forever."

"Did you talk with her?" Akihiko asked.

"Yeah… She said she was related to Minato-senpai and Souji-senpai, but she said she couldn't say how yet," Kanji said slowly, careful with his words.

"Did she tell you her name?" Rise asked.

Kanji looked to the ground. "Yeah… but I can't say it…"

"Why not?" Chie asked.

"I can't…" Now Kanji was avoiding eye contact. "She asked me not to."

"Asked you?" Junpei said. "But…"

Before Junpei could say more, Kanji stood up. "I just can't, damn it! She's not ready to deal with any of you guys!" he shouted, catching everybody off guard. "You guys hardly remember her! Do ya have any idea how she feels about that?"

The SEES members exchanged guilty looks as Kanji's words sank in. "You… You're right…" Mitsuru said with a frown. "We do hold her dearly and yet we still don't remember her…"

Suddenly, Kanji let out a shaky breath. The sudden outburst made him feel dizzy. "Kanji-kun, please, sit down." Naoto said gently to calm him down as she placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't strain yourself too much…"

"She… Senpai looked really lonely when she played with Koromaru…" Kanji said quietly as Naoto forced him to sit down. "She said something about Koro-chan remembering her before everybody else and that Minato-senpai, Souji-senpai and Shinjiro-senpai probably remembered her by now too."

Hearing that, Shinjiro closed his eyes, feeling a pang in his heart. Now he was more worried than ever about her. _'Dammit… Where are you..? Minako…'_

Minato looked at Kanji. "It's okay, Kanji. If she asked you not to tell us her name, then she had a reason for that," he said softly. "Can you tell us how you guys got attacked by those Shadows?"

Kanji closed his eyes in recollection. "It all started when the lamps at the shrine got lit with some creepy blue fire. Next thing I know, the sky got dark and all hell broke loose…"

_Flashback…_

Minako, Kanji and Koromaru were now facing two body-builder Shadows that emerged from behind the trees. "What the hell, Shadows!" Kanji shouted.

"So the Dark Hour is really back… We must find the others!" Minako said, pulling out her naginata out. Koromaru growled, baring his fangs.

"Senpai and the others should still be at Aiya's," Kanji said, equipping his plate. "We might bump into them along the way!"

"Let's go!" Just as they got to the steps of the shrine another huge Giga Shadow came out of nowhere and charged towards them at high speed. Before Minako had time to react the Shadow knocked her down the stairs of the shrine and closed in on her.

"Oh don't you dare! Persona!" shouted Kanji. A glowing blue card appeared before him and he whacked it, summoning Rokuten Maoh who zapped the shadow with Ziodyne, knocking it  
>away from Minako.<p>

Koromaru howled summoning his Persona Cerberus, who blasted the downed Shadow with Mudoon, wiping it out.

Kanji rushed up to her, offering her a hand. "Hey, Minako-senpai, are you okay?"

"Ugh...I think so," Minako moaned, taking his hand, struggling a bit to get back on her feet. "Thanks for saving me Kanji-kun, Koro-chan." She gratefully petted Koromaru.

"Come on, let's go find the others!" prompted Kanji.

Minako and Koromaru both nodded and they rushed to the direction of the restaurant when another Shadow jumped out from the bushes, intending to ram them with full force.

"Look out!" Kanji shoved both Minako and Koromaru out of the way. They were all hit however, but Kanji took the hardest and he was sent flying into a wall of an empty shop lot on the other side of the street, leaving a huge dent.

Seeing her friend hurt, Minako scrambled to her feet. "Kanji-kun? Kanji-kun, you okay?" she shouted, rushing to his side.

Kanji groaned before he blacked out, the last thing he heard was Minako calling out for him and Koromaru's panicked barks.

…End Flashback

"Next thing I knew, I blacked out..." Kanji sighed before looking at Souji. "I'm sorry Senpai… I really messed up…"

"Don't be so hard on yourself, Kanji," Souji said softly. "None of us expected that to happen."

Kanji wanted to protest, still feeling guilty. "But I…!"

"If you weren't around, Koromaru and that girl could've gotten really hurt, Kanji," Minato reminded, putting a hand on his shoulder. "I'm really grateful for you looking after them. Thank you."

Kanji was speechless and simply nodded dumbly, surprised at Minato and Souji's understanding.

"Well, if the Shadows didn't take Koro-chan and that girl, where could have they gone?" Chie wondered.

"Let's stop and think for a minute," Akihiko said. "They vanished around the time before we figured out the Shadow's weakness, right? So, if they left, it was while we were taking down the last one."

"Yeah, that makes sense," Yukari said. Then she recalled something. "Hey, Aigis, didn't you say your sensors picked something strange while we were fighting?"

"Oh, yes… They picked the presence of a life form in the area," Aigis replied. She held her chin as she recalled the information from her memory. "It wasn't a human being, though."

"Wait, didn't you guys say that no one could be awake during the dark hour unless they had a Persona?" Yosuke inquired.

Mitsuru answered his question. "Yes and no. There are some that can be fully awake during the Dark hour without the potential. But that's a rare occurrence though."

"A non-human life form without a Persona, yet capable of being fully functional during the Dark Hour…" Minato suddenly glanced at Souji. "Souji-kun, didn't you mention a friend of yours that lived at the shrine?"

Souji thought for a few minutes when his eyes widened. "Of course! Why didn't I think of that?" He snapped his fingers, grasping the situation faster than his teammates. "They're at the shrine or somewhere not far from there! Come on!"

Both Souji and Minato sprinted off to Tatsuhime Shrine, much to their friends' surprise, but they followed the two Wild Cards nonetheless.

* * *

><p><em><strong> Tatsuhime Shrine…<strong>  
><em>  
>Minako sat next to Koromaru, and an odd looking fox wearing a red apron at the offertory box steps. In the fox's jaws were some leaves. "These leaves are supposed to help heal our wounds?" she asked the fox, who yipped in response. "Okay… might as well try them out."<p>

She took one of the leaves pressed it softly on her bruised arm for a few seconds. The pain slowly subsided until it was no longer aching. "Wow, that works wonders!" She then turned her attention to Koromaru. "Okay, Koro-chan, let's fix you up."

Koromaru looked at her as if concerned. "Oh, don't worry. I'll patch myself up after I'm done with you." Minako smiled.

Koromaru nodded in agreement and Minako started using the leaves to heal his wounds and hers as well. The fox watched them silently.

"Just one more leaf…" Minako said, neatly wrapping Koromaru's front leg with some bandages. "There…that should do it. How are you feeling, Koro-chan?"

Koromaru stood up and walked slowly, showing her that he no longer felt pain in his leg. He looked at Minako and their strange companion, and barked happily. "Alright!" Minako looked at the Fox. "I can't thank you enough for your help. If it wasn't for that, Koro-chan and I would've been a mess. Thank you."

The Fox yipped in response. Minako smiled, gently petting her head. She suddenly remembered something and picked up an ema plaque, writing something on it. "Could you deliver this to Souji-kun when he and the others arrive?"

The Fox nodded and carefully picked up the ema. "Thanks." Minako smiled at the fox in gratitude before looking at Koromaru. "The others should be getting here soon so you should be okay. I gotta go. I'm not really ready to face them."

Koromaru whined sadly. Minako patted him. "I'm gonna come check on you and Kanji-kun in the evening. I promise." She looked at the fox. "I'll leave the rest up to you."

The Fox nodded as though she understood her, and she grabbed her skirt in her muzzle gently, tugging her closer to the shrine steps.

Koromaru followed, crouching down beside Minako as their new furry friend nudged three small cubs from the makeshift burrow beneath the steps.

Minako and Koromaru exchanged glances and the girl smiled.

* * *

><p>As the group of Persona users burst into the shrine, they spotted Koromaru and the three little fox cubs playing with him: one was biting his ear, the second slumped on his back lazily, and the third one tried to catch his tail as Koromaru wagged it back and forth.<p>

"Awww…!" The girls cooed as they saw the cute scene.

"Heh, would you look at that?" Shinjiro cracked a small grin as Koromaru walked up to them. The three little kits followed him close behind. "Looks like ya got some new friends, huh, boy?"

"Are you okay, Koro-chan?" Fuuka asked, concerned seeing Koromaru's bandaged paw.

Koromaru nodded and moved his paw a bit, showing it was okay. "Who bandaged your paw?" Yukari asked. "Was it that girl?"

With a bark, Koromaru confirmed what they were wondering about. Ken looked around. "She's not here anymore…"

"Looks like she left before we got here…" Mitsuru sighed.

"At least we're sure she's okay," Souji said before turning his attention to the little cubs sitting next to him and Minato. "Hey, little guys."

"These guys are pretty cute, you know," Minato said, picking one up as another nuzzled his knee. Souji grinned, lightly scratching behind one of the third fox cub's ears.

"Where did those little guys come from, anyway?" Junpei asked.

A sharp yip rang out in the eerie quiet, effectively catching their attention. A familiar large fox, still scarred and wearing the red apron of the shrine, bounded over to them from under the small porch of the front steps leading into the actual shrine itself.

Souji grinned. "Fox!" he exclaimed as he knelt down on one knee, bringing himself face to face with the intelligent creature. With a smile, he patted the fox on her head, his smile growing as she purred in pleasure. "I should've guessed!"

"That explains why her cubs were out here," Yukiko said.

"You guys know this fox?" Akihiko questioned.

"Yeah. She's a friend of ours," Souji answered. "Back when I first came to Inaba, I decided one day to visit the shrine. When I arrived, she was here as well. Back then, this place was really run down. You see, Fox had made this shrine her home, and she was concerned with the dilapidated state of it. She believed that if people's wishes written on the ema were granted, more visitors would come to the shrine and pray, and would become more prosperous. In return for helping her fulfill those wishes, she'd agreed to help in the TV World with these special leaves she has, and she somehow has the ability to enter it with us. The leaves accelerate the healing process, help soothe pain and somehow manage to restore our Personas' energy, along with ours."

The Fox yipped twice. "Hm? Oh, I get it. Koromaru-san, Kanji-san and the girl protected the shrine and your cubs from the Shadows," Metis said. "That's why you led them here."

Everybody looked at Metis and then at the Fox, who yipped again. "'They protected my home and my family. The least I could do for them was to help with their wounds.'" Aigis translated.

The fox nodded and then picked a mouthful of leaves, walking up to Kanji. "Huh, those are for me?" he asked the Fox, which she answered with a nod, dropping the leaves at his feet. Kanji grinned and dropped to a knee to pat her in gratitude. "Thanks a lot."

As Naoto and Rise helped Kanji use the leaves on his injuries, Fox picked up an ema plaque and nudged it into Souji's hand. "Hm? What's this?" He was confused, but looked at the ema. "Aniki, check this out."

Minato took the ema. "It's a message…" He gasped. "From that girl!"

Upon hearing that, the group gathered around the two Wild Cards. Minato read the message out loud.

_Dear Aniki and Banchou-kun,  
>With the flap of a butterfly's wings, everything changes.<br>In the midst of chaos, a path appears,  
>Search for the Butterfly Effect and your mind will understand what your hearts already know so well. Our bond once forgotten by time will become stronger than ever.<br>I'm sorry I worried you guys. Please let Shinjiro-senpai and the others know that I'm okay.  
>I'll be seeing you soon. Please take care.<br>Love you all._

_PS: By the way, could you give Koro-chan a little treat? He gave his beef bowl to the Fox's cubs. Thanks.  
><em>  
>Silence fell upon the group as everybody soaked up what the message had said.<p>

"Butterfly effect?" Chie finally broke the silence. "What's that?"

"The butterfly effect is a metaphor that encapsulates the concept of sensitive dependence on initial conditions in chaos theory; namely that small differences in the initial condition of a dynamical system may produce large variations in the long term behavior of the system," Aigis said. "It's also a common trope in fiction when presenting scenarios involving time travel and with 'what if' scenarios where one storyline diverges at the moment of a seemingly minor event resulting in two significantly different outcomes."

"What?" Teddie looked lost, not really getting what Aigis had said.

"It means that one simple thing could create a whole chain of events that could lead to something entirely different," Naoto explained. "It can also mean that one alteration of events will lead to the exact same event, but with a possible different outcome."

"And what does that have to do with her?" Junpei asked.

"Everything, Junpei…" Minato said as he held the ema to his chest. He was smiling. "There's no more doubt in my mind. I know who she is."

"Minato-kun…" Yukari said softly.

Minato looked at his girlfriend and the others, and smiled. "It's okay guys. Next time we see her, everything will be clear." He looked at Souji who nodded.

Though no one knew exactly what Minato and Souji meant, no one dared question them as they had a feeling those two would say no more.

Shinjiro closed his eyes and crossed his arms. _'You'd better not run away next time we meet. Do you have any idea how worried I am about you?'_ he thought before sighing. _'Then again… I did worry you like hell back then so I guess it's fair.'  
><em>  
>Souji glanced at the fox and her cubs. "I can't thank you enough for helping me and Aniki's friends. If anything happens here that makes you feel uncomfortable, you're more than welcome to bring your little ones over by my house," Souji told her, and she nodded. "Besides, Nanako would love to have you around."<p>

Minato looked at Koromaru. "As for you, you were one brave dog today, so you deserve a really good treat, Koro-chan." He smiled gently, patting Koromaru on the head.

Koromaru simply barked happily and ran around Minato, making everybody smile.

* * *

><p><em>Junes Food Court…<br>_  
>Shinjiro put down a grilled steak for Koromaru to eat. "There ya go, Koro."<p>

"You deserved it so eat up," Fuuka added.

Koromaru barked twice, wagging his tail and started eating.

Minato smiled, stroking Koromaru's back. "Well, despite everything that happened, I'd say things turned out better than expected."

"Agreed. We uncovered some good info, we got some training done and now we're sure about the identity of other Wild Card," Souji added before smiling as he glanced to his right. "And we're all safe, too."

"N-Naoto, ya don't have to do this, y'know…" Kanji stuttered, his face was a deep shade of red as Naoto spoon fed him some chocolate-chip mint ice-cream. "I'm okay now…honest…"

"Hush, Kanji-kun…" Naoto said softly before giving him another large spoonful of ice-cream. She was looking at the floor, her hat pulled down, but her blush was visible. "The ice-cream's coldness should help numb the pain."

Kanji didn't have a choice and did as he was told, ignoring the soft snickers that reached his ears.

"Awww, they're so cute!" Yukari giggled, wrapping her arms around Minato's neck.

"Yeah, they are," Yukiko agreed, doing the same with Souji.

"Too bad Naoto's completely oblivious to Kanji's crush on her," Yosuke crossed his arms, grinning like an idiot.

"And Kanji-kun's too shy to do anything about it." Chie added.

"Well, he did improve a lot from last year, though." Rise pointed out. "At least Kanji can hold a conversation with her now."

"They'll come to terms to how they feel for each other sooner or later," Mitsuru said, closing her eyes with a small smile. "I know from experience."

Akihiko blushed faintly at that. Shinjiro, in turn, let out a snort of laughter, earning a glare from his childhood friend.

* * *

><p><em><strong>That evening…<strong>  
><em>  
>"How are you feeling, Koromaru-san?" Metis asked as she and Aigis walked the Shiba Inu around the neighborhood.<p>

Koromaru barked twice in response. Metis smiled a bit and nodded. "I see. I'm glad you're fine now."

Aigis smiled proudly at her sister. "You're a fast learner, Metis. Koromaru-san is really happy now that someone else understands what he says and that can help him express himself better with the others."

Metis smiled. "I'm glad he feels that way… Now I feel like I really belong somewhere…" She looked at Aigis. "Not only with you, Sister, but with your… I mean, _our_friends."

Aigis nodded with a warm smile. Koromaru seemed really happy for both.

"Yo! Aigis-senpai, Metis-senpai!" Both androids and Koromaru heard Kanji's voice.

They turned around and saw Kanji and Naoto walking up to them. "Good evening, Senpai." Naoto bowed politely.

"Oh, Kanji-san, Naoto-san, good evening," Aigis said. "How are you feeling now?"

"Much better." Kanji said rubbing his forehead a bit. "The Fox's leaves helped out big time. What about you, Koro-chan?"

Koromaru wagged his tail and Kanji nodded. "Glad to hear that." Kanji ruffled Koromaru's head, looking happy.

"But, Kanji-san, shouldn't you be resting?" Metis asked.

Naoto rolled her eyes. "I've told him that several times, but he wouldn't listen."

"I'm gonna get some sleep after I walk Naoto home." Kanji said. "Things are weird around here so better safe than sorry, ya know…" He looked at Naoto, blushing a bit. "'S not like I think ya can't look after yourself, Naoto, it's just that I'd feel a lot better if I was sure you were okay."

Naoto was slightly taken aback at Kanji's concern towards her. "I… I appreciate your concern, Kanji-kun…" She gave him a small smile. "Thank you."

Kanji smiled back and nodded. "No prob."

A sudden breeze passed by, causing Metis' ribbon to fly away. "Oh no!" she gasped as she ran after her ribbon. Aigis and the others followed.

"Please, stop!" Metis begged. She was still chasing the ribbon when someone else caught it. "Huh?"

A certain red-eyed girl had caught the ribbon. "This ribbon is yours, right? Here, let me help you." Minako smiled as she tied the ribbon back on Metis' helmet. "There you go, Metis."

"T-Thank you." Metis said before recognizing the girl. "You are…!"

Minako winked at her. "I'm a friend of Aigis, and soon I hope to be your friend too."

"My friend…" Metis couldn't help but smile at how friendly and genuinely nice Minako was being. "Sure! I'd love to be your friend too!"

Minako smiled when a card faintly flashed on her mind. _'Aeon arcana, huh? Well, she is Aigis' little sister after all…'_she thought.

"Metis!" Aigis called out. They had finally caught up with her and immediately noticed the girl. "You…"

"Hi, Aigis, guys." Minako smiled. "Glad you're all okay."

"Yo, Senpai." Kanji gave her small relieved smile, while Koromaru rubbed himself against her legs. "Glad you're ok too."

"Thanks, Kanji-kun." Minako patted Koromaru with a smile before turning around to leave. "Well, I gotta go. I'll talk to you guys later."

"Wait, please!" Aigis said. There was urgency in her voice when she noticed Minako's bandaged arm and leg. "Your injuries…!"

Minako turned back to look at Aigis and smiled softly. "Don't worry, Aigis. I'm okay now." She hugged Aigis, catching the android off guard. "Tomorrow okay? I'll tell you guys everything tomorrow."

Aigis sighed, somehow knowing that Minako wouldn't say anymore. "I understand…" she finally said as Minako let go of her.

"Sorry for worrying you and the others, but I needed to be sure of some things." Minako's expression looked apologetic. "Please, let Minato-kun and Souji-kun know that I'll meet you guys at Samegawa flood plain tomorrow."

"We'll inform them," Naoto said. "I assure you."

"Thanks, Naoto-chan." Minako smiled before she winked at both Naoto and Kanji. "You take care of Kanji-kun now, okay?"

Naoto and Kanji exchanged embarrassed glances before they looked back at Minako only to find her long gone.

"She's really something, huh?" Minato said as he and Souji walked up to them.

Aigis was surprised. "Minato-san? And Souji-san too. What are you two doing here?"

"After you and Metis left with Koromaru for a walk, I saw her leaving the inn following you," Minato explained. "So I called Souji-kun and we followed her here."

"I guess she wanted to check on Koromaru and Kanji to make sure they're okay after what happened," Souji added.

"Senpai…" Naoto started, still rather flustered about Minako's remark about her and Kanji. She didn't dare look up at her upperclassman, hoping that he wouldn't notice her red face. "That girl said she'll reveal everything tomorrow at the Samegawa flood plain."

"I see. Thanks, Naoto." Souji said. "We'll let everybody know and we'll meet her there tomorrow." He looked at Minato. "Looks like the pieces are all falling in place, huh, Aniki?"

"Yeah… Soon, it'll become all clear." Minato said, looking up at the moon.

As they split up for their homes, Minako watched them leave. _'Yes, Aniki. Soon everything will become clear…'_ She smiled as she walked away. _'I can't wait!'_

* * *

><p><span>That's right. Next chapter the mysterious connectiong between all three Wild Cards will be revealed! This will be so exciting! X3 Don't forget to Read, Review and Enjoy!<span>


	6. Chapter 6: Wild Card Twins!

_Hello! The time has come! Finally we'll know the truth behind the identity of the third Wild Card and her true relationship with Souji and Minato! This will be awesome!_

_A few warnings: (Yes, I put those before every chapter to avoid issues)_

_-There will be spoilers for all games! You've been warned.  
>-The Main characters from each game in this fanfic are called Minato Arisato (P3:FES), Minako Arisato (P3P) and Souji Seta (P4)<br>-There'll be some cursing. (Anyone that played any persona games knows that some characters on it curse quite a bit.) as well as some heavy subjects.  
>-Main Pairings in this fanfic: MinatoxYukari, ShinjiroxMinako, SoujixYukiko, KanjixNaoto, AkihikoxMitsuru, YosukexChie.<br>-Hinted Pairings(in later chapters): JunpeixChidori. (Hinted because Chidori doesn't appear much on this story) KenxNanako (Ya know those little girl's crushes on older boys? It'll be along those lines) FuukaxKeisuke (Other than Minato and Junpei, Fuuka only displayed some sort of close relationship with Keisuke the club president. I found it kinda cute.) TeddiexRise (Just for giggles. They are after all the two hyperactive cuties of the team X3)_

_Have fun ya guys. On with the show!_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 6: Wild Card Twins?<strong>

The next morning, Souji woke up early. Despite the battle which had occurred the previous day, he managed to sleep peacefully and get enough rest. He took a shower, got dressed, changed his bandages and prodded to the kitchen to make his family breakfast.

_ 'My family…'_ he repeated in his head. That somehow sounded sweet but at the same time it left a bitter aftertaste. _'What the hell are you thinking, Seta?'_ Souji scolded himself. He shook his head violently in order to remove the depressing thoughts. _'Unlike Aniki, at least you still have a family right? They're willing to take you in, so be grateful you damn idiot!'_

Souji took a deep breath, stood straight, and entered the kitchen. Nanako had refilled the fridge with groceries the other day, so he had a lot of ingredients to work with. There were eggs, green vegetables, red peppers and the leftover rice from yesterday's dinner. He chuckled lightly. "I'm sure Nanako will be happy with today's breakfast menu."

Said girl could smell the delicious aroma as soon she woke up, and a huge smile appeared on her face. Nanako quickly got up and rushed to the bathroom to shower. She could hardly contain her excitement and ran to the kitchen.

"Big Bro!" Nanako shouted, engulfing Souji in a huge bear hug when he turned around to face her.

"Whoa! Easy there Nanako," Souji laughed. "Don't make me drop the food." He carried three plates of omelet fried rice to the dining table. "Do you mind setting the table while I make us some tea?"

Nanako nodded with a bright smile. "Sure thing, Big Bro!"

As the two of them were finishing up, Dojima came downstairs. He greeted Nanako like usual, but there was a slight pause when he saw his nephew in the kitchen.

"Good morning, Souji. It's good to see you up nice and early."

"Oh, good morning Uncle. I had a good night's rest," Souji said, grinning like nothing was wrong with the world.

Dojima couldn't help but smile. He was honestly happy that his nephew was coping well after the tragedy, so he decided to ignore the nagging feeling he had since he returned from work last night.

Nanako was smiling as she consumed her breakfast. It had been months since she ate something her big brother cooked. "Big Bro's cooking is the best!" she exclaimed, earning a grunt of agreement from her father and a proud smile from Souji.

"Say, have you two heard anything about the shrine and shopping district? I got a report from the guys at the station saying mass vandalism occurred there," Dojima said, starting up a conversation. "But the funny thing is, it just happened and there were no witnesses."

"Really? It just happened?" Nanako inquired, eyes lighting up with curiosity.

"That's what the report said. I'm pretty sure a lamp post and a shop's outer wall didn't get busted up like that without some sort of vehicular accident and no one saw or heard anything…" Dojima trailed off when he saw Souji flinch a little, before the teen shoved more fried rice into his mouth.

Dojima would have missed it if he wasn't paying attention.

Despite his calm exterior, Souji was panicking on the inside as he recognized the tone his uncle was using; the one he normally used when he was initiating an interrogation with either criminals or with Souji himself. So he decided to feign ignorance and play it cool. "Nope, haven't heard about it."

The edges of Dojima's mouth turned downwards. "Are you sure about that? I heard from some people who were there that they saw you, your friends and Arisato's group eating at Aiya's Diner just before the sudden destruction occurred."

_ 'Oh shit, he's onto me!'_ Souji thought. _'Calm down! No one but us Persona users know about the Dark Hour, at least that's what Aniki said…'_

He turned to look at Dojima. "Uncle, just because we were there doesn't mean we saw what happened. They do have security footages, right?" Minato had told him the other day that during the Dark Hour, any electrical or electronic devices are not active so he didn't have to worry about the security cameras recording their battle with Shadows.

Dojima's gazed into Souji's storm grey eyes, the same color as his own. The teen's stare was firm, no signs of hesitation or difference in blinking pattern, no shifting his gaze elsewhere, and his body language was solid. Souji was holding his ground and Dojima knew it.

The silverette had been through this before and he would endure it again. His uncle was getting suspicious and he knew what that might result to; a trip to the police station or being separated from his friends and getting interrogated in a dimly lit room. But he could never forgive himself if his uncle or little cousin got in danger like last time. The memories of Dojima wounded badly in that car accident after the chase with Namatame, and Nanako who almost died at the hospital, hurt too much. Deep in his heart, Souji knew that neither Minato nor his friends could save him if he were to lose his family again.

"Are you two fighting?" Nanako asked sadly. She looked at her father, and then at Souji.

Finally Dojima broke his stare and softened his tone. "No we weren't, Nanako. I was just asking him something. Finish your breakfast."

"Okay…" Nanako replied softly.

Souji mentally sighed. At least his uncle was dropping the subject, even of it was temporarily. He glanced at the clock hanging on the wall. His eyes widened, and polished his plate as fast as possible. Both Nanako and Dojima noticed this.

"What's the hurry?" Dojima asked, raising an eyebrow.

"My friends and I were supposed to meet Aniki and his friends at the Samegawa today. I can't be late!" Souji quickly finished his meal and went get ready.

"See ya later, Big Bro!" Nanako smiled.

"Take care," Doujima said.

"Sure! Bye, Uncle! Bye, Nanako!" Souji kissed Nanako's forehead and patted Dojima's shoulder before he left.

As soon as Souji left the house, Nanako helped clean up. She and Souji had an agreement that if one cooks, the other one had to do the dishes. Dojima went to get ready for work.

Both of them finished at the same time. Dojima was locking the door and Nanako stood beside the family car, waiting for her father, when she saw someone trying to hide behind a nearby tree. It looked like a teenage girl. Nanako slowly approached the person.

"Um…hello there," she shyly greeted the mysterious teen.

The older girl stuck her head out from her hiding place. "I was that obvious, huh?" she chuckled, much to Nanako's confusion.

"You must be new in town. I never saw you before," Nanako said.

"Yup, I just arrived here. Good guess," the teenager said, and stepped out into the open.

She was about Souji's age, with chestnut brown hair tied in a messy ponytail. She was wearing an orange cutsew top, white skirt and sandals. Her complexion was fair and flawless, despite wearing next to no make-up. She was carrying something long and cylindrical, like a pole, wrapped in cloth and tied with a string. Nanako noticed that the MP3 player around her neck was red, just like the color of her eyes. In short, she was one of the prettiest girls Nanako had ever seen.

"Does Souji-kun live here?" the teen asked.

Nanako gasped. "How do you know Big Bro?"

"I'm his friend from the city. My name is Minako." She held out her hand for a handshake. "Minako Arisato."

The little girl liked Minako instantly. The way she smiled and the friendliness she displayed as Minako waited for her to return the gesture, it made Nanako feel all warm and fuzzy inside. There was something about the way she carried herself that reminded Nanako strongly of her Big Bro and Aniki.

"My name is Nanako. I'm Souji's cousin. Nice to meet you!" Nanako beamed, her cheeks burning up as she returned the handshake.

Dojima approached his daughter and touched her shoulder. "Nanako, what did I tell you about talking to strangers?"

"Relax, Dad. This is Minako, Big Bro's friend from the city!"

"Hi! You must be Souji-kun's uncle. Nice to meet you!" Minako bowed slightly to Dojima.

"That's right. I'm Ryotaro Dojima, nice to meet you. If you're looking for Souji, he just left a few minutes ago."

Minako pouted when she heard this. She wanted to check up on him to make sure he was alright. During yesterday's battle, she noticed that he already had injuries before all of them fought the Shadows to save her and that got her worried. So before she went ahead to meet everyone, she wanted to see how well Souji was doing.

Dojima took another glance at Minako. "Wait a minute, I recognize you. You're that little girl Souji used to play with when he was a little kid along with Minato."

"So you remember me," Minako smiled. "I'm surprised that you still do."

"I'm a detective, it's part of the job," He shrugged, and then smiled. "I remember what my sister used to call you three; the troublemaking trio. How could I forget the way she complained about you guys?" he chuckled.

"So are you like Big Bro's big sister?" Nanako asked.

Minako giggled. "That's right. Souji-kun used to call me 'Aneki', just like he calls Minato-kun 'Aniki'." She then looked at her watch and gasped. "Oh no, I'm going to be late to meet them!"

Dojima furrowed his eyebrows. "Wait a minute…are you the one who they're supposed to meet at Samegawa?"

"Actually, yes. " Minako played with the hem of her skirt as she talked. "I wanted to meet him back in Tatsumi Port Island, but I was released from the hospital a bit later than he did. So I came to Inaba, but we keep missing each other." She giggled a bit. "See, I missed him again by a few minutes. I was hoping he'd walk with me there."

Nanako tugged her father's shirt to get his attention. "Dad, can we give Aneki a ride to Samegawa? Pleeeaaaase?" the little girl pleaded.

The older man was surprised at this. His daughter was unusually shy around people whom she barely knew, and now she wanted him to give a ride to a girl she just met? To add to his surprise, Nanako stood beside Minako and grabbed the teen's hand, as if she didn't want to let go.

"Please, Dad?" she begged again.

"Alright, alright," Dojima said, giving in to his daughter's request. "It's on the way to the shopping district anyway. Just make sure Souji sends you to Miwa-chan's house after that, okay?"

"Okay!" Nanako squealed.

"Thank you, Dojima-san," Minako said, bowing again.

"Get in. I'm almost late for work anyway."

* * *

><p><em>About the same time…<br>_  
>Souji ran into Kanji, Rise and Naoto while he was on the way to Samegawa flood plain. It was a rather cold morning for summer, but that wasn't unusual in rural Inaba.<p>

Kanji wanted to press his luck for one last time. "Can't you at least tell me who she is, Senpai? I promise I won't tell anyone else, not even Minato-senpai."

"Nice try, Kanji."

"But…"

"You're going to have to wait like everybody else," Souji said, folding his arms against his chest. "Just because she's a Wild Card like me doesn't mean I understand the entire situation just yet. We'll know more when we meet her."

"Patience is a virtue, Kanji-kun," Naoto reminded him.

Shoulders slumped, Kanji frowned dejectedly. Rise snickered while covering her mouth with her hand. "It's not that bad, Kanji. We just have to wait until we get there!"

"I'm just worried about her, okay!" Kanji said, a bit flustered. "She did get hurt pretty bad..."

"Speak for yourself. You were the one that got knocked out. It would have been worse if Naoto-kun weren't there to take care of you…" Rise teased.

Both Kanji and Naoto turned different shades of red as Rise's laughter echoed in the morning air. Souji could only chuckle at their antics as he led the way.

As they arrived at the riverside, the others were already there. _'Yukiko must have brought them here after Aniki relayed the message,'_Souji thought.

They were greeted by a peaceful, yet amusing scene:

Close to the fishing dock, Minato and Yosuke had their headphones on, and were comparing notes about their favorite music.

Under the tree where Souji and Chie often trained, the martial-arts enthusiast was showing off the new moves she learned from the latest kung-fu movie to Akihiko, who in turn gave her tips on how to land a devastating blow to the opponent.

Yukiko seem to be in a deep discussion with Mitsuru on the bench. Close by, Yukari and Fuuka were gossiping, seated on the stairs that connected the riverside to the flood plain.

Junpei and Teddie seemed to be tutoring young Ken about the fine art of flirting, using both Aigis and Metis as 'target practice'. Souji noticed how uncomfortable the pre-teen was during the entire ordeal as Teddie threw sparkles everywhere. Aigis scowled at Teddie and Metis was giggling at something funny Junpei said.

At the farthest end of the riverside, Shinjiro was seated on a huge rock, staring out at nothing. His hand was absentmindedly rubbing Koromaru's head as the white dog stared intently at the fish swimming in the river.

It was Yukiko who noticed her boyfriend's presence and went to greet him. "Oh, Souji-kun. You're finally here." She gave him a brief hug and Souji entwined his fingers with hers.

Everyone stopped what they were doing and gathered around Souji.

The silverette apologized for his tardiness. "Sorry guys. My uncle was interrogating me during breakfast. It turns out that he's in charge of investigating the damage we caused at the shrine and the shopping district." He then sighed. "As usual, I turned up on the top of his suspect list."

"We don't need to worry about that. Anyone without the potential could not have witnessed our battle," Mitsuru stated nonchalantly.

"You don't understand," Yosuke interjected, shaking his head. "The last time Dojima-san was involved with anything Shadow-related, it ended up pretty badly. Because he was indirectly involved, Nanako-chan was dragged into the whole mess."

"Dojima-san ended up in the hospital," Chie added. "And we almost lost Nanako-chan too…"

"He'll just connect the dots, like the previous time," Naoto said. "During the murder investigations, he made all the correct assumptions but still withheld arresting Souji-senpai because he was under his care. I'm not sure what he will do this time though. He's relentless when pursuing a lead." She began to explain about her part of the investigation and the results she obtained when she was called in for assistance.

"That's right. We had to rely on the rumor mill to cover our asses, _especially_from Dojima-san," Kanji said. "It's a good thing that the school was pretty much a source for gossip, and it helped cover our trail."

The SEES members pondered at Kanji's statement. Even if they did end up damaging public property during their battles with the full moon Shadows back in 2009, the Kirijo Group was there to cover up for them. Officer Kurosawa also did his part so that their activities remained a secret. They had wide access to weapons and technology the Kirijo Group had to offer, while the Investigation Team had to rely on their wits and limited resources in order to get the job done. Minato's respect for his childhood friend increased tenfold; being a leader in that kind of situation must not have been easy.

"Hey, aren't you guys seriously forgetting something?" Shinjiro grumbled, breaking the silence. "What the hell are we even doing here this early in the morning anyway?"

Minato and Souji, along with Kanji, Naoto, Aigis and Metis were snapped out of their thoughts.

"That's right. There was a reason me and Souji-kun called you guys here," Minato said, rubbing the back of his head. "We're supposed to meet the other Wild Card here. She said that she'll explain everything to us."

Shinjiro forgot to be angry. "Really?" He noticed the eagerness in his tone just in time to cover it with an awkward cough.

"Then where is she?" Ken asked. "We haven't seen anyone here but us."

The group suddenly heard car sounds. "Hm?" Metis looked up at the road. "Isn't that… Dojima-san's vehicle?"

At that everybody looked up as the car parked over. Indeed it was Dojima's car. Souji flinched; that couldn't be a good sign.

Sensing that Souji was nervous, Minato acted. "Play it cool, guys," he told everybody. "Just play it cool."

Everybody nodded and remained silent. Dojima got out of the car and looked at them with a small nod. He was followed by Nanako who waved at them with a huge smile. "Hi, Big Bro!" She then looked back at the car. "They're here!"

The group exchanged confused glances as someone held Nanako's hand. "Thanks, Nanako-chan." Minako smiled as Nanako helped her get out of the car.

That caught everybody off guard. Sure they were expecting her, but didn't expect her to arrive like this.

"Hey, guys, sorry I'm late," Minako said with an apologetic smile while walking up to them, still holding Nanako's hand. She looked at Souji and Minato with a grin."We keep missing each other by minutes, huh? Good thing your uncle and cousin gave me a ride here."

Despite the confusing situation, Minato and Souji smiled back at her. Genuine ones. "Yeah… Glad you finally caught up with us, though," Minato said in a teasing tone.

"About time too," Souji chuckled.

"Aww, you guys never change!" Minako giggled.

As Minako talked with the other two Wild Cards, everybody could only watch them, still quite confused at the situation.

Shinjiro could only stare at her as she smiled like she didn't have a care in the world. When he finally found his voice again, it only came out as a whisper. "You..."

Minako heard him anyway. "Hey, Senpai." She stared at him, red eyes meeting brown-grey ones, a warm smile on her lips and a light shade of pink dusting her cheeks.

There was something about her voice and her smile that made Shinjiro's heart flutter. '_That feeling again…'_ His heart began to beat faster. He finally realized what it was. _'I'm such a dumbass…'_

Minako and Shinjiro kept staring at each other, conveying their emotions through their gazes. For them it felt like an eternity as the world around them faded.

Minato and Souji exchanged amused glances at the scene.

Suddenly, the three Wild Cards felt something coming, something evil. _'Oh God, no… Please… Not here!'_ Souji was close to panicking. _'Not now!'_

The sky suddenly turned dark and the eerie full moon appeared. The group was startled by that, but what surprised them most was that neither Nanako nor Dojima were changed into coffins.

"What the hell is going on?" Dojima yelled.

Nanako clutched onto Minako's arm, really afraid. "I'm scared…"

"What the hell?" Yosuke shouted. "What's going on?"

"No way…" Minato whispered. His eyes widened in shock.

"They weren't transmogrified? But that means…" Yukari froze.

"They were targeted by the Shadows!" Mitsuru concluded. There was a tinge of fear in her voice as well.

Before Dojima could ask what they were talking about, several giant knight-like Shadows appeared before them.

"Hell Knights!" Fuuka gasped as the Shadows charged at the group with full force. "Be careful! They're going to attack!"

"Everybody, scatter!" Souji ordered as he grabbed his uncle by the arm and made a run for it.

No one needed to be told twice as they all ran in several directions. Minako and Teddie quickly grabbed Nanako each one holding one of her hands to protect her.

"Souji, what are those things? What's going on?" Dojima queried, irritation clearly in his voice.

"Sorry Uncle, no time to explain!" Souji said. "Please, just trust me for now."

Dojima growled. His detective intuition worked at full speed. He never truly believed Souji's story about the 'other world', Shadows and what-not, about how they were connected to the murders and the kidnappings, even after his nephew and his friends rescued Nanako and put the real culprit behind bars. But now, seeing the creatures and how Souji and his friends handled the situation, he had finally put everything together: the strange weapons and armors Souji kept buying at Daidara's and that dubious shopping channel every Sunday, the mysterious injuries he claimed to be from either practicing soccer, basketball or both at school, or from playing with the kids at the daycare he worked part-time at. All if it finally made sense. Every word he had said was the truth. And they had gone through all that danger to save other lives. To save Nanako.

"Souji-kun, look out!" Yukiko called out to him.

Souji looked behind and froze. One of the Shadows was heading for him and his uncle, ready to skewer them with a Vile Assault attack! Without any time to block or counter, he shoved his uncle out of the way and stood in its way.

Dojima watched in horror as his nephew pushed him out of harm's way, only to put himself in danger. The look of defiance on Souji's face rivaled his own. He snapped out of his stupor just in time as his police training kicked in. He whipped out his gun and fired an entire round at the Shadow. "Don't you dare hurt my family!" he roared.

Six shots rang through the air as the bullets pierced armor, causing medium damage to the Shadow Knight. It screeched in pain as black goo oozed from its wounds. The horse bucked in response, trying to throw off its rider. The Shadow lost focus, therefore the intended attack never made it to Souji as it was stopped in its tracks. Unfortunately, one of the bullets ricocheted back and grazed Dojima's right shoulder.

Souji almost panicked seeing his uncle hiss in pain and on his knees. "Uncle, are you alright?"

"It's just a small flesh wound. Don't worry about it," the older man grunted.

"I'll heal it for you, just – "

"Souji-kun, look out!" Minato shouted from somewhere behind him, causing Souji to snap back to attention and turned around.

The Hell Knight managed to control its horse once more and prepared another attack. Even though Shadows have no faces to show emotion, the roar it was letting out indicated that it was royally pissed at the person who shot it.

"Senpai, its gathering energy for a Power Charge!" Rise informed him, already summoning Kanzeon. "You need to guard yourself, and fast!"

The teen cursed softly, and furiously searched his Personae arsenal for a suitable one to block physical attacks. _'Got it!'_he thought, and smirked a little.

A glowing blue card materialized in his hand as he stood directly in front of his uncle. Dojima winced again, and before he could open his mouth to scold Souji, the boy had beaten him to it. "Don't worry, just stay down. I'll protect you for sure this time." He looked at his uncle, giving him a soft smile.

There was nothing Dojima could say to counter that.

After screaming out a battle cry, the Hell Knight reeled back its lance and charged once again.

Souji crushed the card in his palm. "Siegfried!"

A knight wearing ancient Germanic armor appeared before Souji, readying his sword and shield for a fight. Souji crossed his arms in a defensive manner, mentally ordering his Persona to defend. Siegfried lifted his shield just in time to block the lance, taking full brunt of the assault. Siegfried's shield was tough, but the charged attack was too strong. Souji gritted his teeth as he tried to stand his ground and protect his guardian.

The sound of shattering glass echoed behind him. "Skadi, Niflheim!"

The air around them turned cold as the Snowshoe Goddess appeared above Souji and Dojima. The Hell Knight and its horse were encased in a huge pillar of ice and became still.

Souji dismissed Siegfried as he collapsed on his knees, exhausted and out of breath. Minato and Yukiko rushed to his aid.

Meanwhile, the rest of the Persona users scattered on the flood plain, where they saw the entire river had turned into blood. They were pondering over the difficulty of battle as they didn't bring any armor or weapons. The area was too small for them all to fight at once.

"Fuuka, are you done scanning?" Akihiko asked the SEES analytic support, while adjusting some athletic tape wrapped around his knuckles.

"All I know that it's strong against physical attacks. I just need a little more time to find its weakness," Fuuka stated.

"Don't do anything rash, Akihiko," Mitsuru warned him. Despite her cold tone, she was worried for his safety knowing what a hothead he was.

"I can always use my Megidolaon, but that would cause too much damage to the surroundings," Naoto said, assessing the situation. "That would spell trouble for us if this place is torn apart beyond recognition."

"And we can't use any spells willy-nilly either," Yosuke said. "This Dark Hour is becoming a pain in the ass!"

The only ones who brought their weapons were Yukiko, Aigis and Naoto, because theirs were the easiest to conceal. Rise hadn't finished scanning yet, so going for the offense was to too risky.

Nanako however, was squirming in Minako and Teddie's hold. "Dad! Big Bro!" she yelled. Her eyes were filled with tears when she saw both her father and Big Bro on the ground and defenseless. She was worried and scared, and wanted to be by their side right now! With the strength that she didn't know she possessed, Nanako forcefully yanked herself out of their grasps and ran towards her family.

"Nanako-chan, wait…Come back!" Minako screamed, and chased after her. The little girl was fast!

"Nana-chan!" Teddie cried in dismay, trying to catch up.

Nanako was too distracted to listen. All she could think about was being with her father and all she wanted was for Souji to hug and comfort her. She didn't see nor hear the Ziodyne aimed for her, casted by another Hell Knight that suddenly appeared within the vicinity.

The others did, including Souji and Dojima but they were too far away to do anything about it.

"NANAKO!" Dojima and Souji screamed.

They could only stare helplessly as the thunder attack almost hit its target. But before it could do so, a figure appeared and shielded the little girl with its body. It was Teddie!

"Teddie?" Nanako cried.

The amount of pain Teddie felt from the direct Ziodyne spell was unbearable. Without his bear suit to block some of the damage, he let out an anguished ear-splitting scream and collapsed on the ground.

"TEDDIE!" his teammates screamed. The SEES members gasped in shock. Akihiko and Shinjiro wasted no time attacking the Hell Knight, just to divert its attention away from the others.

"Be on the lookout for more!" Mitsuru ordered the rest.

Souji forgot his pain and exhaustion and rushed to Teddie's side as his cousin ran into her father's embrace. He was followed by Minato, Yosuke and Yukiko.

The silverette fell on his knees beside Teddie, who was barely conscious. Worry and sadness were evident in his grey eyes as he looked into Teddie's blue ones. "Teddie… Why…why did you take that direct hit?" Souji asked him in a choked voice. His tears were threatening to spill out. "Everyone knows your Persona is weak to thunder…you could have died!"

"I know, Sensei…" Teddie said softly. "But I made a promise didn't I?" He coughed a bit before continuing. "Back then in the hospital, before Teddie disappeared…I promised you…and myself…that I would always protect Nana-chan." He looked like a mess; his clothes were charred beyond recognition and there were burn marks all over his fair skin.

"You idiot…" Yosuke whispered, "Think before jumping in, dumbass." He wasn't angry at Teddie, but worried about him. Memories of his times with Teddie flowed through his mind. Sure the bear could be a handful, but life was never boring with him around. His parents loved him so much they 'adopted' him, giving him the name of Kuma 'Teddie' Hanamura and enrolled him in Yasogami High, where he surprisingly scored well enough to be in the same year as Kanji, Rise and Naoto on the admissions exam. Needless to say, school life became quite interesting.

"It's okay, Teddie. Thanks for protecting her. You can rest now," Souji told the little blonde, but deep inside he could feel his anger rising. He got up and faced Yukiko. "Please heal him, and make sure he doesn't pass out." It wasn't a request, it was an order.

"I understand. I'll do everything I can," Yukiko answered. She summoned Amaterasu and began healing Teddie.

Minato also felt the same as Souji. Anyone who hurt his friends must be severely punished. The grip on his Evoker tightened.

Since the Ziodyne spell wasn't successful, the Hell Knight opted for a physical attack instead. It slipped past Shinjiro and Akihiko down the slope, and charged at the two Wild Cards. The other one which Minato trapped in the ice pillar had broken free, and charged as well.

Before both boys could do anything, a Persona that had a man's body and the head and wings of an eagle, appeared and casted Magarudyne on the two Hell Knights. The gust was so powerful that it tore the Shadows' bodies into tiny pieces, and soon dissolved in the air.

"What the…" Souji said, flabbergasted.

"Who…Garuda…how?" Minato stuttered. They looked at each other in confusion.

Footsteps were coming from behind them and they turned around to see who it was. Minako approached them while holding her naginata in one hand and gripped her Evoker in the other.

_ 'Oh right, I forgot there was another Wild Card here…'_Souji and Minato thought at the same time.

"Guys, I sense more Shadows heading our way," Rise said, loud enough for everyone to hear. "There are about three of them!"

And sure enough, three more Hell Knights appeared from the other side of the river, straight towards the Wild Cards.

"Bring it!" Minako hissed. Her crimson eyes were burning with pure fury as she swung her naginata around, ready for action. "Of all the places, of all the times…. They had to show up here and now? I've waited for so long to meet you guys, and it had to be ruined by Shadows! I'll make sure they all pay!"

The venom dripping from her voice caused Minato and Souji to shiver, and those within hearing distance shuddered.

"I finished scanning!" Fuuka's voice rang out. Everyone perked up and paid extra attention. "They reflect thunder, and are strong against physical attacks. And their weakness is wind!"

Without delay, Souji sprang into leader mode. "Kanji! I need you to guard Yukiko while she's healing Teddie."

Kanji was by his upperclassman's side in seconds. "But Senpai, you know I can kick their asses better than the next guy!" he protested.

"Don't argue with me, Kanji. Your Persona has immunity to thunder making you the logical choice to shield them. Besides, you haven't fully recovered from your head injury and I don't want you pushing yourself too much."

"Alright Senpai. I'm trusting you on this!" Kanji said. He grabbed a flat slate rock beside the riverbed and stood in front of Yukiko. At this point Yukari, Mitsuru, Ken and Aigis have joined her to heal Teddie's various wounds. Yosuke acted as a look out to make sure nothing would creep up on them.

The Hell Knights spotted their two targets, and made a beeline for them.

"NOT SO FAST!" Minako yelled, standing in their way. Her reflexes were remarkable as she dodged two consecutive Ziodyne spells. She placed her Evoker at her temple and pulled the trigger. "Norn, Panta Rhei!"

A marble white figure with three beautiful maidens holding a large clock appeared with a powerful gust of wind, even stronger than a Garudyne. One of the Shadows was hit and its remains dissipated in the air, just like the previous one.

"Don't think I'm not letting you off easy!" The murderous glint in her eyes had the other Persona users shaking in fear.

Souji and Minato sighed; at least her bipolar tendencies haven't changed as long as they had known her.

"Don't just stand there!" She barked at the two. "Help me out here!" It sounded more like a demand than a request.

Souji chuckled at her. "I kinda missed your bossiness, you know that?" Another tarot card materialized in his hands as it spun around slowly. "Aniki?"

"Whenever you two are ready," Minato said, grinning as he readied his Evoker.

"Norn…"

"Odin…"

"Norn…"

"PANTA RHEI!"

The three separate wind spells begin to merge, creating an extremely powerful tornado. The two Hell Knights didn't stand a chance as they were sucked into the swirling vortex. The tornado was spinning around violently, the wind and various pieces of shrapnel it picked up slicing them to shreds. It rose higher and higher from the ground and scattered the remains of the Shadows into the dark sky.

The trio stopped their attack and fell on their hands and knees, panting heavily.

"And that's that!" Junpei cheered. "Just remind me to never piss them off…"

Meanwhile, Ken casted a Mediarahan spell to cure any external injuries on Dojima and Nanako. Teddie seemed a little better, but he was still dazed.

"Umm...guys, you might want to get ready for another battle," Rise said nervously. She hadn't dismissed Kanzeon yet and was still scanning the area. "I sense a huge group of Shadows coming this way!"

"What? More!" Chie shouted.

Shinjiro and Kanji started swearing profanities while Koromaru growled loudly, baring his fangs.

"Start scanning for their weaknesses immediately!" Minato ordered, slightly out of breath. "If we let them escape into town they might cause a lot of damage."

"Aniki is right," Souji groaned, the battle taking its toll on him. "They're looking for us. Might as well give them what they want," he smirked.

Kanji seemed to perk up by his senpai's words and pumped a fist into the air. "You said it, Senpai."

Minako giggled weakly and mimicked Kanji. "Yeah!"

"Heads up!" Naoto warned, readying her revolver. She never goes anywhere without it. "It looks like they got here early."

Like Rise said, a huge group consisting about thirty Halberie-type Shadows started flocking them. Immediately they were overwhelmed.

"Dammit, when did Shadow groups get this huge?" Yosuke complained, blowing some away with Garudyne."We can't exactly fend them off without weapons!"

Two Shadows tried to sneak up on the group that was healing Teddie and looking after Dojima and Nanako. Luckily, Koromaru was paying attention and howled upon spotting them. He summoned Cerberus and roasted them with Maragidyne.

"Atta boy, Koromaru!" Ken praised him before he summoned Kala-Nemi to attack the Halberies.

"Well, that's two down and twenty eight to go… Stay still, will ya?" Akihiko said, trying to punch another one with little success.

Minako drew her Evoker once more. "Okay, Eurydice, time to show why you're the Mistress of Melodies!" she said before pulling the trigger.

A figure similar to Minato's Orpheus appeared above her but she sported long brown hair, a golden torso instead of the platinum one Orpheus adorned, and the lyre she carried as a weapon was heart-shaped in structure.

"That Persona… Looks just like Minato-kun's!" Yukari was bewildered and so were the remaining members of SEES.

"The missing piece of the puzzle…" Minato grinned while summoning Orpheus.

"Like there was any doubt by now, Aniki," Souji smirked as he summoned Izanagi.

"Ready? Swift Strike!"

"Assault Dive!"

"Cleave!"

The trio of Persona lunged for the Shadows and attacked. Eurydice's attack hit three while Orpheus and Izanagi's finished two more off.

Aigis shot the other Shadows, but they kept dodging. "Elusive targets…"

"Ngh… They're quite tenacious as well," Naoto grumbled as she also missed her shots.

"They have a very high evasion rate," Rise informed. "They don't have any weakness, but no specific resistance either."

"That'll make the battle more difficult…" Metis said, trying to strike another one without much luck.

"Stay down, ya little bastard!" Shinjiro grew frustrated as he couldn't hit a single Shadow, and so were the others.

"Relax, I've got what we need right here," Minako said with a cocky little grin.

Minato raised an eyebrow. "What do you thinking?"

"Hit them with an Almighty spell," Minako said. "Not as strong as Megidolaon, but I think it'll take care of those loudmouths just fine without damaging the area."

Souji smirked."I like where this is going. If we focus our power to summon a single Persona rather than as separate entities, even a minor spell can still do significant damage."

"Very well, count me in!" Minato said before turning to the others. "All of you, stand back, we're taking them down with a single shot!"

The rest of the Persona users stopped what they were doing. At first they were confused at why their leaders were telling them to back off, but when they heard 'a single shot,' they understood immediately and ran away as far as they could without losing sight of the trio. Shinjiro and Akihiko helped Dojima move while Yosuke carried Teddie on his back and Ken led Nanako out of harm's way.

Standing in a circle facing each other, Minato, Souji and Minako closed their eyes and started to focus. Slowly they released their spiritual energy and began to focus on one Persona in their psyche. They then began to merge their energies as the twins readied their Evokers while a tarot card formed in Souji's hand.

"Alice…" they whispered in unison. Minako and Minato pulled the trigger while Souji crushed his card.

The rest of the team watched in awe as the usual eerie, bluish smoke appearing at their leaders' feet began to merge. A creepy childish giggle reached their ears and they shivered as a Persona, taking the form of a pale little English girl with blonde hair wearing a blue dress, appeared in the center of the trio; the child demon, Alice.

The Hableries were frantically surrounding them, attracted by their spiritual energy. They got closer and closer when…

"MEGIDOLA!"

The blonde little girl spun around cutely and pointed a finger to the sky. A huge orb of purple energy appeared above the Shadows. It exploded suddenly and sent out a shockwave, decimating them in an instant. The sudden burst of energy almost knocked the group off their feet.

The trio stood still as if waiting for more enemies to come. As sudden as it came, the Dark Hour ended. They were safe…for now.

At the same time, the Wild Cards sighed heavily and slumped to the ground, out of breath.

"Okay… remind me… not to try that again… anytime soon…" Minako panted.

"I'll… keep note… of that…" Minato wheezed.

"No… kidding…" Souji added.

The trio exchanged looks and burst into laughter. They were truly relieved at the battle was over and the others were safe.

Slowly their friends approached them. "That was wicked, Senpai!" Kanji exclaimed in awe. "You guys okay?"

"Yeah… Just out of breath…" Souji smiled as Yukiko and Kanji helped him up. "Everybody okay?"

"No problem-o!" Junpei grinned as him and Yukari helped Minato up while Shinjiro and Metis helped Minako stand. "Quite a show you guys put out, huh?"

"Yeah, well don't expect an encore anytime soon, Junpei-kun…" Minako giggled. "That can really take a lot out of you."

"You can say that again," Minato said.

"That can really take…"

"Not literally, silly." Minato shushed her by placing two fingers on her lips.

Minako stuck out her tongue at him before they both started laughing again. It was an unusual sight for the SEES members, seeing their leader so happy.

Souji could only smile at the other two Wild Cards before he shifted his gaze to his left. Yosuke had put Teddie down once the danger was over and went to check on him. He truly looked at lot better after being healed multiple times.

Nanako and Dojima also approached him. Teddie smiled at her. "Are you okay, Nana-chan?"

Nanako just smiled and hugged Teddie tightly. "Teddie…" She looked like she was about to cry.

Teddie just smiled and hugged her back. Dojima smiled weakly at them. "Thanks for looking out for her, Teddie."

The blonde nodded with a small smile when he felt a hand patting his head. He looked up. "Sensei?"

"You were really brave, Teddie. I'm so proud of you." Souji smiled warmly at him.

Teddie could only blush at being praised by his sensei. "I feel all fuzzy inside. Like I had eaten ten topsicles…"

"Well, at least we know he's gonna be okay." Yosuke rolled his eyes, amused. "He's already talking about food."

The rest of the Investigation Team could only laugh at that.

Without warning, Nanako let go of Teddie and hugged Souji. "Big Bro!" There was a mix of relief and happiness in her voice.

"There, there… Nanako. It's okay." Souji hugged her tightly, truly relieved she was safe and sound.

"The monsters are gone. They'll never bother you again, Nanako-chan," Minako said with a soft smile.

"That's right. And if they do come back, we'll teach them a lesson," Minato added, giving her a cheeky grin.

Nanako beamed. "Okay!"

Dojima looked at the trio and their friends. "Souji…" he started, using his interrogative tone again.

Souji looked at the other Persona users, who nodded in understanding. He then motioned for all of them to sit down on the grassy field and took a deep breath in preparation for the interrogation that was waiting for him by Dojima.

"Tell me what's going on. Now!"

"Those things? They're not normal; you could see that. They're called Shadows, beasts that arose from human emotions that came from the Other World that is affecting ours." Souji looked at Dojima directly in the eyes, daring his uncle to contradict him. "I know you had suspicions last year, that my friends and I were somehow connected with the serial murders. Well, you were right."

Souji stopped for a bit and took a deep breath. "What I told you last year, about being able to go inside the TV was real, the truth, and that's where the killings were taking place. Adachi shoved the first two victims into the TV himself, and convinced Namatame that he would be saving them if Namatame pushed them in, his first 'rescue' being Yukiko. It's entirely convoluted, and full of manipulation on Adachi's part, but right after the reporter's death, I found out that I had the power to enter the world inside the TV."

Dojima shook his head in denial. "That makes no sense. That's... that's impossible."

"The TV was only a portal, a connection made by Izanami, and the world inside is the representation of people's hearts. We traveled there to rescue all the victims, fighting for our lives to protect those around us, to protect our friends. Yukiko, Kanji, Rise, Naoto and Nanako would all be dead if Yosuke, Chie and I hadn't found the way inside the TV, met Teddie and discovered the means to fight the monsters that were there, which were killing the victims," Souji spoke calmly, legs crossed and hands on his knees. Dojima could not hear a word of a lie in anything his nephew was saying.

"But if those 'Shadows' are from that other world, then how did they..?"

"That's because of the phenomena known as the Dark Hour." It was Minato's turn to explain. "During the Dark Hour, the outside world is totally altered, mostly with respect to atmosphere and color. The buildings, the night sky, as well as the moon would assume a sickly green color, while bodies of water turn crimson. Puddles akin to blood pools will form in random surfaces as well, and all electrical appliances will cease to function. Normal humans will transmogrify into coffins and become oblivious to what is happening."

Minako continued. "Shadows become active during the Dark Hour and will attempt to lure humans out of their coffins in order to feed on their psyches, giving them a condition called Apathy Syndrome. Those affected with the syndrome suffer from debilitating levels of apathy. When it strikes, the inflicted will collapse in a heap wherever they happen to be and become unable to move, feed, or care for themselves. If an ordinary human survives the Dark Hour without being attacked by a Shadow, their memories would be erased instead. Of course there cases of humans that can remain awake during the Dark Hour without having the power we do."

"Only those with the potential to invoke a Persona are able to stay fully active during the Dark Hour and resist Shadow attacks," Souji added. "We who have the power to call forth our Personas, are the only ones who can destroy Shadows."

"Persona? Those creatures you summoned?" Dojima asked. "What are they?"

"You might say that a Persona is our alter ego or our inner self," his nephew answered. "I mentioned that the world inside the TV was the manifestation of what is inside the hearts and minds of people. We were to release our Personas for the first time in that world, so our Personas reflect a part of us deep inside our hearts." He then motioned to Minato, Minako and himself. "The three of us have a unique ability known as Wild Card. We can summon and carry multiple Personae and switch them in battle."

Silence.

Dojima closed his eyes in deep thought, soaking what Souji and his friends had just told him. Feeling that the information was too much, he let out a frustrated sigh and rubbed his temples. "So… what happens now, Souji?"

"Now? Nothing's changed. I will still fight, just like I always have since coming here, and I will get to the bottom of what's affecting the balance of our world and the other, with the help of my friends and the Personas we wield," Souji said with determination. "Now that your eyes have been opened to the truth, you can help us, on the public side of things. Since your wounds are healed, you can go take Nanako to her friend's house and go back to your job like always, or you can deny everything I've just said, and have me committed, because it does sound insane, and you'll doom us all."

Dojima glared darkly at his nephew. "Great endorsement of the faith you have in me, Souji. Thanks."

"Sure thing," he said, grinning at his uncle impudently. It disappeared a second later, replaced by a frown. "But seriously, I don't want you or Nanako to be involved in this so..."

Dojima stood up. "I won't get in your way, since you and your friends are the only ones that can do anything about this nonsense. But I want you to promise me one thing…" he said with a stern face. "Take care of yourself ok?"

Souji nodded and stood up. "Of course, Uncle. I promise."

Dojima looked at Nanako. "Let's go. I'm gonna be late for work."

Nanako, who was listening to the entire story, nodded. "Big Bro, I'll see you later?"

"Of course, Nanako," Souji said with a gentle smile before hugging her. "I'll see you at home. I promise I'll make ya something delicious for dinner, so no take-out today, okay?"

"Yay!" Nanako squealed. She hugged both Minato and Minako. "Bye, Aniki! Bye, Aneki! Let's play together next time!"

"Sure, Nanako-chan!" Minato and Minako said in unison. "See ya soon!"

Nanako bid the other Persona users farewell and after some more hugs and good-byes, both father and daughter left.

Minako smiled happily. "That ended well."

Shinjiro glanced at Minako with his arms crossed. "You don't plan to run away again, do you?"

She shook her head. "Nah. I'm done running away." She stood next to Shinjiro, smiling at him. "There's no more need for that."

Shinjiro, despite himself, returned the smile. "Is that so?"

"Yep!" Minako then turned to Souji and Minato. "Oh I almost forgot one thing." Without warning, she hugged both teens like she had done at the station. This time however, Minato and Souji returned the embrace, smiling so wide that their eyes closed.

The group was surprised, but for some reason, Yukari, Yukiko and Shinjiro didn't feel jealous at all. However, the same couldn't be said about Rise. "Wait a minute!" she pouted. "Just what is your relationship with Senpai?"

Minako looked at Rise with a sheepish smile and then at the other two Wild Cards. "Should I tell them or do you tell them?" she asked. "I mean, I have no problems explaining everything, but I think the shock could be a little too much."

"I think it'd be better if Aniki started," Souji replied. "Then we take turns explaining."

"I don't mind doing that." Minato took a deep breath. "Guys, this here is Minako Arisato… my twin sister."

The silence that followed Minato's sentence could only top the silence that was brought when the older group found out about his return. Soon after, pandemonium broke loose.

"WHAT?" everybody yelled.

"I'm Minako Arisato, Minato-kun's younger twin and Souji-kun's surrogate big sister," the girl giggled while bowing.

"Ya gotta be kidding me!" Junpei's jaw dropped. "You have a sister?"

"That explains everything…" Aigis suddenly said. "The strange feeling I got when meeting you… How Metis acknowledged you as someone important to me… You… you were that other child…"

"Other child?" Mitsuru questioned.

"A memory of mine only Aigis knew about," Minato said. "When she sealed Death, she did it on two children that had survived a nearby car crash. However…" His expression grew darker. "One of the children passed away due to the wounds inflicted by the accident shortly after that."

The group exchanged shocked glances. "P-Passed away?" Chie gasped. "S-So…"

"I'm not a ghost, Chie-chan, so no need to freak out," Minako said, sweatdropping. "Let me put it this way; have you guys ever heard about a theory that world-altering events could lead to the creation of alternate realities?"

The group nodded. "When the Dark hour was created, our reality was split into two with similar sequences of events," Minato continued. "The only difference during that night was that in one reality Minako was the one that passed away while in the other it was me who died."

"From that point on, the chain of events happened equally for both realities," Souji picked up from where Minato had left off. "From both Aniki and Aneki joining SEES to the formation of the Great Seal. The only significant change that happened was regarding Shinjiro-san."

"You talking about Minako finding my pocket watch and it deflected the shot that otherwise would have sent me to the grave?" Shinjiro asked incredulously, looking at Minako who was slowly turning red.

"Well, yeah, but there's more to it." Minato noticed that his twin was blushing. "You created a really solid bond with my sister in that reality. A bond that literally saved your life."

"Are you talking about Castor?" Shinjiro asked a bit surprised.

"Yes, you probably felt that, didn't you, Senpai? By bonding with Minako, Castor's violent tendencies were greatly reduced during our battles in Tartarus. You see, Personas thrive on emotional bonds with others. The reason yours often went out of control back then was because you cut off all emotional ties with people after the accident with Ken's mom and secluded yourself. Have you noticed that you didn't need to depend on those suppressants as much as before whenever you're around her? And the time you spent in the hospital during your recuperation helped you detox, so you no longer need that junk."

Shinjiro could only nod at that.

"Wait, wait, so you're saying Mina-tan was really Shinjiro-senpai's girlfriend?" Junpei blurted out.

Everybody looked at Junpei and then at Minako and Shinjiro. Both were blushing like mad.

Minato sweatdropped. "Yes, Junpei, that's one way to put things…"

Both Shinjiro and Minako glared at Junpei, who gulped.

"Well, that explains how Shinji came back, but still doesn't explain why the two of you are alive in the same reality," Akihiko inquired.

"Let's say we have Souji-kun and his friends to thank for that," Minako said.

"Huh? Us? How did we do that?" Yosuke questioned.

"You beat Izanami and with that you lifted the fog of deceit from mankind's heart," Minato explained. "With the elimination of the Fog, humanity is no longer blinded by its own lies and illusions, including the illusion that death equals salvation. Therefore, part of the power that kept Erebus strong was gone and the need for a Seal to contain him lessened."

"With the end of the Dark Hour and the Fog lifted, the two realities could finally merge together," Souji continued. "That means that the seals created by both Aniki and Aneki were fused into a single Great Seal."

"And with that it needed only half of mine and Aniki's souls. That's what released us and brought us back to life and Metis awakened as well but … something went wrong. Something from that side of Erebus leaked from the Seal."

"And that's what caused the Dark Hour to appear at random times," Mitsuru concluded.

"And the fog to cover the other side," Naoto added.

"Yes…" Minako frowned. "But, I don't know what it is and neither does Theo-kun…"

"Theo?" Ken asked.

"The Velvet Room resident called Theodore," Aigis explained. "Like Elizabeth-san helped Minato-san with his Journey, Theodore-san helped Minako-san with hers."

"That's right. He and his sisters found me and Metis after I was released and took us to the Velvet Room," said Minako. "Metis was unconscious so that's the reason she didn't see me or knew who I was. They'd probably have done the same with Aniki and Shinjiro-senpai if Souji-kun hadn't run into them and the Shadows hadn't attacked them. They told me what they knew about the new threat and so I set out to find you guys."

"That explains all but one thing," Yukari said. "Why didn't we remember you from the start, Minako-chan?"

"Side effect from the reality merging process, I think." Minako shrugged. "My memories also changed a bit. Instead of only remembering things from when only I was alive, I also remembered things as if Aniki was also alive and we faced everything together. I think past events changed because of that as well."

"Maybe...maybe that's how things are supposed be," Shinjiro said.

Everybody looked at Shinjiro and smiled. "Definitely! Things are much better now that both Minako-chan and Minato-kun are with us," Fuuka said.

"You guys have no idea how much I wanted to be with you all!" Minako looked like she was about to burst into tears.

"There now, Sis. We're together now…at long last." Minato hugged her with Souji doing the same.

Yukari was the first to wrap Minako in a warm embrace after her brothers, followed by Fuuka, Mitsuru, Aigis and Metis. Koromaru rubbed his head against her leg. The guys exchanged glances and nodded. Junpei went first, followed by Ken, Akihiko and last but not least, Shinjiro.

The Investigation Team smiled at the warm reunion. They heard Minako calling them. "Hey, you guys are part of the team too! Join us!"

"Huh? A-Are you sure?" Yukiko asked.

Minako giggled. "Oh come on, Yukiko-chan, don't tell me you don't remember me from the Gekkoukan High tennis team? We came for the fellowship with your school three years ago. I admit you changed quite a bit from when I last saw you, but I must say, long hair sure looks good on you. Souji-kun really found a nice girl for him."

Yukiko and Souji blushed. "Aneki!" Souji protested.

"Aw, ya know it's true, Souji-kun. Just like Aniki and Yukari-chan," Minako said with a mischievous grin. "I'm glad my brother is in love with my best friend. They were meant for each other."

"Minako!" Minato and Yukari shouted embarrassed as they broke up the group hug.

"Snrk…. Hahaha… Hahahaha!" Yukiko burst into laughing, earning odd looks from the older group.

"Here we go again…" Chie rolled her eyes. "I'm surprised how Yukiko hadn't had a laughing fit in a while."

"Well, now that things have settled down, a little laughter is not bad." Yosuke smiled. "So partner, what's the plan now?"

"We get some rest and recover. We'll meet tomorrow for some training on the other side," Souji said.

"Now that our team is complete we've got to find out who or what is behind the Dark Hour and the Fog." Minato said.

"And stop them for good!" Minako added. "You guys with us?"

"Yeah!"

As the group discussed the situation, Minako and Shinjiro exchanged glances. With silent nods, they walked away, Minako holding Shinjiro's arm.

"Hey, where are Minako-san and Shinjiro-san?" Ken suddenly asked, noticing that the two were gone. "They were here just a minute ago."

They looked around. "Oh, don't worry about them, Ken-kun. Those two probably went to a place where they could talk alone." Yukari replied winking at Minato, Yukiko and Souji. "I think they have a lot to talk about."

Minato chuckled silently while Souji and Yukiko simply smiled.

* * *

><p>Shinjiro led Minako to the Tatsuhime Shrine.<p>

"Gotta love shrines… they bring a feeling of peace to you," Minako said as they stood by the offertory box.

"True…" Shinjiro glanced at Minako, unsure of what to do next.

"Um… Senpai?" Minako suddenly looked shy. Her cheeks were pink. "C-Can I…?"

Shinjiro smiled at her, understanding what she was trying to say. "C'mere…" He pulled Minako into a warm embrace.

Minako smiled into Shinjiro's coat, returning the hug. "This is even better than a dream…" she whispered, about to cry. "It's real…"

"Come on, don't cry…"

"I'm sorry… I know I promised I wouldn't…" Minako said, gripping tighter as if afraid to lose him again. "But I'm so happy… You're here… with me… I missed you a lot…"

"I… I missed you too…" Shinjiro held her gently. "I can't believe I forgot all about you… again! But in my dreams… all I saw was you. Your laughter, your tears, your kindness… Your smile… You were all I had in my mind…"

"Senpai…" Minako smiled before kissing him on the cheek. "I love you…"

"Minako..." Shinjiro looked at her ruby red eyes. "Dammit, I can't hold back anymore… I… I love you too…" He cupped Minako's warm face and kissed her passionately. She was caught off guard, but readily kissed him back. They conveyed all their pent up feelings for each other through the kiss, not holding anything back.

After a while, they broke off the kiss for air. "Senpai… Will… will you stay with me… with Aniki, Akihiko, Ken… all of us?" Minako asked him.

"I ain't letting go of you ever again." Shinjiro looked deeply into her eyes. "I'm not gonna lose you again. We'll fight together, along with the others."

Minako could only smile as she rested her head on Shinjiro's chest, feeling content. "Thank you… Senpai…"

Shinjiro could only smile as he cuddled Minako, his only love, in his arms. For the first time in ages, he felt truly at peace. _'Now I have a reason to live. Aki… Ken… Souji… Minato and Minako… the others... We'll fight together and I'm gonna protect them. No way in hell I'm gonna screw up again!'_

Suddenly, Shinjiro felt a rush of energy running through his body. Castor appeared above him and started to glow brightly. He stared wide eyed as his Persona transformed from a metallic horse and its rider into a giant winged horse with glittering wings, silver-white fur, a brown mane, wearing red and black armor pieces protecting its body and wings.

"Pegasus…" Shinjiro whispered. The figure vanished as sudden as it appeared.

Minako smiled. "Your new resolve awakened a new Persona. Congrats, Senpai!"

"Heh, so I got a bit stronger." Shinjiro smirked a bit as he stared back at his girlfriend.

Minako simply hugged him again, smiling warmly.

At the temple entrance, Minato and Souji smiled at the scene before them. They had sensed the change in Shinjiro's Persona and went to check on him and their sister.

"I'm happy for Aneki and Shinjiro-san," Souji said.

"Me too. He's helped her. Probably much more than she's helped him," Minato said. "I haven't seen her this open, or smile that bright since the night before... before our parents died."

Souji noticed that Minato had said the last part more quietly, so he put a hand on his shoulder as a comforting gesture.

"Well, he probably should know what he will be facing if he ever hurt her, so I'll keep it quiet for now," the older of the two chuckled with mirth. "C'mon, Banchou-kun. Yukari and Yukiko are waiting for us. I don't think those two are coming back to the inn anytime soon."

Souji nodded and the two left their sister and her boyfriend to enjoy each other's company.

* * *

><p><em>The next day…<br>_  
>Before they met up with their friends, Souji led Minato and Minako to the hill overlooking the town of Inaba at their request. It was one of his favorite places, and perfect for them to have some time to talk in private.<p>

It was a nice day out, too. All of the pressures they felt; their worries and fears just seemed to melt away under the warm heat of the sun, drifting along the gentle summer breeze passing by.

Souji sighed, a little wistfully, a contented smile gracing his lips, and he felt better than he had in a while. But even with his current good mood, he knew it couldn't last forever. But that wasn't going to stop him and his siblings from enjoying it while it lasted.

At the top of the large hill, Minato was leaning against the fence with his arms folded across his chest, eyes closed as he listened to his music. His foot was tapping to the unheard beat while Minako sat on a nearby bench also listening to her music, humming a soft yet upbeat melody.

Souji smiled. His older siblings had always loved music and he was glad that hadn't changed. He wondered if they played any instruments so they could form a band.

Minako suddenly turned her MP3 off and stood up. "Wow, the view is great!" she said looking at the scenery. "You can see the entire town from here."

"It's so quiet and secluded, too." Minato said taking his headphones off. "I can see why you like this place, Banchou-kun."

"I came here lots of times, either with my friends or to work at the daycare." Souji smiled at the memories. "Inaba has lots of peaceful places, but this is definitely one of my favorites."

"Speaking of friends, tell us more about Yukiko-chan and your friends, Banchou-kun." Minako smiled. "They all seem like wonderful people."

"Fine, but only if you guys tell me more about Yukari-san, Shinjiro-san and your other friends, too," Souji replied with a smirk. "I can sense they all mean a lot to you."

"Heh, fair enough." Minato grinned while Minako giggled. "Now, where do we start…?"

They first talked about their fellow members from SEES and the Investigation Team, and then proceed to talk a little about many, inconsequential things for a while, enjoying the other's company and the scenery around them.

They were so absorbed with each other that they failed to notice someone else making their way up to where the three teens were.

"Minato-san! Minako-san!" The group heard Aigis and Metis approaching them.

"Oh, hey Aigis, Metis," Minako greeted. "Are you two enjoying exploring Inaba together?"

"Yes!" Metis said with a huge smile. "Everything is so different from Port Island."

"Everything we see here is a truly invigorating experience for me and my sister," Aigis added. "I must thank you Souji-san for suggesting several places for us to explore."

"Don't mention it Aigis-san." Souji smiled. "You guys should check this hill when the daycare is on. You'll find it really amusing."

"Daycare? Nanako-chan said it's when parents bring their children for caretakers to look after them while they're occupied with other activities, right?" Metis said. "Sounds really interesting. Can we do that, Sister?"

"I don't see why not." Aigis smiled. "Children are always nice to watch."

"Right! Thanks, Souji-san!" Metis said with a smile when she recalled something. "Oh, I found this while my sister and I were exploring. Teddie-san once said you really liked these so we thought you should have it."

Souji took the small item Metis handed him. It was a paper crane made from light blue paper and white butterflies printed on it. "Wow…this is really well made." Souji smiled. He truly loved making paper cranes and origami because they always made nice gifts, but receiving one as a gift, felt truly nice. "Thanks, both of you. I really appreciate this."

Aigis and Metis smiled warmly at him. Souji could feel a bond forming with both sisters as a strange card flashed in his mind; it was a bird holding a staff as if it was a herald to something. A familiar voice rang out.

_Thou art I… And I am thou…  
>Thou hast established a new bond…<br>It brings thee closer to the truth…  
>Thou shalt be blessed when creating Personas of the Aeon Arcana…<em>

Souji was surprised by that. After his time in Inaba, he started reading about Tarot cards and its arcanas, but he hadn't been able to find any info regarding the Aeon before. He looked at his two older siblings who simply smiled, understanding his confusion.

"It's time to go," Aigis said, snapping Souji out of his thoughts. "The others are expecting us."

"You two go ahead and tell them we'll meet them at Junes," Minato said. "We'll be there shortly."

The android sisters nodded and left.

"Aeon Arcana…" Souji said out loud, after those two were gone. "Aniki, what do you know about that arcana?"

"The Aeon is the trump of time and the changes dictated by the times. It addresses finality and destruction as well as liberation, hope and redemption. The Aeon demands honesty and sincerity. Facing The Aeon uncovers lies and corruption," he explained. "It's a rare type of arcana, only found in some Tarot decks replacing the Judgement."

"Who would've thought Mr. Edogawa's classes on the Kabala would come in handy," Minako chuckled. "That arcana sure fits Aigis and Metis, huh?"

"True. To find oneself… To understand oneself… The true understanding of the circle of life, of growing and fading…" said Souji. "Aigis-san learned about that and now is helping Metis-san understand that while she herself goes through new experiences…"

As Souji reflected on that, he remembered someone; a girl with fair skin, black hair reaching the end of her nape and strong, gray eyes. Her face was slightly made-up with eye-shadow and pink lipstick. Her outfit was sleeveless white shirt, a short black necktie with various safety pins and a checkered skirt along with a black belt and a fancy, golden buckle which resembled a heart with wings. Additionally, she wore black-striped red protective sleeves and black-striped white stockings, dark gray heeled boots (checkered as well), a special designed collar with a lock-styled pendant and carrying a deep blue bag, adorned with golden designs, matching her deep blue officer's cap with a golden button, a V gravure engraved on it. _'Marie… Now I finally understand her Social Link's Arcana… It truly fits her…'_ His smile disappeared when he realized something. _'What became of her? She wasn't at the Velvet Room when we came to visit. Maybe… maybe she found her answer and left that place like Elizabeth and Theodore did to find Aniki and Aneki. I hope I'll get to see her again someday.'_

Minako looked at Souji curiously. "Watcha thinking about, Banchou-kun?"

"Oh, just a friend of mine. Her name is Marie. She used to hang out at the Velvet Room with Margaret and sometimes would ask me to show her some places in Inaba and Okina," he explained. "I just found it odd that she wasn't there anymore…"

"I'm sure you'll meet her again soon," Minato reassured him. "Your bond with her will certainly bring you together one day."

"You think so?"

"Of course! Like we met up with our school friends, you'll certainly find Marie-chan again. It's a small world after all so ya never know what life has in store for you." Minako patted his back earning a smile from Souji.

"Yup. Life is a never ending cycle so we all learn something every day," Minato concluded. "Well, shall we go?"

Minako and Souji smiled and nodded. Each one of them took Minato's hands, about to leave together.

Something flashed in their minds. It was a card but this was different from any card they have seen. On it was as a young hermaphrodite figure surrounded by what looked like an angel, a bull, an eagle, and a lion. The familiar voice echoed in their heads.

_Thou art I… And I am thou…  
>Thou hast established a new bond…<br>Thou shalt be blessed when creating Personas of the World Arcana…_

They exchanged glances and smiled. "The World Arcana…" Souji said. "The Arcana that is a representation of the world, the totality of it, a symbol of fulfillment, wholeness, harmony…"

"Guess we now have established the 'Wild Card Social Link','" Minako giggled.

"True." Minato chuckled before turning serious. "But that also means it's time for us to visit Igor and the Velvet Room. We need more information."

They agreed and walked away. Little did they know that a shady figure was there, hiding, watching their every move.

"So…there are three little Fools now?" An evil smile. "Very well, soon enough they'll learn they can't stop the end of the world."

With an evil snicker, it vanished into the shadows.

* * *

><p><em>Hehe, that was fun, wasn't it? X3<em>

_Well, time for some explanations:_

_1 – Minako's inicial persona is called Eurydice instead of Orpheus to tell it apart from Minato's and because I felt it was more fitting for her. Also, her title 'Mistress of Melodies' is a nod to how the Eurydice from Mythology was the inspiring muse of Orpheus as he dedicated several of his melodies to her directly or not._

_2 – Shinjiro's new persona, Pegasus, was not created by me, but by a fellow persona fan and fanfiction writer, LadyStarwing, who kindly allowed me to use it in my story. I highly recommend you to look at her page on both and Deviantart for her amazing artwork and her incredible stories._

_3- Yes, Marie will appear in this fic. It'll take a while for her to reveal herself since I'm waiting for P4 the Golden to be released to gather for more info about her, but in the meanwhile she'll be mentioned here and there. Be on the lookout for surprises. :3_

_If you guys have any other questions, feel free to ask =3 Next chapter will be packed with suspense! _

_Don't forget to __Read, Review and Enjoy!_


	7. Chapter 7: Return of the Fool  Part one

_Howdy, y'all! Doing well? Me? I'm doing great. Busy as heck at college, but I'm managing to get some writing done. Make sure to read and review. Your opinion is really important. _

_A few warnings: (Yes, I put those before every chapter to avoid issues)_

_-There will be spoilers for all games! You've been warned.  
>-The Main characters from each game in this fanfic are called Minato Arisato (P3:FES), Minako Arisato (P3P) and Souji Seta (P4)<br>-There'll be some cursing. (Anyone that played any persona games knows that some characters on it curse quite a bit.) as well as some heavy subjects.  
>-Main Pairings in this fanfic: MinatoxYukari, ShinjiroxMinako, SoujixYukiko, KanjixNaoto, AkihikoxMitsuru, YosukexChie.<br>-Hinted Pairings(in later chapters): JunpeixChidori. (Hinted because Chidori doesn't appear much on this story) KenxNanako (Ya know those little girl's crushes on older boys? It'll be along those lines) FuukaxKeisuke (Other than Minato and Junpei, Fuuka only displayed some sort of close relationship with Keisuke the club president. I found it kinda cute.) TeddiexRise (Just for giggles. They are after all the two hyperactive cuties of the team X3)_

_Have fun ya guys. On with the show!_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 7: Return of the Fool - Part one<strong>

_**The Velvet Room…**_**  
><strong>  
>"Welcome back, my children." Igor greeted. His smile seemed bigger than usual today. The Velvet siblings seemed to be in a good mood as well. "I see you've progressed a lot on your quest since our last meeting."<p>

"Indeed, Igor." Minato said. "But now we request your advice again."

"Of course, I am always willing to assist my guests." Igor said, the creepy grin never vanishing from his face. With a motion of his hand, a set of tarot cards appeared before the trio. Two cards separated from the deck and placed on the table. "Shall I read your fortune?"

The Wild Cards nodded.

"Let's see…" With a wave of Igor's hand the first card flipped. "The imminent future is represented by the Devil in the upright position… It means you must to look beyond superficial appearances and to go deeper into the truth and meaning of a situation… Remember that when you're feeling restrained you nearly always hold the keys to your own freedom."

The trio nodded, understanding. Igor waved his hand again and another tarot card flipped. "Ah, the future beyond that is indicated the card of The Hanged Man in the upright position. This card represents 'self-sacrifice' and 'paradoxes.' Very interesting indeed…" He continued. "It seems that the three of you will reach a crossroad, meaning that choices must be made as well as sacrifices… Look at things in a new and different way... Perhaps there you can find your answer."

They remained silent to soak in what Igor had said. The long nose man waved his hand one final time and the cards vanished. "That is all I can tell you for now," he said. "The rest, my children, is up to you."

"Gotta make do with what we've got…" Minako said. "But there's something else we'd like to ask. About the World Arcana."

"As you already know, the bonds you create with others are what shape your world," Margaret started. "Through the bonds with others, the World Arcana channels its powers to your initial Personas and awaken their true power."

"Their true power… As in Orpheus Telos?"

"And Eurydice Telos…"

"And Izanagi-no-Okami…"

"Correct. While that power can be only used by a Wild Card on a decisive situation, by forging a Social Link of the World Arcana, the three of you can recreate it," Theodore elaborated.

"As vast as The World is the power you three wield. The possibilities your power as The Fool brings are infinite," Elizabeth added. "You shall be able to unlock new Personas and attain even greater power should you strengthen the bond you share with each other."

The twins and Souji exchanged glances and smiled. The bond they shared when they were kids is still strong as ever, but they knew that there's always room for improvement. After all they spent over ten years away from each other and, while some things never change, there were some that did and they could learn together.

"Now my children, time marches on in your world. As soon as we come across any valuable information, we'll inform you," Igor said. "Feel free to use my Persona Fusion services and talk with my assistants to check your Compendiums."

They did so. They updated some Personas and talked a few trivialities with the assistant siblings before they left the Velvet Room to meet with their friends at Junes.

* * *

><p>"Are you sure you want to go dungeon crawling in <em>there<em>?" Rise asked the group, a look of disgust on her face. That particular dungeon wasn't one of her favorites, as it brought back memories of a sadistic and psychotic teenager.

The SEES members looked at her quizzically. Since everyone was free that day, Minato had suggested that they all go for a training run in the TV World. Of course, Akihiko was the only one who got pumped at the word 'training'. The others agreed since they needed to be prepared and in shape for the next Dark Hour.

"Why not?" Yukari inquired.

"That place is like Tartarus, right?" Junpei added, grinning widely. "It's just a Shadow nest. Nothing we can't handle without you and Fuuka as outside support." His teammates nodded at that.

"Oh, quit whining Rise- chan. We need a place to train where the Shadows are strong, but not too strong so that they'll overwhelm us," Chie scolded, hands on her hips. "And 'his' dungeon happens to be just that."

"We haven't had to use our powers for the past three years, and if I'm not mistaken almost a year for your team. With that much time in between, our skills are bound to get rusty," Mitsuru said. The grip on her fencing rapier tightened, as if reminding herself that her skills were still as sharp as before. "We just got lucky the previous two times."

Rise looked at her feet, somewhat uncomfortable. Of course, the Investigation Team never told the others about their embarrassing revelations when they had to face their True Shadows and so far the SEES members never had a chance to step into their not-so-respective dungeons.

"I'm sorry about this, Rise. But Chie and Mitsuru-san are right. We have to train," Souji said calmly, patting the underclassman's back. "Besides, that is the only place that wasn't made by any of us. It's sort of like neutral territory." Rise finally calmed down at that piece of logic, but her frown remained slightly.

"You said something about a copy-cat murderer in your story. We will be going to a place created by him?" Metis asked.

"Yeah, that's him alright. But I have to warn you, your eyes will be sore by the time we're done," Yosuke supplied, chuckling. "I couldn't even look at a computer screen or play video games for a month after we caught him."

SEES just looked at each other in confusion, wondering what Yosuke meant by that.

"Oh, before I forget," Teddie spoke up. He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a pair of glasses with metallic red rims. "These are for you, Mina-chan!"

Minako thanked Teddie and put her glasses on. "Wow, this is so cool! It's like the fog doesn't even exist!" she exclaimed. "Now that I can see, fighting will be a lot easier. What are you guys waiting for? Let's go!" She pumped a fist in the air enthusiastically. Her cheerful personality was infectious as even Rise smiled at her antics.

Fuuka now understood what Yosuke meant in his earlier statement about their eyes being sore when they reached their destination: Void Quest. The bright colors and blinking pixels threatened to _blind_ her as she adjusted her eyesight. "M-my eyes…" she grimaced. "This is just as bad as that one block in Tartarus with the disco theme!"

Junpei was ecstatic, jumping up and down like a child on sugar-high. "Awesome! We're going to be actual heroes in an actual video game! Will there be a princess at the end of the journey?" The class clown then struck a cheesy pose with his broadsword as the others tried hard not to laugh at his ridiculousness. His excitement was cut short when Akihiko smacked him, and given death glares by Shinjiro and Mitsuru. Ken just shook his head in a disappointed manner.

Yukari looked at Minako and Minato – who had stars in their eyes – with disapproval, as she knows both twins were just as bad as Junpei when it came to video games. Aigis, Metis and Koromaru just stared at the entrance, and back at the group.

Souji cleared his throat loudly to get everyone's attention. "So here's the plan…" he started. "Since we have two scanner-type Persona users, we will divide ourselves into two groups. The rest will stay with Rise and Fuuka-san to protect them. And I also need at least two people with healing skills to take care of Teddie." Souji stopped to look at the blonde human Shadow, who was supported by Yosuke and Kanji. The silverette didn't want to bring him at first, but then again nobody else could make an exit out of the TV World.

Teddie could hear the hesitance in Souji's voice. He looked up to him and smiled. "Don't worry Sensei. I promise I won't fight or do anything but rest."

"I'll stay with him, Souji-kun," Yukiko chipped in. "You know you can count on me."

"Thanks Yukiko." Souji sighed with relief, and adjusted his katana on his waist. "Yosuke, Chie and Naoto, you guys are with me. Aniki, can I borrow Ken for my group?"

Minato smiled. "Go ahead. I'll take Akihiko-senpai –"

"Yes!" Akihiko whooped. Shinjiro just rolled his eyes at his best friend.

" – Metis, Koro-chan and Mitsuru-senpai, and maybe Junpei too. I don't want him causing trouble for the scanners."

"Hey, I resent that!" came Junpei's reply, but he was happy to be chosen nonetheless.

Minako frowned, puffing her cheeks a little. "Hey, what about me?" she whined.

"Aneki, like I said before someone has to stay out here and protect Rise and Fuuka-san. You're the leader for the team out here," Souji told her. "Remember, this is the Shadow's domain. They can come and attack from anywhere."

"Fine," she pouted. "Yukari-chan and Aigis can help with Teddie's healing session while we wait for you guys."

"Souji-kun, you should go ahead of us since you guys are more used to this place," Minato said, already taking out his short sword and swinging it around a little, familiarizing himself with its weight.

"Yeah, ya got a point there. Come on guys," Souji said, gesturing his group inside. A few minutes after that, Minato and his group entered the dungeon as well.

* * *

><p>As they were fighting Shadows inside Void Quest, Souji couldn't help but feel as if they were being watched. But it didn't deter him from their training, and help Ken familiarize himself with the TV World. He was reluctant to tell his friends about the strange feeling though, so he decided to ignore it until he reached a solid conclusion.<p>

"Watch out, partner!" Yosuke shouted.

Souji managed to dodge a Bufudyne spell from one of the Strength Beetles. He quickly switched his equipped Persona to Isis to restore his stamina by absorbing the flurry of ice attacks. Chie managed to land a critical hit on one, but they were still outnumbered.

"They're tough…" Ken panted. He was starting to feel the strain of battle as he clutched his spear tightly.

"Is it just me or the size of the Shadows in this place just got bigger?" Yosuke grunted, slashing off an antenna from one of the oversized beetles.

Souji didn't know how to answer his friend. He would be a fool not to notice it, but right now that wasn't their concern; making it out alive was. "Rise, have you got a lock on their weakness yet?"

_ "Just got it!"_ Rise's voice rang in his head. _"They're weak to Darkness, but be careful because they reflect everything else."_

"Time to up the ante…" Souji said, grinning. "I need you guys to stay back, especially you Ken." A tarot card formed in his hand as the others backed away.

"Nebiros, Mamudoon!"

A tall, thin male figure wearing a red cape, his face and body painted black and white while holding a voodoo string doll appeared before the giant beetles. A glowing purple seal appeared on the floor when the Marquis of Hell raised his doll and cackled. The majority of the Shadows were wiped out in an instant. Nebiros' intimidating aura was having an effect as well; the massive insects were paralyzed with Fear.

Now it was easy for Chie, Ken, Naoto and Yosuke to land multiple critical attacks, flipping the oversized bugs on their backs.

"Time for an All-Out Attack!"

The only things left after they were done are the shiny shells from the Shadow's corpses. "We sell these to Old Man Daidara," Yosuke told Ken. "He uses them to forge new weapons or create armor for us. That's where the money really comes in handy."

Rise's voice echoed in their heads once more. _"Good job, guys. The stairs to the last floor is somewhere nearby, and I don't sense any Shadows around there either."_

"Can you tell me the status of Aniki and his team?" Souji asked, loud enough so everyone can hear him.

_ "Oh that…I almost forgot to tell you,"_ the teen idol said, sounding excited for some reason. _"Fuuka-senpai and I discovered that we can do a cross-communication between teams. Do you know what this means?"_

The Inaba Persona-users weren't sure they wanted to know. Given Rise's nosy personality, this could either be a good or bad thing.

"Uh…and what would that be, Rise-chan?" Yosuke asked hesitantly.

_ "It means that I can share information with the other teams without intruding in her 'network',"_ Rise explained, not bothering about details. _"This also means that we can help two teams communicate directly with each other. Want to give it a try?"_

Souji was skeptical at first, but curious nonetheless. "Sure, give it your best shot."

There was a slight sound of buzzing static, but then Minato's voice could be heard clearly in his head. _"Banchou-kun, is that you?"_ Minato inquired. _"Fuuka said you wanted to talk to me."_

Ignoring the weird feeling he felt earlier, Souji shook his head slightly hoping that his pseudo brother wouldn't be able to read his thoughts. "Yeah, it's me. Where are you and how is your team faring?"

_ "According to Mitsuru-senpai, we're on the eighth floor. And I gotta tell you, the Shadows here are tough. Good thing Rise-chan is helping Fuuka with the scanning."_

"Yeah, I noticed. Listen, my team is on the ninth floor. We'll rendezvous on the tenth."

_ "Fine by me. Oh, before I forget, Junpei wanted to open one of the treasure chests earlier but something didn't feel right so I forbid him from doing so. What was that feeling anyway?"_

"Oh, that. You're lucky you didn't open it, or else the Reaper would jump out and attack you."

_ "Yikes! And I'm guessing only Wild Cards can detect his presence, right? Anyway, we'll meet you there. Gotta go…there's another group of Shadows begging to have their asses kicked."_ Minato broke off the connection.

A shiver ran up Souji's spine, and he turned around to look behind him. But all he could see was a dark corridor.

"You alright there, Leader?" Chie prompted, noticing the disturbed look on Souji's face.

"No…it's nothing. Nothing at all…"

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Minako was brooding as she and the rest waited outside of the dungeon. Behind her, Yukiko, Aigis and Yukari were using Diarahan to heal Teddie's remaining wounds, being careful not to exert themselves. Souji and Yosuke took him to the hospital for a check-up yesterday on Mitsuru's insistence. The doctor was shocked when he didn't find anything but a few minor burns after they told him that Teddie had been 'electrocuted'. However, he could not find anything else as his x-rays were still blurry when it was taken, therefore making the diagnosis inconclusive. Teddie managed to convince everyone that he feels fine though.<p>

The bear sat up straight, swiveling his head with his nose in the air as if sniffing for something. He shrugged and remained silent when he saw nothing out of the ordinary.

Shinjiro was on the lookout, adjusting his glasses every now and then. He could have sworn something was sneaking behind a few bushes made entirely of green pixel blocks, but then again it could have just been a trick of the fog. Kanji was pacing back and forth on the bridge crossing the moat. At least, that's what he was doing before a Shadow attacked him from behind. His string of curses alerted the rest to his plight.

"Kanji-kun!" Minako and Yukiko shouted at the same time.

"Soul Dancers!" Teddie gasped, scrambling to stand. It took him a while in his bulky bear suit.

Kanji kicked the Shadow away to create some distance between them. "Damn you…" he growled as he was surrounded by three pairs of Dancers. He held up his metal plate to block a slash attack.

Shinjiro came to his rescue. "Pegasus, Akasha Arts!"

The strike attack took out one of them, but managed to cause heavy damage to the rest. He swung his axe at another, and hacked it to pieces. Kanji followed Shinjiro's example and pounded the remaining Shadow to oblivion.

Yukiko took out her ougi from her belt. "Teddie, can you scan them for us?" she asked. "We can't bother Rise-chan and Fuuka-san since they're providing support for the teams inside."

"I promised Sensei I wouldn't fight, but he didn't say anything about scanning," the bear said with a cheeky grin. He turned to Minako. "Ready when you are, Mina-chan!"

Minako swung her naginata. "They don't seem to have resistance to physical attacks," she observed. "Kanji-kun, Senpai, keep hitting them with physical attacks until Teddie-kun can find their weakness!" As soon as she said that, they were surrounded by another six more Dancers.

Yukari shot two with her arrows. "They just keep coming, don't they?" she grumbled, nocking another one into her bow.

"My sensors must be malfunctioning…" Aigis said, shooting ammo from her fingers. "I couldn't detect their presence much earlier. Could it be because of this fog?"

Instead of a physical attack, Yukiko opted to blast the Shadows with fire. She scorched three, but it wasn't powerful enough to kill them.

"Guys, I've got it! They don't have any weaknesses, but no resistance either," Teddie said, dancing a little at his victory. "I wish I can tell you more but my scanning abilities aren't as great as Rise-chan's."

Minako grinned at his antics. "Okay, here's what we do," she said, turning serious. "Just concentrate on keeping them away from Fuuka, Rise-chan and Teddie-kun. Once we got them far enough, I'll attack them all at once with Myriad Arrows so make sure you get out of my range by then."

The others nodded, and scrambled to different directions. Yukiko used her flames to discourage the Shadows from getting too close, while Yukari blasted them away with wind. Kanji and Shinjiro preferred brute force, punching and kicking their way through. Minako slashed them with her naginata with Aigis as her backup.

When the Dancers were far enough to Minako's satisfaction, she signaled the others to get out of the way as she readied her Evoker. "I summon you! Cybele, Myriad Arrows!"

A voluptuous woman with long horns holding two curvy daggers floated above Minako, smiling sultrily. She crossed her daggers above her head as a shower of arrows fell from the sky. It pierced the defenseless Dancers multiple times, until they weren't moving anymore.

"I don't sense any more Shadows," Teddie informed them, sighing with relief. _'But what was that smell earlier…before those Shadows attacked?'_ the bear thought to himself.

* * *

><p>When they had enough of battling Shadows, the gang took a small break at the Entrance Hall. They were either sitting on or sprawled on the floor in exhaustion. After consuming some of the Fox's leaves (they had to pay her 120,563 yen to be exact) they felt somewhat better after Yukiko or Yukari healed their wounds.<p>

"Alright guys, let's call it a day. I'm beat!" Chie exclaimed. "I wonder what's for dinner…I hope its beef sukiyaki!" She drooled a little at the thought of her favorite food group.

Yukiko broke into small laughing fits at her best friend's longing expression. "But Chie…" Giggles. "You bullied Yosuke-kun into buying you a beef bowl and beef croquettes earlier…" More giggles. "At this rate, you're going to turn into a meat head!" There was no stopping her after that.

A slight blush stained Chie's cheeks. "Hey!"

"Oh my poor wallet…" Yosuke said oozing sarcasm, his amused grin making Chie even madder.

Everyone, including the usually serious Mitsuru, laughed at Yukiko's joke. "I never knew there was another person who is as serious about beef bowls other than Akihiko," she said, covering her mouth with a perfectly manicured hand, trying to contain her laughter. "I didn't expect it to be a girl though."

"So Satonaka is just a female version of Aki," Shinjiro snickered, followed by Junpei's hoots of laughter.

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?" This time it was Akihiko's turn to blush. More bouts of giggles and light teasing ensued at the former boxing champion's expense.

However, Souji didn't join in the laughter. The uneasy feeling of being watched reared its ugly head again, only stronger; he was sure he felt this before during his first Journey, but he couldn't pinpoint what it was, causing his anxiety to increase. All he knew is that they have to get out of here, and fast.

Naoto noticed her upperclassman's discomfort, silently approaching him. "Senpai, what's the matter? You seem to be out of it."

"Oh, it's just you Naoto," Souji said, a bit startled. He let out a long sigh. "Sorry, it's just that I get this feeling of being watched. And the weird thing is…it feels familiar somehow."

Naoto frowned after he said that.

"What's that?" Kanji interrupted in his usually rough and loud voice. Unlike the others, he didn't have a death wish for teasing Chie because her bite is worse than her bark. A certain memory of last year's camping trip was proof enough. "You sayin' someone's spying on us?"

The Entrance Hall became silent after Kanji's outburst and everyone now had their eyes on Souji.

"What do you mean, it feels familiar?" Naoto questioned as her dark blue eyes narrowed slightly.

Souji's grey eyes hardened. "I don't know, okay. It just does!" he said in a frustrated tone.

"Souji-kun, what's wrong?" Minako demanded in a soft voice, placing a hand on his arm to comfort him.

"We need to get out of here…NOW!" he snapped, standing abruptly. He picked up his sword and sheathed it back in its casing, took off his fingerless gloves and roughly stuffed them into one of his pockets. "I need each and every one of you to head straight home after we get out of here, got it? I have a bad feeling about this." His frown has yet to disappear and his eyebrows furrowed as he headed for the stack of televisions.

Rise got distressed when she saw him like that. "Senpai, do you need me to scan – eeep!" She immediately shut up and hid behind Kanji after Souji shot her a very serious glare. Teddie, who was already healed completely, didn't waste any time to make an exit as the others hastily packed their equipment. Even Shinjiro felt a bit intimidated by that.

The twins were extremely bothered by this, but they didn't dare ask any more questions. They have long learned to trust their instincts no matter how baseless they might be, especially when their Wild Card abilities made them much more sensitive to their subconscious. Souji's wasn't any different. All of them exited the TV World without another word.

It was already late in the evening. Souji walked halfway with the rest of the gang before they had to split up to head to their own homes. He wasn't worried about Yukiko as she was heading back to the inn with the rest of SEES, and Chie lived close to her. Teddie lived with Yosuke so he didn't bother with them. He reminded both Kanji and Rise to accompany Naoto to her house before heading to their own homes at the shopping district – _together_.

While walking down the street that leads to his own house, Souji got a feeling that he was being followed. But every time he turned around, nobody was there. Cursing softly, he quickened his pace.

He swiveled his head around once more, and saw somebody's shadow slither behind a wall. Now he's convinced that he's being followed!

_ 'Damn it, first in the TV World now out here in the real world,'_ he growled inwardly. _'I have to lose it quick before it can catch me by surprise.'_ He searched among his numerous Personae for one that has the greatest speed and agility, and who could be stealthier and faster than a ninja? One Persona came to mind.

_ 'Fuu-Ki…'_

Souji walked calmly, his pace steady. As soon as he reached a corner, he made a sharp turn and sprinted as fast as he could before taking another random turn. The sounds of rapid footsteps were distinctly heard somewhere behind him. Since he already equipped Fuu-Ki, Souji managed to leap high enough and stealthily climb a wall that was a bit taller than Kanji. He landed on the other side softly and stayed low, his heart beating fast. He heard the shuffling of feet on the other side; it was pacing for a few seconds before giving up and ran to another direction.

After staying quiet for a few more minutes, Souji was sure that the stalker lost his trail, but to be on the safe side he decided to cut through a few of the neighbors' back gardens and take an alternative route to his house. He was careful not to let anybody see him, using the shadows and silhouettes to his advantage.

The sun was beginning to set when he climbed over another wall and landed in his uncle's yard. The house was quiet and dark as Souji unlocked the sliding door connecting to the living room. He took off his shoes, placed them near the door and tip-toed to his room. He took a quick shower and changed into fresh, clean clothes.

Dojima and Nanako arrived when Souji came downstairs. Nanako was happy and bouncy as usual when she saw him, and rushed to the kitchen to unpack their dinner. He turned to his uncle, but the older man avoided his gaze, his face held a grim expression as if bearing dead weight on his shoulders. In Souji's experience that meant something unpleasant happened at work. And if he predicted correctly, Dojima will accompany his meal with a few cans of beer or sometime after that.

Nanako was happily watching a quiz show, occasionally singing the Junes theme song when the commercial popped up, while her father ate silently and not even attempting a conversation. Souji didn't mind the silence, but his uncle's behavior was starting to worry him. After dinner, Souji helped Nanako with her homework before tucking her in early. He found Dojima smoking in the living room when he came down, the sliding door to the back yard wide open. A few cans of strong beer were on the table in front of him. "Souji, come here. I need to talk to you," Dojima called out in a solemn tone, cracking one can open. After the Dark Hour incident, his uncle did not interrogate him again. However, something was bothering him and Souji intended to find out what it was.

Dojima took a long swig of beer as Souji seated himself opposite of him. He felt his nerves loosened a bit before dropping one bombshell of bad news on his nephew.

* * *

><p><em><strong>The Amagi Inn, late at night…<strong>_

The female SEES members invited Yukiko to hang out with them in the lounge. For once, Yukiko wasn't busy that night and obliged to their request. They chattered about everything and anything that wasn't Shadow related, occasionally apologizing to the other guests for all the noise they were making, and giggling afterwards. Koromaru rested his head on Minako's lap as she scratched him behind the ears. He wagged his tail in euphoria.

"We should invite Chie-chan, Rise-chan and Naoto-kun to join us sometime," Fuuka suggested.

"Oooh…a slumber party! I'm all up for that!" Yukari chimed in.

"That would be fun." Mitsuru nodded with a smile. "Of course, after Minako moved into our room, it's been like one every night."

"Oh, but you do enjoy trying brushing each other's hairs and talking about girls stuff with us before bedtime, don't you, Senpai?" Minako giggled, making Mitsuru chuckle herself.

"I don't think Chie and Naoto-kun would want to do those kinds of activities with us," Yukiko said, sweatdropping a little.

"The last time I came here was with the Tennis Club. We ended up telling ghost stories until we fell asleep," Minako said, giggling at the memory. "You should have seen how scared Yuko was. But I felt sorrier for her boyfriend, Kazushi-kun. She almost choked the poor guy to death because she hugged him so tightly. "

Yukiko smiled at the crimson-eyed girl. "I'm sure Chie would like that. She doesn't get scared easily from stuff like that."

"Umm…can we do that some other time?" Yukari moaned, shivering a little. "You know…with all this talk of spirits and ghost fire after what we experienced, so we should be more careful!"

"Is that what people call 'jinxing it'?" Metis inquired, tilting her head slightly. "What exactly does it mean?"

Fuuka decided to answer that. "Well Metis, to 'jinx' something means that the unlucky situation that we do not want to happen will come true if they speak about or even mention it."

Metis looked at her in a confused manner. "It seems illogical that anything bad can happen just by mentioning it…though I do believe we should take extra precautions during the Summer Festival."

"That's right. Speaking of that, the Summer Festival is just around the corner. Have you guys prepared your yukata for the festivities?" Yukiko asked, her mood brightening. The atmosphere shifted from almost gloomy to a cheerful one.

"That sure would be a sight to see!" said a distant masculine voice.

The girls turned to the direction of the hallway that led to the hot springs. The guys have just returned from their bath, clad in the standard inn yukata, their hair still wet. Junpei was grinning like an idiot again, minus his baseball cap. "I'm trusting that you lovely ladies will be wearing your yukata for the festival. I can't wait for it!"

Yukari just gave him a dry stare. "And what makes you think that I'm going with you? Obviously I'm going with Minato-kun." Taking that as his cue, Minato claimed the seat beside her.

"You make it sound like I haven't been to a summer festival with a girl before," Junpei pouted. "For your information, I went to one at the shrine back home with Mina-tan," he stated proudly, blissfully unaware of the death glare Shinjiro threw at him. Akihiko and Ken sweatdropped.

"That was three years ago," Yukari snorted.

Following Minato's example, the other guys took their seats to join in the conversation. Akihiko sat on the armrest beside Mitsuru, Ken between Fuuka and Aigis, Shinjiro claimed the one beside Minako and took over scratching Koromaru. Before Junpei could blink, all the couches in the area were already occupied. "Hey, where the hell am I supposed to sit?"

"Don't sweat it, Junpei-kun. You can just sit on the floor with Koro-chan!" Minako chirped.

"Mina-tan, that's not funny!"

Shinjiro snatched the remote on the small end table and turned on the television, hoping to drown out Junpei's annoying voice. The late night news came on.

"…We have received urgent news from the Ayanagi Police Department that a dangerous criminal by the name of Tohru Adachi has escaped from a maximum security prison, and is currently on the loose. According to prison security, there were no signs of forced break out nor were there any witnesses to his escape. Anyone with any information regarding this criminal, do not hesitate to contact your local authorities or dial the emergency hotline listed below…"

Yukiko started to tremble violently and felt weak in the knees when she heard the news. She tried to steady her shaking body, but her actions were noticed by the others.

"Oi, you alright?" Shinjiro asked gruffly.

"Yukiko-chan…?" Minako got a bit worried.

The raven-haired girl stood up, and pointed a shaky finger towards the television screen. It was showing a recent picture of Adachi, most likely taken while he was in prison. He still looked the same, except his hair had grown a bit longer. However, the arrogant smirk on his face and the evil glint in his dark eyes gave Yukiko the chills. "That man…" she began. "He was the real culprit behind last year's murders, the one we put behind bars!"

Everyone's eyes went wide as they looked at the television again.

"It's here, in this very lounge, where he pushed the TV announcer into the other side and left her to die just because she rejected him."

"No way…" Ken said under his breath.

A sudden thought clicked in Minako's head. "Aniki, could this be what Banchou-kun was feeling earlier?" She grabbed her brother's arm, looking at him straight in the eyes.

"No doubt about it!" Minato said, growling a little. He got to his feet and took out his cellphone. He dialed Souji's number which he already put on speed dial.

After ten ring tones, the call went to voicemail. Cursing under his breath, Minato tried again, but no avail. "Why isn't he picking up?" he grumbled. His twin looks worried, and began her nervous habit of twisting and turning the fabric of her night shirt. Her red eyes never left Minato's grey-blue ones.

By now everyone started to crowd around Minato, looking concerned. Shinjiro tried to calm his girlfriend down by holding her hand. _'They're already ice-cold. She must be very worried,'_ he thought, rubbing his thumb on her palm to comfort her.

Bells and whistles were ringing in Yukiko's head when her own cellphone rang. At first she wanted to ignore it, but Yukiko knows from experience that any calls coming in this late had to be an emergency. She took it out from her pocket and looked at the caller ID; _Chie._

"Chie, what happened?" Yukiko asked immediately after pressing the 'answer' button.

_ "I don't know if I should tell you this, but Yosuke called me earlier to call you. He said he tried to reach Souji-kun after watching the news but he didn't pick up, so he tried his house line but nobody answered, which is weird because usually Dojima-san or Nanako-chan would pick up. What the heck is going on here?"_

"I don't know, Chie. I know as much as you do right now. Minato-san is trying to reach him too, but so far he's not picking up."

_ "Yosuke said that he'll get Naoto and Teddie to go to his house and check on them. Can you do me a favor and call Rise and Kanji? I'll meet you at the inn soon."_

"Alright Chie, I'll do that. Be careful on your way here." After Yukiko said that, Chie was the first to hang up.

She immediately dialed Kanji's number. After a few ring tones, Kanji's gruff voice answered. _"Yukiko-senpai, I've been trying to reach you. What the hell –"_

"Kanji-kun, I need you and Rise to meet us at the inn. We're going to Souji-kun's house," Yukiko interjected, leaving no room for argument. "I think he and his family are in danger!"

There was a short silence on the other end before Kanji said, _"I'll tell Rise to get ready and sneak out before Ma notices. Damn it, this whole mess is getting more and more screwed up!"_ She ignored his cursing and hung up.

"Yukiko-chan, what did they say about Souji-kun?" Minako questioned. She looked like she was about to cry.

Yukiko bit her bottom lip. "Yosuke-kun, Teddie and Naoto-kun are on their way to his house right now. Chie is on her way here with Kanji-kun and Rise-chan as we speak."

The tension in the air was thick. Mitsuru decided to cut through it. "Then we should go get ready. If Seta and his family are in danger, then we will set out for his residence after Tatsumi and Kujikawa gets here," she said in a cool, crisp tone.

"Damn it, even Nanako-chan is involved. We have to hurry!" Junpei prompted, serious for once. The others nodded and headed to their rooms to prepare for a potential battle.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Dojima Residence…<strong>_

When Yosuke, Teddie and Naoto reached Dojima's house, the first thing they noticed was that the house was dark. Not even the front lights were lit.

Naoto took out her cellphone and dialed Dojima's number. After a few more tries, nobody picked up. '_Never a good sign…' _Red flags were popping up everywhere in the young detective's mind. She handed Yosuke and Teddie a flashlight each. "We're going to have to search the premises. Be careful not to contaminate the scene."

"I wish Koro-chan was here. He'd be able to sniff out the entire place," Teddie mumbled, sticking close to Yosuke. He never really liked the dark.

"Dude, give me some space. I can't move around with you clinging on me like that," Yosuke stated, trying to shake off Teddie who was hugging his right arm as if his life depended on it.

Naoto ignored their bickering and pointed her flashlight to the front door. There were neither signs of forced entry nor any indication that the lock had been tampered with. She put on a pair of latex gloves and began to poke and prod the door. It was locked.

She flashed the light to the ground under the front windows. No mess or markings of any kind. "No signs of invasion either," Naoto said, talking to herself.

"Hey Naoto, there are some footprints back here!" Yosuke said loudly. The young detective made her way to the back yard to where her senpai was standing. She looked down on the ground where he pointed his flashlight. The ground wasn't very soft, but Naoto could spot the almost distinctive pattern of a shoe print.

"Yosuke-senpai, your shoe size is almost the same with Souji-senpai's, right?"

"Yeah, it is. What about it?" Yosuke said, a bit puzzled.

"Just making a comparison. Put one foot beside this shoe print please."

Yosuke obeyed. Teddie stood behind him, wondering what in the world Naoto wanted with Yosuke's foot.

Naoto compared the size, using her thumb and middle finger as a ruler. "It's close enough," she mused, then turned her attention to the wall. "Give me a boost!"

"Why?" Teddie asked, unable to contain his curiosity.

"I need to confirm something," she simply said. Yosuke entwined his fingers and boosted her up. Teddie helped by supporting her other foot for better balance.

With the help of the flashlight, Naoto was able to prove that someone had indeed climbed over the wall; there were small clumps of dirt which shouldn't have been there in the first place. "Okay, you can put me down now," she ordered.

After she got down, Naoto took out a small notebook and began to scribble in it. "This is strange…" she muttered, talking to herself again. "If that shoe print belongs to Souji-senpai, why did he climb over the wall like a thief instead of using the front entrance?"

Her thoughts were cut short when the rest of the Investigation Team arrived with SEES. The expression on every single person was grim.

"I take it you must have seen the news," Naoto said, snapping her notebook shut. "And I must say even I couldn't have predicted this outcome."

"Bastard must have broken out during the Dark Hour," Kanji growled. "There's no other explanation."

Minato stood in front of his team, with Minako beside him. "Have you tried calling his workplace? Or any other places he frequents?" Minato asked, his tone even despite the worry evident in his eyes.

"Did Dojima-san try to interrogate him again?" Minako spoke next, talking mostly to herself.

"No, I have not. I will try that first before we break in. Koromaru-san, please be prepared to sniff out any clues," Naoto told their doggy teammate. He barked twice in response. The ace detective took out her cellphone again, this time dialing the police station.

Kanji screwed up his face in disgust. He never did trust cops in general, the exception being Dojima and Naoto. Akihiko noticed this and snickered a bit despite the tense atmosphere.

A few short conversations later, Naoto shook her head. "The police haven't seen Dojima-san after he clocked out of work. They told me he said he was going to go pick Nanako-chan at her friend's house and buy dinner, but that was all they know."

Cursing under his breath, Minato ran a hand through his blue hair. "Damn it, I should have seen this coming when he was acting weird in the TV World. I should have pried it out of him!"

"Aniki…"

"Minato-kun…" Yukari said softly.

"Stop blaming yourself, Minato. Nobody saw this coming," Shinjiro reprimanded lightly. "All we can do now is try to figure out where Souji, Dojima-san and Nanako-chan are, and maybe find out more about this Adachi guy."

"Senpai…"

"He's right, guys. Shirogane, what else you got?" Akihiko interrupted. Even though he hadn't earned his badge yet, the former boxing champ had been training for this.

Naoto reported her findings, earning nods every now and then. "And if I didn't know any better, I think he was avoiding someone," she concluded. "There were no signs of forced entry, even through the back door, and Souji-senpai doesn't strike me as one to sneak into his own house unless he was seriously avoiding something. He's the type to face things head on."

The others were silent after hearing that, but they agreed on it. Koromaru barked a few times before sniffing the dirt around the wall.

"Koromaru-san says that he can smell slight traces of Souji-san, and he can trace where he had been after we left the other side," Metis translated.

"We can talk while we walk," Mitsuru said. Shuffling of feet followed Koromaru as he began to sniff Souji's trail.

"So tell me, what is this Adachi guy like?" Minako asked, curious about her little brother's former nemesis.

"Asshole…" Kanji said unapologetically.

"Thinks the frickin' world revolves around him," Yosuke said, crossing his arms against his chest.

"That creep was manipulative. He sent us round in circles just for his own fun!" Chie spat, anger starting to bubble inside of her.

"He tampered with evidence given his position in the police force. It is foolish to assume that he's stupid," Naoto said coolly, but the loathing was there.

"Before he transformed into Ame-no-Sagiri, Adachi tried to dodge the blame saying it wasn't his fault that Namatame kidnapped and threw us in the TV. He just loves playing mind games," Yukiko said sourly.

"I must say he was a really good actor," Rise said. "Playing the bumbling, goofy cop but in reality he was enjoying the twisted game he created, watching us play it."

Junpei wrinkled his nose in disgust. "Reminds me of that bastard Ikutsuki." The SEES members' expressions tightened.

After a few twists and turns in the neighborhood, Koromaru began to growl softly when he stopped at the crossroad where they had separated earlier that day. Aigis translated this time. "He says that this is where Souji-san's scent is mixed with another smell…the scent of an enemy."

"So I was right…he was being followed," Naoto concluded. "That explains the unusual route Senpai took to get home, and sneaking into his own house. I taught him myself on how to lose a tail when being followed." She exchanged knowing glances with Akihiko. "Let's head back to his house. There may be some clues we missed inside."

Teddie began to shiver, the blood draining from his face. "Guys, I just had a thought…" the blonde mumbled. "What kind of torture is Adachi putting Sensei through? After what happened, I'm sure he hates Nana-chan and her dad too!" Tears were bursting out of his eyes like a leaky pipe.

"Dude, don't say stuff like that! You'll jinx it!" Yosuke scolded.

Minako placed a hand on the little blonde's shoulder before patting his head. "Teddie-kun, don't let those thoughts control your emotions. We're going to do everything we can to get them back," she said gently. "Besides, Souji-kun is a strong person, and smart too. Just have faith in him."

"You…you're right, Mina-chan," Teddie sniffled, wiping his tears with his sleeve. "Sensei is strong! He can endure anything!" Minako smiled at him, easing her own anxiousness.

Akihiko cleared his throat to break up the moment. "Let's go guys. The more we waste time, the longer Souji and his family spends with Adachi."

There was no arguing with that logic. The gang picked up their pace and headed back to the youngest Wild Card's home.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Back at Dojima's residence…<strong>_

"Is this even legal?" Junpei asked, looking around nervously every now and then. It was silently annoying Shinjiro, and he would have smacked his head in if Minako wasn't clutching his arm.

"Don't sweat it Junpei," Akihiko said, holding Naoto's flashlight for her while she picked the lock with her detective tools. "The only thing we have to worry about is any of us doing this other than Naoto. She's a pro."

As Naoto fumbled with the lock, she blushed at Akihiko's praise. Within seconds the door was unlocked and she slid the door open. "Wait here," she told the others, taking out her revolver. "I'll make sure the coast is clear before any of you can come in."

Kanji was about to protest, but Akihiko gave him a warning stare. He understood the former delinquent's worry, but like it or not they have to follow police procedure.

"Please be careful Naoto-chan," Minako said worriedly.

Naoto nodded and readied her revolver, switching on the mini-flashlight in her wristwatch. A few agonizing minutes later, she emerged from the door and gave the all clear.

Minato turned around. "Wait, all of us can't go in, it's a small house," he said. "I just need my sister, Naoto, Akihiko-senpai, Koromaru and probably Yosuke. The rest of you keep watch out here."

"Why him?" Yukiko asked indignantly. She didn't want to be left out, especially when her boyfriend was concerned.

Minako comforted her. "Please Yukiko-chan, just be patient. You're not the only one that's worried."

As the six of them entered the house, the other thirteen remained outside.

They searched everywhere, including Dojima's room, but they didn't find anything out of the ordinary. The last place to search was Souji's room; what caught Naoto's interest was the lingering smell of citrus. There was a small pile of colored paper on Souji's working table, where he liked to fold origami cranes. Beside that pile was a stray piece of paper. She picked it up and examined it. It wasn't anything unusual, and it felt a bit thick to be used for origami. After Naoto sniffed it she dashed to the kitchen, much to the surprise of the group.

"Did you find anything?" Minato asked as the others followed her.

The Detective Prince remained quiet. She turned on the stove and held the paper above the flame.

"Whoa, wait a minute!" Yosuke yelled. "You're going to burn our only clue!"

"Relax Hanamura. Just watch and learn," Akihiko smirked, having already figured out what Naoto was doing.

"I knew I recognized this…and to think he'd use the same trick, most probably because he didn't have enough time to think up a more complicated clue," Naoto said, holding up the paper for everyone to see. There was a messy drawing of a sun and a few squiggles with burnt edges on them. "Invisible ink. He used lemon juice to write on the paper, just like the clue he helped me figure out in one of my minor cases."

Yosuke squinted his eyes to make out the writing. "Oh come on, partner…" he huffed. "Your handwriting is much better than mine. You can do better than this crap!"

The twins exchanged knowing glances. "This sure brings back memories, right Aniki?" Minako smiled.

"Yeah, you said it…" Minato replied, studying the message. "When we were five, Minako and I taught Souji-kun how to leave secret messages using cryptic symbols and alphabets we made up, mostly to tell each other where we hid our stash of candy from our parents. I can't believe he still remembers how to use it."

"If I'm not mistaken, this is a symbol for 'pinwheel'," Minako deciphered. She held her chin and pouted, thinking. "What does he mean by 'sun' and 'pinwheel'? What is he referring to?"

Her twin looked around the room and spotted a framed photograph, the one when they were toddlers at the summer festival with their parents, and smiled. "I think I know..." He picked it from the wooden shelf and opened the back of the frame. A folded piece of paper fell out. "Bingo!"

"A letter! What does it say, Aniki?"

Minato unfolded the paper and begin to read:

"_Dear Aniki, Aneki and friends,_

_ Sorry I couldn't call and tell you guys this directly. My uncle's superiors ordered him to take me and Nanako to an undisclosed location, after they heard that Adachi has escaped. They didn't want to take any chances knowing how involved Uncle was in the murder cases. Even he doesn't know where we're going and any type of outside communication is forbidden. I didn't want to leave at first, but I had to think of Nanako. I hope you understand. Other than that, I think it was Adachi who was spying on us during our training run in TV World, and followed me afterwards. For what reason, I don't know…_

_ Can you guys do me a favor? Don't bother looking for me. Please take care of yourselves and each other. I'll try to contact you soon. That I can promise._

_ P/S: Could you guys go to the Velvet Room on my behalf? We still have a mystery to solve, ya know. And please tell Yukiko I'm really sorry I worried her. Thanks…"_

After reading, Minato folded the letter and placed it in his breast pocket. "Well, at least we now know he isn't kidnapped and tortured." He felt some relief, running his hand through his hair again.

"Let's go tell the others," Akihiko suggested. They cleaned the place up a bit before Naoto locked the doors.

As they left for the inn, Naoto reiterated their findings and the contents of the letter to the others. Yukiko and Teddie exhaled in relief, knowing that all three of them were safe, and far away from Adachi.

"Witness protection…" Ken mumbled under his breath. "This is even bigger than I thought it would be."

"So what now?" Rise asked. "What do we do without Senpai?"

"We go back and rest," Minako answered. "And wait for Souji-kun to contact us."

"And the only thing we can do," Minato added. "We find Adachi."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Unknown location, somewhere in Okina City…<strong>_

Souji was pacing back and forth in their makeshift room. He knew it was only temporary, and there were cops guarding the door, but he felt restless nonetheless. Looking at the bed where Nanako slept, he exhaled the breath he was holding a bit loudly.

"Calm down, Souji," Dojima demanded. "You'll wake her. Just go to sleep." He was sitting on the couch by the window, nursing a can of beer.

"Sorry…nervous habit."

"I know you're worried about your friends, but not getting enough rest will help nobody."

"I'm just wondering if this is the right choice. All I know is that I'm Adachi's prime target, and by being away from them will keep them safe," Souji explained. "But my gut says otherwise. I don't know how to describe it to you." He sighed, defeated.

Dojima was beginning to wonder if the boy was really his nephew instead of his son. The only family resemblance was their eye color, and as far as he knew Souji didn't inherit any of his sister's traits or quirks. But in terms of personality, gut instinct and stubbornness he could possibly replace him one day. "Look, I was going to tell you about this tomorrow…" Dojima said, rubbing his forehead with his fingers, "but I guess it can't be helped."

The older man gestured Souji to sit beside him on the couch, and he obeyed. "I'm going to say this once, so listen up." His voice then lowered to a whisper. "I'm going to help you sneak out of this place tomorrow after lunch, during change of shift. You're going to wear a disguise, and catch the train back to Yasoinaba."

Souji was stunned. He tried to speak, but he was rendered speechless by his uncle's idea.

"I know it sounds crazy, but I trust you to take care of yourself. Like I said before, you and your friends are the only ones who can stop this nonsense. Adachi is by no means a normal criminal, and from what I've seen you guys can do we need unconventional means to apprehend him."

"Uncle, I don't know what to say…"

"From what I found out, we should be staying here for another two days. But I know your friends need you, so I'll cover for you and focus on protecting Nanako. Just promise me you'll stay low until I come back."

"Yeah, I promise. I can't thank you enough."

Dojima then held his nephew's shoulders firmly, and gave him a warm gaze. "Now go to bed. You look like you're about to drop."

* * *

><p><strong><em>The next day…<em>**

Just like Dojima promised, Souji managed to sneak out of their hiding place with his help and took a cab to Okina Station. He was wearing a red checkered shirt with a thin cotton black t-shirt underneath, baggy cargo pants, sneakers and a cap to cover his unique silver hair. He also wore a pair of sunglasses so nobody would recognize him, and tried his best to stay out of plain sight. He made a mental note to thank Naoto and his uncle for teaching him the ways of the detective.

_ 'I can't believe I have to spy on my own friends,'_ he grumbled inwardly. _'Now all I have to do is try to contact them without blowing my cover.'_

Souji made his way to a public phone after he reached Yasoinaba Station and dialed Minato's number. And Minato himself answered.

_ "Hello…?"_ came Minato's voice.

"Aniki, it's me."

On the other end of the line, Minato almost fell off his seat. He was hanging out by the koi pond alone, trying to collect his thoughts and ponder over what their next course of action would be. "Banchou-kun, where the hell are you?" he hissed into his phone.

"_I can't tell you. I promised my uncle I'd stay low until he returns in another two days."_

"Why?"

_ "I'm Adachi's main target. If I stay away from you guys he'll likely leave you alone to come after me."_

Minato felt his anger bubbling inside. "What kind of stupid logic is that? You're not the only one that was involved in his capture, remember?"

_ "Anyway…"_ Souji said, trying to change the topic. _"Please watch each other's backs. I gotta go."_

"Banchou-kun, wait –"

The line went silent. Minato is now determined to catch Adachi even more, just so his little brother wouldn't have to carry this burden alone. He turned around to find Minako staring at him, looking like she was about to cry. '_When did she get here?'_

"That was Banchou-kun wasn't it? What is he thinking, playing bait like that?" she whispered sadly.

Sometimes Minato didn't really have to explain everything to make his sister understand. It's a connection they share by being twins; they can communicate their thoughts and feelings to each other without words. The serious look in his eyes told her everything she needed to know.

"Let's go to the Velvet Room. We have to find Adachi before he gets to Banchou-kun first."

As they were about to leave the inn, they ran into Shinjiro. He raised an eyebrow at them. "Where are you two going?"

"The Velvet Room, to see Igor," Minako answered, playing with the hem of her skirt. She was frowning and looking at the floor. "Um…Souji-kun called Aniki from a public phone. He said he was okay, but…"

It unsettled Shinjiro to see her looking so down, so he offered to go with them. Minato didn't object, and texted Mitsuru that they were going out.

The three of them arrived at the shopping district about twenty minutes later. It wasn't crowded, but after the news about Adachi's escape came out the streets were quieter than usual. The twins took out their Velvet Keys and entered.

"Welcome to the Velvet Room, my dear guests," Igor greeted. "It has been a while."

Minato, Minako and Shinjiro took their seats in front of the eccentric old man. The first thing they noticed was the lack of assistants.

"Hey, where are Theo-kun and Elizabeth?" Minako asked.

"My younger siblings are away for the moment, investigating the leak in the Great Seal," Margaret's answered, sitting herself beside her master. "Now, how may we assist you?"

Shinjiro remained silent as the twins retold Igor and Margaret about everything that has happened after the last time they were summoned, including why Souji wasn't with them. He still didn't understand the inner workings of the mysterious blue room, but came to respect it as an integral part in the destiny of the Wild Cards.

The eldest Velvet sibling closed her eyes for a moment, and reopened them. "I am sorry to say that we have not found anything regarding to the threat. My research also came out empty, which is one of the reasons why I sent Elizabeth and Theodore out to investigate."

"But fear not," Igor said. He waved his left hand, and the stack of glowing blue cards on the coffee table floated above them in a circular pattern. They arranged themselves into three rows on the table in an orderly fashion, facing down. "Let us shed some light on this, shall we?"

With another wave of his hand, a card on the bottom row is flipped upwards, showing the reversed picture of a tower being struck by lightning. "Interesting," Igor mused. "The first card indicates the past, represented by the Inverse Tower. This means that whatever catastrophe and obstacles you three have encountered in the past is still effecting what is happening today, most likely something similar in nature. You must take note however, that I mean this in the most general of terms. It is something you have to figure out for yourselves." He flipped another card in the middle row. It showed the picture of a crescent moon, with a howling coyote and a crayfish swimming in the water. "Ah, the Moon. It means that whatever you are facing now is not what it seems. It represents illusions, confusion and hidden things. Quite a mystery we have in our hands here. And now, the last card…" A card on the top row flipped over, showing the picture of a golden wheel. "Now this is intriguing. The Wheel of Fortune may represent many things; luck, chance, or good fortune. However, the cards are telling me that you will have a fateful encounter somewhere in your future. With who, I cannot say."

Margaret noticed the look of disappointment on the twins' faces. "I am sorry that we cannot tell you more. But please be assured that we will contact you when any information turns up," she said.

The three of them left the blue room. They walked past Madam Shiroku's shop when Minako's stomach started to grumble loudly. She blushed a dark crimson when the guys turned to focus on her. "S-sorry, I didn't have much of an appetite d-during breakfast so I didn't eat m-much," she stuttered.

Shinjiro smiled. At least some things never change. "What am I going to do with you?" he sighed playfully. He grabbed her hand and pulled her towards Aiya Diner. "Come on, let's get you something to eat before you pass out."

"Good idea, Senpai. We can meet the rest there to discuss our plan of action," Minato added. They talked a bit about Igor's tarot reading, pondering over what it could mean.

As they were passing in front of the shrine, Minato began to get an uneasy feeling, as if they were being watched. He observed his surroundings. His eyes settled on a lone delivery truck parked in front of the vacant shops. Without warning, the vehicle roared to life and tried to run them over!

"LOOK OUT!" Minato yelled, leaping out of the way.

Shinjiro acted on reflex. He grabbed Minako and pulled her to the side opposite of Minato, causing both of them to land in the shrubs growing at the foothill of the shrine.

The screech of tires alerted Souji, who was sitting in front of the offertory box. The Fox and her cubs were also startled and gave him confusing looks. "What was that?" he whispered to himself. He got up and went to see what the ruckus was all about. To his horror, Souji saw a delivery truck trying to run the twins and Shinjiro over, _and Adachi was behind the wheel!_ He was afraid that this would happen; Adachi hurting his friends to lure him out instead.

Having failed to hit the two Wild Cards, Adachi reversed and doubled back, wanting to have another go. Minato was busy picking himself up to notice the vehicle facing his way. Seeing how much danger his friends were in, Souji sprinted down the shrine steps and what he did next was on pure impulse.

"OI ADACHI!" he shouted, running across the street. "AREN'T YOU LOOKING FOR ME?"

The distraction worked, because the former cop heard him and turned his head to his direction. Souji could make out the evil smirk he gave him from behind the wheel. Without wasting a second, Adachi hit the accelerator, intending to flatten the silverette.

Souji made a run for it. He sprinted down the road and turned a sharp corner, buying him some time because Adachi was driving too fast and missed it. But the bastard was persistent, and soon enough was hot on Souji's heels again. By now he was close to the residential area, and there would be more places to hide.

The chase went on for a while before it was taking a toll on him. Souji could feel his stamina depleting, his lungs and legs were burning as he tried to gain speed. Despite the effort, he was failing as his vision began to blur. '_No, but I'm so close…'_ he thought.

Adachi was relentless. No matter how many sharp turns his target made, he still managed to chase him down. He spotted him and accelerated, vaguely acknowledging the sounds of police sirens behind him.

The youngest Wild Card was about to pass out before he felt somebody yank his shirt collar and pulled him to the side. The person threw his right arm across their shoulder and supported his weight, dragging him to a nearby alley behind a row of houses. The sirens were getting closer and the police cars came to view. Adachi was forced to give up and drive away if he didn't want to get caught.

Having felt his head become clearer, Souji lifted his head to get a good look at his savior. Before he could do so, his rescuer gently put him down and ran away. All he saw was a long yellow scarf as the figure jumped over a fence.

Moments later, Minato, Minako and Shinjiro along with Kanji and Rise arrived where Souji was sitting, still trying to catch his breath. Minato and Kanji helped him stand up.

"Senpai, are you okay?" Rise asked on the verge of tears. She saw the whole thing from her grandmother's shop and called the police. Kanji also heard the commotion from the textile shop. Unlike Rise, he came to check it out because he thought it was the motorcycle gang.

"I'm fine Rise, thanks for asking. Although I could use a drink," Souji joked, trying to smile.

Minako engulfed him in a bear hug. "You idiot! He almost killed you! And where have you been hiding?" she scolded, failing to hold back her tears.

"Come on, Minako. We can do this later," Shinjiro reasoned, trying to peel her away from the silverette. "Souji is tired, and as far as I know he shouldn't be here. Let's get him to the inn and patch him up."

"Yeah, Senpai's right. For the next two days he's going to have to stay us. We can inform the others later," Minato said.

During the walk to the inn after assuring Kanji and Rise that Souji will be fine, Minato told Souji what Igor had told them during their visit to the Velvet Room. Souji told them what he saw in the alleyway. The twins stiffened in response, and exchanged knowing looks. _'It couldn't be 'him'…'_ they both thought at the same time. _'Could it?'_

* * *

><p><em>Oh yeah, things are getting tricky, no? I'm sure you guys by now must know who Souji's savior is, but I'll keep it quiet for now. 3 All I can say is that next chapter will have some really intense scenes.<em>

_If you guys have any questions, feel free to ask. _

_Don't forget to __Read, Review and Enjoy!_


	8. Chapter 8: Return of the Fool  Part two

_Oh yeah, things are really getting intense, no? Well, hope ya guys enjoy the second part. ^^ _

_A few warnings: (Yes, I put those before every chapter to avoid issues)_

_-There will be spoilers for all games! You've been warned.  
>-The Main characters from each game in this fanfic are called Minato Arisato (P3:FES), Minako Arisato (P3P) and Souji Seta (P4)<br>-There'll be some cursing. (Anyone that played any persona games knows that some characters on it curse quite a bit.) as well as some heavy subjects.  
>-Main Pairings in this fanfic: MinatoxYukari, ShinjiroxMinako, SoujixYukiko, KanjixNaoto, AkihikoxMitsuru, YosukexChie.<br>-Hinted Pairings(in later chapters): JunpeixChidori. (Hinted because Chidori doesn't appear much on this story) KenxNanako (Ya know those little girl's crushes on older boys? It'll be along those lines) FuukaxKeisuke (Other than Minato and Junpei, Fuuka only displayed some sort of close relationship with Keisuke the club president. I found it kinda cute.) TeddiexRise (Just for giggles. They are after all the two hyperactive cuties of the team X3)_

_Have fun ya guys. On with the show!_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 8: Return of the Fool – Part Two.<strong>

Souji felt refreshed after taking a late nap. Minato was kind enough to let him sleep on his futon. The sky was already dark when he glanced out the window. According to the clock on the wall, he missed dinner by an hour. "And I'm so hungry too," he sighed, his stomach growling. Unfortunately this place wasn't his home, so he couldn't just waltz into the kitchen and make himself a snack.

Before he could get up, Shinjiro entered the room carrying a tray. The smell of food overpowered Souji's nostrils, making his stomach groan even louder. The older teen couldn't help but chuckle. "You gonna eat or what?"

The silverette made his way to the table where the tray was placed and grinned. "One question though, did Yukiko make this?" he asked in a voice that was a mix between amused and pained.

"No, I did. Minako insisted that I cook for you. Why?"

"No reason." Souji sat himself on one of the cushions, breathing a sigh of relief. There was rice, vegetable stir-fry, tofu and a small pot of herbal chicken soup. He polished off the entire tray in a matter of minutes, and burped rather loudly at the end.

"You really are their little brother, aren't you?" Shinjiro commented, a bit surprised at how much Souji could actually eat. It made him happy that the younger teen wasn't a picky eater. "I swear you guys have black holes for stomachs."

"I'd like to see you work up an appetite after getting chased by a maniac who tried to kill you," Souji remarked sarcastically. "Thanks for the food though, it was delicious."

"Don't mention it," Shinjiro said. He got up, picked up the empty tray along with the utensils and headed for the door. "Go and freshen yourself up. Mitsuru already booked a conference room and called everyone in for a late meeting. You better head there soon." With that, he left the room.

Not wanting to waste anymore time, Souji went to the bathroom and washed his face. He changed his bandages, rather pleased the cut was healing nicely despite the stress his body had gone through. After putting on his disguise, he left for the conference room. As he was walking, he replayed the dialogue he had with the twins after the incident that evening.

**_Flashback…_**

_ Shinjiro, Minato and Minako managed to sneak Souji into the room where the male SEES members were staying without being seen. Fortunately, nobody recognized Souji in his disguise and they hadn't run into Yukiko._

_ Minato turned his attention to his upperclassman after helping Souji sit down. "Senpai, can you go find the others and tell them what happened?"_

_ Shinjiro nodded. "Feel free to borrow some of my clothes for the time being," he told Souji._

_ When Shinjiro left, Minako knelt beside him with a serious expression on her face and placed a hand on his forehead to check his temperature._

_ "Aneki, I'm not sick," Souji protested. His pseudo sister ignored him as she cupped his face with both hands to look for other indications of injuries or sickness. Minato smirked playfully beside her._

_ After a few minutes of checking, Minako gave a satisfied nod. All of a sudden, she pointed an index finger to Souji's face. "As punishment for making us worry, you're buying me some Aiya ramen after we catch this Adachi guy," she decreed. "And some steak skewers too."_

_ Sweatdrops formed above the two boys' heads. _'Is that what she was after this entire time?'_ they thought simultaneously._

_ "Speaking of what happened…" Souji started, "you two seem to know the guy who saved me. Who is he exactly?"_

_ The twins looked at each other, unsure of how to start. Minako nudged her brother, asking him to speak first._

_ "Remember what I told you about the Death Shadow that Aigis sealed inside us?" Minato said, earning a nod from Souji. "Well, after being trapped for ten years inside of us, he gained a human form and developed emotions. We became good friends, although Aigis tried her hardest to keep him away from us. After finding out his role in the bringing of The Fall, he was unwilling to go through with it."_

_ "He didn't have a choice though, because he himself was unable to stop it," Minako continued. "But after developing emotions, he gave us two choices; kill him, lose our memories of the Dark Hour and postpone The Fall, or face Nyx head on."_

_ Souji nodded his head in understanding. "But I don't understand. From what you guys told me, you already defeated her."_

_ "That's what I thought. When you think about it logically, the guy that saved you shouldn't even exist anymore after Nyx's defeat since they already became one with each other." Minato sighed in frustration, pinching the skin between his eyebrows. "Unfortunately, things are never logical when Shadows are involved."_

_ "Igor did say that the obstacles we faced in our past are still effecting what we're facing today," Minako added. "If that's the case, then this new threat is causing a bigger rift in the balance of worlds than we thought. His return is proof of that."_

_ The trio became silent, thinking about what they just discussed. Souji decided not to press the issue any further. His eyelids were becoming heavy; the fatigue from the chase finally started kicking in._

_ "Go change into something more comfortable Souji-kun," Minako ordered when she saw him yawn widely. "Then you can take a nap."_

_ "Sleep on my futon," Minato offered. "We'll ask Yukiko-san for extra one tonight. You won't be going anywhere soon."_

**_End Flashback…_**

Souji was greeted by his team when he arrived at the conference room. Yukiko engulfed him in a bone-crushing hug, her tears spilling onto his shirt. Teddie came next, and by now a big wet stain was visible. Yosuke, Chie, Kanji and Naoto breathed a sigh of relief, seeing him safe and sound. All of them were worried after Shinjiro told everyone what happened earlier, when Souji was still napping in their room.

"Here ya go, Senpai." Kanji handed him a small duffel bag. "Yosuke-senpai and I brought some of your clothes from your house before we came here. We also got your toiletries in there since you're staying here for a few days."

"Thanks guys," Souji said, taking the bag. "So, did I miss anything while I was sleeping?"

"Please take your seats, everyone," Mitsuru ordered in a brisk tone. "I called for this meeting tonight because we need to discuss how we are going to apprehend Adachi. Since he is still on the loose, we can't afford to wait any longer."

"And he made his point clear today that he wanted Souji-senpai out of the picture," Naoto added. "We now have a motive. But the reason behind it is still unknown."

Akihiko snorted beside Mitsuru. "He must have figured Souji would try to come back even if he is put under protection. I must admit this guy is quite bold, attacking one of our own to try and lure him out. Pretty damn risky if you ask me."

"Which is why we must not let that happen again," Mitsuru concluded. Everyone in the room silently agreed.

"Wait a minute," Yosuke piped up suddenly. "The cops are already aware that he's in Inaba."

Chie's eyes widened in realization. "Then shouldn't they have caught him by now? I mean, they _are_ on high alert after news of him escaping came out."

Naoto whipped out a folder from her bag. "I took the liberty of procuring the police report after I heard about what happened," she stated and passed it to Akihiko. "We watched the prime time news while you were asleep, Senpai," she told Souji. "After the car chase, Adachi mysteriously disappeared when the vehicle he was driving crashed on the side of the road."

A short pause ensued as the Investigation Team looked at their leader. Souji's face remained expressionless as he tried to process the information. Minako comforted him by rubbing gentle circles on his back.

"Hmm…it says here that the only thing they found in the truck was a flat screen television," Akihiko read out the report. He flipped through a few of the crime scene photos and his eyes went wide. "It looks like this screen is big enough to fit him through, don't you think?" He passed the photo to Naoto.

"Yes, I agree," Naoto said after studying the picture. Her expression turned dark as her eyes narrowed. "There are two possibilities for the use of this television. The obvious one is that he used this to escape the police out of desperation when he was cornered. And the other one…"

"Is to throw Souji-san or any of us into the other side," Ken finished for her. The silence was almost deafening.

Kanji grimaced. "Shit, it's like with Namatame all over again."

Souji calmly stood up. "If he did jump in, then there is only one place he could be."

"That accursed dungeon of his…" Yosuke hissed, looking at the floor now.

"We have no choice but to go in," Yukiko said. "Who knows what will happen if we leave him there to do God-knows-what."

"This may be pointless…" Souji said a bit hesistantly. "But I need you all to look out for the Midnight Channel tonight." He held up a hand when his team started to protest. "I know that was all Izanami's doing, but we have to make sure."

Minato decided to add his own input. "It's just merely to get rid of any doubts. As long as Adachi is still on the loose, we can't focus on solving this mystery regarding the new threat if there are other distractions."

"And don't worry. He won't be able to get out unless I make an exit," Teddie reminded them.

"Then it's decided. We leave for Junes early tomorrow, so make sure to get enough rest. Who knows how long we'll be in there, so be sure to bring extra supplies," Minako told them. After a few more discussions on what to bring the next day, the Inaba Persona users said goodbye to Souji before heading out for their own homes.

Just like Souji ordered, they stayed up to watch the Midnight Channel. Of course the SEES members were confused, even after Souji's explanation, when they were staring at a blank television screen while waiting for the clock to strike twelve. When it finally did, the screen remained black. It didn't glow nor did any images appear, and Souji or anyone on his team has yet to tell SEES what actually appeared on the show back in 2011.

"Huh, that was a letdown," Junpei snorted. "And I was super excited to see what this Midnight Channel fuss was all about."

"Shut up, Iori," Shinjiro grunted. He lied down on his futon and buried himself under the covers. "Go to sleep already. We got a busy day tomorrow."

Akihiko yawned loudly and stretched. "Can't argue with that. Gotta get in gear to kick some Shadow butt!" Even without looking, he could tell his best friend was rolling his eyes at him.

Ken snuggled with Koromaru in his own futon. Junpei shrugged and got into his.

Souji could breathe easy that night, knowing that there is no more Midnight Channel. He followed Shinjiro's example and tried to go to sleep.

"We'll pull through this, Banchou-kun." Minato whispered. "Together."

Souji nodded. With the combination of SEES and the Investigation Team, they're going to take down Adachi once and for all. Piece of cake, right?

* * *

><p>Piano melody and singing… It somehow felt nostalgic to them.<p>

"Welcome back, my children." Igor's voice called out to them. "Once again, I have summoned you in your dreams, so do not be alarmed."

Slowly, the three Wild Cards opened their eyes. They were back in the Velvet Room, but something was different; besides Igor and the Velvet siblings, there were an addition of three people.

At the far left corner, a man with slick black hair and a blue blindfold covering his eyes, wearing a midnight blue suit, was playing a grand piano. Next to him, a soprano singer with black hair in a strange up do, dark blue eye shadow wearing a sleek blue dress with a butterfly pin on its front was singing, oddly covering her ears while doing so. In the far right corner, a lone artist worked on an easel. He had long black hair covered by a beanie, similar to Shinjiro's. He wore black casual clothes under a long coat, and black sunglasses on his face.

"Wow… this room is getting more crowded each time we visit…" Minako said in awe. "Who are they?"

"These, Master Minako, are some friends my sisters and I encountered while we were out searching for clues," Theodore explained.

"Friends?" Minato questioned. "So they are also residents of the Velvet Room?"

"As you know by now, the Velvet Room is inseparable from the heart of its invited guests," Margaret said. "The shape of the room and its residents are selected by our master, based on the number of guests and their destiny."

"Therefore, the three new residents also have their role to play in your Journey," Elizabeth added.

"Yes, my children." Igor motioned to the other three. "Go ahead and talk to them. Their knowledge shall prove valuable to your quest."

The trio exchanged glances. They walked towards the piano player and the soprano singer.

"Greetings, I am Nameless...The piano player who opens the closed doors of the heart..." he said, still playing. He looked at the trio, who squirmed under his intense gaze despite his eyes being covered. "The you I know and the you that you know… Are these two the same?"

They blinked in confusion when the soprano drew their attention. "I am Belladonna," she sang. "I sing for those who challenge the monster known as oneself."

The artist then spoke up. "I am the Demon Artist. I am the artist who draws the gods and demons that dwell within people's hearts." He showed them what he was painting; a set of blank tarot cards. "Tarot cards are models of the heart. And the heart…controls a person's fate."

The cards materialized before them, landing perfectly in each Wild Card's palm, but now they had symbols on it: cups, pentacles, wands and swords. "Are these cards from the Minor Arcana?" Souji asked.

"Correct, young one," Nameless said. "While a Persona is aligned under a certain major arcana, the Minor Arcana cards the Demon Artist paints can be used to improve a particular skill of one Persona."

"On your journey, blank cards you will find," Belladonna sang. "Bring these to us and by combining my song, Nameless' melody and the Demon Artist's painting we'll create the Minor Arcana cards."

"However, you must choose wisely on which persona you'll use a card," the Demon Artist warned. "Once you've used a card, it'll vanish."

The three teens smiled, looking at each other. This was probably part of the power unleashed by the World Arcana. "Alright, those will sure come in handy. Thanks!" Minato turned to Igor. "Before we go back, can we study these?"

"Of course, young man. Go ahead," Igor grinned.

The trio studied the cards. "Let's see… In tarot, The Suit of Cups is related to the Element of Water as well as situations and events mostly related to emotions. It's also related to spirituous and religious matters," Minako started. "So, these cards must boost healing spells."

"Yes…The Suit of Wands is related to the Element of Fire and related to emotions like passion, ambition and desire as well as anger and violence," Minato continued. "Therefore, these cards must boost elemental spells."

"The Suit of Pentacles relate to the Element of Earth, the accumulation of wealth, health, luck, and physical prosperity, but also misfortune, ill health, or poverty," Souji said. "So these cards boost the accuracy of status altering spells."

"And the last set… The Suit of Swords relates to the Element of Air, to the nobility and military matters. Therefore, these concepts are linked to power, authority, and strength, but also responsibility, suffering and violence," Minato concluded. "That means these cards boost physical spells."

"This is so cool!" Minako tried to stifle a squeal but then turned serious. "But we can't get cocky."

"You're right, Aneki. Adachi is a formidable enemy, and treacherous as well as dangerous," Souji warned.

"True, but we have a few tricks upon our sleeves ourselves," Minato said. "Let's set our game plan."

Minako and Souji nodded. After some talking and debating, the three split the cards evenly among themselves and used some of the cards on their closest Personas: Orpheus, Eurydice, Izanagi, and few others.

"Are you set now?" Igor asked. The trio nodded. "Now, allow me to let you get the rest you need. Pleasant dreams"

As the Velvet Room grew fainter, the three Wild Cards nodded off to a deep slumber.

* * *

><p>Rise and Fuuka immediately summoned Kanzeon and Juno when they entered the TV World. Teddie sniffed the air around them. "He's definitely here. His stench is stronger than last time."<p>

"I can sense a huge buildup of power, but somehow the fog is messing with my readings," Fuuka said disappointedly.

Teddie tried to cheer her up. "Don't worry about it Fuuka-chan. Rise-chan's Persona is much more suited for locating people in this world while yours is better at thorough analysis of the Shadows, that's all."

Fuuka blushed a light shade of pink. "Thank you, Teddie-kun."

"Do you detect anything in his dungeon, Rise?" Souji asked. He adjusted the katana on his waist and put on his fingerless gloves. The others did the same, checking on their weapons and putting on armor. Mitsuru divided the supplies and healing items and passed them around.

"Yeah, but you're not going to like this," Rise said as she dismissed Kanzeon. "The amount of power I sensed coming from his dungeon is _insane_! It's on a very different level from the last time we encountered him, and it seems to have expanded. Because of that, large amounts of Shadows are flocking there as well."

The Investigation Team was shocked to hear this. How was it possible for Adachi to get so strong in a matter of months, especially when he was locked up in jail? That was the question which lingered in their minds.

"We don't have time for this crap!" Kanji growled, punching his palm with a fist. "We kicked his ass last time, and we'll do it again. Like hell I'm going to forgive him for trying to kill Senpai!"

His statement snapped his friends out of their stupor. "Y-yeah, he's right," Yosuke mumbled, regaining his composure. "So what's the plan? Are we going to split up like last time during training?"

The three Wild Cards paused. They thought for a moment before giving each other knowing looks.

"I don't think that's wise," Minato said. "For all we know, Adachi is expecting us and has set up an ambush somewhere. It's best to stick in one group."

"But there is a problem with that strategy," Minako cut in. "Rise-chan said that there are a greater number of Shadows. Shouldn't we assign certain groups to fight and certain groups for protection and back-up? I mean, it's not that we'll be splitting up or anything…"

Minato was deep in thought, tapping his chin for a moment. "You're right, Minako. Let's discuss this for a while before we proceed."

"And we still don't know if the layout of his dungeon has changed. We haven't set foot in that place since the last time we beat him," Souji informed. "One thing we do know, he is much stronger this time so we need to be extra careful."

Nobody could argue with that.

About half an hour of discussing and debating, they were divided into two sub-groups; each sub-group will have their own scanner, front line and backup. The backup team's main duty is to protect the scanners and assist the front line with any items that they need.

In Fuuka's sub-group, the front line consists of Minato, Yukari, Junpei, Metis, Kanji and Chie as the front line. Aigis, Teddie and Naoto are their backup. Rise's sub-group had Minako, Souji, Yosuke, Mitsuru, Shinjiro and Ken in the front line with Yukiko, Akihiko and Koromaru as backup.

"Is everyone ready?" Teddie asked, earning grins and nods. As usual, he will be leading the way. "Let's go."

No matter how many times they had come here, the Investigation Team still shivered at the sight of the place created by the late Mayumi Yamano. A small room with a single bed and working desk surrounded by blood-splattered walls sent chills up their spines. If that wasn't enough, the posters of Misuzu Hiiragi with her head ripped out and the noose in the middle of the room could turn any cheerful person into a depressed wreck.

"What kind of screwed-up setting is this?" Junpei asked, his voice shaken with nervousness. As he looked around the small room, his face turned green.

Mitsuru was shivering, but it wasn't from the cold. "I agree Iori. This is very disturbing."

Fuuka felt faint. She had never seen anything like this before. Yes, the Dark Hour was and still is disturbing. However, being in a room that was created by a deranged mindset and deep, twisted emotions was an entirely different experience altogether. She could only hope that someone as young as Ken, as well as Aigis and Metis, would not be affected by all this.

They had gathered in front of the entrance that led to Magatsu Inaba. Even without Rise and Fuuka to tell them, everyone could feel the pressure of spiritual energy that emitted from the vortex. It made them a little sick to the stomach as they entered one by one.

Inside was a whole lot creepier than Yamano's room. The sky was a moonless, bloody red. Dark clouds hung above them, occasionally spitting out lightning even though it wasn't raining. It was still a twisted version of Inaba, only the roads were wider and the buildings were taller. Strange shapes and silhouettes appeared whenever the lightning illuminated the tall buildings, as if they were solid and slithering around, waiting to pounce on them should the Persona users become careless.

The usually bubbly Minako clutched Shinjiro's arm even tighter, drawing herself closer to him. His blush increased as the space between them decreased. "Th-this place gives me the creeps!" She nearly screamed when she felt something brush against her leg, only to find Koromaru attempting to comfort her.

"Y-y-you said it Minako-chan," Yukari shivered, clutching to her best friend's brother in the same manner.

Even the usually stoic Naoto gravitated slowly towards Kanji, despite trying to put up an exterior of indifference. Mitsuru was also the same, except that she grabbed a fistful of Akihiko's red sweater vest.

"It can't get any more disturbing than this," Yosuke muttered sourly. "I swear if we survive this, I am never going to complain about another dungeon again. Ever!"

Chie smacked his arm. "Don't say it like it's cursed, you idiot!"

"Knock it off, guys!" Souji commanded. When both of them shut up, he turned to their scanners. "Can you tell us anything about how big this place is, and how many floors?"

Fuuka and Rise wasted no time in summoning their Personas. A few minutes later, they dismissed Juno and Kanzeon. "Well?"

Rise was first to report. "Like I said before, the whole place has expanded. Which also means that there are more floors to get to the top, where Adachi is waiting for us."

"I also sense strong Shadows here," Fuuka added. "According to the data I shared with Rise-chan, the Shadows here are different compared to the ones you have fought before. We're going to have to redouble our efforts in order to scan their properties."

Souji nodded and thanked them both. "Alright, that's all we need to know. Remember, stick close to the group," he reminded everyone. "And if you guys notice anything odd, anything at all, don't hesitate to tell us."

They made twists and turns and met with dead ends. The temperature around them seemed to drop the deeper they went. When the stairs were spotted up ahead, the teenagers cheered for joy but were short lived when they were ambushed by Shadows. It seems that the amount of them in a group has also increased. Instead of the usual five, they doubled in number. There were three species of Shadows in this particular cluster, all of which the Investigation Team were familiar with; four Eagle-types wearing pearl-colored masks, five Magus-types with red and pink stripes, and a blue and yellow Rexy.

"Be careful, everyone. Those are Magus-type Shadows of the Magician arcana. Don't attack them with spells until I can find a weakness!" Fuuka ordered.

"The Eagle-types are of the Empress arcana," Rise informed. "They'll most likely use ice attacks, so brace yourselves. And be extra careful with the Rexy, I sense it can use Megidola!"

Minako and Souji didn't want to take any chances. They had to get rid of the Rexy before it decides to cast any form of Almighty spell. "Aneki and I will get rid of the Rexy. You guys handle the rest," Souji told his team.

"Don't cast too many spells unless you're absolutely sure it can cause enough damage," Minako said. "We need to save our strength to take down Adachi."

Mitsuru summoned Artemesia to counter a Mabufula spell from an Eagle that was headed for Akihiko and Yukiko. When the rest of the Eagles were distracted, Shinjiro attacked them with his axe and Yosuke managed to slash a few. Ken had the advantage of long reach because of his weapon, plus he had grown a few inches taller over the past years. Akihiko helped them by casting Marakunda to lower their defenses.

"Banchou-kun, I've never seen these types in Tartarus before. What affinity does it have?" Minako asked her little brother, already in her battle stance.

"I would say from experience that they like to use Darkness and Almighty spells, plus some of them can reflect physical attacks," he answered. "They are a bit unpredictable, but we won't know until we try." A blue card materialized in his right hand. "Pyro Jack, Agilao!"

A floating ghost with a pumpkin head holding a lantern appeared after Souji crushed his card. "Hee-ho!" It blasted the Rexy with a medium fire spell and cackled afterwards. However, the Rexy did not waver from the attack.

Minako understood what he was trying to do; hit the Shadow with weaker elemental attacks as to not drain their energy and hope one of them hit the bull's-eye. She grinned. "Two can play at that game!" She placed her Evoker to her temple and pulled the trigger. "Oberon, Zionga!"

The King of Fairies fluttered his butterfly wings, brandished his rapier at the Shadow and casted the thunder spell. The Rexy shrieked and fell to the ground twitching. "Bingo!"

Souji grinned. "All-out attack?"

"We'll wipe the floor with it!" The two Wild Cards slashed the defenseless Rexy until there was nothing recognizable of its corpse.

"Nice guess, Minako-senpai!" Rise said. "And I have the results! The Eagles are weak to fire, so burn them to a crisp!"

Yukiko stepped up. "Yosuke-kun, cover my post," she told him. "Stand back, Koromaru and I will take them down all at once!"

Yosuke obliged and took his place as Rise's guard.

Both Koromaru and Yukiko casted Maragidyne on the Shadows at the same time. Just like the Rexy, they let out an unearthly shriek as they landed on the ground in a messy heap, trying to put out their scorching feathers.

Shinjiro cracked his knuckles, a wicked gleam in his eyes. "I've been waiting for this…"

"Indeed," Mitsuru grinned, readying her rapier.

"You don't plan on having all the fun now, do you?" Akihiko questioned playfully, his eyes containing the same wicked gleam. The former Gekkoukan seniors rushed for the downed Shadows, punching, hacking and slashing like there was no tomorrow.

Meanwhile in Minato's team, everyone was focused on physical attacks for the time being. Aigis casted Masukukaja on her team mates for extra speed to dodge the Magus' spells.

It didn't take long for Fuuka to complete her analysis. "Please be careful, these Shadows nullify ice, wind, thunder, darkness and reflect fire. Other than that they don't have any weaknesses."

Minato furrowed his eyebrows, trying to think of a plan. _'If casting spells is useless, then we're going to have to use physical force,' _he thought. His eyes fell on Chie, Kanji and Metis. _'Although I don't think that would be a problem.'_

"Alright guys, you heard her," Minato said out loud. "The front line will focus on multiple-hit physical attacks. We can't waste anymore time!"

Chie summoned Suzuka Gongen and casted Power Charge on herself, grinning like a maniac. "I have just the thing…and they're starting to piss me off too."

"Uh-oh…" Kanji gulped and started to sweat.

Junpei noticed the bleach blonde's discomfort and quirked an eyebrow. "What's wrong, dude?"

"We have to get as far away from her as possible, if we want to live…" Kanji ended his sentence ominously. He backed away and hid behind Juno.

Before Junpei could open his mouth to ask what he meant, Naoto had pulled him, Minato and Metis behind Juno too. Yukari and Aigis were already there "Don't question it too much. Just watch."

Aigis was intrigued by Kanji and Naoto's behavior. _'What are they scared of?'_ She looked at Minato questioningly, but he only shrugged and continued to watch Chie.

The swirl of blue smoke at Chie's feet appeared as she summoned her Persona once more. "Suzuka Gongen…Agneyastra!"

Meteors appeared out of nowhere, and bombarded on the Shadows below. The impact crushed them instantly, not giving them a chance to attack or defend themselves.

The SEES members' knees were shaking at this point. Never in their lives have they encountered such a destructive attack. Even Shinjiro's physical attacks with Castor had more restraint than this!

When all the debris had settled down, Chie emerged from the dust cloud unscathed with a triumphant smirk on her face. "Beat that!"

"Was that necessary, Chie?" Souji's voice emerged from behind them. Minako and the rest of SEES were shaken, obviously stunned by the impact. "That was overkill. Don't waste your energy on such attacks next time," he chided.

A big, red tick mark could be seen throbbing above Chie's head. She was about to retort that her fighting style was perfectly fine when a maniacal laughter echoed throughout the skies. _**"Hahaha…so you guys really did follow me here."**_

"Adachi…" Minato growled. He was still angry about the incident yesterday.

"Talk about déjà vu," Yosuke mumbled.

_** "So you passed the first trap that I set up for you,"**_ Adachi's voice rang out. _**"But I guess that was still pretty easy, huh? Would have made my job easier if one of you died though…"**_

Kanji was ticked. "What the hell do you want this time, bastard?" he shouted to the sky.

_** "Geez, you gotta learn when to stop yelling…friggin' punk,"**_ Adachi mocked, pertaining Kanji. _**"Oh well, if you want answers, you're just going to have to catch me. Later losers."**_

"Ignore him guys," Souji interrupted before anybody else loses their cool. "Let's just focus on getting to the top."

* * *

><p>Fighting Shadows got a lot easier after they perfected their coordination and teamwork. The Shadows on every floor were getting stronger too.<p>

It was on the third floor that Adachi's voice popped out once more. _**"Oh man, this is much more fun than I thought it would be. If I'd known there were other Persona users out there I would've thrown you guys in too."**_

_ 'Ignore him, ignore him, ignore him…'_ they chanted in their heads over and over as they tried to find the next set of stairs.

_** "I'm not surprised you have dog on your team though, if those from this godforsaken town have a bear. Some Junes mascot you are. Oh well, more animals for everybody right?"**_ Adachi continued to mock them.

An unmistakable growl escaped Teddie's throat. Souji had to grab the collar of his bear suit and hold him back to prevent him from going ballistic. Koromaru wasn't fazed since he was…well…a dog.

_** "So you guys play babysitter too. That kid must have been some piece of work to end up with you guys if you ask me. A weakling like him can't possibly wield a Persona or protect anyone. Tch, loser..."**_

Ken was normally good at ignoring what other people thought of him. To be honest he couldn't care less. But something about this Adachi person pushed all the right buttons, and Ken could feel his anger rising. He was about to retaliate when Shinjiro squeezed his shoulder.

"Don't let him get to you kid," he said. "You're better than that." Ken finally calmed down.

They fought their way to the fifth floor when Adachi decided to bother them again. _**"I'm so jealous of you guys. So many pretty girls on your team, especially the ones from Port Island…you gotta have nice things to look at when you're stuck in this hellhole, am I right?"**_

The men of SEES tensed a bit at his insinuation.

_** "Especially the one in the pink sweater…you got some super nice legs," **_Adachi commented. _**"It's a waste for a pretty face like yours to be going to college. Quit studying your ass off and become a model or something. You have no idea how much guys are willing to pay for a picture of you in a bathing suit."**_

A vein in Yukari's forehead threatened to burst. "Why that little…" she seethed. She was used to Junpei's teasing, as perverted as he was he never made fun of her this way. Her anger was about to explode before Yukiko gently squeezed her hand.

"Don't take anything he says seriously," the raven-haired healer said. "Adachi is too shallow to see anything beyond that. I'm sure Minato-san agrees with me."

"Yeah, you're right Yukiko-chan." Yukari finally calmed down and returned her gesture. "Thanks."

On the other hand, Minato was fuming on the inside. He knew what guys said about his girlfriend behind her back, especially when they were in high school together. He didn't take their comments to heart because they were just being boys. Hearing a criminal implying sexual innuendos right to his face however was a different story. _'I can't wait to make him suffer for saying that!' _he thought, adding that to his motivation.

It didn't look like Adachi was about to stop. _**"And that elegant little redhead…acting so high and mighty like she owns everything. I hate bitches like you…always stomping around and looking down on people. You're lucky you were born pretty, otherwise no guy would want to tap ya."**_

Mitsuru blushed, not out of embarrassment but of rage. Never in her life had she been insulted like this before. _'I'll execute him!'_ she screamed in her mind.

Akihiko was thinking in the same lines. _'Wait till I get my hands on him…'_ His grey eyes hardened. _'How dare he say things like that about her? I never saw Mitsuru in that way, ever!'_

_** "And the girl with the ponytail, another Wild Card I presume? If you are anything like Souji then you must have a ton of guys drooling all over you. I know this quaint little maid café in Okina City where they hire little girls like you. With your nice figure, you'll have no problem fitting into those skimpy maid outfits and earn a lot of tips."**_

Minako was feeling very uncomfortable. She knew Adachi was watching, but she can't help but feel like he was staring at her alone and undressing her with his eyes. A shiver ran up her spine and she began to rub her arms to get rid of that weird feeling.

This didn't go unnoticed by Shinjiro, who pulled her close and attempted to shield her with his body. "Don't listen to that asshole," he told her. "He's just running his mouth because he's got nothing else to do." He got a weak nod in return.

In his mind Shinjiro was already imagining how he would break every bone in the bastard's body and punching his face in for making such salacious comments about his girl, and probably putting weird thoughts into that idiot Junpei's head.

Said idiot had a mixed expression of disgust and anger on his face. Sure, he often made rather perverted comments regarding the girls, but even he had higher standards than that.

_** "Of course, I couldn't forget the little one with blue hair… Quiet and petite, so fragile and pretty... A docile, weak minded little girl she must be, no?"**_

Fuuka barely held back an angry gasp. Sure, she was small and not physically strong, but she was far from being weak minded. _'I know I shouldn't think this way, but I can't forgive him!'_she mentally yelled.

_** "Oh, and there are two dolls here too? Now I've seen everything… Why do you try so hard to be like humans? Even if you look and act like one, you'll never truly be one. And being human sucks anyway… I can think of a million better uses for two good looking dummies like you."**_

"Sister… Can I crush his skull?" Metis whispered. The venom on her voice indicated she was truly offended.

"He's not worth the trouble," Aigis replied coldly. "He'll be getting what's coming at him soon enough."

Adachi laughed. He seemed to be having a blast. _**"And last, but not least, the four hotties from Nowheresville: the kung fu maniac that's more of a boy than a girl, the inn princess that can't do a thing on her own, the artificial and superficial pop star and the self-conscious and arrogant detective princess. You know, your pretty faces and nice figures could get you all really far if you kept you damn mouths shut!"**_

Something snapped inside the four girls from the Investigation Team. _'He's so dead!'_

If the girls thought they were mad, the guys were almost losing it. Each one of them held the girls dear and none of them could stand such crap from a deranged, depraved sicko! _'I'm beating the shit out of this asshole!'_

"We're close to the stairs," Rise quickly informed, cutting off any murderous intentions. "They're around here somewhere…Ah, there it is!"

They climbed the stairs, trying not to push or shove each other before they reached the sixth floor. The sound of clapping could be heard in the distance.

_** "Oh my, what a persistent bunch. I must congratulate you for making it this far though, it's been a while since I had this much fun,"**_ Adachi's voice echoed. _**"Prison was so~ boring~."**_

"Does that guy ever shut up?" Junpei said exasperatedly, throwing his arms in the air.

Adachi snickered. _**"But you know what would be more fun?"**_

Minato and the others groaned, despite trying their hardest to ignore him. They didn't want to know.

_** "Why don't Souji come after me alone? After all, I did try to kill him…"**_

"Don't listen to that prick, partner," Yosuke said through gritted teeth. "Like we're gonna fall for his stupid tricks."

_** "There are a few more reasons why he should come after me alone,"**_ Adachi gloated. _**"Have you guys forgotten what I did last year? Because Namatame listened to me, it resulted to your precious Nanako-chan falling sick. She almost died, remember?"**_

The tension in the air got thicker as the expression on the faces of the Investigation Team tightened. How could they forget? If it wasn't for Souji and his cool head, they would have committed murder by throwing Namatame into the TV.

_** "Now I wonder who could have sent those Shadows after my former boss and his little brat a few days ago," **_Adachi hummed, as if pondering over a problem. _**"I mean, it's not like I hate them or anything…much."**_ He giggled maliciously.

Souji almost snapped before Minato and Minako acted quickly by grabbing his arms. "Calm down!" Minato demanded. "He's trying to rile you up to go after him alone. Don't fall for it!"

"Aniki is right, Souji-kun. Don't let it get to your head," Minako said soothingly.

_** "Aw man, you're not gonna come after me? That's too bad." **_Adachi sounded disappointed. _**"Oh well, watching you guys fight is a lot more entertaining anyways. Who knows, some of you might die and you'll just make my day,"**_ he mocked before remaining quiet.

Chie's cheeks flushed as she stomped the ground angrily. "Ooh…he just makes me so mad!"

"Calm down, Satonaka. Remember the first rule of combat: 'Always keep a level head'," Akihiko reminded her.

"That's strange," Fuuka said. "I don't detect other Shadows on this floor."

"Something isn't right," Rise agreed. "There were so many Shadows in this place, but not a single one on this floor. I wonder why?"

"Who the hell cares? It'll worth it if I can imprint my fist in that ugly face of his!" Kanji scoffed. Shinjiro growled in agreement.

Souji finally cooled down and regained his composure. "Let's go guys. Make sure to keep your guard up. We're dealing with Adachi here…it's all part of his game."

After taking a few more turns, they arrived at a huge opening that was completely covered with yellow police tape. Junpei and Souji took out their swords and slashed them away. A stairway was revealed.

Before they could set foot on it, a black gust of wind blew them over. It was so strong it knocked everyone off their feet. They shielded their eyes from the dust and remained low until it died down.

Curses and groans were heard as everyone tried to stand.

"What in the world was that?" Mitsuru asked as she was helped to her feet by Akihiko.

"That certainly took us by surprise," Naoto said, dusting off her uniform.

When everyone had regained their bearings, Yukiko noticed that they were missing somebody. "Wait a minute…where's Souji-kun?"

Gasps and murmurs soon followed. "Hey, where the heck is Minako?" Shinjiro hollered, already starting to panic.

Minato was about to tell everyone to calm down before gunshots were heard, and he was certain it wasn't from an Evoker. He paled two shades as memories started to flood in his mind; the first one was Junpei getting shot by Takaya in front of Tartarus, and the second one being Shinjiro in the alleyway behind Port Island Station. Because his memories were fused with Minako's, he could feel twice the devastating emotions that came with it, and he never wanted to go through that again. Anger and panic pierced his gut as he rushed up the stairs, followed by his friends.

They could only hope they weren't too late.

* * *

><p>Souji could only groan as he opened his eyes just a crack. The immense headache was killing him as he tried to shift his body to a more comfortable position. "Where am I?" He tried to move, but then discovered that his body was aching as well, which wasn't a surprise since he was lying on the ground. Gathering all his strength, Souji opened his eyes fully, blinking a few times to adjust to the light.<p>

"So, you're finally awake," a voice sneered. "It wouldn't be fun if I continued while you were still unconscious."

The silverette tensed. He recognized that voice. "Adachi…" he snarled, trying to push himself up but grunted in dismay to find that his hands were handcuffed. As he became more aware of his surroundings, Souji felt something wet seeping through his bandages; his wounds had just reopened. He could feel his head bleeding as well.

Adachi was twirling a gun in his hand. "Don't give me such a face, Souji-kun," he said in a sweet tone. "Malice doesn't quite suit your handsome features."

Souji was furiously brainstorming on how to escape. He looked around, trying to spot anything familiar. All he saw were the tall buildings and red sky. Even his sword was out of his reach.

"Don't waste your time trying to figure out how to escape," Adachi added. "I made sure your friends are busy fighting Shadows while I keep you here. No use resisting." He cocked the gun in Souji's face as he grinned evilly. "I'm going to have so much fun torturing you before I finish you off."

"Go to hell!" Souji spat, rage shooting from his eyes.

Furious, Adachi kicked Souji in the stomach. The silverette doubled over from the pain, his breaths becoming short wheezes. Adachi grabbed a fist-full of his hair and pointed the gun under his chin. "Of course, we can make this quick if you want…but I'm not gonna do that." He let go, leaving Souji to fall in a messy heap. "One thing I had in prison was all the time in the world. All that time to think about how to make you suffer. You know, I wasn't the only one in there to think in the same lines…" He ranted on and on.

The pain was subsiding slowly as Souji tried to filter out Adachi's ramblings. Before he could pull himself together, Adachi grabbed his neck and lifted him up. _'When the hell did he get this strong?'_ Souji thought, trying to fight the pain of his nemesis crushing his windpipe and fingernails digging through his skin.

"You of all people know how much I hate to get my hands dirty," Adachi said, grinning evilly. He gripped Souji's injured arm and squeezed it hard, earning him a scream from the teen. "There's a first time for everything though. After I'm done with you, the twins come next." He threw him on the ground, pulled out his gun and aimed it at Souji's leg.

The sound of shattering glass was heard. "Yatagarasu, Garula!"

Before Adachi could comprehend what was going on, he was violently blown away.

Souji saw Yatagarasu hovering above him and casted Diarama. He could feel his pain receding even if his wounds weren't fully healed, and smiled at his savior. "Aneki, what are you doing here?" he asked weakly.

"What else, Banchou-kun? Saving your sorry behind," Minako giggled. She helped him to his knees and patted his back softly to comfort him.

"How did you get here?"

"Well, after that black gust thingy came, I noticed that it was aiming for you specifically. I acted on instinct and grabbed on to you, so it must have pulled me in," she explained. "Now first things first, we have to get you out of those cuffs." Minako stood up and grabbed her naginata.

Souji lowered his handcuffed hands on the ground. Minako swung the blade of her naginata down and tried to slice the chains with no luck and tried again. She let out a victorious cry when it snapped in two.

Minako wasn't aware of Adachi trying to sneak up behind her. Souji did.

"Aneki, look out!"

On reflex, Minako swung her naginata around. A scream of pain indicated that she had cut something, most likely drawing blood. She narrowed her eyes dangerously at Adachi as her personality did a one-eighty. "Hurt my little brother again and I swear I will murder you ruthlessly!" she screeched.

"Damn you!" Adachi cursed, clutching his bleeding hand. He backed away out of Minako's range for fear of getting slashed again.

It was Souji's turn to sneer. "Serves you right for looking down on Aneki. You always did like to underestimate women. Whatever you tried with Miss Yamano and Saki-senpai isn't going to work on her," he said, clutching his sore stomach.

A lopsided smirk appeared on Adachi's face. He picked up his gun that was lying near his feet and aimed it at the two Wild Cards. "Is that so? How much do you want to wager on that?"

Acting on instinct, Souji shot up and shoved Minako aside with his entire body. He heard the bullet whiz past his left ear after Adachi pulled the trigger. Both of them landed on the ground, a few of their limbs tangled but otherwise they were fine.

Voices could be heard in the distance, shouting "Minako! Souji-kun!"

The former cop cursed again as the rest of the Persona-users, led by Minato, got closer and closer. He readied his gun and pointed it towards Minako who was helping Souji get up. "Come any closer and I'll shoot both of them!" he threatened.

The team stopped in their tracks, worry evident on their faces. Minato's grip on his sword tightened until his knuckles were almost white.

"Adachi, you don't have to do this!" Yosuke said, attempting to negotiate with the madman. "I mean, there must be a better way to settle this."

"Y-yeah! Let's talk about this!" Chie added nervously.

"You seriously think that's gonna work, kid?" Adachi laughed, never taking his eyes off his targets. "How can I miss a great opportunity to get rid of two Wild Cards with one bullet? I originally wanted to exterminate Dojima's brat first, but why waste this chance?" He cocked his gun at them, the index finger of his uninjured hand twitching on the trigger.

Shinjiro and Yukiko could only stand frozen in their places, the latter close to tears.

Minato looked at the ground, his eyes covered by his blue bangs. "Let. Them. Go!" he quivered, his voice barely audible.

"And what can you do, brat?" Adachi snickered, his finger slowly squeezing the trigger. Minako closed her eyes in fear as she tried to support an injured Souji.

The emotional turmoil was too much for Minato when he finally snapped. Everyone gasped when blue smoke began to emerge from Minato's feet, and he wasn't even using his Evoker! They unconsciously backed away from him.

A Persona clad in black and wearing a white helmet, holding a chain of silver coffins with butterfly carvings in one hand and a sword in the other, appeared above Minato. The blue-haired teen lifted his head and narrowed his eyes at Adachi, gaze full of intense anger. He lifted his right hand and gestured to the Persona before pointing at the enemy. "Go…THANATOS!"

Thanatos roared to the sky and lunged at Adachi. He wasn't able to even blink when the Persona sent him flying, followed by a sickening crunch.

Everyone was shaken at this point. "Holy crap, what was that?" Yosuke exclaimed, covered in cold sweat.

Yukari's knees were trembling, and so were the others. "That was Thanatos, one of Minato and Minako's dominant Personas. I've never seen him this mad before."

The Investigation Team was reminded of the incident when they were about to throw Namatame into the TV. Sure, they had seen their leader get ticked off or annoyed, but never explosive anger. It was something they never wanted to see again if they could help it. If Minato's anger could rival Souji's, they didn't want to know how Minako would fare as they had gotten a small sample from the previous battle.

"But…how did he summon without his Evoker?" Akihiko asked.

"He must have done it subconsciously," Fuuka answered. "Threatening his family must have caused him to snap and lose his emotional control."

Minato almost fell to his knees after Thanatos disappeared, but he didn't succumb to it and stumbled to where his siblings were, ignoring the shock of his teammates. He engulfed both of them in a tight embrace and didn't let go.

Both Souji and Minako melted into the hug. "Aniki…we're glad that you're alright," Souji whispered.

"I'll be damned if I lose you guys again," Minato said, choking back a sob.

"Onii-chan…" Minako whispered, comfortable in her brother's embrace.

The shuffling of feet could be heard in the distance, followed by cackling. Adachi fumbled towards them, clutching his ribs, the evil grin on his face once again. His eyes fell on the Wild Card trio. "It looks like Lady Luck is on my side today," he said, pointing his gun at them. "Instead of two Wild Cards, another one falls on my lap, making it three." He chuckled at Minato's attempt to shield his family. "Since you're volunteering, I'm happy to oblige."

Halfway of squeezing the trigger, the sound of shattering glass filled the air once more.

"Isis, Garudyne!"

"Pegasus, Garudyne!"

"Amaterasu, Agidyne!"

The combination of wind and fire created a tornado of flames, fueled by the rage of Shinjiro, Yukari and Yukiko. The moving inferno swallowed Adachi and carried him far away from the team. The three of them proceeded to help their respective lover.

"Oh man, Adachi would have gotten lighter punishment if he didn't manage to piss those three off," Junpei commented to Kanji and Naoto, his voice dropping down to a whisper.

Teddie was glad that his Sensei was fine. "Yup, love makes you do crazy things!" he chirped.

"Souji-kun, I'm so glad you're alright!" Yukiko wailed as she pulled her boyfriend in a tight hug, only letting him go when he winced in pain. "O-oh my goodness, sorry! You're injured again. Here, let me heal that for you!"

Yukari was in the right mind to slap Minato, but instead she buried her face in his chest and cried softly. Minato wrapped his arms around her and whispered words of comfort.

Shinjiro scanned Minako for any injuries and gave a satisfied grunt when he found none. He wasn't about to get sappy like the other two girls, especially in front of this many people. Minako only giggled at his actions.

Rise was about to tease Shinjiro when her senses tingled; Kanzeon was trying to tell her something. Rise quickly summoned her and gasped loudly. The others were startled at her sudden behavior. Ken was the first to ask. "What's wrong, Rise-san?"

The teen idol's knees began to shake. "Guys, prepare for battle now. I sense a huge group of Shadows, bigger than the one we faced at Samegawa. And Adachi…I think we really, really pissed him off this time."

No sooner did she say that, the wind speed started to pick up. They had to shield their eyes from the dust and sand, wondering what in the world was going on. When the wind died down, they were shocked to find Adachi floating before them, Magatsu Izanagi by his side.

"What the hell!" Shinjiro said, clutching his weapon tighter. "He survived our combined attack?" Everyone's eyes were wide as plates, just as shocked as he was.

Despite his clothes being worse for wear, Adachi didn't look like he was injured at all. He laughed hysterically at the Persona users' reaction. "Your pathetic attacks didn't do shit to me. I'm not the same as before!" As if to demonstrate, a burst of black gust erupted from the ground, pushing the group of teenagers backwards.

"This power, it's insanely different from what he was before!" Rise said, clutching to Akihiko for support.

"Is that his Persona?" Mitsuru inquired, curious about the floating figure beside Adachi. "It looks suspiciously like the one Seta has."

"I wouldn't say it's a Persona. Adachi never really did face his other self so technically that's his Shadow, given to him by Izanami," Rise said. "But how is he able to control it, or control its power?"

"Does it really matter?" Akihiko grimaced, trying to stabilize himself. "We're going to beat him regardless."

Rise turned to her leader. "Senpai, what about those group of Shadows? They're starting to gather here because of Adachi."

"Yosuke and Yukiko, you two are with me. The rest of you will hold off the hoard of Shadows," Souji ordered his team. "Rise, you'll be our analyzer."

"If you're going in that direction, I'm going to need Mitsuru-senpai on this one," Minato stated, and gave his sister a look which said "Anything else?"

Minako shook her head. "I agree, Aniki." She looked at the rest of the team. "The seven of us will handle Adachi. Fuuka, you'll be helping the others."

"Roger!" Fuuka replied enthusiastically.

As they separated, the small team which consisted of the three Wild Cards, Yosuke, Yukiko and Mitsuru closed in on Adachi. Rise stayed close to Fuuka and summoned Kanzeon.

The bigger group braced themselves as huge horde of shadows emerged, all of different types and sizes. Fuuka was frantically scanning. _"Bambino, Okina, Twins, Phantom…"_ she whispered. _"All I can tell for now is that they're not resistant against physical attacks."_

"Heh, that'll do for now," Akihiko said. "We strike them hard until we find a more effective way to deal with them. Yukari, Ken, you two act as healers and long range support. I'll hit them with debuff spells so they can't do much harm."

"Got it, Akihiko-san!" Ken said while Yukari nodded.

Akihiko quickly summoned Caesar and casted Matarunda, Marakunda and Masukunda to weaken the Shadows.

Instead of being the reckless one this time, Junpei surprised his team by casting Marakukaja first before attacking. "An extra boost of armor!" he said with a grin.

"An intelligent idea, Junpei-san." Aigis said. "Athena, Matarukaja!"

A warm, orange glow enveloped everyone on the offense team. As soon as Aigis casted her spell, they instantly felt stronger. Kanji and Chie were the first ones to land an attack.

"Rokuten Maoh, Vile Assault!"

"Suzuka Gongen, Heatwave!"

Some of the Shadows screamed as Kanji and Chie's combined attack hit a group of Okina Shadows. Kanji cursed when the damage done wasn't enough to take them out.

"Caesar, Maziodyne!"

"Psyche, Bufudyne!"

"Trismegistus, Torrent Shot!"

"Pegasus, God's Hand!"

"Kamui, Mabufudyne!"

The combination of magic and physical attacks worked better than the previous attack, but it still wasn't enough to finish them all off.

One of the Phantoms casted Mabufudyne. Luckily, Aigis thought fast. "Athena, Masukukaja!"

With the casting of Masukukaja, everyone managed to evade the ice with twice the speed and got out of harm's way. However, some of them did get hit and cut by the ice shards, but was instantly healed by Ken and Yukari.

"Tough bastards…gonna need something bigger to take them out," Shinjiro grunted when he had an idea. "Okay, Pegasus, show me what you're made of! Evil Smile!"

The giant horse emitted an eerie blue aura that covered several Shadows. They all became panicked. "Bull's eye…" Shinjiro smirked. "Now! Ghastly Wail!"

A terrifying shriek echoed across the field, reducing the panicked Shadows into puddles of black ooze.

Metis and Aigis exchanged glances and nodded. "Activating Orgia Mode!"

Both sisters unlocked their limiters and proceeded to land multiple hits on several Shadows with Athena's physical attacks and Psyche's ice and wind magic. They soon overheated and rendered immobile in order to cool down.

The Bambino Shadows that survived the onslaught tried to attack the two androids, only to be burnt to a crisp by a Maragidyne courtesy of Koromaru.

"Time to stop fooling around." Naoto drew her revolver. "Yamato-Takeru, Megidolaon!"

As the huge Almighty attack hit, several Shadows were blown to dust. But more emerged out of nowhere. Naoto was in disbelief, but she persisted with Megidolaon. However, she soon became tired and nearly collapsed on the ground if Kanji hadn't caught her.

"They just keep coming!" Teddie said almost panicking as more and more Shadows keep popping up.

"I just hope Minato-kun and the others are doing better than us…" Yukari murmured as she went heal Naoto.

_Meanwhile…_

"Alright guys, here's the plan. Minako, Souji-kun and myself will handle the offense. Mitsuru-senpai, I need you to act as our distant attacker and hit Adachi with charged-up ice spells whenever you get the chance," Minato said as they were running towards their main enemy.

"Understood," Mitsuru replied, gripping her rapier.

Souji gestured to Yosuke and Yukiko. "Yosuke, you're to act as support and distant attacker because of your speed. Yukiko, you will focus on healing us unless you think it's necessary to attack."

"Got it!" they replied at the same time.

Adachi's grin grew wider when the Wild Cards were facing him. He clapped his hands. "I'll congratulate you for making it this far. As your reward, I'm going to fight you at full strength." Magatsu Izanagi began to glow as he gathered energy for an attack.

The three Wild Cards readied their stance, and prepared to summon their Personas. Mitsuru and Yosuke did the same, the latter acting first. "Go Susano-O, Masukukaja!"

A bright orange light engulfed them, making their bodies lighter and faster. Thanks to that they managed to dodge being sliced to shreds by a Vorpal Blade attack. The Wild Cards grinned; now was the perfect time to reciprocate. They weren't going to hold back either.

"Sraosha, Ziodyne!"

"Vishnu, Ziodyne!"

"Loki, Garudyne!"

The combination attack hit their target dead center, thanks to Yosuke's buffer spell. When the debris cleared, they were shocked to see Magatsu Izanagi and Adachi uninjured.

"What the…" the trio gasped.

"This can't be…" Yosuke murmured, his grip on his knives tightening.

Rise's voice echoed in their heads. _"This_ _energy reading, it's something that I've never seen. He still has the same set of skills as before, but something's not right,"_ she said. _"All I can tell is that his resistance has gotten higher…significantly higher."_

Minato gritted his teeth. "Then we're going to have to keep bombarding him until he breaks. Make sure to power up your next attack!"

Souji and Minato casted Power Charge while Mitsuru and Minako did the same with Mind Charge.

"Are you guys finished yet?" Adachi asked in a bored tone. "I hate waiting you know." He waved his hand and Magatsu Izanagi charged towards Souji, ready to slash him with his naginata. The teen managed to block the attack with his katana. The impact sent him flying backwards, but he managed to land on his feet in a crouching position.

_ 'Damnit, even his strength has increased. Thank goodness I powered up my body or else I wouldn't be able to hold it back.' _ Souji remembered Adachi's vice-grip when he was choking him, and it made perfect sense. The corrupted Persona lunged at him again, but this time Souji came prepared. "Help me, Yoshitsune!"

A samurai in red armor appeared at his master's call, blocking the attack with his double daggers. Magatsu Izanagi strikes again, and Yoshitsune parried it with his own slashes. The others couldn't help but stare in awe; it was like watching a legendary battle of ancient Japan.

Minato gestured for his sister and Mitsuru to attack Magatsu Izanagi while he was still preoccupied.

"Masakado, Tempest Slash!"

"Vishnu, Ziodyne!"

"Artemesia, Bufudyne!"

Mitsuru's giant ice block trapped the Shadow in his place, while Minako's thunder attack struck him and the ice block, cutting him with the ice shards. Minato's power charged Tempest Slash hit him twice. The onslaught of powered-up attacks seemed to have an effect as Magatsu Izanagi let out a high-pitched cry. Not far from him, Adachi was in pain as well; some of Mitsuru's ice shards hit him and now he was bleeding everywhere.

"Now you people are starting to piss me off!" Adachi growled, his voice strained with anger and annoyance. However, he wasn't in pain for very long as his cuts started to heal at an extremely fast rate.

"What the…he didn't even cast a healing spell!" Yukiko said, shocked.

_ "It's passive high-speed recovery. He didn't have this skill last time,"_ Rise informed. _"No wonder he wasn't badly hurt when he was fried earlier."_

"Even Shinjiro's regenerative abilities aren't that high," Mitsuru said, slightly shaking. "How is this even possible?"

Adachi laughed again. "I told you I was serious, didn't I? Now the fun really begins!" A strong gale blew a cloud of dust around them, impairing their vision.

Minato cursed. "This isn't good. Even with our Persona's abilities, we can't hit what we can't see!"

Before they can say anything else, something hit them from behind. The six of them fell on the ground, hard. No matter how many times they got up and tried to fight back, they keep getting hit by attacks they couldn't see, leaving them hurt and confused. Adachi's mocking laughter wasn't making it any easier.

Frustrated, Yosuke summoned Susano-O and casted Magarudyne in different directions, being careful not to hit his teammates. Some of the dust cloud dissipated, and the air around them became clearer. Encouraged by this, he repeated his actions until their surroundings were visible. By the time he was done, Yosuke was panting heavily.

Minato, Souji and Minako were too injured to stand up. Yukiko immediately healed them and herself, aided by Mitsuru.

"Thanks Yukiko," Souji panted, standing up. "Good thinking Yosuke. You can take it easy now. We'll handle Adachi."

Minako's red eyes flashed with anger. "Now I'm pissed!" she seethed, gripping her Evoker tightly.

"Calm down Minako. We need to rethink our strategy," Minato said. "His regeneration ability is the real problem here."

"We just have to get rid of his Persona, and then he can't heal himself anymore," she retorted. "But we have to do it fast."

"She's right Aniki," Souji agreed. "Not only that, we're going to have to power up our attacks constantly to counter his high resistance." He gave Yosuke a look, which his best friend understood.

Yosuke nodded. His tarot card appeared and he slashed it. "Susano-O, Masukukaja!"

"Let's do this!"

The trio ran in three different directions, charging their attacks along the way. They took turns slashing Magatsu Izanagi with their weapons, their speed almost doubled thanks to Yosuke. Yukiko and Mitsuru were on stand-by to heal any of their injuries.

Every time Magatsu Izanagi looked like he was about to heal, they hit him relentlessly using their strongest physical attacks.

"Yoshitsune, Hassou Tobi!"

"Helel, Primal Force!"

"Bishamonten, Aeon Rain!"

But no matter how hard they tried, Magatsu Izanagi and Adachi weren't fazed at all. Despite being healed constantly by Yukiko and Mitsuru, their strength and stamina were wearing thin.

Souji was already on his knees, supporting his body upright with his sword. "Damn it, at this rate we're only tiring ourselves out even more!"

"Banchou-kun is right. I don't think we have a choice but to use 'that' again," Minako panted, leaning on her naginata.

Minato cursed under his breath, but he knew both of them were right. "It is pretty risky, but if it means we can get rid of him then I don't care if we pass out after this." He grinned a bit. "Banchou-kun, have you ever heard of 'Fusion Raid'?"

The silverette looked confused. "Huh? What's that? Never heard of it before."

"By summoning two Personas at the same time, we can unleash a special attack. However, only selected pairs can be used to create Fusion Raid. We could do it alone due Death being sealed within us and that giving us a small fragment of our souls to each other." Minako explained. "We're thinking of casting Shadow Hound by combining Scathatch and Cu Chulainn, but if you have a Persona of the same mythology then I think we can amplify its power."

"We're about to test the power of The World social link," Minato said. "Are ya ready, Banchou-kun?"

A blue card floated on Souji's palm. "I think I can handle it," he smirked. "And I have just the Persona. Whenever you guys are ready."

Not far, Adachi cracked his neck and looked at the trio in a bored expression. "Giving up already?" he asked in a mocking tone. The Wild Cards did not respond. "Oh well, I had fun while it lasted. Prepare to die!" Magatsu Izanagi was poised in his stance, ready to release a deadly attack.

The Wild Card trio beat him to it. They merged their energies as they called out to their Personas.

"Scathach…"

"Cu Chulainn…"

"Setanta…"

The three Personas of Irish myth appeared and started to growl…

"SHADOW HOUND!"

Magatsu Izanagi was swallowed up by an explosion before he could even move. It was so powerful the ground shook and became unsteady, even destroying the Shadows that the other Persona users were fighting. When the shaking calmed down, the corrupted Persona was pretty beaten up, but just like before he started to heal himself automatically.

Before he could start however, a few more explosions engulfed him. No matter which direction he went to try and escape, the explosions would always catch up. Unable to withstand the injuries caused, Magatsu Izanagi let out an ear-splitting shriek. His body started to disintegrate slowly, leaving an orb of glowing light which must have been his core. After a few seconds of just floating there, the orb also disintegrated.

The strain of unleashing such a powerful combo finally took a toll on the Wild Cards as they felt lightheaded and their vision blurred. They fell to the ground in an unceremonious fashion and passed out.

Distinct voices of their teammates could be heard approaching them.

"What the hell was that?" Junpei hollered, followed by the rest of the Investigation Team and SEES.

"What happened here?" Akihiko questioned, making a beeline for Mitsuru.

"Sensei!" Teddie cried, running towards his leader's unconscious form. He was followed by Yukiko, Yosuke and the rest of the Investigation Team.

Shinjiro was already kneeling beside Minako. He gently picked her up and cradled her. "You idiot!" he whisper-scolded in her ear. "Don't ever scare me like that again! Did you know how worried I was?"

Yukari felt Minato's pulse and sighed with relief. "Why is this moron so good at scaring me? Twice in one day!" she complained half-heartedly, her eyes glazed with tears. Koromaru approached her and licked her face to comfort her.

"I don't think they had a choice," Rise said, interrupting their conversations. She turned to Fuuka. "You should have seen the amount of power Adachi had. I've never seen Senpai struggle in a fight like that before. It was an entirely new level, even for them."

"Speaking of Adachi…" Akihiko trailed off. His eyes scanned the area before him and found the fugitive curled in a ball not far away.

"Ugh…my head," said fugitive groaned, clutching his head. "What the hell happened?" He looked up and found himself surrounded by angry Persona users. "W-why are you people looking at me like that?" he stuttered, eyes wide.

Kanji lifted Adachi off his feet by his shirt collar and gave him a murderous stare. "Don't pretend to fake innocence, you little weasel. You were about to kill our Senpai and we're gonna make you pay!"

"Please let me go!" Adachi choked, trying to break free of Kanji's iron grip. "I don't know what you're talking about!" Kanji just shook him harder.

"Kanji-kun, stop it!" Naoto demanded. "I don't think he's faking."

Yosuke pulled a face. "And what makes you so sure?"

"I agree with Naoto-san," Aigis said. "His vital signs do not indicate that he is lying." Metis nodded beside her.

"Let's just hear him out," Naoto said calmly. "Something about all this doesn't make sense, and we need more information." She turned to the scared man, whom Kanji released. "Adachi, how did you even manage to break out of prison?"

"I…I don't remember much," he answered weakly, gasping large gulps of air. "All I remember was the sky turning green in the middle of the day and everyone turning into coffins. I remembered being confused about it, but then this dark figure appeared in my cell and told me he would help me escape if I succumb to my deepest, darkest desires and I could finally have my revenge. Everything was a blur after that."

Naoto frowned, deep in thought. "And why did you target Souji-senpai first instead of the twins?"

"I'm not sure myself. Sometimes there would be voices in my head telling me to go after him. They said that he was still recovering from a car accident and that made him the weakest of the three and the easiest to get rid of."

The ace detective just stared at him for some time before taking out a pair of handcuffs and gave them to Akihiko. "Please restrain him. I don't think he has anything to add. We should get out of here and send those three to the hospital."

"And just like Sensei would say: 'Let's just think about this for now'," Teddie quoted, trying to brighten the moody atmosphere.

While Akihiko helped Naoto restrain Adachi, Junpei helped Yukari lift Minato and slung his arms around their shoulders. Yosuke and Yukiko did the same with Souji. Shinjiro just carried Minako bridal-style.

Knowing that the others were safe, the Wild Card trio slipped deeper into unconsciousness.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Inaba Municipal Hospital…<strong>_**  
><strong>  
>As soon as they got back to the Real World, Naoto called the police to pick Adachi up while Mitsuru called the paramedics to take the three Wild Cards to the hospital.<p>

It was already late evening when the group was gathered at the narrow hallway in front of the trio's room, anxiously waiting for news as their leaders weren't allowed any visitors. Mitsuru, with her family connections, and Naoto, using her ties to the Police department and representing Detective Dojima, managed to go talk with the doctors.

The silence was unbearable, especially for Yukari, Yukiko and Shinjiro.

"Sensei is gonna be okay… right?" Teddie broke the silence.

"The doctors should be able to help them, Teddie-kun," Fuuka said.

"We have to believe in them and wait for them to recover," Rise added. "The rest is up to them."

"I guess… but what about that Adachi guy?" Junpei asked.

"Shirogane said he'll be taken to a prisonal hospital for treatment and then straight back to a solitary cell," Akihiko answered.

"That way he won't get near Senpai again." Kanji slammed a fist against his palm. "If he does, I'm taking him down!"

"I doubt he'd have the nerve to do that after the beating he got…" Ken said. "Something bothers me, though. Adachi mentioned someone breaking him out of prison. That means that whoever is altering the balance between both worlds must have also released him and used him in an attempt to get rid of Souji-san as well as Minato-san and Minako-san."

"Ken-kun is right… But why use Adachi? And why target them?" Chie asked.

"Souji is our leader… The strongest among us… Same applies to Minato-san and Minako-san… Without them… our teams would simply fall apart…" Yosuke said with a grim expression. "And it wouldn't be hard for Adachi to get rid of all of us without our leaders in the way…"

Everybody in the room shuddered. Yosuke had a point; they wouldn't stand a chance against the powered up Adachi without the three Wild Cards.

"Our enemy is striking harder…" Aigis said. "We must remain vigilant."

"Until Souji-san and the twins recover, they'll be vulnerable…" Metis added. "We must protect them."

They all nodded in agreement.

A few minutes later, Mitsuru and Naoto returned. Yukari, Yukiko and Shinjiro stood up at the same time. "Well?" they asked in unison. "Did they find out anything?"

"The doctors believe they're only exhausted, but they can't say anything definite until they run some tests on them," Naoto said. "They decided it would be for the best that they rest here and stay in observation for tonight, especially since Souji-senpai's wound on his arm reopened."

"Tomorrow they'll run a throughout exam on them, to make sure they didn't suffer any internal injuries from the battle," Mitsuru added. "Should everything be okay, they'll be released in the afternoon of the same day before Dojima-san and Nanako-chan comes home."

Everybody sighed in relief. "By the way…" Mitsuru continued. "The doctors allowed three people to see them." She smiled gently at Yukari, Yukiko and Shinjiro. "Go see them."

"Thank you!" Both Yukiko and Yukari said before they dashed into the room.

Shinjiro gave Mitsuru a nod and muttered some thanks before he followed the two girls.

Shinjiro, Yukiko and Yukari walked into the room and were greeted by a warm scene: Minato, Minako and Souji, each one lying on a bed as they slept soundly. Their minor wounds had been patched up and they had peaceful expressions on their faces.

"You really gave me a scare back there… Thank goodness you're safe, Minato-kun…" Yukari whispered before she kissed his cheek. "Sleep well, ok?"

"Souji-kun… You're so reckless at times… But so brave too…" Yukiko whispered, kissing Souji's cheek. "Sweet dreams."

Shinjiro didn't want to get sappy, but since there were only them in the room and the girls were too busy with their own boyfriends, so he made an exception. "You're a real piece of work, worrying me like that… But I guess that's why I fell for you, Minako…" He kissed her forehead. "Rest up, okay? You deserve it."

The three exchanged glances and left. The smiles in their sleeping counterparts' faces broadened a bit.

* * *

><p>Souji woke up, startled. He could've sworn someone was watching him and the twins while they were sleeping. He looked around the dark room but found no one, and sighed. He hoped he wasn't getting paranoid with all the things that had happened.<p>

"Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to wake you up." A voice suddenly rang out.

Souji nearly fell off his bed. He thought no one was there! He turned to Minato and Minako. Both were fast asleep. "W-Who's there?" he asked quietly.

"Over here. By the window." The voice said again.

Souji looked at the window. It was open and someone was sitting on the ledge. It was a boy, about the same age he was. He had midnight black hair and blue eyes. He was wearing a white shirt with black suspenders, pants and shoes. However, one detail caught Souji's eye: the long yellows scarf around his neck.

"Sorry I scared you," the boy said with a gentle smile. "I just came to check on you guys."

"You… You're the guy that saved me the other day," Souji said.

"Yeah… Glad you remember me." The boy grinned as he walked up to Souji. "Oh, where are my manners? I'm Ryoji Mochizuki." He held out his hand to Souji. "Nice to meet you."

"Uh… I'm Souji Seta… Nice to meet you too, Ryoji-san..." Souji awkwardly shook hands with Ryoji. "Um… Thanks for saving me…"

"Don't mention it, Souji-kun. I'm just glad you are okay." Ryoji smiled and turned his gaze to the twins. There was a nostalgic look on his face. "Minato-kun… Minako-chan… I'm so glad they're unharmed as well…"

"So you really do know Aniki and Aneki…" Souji whispered. "But…"

"How did I return? I'm not sure myself…" Ryoji frowned. "There's this voice in my mind that keeps telling me I could have another chance to live as a human if I helped you and the Arisato twins. It's what my heart tells me to do…"

"Ryoji-san…"

Ryoji patted Souji on his head. "Hey, don't worry about me, Souji-kun. I'm gonna be okay!" he assured the silverette. "I have to look into some stuff before I can finally reveal myself to them. In the meantime, can I ask you for a favor?"

Souji cocked his head to the side. "Sure. Go ahead…"

"Please, take care of Minato-kun and Minako-chan," Ryoji requested, his gaze never leaving the twins. "I know you are the sole family they have left, so I'm sure you'll protect them."

"Of course… Aniki and Aneki are really important to you too, huh?" Souji smiled. "You can count on me."

Ryoji smiled back at him. "Thanks, Souji-kun." He walked towards to the window. Two pairs of black, feathery wings appeared on his back. "I'll see you some other time. Take care." He leapt out of the window, his wings spreading out and flew away, vanishing into the moonlit sky.

Souji could only stare in awe. "Aniki and Aneki sure have some interesting friends…" he mumbled to himself, looking at them. A soft smile crossed his face when they began to snore softly. A yawn escaped his mouth. "I should talk with them tomorrow…"

With that in mind, Souji settled himself in his bed and resumed his slumber.

* * *

><p><em>The mystery just keeps growing and growing. Well, at least the gang has a little helper in the background. Things should be getting interesting in the future. :3<em>

_If you guys have any questions, feel free to ask. _

_Don't forget to __Read, Review and Enjoy!_


	9. Chapter 9: Sketchbook Memories

_Hey, guys. Having fun? I certainly am. Well, here I am with chapter 9. Enjoy yourselves!_

_A few warnings: (Yes, I put those before every chapter to avoid issues)_

_-There will be spoilers for all games! You've been warned.  
>-The Main characters from each game in this fanfic are called Minato Arisato (P3:FES), Minako Arisato (P3P) and Souji Seta (P4)<br>-There'll be some cursing. (Anyone that played any persona games knows that some characters on it curse quite a bit.) as well as some heavy subjects.  
>-Main Pairings in this fanfic: MinatoxYukari, ShinjiroxMinako, SoujixYukiko, KanjixNaoto, AkihikoxMitsuru, YosukexChie.<br>-Hinted Pairings(in later chapters): JunpeixChidori. (Hinted because Chidori doesn't appear much on this story) KenxNanako (Ya know those little girl's crushes on older boys? It'll be along those lines) FuukaxKeisuke (Other than Minato and Junpei, Fuuka only displayed some sort of close relationship with Keisuke the club president. I found it kinda cute.) TeddiexRise (Just for giggles. They are after all the two hyperactive cuties of the team X3)_

_Have fun ya guys. On with the show!_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 9: Sketchbook Memories<strong>

_**Late night at the Amagi Inn…**_

The boys' room sounded awfully quiet. Minato, Minako and Souji were taken to the hospital, drained after the vicious battle against Adachi. Fortunately, they were only exhausted from using too much of their spiritual power so they'll be spending only one night in the hospital to rest, run a few blood exams in the morning and be released in the afternoon, as long as they didn't push themselves too hard.

Junpei sighed. He couldn't drift off to sleep no matter how tired and how sore he was after fighting that son of a gun, Adachi. He still couldn't shake at how pissed he was at the bastard for trying to shoot Souji and Minako, or the anger and fear he saw in Minato's eyes when he tried to pull the trigger. He couldn't really blame his blue-haired leader for feeling like that. Like he himself had said, witnessing someone he deeply cared for being shot was hard and reliving the episode for a third time was too traumatic for anybody. Along with Shinjiro, Junpei himself had been shot by the same person. It was a by a miracle he had survived. A red-headed miracle named Chidori.

Chidori… The girl he had truly fallen in love with. He used to pride himself as a goofball womanizer, but she was the only girl that really had a place in his heart even though she didn't remember him after her revival. Of course, that didn't stop Junpei from visiting her every day when she was still at the hospital. He even asked Mitsuru to get her a place in a prestigious art school after her release.

Before summer vacation, he'd visit her every day to check out her new drawings or to simply chat. Chidori seemed to appreciate his visits, calling him her 'strange funny friend'. Junpei would love to be more than friends, but knew that he should take things slowly. Chidori's health was still sort of fragile after all she had gone through, and he didn't want her to overexert herself just to remember him. He still had her sketchbook filled with pictures of him and one photo with the two of them together. When he felt the time was right, he'd show it to her and maybe, just maybe, she'll remember him.

_ 'I should phone her tomorrow…'_ Junpei thought. _'Haven't called her ever since I got here, with all the things that happened… It wouldn't hurt checking on her.'_

With that thought in mind, Junpei finally fell asleep.

* * *

><p>White walls everywhere... Everything was white, but the ground was covered with flowers of all colors and sizes. And walls had several drawings on it. Was it a dream? How did she get there in the first place, anyway?<p>

As the lone female figure dressed in white walked around, the place felt oddly comforting to her. Like it was something she had been looking for a long the time.

Despite the foggy atmosphere and the weird black creatures she spotted every now and then, which she avoided out of instinct, she felt at peace there. It didn't make sense, but right now she couldn't care less about logic or common sense.

A sudden thought crossed her mind. Maybe in this place, she'd finally meet the kind, warm person from her dreams.

"I wish he was here too… He's always been so supportive of me… encouraging me to find that person," she whispered as she moved forward. "Junpei…"

* * *

><p>The next morning, after having breakfast, Junpei headed for the outside courtyard. Once he was sure he was alone, he picked out his cellphone and dialed the number of the dorm Chidori was staying in.<p>

_ "Hello?"_came a female voice from the other line.

"Uh… Hi. This is Junpei Iori. Is Chidori Yoshino there?"

_ "Oh, that weirdo again…"_ the voice said, rather annoyed. _"If you're looking for Chidori, she's not home. And I don't know when she's coming back."  
><em>  
>"What do ya mean? Something happened to her?" Junpei asked, starting to worry.<p>

_ "Like I know or care! Last time I saw that weird gothic loli, she was standing in front of a television at an electronic shop on our way home from grocery shopping, staring at it like a zombie. Next thing I know, she's gone. Jerk…she should have helped me carry the heavy stuff before disappearing like that –"_

Junpei cut her off. "When was that?!"

_ "Huh? Morning I guess. Two or three days ago…whatever."_

Junpei paled. That was around the same time the Dark Hour appeared, the same day Minako finally rejoined the group. "Did you call the police?!"

_ "Why should I? That girl was always a weirdo, scribbling on her sketchbook or muttering junk about meeting someone from her dreams. No one's gonna miss her or care about her anyway. Just drop it, will ya?"_

"I care about her, you stupid bitch!" Junpei yelled into the phone, furious at the girl for badmouthing Chidori and not knowing how serious the situation was.

Before the girl could say anything, Junpei hung up on her. It took all of his willpower not to scream. He was angry, but most of all he was worried for Chidori's safety. _'Damn, what if she fell into the TV when the Dark Hour hit?! But she doesn't have her Persona anymore…is something like that possible?'_he thought as his heart beat faster. "Wait, what if she was targeted by Shadows like Dojima-san and Nanako-chan?! Oh crap! What do I do?!"

"Junpei-kun?" A voice called softly.

Startled, Junpei spun around. Fuuka was standing in front of him with a concerned expression on her face.

"Oh, it's you Fuuka…" Junpei mumbled, looking away.

"Um… I was looking for you and… um…" Fuuka was trying to find the words. "I heard you on the phone. Something happened to Chidori?"

Junpei sighed. While the twins were his best friends, Fuuka was his confidant, his advisor. She was the one he could talk to about pretty much everything.

"Chidori… She… She disappeared…" he finally said. "I think it was during the Dark Hour when Mina-tan finally rejoined us."

Fuuka gasped. "Oh, my gosh! So that's what Natsuki-chan was talking about…"

Junpei cocked his head in confusion. He knew Fuuka and Natsuki still kept in touch with each other, but this was news to him."What do you mean?"

"She sent me an e-mail around the same time Minako-chan came back, but with everything that happened, I only got to read it today…" Fuuka explained. "She mentioned something about the sky going dark and people changing into coffins while she was out getting medicine for her father. The only people unaffected were her and a red-haired girl dressed in white." She frowned. "It happened too quickly… Natsuki-chan panicked and ran away after she saw the girl touching the TV screen and vanished…"

Junpei's eyes were as wide as saucers. His worst fears had come true "No…Chidori…"

"Junpei-kun…"

"I gotta find her… I can't lose her again!" Junpei said with determination before he made a dash for the Inn's gate.

Fuuka ran after him. "Junpei-kun, wait, where are you going?"

"She's in the Other Side. I'm going after her!"

"All by yourself?! It's too dangerous!" Fuuka tried to reason with him. "Please, let's talk with Minato-kun and the others… I'm sure they…"

"I can't!" Junpei turned to her. "Fuuka, you know that they're in no condition to fight after dealing with that son of a bitch Adachi! I can't risk Minato or Minako or Souji! Chidori's my responsibility! Only I can protect her!"

"Junpei-kun…"

"Sorry, but I gotta do this on my own." Junpei said. He was about to leave the inn when he bumped full force into someone and fell on his butt. "Ow… Man, I can't even make a decent exit…"

It was Yosuke and Teddie. "Ow… my nose…" Yosuke muttered nasally and saw who had bumped into. "Huh? Junpei-senpai? Sorry about that." He helped him up.

"No biggie, Yosuke." Junpei said. "What are you and Teddie doing here?"

"We just came from the hospital after visiting Sensei," Teddie said. "So we wanted to tell Yuki-chan and the others that he, Mina-chan and Mina-kun will be released in the afternoon."

"That's great!" Junpei said with a relieved grin, but his eyes still held concern. Suddenly, an idea hit him. "Hey, Yosuke... Can you and Ted do me a favor?"

The two friends exchanged confused glances. "Uh… sure. What is it?" Yosuke asked.

Fuuka knew what Junpei was thinking about and sighed. There was no other way.

"Let's go to Junes." Junpei looked at them seriously. "I need you guys' help."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Junes' Food court…<strong>_

"Say what?!" Yosuke nearly yelled. "A girl got sucked into the TV?!"

"Keep it down, dude!" Junpei scolded him. "And yes. From what I heard from Chidori's dorm mate and from what Fuuka's friend told her, I'm sure she ended up in the other side."

"But how? Neither me, Rise-chan or Fuuka-chan sensed her while we were there," Teddie said.

"Chidori's former Persona, Medea, had the ability to conceal others' presences by emitting life energy," Fuuka explained. "Adachi's presence in the TV World could also have overlapped hers because of his power."

"Former? What happened to her?" Yosuke asked.

Junpei lowered his head. "She… Chidori was part of a group of rogue Persona users called Strega… They more than once tried to stop us from ending the Dark hour…" he started. "We met by chance; before I found out she was part of Strega. During the time she was in the hospital under SEES' custody, we got to know each other better. Chidori's different…not only from the rest of Strega, but from other girls too. Not just her looks or how she dresses, but everything about her is different. She doesn't care about little annoyances like broken nails, or what other people say about her. She's not indecisive, either. It's like she actually knows what she wants to do and exactly how she intends to do it. Something you don't find in girls very often..." He was silent for a few seconds. The events of that fateful night were still hard on him. "One night, during one of those encounters… their bastard of a leader… shot me…"

Teddie and Yosuke gasped.

"Chidori pushed away her loyalties to Strega and attempted to heal Junpei-kun using 'Spring of Life', her Persona's power that allows her to heal other life forms, ignoring the fact that she would lose her own life using this skill as it uses her own life energy..." Fuuka said looking down. "She managed to heal him, but… she succumbed to her death, but not before confessing that she loved him…"

Yosuke could feel his stomach clenching in a mix of shock and sadness. Teddie could only stare at Junpei with wide, teary eyes.

"It was thanks to her Persona and sacrifice that Hermes evolved into Trismegistus…" Junpei continued. "Sometime later… we don't know how, but she came back to life! The flowers beside her hospital bed that she often revived during the days I'd visit her were placed on her body as a tribute. The life force she had given to the flowers apparently returned to her, and she lived. But… she has no memory of the events prior to her Persona's awakening."

"She still has some faint memories of Junpei-kun, but we don't know for sure when or if she'll ever remember what happened," Fuuka concluded.

"That's why I need you guys to come with me to the TV World. With Fuuka's help, we can find her." Junpei looked at both Yosuke and Teddie. "I can't put anyone else in danger because I'm the one whose supposed to protect Chidori, not to mention Minato, Minako and Souji are still recovering… but… I'm not strong enough… I can't do this alone… so… Please, help me!"

Yosuke closed his eyes deep in thought. "She doesn't remember you, yet she means the world to you… You really love her, huh?" he said quietly. "I think I can relate to that…"

Teddie looked at him sadly. "Yosuke…"

Fuuka and Junpei were confused. The brunette sighed. "You guys heard about Saki Konishi, the second murder victim, right? Well… I… I kinda liked her, but… I never got to tell her that…"

"You liked her? I thought ya had the hots for Chie," Junpei interjected.

Yosuke blushed. "A-Anyway… Saki-senpai was the main reason I was so determined to find the killer. Souji helped me deal with those feelings several times… In fact, that was the first time I saw him get really angry at someone…"

_**…Flashback…**_

_It had been a tiresome day, so Souji and Yosuke had decided head to Junes for a quick bite to eat._

_"So, whatcha gonna eat today?" Yosuke asked._

_Before Souji could reply, two older female students walked up to them. Souji recognized them as the Snotty and Gaudy students who often nagged Yosuke because of him being the son of Junes' manager, thinking he could pull some strings for them._

_"Hey, Hanamura!" the Gaudy student shouted in her annoying voice. She sounded angry._

_"…What is it, today?" Yosuke sighed, trying not to sound annoyed._

_"How come Kazumi can take the day off and we can't?" the Gaudy student demanded._

_"…Huh?" Yosuke seemed confused, having no idea what she was talking about._

_"We told you before! We can't work weekends!" the Snotty one whined. "So when we refused, they said they were going to fire us! I don't get this!"_

_"Hey, I talked to the manager…" Yosuke started. "Senpai… have you been taking absences without leave lately?"_

_"I-I just forgot to come…" the Gaudy one tried to explain, and changing the subject. "Besides, that's not the point! What are you gonna do about this?! I have a date that day!"_

_"How come you're favoring Kazumi, huh?!" her friend accused him. "You were like that with Saki, too!"_

_"What?" Yosuke gasped._

_"Don't try to hide it! We all know!" the Gaudy student said. "You liked Saki and treated her special!"_

_Yosuke said nothing at first. "I don't think Saki-senpai has anything to do with this subject…" he finally added._

_"Yeah, it does!" she snapped. "You told the other workers to take it easy on Saki, didn't you? You think you can do anything just because you're the manager's son!?"_

_"So it's Kazumi now that's Saki's dead!? Don't even bother, she has a boyfriend," the Snotty student said with a spiteful tone. "Didn't you get it?! Saki didn't like you! We heard so from her! She may have acted that way, but…"_

_The two students started to badmouth Saki. Yosuke closed his eyes tightly, trying to block their voices out._

_Souji had had enough of these two pestering Yosuke and talking such nasty things about their senpai. Even if she wasn't a saint, she had died a horrible death and didn't deserve to be talked about so poorly, especially in front of Yosuke who was still reeling from her death and her true feelings towards him. He heard enough inside the TV World to understand how he was feeling._

_Without warning, Souji stood up and slapped the table loudly, drawing everybody's attention towards him. "SHUT UP, YOU BITCHES!" His grey eyes were spewing fury._

_Yosuke gasped in surprised, if not a little scared. Souji was known for his calm and collected demeanor, but they had managed to anger him. "Souji…"_

_"Wha-Who are you?!" the Snotty student stammered. "You shut up!"_

_That was the last straw for Yosuke. He stood up and faced the duo. "You're the ones who should shut up!" he yelled at their shocked faces. "What do you know about Saki-senpai!? She didn't do things half-assed like you! She looked lazy, but she worked hard! She talked bad, but she was good inside! So she hated me? I knew that! She's not here anymore! I'm left behind!" He took a deep breath and looked away. "… Just leave me alone."_

_"Wh-What the heck…?" the Gaudy student gawked out._

_"… Let's go…" her friend said with a blank look on her face._

_After the two walked away, Yosuke looked to the ground. "…" He sighed. "I just blurted out a buncha crap, huh?"_

_"If you ask me, they deserved it." Souji crossed his arms before his expression softened. "Besides, you were just upset."_

_"N-No, I was just…" Yosuke turned to Souji. He was smiling pathetically. "Damn… Another pathetic display from Yosuke, huh?"_

_Souji shook his head and gave an understanding smile. "Thanks, though." Yosuke said with a sheepish smile. "Hearing you say that stuff to them… It made me happy."_

_"Don't mention it."_

_Yosuke sighed. "I don't want to… I really don't want to, but I'll go talk with Dad…" he said. "At this rate, those two are gonna quit… I should tell him and apologize." He started walking away, but stopped. "I don't know… What do I want to do? I don't get it…even though it's my own future." He sighed again. "Sorry, but I'll see you later, Souji…"_

_"Take care… Partner…" Souji said as he saw Yosuke off._

_Yosuke said nothing as he walked away._

_** A few days later…**_

_Yosuke had asked Souji to go with him to the Samegawa Riverbed. He looked tormented so Souji agreed._

_They wandered beside the riverbed while Yosuke looked pensive. He suddenly stopped. As Souji looked at him, he saw that his friend was holding something._

_"I found this. It's a Print Club sticker I took with Saki-senpai…" he started. "When I first got here, she insisted on taking it…" He looked away. "Back then… somewhere inside me, I thought I was above this place… A lot of people saw me as the enemy, because Junes was going to ruin the shopping district…"_

_He looked at Souji. "But… when I met her, she told me 'Parents are Parents. You're you…' Even if she didn't really mean it… it made me happy," he continued. "Because of her, I started to think maybe this town wasn't all that bad…"_

_Yosuke went silent for a bit. One could see tears in his eyes. "But then…"_

_"She died?" Souji finished the sentence as gently as he could._

_Yosuke winced. "Why…? Why did she… have to… die?" he said, anger rising on his voice. "It pisses me off… It makes me mad! I wanted to talk with her more! I wanted to get to know her better! But…" He started sobbing loudly. "She's… not here anymore."_

_"Yosuke…"_

_Yosuke looked at Souji. "Souji… I get it now… I wanted to forget about Saki-senpai. How she's not here anymore. I wanted to forget that… I was living a boring life in the middle of nowhere." He looked down as some tears fell. "When the murders started, I got excited… I thought there was finally a point to me being in Inaba… I thought I could forget Senpai was gone… and the fact I was such a loser… I jumped at the murders and never once thought about what I was doing… I… didn't even take the first step."_

_By now Yosuke was freely crying. "I'm sorry… Saki-senpai," he sobbed. "I'm sorry, Souji…"_

_Souji placed a friendly hand on his shoulder. "Don't apologize," he said with a gentle smile._

_Yosuke looked at him, his eyes red. "But… I got you involved with the case, and all I did was run away from myself… "_

_Souji shook his head, denying what his friend said._

_"But I think I'm awake, now…" Yosuke said still crying a little. "I need to get over the fact that Saki-senpai isn't coming back… That when this case ends…I'll have nowhere to run… and I won't have changed…" He stared at Souji's eyes. "…You made me realize that."_

_Souji just kept his hand on his shoulder, understanding what Yosuke meant._

_After sometime, he spoke up. "Souji… I think I'm all cried out."_

_Souji smiled gently. "It'll be okay," he said, hugging his best friend._

_Yosuke was surprised at that, but didn't fight against it. "You dumbass… that's for girls…" he complained half-heartedly before he started crying again. "It hurts, dammit…"_

_Souji stood by Yosuke's side until he stopped crying and walked him home, after making sure he'd be okay._

_**…End flashback…  
><strong>_

"That day, I realized how much I cherished the people I had met: Souji… Chie… Teddie… everybody," Yosuke said with a distant gaze. "Even if I'm not strong enough, I want to protect those dear to me with the power I do have."

Junpei was surprised. "Yosuke…"

"Yosuke-kun…" Fuuka whispered.

He looked at Teddie, then at the two college students and smiled. "You still have a chance with Chidori-san, right?" he winked at Junpei. "Well, we're not here to play hero, so let's go find her and get out of there in time to get home before Souji and the others notice we're gone."

"Yosuke… you're so brave!" Teddie exclaimed, gaining a new respect for him. "And smart too!"

"Heh, thanks Teddie. I try." Yosuke gave the blonde bear a little noogie. "What do you guys say?"

Junpei could only grin in gratitude. "Thanks, dude. You're one heck of a guy." He looked at Fuuka. "You're with us?"

Fuuka nodded. "Of course, Junpei-kun. Let's go."

The four made their way to the electronics department. 

* * *

><p><em><strong>Inside the TV World…<strong>_

Once they got to the Entrance Hall, Fuuka summoned Juno and started scanning.

"Since you both know her we shouldn't have trouble locating her," Yosuke stated. "Rise-chan and Teddie often needed to learn more about the person in question before they could track them down."

"I found her!" Fuuka exclaimed after some minutes of searching. She's pointed to a certain direction after dismissing Juno. "That way… She's not too far."

"Great! Let's move out, guys!" Junpei said, broadsword in hand.

"You got it, Junpei!" Teddie said, his clawed glove already set.

The four walked for fifteen minutes until they reached the entrance of a huge building. It looked like a hospital, the white walls sporting drawings with bright colors and dream-like surroundings. Flowers of all sizes, scents and colors covered the ground.

"Wow, this place is really beautiful…" Fuuka said in awe.

"But, a hospital?" Junpei looked around. "Why that of all places?"

"This place was created from Chidori's heart. This means that the many feelings she had kept well-hidden came into being in the form of this place," Teddie said. "Maybe even feelings she herself isn't aware of created it…"

Junpei frowned. "The best times we spent together were in the hospital…"

"Fuuka-san, can you tell us how big this place is?" Yosuke asked.

"I think it has four floors…" Fuuka said. "There are several Shadows in the area, but they don't seem to be as strong as the ones from Adachi's dungeon."

"Good, that'll make things easier," Yosuke said. "Before we go in we need to plan what to do."

"I agree," Junpei said. "We've got wind and fire magic and physical attacks so we take the front lines." He looked at Teddie. "The Ted-meister can help us with ice and healing magic if we need it. You'll also protect Fuuka while she's doing her job."

"Aye-aye!" Teddie made a little salute.

Junpei adjusted his baseball cap and readied his sword. "Alright, let's do this!"

The others nodded and they walked in.

On the inside, the place Chidori's imagination and hidden feelings had conjured up a paradise. The drawings on the walls were so bright, every corner of the garden bloomed with flowers and the doors were decorated with exquisite taste. It was like they were walking through a dream palace. But even if it was disguised as a beautiful paradise, it was somehow empty. It lacked something that they couldn't place.

Suddenly, girl's voice floated through the air. _**"My funny friend came to visit me yesterday. I was so happy. We talked about a lot of things, and I even showed him my latest masterpiece. The smile he gave me was worth the hard work I put into it. But why does it hurt when I see him smile like that? And why does it seem so familiar, like a faraway dream?"  
><strong>_  
>"Hey, that's Chidori's voice!" Junpei exclaimed. "Does that mean she's nearby?"<p>

Yosuke shook his head. "I doubt it. What we're hearing is her memories, or her subconscious thoughts. This often happens when somebody is trapped in a dungeon."

_** "Last week something strange happened. In the middle of the day, the sky turned green and the full moon appeared. How is this possible? What really shocked me was that the people suddenly tuned into coffins. I'm supposed to be scared, right? Then how come I'm not afraid? Why does this seem familiar somehow, like someone is calling out to me...I remember the flowers he gave me, they're starting to wilt…I can't seem to put my finger on it though. This is so confusing it's making my head hurt…"**_

"It seems like her memories before her 'death' are waking up slowly," Fuuka said. "But I don't know what will happen if she regains all her memories in her current state."

"She's always been fragile, even back then." Junpei's voice shook, looking at the floor. "We have to save her no matter what!" His eyes burned with determination, and charged forward.

Yosuke was right behind him. "Dude, wait up! Don't go running around like that, you never know when –"

Before he could finish his sentence, a small group of Shadows pounced on Junpei from the corridor on his left. He swung his broadsword just in time to block a slash attack. The Shadows came into full view when Junpei backed away. There were three of them; one looked like a baby crawling on the ground on all fours, its skin a mossy green with a bright yellow flower on its head. The other two looked like rag dolls from Hell, with sharp teeth and claws despite the cute red dresses they were wearing.

Fuuka wasted no time in analyzing the Shadows.

"Leave this to Teddie!" the bear said gleefully. "Kamui, Mabufudyne!"

Three ice blocks appeared and trapped the Shadows, completely immobilizing them. It didn't last long when the two doll Shadows melted the ice, and made their way to the four.

"Okay, I think it's safe to assume that those doll things use fire," Junpei gulped. "Fuuka, are ya done yet?"

"Almost. Just distract it a bit longer."

Since Yosuke was faster and more agile, he successfully dodged the fire spells casted by the rag dolls. When one of them tried to swipe him with its claws, he ducked and slashed its mid-section with his kunais. He smirked in satisfaction when it screeched in pain, staining the red dress with black goo. He then used his critical attack, Yosuke Strike, and almost gutted another rag doll.

"Yosuke, get out of the way!" Junpei shouted, placing his Evoker at his temple. Yosuke heard the warning and used Garudyne to propel himself from the floor, evading another swipe from the Shadow's deadly claws. He did a back flip mid-air and landed ten feet away. When the other Magician was at a safer distance, Junpei pulled the trigger. "Trismegistus, Vorpal Blade!"

The multiple slash attack hit all three of the Shadows causing heavy damage.

Fuuka finished her analysis. "I now know their weaknesses! The Dolls are weak to wind and light, and the Bambino is weak to thunder!"

"Leave those to me!" Yosuke grinned. He readied his tarot card and slashed it in half. "Susano-O, Magarudyne!"

Because the Shadows were already weakened by Trismegistus' physical attack, Susano-O obliterated them with his powerful gust.

"That was close!" Junpei panted, his hands on his knees. That didn't last long as his enthusiasm returned. "Alright, onto the next floor!"

Fuuka didn't inform them exactly how big the dungeon was. There were so many corridors and hallways, like a giant maze. In some parts of the maze, the odor of antiseptic and chemicals dominated their sense of smell, just like in real hospital.

The Shadows here seem to have a similar theme; children's toys. So far, they have encountered killer clown puppets with blowpipes that shot poisonous arrows, alphabet blocks which behaved like the Dice-type Shadows, and vicious teddy bears who nullified physical attacks (Yosuke made a lame pun directed at Teddie which had the human Shadow annoyed). One would think that being toys they should burn easily with Junpei's fire, but as with all things Shadow-related, common logic doesn't quite apply here.

"Alright, now I'm beginning to regret not bringing the others," Yosuke complained. "We seriously didn't think this through. How the hell are we supposed to defeat Shadows that are weak to electricity when we don't have any thunder skills?"

"I agree with Yosuke," Teddie said, panting hard. "We should head back."

Junpei only gave them a serious glare. "So you're saying we should chicken out and leave Chidori here to suffer? Over my dead body!"

Yosuke somehow understood that it was pointless to argue with his fellow Magician when their leaders weren't here to help him. All he could do now was hope for a Shadow to knock some sense into that thick skull of his.

The journey to find the stairs was long and frustrating. Not only navigating the maze was a pain in the ass, fighting the Shadows started to wear them out. By the time they found the stairs, they were gasping for breath. Junpei was already climbing said stairs, much to Yosuke and Teddie's dismay because he still wasn't heeding their warning.

"We have to be extra careful here," Fuuka said softly as she scanned the floor before they moved any further. "The Shadows here are different from the ones on the first floor."

Yosuke sighed. "And how big is it this time?"

"Pretty much like the last one," she answered. "Though I do sense a much stronger one in the middle, but then again something is amiss. I don't know what though."

"Most probably a guardian," Teddie supplied. Then he frowned. "We should really head back. I don't think we're strong enough to fight this thing on our own. Besides, we're tired enough as it is."

"Teddie-kun is right," Fuuka said. "Junpei-kun, I know you're worried about her but we can't help her if we get defeated ourselves."

Junpei remained stubborn. "I'm not giving up until I know Chidori is safe!" He charged forth once more, only to be ambushed…again. This time, there were five of them; three Cupids and two Tables.

"The Cupids are weak to thunder and nullify wind, and the Tables reflect magic attacks. Don't let your guard down!" Fuuka warned.

Yosuke was trained to be polite and helpful, but that was in the Real World, in a place called Junes. He muttered a string of curses when he kept missing the cheeky Cupids, who dodged the end of his attacks effortlessly and shot him with their arrows. He threw the kunais at them, hoping it would damage their wings but missed, and became more irritable when one Cupid casted Makajam on him, rendering him unable to use Susano-O's magic. Teddie couldn't help because he was busy trying to freeze the elusive Shadows but was unsuccessful.

Junpei wasn't faring so well either. His fatigue was the main reason he couldn't dish out as much damage as he wanted to. One of the Tables successfully dodged his sword and tripped the cap-wearing teen, sending him sprawling on the floor.

What came next wasn't what Junpei expected. A girl with short brown hair appeared in front of him and did a spiral kick on the Shadow, sending it flying far, far away. Another guy with light silver hair pounded the other Table with his fists so fast and furiously until there was nothing but splintered wood afterwards.

In Yosuke and Teddie's case, they were saved when a dark purple seal glowed beneath their enemies, engulfing them in a darkness spell. They were too dumbfounded to say anything before the caster wagged his tail and licked Yosuke in the face.

When the three of them finally regained their composure and slowly stood up, they didn't expect what came next, not by a long shot; Yosuke was punched in the gut, Teddie got a karate-chop to the head and Junpei was kicked in the shins, causing them to keel over in pain.

"What do you have to say for yourselves?!" a girl's stern voice scolded. Junpei felt someone pull his ear and he was face to face with none other than Minako Arisato herself, and she wasn't pleased.

"Do you know how many ways you could have been killed just now?" Minato questioned, glaring at Teddie.

"I expected better from you Yosuke," Souji scolded, towering over his best friend. "You of all people have a lot more sense than this!"

Teddie shivered under the intense gazes of the Wild Cards. "B-b-but Sensei, we c-can explain…"

Yosuke wanted to say something but the mute spell hadn't worn off, so he communicated the only way he could by moving his hands and mouth like a pantomime. Ken had to hold back his giggles by covering his mouth with his palms. Souji too would have laughed if he wasn't so angry. He threw him a bottle of Mouth Wash and patiently waited for an explanation.

"Mina-tan, let go!" Junpei whined, tears threatening to spill from the corner of his eyes. "We can explain so please let go!"

He winced and rubbed his red ear when Minako finally released him. She tapped her foot impatiently as Junpei tried to get a hold of himself. Before he could say anything, Chidori's voice filled the air once more.

_** "I met a strange boy today. He was wearing a cap and had a goatee, and he seems to be my age. He looked bored, judging from the way he kept pacing in front of the movie theatre, saying something about summer vacation about to end. He then apologized to me for standing in my line of vision. It was weird, usually people just walk away from me but I never really cared about what they think. He stayed for a while to ask me what I was drawing. It was actually pretty sweet..."  
><strong>_  
>The team looked surprised. The SEES girls blushed a little and whispered amongst themselves, looking at Junpei and pointing at him. He felt a bit like a zoo exhibit.<p>

"What the hell…" Shinjiro muttered. "That was Yoshino's voice wasn't it?"

Ken perked up. "Yoshino? As in Chidori Yoshino?"

"What's going on here?" Akihiko demanded.

Fuuka told them the whole story, about Chidori's disappearance, Junpei's suspicion, her conversation with Natsuki and their meeting with Yosuke and Teddie.

"So even without the power of Persona, a person can enter this place during the Dark Hour without aid. Then that means there's an overlap between worlds precisely at that time," Naoto concluded, earning nods of agreement from everybody.

"Who's this Chidori person?" Rise asked.

"Junpei's girlfriend," Minato answered. "Or, she used to be before she lost her memories." He then told the Investigation Team about Chidori and her role in Strega, including how she sacrificed her life to save Junpei's and how she was brought back to life. Light sobs were heard amongst the Inaba girls after Minato finished his story.

"That…that was so sad and beautiful at the same time," Yukiko sniffled. "If only there was a happier ending."

Fuuka approached Rise. "I'm so glad you brought everyone in time, Rise-chan. I didn't know how long we were going to last in here."

Rise smiled at her through watery eyes. "No problem, Fuuka-senpai."

Junpei couldn't believe his ears. The teal-haired girl had sold them out! "Fuuka, how come these guys know we're here? I thought we promised not to tell anyone!"

"I texted Rise-chan before we entered the TV," Fuuka said. "I'm sorry, Junpei-kun. You have to admit that your plan was pretty reckless. We could have died."

Souji sighed. He couldn't stay mad at Yosuke now that he understood why he wanted to help Junpei after listening to Minato's story, so he'd let this go. He reached out a hand to help his buddy stand up. "Come on, let's get this over with and rescue Yoshino-san."

Yosuke accepted his hand and got to his feet. "Yeah," he said, grinning sheepishly. "I deserved that though." Then his expression turned worried when he noticed the slightly dark circles under Souji's eyes. He turned to the twins and sure enough, both were rather pale and looked exhausted. "Are you sure you're up for this, partner? You don't look so good…"

Souji simply grinned. "Hey, I may not be 100% but I can still fight. You guys owe us big time after this though."

Minako sent a sweet smile with hidden intentions to her own best friend. "That's right, Junpei-kun, you owe us. I want you to treat me and my brothers to grilled steak and ramen after we're done ~ "

Junpei inwardly cried for his wallet; he wasn't going to have enough spending money after this.

Mitsuru had a different opinion. "You three may be the leaders but you are still in no condition to battle. I suggest you hold back while we do the rest of the fighting."

The Wild Cards couldn't agree to that, but they will let the others fight the small fries on their behalf. Minato volunteered to be the main leader under Mitsuru's supervision since Souji's arm was still injured, and Shinjiro wasn't about to let Minako go to the frontlines until she was fully recovered.

Fighting Shadows became a lot easier with the entire gang on board. Thanks to Fuuka's scanning, Rise managed to update her Shadow database. It didn't take long to find the door hiding the next staircase. It was huge, like a giant palace gate. It was adorned with carved flowers and leaves, painted in exquisite, rich colors. Despite all the beauty, the strong stench of the hospital was unmistakable.

"I think the guardian is inside there," Rise said. "Are you ready?"

Kanji raised a questioning eyebrow. "What do you mean ya 'think'?"

"I have a bad feeling about this," Fuuka said. "But if we want to rescue Chidori we have to proceed."

Before they went in, the group discussed and chose who would be going into battle, since everyone couldn't fight all at once. Minato took Yukari, Akihiko, Aigis and Koromaru in his team for good measure. The rest would stay out of their way to take care of Yosuke, Junpei and Teddie, and also fight off any Shadow that tried to disturb them.

Instead of a hospital room like they expected, they were now standing in front of Port Island monorail station. Everything was covered by fog, but they could make out a few shops in the distance; Raflessia, the movie theatre and the outdoor café. Despite the lack of light, flowers of different colors were blooming everywhere.

"This is where Chidori and I first met," Junpei said. "Although I don't remember all the flowers."

"Chidori-san must have held this place close to her heart, even if she doesn't remember its significance," Ken supplied. "Is it possible that all of these are her suppressed memories?"

Before anyone else could add something to that theory, a loud shriek could be heard and the ground started to shake a little. A figure appeared before them; it was distinguishably female, tall, and lanky, and she wore what looked like a red and black jumpsuit with yellow markings. She was holding a dagger in one hand, and a bowl of fire in the other. Her head was a sheep's skull and her hair was made of the legendary Golden Fleece.

"No way!" Junpei breathed. "It's Medea! How is this even possible?"

"Just like last time, I couldn't sense her presence that well," Fuuka said. "This is one of her unique abilities, and her most troublesome."

Rise summoned Kanzeon. "Fuuka-senpai, I don't think that's a Persona. It's a Shadow that takes the form of Medea."

"Of course, that makes perfect sense," Souji said, snapping his fingers. "Ken was right. This dungeon is made up of her suppressed memories, but since her Persona fused with Junpei-san's then only thing that this place can create is a copy."

Minato stepped up and took his place as leader. "Alright guys, my team and I will take her on. Just make sure Junpei doesn't get in my way or other Shadows for that matter. I need Fuuka as analyzer because she's done this before." Yukari, Aigis, Akihiko, and Koromaru stayed while the rest backed away.

Wasting no time, Minato gave out orders. "Koro, I need you to block any fire and darkness spells Shadow Medea will throw at us. Me, Aigis and Akihiko-senpai are on full assault. Yukari will multitask ask long range attacker and healer. Understood?"

"Roger!" they all replied. Koromaru barked twice instead.

"Good. We're going to rescue Chidori no matter what it takes."

Shadow Medea attacked first by casting Maragidyne, which Koromaru thought fast and casted Masukukaja on his teammates. They successfully dodged the attack, giving them the opening they were waiting for.

"Dionysus, Ziodyne!"

"Caesar, Ziodyne!"

"Athena, God's Hand!"

The triple onslaught worked very well, as Shadow Medea took heavy damage. But she wasn't about to give up easily, because the fire in her bowl glowed a bit brighter as she casted a debuff spell on the team. They felt unusually weak after that.

_ "Guys, defend yourselves. She's charging her next attack. It's going to cause a lot of damage!"_Fuuka warned.

"Shit!" Akihiko cursed.

"Aigis, quick! Increase our defense before she releases whatever she's gonna cast on us!" Minato ordered.

Aigis complied and casted Marakukaja, a few seconds before Shadow Medea released a powered up Maragidyne spell. Akihiko was glad that Minato put Mitsuru out of the fight, because all of this fire could have hurt her _a lot_since it was her Persona's weakness. Koromaru managed to protect their blue-haired leader from getting burned while the rest evaded the attack by a hair's breadth. Yukari healed them all immediately.

"Time to finish this," Minato said firmly. "Norn, Panta Rhei!"

Yukari joined in. "Isis, Garudyne!"

The wind spell worked well against Shadow Medea, but it seems she still had a few tricks up her sleeves. The flowers around them began to shrivel up and die as she sucked their life force and fixed her wounds.

"Tch! Just like Yoshino," Akihiko said, readying his stance. "What are we supposed to do now, Leader?"

"Just because those flowers helped heal her doesn't mean she's completely fine," Minato said. "We're just going to have to attack her relentlessly until she's beaten. Show no mercy!"

Shadow Medea didn't stand a chance when everyone blasted her with a combination of wind and thunder after Aigis buffed up their strength. By the time they were done, the Shadow and the flowers around them disintegrated into ash and smoke. The stairs to the next floor was revealed to be the escalator to the monorail station.

After the battle, Minato went to check up on Junpei, Yosuke and Teddie. They were doing much better after consuming some of the Fox's leaves which Souji purchased earlier and healed by Yukiko. Rise was not far, scanning the next floor for Shadows or any other strong enemies. After a few minutes of rest, she reported that the next floor had nothing but normal Shadows, although she did feel a strong presence on the top floor.

They navigated halfway through the third floor when Chidori's voice could be heard again, but this time accompanied by the voices of others which none of them recognized.

_**"Mister, why didn't Aya-chan and Tora-kun come home last night? What happened?"**_

_ A man's deep voice rang out.__**"It is none of your concern, Yoshino. Go to bed like a good little girl and stop asking unnecessary questions."**_

"But the orphanage keeps getting emptier and emptier by the day. Where did everybody go?"

"Don't make me punish you again, you insolent brat! Go the bed!"

_ A woman's voice came this time. __**"It is time for the testing. Where is the remaining female subject?"**_

"Please, I don't want to go through there again. It hurts so much! Let me go!"

_Chidori continued to cry as if she was kicking and screaming._

"You will do as you are told, girl!"

_The sound of a hard slap was heard._

"Kirijo-sama and Ikutsuki-san will be most pleased with the experiment. Three children have made it this far, but the losses will be worth it if they survive the next phase."

"Excellent. With the administration of the drugs, they will be able to control their power once the whole thing is complete."

No words could be used to describe the looks on the SEES members' faces, especially the ones on Mitsuru, Junpei, Shinjiro and Minako. As if he could read his twin's mind, Minato also wore the same expression as her.

"More memories that she doesn't remember…" Junpei said, trying to hold back his anger. "She did say that she didn't remember much from her childhood, except being surrounded by white."

Akihiko couldn't stand it anymore when Mitsuru's shoulders shook and she began to sob into her hands. He knew that she wanted to keep their relationship a secret, but seeing her in this fragile state was unacceptable. So the former boxing champ did what he could; he wrapped his arms around her and held her close. "Shhh…" he whispered soothingly in her ear. "It wasn't your fault. You and your father were never at fault in this. Don't blame yourself."

"I know, but I just can't help it!" Mitsuru said, her voice muffled by her hands. In the back of her mind she was going to get Akihiko for this later, but she was too busy basking in his comfort to care.

Shinjiro snorted softly at his friend's public display of affection, but caught himself when he looked at Minako. He also took the same damn pills like Chidori did when she was in Strega, and remembered the one time he was forced to take it in front of Minako when his coughing went out of control. It felt like a knife stabbed him in the heart when he saw her expression of pain, but because she understood him better than anyone else, she kept it a secret from the others. He would have to make it up to her one of these days.

The Investigation Team was at a loss at what to do. Souji knew what was going on from what the twins had told him, but he was going to pry the details later. Right now, they had to move fast if they wanted to rescue Chidori. "Come on guys. We have to hurry!" he prompted, leading the way. Mitsuru hastily regained her composure and followed.

Fighting their way through even more nightmarish-looking toys, they finally found the stairs to the top floor. They stopped to assess their situation and plan their next step.

"I sense two Shadows up there," Fuuka said. "It feels familiar, but at the same time different."

"The energy readings are like Shadow Medea's," Rise reported. "Most likely something her memories created, but it's stronger this time."

Souji was still not allowed to battle, so Minato and Minako took their role as leader. They slowly made their way up the stairs.

Just like the second floor, they are standing in the middle of the square in front of Port Island monorail station. However, instead of daytime it was the Dark Hour. Chidori was chained to a lamp post not far away, but what had SEES agitated were the two figures guarding her. One was tall and bone skinny, deathly pale and wasn't wearing a shirt, showing off the tattoos on his body. He had long, white, wavy hair and was holding a long-barreled revolver. The other one was slightly shorter and wore glasses, holding a suitcase in one hand and tossing a ball in the other. He had cropped blue hair and looked like a nerd. Both of them had the trademark Shadow's golden eyes, and grinned maliciously at the Persona users.

"Damn it, what is that hippie Jesus and the cyber freak doing here?" Shinjiro said through gritted teeth. The scars on his chest began to throb at the sight of the gun.

"These are Chidori's memories, remember?" Ken said, readying his spear. "Although, it will be a pleasure to take them out for a second time."

Minato took charge once more. "We'll divide into two groups for each Shadow. Aigis, Metis, Mitsuru-senpai and Ken are with me." He turned to his sister and gave her a nod. "You take the second group. Your call."

"I'll take Kanji-kun and Yukari-chan," Minako said. She then looked at Shinjiro and Junpei, biting her bottom lip. "I want to know if you two can handle this?" she asked them in a serious tone.

Shinjiro merely cracked his knuckles. "Are you kidding me? After that bastard shot me and put you through hell, I'm more than ready to kick his ass!"

"I don't care if he's already dead, as long as I get to do the honors this time," Junpei said, determination burning in his eyes.

"Souji-kun, I need you and the others to get Chidori to safety once we create an opening," Minato told his brother. "These guys aren't going to give in without a fight."

_ "Just like with Shadow Medea, they still have the same properties as before," _Fuuka reported. _"Please be careful. They're still dangerous."  
><em>  
>Minato zeroed in on Shadow Jin and tried to slash him. Aigis joined him by shooting ammo from her fingers. Shadow Jin evaded both attacks successfully. While running, he pulled a grenade out of his pocket, pulled the safety pin with his teeth and threw it at Minato. Aigis summoned Athena just in time to protect him with her shield.<p>

"Artemesia, Bufudyne!"

"Psyche, Bufudyne!"

With Shadow Jin trapped in a giant ice block, Ken took the opportunity add more damage. "Kala-Nemi, Ziodyne!" His thunder spell struck the ice block with Jin inside it, causing medium damage.

Furious, Shadow Jin summoned his Persona, Moros, and aimed an Agidyne spell at Mitsuru.

"I expected that!" Mitsuru said. "I summon thee, Artemesia. Bufudyne!" The ice attack neutralized the fire spell before it could hurt her. Mitsuru then proceeded to slash him repeatedly.

Just like last time, Jin would target his opponent's weaknesses and use it to his advantage. Minato had to act fast. "Odin, Thunder Reign!" It didn't miss, much to his relief.

Shadow Jin was paralyzed after getting hit. Minato didn't waste any time by ordering an All-Out Attack, causing heavy damage.

Meanwhile, Minako and her team were busy fighting Shadow Takaya and his Persona, Hypnos. They didn't have trouble taking a swing at the hippie when he paused to cast Mind Charge. The only problem was when he casted elemental or almighty spells on them, it would cause a lot of damage to the surroundings. Fearing for her friends and Chidori's safety, Minako attacked him relentlessly with power charged physical attacks. Shinjiro and Junpei weren't holding back either. Kanji didn't like Shadow Takaya the moment he set eyes on him and fought with all his might.

"Chi You, Primal Force!"

"Pegasus, God's Hand!"

"Rokuten Maoh, Vile Assault!"

The triple combo of heavy physical attacks was devastating to Shadow Takaya to say the least. It managed to piss him off enough to distract his attention away from Chidori. Minako was pleased when she saw from the corner of her eye that Souji and his team managed to free Chidori and take her away to a safe distance.

"You'll pay for what you did to her, damnit!" Junpei hollered. "Trismegistus, Agidyne!"

Yukari wasn't about to be left behind. "Isis, Garudyne!" Her wind spell boosted Junpei's fire. They attacked him again and again until he was burnt to a crisp.

Minato and his team defeated Shadow Jin about the same time. Both teams made their way to Souji and the rest, where they were guarding a sleeping Chidori.

"Is she alright?" Junpei asked frantically.

"I think she's just exhausted because of the fog," Yukiko said. She rummaged through their bag of supplies, took out a packet of Revival Beads and popped one into Chidori's mouth.

Chidori began to stir a few moments later. Her dark brown eyes blinked rapidly, trying to make out the faces in the fog. Chie kindly took off her glasses and placed them on the red-head's face. "There, much better!" she said, smiling.

As Chidori looked at every single person around her, she smiled when she saw one familiar face; Junpei's. A tiny blush made its way to her cheeks.

"Chidori, are you okay?" Junpei asked, taking her hands in his.

"I'm fine Junpei," she answered, still smiling. "I knew you'd come for me."

Junpei's face turned red as a ripe tomato. "O-of course. I did promise I'd protect you, didn't I? Not that you'd remember..."

"Of course I remember, silly. You told me that at the hospital, where you would visit me after school."

If Junpei's eyes could open up any wider, they did at this point. "Wait, what? You remember?"

"I remember everything, including all of you…and Tartarus…" she said the last word in almost a whisper. She then looked at the faces of the Investigation Team. "I don't know any of you though."

Mitsuru was now stroking her chin thoughtfully. "This is fascinating. After we defeated the Shadows of those two, she regained every memory that happened during the Dark Hour back in 2009."

"But how come she didn't get a Persona after we defeated the Shadows?" Rise inquired.

"Because Izanami isn't here anymore to awaken a person's inner Shadow," Souji answered her. "The ones we fought were merely Yoshino-san's memories."

"That's right," Teddie interjected. "The nature of this place is to reveal a person's heart. I guess once we defeated her inner demons that Chidori-chan's memories were awakened easily. Then again, you said she used to have a Persona."

"This is fine and all, but can we please get out of here?" Chie said, interrupting everyone's thoughts. "We should probably take her to the hospital anyway."

"I agree," Naoto said. "We should take every precaution to ensure that Yoshino-san is in a stable state."

Junpei vigilantly stayed by Chidori's side until they made it to the Entrance Hall. Yosuke helped lead Chie by holding her hand so she wouldn't fall behind. After they exited the TV World, Junpei took Chidori to the hospital, accompanied by Mitsuru and Akihiko.

The rest decided to head back home after having a meal at the food court; at Yosuke, Teddie and Junpei's expenses, of course.

* * *

><p>Chie jogged on her way back home, distracted by her thoughts. She was glad things turned out well, and though she felt kind of angry at Yosuke for being so reckless and dragging everybody into that mess, she couldn't really stay mad at him once knowing his reasons. She only wished he would be over Saki's death and realize that she cares about him more than just a friend.<p>

However, what Chie wasn't expecting to see was Yosuke, sitting near the river, staring blankly at the water. For a minute, Chie simply stood and watched him. His headphones were over his ears; she assumed he had music blasting on, as usual.

A light breeze passed by and ruffled his hair around the headphones. Chie found herself staring much longer than she intended. She sighed. _'I can't believe I fell for an idiot like him. Does that make me an idiot too?' _Even with his knees pulled up to his chest, he managed to look handsome.

Chie dared to take a few steps closer. "Yosuke?" she spoke hesitantly.

There was no response. _'Figures…'_She rolled her eyes. She was about four or five feet behind him, standing so she was just barely able to see the frame of his face – it was narrow without being skimpy, and masculine without being creepy for her tastes.

Again, she sighed. _'I suppose now is as good a time as ever.'_

"Um, Yosuke, I know you're probably not listening at all, but I just thought you should know…" She froze as she saw him move, looking at his MP3 player for a few minutes before resuming his staring contest with the water.

Chie let out a breath of relief before continuing. "Well, I-I know what you're thinking, and I'm not being a wimp for not actually saying this to your face, it's just… nerve-wracking to have to face my feelings like this because I… I do like your company." She laughed nervously. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that… I like you, Yosuke… and I have for a while. You're an idiot, but you can be smart sometimes. You're so loyal too. But you were, are, and always will be too preoccupied with Saki Konishi to pay me any mind at all, s-so it's alright…"

It hurt her immensely to say this, but she knew it was true. Looking at Yosuke again, she bit her lip. _'The unattainable guy… for me, at least. He's not even listening, anyway…'_ Chie sighed. _'Why do I even bother saying the first thing that pops into mind?'_

Turning on her heel, she began to walk away when she heard a voice break the silence.

"You really think that, Chie?" She gave a squeak and whipped around to see Yosuke, headphones off and around his neck, standing and facing her. He looked perplexed.

"W-w-were you listening t-to that whole thing…?" She counter-questioned, causing him to look away and scuff his shoe against the ground.

Yosuke rubbed his neck. "Well, let's just say I never had any music playing…"

Scowling, Chie stormed up to Yosuke and punched his shoulder harshly. He let out a wail of pain. "Ow, what the hell, Chie?!" He rubbed his shoulder, sitting down where he was before. "What was that for?"

"You could have said something instead of making me look like a moron!" Chie fumed, her cheeks red out of anger and embarrassment.

"I didn't know that you wanted my input!" he retorted, closing his eyes and rubbing his pained shoulder.

"D-does it hurt that much? Jeez, I'm sorry… I guess I don't know my own strength." She moved her hand to massage his shoulder, but it ended up right on top of his. Both third-year students blushed.

"N-now will you answer my question?" Yosuke whispered.

Chie blinked. "What?"

"Do you really think that I'm still yearning after Saki-senpai?"

Chie tried looking at many places; the ground, the grass, the river, his shoulder, their hands, anywhere but his eyes. She soon realized that when the two were this close, eye contact was actually the least awkward. "Well, y-yeah, I guess…"

Yosuke's shoulders slumped, causing him to wince. "Chie…" he started, massaging his shoulder, which was when Chie stopped holding his hand and instead opted to sit next to him, opposite the shoulder that was in pain. "While it may be true that I did have something of a crush on Saki-senpai for a little while, I…I came to realize that the feeling wasn't mutual. I had always suspected it, so it wasn't too difficult to get over her. Especially after what went on in her dungeon before I fought my Shadow." He scratched his cheek in embarrassment. "Besides, if it weren't for a certain girl, I'd probably still be visiting her grave on a daily basis…"

That piqued Chie's interest. "You like someone, Yosuke? Who is it?"

Yosuke looked away from her. "She was never someone I'd even think about falling for, but one day, she ran off ahead of the rest of us and I was really worried about her, so I did everything I could to get to her in one day. And while Saki-senpai caused me more emotional grief, this girl definitely causes more physical pain." He continued to tend to his shoulder, even though it didn't hurt that much anymore.

Looking over at Chie, he could see her gears ticking. His eyes widened upon realizing what he had just said, so Yosuke quickly moved the conversation forward. "B-but enough about that! It's getting late and we both should be going home. I don't wanna get you in trouble." Standing quickly, he made a run for the stairs. "I'll see you tomorrow!"

Chie raced after him. "Wait, Yosuke!"

He stopped, turning to her. "Y-yeah?"

She gave him a kiss on the cheek, causing the pair to go scarlet. "T-thanks…"

He smiled warmly. "N-no problem, Chie…"

"Oh, and Yosuke?"

"Yeah?" Their voices were nearing whispers.

"I'm glad that our feelings are mutual," Chie smiled, her blush growing darker.

Yosuke smiled and leaned down to capture Chie's lips in a quick, sweet kiss. "Me too, Chie... me too…"

Not too far, a certain silverette and a raven-haired girl watched them from behind a tree with pleased smiles, glad their best friends had finally found love in each other.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Inaba Municipal Hospital, evening…<br>**_  
>After thorough tests on Mitsuru's insistence, the doctor didn't find anything wrong with Chidori, only that she was exhausted. He prescribed her some multivitamins and told her to get some extra rest.<p>

"That went surprisingly well," Akihiko said, relieved the whole ordeal was over. "The only problem is where she will stay for the night."

"Indeed. I guess she will have to stay at the Inn with us for the time being," Mitsuru said. "But you will have to sleep in a single room. Ours is crowded right now."

Junpei held up one of Chidori's hands. "Ya hear that, Chidorita? She's gonna let you stay with us!"

"B-but, I don't want to burden you!" the red-head squeaked, eyes wide. Then she looked annoyed, slapping Junpei's arm. "I told you not to call me that!"

Mitsuru's expression softened. "Please, I insist. It's the least I can do for you right now." The guilt of having Chidori suffer under her family's brutal experiments was still eating at her.

Not having the energy to argue, Chidori reluctantly followed Junpei and the two seniors to the Amagi Inn. Junpei wouldn't stop chattering the whole way, at one point Akihiko had to smack him because it was getting on his nerves.

Chidori's nervousness ebbed away at the hilarity of it all. Despite gaining the bad memories that she would rather forget, all of that didn't matter as long as she was by her beloved's side.

They were greeted by the rest of SEES including Souji and Yukiko. After Mitsuru and Akihiko explained the situation, Yukiko left to take care of Chidori's room arrangements.

After they had dinner, the girls practically dragged the gothic-loli to their room, much to Junpei's displeasure. The guys didn't bother to stop them since they wouldn't be caught dead being involved in the dreaded 'girl talk'.

"So Chidori, how long will you be staying here for?" Yukari asked, already changed into her sleepwear. So did the rest of the girls.

"I don't know," Chidori answered. "Mitsuru-san told me I have to leave soon because she doesn't want me to get in danger. You guys are still fighting Shadows, aren't you?"

"Y-yeah, I guess she does have a point," Fuuka said.

"Then stay until the Summer Festival is over," Minako suggested. "I'm pretty sure Junpei-kun wants to spend more time with you, and why not have some fun while you're at it?"

At the mention of the Summer Festival, the girls got excited and began to talk about their plans during the summer, what games they would play and food they would eat. Girl talk ensued right after; shopping, clothes and gossip.

Yukiko poked her head in. "Excuse me guys, Chidori-san's room is ready."

They were a little disappointed that their 'girl time' had to end so soon, but they understood Chidori's need to rest. Minako and Yukari were more than happy to loan her some of their clothes and even offered to help her get settled in.

After helping Chidori, Yukari had a sudden idea. "Hey, let's take a quick dip in the hot springs then we can go to bed. It's been a long day."

Minako brightened at that. "Why not? I don't feel sleepy right now anyway."

The two girls took all their necessary bathing items and head for the hot springs.

It wasn't long before Yukari felt sleepy and she was ready to hit the sack. Minako decided to take a walk in the garden before doing so, still clad in a yukata. Her hair was let down for it to dry faster.

An almost-full moon was out tonight, and illuminated the garden with its pale light, but not as bright. Fireflies were dancing among the trees and bushes around the koi pond, adding an extra touch to the atmosphere. Minako felt her worries melting away as she stared at the beautiful scenery.

Footsteps could be heard somewhere behind her. Minako turned around and saw Shinjiro walking towards her. He was wearing his usual black turtleneck and pants, without his coat and beanie for once.

"Hey," he greeted, standing beside her.

"Senpai, how did you know I was here?"

"I saw you walk out of the hot springs with Takeba. Aki challenged me to a ping-pong game earlier…that guy doesn't know when to quit," Shinjiro complained, rubbing the back of his head. "It went on for a while because your brothers decided to join in."

"Oh…" was all she said before staring at the koi fishes swimming in the pond, admiring how their scales glittered like jewels under the moonlight.

Shinjiro could only stare at her in awe. _'She's gorgeous...'_he thought. It was rare to see her hair let down like this, and he preferred it like that. The moonlight was shining down on her face at all the right angles, making her look more like an ethereal being than human.

"Senpai, is anything wrong? You're awfully quiet," she said, looking up at him.

Minako's voice snapped Shinjiro out of his stupor, making him blush. _'Crap, I hope she didn't catch me staring at her!'_The last thing he needed was being labeled as a lecher. "I…I was just thinking about something, that's all," he answered. It was true in a way, as he suddenly remembered the monologue he had with himself when they listened to Chidori's memories of her childhood back in the TV World.

"What kind of stuff?" Minako asked shyly.

He wasn't going to lie anymore. "I was just thinking about how to make it up to you. For saving me from myself and staying by my side even after all the things I've done, after all I put you through," he said, lifting one hand to cup her right cheek. "Three years worth of time, I swear I'll make it up to you…and the others as well."

"Senpai…"

Shinjiro chuckled lightly. "You don't have to call me that, you know." He paused for a bit. "Shinji is fine. And only because it's you."

Minako's entire face turned crimson, which Shinjiro found to be oddly cute. "B-b-b-but…"

He now had his hands out of his pockets and held her face with both, silencing her with a kiss. Shinjiro knew this was out of character for him, but because they were alone, and only in front of her that he could let his guard down this much and expose all his emotions.

When he pulled away, Minako's face was burning. Feeling proud of himself, Shinjiro decided to tease her some more. "By the way, you look hot in a yukata. I can't wait for the Summer Festival," he whispered in her ear.

Minako let out a squeak and did the only thing she could to cover her embarrassment; bury her face in Shinjiro's chest. "The guys aren't going to let you live this down, you know…" she mumbled through his sweater.

"I don't care," he said, wrapping his arms around her. "As long as I get to stay with you."

They stayed like that for a while, watching the fireflies. When Minako didn't move, Shinjiro realized that she had fallen asleep in his arms. _'Only you…'_He smiled for a bit, before picking her up and headed back inside the inn.

* * *

><p>"Hey, have you guys noticed how Junpei didn't make a single perverted comment to us last night?" Yukari questioned the SEES girls over breakfast the next morning. They invited Yukiko to join them, which she gladly accepted. It was rare for her to have breakfast with friends, so she very much enjoyed the company.<p>

Fuuka put down her chopsticks, and looked deep in thought. "Now that you mention it, he was rather quiet." She then waved her hand as if to brush the statement aside. "No way, that can't be. He's Junpei-kun, always loud and noisy."

"That can't be right," Minako said. "Not a day passes by without him making one dirty joke."

"He and Yosuke-kun are very much alike. But the only person he's like that with is Chie…" Yukiko commented. She gasped when the other girls turned sharply to look at her.

"That's it!" they cried out in unison, but quickly sat down when they were shushed by the waitresses.

"Good morning, ladies!" Junpei greeted politely. Chidori was walking right beside him, and they were holding hands. "Don't wait up for us. We're heading out to Junes."

"Bye!" Chidori waved. The girls snickered behind their backs when the two of them left the inn.

Yukari cleared her throat to gain everyone's attention. "I rest my case. He's officially whipped! Now let's focus on another topic. Minako-chan, why was Shinjiro-senpai carrying you back to our room last night?" She grinned when her best friend's face turned cherry red.

"N-n-none of your b-b-business!" Minako shrieked, ignoring another reprimand from a waitress.

Girlish laughter ensued at her expense. The guys entered just as it died down.

"Good morning. You girls look like you're having fun," Minato greeted. The girls scooted over to let the guys join them.

"Mind sharing with us?" Souji asked. He noticed Minako's red face and concluded that the other girls were making fun of his sister.

Shinjiro smiled at his girlfriend when he took a seat beside her, but it was replaced with a scowl when the other girls were staring at him, expecting something. He didn't like it one bit. "What?!"

"Nothing," Yukari said sweetly, resting her chin on interlaced fingers. "Just some friendly interrogation is all." The other girls smirked at her statement.

Not wanting her boyfriend to go ballistic in public, Minako hastily changed the subject to Dojima and Nanako's return to Inaba, turning the awkward mood cheerful once again.

* * *

><p>Chidori wanted to buy some art supplies and basic clothing since she didn't bring anything but the clothes on her back. She was wearing a pair of jeans and a white blouse which Yukari and Minako let her borrow. Her long red hair was tied up in a high ponytail with a cute butterfly clip on the right.<p>

This style was entirely new for Junpei. He never saw her in anything but that white Lolita dress and the dagger headband she used to wear. She was cute in that get-up but this…she looked stunning! All he could do was stare at her while she browsed the aisles of the stationary department.

After shopping, the two of them went to the food court to rest. As Junpei was paying for their drinks, the smell of grilled steak caught his nose. He cringed when he remembered just how much his friends ate the day before, and how thin his wallet had become. Luckily, there was still enough to buy him and Chidori a decent meal on their date. _'Technically, this can be considered a date, right?' _he thought sheepishly.

They walked pass the Samegawa flood plain before heading back. Chidori was so entranced by the beautiful scenery, she decided to stop at the gazebo and use the new items she bought to paint a picture.

Again, Junpei was mesmerized. '_If only she realizes how pretty she is right now…'_he sighed mentally.

Halfway through her painting, Chidori put down her work and decided to speak up. "You've been staring at me the whole day, you know."

"Huh, what's that?" Junpei said, blinking dumbly. If Yukari and Minako were here, they would have made fun of how stupid he looks right now.

"Is there something wrong with my face, or what I'm wearing?" Chidori asked.

"What? No way!" Junpei scoffed. "What gives you that idea?"

"It's just that I'm not used to wearing these kind of clothing," she admitted shyly, looking at the ground. "Do I look weird, Junpei?"

Junpei took off his cap and scratched his head, trying to find the right words. "Uhh…no, you're not weird at all, Chidori. You actually look good wearing normal clothes. It's refreshing."

Chidori's pale cheeks turned a healthy shade of pink. "You think so? Everybody just calls me a freak, and I don't think I can fit in anywhere…"

"I don't think you're a freak," Junpei assured her. He remembered the conversation with Chidori's dorm mate on the phone yesterday, and frowned. "But you are different than other girls. I guess that's why I'm attracted to you in the first place," he added.

"Really?"

"Yeah!"

"Are you sure you didn't pick that line out of a movie?" Chidori teased, the edge of her lips tugged upwards into a sweet smile.

"Hey, I resent that!" Junpei retorted playfully. He began to fantasize about seeing that smile every day when he wakes up in the morning. _'I'd be the luckiest guy on the planet!'_

Chidori returned to painting her picture, not minding that Junpei was staring at her again with a goofy grin on his face.

Surprisingly, he was the first to speak up when she finished. "You know…about what you said earlier. You don't have to worry about fitting in anywhere," he said.

"Why do you say that?" Chidori questioned, looking at him with curiosity.

"Do you remember when you sacrificed yourself for me, and how Medea fused with Hermes and created Trismegistus?" Chidori nodded. "Then that's your answer right there. You have and always will belong here." Junpei touched his chest above his heart. "You're a part of me now, Chidori. Don't worry about what others think."

Stunned, she just kept quiet.

"I don't think the others blame you for what happened. I'm sure Mina-tan, Yuka-tan, and the whole gang already accepted you as our friend. So, whatever it is that you're having trouble with, we'll try our best to help. Don't forget that." A huge and sincere smile made its way on Junpei's lips.

He was disappointed when Chidori's reaction was the opposite of what he expected. Instead of the clichéd doe-like eyes staring at him with admiration, the red-head was laughing so hard she was clutching her stomach. "Haha…I never thought…hehe…that you'd be the one…hehe…t-to say something so wise…hahaha…!"

"Chidori...you're mean!" Junpei pouted. Suddenly he felt a soft pressure on his right cheek, and turned a bright crimson when he realized that Chidori had just kissed him.

Said girl was blushing as well. It was obvious she had never done it before and hid her face behind her hands. '_Oh my god I can't believe I just did that!'_she repeated in her head again and again.

"Ya know, I just realized something…" Junpei said boldly, all hints of shyness gone now. "You probably never had your first kiss, haven't ya?"

"Wh-what are you t-talking about?" Chidori stuttered, feeling very small all of a sudden.

Junpei was a winner when it came to recklessness, so naturally the next thing he did was on pure impulse. He bent down a little and captured Chidori's lips with his. The gothic-loli gasped in surprise, unsure of how to react next. She was a bit disappointed when he finally pulled away though.

"There, I took your first kiss and you took mine," the cap-wearing teen smiled. "Now we're even."

"You idiot…" Chidori chided, but smiling at the same time. "But I love you all the same."

He gently bumped his forehead with hers. "I love you too, Chidorita."

* * *

><p>Nanako was sitting in front of her house. She was so happy to be back home, even if she was away only for two days. She missed her big brother terribly, so she couldn't wait for him to come back. Dojima even decided to buy them a special dinner; sushi. So when Souji returns, it'll be a pleasant family reunion.<p>

"Lovely day today…" a boy's voice called out. "The sky is so beautiful and the sun feels so nice…"

Nanako stood up, trying to find the voice's owner. She found him resting his body against a nearby tree, looking at the sky. It was young boy around her age with a very pale complexion, short faded black hair and bright blue eyes with a mole under his left eye. He was wearing black-and-white striped pajamas and sandals.

"Hello?" Nanako called.

"Oh, hi!" The boy smiled at her. He looked kind of lonely to Nanako for some reason. "Sorry if I startled you. I was just admiring the sky. I haven't seen such a beautiful day in a long time."

"Oh… are you new here? I've never seen you before," Nanako stated.

"… Yes… I've just moved here…" the boy said a bit hesitantly. "This place is so different from where I came from." He became silent and was no longer smiling.

Nanako had a feeling that he probably didn't have many friends back at his previous place. "Do…do you want to play with me?" she asked shyly.

With a brief glance around - he looked like a jailbird, with his stripy pajamas - and then nodded, with a finality that seemed a bit too much for a child simply agreeing to a session of play. "Okay!"

Nanako smiled and grabbed his hand. "C'mon! Let's go!"

The boy was surprised at the sudden gesture, but felt warm inside as Nanako took him to play near the tree.

They exchanged smiles as they played into the hours; tag, hide and seek, hopscotch, all sort of games. Nanako was enjoying herself, but the boy seemed to be having fun like there would be no tomorrow.

As the sun started to set, Nanako frowned a bit. "I have to go home…it's getting dark. Dad and Big Bro should be back soon."

The boy frowned too. "Me too… My… _brother…_is probably waiting for me," he said before looking at Nanako. "Can I…can I see you again?"

"Of course!" Nanako beamed. "Oh by the way, my name's Nanako. What's your name?"

He gave a tiny smile. "My name is… Pharos." He took Nanako's hand and gave it a light kiss. "We're gonna be great friends, Nanako-chan."

Nanako smiled and blushed a bit at that. "Sure, Pharos-kun!"

With that, they parted ways.

* * *

><p><em>This is getting good huh? BTW, for those wondering about Marie, yes, she will show up later. That's because when I heard of her I already had a few chapters done and I couldn't find a way fit her in. But she will show up. I promise.<em>

_If you guys have any questions, feel free to ask. _

_Don't forget to __Read, Review and Enjoy!_


	10. Chapter 10: Girl Talk Guy Talk

_Hey, guys. College's been giving me quite a run for my money, but I still managed to get to work on this. Thanks for keeping up with us. ^^  
><em>

_Now to answer your questions:  
><em>

_KO: I'm sure you are wondering about how Pharos and Ryoji both exist, huh? Let's say they're like Aigis and Metis: two sides of the same coin, yet completely different people. That's all I can say for now. _

_grandshadowseal: We'll be seeing Pharos, Ryoji along with Marie in the upcoming chapters. They won't fully show themselves to the gang until they feel the time is right.  
><em>

_Guest: Please ask about later chapters on DA, not here.  
><em>

_A few warnings: (Yes, I put those before every chapter to avoid issues)_

_-There will be spoilers for all games! You've been warned.  
>-The Main characters from each game in this fanfic are called Minato Arisato (P3:FES), Minako Arisato (P3P) and Souji Seta (P4)<br>-There'll be some cursing. (Anyone that played any persona games knows that some characters on it curse quite a bit.) as well as some heavy subjects.  
>-Main Pairings in this fanfic: MinatoxYukari, ShinjiroxMinako, SoujixYukiko, KanjixNaoto, AkihikoxMitsuru, YosukexChie.<br>-Hinted Pairings(in later chapters): JunpeixChidori. (Hinted because Chidori doesn't appear much on this story) KenxNanako (Ya know those little girl's crushes on older boys? It'll be along those lines) FuukaxKeisuke (Other than Minato and Junpei, Fuuka only displayed some sort of close relationship with Keisuke the club president. I found it kinda cute.) TeddiexRise (Just for giggles. They are after all the two hyperactive cuties of the team X3)_

_Have fun ya guys. On with the show!_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 10: Girl Talk. Guy Talk.<strong>

Minako hummed to the music of her MP3 player as she walked Koromaru to the shrine. He was whining about it earlier and the adorable look he gave her made her cave in. _'Maybe I'll stop by Aiya's later to get some food for Aniki, or maybe steak skewers? Mou~ why are all the food in this place so tasty?'_ she grumbled in her mind, trying to focus on the walk.

Koromaru shot up to the shrine the moment they arrived at the stairs. Minako sighed and followed him. When they reached the top, someone else beat them to it.

"Kanji-kun, what are you doing here?" she smiled at the sight of the former delinquent.

"Huh…what?" Kanji said dumbly, a bit startled. It seemed that he didn't notice their presence and was staring out at nothing. He looked troubled.

Minako sat beside him in front of the offertory box. "You seem to have a lot on your mind. Care to share?"

Koromaru was sniffing around the shrine, getting used to the place. He barked a few times and ran around the area. The Fox and her cubs heard his barking and came out of their hiding place. Soon enough, the little ones were chasing Koromaru in a game of tag, under the watchful eye of their mother.

Kanji smiled at the scene before answering Minako's question. "Just thinking about some stuff. Nothin' important."

"You know…" Minako started, looking at the clouds. "The summer festival is just a few days away. I'm excited to see what the countryside has to offer for the festivities. It's been a long time since I've been to one after all."

"Well, it used to be a lot of fun. Last year the murder cases freaked everybody out so it wasn't that exciting."

"Really? Then I hope this year's will be a blast!" Minako beamed excitedly. "So tell me, who are you going with? It's an unspoken rule among SEES that nobody else but Yukari-chan is going with Aniki, and Junpei-kun will spend some time with Chidori before she leaves."

Kanji's cheeks turned a light shade of pink. "None of your business," he mumbled, looking away.

Minako's devious mind had an idea of who he was thinking about. She decided to ask one seemingly harmless question before dropping the bomb. "Hey, can I ask you for a favor?"

"Yeah, sure. What is it?" he said absentmindedly, not really paying attention to her.

"I need you to help me with Shinjiro-senpai's yukata. He hates these kinds of things so I was wondering if you can help me talk him into it, since you're a guy and all, and you do make pretty cute outfits…"

"Eh, that's it?" Kanji asked, raising a thin, pierced eyebrow. "You just want me to make Senpai a yukata for the festival?"

"Yeah, if it's not too much trouble." Wait for it… "Then you can ask him for some advice on how to ask Naoto-chan out!"

Kanji choked on his own spit. His face exploded with different types of colors, embarrassed that he had been found out.

Taking pity on the junior, Minako slapped his back rather harshly to help him clear out his airway. "Oh come on, Kanji-kun. There's no need to be embarrassed. You were kinda easy to read," she said amusingly.

"B-but…what if she rejects me?" he stuttered, face still red.

"You worry too much. Why don't you just man up and ask her first?"

"I c-can't…"

"Kanji-kun, as cute and endearing as I find your shyness towards her, you can't stay like this forever," Minako said, patting his back softly. "You better ask her soon before somebody else does." She then stood up and walked to the stairs. "I'm heading to Souzai Daigaku for a snack. Can you watch over Koro-chan for a while? Thanks!" She skipped off without waiting for a reply.

The junior continued to wallow in self-pity. Minako wasn't the first one to tell him that. Souji-senpai had already told him the same thing.

_**…Flashback…**_**  
><strong>

_ Kanji dejectedly walked down the school hallway after school. Lately, he had been hearing rumors about Naoto and Souji. Many of the students had seen them talking and spending time together after classes. At first, Kanji thought nothing of it. Naoto just joined the team recently, so Souji was probably trying to befriend her so she would be more comfortable in the team, just like he had done for Kanji when he joined them._

_ However, as the rumors escalated, Kanji started to notice how much Souji and Naoto had in common: both were really intelligent, quick witted and loved to read books. It was no wonder they clicked so well and the thought of that only made Kanji depressed. There was no way in hell he could compete with Senpai; Souji was the most popular guy in school and girls flocked around him like ants around a lump of sugar. While him… he was feared and people gave him odd looks about his doll crafting abilities. _

_ "Kanji?" A voice snapped him out of his thoughts._

_ Startled, Kanji spun around and was face-to-face with the last person he wanted to see at that moment. "Yo… Senpai…" Kanji forced a smile._

_ "You look troubled… Something's bothering you?" Souji asked._

_ "'S no big deal…" Kanji lied. Part of him wanted to confront Souji about the rumors. Other part wanted to just get away as much as possible._

_ Souji, however, was unconvinced. "You're a poor liar." He crossed his arms. "Let's go to the riverbed. We can talk there without being bothered." _

_ Kanji sighed in defeat. When Souji used that tone of voice, he knew no one was going to convince him otherwise._

* * *

><p><em>They walked along the riverbed in silence. The tall freshman was avoiding Souji's gaze, so the silverette decided to make the first move. "You heard the rumors, didn't you?"<em>

_ Kanji stopped dead for a moment before looking away. "S'bout you and Naoto?"_

_ Souji sighed. "You start hanging out with a girl and people are already saying you two have something going on… Same thing happened after I became friends with Chie, Yukiko, Rise, Yumi, Ayane… And don't even get me started with Ai…" He sounded rather annoyed. "How immature can people get?"_

_ Kanji felt kinda bad for his Senpai. _'Guess being a popular dude is not all fun and games…'_ he thought. _'I mean, he became pretty much target of all of school's rumors…'

_ "And no. I'm not interested in Naoto in the sense of pursing a relationship with her if that's what you're wondering. Yes, we do have a lot in common, but I see her more as a dear friend, as a sister if you will." Souji continued. "I was just trying to get to know her a little, get to learn a bit about the new member of the team, to make her feel like she belongs here… Next thing I know I got involved in another case she's working on."_

_ "Another case?"_

_ "Naoto was challenged by someone called 'The Phantom Thief.' He stole something from the Shirogane Estate and challenged her to recover it. He had someone deliver the first letter to me so I'd deliver it to her." Souji explained. "She didn't want to involve the others on this, but since I knew about it, I decided to aid her as it was a good way to know her better. She won't be happy if she finds out I told you this, so please Kanji, don't speak a word of this to her."_

_ "Uh… Sure, Senpai. I can do that." Kanji said. "But, why are ya telling me all this?"_

_ Souji placed a hand on his shoulder. "Kanji, I'm telling you this because… because out of everyone else you deserve to know the most. You've liked Naoto even when you thought she was a guy." He rubbed the back of his head. "And I didn't want to hurt your feelings because of some petty school rumors…"_

_ "_He was afraid we'd stop bein' friends for good because of that…_" Kanji could feel a huge weight being lifted from his shoulders. He was so glad Souji had the trouble to come clean with him. A huge grin was plastered on his face, but at the same time he started blushing as Souji brought up the topic of his feelings towards the detective prince. He rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. "Jeez, Senpai… I mean, I know we're good friends and all, but I didn't think you cared about me that much..."_

_ "Kanji, you have no idea just how important all of you are to me. I couldn't handle losing even one of you." Souji said. "Ever since I've arrived in Inaba, I made friendships I'll treasure for my entire life, something I haven't felt in a long time… And I'm not gonna let some stupid rumor ruin any of that." _

_ Kanji nodded. His respect for Souji had just increased ten, no, a millionfold, but now, but he still was curious. "So… I-If Naoto ain't your type… D-Does that mean you're dating someone?"_

_ Souji blinked at the question. Kanji could've sworn that for a fraction of a second, his senpai's cheeks turned pink. "Well... Yes." he finally admitted. "But I promised her I would keep our relationship secret until she was ready. She felt it could interfere with the team if we announced it too early."_

'So it's one of the girls from the team!' _"Well, gotta respect that..." Kanji said._

_ "Thanks…" Souji was relieved that Kanji wouldn't question him further. "So… while we're still on the topic, you plan to ask her out anytime soon?"_

_ He froze. Kanji's last experience with girls had been traumatic; not only he was knocked out cold by Chie in the camping trip, Hanako, who was sharing a tent with Yukiko and Chie back then, unconsciously, cuddled him tightly. He got no sleep that night and was embarrassed as hell having ended up being smooshed between Hanako's breasts. It didn't make him feel any better when Hanako walked up to Kanji the following day, seemingly embarrassed, and the others came to the conclusion the she was going to confess her feelings to him and hid behind a tree. Then she ended up telling Kanji that he wasn't her type, apologized, and then left, flat out rejecting him. _

_ As if he was reading his mind, Souji gave his kouhai a sympathetic smile. "It's not like what happened on the camping trip will happen again…"_

_ A depressed aura began to materialize around Kanji. "I can't… and it's my own damn fault anyway…" His fists clenched. "Being as blunt as I am I shoulda been able to tell it to her face..." He let out a bitter laugh. "Kinda funny how I can fight things that'd make guys in the military shit their pants with no problem but I can't talk to one girl…"_

_ "You'll never know if you don't try," Souji said. "And if you wait too long, someone else will ask her out in your place."_

_ "Easy for you to say… Ya ain't afraid of anything. And ya manage to keep your cool through every damn thing that happens to ya." Kanji sighed. "Dammit Senpai, how am I supposed to be like you?"_

_ "Don't be like me. Be like yourself." _

_ The answer his friend gave him made Kanji feel somewhat better. "Ah, I get it. Do it my way, eh Senpai? Well, that takes some pressure off, but…I still don't really know what I'm doing."_

_ "You're overthinking it," Souji stated._

_ "Heh, I might be." Kanji smiled wryly._

_ "Take it slow. Get to know her better. Be honest with yourself and think on how she'd feel if you weren't being honest with her." Souji patted his back. "That's the best advice I can give you."_

_ "Thanks, Senpai. I'll try my best!"_

_ "You're welcome. Now, I don't know about you, but I'm feeling like having a Topsicle. How about we grab one on the way home?"_

_ "Hell yeah!" Kanji's eyes brightened up. "Let's go!"_

_ The two friends headed out to Madam Shiroku's store for some tasty treats._

_Two days later, Kanji and the others caught Souji and Yukiko kissing after training on the TV world. While it was awkward and Souji scared the heck out everybody for spying on them, the former delinquent was truly happy for his senpais and relieved that he did have a chance with Naoto. That is, if he ever managed to get over his shyness towards her._

…_**End Flashback…**_

"Do it my way, huh…?" Kanji muttered to Koromaru, who was licking his hand. "Well, might as well give it a try…"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Northern Shopping District…<strong>_

Kanji felt lucky as he bumped into the beanie-wearing senior when he went to Aiya's for a late snack, despite his mother's warning that it will ruin his appetite for dinner. They decided to sit at a table together and chat while waiting for their order.

"This place isn't bad," Shinjiro commented. "I can see why a lot of people enjoy eating here."

"The old man's a friendly guy. It's good for business," Kanji chuckled. He continued to talk to Shinjiro about the special menus and his current school life. Shinjiro didn't have a lot to add since his life wasn't that interesting.

They ate in silence after their food arrived. Kanji enthusiastically dug into his chicken leek stir fry and beef ramen, but his brain was furiously thinking up a plan on how to bring up the dreaded topic of the summer yukata. After finishing their food, they had some tea.

Kanji cleared his throat. "Say…I bumped into Minako-senpai earlier when she was out walking Koro-chan," he started. "She asked me for a favor regarding the summer festival."

Shinjiro 'hmmm'ed in response, sipping his tea.

"And she said she wanted me to make you a yukata to wear to the festival."

With that sentence finished, Shinjiro did a spit take, some of the tea dribbled down his chin and onto his maroon pea coat. "Say what?!" he spluttered, grabbing a napkin to wipe his mouth. "She wants me to wear what?!"

"Dude, don't ask me. It was just a favor."

"Like hell I'm gonna wear something like that," Shinjiro retorted in distaste. "The weird outfits she made me wear in Tartarus was torture enough."

Kanji quirked a brow at the older teen. _'She must have him totally whipped to be able to make him take off that damn coat,'_ he thought. _'But then again, she is pretty scary…almost as scary as Chie-senpai, Yukiko-senpai and Rise's cooking combined.' _Suddenly, a sneer made its way to the corner of his mouth.

Shinjiro's eyes narrowed dangerously. "What the hell is so funny?"

"You might not want to piss her off by passing this up," Kanji said, shrugging. "Face it, your girlfriend is scary shit compared to any Shadow I've ever fought." He watched with silent amusement when Shinjiro stared at him as he pondered over his statement, and let out a heavy, depressed sigh.

_ 'Yup, totally whipped.'_

And that was how both of them ended up in Tatsumi Textiles.

Kanji was holding a measuring tape in his hands and a pencil wedged at the back of his ear. He measured Shinjiro's arms, legs, chest circumference, the length of his back and a few other places, pausing in between to write them down in a small notebook on a nearby table. Shinjiro just stood still with a scowl on his face. He wasn't pleased when Kanji made him take off his coat either. Earlier, Mrs. Tatsumi suggested for her son to take Shinjiro to the back because he was scaring the other customers.

"So…uh…how do like our small town?" Kanji said, attempting to start a conversation as he slipped the tape around Shinjiro's neck.

"It's nice, lots of fresh air," he grunted in response.

Silence fell between them after that. _'Screw it! I better ask him now before I lose my chance,'_ Kanji groaned internally. "H-hey…I was wondering…how did you manage to ask Minako-senpai out…three years ago was it?" he said slowly, trying not to offend the older teen.

The blush on Shinjiro's face intensified. "Th-that's a private question, moron! Besides, it's none of your damn business!"

"Hey, Minako-senpai said that I can ask you for advice so I'm asking, asshole!"

"She said what?! I don't give advice!"

The two of them started to swear at each other, all that was missing were the punches and kicks. Both were harshly reprimanded by Mrs. Tatsumi who then whacked their heads with a cloth-measuring ruler. They were saved when a customer in front called for her.

"Why would she tell you to ask me in the first place?" Shinjiro groaned, rubbing his sore head. "I'm not good at this kind of shit."

Kanji sighed miserably. "I want Naoto to go to the festival with me, but I'm too scared to ask her," he said, looking at the floor. "When I ran into Minako-senpai earlier, she said you can help me. That's why I want to know how you managed to ask her out in the first place, and maybe get some pointers. Face it, guys like us don't have any luck with girls."

The older teen gave him a look of sympathy. "I didn't ask Minako out. The little runt wouldn't stop pestering me the moment I rejoined SEES, so I finally gave in and took her to Hagakure. Most of the time, she practically dragged me to go out and eat," Shinjiro ranted, but his voice got softer as he continued. "After that, we just spent more time with each other. I guess I started to realize my feelings for her when she managed to persuade me to cook a feast for the entire dorm. Of all the people who could talk me into it, it had to be her. It just happened, okay? The only dates we ever gone to was walking Koro to the shrine or eating ramen together."

Kanji listened in silence.

"The first place I took her to of my own free will was the alley behind Port Island Station, the place where I got shot. Not exactly romantic, is it?" Shinjiro laughed bitterly. "I didn't want to become someone important in her life at first, but before I knew it she became a part of mine. _She_ was the one who confessed to me, not the other way around. Sometimes I still wonder what a great girl like her sees in a guy like me."

A lump formed in Kanji's throat. "Then what should I do?"

"Just be yourself. I'm pretty sure Shirogane knows when you're being dishonest with her," Shinjiro answered, placing a hand on the bleach-blonde's shoulder. "Remove all the petty thoughts from your mind and focus on the important stuff, not the 'what ifs' and you'll do fine. I learned that the hard way." He touched his chest, the place where Takaya's bullets went through him.

A ghost of a smile formed on Kanji's lips. "Th-thanks, Shinjiro-senpai. I sort of needed to hear that."

"Good. Then let's get this thing done and over with."

After Kanji was done measuring, he took Shinjiro to the front to pick out the fabric for his custom-made yukata. Rise came in just in time when the two were starting to bicker over what color the garment should be.

"What are you two fighting about?" the teen idol asked, cocking her head to one side in a curious manner.

"Rise, what are you doing here?" Kanji grumbled.

"I came to bring some silken tofu for your mom. Grandma made it especially for her." Rise shoved a small package under Kanji's nose. "Now answer my question already!"

"Urgh…fine! Minako-senpai wants me to make a yukata for her boyfriend here. Happy now?"

"Then why were you two fighting?" she repeated her question, hands on her hips.

Kanji was in the right mind to strangle Rise if she wasn't his friend. Shinjiro glared at her in annoyance, but the girl simply brushed it off.

"I asked him what color he wanted his yukata to be. Idiot here says he doesn't care, which makes my job a hell of a lot harder," Kanji said, jerking a thumb at Shinjiro.

"Watch it, dickhead!"

Before the two of them went for each other's throats, Rise interrupted them. "Let me help. I am good at this kind of thing after all." She eyed Shinjiro from top to bottom, and circled around him twice, even as far as to order him to remove his beanie. She looked at Kanji after she was done. "I'd go with dark blue, almost black color for the yukata, and silver for the obi. Keep it plain and simple, clean-cut, and he'll do just fine."

Rise helped Kanji look for the right fabric, and after ten minutes they were done. All Kanji had to do now was sew the entire outfit together. Rise stayed for a while to give Mrs. Tatsumi her silken tofu before heading home.

The sun was starting to set when they finally finished. "It's late. I'll try and finish this before the day of the festival. You should head back to the inn," Kanji said. "And thanks for earlier…about…you know…"

"Whatever," Shinjiro replied, walking out from the shop. Not before glaring hard at Kanji. "And don't you dare mention this to anyone, got it?"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Same time at Amagi Inn…<strong>_

It was a beautiful summer evening. The Arisato twins were hanging out at the inn's Japanese garden by the koi pond, chatting about the recent events.

"I'm still kinda curious why he's back. From what Banchou-kun told us not even he knows how that happened, but he seems determined to help," Minako said.

"I know… it's a mystery alright" her brother said, recalling the conversation they had with Souji while still in the hospital, before they were informed of Junpei and Yosuke's recklessness.

"Yes, I wonder what he's trying to do." Minako closed her eyes in thought. In her hands was a ring. "There's so much we don't know about. What's really going on…?"

Minato smiled softly at his twin and patted her head. "There, there, sis… We'll figure things out soon enough," he said. "So far, the Dark Hour hadn't manifested itself lately, so things might stay calm for a while. The Summer Festival is just around the corner. We should enjoy it."

Minako smiled back at her brother and started playing with the hem of her skirt after she pocketed the ring. "You're right, Aniki. I can't wait for it! I even got Kanji-kun to make a yukata for Shinjiro-senpai!"

"You gonna make him wear one? Jeez…" Minato chuckled at the thought.

Minako glared playfully at him when she had an idea. "Hey, since me and the girls are gonna wear yukatas, why don't you and Banchou-kun wear one too? For old times' sake?" She giggled. "Yukari-chan and Yukiko-chan would love that for sure. Oh! Oh! Even better! Why don't all the guys wear yukatas?"

Minato blinked at the suggestion, blushing faintly. "Well, that'd be nice for a change…but…how am I supposed to convince them?"

"You're very convincing and so is Banchou-kun, Aniki. You'll think of something. Just like you convinced the girls to wear maid outfits in Tartarus."

"Why don't you convince them? You managed to make them wear those butler outfits more times than I can count!"

"No can do. The girls and I are going shopping at Okina tomorrow. We're even taking Nanako-chan with us." Minako smiled. "Wasn't Banchou-kun taking you guys to go fishing tomorrow? That should do the trick just nicely."

Minato sighed in defeat. There was no arguing with his sister. He knew one thing for sure; he and the guys are sure to have a field day.

* * *

><p>The next morning, the SEES girls headed off to Yasoinaba Station and waited for the rest of the Investigation Team girls. Yukiko and Chie went to pick up Nanako and they were off. Teddie was stalking them earlier but his plans were foiled by Souji who dragged him along with Yosuke and Koromaru for their planned fishing trip.<p>

Nanako was enjoying the view from the window while the older girls chatted.

"Really, that bear has some nerve to follow us like that!" Chie huffed, crossing her arms against her chest. "What part of 'girls only' does he not understand?"

"Just like the time we went to the school trip, he followed us all the way to Port Island," Rise told Fuuka. "Senpai almost got in trouble because he refused to leave us. I think he has some sort of obsession with him back then."

"That's just creepy," Yukari said, shivering a little. "But then again, Aigis was no different with the twins."

"That was before I gained a heart," Aigis answered. "It was, and still is, my duty to protect them."

"I agree, Sister," Metis added, smiling at Aigis. Yukari only sweatdropped.

"Enough about that," Minako beamed. "Let's focus on our shopping trip! I can't wait to see what sort of stuff that's available there."

From there, the girls discussed about what to buy; dresses, skirts, blouses and accessories that will match with their outfits. Even Mitsuru, whom usually depend on her personal stylists to choose her clothes for her, added some of her opinion. Chie seemed a bit uncomfortable, but joined in. The only one squirming was Naoto.

Rise noticed this and decided to pull her into the conversation. "Naoto-kun, what's wrong? You've been quiet all morning."

Naoto fidgeted in her seat. "Err…I just feel out of place…among the others. Why do I have to come along again?"

"C'mon Naoto-chan, don't be such a spoil sport!" Minako patted her back. "It's always fun to try on clothes, especially ones you'd never wear in public. Just to see how you'd look in them."

"And because you don't have any girly clothes," Rise answered simply. "You wanted to borrow some of mine but they don't fit, remember?"

…_**Flashback…**_

_ Naoto was in Rise's room, with the latter's invitation. She insisted that Naoto tried something feminine in order to win the heart of a certain 'white-haired punk' or something along those lines. Needless to say, the young detective blushed, confirming the teen idol's suspicion. Which is why Naoto was browsing through Rise's wardrobe, and Rise was watching over her with a smirk on her face._

_ "We'll start with something simple," Rise started. She pulled out an aquamarine summer dress with a white ribbon around the waistline. "Try this one on for size."_

_ "Sh-should I really wear this?" Naoto stuttered slightly, eyeing the garment. The question was more of an excuse to delay the inevitable._

_ "Naoto-kun, this is what girls usually wear during the summer. Stop wasting your breath talking and put it on already."_

_ Knowing Rise's stubbornness when she doesn't get what she wants, Naoto sighed heavily and took the shirt from Rise's hands. She wasn't comfortable stripping in front of other people so she went to change in the bathroom. _

_ Rise waited patiently, but Naoto was taking too much time. _'Jeez… how long does it take to get changed into a summer dress?'_ she thought irritably. Not one for respecting personal space, she pushed open the bathroom door to find her friend already dressed in the blue outfit. "What's taking so long? Do you need any help?" she demanded._

_ "Rise…I can't breathe," Naoto said, her voice a little strained and her face red. "Are your clothes always this tight?"_

_ "Huh, what are you talking about? Aren't we about the same…size…?" It didn't take long for Rise to understand Naoto's predicament. The way her breasts were stretching the fabric was pretty obvious to answer the question. In addition to that, there were bandages in the sink, confirming what Rise saw on their health examination results last year was neither a fluke nor a misprint._

…_**End flashback…**_

They finally arrived at Okina. Rise wasted no time dragging the others to her favorite shops. The SEES girls couldn't believe the bargains that could be found here, and squealed excitedly when one of them found something they particularly liked. They had a blast choosing clothes from the racks and trying them on in the changing rooms.

"Yukari-chan, how do I look?" Minako asked, twirling around as she stepped out of the booth. She was trying on a denim skirt which flattered her long legs and an orange halter top with a big red heart in the middle. On her feet was a pair of purple ballerina flats she found moments ago.

"Aneki, you look really pretty!" Nanako said, clapping her hands.

"Something seems to be missing…" Yukari mused. She wasn't about to tell her best friend that she was showing off too much skin, and was pretty sure that if Shinjiro saw his girlfriend wearing that in public he would give her one long, ear-bleeding lecture. Not wanting to deal with that consequence, Yukari grabbed a short green jacket to cover her shoulders. It went surprisingly well together. "Wow, this combination suits you, Minako. The skirt looks especially nice on you!"

In another booth, Rise was trying to persuade Naoto to come out of the dressing room she was in. "Naoto, I'm going to count to three before I ask one of the sales girls to force the door open!" she threatened.

Naoto timidly opened the door and revealed herself. Rise had chosen a female version of her detective outfit; a dark blue school skirt paired with a turquoise collared t-shirt with rolled-up sleeves, and black boots. A short red necktie added color to the attire, making Naoto look more feminine but not losing any of her crime-solving appeal.

Yukiko and Chie were speechless; they had never seen Naoto in a skirt before (her school uniform didn't count). Mitsuru nodded her approval and Nanako clapped some more. Unbeknownst to Naoto, Rise took out her phone and snapped a picture. _'Kanji-kun is going to have a major nosebleed when he sees this ~'_ she smirked evilly.

Aigis and Metis tried every combination they could find; jeans, skirts, blouse and dresses, you name it. Minako insisted that Mitsuru tried something out of her comfort zone like jeans, miniskirts and tube tops. The girls got a bit jealous when she pulled off every single garment she tried on to perfection.

Yukari and Rise made it their mission to give every girl in their group a makeover. Even little Nanako wasn't spared. After trying out clothes, they went window shopping. They went a bit over their budget when they found a store that sold the cutest hairpins, rings and necklaces in every shape and color you can imagine.

"Hey, girls, what do you think of this?" Chie asked, pointing to a fake flower that was pinned above her right ear.

Naoto studied a bit. "It is simple, yet feminine."

"Quite charming, Chie-chan." Yukari smiled.

"Thanks… I like it." Chie said with a small smile. "It's not too girly and it's cute. I'll wear it for the festival."

"Hey Naoto-kun, do you ever do anything with your hair?" Yukiko asked.

The detective shook her head. "No, not really."

"Try this," Yukiko suggested, pulling off Naoto's hat and putting a headband in its place. She held up a small mirror and Naoto stood transfixed by her reflection. The headband was dark blue with a small bow to one side. It wasn't overly girly or frilly, yet it transformed Naoto from looking like a boy to a girl. _'Amazing…who would have thought such a slight change could make such the difference,'_she thought.

"Do you like it?" Rise asked.

"Uh…oh yeah… I think I do."

"You know, you can be feminine without the frills, lace and makeup," Yukiko said. "Sometimes subtle is better."

"Yeah…I think I can see that now," Naoto said, removing the headband and putting her hat back.

"Good!" Yukari said with a grin. "You just have to take it one step at a time."

Once the other girls were busy browsing again, Naoto took another look at the headband. _'One step at a time…I can do that.'_ She ran the pad of her fingers along the smooth satin covering the hard frame.

Minako bought Nanako a Featherman R hairpin and a bead bracelet with colors of the rainbow. "Anything for my little sister," she said, ruffling Nanako's hair. This earned her a hug from the little girl. After another hour of looking at shoes, they stopped for lunch at an outdoor café.

"I'm so exhausted…" Chie complained, slamming her head on the table. "My feet are killing me, and I don't think I can look at another pair of new shoes without wanting to punch somebody…"

"This is why I don't shop," Naoto said sourly, glaring at her drink. "I can't wrap my mind around the whole concept of looking through things, trying them on and not buying them in the end. It's ridiculous!"

"Oh please. You guys had as much fun as the rest of us," Rise chided, sucking on the straw in her tall glass of fruit juice. "Isn't that right, Nanako-chan? It's important to spend some quality time with girls only."

Nanako giggled. "Yeah!"

"Please let us go home after this," Chie grumbled.

"That would not be possible at the moment," Aigis cut in. "I still haven't had the chance to purchase a summer yukata for my sister."

"That reminds me, I wanted to get one for Ken-kun as well," Fuuka said. "He'd look so cute in one, don't you think?"

"Fuuka, aren't you going to get one for Hiiraga-senpai too?" Yukari teased. "Don't think I don't know about your relationship with him. Minato-kun has had his suspicions for a long time you know." She grinned widely when Minako stared at her with disbelief.

Fuuka blushed at Yukari's words, and hid her face behind her hands. It was against her nature to think violent thoughts, but when she gets back at the inn she was going to have to talk to (punish) their blue-haired leader and his big mouth. "Nanako-chan, do you want to help me find a yukata for Ken-kun?" she asked a bit too quickly, trying to change the subject.

"I don't mind," Nanako said. "It's gonna be a lot of fun!"

"I can't believe Aniki never told me that Fuuka is dating the president of the Photography Club!" Minako whined. "Well, I'm not against it. Keisuke-senpai is a decent guy. He helped me and Junpei-kun with that secret photo business, so I support your relationship with him. You should get him a souvenir."

"Speaking of relationships…" Yukiko interjected. "Chie and Yosuke-kun became an official couple as of yesterday. Souji-kun was right all along, they do belong together."

Chie went bright red. "Don't rub it in my face, Yukiko. You're the one who had the hots for Souji in the beginning but you were just too shy to admit it."

"What's so special about Yosuke-senpai anyway?" Rise asked. "All Chie-senpai does is kick him whenever he does something stupid. He's isn't that smart or good-looking, and clumsy but in a funny way…and she's hot-tempered, impatient and violent. They argue all the time. How is that gonna work?"

Mitsuru just smiled. "Just because they seem like opposites doesn't mean they're not compatible, Kujikawa. My parents were brought together by an arranged marriage, but they somehow made it work. Those two will figure it out, as long as they feel strongly for each other."

Chie's blush got deeper, but she couldn't help herself from admiring the red-head's words.

"Junpei and Hanamura-san have a lot in common," Chidori said. "But that's what I love about Junpei. He's always patient with me, and cheers me up when I'm sad. Just because he isn't book smart only means that his strengths lies elsewhere. I guess what I'm saying is that he sees me differently than other people, and that makes me feel special." She scratched her cheek shyly, her cheeks a healthy pink.

"You changed him too, Chidori. Now we don't have to worry about him being a total pervert anymore," Minako added, earning laughs from the other girls. She then turned to Yukari. "So what made you choose my brother, Yukari-chan?"

"W-well…I was kind of attracted to him when you guys first joined SEES," Yukari stammered, playing with her fingers. "My first impression of him was the mysterious, loner type, but we had a lot in common because of our pasts. I guess my feelings for him grew after the trip to Yakushima. When I yelled at him for no reason, he was nothing but understanding, and I thought my heart would burst when he hugged me on the beach. After that I would get jealous when he spends time with other girls from the clubs, since it wasn't just me who found him to be charming…" She stole a quick glance at Mitsuru and Fuuka. "I was so happy when he asked me out on Christmas Eve."

"I feel the same way with Souji-kun," Yukiko admitted. "He always listens to me, even though I know I'm boring him. I always feel inadequate next to him when he first asked me out. He just seems so…perfect. Excellent grades, good looks, and charming personality. But soon I realized that he's not perfect at all. He always put others before himself, ignoring his health sometimes. And he's a bit of a hothead, but I guess that runs in the family. He...he just has a big heart, never able to turn down anyone who needs his help. And he can be such a sentimental sap too. He still keeps the swords he used in our previous battles under his futon."

"Big Bro snores sometimes when he sleeps," Nanako supplied. Then she covered her mouth as if she just blurted out top secret information.

Yukiko chuckled. "Yeah, I kind of figured that out during last year's camping trip," she said, patting her on the head. "Besides, girl talk isn't fun without digging the little secrets about our boyfriends, right?"

"What about you, Minako-chan? Don't you have anything to say about Shinjiro-senpai?" Yukari questioned. "When he rejoined SEES, I had my doubts about him. He was always withdrawn and doesn't hang out with us much. I mean, everyone in the dorm was practically scared of him except for you and Akihiko-senpai. Oh, and Koro-chan too."

"I must say I was surprised when you managed to persuade him to cook for the entire dorm," Mitsuru said, looking pleased. "Shinjiro is well-known for his stubbornness and foul mouth, so something like that was quite out of character for him."

Minako looked at the ground and fiddled with her thumbs. "I…I asked him out to dinner that night because he seemed…lonely, I guess. But despite his gruff exterior, I felt that he was hiding a lot of pain. We got talking, and little by little I was falling for him. He has a soft spot for animals, and often feeds the strays living in the alleyways. Even though he gives a bad first impression, he really does care about us, in his own way. Being by his side, I feel safe and warm. He's just that kind of guy." A big, goofy smile adorned her face as she caressed the leather watch on her wrist.

The older girls sighed dreamily. Nanako giggled at their antics, but is glad that her Aneki is happy.

"Uh…umm…I sort of have a confession to make," Mitsuru said shyly a moment later, fidgeting in her seat. "Since we're all talking about relationships, I don't want to be left behind." She doesn't normally participate in such activities, but after befriending Yukari, things changed. The other girls snapped out of their reveries to pay attention to the young heiress. "The truth is…Akihiko and I have been seeing other each since high school and made it official after we graduated. It was my decision to keep it a secret from you all."

Silence.

"She finally admits it!" Minako cheered, jumping up from her seat.

Fuuka and Yukari looked at each other sheepishly. "We kind of knew about that for a long time, Senpai," the latter admitted. "It was difficult to ignore the looks you two gave each other at the dorm."

"I knew Akihiko-senpai had a thing for you, but he probably didn't confess earlier because he's too shy," Fuuka added. "It would have made his life in high school a lot easier though. No girl in school had the guts to go against the Student Council President."

"The sexual tension between you two was difficult to ignore," Aigis said. "My sensors would pick up an increase in body heat and high concentration of pheromones whenever the both of you are close to each other."

"I noticed that too," Metis said.

"Aigis, do you mind?!" Minako hissed, covering Nanako's ears. The little girl looked confused as she tried to understand what the others were talking about.

Mitsuru's mouth hung open slightly, a bright blush staining her cheeks. _She couldn't believe what she was hearing!_

"You two were pretty obvious," Rise supplied. "He looks at you differently compared to other girls."

"Your body language indicates that the two of you have mutual attraction for each other," Naoto said. "I am happy for the both of you."

"We didn't say anything should we offend you. I'm sorry," Yukiko apologized.

"Every tough guy has a soft side," Chie smirked. "Speaking of tough guys…how's your progress with Kanji, Naoto-kun? Surely something about that guy attracts you in a way."

The Detective Prince choked on her drink. She coughed out the remains of liquid from her lungs before answering the question with another question. "What are you insinuating, Chie-senpai?"

"You guys have been hanging out a lot lately, and I often see you hanging out at his mother's shop after school. Rise tells me you sometime stay for dinner when your gramps is out of town."

Naoto gave Rise the stink-eye, which she pretended to ignore. "That was only one time!" Naoto protested. "I just want to know him better! Kanji-kun is a lot smarter than what you guys take him for."

_ Now_ Rise was interested. "Please tell, Naoto-kun. We would love to hear from you how smart Kanji-kun is," she smiled sweetly, her voice saccharine.

Seeing all the girls looking at her, Naoto knew she didn't have a choice. "K-Kanji-kun… He has something… How did he call it once…? Ah, yes, an eye for detail," she started, her cheeks getting warmer by the second. "And no, I'm not referring to the elaborate dolls that he crafts or the detailed dress he once made. He may not be the most intelligent as well as rather impulsive, but he usually notices that something is not right before everybody else." She pulled her hat down, trying to disguise her increasing blush. "For example…before Minako-senpai joined us, Kanji-kun mentioned how lonely she seemed and how worried she sounded about not being remembered by her friends. He was also adamant on keeping his word to her when questioned about her identity after the Shadows' ambush. His loyalty and devotion to the ones he cares about is quite remarkable."

Naoto sunk her head lower, pulling her hat down trying not to face the others girls who fell silent. That was definitely not the reaction Naoto expected. She expected them to giggle at her or tease her.

Minako was the first to break the silence. "Wow, now that you mentioned it, you're right. He was really nice to me that time." She smiled softly. "You really like him, huh Naoto-chan?"

Naoto's eyes widened, her entire face was red. "S-Senpai?!"

"Perhaps you yourself don't realize it, but the way you talk about Kanji-kun and the look in your eyes… they all express that you have feelings for him," Minako explained. "You're probably confused about it, because you never gave much thought about it." Her smile grew wider, eyes looking distant. "He's just like Shinji-kun. Rough on the outside, but warm and kind and caring on the inside."

The SEES girls took a sharp intake of breath. Minako snapped out of her little daydream and looked at them, confused. "Eh...what is it?"

"You called Senpai 'Shinji-kun'," Yukari smirked coyly. "So you got to the next base in your relationship, huh?"

"Only Akihiko-senpai is allowed to call him that, because they were childhood friends," Fuuka explained to the other girls. And then she smiled. "Congratulations, Minako-chan!"

Rise smirked devilishly. "Speaking of Shinjiro-senpai, I saw him arguing with Kanji-kun at his mother's shop yesterday. They looked like two dogs about to fight over a piece of meat. Turns out, they were arguing over what color the fabric of his custom-made yukata should be, by orders of Minako-senpai."

"Let me guess," Chie said, rolling her eyes. "You interfered and helped."

"Of course I did. His mother told me they scared away the customers earlier because both were cussing like sailors." The others sweatdropped at this. "Anyway, I helped pick out the color. I'm sure you're gonna like the results." Rise winked at Minako.

Mitsuru's jaw hung open in disbelief. _'First the dorm feast, and now a yukata,'_ she thought. _'Shinjiro, just how smitten are you?'_ She made a mental note to bring a camera to capture this soon-to-be precious moment.

"Oh don't worry about Shinji-kun, guys. He's not the only guy wearing a yukata to the festival," Minako said. "I convinced Aniki and Souji-kun to wear one too. For old time's sake."

Yukiko and Yukari blushed. They were already imagining their boyfriends in the garment, and the image wasn't disappointing.

"If that's the case, then I shall purchase one for Akihiko as well," Mitsuru stated. "Why don't you help me choose the color, Kujikawa?"

"I'd love to," Rise said. "Fashion is my expertise after all."

"Count me in!" Chidori laughed.

Soon, their food arrived. The girls happily gossip and talk about recent events as they ate. Naoto ate quietly reflecting what Minako had told her. _'What if I do have feelings for Kanji-kun? And Kanji-kun? Does he feel anything for me…? What should I do?'_

After their meal, the girls continued their shopping. They arrived at a shop specializing in yukatas, and it looks like business was booming because the festive season was near. Discounts were abundant, and they were having a blast choosing what patterns and colors that would suit their beloveds. Metis felt a bit more independent as she chose a yukata for herself, with a little help from her sister.

As Fuuka was busy choosing one for Ken, her cellphone rang. She flipped it open and smiled to herself; her best friend Natsuki Moriyama just sent her a text message. It said: _"Wishing you a great summer. Have a great time at the festival, and don't forget to enjoy yourself 3"_

Rise noticed her fellow scanner's smile. Curious, she went over to ask her about it. "What have you got there, Fuuka-senpai?"

"Oh, my friend Natsuki just wished me a great time at the Summer Festival," she answered. "She moved away in our junior year, but we try our best to keep in touch with each other."

"That's nice," Rise said.

"Want to see her picture?" Fuuka pressed a few more buttons on her phone and a picture of Fuuka and Natsuki standing beside the persimmon tree at Gekkoukan High came on screen. Both were smiling. Rise looked intently at Natsuki's picture before she burst out laughing. Fuuka was confused at her reaction. "Is there something wrong, Rise-chan?" she asked worriedly.

"S-sorry about that Fuuka-senpai," Rise said, taking a big breath before calming down. "Nothing is wrong with her. It's just that her clothes reminded me of what Yosuke-senpai wore during the cross-dressing pageant at our school's culture festival."

"Why on earth did he do that?" Minako interrupted as she walked towards the two, Yukari following her.

Rise gave her a sly smile and took out her own cellphone. She pulled out the secret pictures she took when they were posing on stage and displayed them on her screen. "Yosuke-senpai and Teddie were the idiots who started it all. Teddie begged him to sign us up for last year's beauty pageant," she explained, "when we found out about it, we took revenge by signing them up for the cross-dressing pageant. I took their pictures for future blackmail in case they try to do anything stupid."

Minako and Yukari sweatdropped at her bluntness.

Minako took Rise's phone and scanned the pictures one by one. She had to laugh out loud at the ridiculousness of it all, and Yukari was right there with her: Kanji and Yosuke looked…interesting…to say the least. Teddie was much too pretty for his own good, although Minako thought that her Persona Alice was much cuter.

Thanks to the small commotion, the other girls surrounded them, curious to know what's going on. They had the same reaction when Rise explained it to them again.

"I don't think Tatsumi did Marilyn Monroe any justice," Mitsuru commented as she looked at the pictures. Rise pouted at that, since she was the one who dressed him.

"But I must say my baby bro looks cute in that getup," Minako giggled. "It suits him…in a way. I wonder who helped him get dressed."

Yukiko blushed. "That would be me." She sighed dreamily. "He was even so brave to admit that he was only doing that for the girl he liked… It was so sweet…"

"You did an awesome job! The wooden sword was a nice touch," Minako praised her. "Although I don't think he'll be happy that we know all this."

"Don't worry about it," Yukari scoffed. "If they're embarrassed, we can always tell them about the outfits you and Minato-kun made our guys wear in Tartarus."

Minako's eyes brightened at that. "Including the one of Shinji with the butler outfit and Ken-kun with the Shirt of Chivalry?!" At Yukari's nod, Minato barely held back a squeal. "Yay! I can't wait to tell you guys about it!"

"Tell them about what?" Nanako asked as she approached them. In her hands was a red boy's yukata with minimal black and yellow geometrical prints.

"Oh, it's about their yukata!" Minako said hastily. She didn't want Nanako to blow their secret to her cousin. "Yukiko and I were thinking about what color might suit Souji-kun. I see you have picked one for Ken-kun." She pointed to the outfit Nanako was holding. "That pattern suits him."

"Thanks! It reminded me of Red Hawk from Phoenix Ranger Featherman R."

"He'll like that. Ken-kun might not admit it out loud, but he's a huge fan of the series," Minako told her. "You two should go to the festival together."

"That sounds fun!" Nanako said.

"Should I remind everyone what time it is?" Naoto said in an impatient tone. "We promised Dojima-san that we would be back with Nanako-chan by four. We have another hour left."

Rise pouted again. "But I don't see you pick out anything for Kanji-kun, Naoto-kun."

Naoto held up a bag. "I already have. You were too busy to help me."

Wasting no time, Rise pounced on it. "Ooh…a sleeveless black yukata with a white obi. It's plain yet punkish at the same time."

"What does that even mean?" Naoto asked exasperated. She snatched the outfit from Rise and put it back inside her bag. "You should all hurry or else we'll miss the train and break curfew."

At that statement, the girls rushed around the store. Mitsuru found the perfect one for Akihiko; a light sand-colored yukata paired with a red obi, his trademark color. Yosuke's was a dark army green with an orange obi. Chie chose it because it matched his Persona. Rise picked blue yukata with red trimmings accompanied by a white obi for Teddie. Yukari went traditional and chose midnight blue for Minato. Yukiko thought the same thing, but chose an obi that matched Souji's hair color. Chidori wasn't sure what to get for Junpei, but with Rise's help she picked out a metallic grey paired with a golden obi. It reminded her of Hermes.

Mitsuru offered to pay for all of them before they hurried off to the train station.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Samegawa Riverbed…<strong>_

It was warm, but not unbearably hot, at Samegawa floodplain, making it a perfect day for fishing. Souji had managed to borrow some extra fishing rods and baits from the old man that had taught him how to fish so his friends could join him.

"It's pretty easy actually. Just set the bait on the hook, aim and throw it in the water. Wait for it and when you feel the fish bite the bait, reel it in." Souji explained. "Oh, but don't reel it too fast or too hard or else the line will snap and the fish will get away."

"Heh, sounds pretty easy," Junpei said, trying his luck. Five minutes later, he grew impatient. "Gah! What's taking it so long?!"

Akihiko smacked him on the head, annoyed. "Pipe down, Junpei. Things like these take patience."

Suddenly there was a tug Junpei's the line. "Oh yeah! I've got one!" he shouted excitedly as he reeled it in. "And it's huge!"

After a brief struggle, Junpei finally brought his 'catch' out of the water; an empty crushed soda can. "… Ya gotta be kidding me…" Junpei hung his head in disappointment while the other guys laughed.

"Don't worry, Junpei-san. That often happens on the first tries," Souji reassured him.

There was a tug on another lure. "Hey, I think I've got something!" Ken said pulling his fishing rod. "Ngh…! I think it got stuck between the rocks!"

"Wait, Ken, let me help you with that." Minato went to help the youngest member of the team. "Here goes nothing!"

Both tugged really hard and a huge Inaba Trout splashed out of the water. "Wow, that's a big one!" Yosuke exclaimed.

"Teddie's got it!" the blonde yelled, trying to catch the fish with a net as it was falling down. However, he tripped over a sleeping Kanji causing the fish to hit the delinquent on the face and it bounced back into the river.

"Huh?! What gives?!" Kanji shouted startled before he shoved Teddie off him. "The hell…Teddie, get off me!"

"Aww…it got away…" Teddie pouted not listening to Kanji's complaints, who grumbled some more and continued his nap.

"It's okay, Teddie-san," Ken said. "I still can't believe I've almost caught a fish that big!"

"You did even better than me when I first tried fishing, Ken," Souji said. "The girls will be impressed for sure."

"Really?" Ken said rather embarrassed. "Thanks, Souji-san."

Silence fell once again as the guys waited for another bite. "So Souji, aside from fishing what else do you do on your free time?" Junpei asked, becoming restless with the silence.

"Well, I really like to read. I've got several books I bought during my first stay here on Inaba. Like 'The Man's Life' series and 'The Timid Teacher' series. Those are my favorites."

"They sound really interesting, Souji-san," Ken said.

Souji looked at Ken. "They really are. If any of you guys are interested, I can lend them to you."

Junpei laughed loudly. "Dude, you're such a nerd!"

"Should I remind you of your grades, Junpei?" Minato interjected with a smirk. Junpei answered by giving him a dirty look while the other guys laughed. "If you paid more attention in class I wouldn't have to whisper the answers to you all the time."

Souji covered his mouth to stifle another laugh. "What?!" Junpei shouted, cheeks reddening in embarrassment.

"Aniki, you kinda remind me of Kou. When I first met him and Daisuke, he told me that he was responsible for Daisuke's grades since they were eight."

Minato chuckled. "Those two are that close? They must be fun to hang around with."

"Who are they?" Ken asked.

"Kou is the captain of Yasogami High basketball team, and Daisuke is the captain for the soccer team. We get along pretty well, and so does Yosuke," Souji answered. "I'll introduce you guys sometime, and maybe challenge you to a match."

Akihiko smirked. "Sounds like my kind of thing. What else do you do around here?"

"I also did some part time jobs," Souji continued. "Like working at the daycare or tutoring. I find folding paper cranes to be really fun as well."

"Folding paper cranes?" Akihiko looked at him oddly.

"It started out as a charity work, but it sorta grew on me." Souji sighed and closed his eyes. "There's an old belief that if one folds a thousand paper cranes, their greatest wish will come true…"

The guys exchanged curious glances. _'I wonder what Banchou-kun's wish is?'_ Minato thought.

"Man, ya got no life…" Junpei sweatdropped.

"Hey, that's my life. Of course, that's when I'm not hanging out with my friends," Souji said. "I also like to build model robots when I have some spare time. Aniki and Shinjiro-san probably saw two of them on the shelf in my room."

"You did that?" Shinjiro raised an eyebrow. "That looks like it takes a lot of work."

"Not really. It's all about patience. I'm looking for a Phoenix Ranger Featherman R model to work on this summer," Souji said. "I heard those are really challenging with lots of pieces."

"Maybe there's some at Junes. Some new models arrived this week," Yosuke said.

"They have the new Phoenix Ranger Featherman R figures?!" Ken nearly shouted. One could see his eyes gleaming with excitement. Realizing his outburst, he blushed. "Uh… I-I mean…"

The guys chuckled, making Ken blush harder. Minato ruffled his hair. "It's okay, Ken. No need to be embarrassed," he said with a gentle smile. "We still like Phoenix Ranger Featherman R, right guys?"

The others grinned sheepishly at that. "Classics never get old," Junpei finally said.

"R-really?"

"Sure, things like that are enjoyed by people regardless their age. Nanako likes to watch it, too." Souji said when he had an idea. "When I get the model, why don't you and Koromaru come over to my place to help me work with it? Nanako would love to have you two over."

Koromaru barked happily. Ken nodded, his face still showing a faint blush. "S-Sure, Souji-san. Thank you."

Souji smiled at the young boy. Ken shared several similarities with Nanako: both were mature and responsible despite their young age, but also a bit lonely at times. They also lost their mothers early in life too.

"So, I told you guys about my hobbies and we all can see that Ken here likes to watch Phoenix Ranger Featherman R as well as collecting action figures and mangas. You guys' turn now," Souji said, attempting to draw attention away from him and Ken.

Minato rubbed the back of his head. "It's no secret to any of you that I really enjoy music," he said, pointing to his MP3 player. "I also like taking photos, one of the reasons I joined the Photography Club in school. Part time jobs are always amusing, and once in a while I try my hands at cooking and experimenting in the kitchen. But the thing I really like is video games. RPGs, fighting games, racing, you name it."

"Tell me about it, dude. You'd always beat me and Kenji whenever we went to the Arcade." Junpei said. "And I thought I was hooked on those."

"Years of practice." Minato shrugged. "Minako and I didn't have many friends other than Souji-kun, and after we moved away, we only had each other to play with so we'd spend a lot of time playing video games. Honestly, she's my best rival yet."

"Well, that explains why Mina-tan owned me most of the times…" Junpei sighed. "There goes my manliness for losing to a girl."

The blunette chuckled. "Yes, my sister is almost as bad as me when it comes to games. So, while we're still on topic, your turn now, Junpei."

"I really dig video games, but baseball is my true passion," Junpei grinned. "I even got a college scholarship after making it into my college baseball team." He sighed. "Too bad that means I gotta be really careful with my grades now."

"But you've made this far didn't you? You can pull it off, Junpei-senpai," Yosuke said.

"Thanks, Yosuke." Junpei said. "You're up."

"Huh? Me?" Yosuke blinked. "Well, like Minato-san, I really like games and music." He pointed to the headphones around his neck. "But I really love riding my bike. The wind in my face whenever I ride feels great. Makes me feel free, and here in Inaba you can get pretty much anywhere with a bike."

"When you don't crash it into trash cans, that is ~" Teddie said in an annoying singing tune, making the guys snort with laughter.

"Shut up, Ted! I only crashed because you panicked and covered my eyes!" Yosuke growled, but calmed down soon enough. "And well, you guys will probably find it weird, but I also like to break dance."

"Break dance? Why that?" Shinjiro asked as he threw his lure into the water.

"After we started fighting Shadows, I figured I'd need something else to make myself more useful in battle. Since my Persona specializes in speed and I always listen to quick-paced music, I decided to try break dancing to improve my agility and next thing I know, I'm enjoying it."

Akihiko was impressed. "You found a way to train yourself by dancing… No wonder you're so fast and able dodge so many attacks. That's pretty amazing if you ask me."

"Wow, thanks Akihiko-san…" Yosuke rubbed the back of his head, a bit surprised at the compliment. "So, what are your hobbies?"

"Me? Physical training is what I like do in my free time from college. Boxing, jogging, working out…that sort of stuff," Akihiko said proudly, ignoring Shinjiro rolling his eyes. "Of course, if you wanna train your body you gotta train your mind too, so I like to do some reading every now and then. In fact, I think I'm gonna take up on your offer to read some of those Man's Life books, Souji."

"Sure, Akihiko-san, I'll lend them to you," Souji said. "I can guarantee that you'll like them."

"If they can make him take a break from all that protein shakes crap he takes, I'd be really surprised," Shinjiro mumbled.

"Shut up, Shinji!"

"Honestly, Aki, I don't know why you take those in the first place. They taste like crap." Shinjiro scrunched up his face in distaste. "Besides, with all the beef bowls you eat, you get more than enough protein. I mean, it wouldn't kill you if you threw some more vegetables into the mix every once in a while."

Junpei snickered at that. "If you got something to say, Iori, say it to my face!" Shinjiro glared at him. "And, just for the record, you should really lay off the instant ramen."

The cap-wearing teen just shrugged his shoulders and turned his focus on fishing, pissing Shinjiro off in the process.

Yosuke and Teddie could only blink in confusion while Minato, Ken and Souji laughed.

"Shinjiro-senpai is into cooking, guys. And he worries about everybody's eating habits," Minato explained. "You might call him the team's nutritionist."

"And he's a great cook too," Souji added. "I think he cooks way better than I do."

Yosuke and Teddie's eyes widened in disbelief. Souji's cooking skills are considered legendary among the Investigation Team. To know that there was someone who Souji acknowledged to have superior skills than him felt impossible to them.

"Tch…" Shinjiro scoffed, trying to focus on fishing and hoping that the guys don't suggest anything stupid like having a cooking competition or anything like that.

Koromaru started whining, trying to get the guys' attention. "What is it, Koro?" Ken asked.

Koromaru lied on the ground with his belly up. Shinjiro smirked a bit, knowing what he wanted. "Okay boy, you win," he said, putting his rod aside before giving Koromaru a nice belly rub.

Koromaru panted in pleasure, enjoying the affection. "As you can see, Shinjiro-senpai is also quite good with animals," Minato chuckled. "Koro-chan really enjoys those belly rubs. He especially likes it when Minako brushes his fur."

"Almost as much as he likes it when people take him to walks to the shrine," Shinjiro grinned while scratching Koromaru behind his ears.

"Teddie's turn now!" the blonde crowed, startling the group, effectively catching their attention. "Let's see… I like eating Topsicles! They're so yummy! Oh, and playing with Nana-chan and giving balloons to the kids at Junes! It's so much fun!"

"Well, those are mostly harmless hobbies…" Minato said, smiling at Teddie's antics.

"And my most favorite thing in the world is to be a hot stud and score with the ladies!" Teddie continued shamelessly. In fact, he actually seemed proud of that.

The guys sweatdropped. _'Dear god, please don't tell me I'm dealing with another Ryoji here…' _Minato mentally face-palmed.

"Please, whatever you guys do, don't give him any flirting tips," Yosuke said rather exasperated. "He's already as bad as it is now."

Souji took a deep breath. "Teddie, buddy, can you please do me a favor?"

Teddie smiled. "Sure, Sensei! Anything for you!"

Souji smiled back at him, but a rather menacing aura was radiating from his body. "Please, _do not_try to score with Aneki or her friends, okay?" he said in a serious tone. "For you own safety."

Teddie gulped. Souji wasn't fooling around. Even the older guys felt a bit intimidated by that. "Y-y-yes, Sensei! I'll be a good bear! I promise!"

"Good." Souji patted him satisfied, and continued fishing.

"So that only leaves Kanji," Yosuke motioned to the former delinquent. "Your turn, Kanji."

Kanji didn't reply, making everybody raise an eyebrow.

"Kanji?" Yosuke examined at the bleached blonde. He was asleep. "For crying out loud, he's been sleeping the whole time?!"

"Kanji-san does look tired," Ken pointed out. "I wonder if he was up all night or something."

Souji gently shook Kanji's shoulder. "Kanji? C'mon, Kanji, wake up!"

No answer. Souji shook him harder. "Kanji, wake up!" he said, a bit louder this time.

Kanji's eyes started to flutter open, he was still rather drowsy. "Huh?! Ma, leave me alone!" he grunted, then turned to his other side. "Can't ya see I'm busy finishing Shinjiro-senpai's yukata for the festival…" An audible snore was heard moments later.

The guys' eyes widened at that, especially Shinjiro's. He couldn't believe that the younger student had spilled their secret so carelessly. Without thinking, he gave Kanji a hard punch on the shoulder. "Dumbass! You had to go and spill it out, didn't you!?"

"What's the big idea?!" Kanji, now fully awake because of the pain, glared at Shinjiro. "It ain't my fault your girlfriend asked me to do it, dickhead!"

Both were now in each other's faces, growling like two mad beasts. They looked more intimidating because of their towering height, with Kanji being slightly taller. Before things got nasty, Minato and Souji interfered and pulled them away from each other.

"Okay, you two, no fighting and, most importantly, no swearing!" Minato warned, using his leader tone.

"You heard Aniki. Cut it out, both of you!" Souji demanded.

The two eventually cooled down, much to the others' relief. Both Kanji and Shinjiro were known for their short temper and brute force so a fight between the two of them was the last thing they wanted to happen.

"Dude, I can't believe this! Tough guy Shinjiro-senpai is gonna wear a yukata for the festival!?" Junpei burst into laughter. "All because Mina-tan asked him to! Man, you're totally whipped!"

Akihiko tried not to laugh like Junpei, but even he found that funny. "So much for your badass reputation, Shinji," he snickered.

"Shut up, you morons…" Shinjiro looked away embarrassed.

Feeling sympathy for their upperclassman, Souji and Minato exchanged glances and nodded. "I wouldn't be laughing if I were you guys…" Minato started.

"Oh, yeah? Why not?" Junpei questioned.

"Because Aniki and I are gonna wear yukatas for the festival as well," Souji answered, much to the other guys' surprise. "It was Aneki's idea. We agreed it'd be a great way to honor the times we had when we were kids and to create more memories together."

"And…" Minato smirked a bit. "Minako said she'd convince the girls to get yukatas for all of you. You don't want to go against their will now, do you?"

The guys exchanged nervous glances and, except for Ken, Shinjiro and Kanji, hung their heads in defeat. There was simply no way to win against the girls. Kanji and Shinjiro exchanged evil smirks at that.

"Well…that doesn't seem so bad," Yosuke forced a laugh. It sounded rather dry. "At least it won't be like the school festival last year…"

"Ya had to bring that up? That was you's and Teddie's fault, Yosuke-senpai..." Kanji said, shuddering at the memory.

Teddie started drooling. "Oh, but it was so fun! And we got to see the girls in swimsuits!" His eyes had a glassy, faraway look in them. "Well, except for Nao-chan, but still, it was great!"

"I still hold the two of you responsible." Souji crossed his arms. "You shouldn't have signed them for that beauty pageant without their permission. Thanks to you idiots, we had to do 'that'!"

Thee SEES guys got curious. Minato recalled Souji mentioning an incident he and the guys had gone through during the cultural festival, but he was too embarrassed to give details.

"I admit it was almost worth all the trouble," Yosuke sighed. "Just remind me to never cross-dress again." He gasped and covered his mouth. "Oh, damnit!"

"Yosuke!" Souji hissed.

"Cross-dressing?!" the SEES guys said in unison.

"Don't remind me of that, man!" Kanji growled. "That's enough to get a guy scarred for life…"

Yosuke sighed. "I'm sorry!" The next second he was on the ground on all fours, a dark depressed aura surrounding him. "My innocence...is ruined for life..."

"Look on the bright side, guys. At least no one took photos…" Souji said, trying to cheer them up.

"Rise-chan did!" Teddie chimed. "I saw it on her cellphone. She said she was saving them for something called 'blackmail' or whatever."

Yosuke grabbed Teddie by the collar of his shirt. "She did?! And why the hell you didn't erase them!?" he yelled, shaking the blonde Shadow.

"R-Rise-chan paid me t-two Topsicles to keep it secret!" Teddie said dizzily as Yosuke shook him. Soon enough there were swirlies in his eyes.

Kanji groaned in disappointment. "Just two Topsicles? That's pretty damn pathetic of you, Ted."

"And I thought I could leave that behind…" Souji sighed, depressed.

Minato patted Souji on the back, trying to comfort his younger brother. Akihiko and Shinjiro had the decency not to laugh at the Inaba boys' predicament. Ken also tried not to laugh, but he had to cover his mouth with his hands, in respect for Souji and his friends.

Junpei, on the other hand, was laughing so hard that tears were coming out of his eyes. "You guys are a real piece of work! I bet you weren't even that good looking!"

"Teddie was! I got first place!" the blonde stated proudly. "And I get to be Judge in the Beauty Pageant!"

"Why else did you think the girls had to wear swimsuits in the contest?" Yosuke said shaking his head. "That was probably the only good thing that came out of it."

"Oh yeah… Seeing the girls in swimsuits is a once in a lifetime opportunity…" Junpei said, recalling how beautiful the girls were during the trip to Yakushima and daydreaming about Chidori wearing a bikini.

"Junpei..." Minato growled warningly.

"And there he goes again…" Akihiko shook his head. "Well, yukatas aren't a bad idea. I guess we can handle that, no problem. None of us really want to upset the girls…"

"Speaking of girls, a little birdie told me that you and Chie finally hooked up together, Yosuke." Junpei grinned at his fellow Magician. "About time!"

Yosuke nearly choked on the soda he was drinking, so Minato gave him a few pats on the back. "W-What?! Who told you that?!" Yosuke spluttered out.

"Souji here." Junpei jerked a thumb to the silverette. "He and Yukiko knew it all along."

"Souji, ya damn matchmaker! If Chie finds out everybody knows about us, she'll Galactic Punt me to hell!" Yosuke shouted, not angry but embarrassed before punching Souji on the shoulder. He gasped when his best friend winced in pain since he was hit on his injured arm. "Oh crap! Sorry about that, partner!"

"It's okay. Just don't do it again," Souji reassured him as he rubbed his shoulder. "But really, everybody knew you and Chie would get together eventually, Yosuke. Yukiko and I just gave you a little push. You have to admit it's good for both of you."

Yosuke looked down. "That's true…" he whispered, blushing a bit. "If you and Yukiko hadn't encouraged me and Chie to hang out together when the gang was busy we would've probably missed each other."

"From what I can see, Satonaka isn't the demure, ladylike type," Akihiko said. "What made you like her in the first place?"

"Chie is a tomboy, I won't deny that. But she manages to stay feminine," Yosuke answered. "She may have a short temper and one hell of a kick, but her upbeat and bright personality always cheers me up without even trying. And even when her guesses seemed wild during the investigation, she hit the nail right on the head. Her intuition is quite sharp."

"A handy trait to have, especially if she wants to join the police force after graduation," Souji added.

"She makes you feel special. Like a winner," Junpei smiled. "Kinda like Chidori. Despite everything that's happened and me being a complete goofball, she's still understanding and compassionate towards me. She's so mature sometimes I have to wonder what she sees in me."

"I guess that's what people call 'oppositives attract' Junpei-san," Ken said. "You changed her for the better and she in turn did the same for you."

"Heh, that's true, Ken." Junpei ruffled the kid's hair with a grin. "So, you got a crush on someone? Like Nanako-chan?" He waggled his eyebrows.

Ken almost dropped his fishing rod in surprise. "H-huh? W-What are you talking about?!" His cheeks were turning pink.

"C'mon, buddy, don't think I didn't notice how hard you were trying to protect her when the Shadows attacked that day, or how worried you were when she, Souji and her dad were taken in that witness protection program because of that A-hole Adachi." Junpei started to nudge Ken playfully.

The other guys sweatdropped at Junpei's teasing, but at the same time, had to agree that he had a point. Ken tried his best to protect Nanako during the fight, and he was worried about her well-being, as well as Souji and Dojima's during the ordeal.

"W-Well… I… I just wanted to make sure Nanako-chan would be okay..." Ken mumbled, blushing harder. "From what Yosuke-san and the others told us, she had gone through a lot of hardships. Losing a parent, being lonely, growing up before time… I can relate to that." He turned his gaze to the river. "Maybe… Maybe I'm being overprotective because I know how she feels…"

Akihiko and Shinjiro frowned at that. As mature as Ken was, he's still a kid. Without thinking both put a hand on Ken's shoulders. He glanced at them and nodded with a small smile. "Don't worry about me, guys. I'm fine...really!"

The mood was spiraling downwards, but Souji had an idea. "Ken, why don't you and Koromaru go to the festival with Nanako?" he suggested. "Get to know each other better. Have fun and be a kid for once. You might even meet some other kids as well. I know two who can be good friends with you."

Koromaru barked twice, excited at the prospect. Ken stared at the silver-haired student in disbelief. "A-are you sure about that, Souji-san?"

"There's only one condition!" Teddie interrupted, looking serious for once, before he smiled. "Take good care of Nana-chan and have lots and lots of fun with her, okay?"

Ken couldn't help but smile. "Of course, Teddie-san." He turned to Souji. "Thank you."

Souji nodded with a smile. Shinjiro and Akihiko exchanged smirks of approval. Yosuke and Kanji looked at their leader in disbelief; they knew how overprotective he was of Nanako ever since she got out of the hospital. Now he's giving his blessings for Ken to take Nanako out on a...date? It sure sounded that way, and Ken was pretty good-looking for a kid. Shaking their heads, they tried not to think too much about it.

"Yeah, better enjoy while she's still a kid. I just hope that when Nanako-chan grows up she doesn't get a temper like Yuka-tan." Junpei said without thinking. This earned him a whack on the head from Minato. "Ouch! What was that for?!"

"For being a loudmouth. That's basically the only reason Yukari gets angry at you," Minato replied sounding rather annoyed. "She may have her mood swings, but she's got a good heart and cares deeply for all her friends."

"Dude, chill out. I was just joking. No need to get all offended," Junpei grumbled, rubbing his head.

"S-sorry…" Minato ran a hand through his blue hair and sighed. "I think I'm still a little jumpy at what that ass Adachi said about her …"

"It's cool, dude. In your place I'd be pissed at what that bastard said too," Junpei grinned understanding. "Anyway, Minato, it never occurred to me but how did you two start dating?"

"At first, it was her beauty and cheery disposition that drew my attention, pretty much like the other guys in school. Before the trip to Yakushima, we didn't hang out much. It was during that trip that I started understanding her better, her feelings, what she was going through..." Minato said, recalling how he had embraced her and comforted her under the moonlight. It took all of his courage to do that, but it paid off. He looked at his MP3 player, the strap she had given to him was there. "During the typhoon I came down with the flu, she looked after me when Shinjiro-senpai was busy taking care of Minako. She was really caring and attentive, a side that she doesn't show other guys, a side only I know about. That sort of sealed the deal," he grinned.

"I can relate to that," Souji said, closing his eyes and smiled while holding the charm Yukiko had gave him inside his pocket. "Yukiko has both beauty and smarts, but she doesn't let it get to her head. She's kind, caring and very determined. When she sets her mind on something, she doesn't give up easily. She used to be quite reserved before her kidnapping, but after we rescued her she became much livelier. Her laughing fits are unusual at first, but over time I came to find them quite endearing."

"Heh ~ nice!" Junpei grinned before turning to Akihiko. "So, Akihiko-san, what do you have to say about Mitsuru-senpai?"

Akihiko's face turned as red as his shirt. "W-what?!" He was totally speechless. He turned to glare at Shinjiro, as if blaming him for the spilled secret. His best friend just rolled his eyes and ignored him.

"You and Senpai tried so hard to keep your relationship secret, but it turned out kinda obvious," Minato said nonchalantly. "Besides, my sister and I always thought you two would end up together."

"We also noticed how you tried to comfort Mitsuru-san when we ventured into Yoshino-san's dungeon," Souji said while his friends nodded. "The connection you two shared was pretty evident back then."

Akihiko sighed in defeat while Shinjiro snickered. He couldn't believe he and Mitsuru had been discovered so easily. "Fine, I admit it. We've been going out since the end of high school," he started, blushing a bit. "Mitsuru…she's really beautiful, intelligent and strong. Not only in battle, but on the inside as well. She tried her hardest to shoulder the burden of her family's mistakes alone…and picked herself up and emerged stronger than ever after what happened to her father." He smiled at Minato. "I guess I have to thank you, as well as Minako and Yukari, for being there for her and helping her open up."

"Always glad to help, Senpai." Minato then turned to Shinjiro. "So Senpai, how did you fall for my sister?"

Shinjiro grunted, but he knew he wouldn't be able to avoid that topic forever. "I'm not really sure who fell for who first. Minako can be quite a handful when you're not around. Too damn bossy, not to mention stubborn as hell. But she was the first girl to ever try to get to really know me…when I used to think she chose me as the favorite target for her to pester. As I got to know her better, she wasn't what I expected: kind and compassionate, always greeting everyone with a warm smile, trying to help others, no matter what problems they may have. And she...she's the one who understands me the most..." He stared at his silver pocket watch, recalling how Minako had found it for him. _"Plus, she is pretty damn cute…"_ he said that in a whisper, but Akihiko heard him anyway and snickered, earning a scowl from Shinjiro.

The guys smiled. Souji noticed Kanji has been quiet for a while. "Kanji? You okay?"

He sighed. "Yeah…just thinking…"

"About Naoto?" Yosuke teased.

Kanji glared at Yosuke. "Damn right! You guys kept talking 'bout your girlfriends and it just makes me wonder…why do I like Naoto? Sure, she's really smart, she's got guts, and she's pretty tough, but at the same time she's so small and cute, especially when she's wearing the school uniform…" He gazed at his hand and clenched it tightly. "When Naoto first approached me and tried to talk to me, she didn't let rumors or crap about me bother her or scare her… even if it was only because of her detective work. It felt nice, talking to someone my age for once…"

"If you really like her that much then stop being a wuss and talk to her already," Shinjiro pointed out, crossing his arms.

"Or are you still in doubt that you liked her because you thought she was a guy?" Yosuke mocked before laughing.

"Yosuke, knock it off!" Souji scolded him. "We all agreed that kind of joke isn't funny anymore."

Kanji blushed and growled. He was really pissed. "This is your damn fault!" He threw a punch towards Yosuke, whose reflexes were quicker and he managed to duck just in time. Instead the punch landed on Shinjiro.

Now Shinjiro lost his cool. "Okay, asshole, you asked for it!" he roared, lunging at Kanji. In no time both guys were exchanging punches and kicks.

"Oh shit…" Yosuke whispered, backing away from the raging males. Teddie hid behind Souji.

Souji sighed. As usual, Yosuke had to make the wrong comment and worsen the situation. "Where is Chie when you need her?" he groaned.

Back to the fighting teens, they were still exchanging blows.

Shinjiro sent an uppercut aiming for Kanji's jaw. Being an experienced street-fighter, Kanji evaded it with ease. He put up a defensive stance as both of them circled each other.

"Hmph! Not bad for a cowardly pussy," Shinjiro mocked. He was a bit surprised at the younger teen's strength and dexterity. _That punch earlier hurt, damnit!_

"I've been beating up a bunch of leathered-up pansies since middle school," Kanji huffed. "What makes you any different?"

"Says the guy who can't confess to a girl."

"Says the guy who had to be confessed to. Who's the coward now?"

Shinjiro snapped and charged at Kanji again. This time, his fist made contact with Kanji's gut, the latter groaning in pain. Kanji retaliated in turn, sending swift kicks to the older teen. Both of them did not notice that they were inching closer and closer to the water.

Akihiko watched in amazement at the two fighting. It was quite rare to see someone go head-to-head with his childhood friend, apart from himself. The junior was rough around the edges, but Akihiko could see that he had tremendous potential as a fighter.

"Senpai, don't just stand there. We have to stop them!" Minato cried, his fishing pole forgotten.

"Kanji, stop this at once!" Souji shouted. Seeing that his underclassman was too preoccupied to listen, he had no choice but to jump in. "Yosuke, since you started this, you're going to help me whether you like it or not."

"I know, I know..." Yosuke sighed. He wished that he had kept his big mouth shut.

Minato and Akihiko waited for an opening before trying to subdue the fighting guys. If they were lucky, none of them should end up in the hospital.

When Shinjiro landed a hit on Kanji's face, causing the junior to back away, Minato and Akihiko took the opportunity to grab each of Shinjiro's arms to hold him back. Souji and Yosuke did the same with Kanji.

Even with the human restraints, both males were in the heat of the fight to care. They tried to pry themselves away from their captors.

"Aki, let go damn it!" Shinjiro shouted, his fists itching to hit Kanji one last time.

"Let me at 'im, Senpai!" Kanji growled. He unconsciously dragged his senpais as he stepped towards Shinjiro.

Junpei knew he would regret this later, and stepped forward to help Minato hold Shinjiro's arm. His sudden intervention caused Minato to lose his footing in the struggle and slam his body against Shinjiro, causing the senior to lose his balance. Akihiko and Junpei also went down because Shinjiro grabbed their shirt collars as he teetered backwards. A loud splash could be heard as the four of them fell into the river.

The same domino effect happened to the other struggling group when Teddie jumped into the fray and latched himself on Kanji's legs, making it the second loud splash to be heard in a day.

"Oh, great! Just great!" Minato groaned as his wet blue bangs covered his eyes.

"Damn, it's cold!" Junpei complained.

"It's the camping trip all over again…! Damnit…" Yosuke swore under his breath.

Souji sneezed. "Just my luck…."

"Way to go, Shinji…" Akihiko said in a sarcastic tone. "Now we're all soaked!"

"Teddie's all cold!" Teddie whined, shivering.

Shinjiro and Kanji were still glaring daggers at each other when they heard someone else sneeze. "Huh?"

The sudden sneeze also caught the others' attention. Ken and Koromaru were still standing at their fishing spot, but both were soaked. Even though they didn't interfere with the fight, they had gotten wet because of the splashes.

"… You scared the fish away…" Ken muttered before sneezing again. There was a mix of disappointment and annoyance in his voice.

Koromaru whined, upset because of his sudden bath as well as the boys' quarrel.

"…" Kanji and Shinjiro looked at the kid and dog and then at themselves. They were feeling pretty stupid right now.

The other guys exchanged worried glances. Just when they thought things couldn't get any worse…

"Aniki! Souji-kun!" Minako's voice echoed across the plain. And it was getting closer.

_ 'Oh, shi…!'_Both male Wild Cards turned to their friends. "Quick! Get out of the water! Now!" they said in unison.

The teenagers hurried to get to the shore, the same time the girls, lead by Minako, approached them. They were chatting happily carrying several shopping bags.

"Hey, guys!" Yukari greeted them with a smile. Then she noticed something was off. "Huh? What happened here?"

"Um… Why are you all wet?" Fuuka asked.

"And why do Kanji and Shinjiro-senpai have bruises on their faces?" Rise asked curiously. Knowing their hot-headed personalities, it wasn't really rocket science.

"And most importantly, why do Ken-kun and Koro-chan look so sad?" Minako asked before glaring at the guys.

"Were you fighting?" Nanako asked softly, upset by the whole thing.

Seeing Nanako frown, the girls glared dangerously at the boys. "Well? What do you have to say for yourselves?!" Chie tapped her foot, demanding an explanation.

_ 'Oh, crap! Oh, crap! Oh, crap!'_the guys thought, close to panicking. Making two kids and a dog sad was bad, but pissing off a group of girls was even worse, because it also came with physical pain!

Before Souji or Minato could come up with an excuse, Shinjiro stepped up. "It was my fault," he said calmly, surprising everybody. "Tatsumi and I… we were having a friendly spar. I got carried away with it... and sort of knocked Aki and the guys into the water."

Seeing Shinjiro boldly taking the blame for himself, Kanji decided to do the same. "Yeah, I got a little too excited too… I'm as much to blame as Senpai here…" He turned to Ken and Koromaru. "So… uh… Sorry 'bout ruining the fishing trip, guys… 'Specially for you two, Ken, Koro-chan…"

"I'm sorry too." Shinjiro admitted. "We'll make it up to you two and Nanako-chan. Promise."

Koromaru barked and shook the water off his fur, spraying some of it on the girls. "He's saying he doesn't like to take a bath so suddenly, but he forgives you both," Metis translated.

Despite being upset and shivering, Ken smiled at the two and nodded. "Apologies accepted," he said before sneezing again.

Nanako's face brightened at seeing Ken smiling again. "Bless, you, Ken-kun!" she said, offering him a handkerchief.

"Thanks, Nanako-chan." Ken smiled, taking the handkerchief. Their hands touched by accident, causing both blush for a second.

"Okay, I'll let it slide this time, but I'm holding onto your word to make it up to Ken-kun, Koro-chan and Nanako-chan!" Minako crossed her arms and glared at the Kanji and Shinjiro, sending shivers down their spines. After a few seconds, her expression softened and she made her way to Ken and Koromaru. "C'mon, Ken-kun. Let's get you and Koro-chan dried before you catch a cold."

In no time the girls were surrounding Ken, asking him if he was feeling well and if he'd like to drink something warm or take a hot bath once they returned to the inn. _'I guess at times like these, being a kid is not that bad at all...'_Ken thought with a small smile. He was enjoying the attention.

The guys just watched, feeling rather jealous. "But what about us?!" Junpei whined. "We got soaked too! And it wasn't even our fault!"

"Don't complain, Junpei," Minato muttered. "It could've been a lot worse. At least the girls aren't beating us up."

"Which reminds me…" Souji smacked Yosuke behind his head. "This is your fault!"

"I know! I know! Don't remind me!" Yosuke sighed, rubbing his head. "Jeez…"

Minako suddenly turned to the guys, startling them. "By the way…" She smiled. "We got some yukatas for you! I'm sure you'll like them but they'll probably need some adjustments."

"I can handle that, Minako-senpai," Kanji offered. "Just bring them over to Ma's store tomorrow and I'll have them done by lunchtime."

"Are you sure about that, Kanji-kun?" Minako asked. "You already did a lot for me. I don't wanna give you any more work."

"It'll be a piece of cake. No need to worry and no charge for that at all!" Kanji said confidently, but in his mind he knew he had bitten more than he could chew. _'I really got my work cut out for me this time…'_

"That's really thoughtful of you, Tatsumi. But I must insist on paying you for your services," Mitsuru said. "Including Shinjiro's yukata, of course."

Kanji couldn't say no to that. The money would really help his mother's business. "Thanks a lot, Mitsuru-senpai!" he said, giving her a deep bow.

"Well, if that's how things are gonna be, I'll help you," Minato grinned. "After all, I didn't join Fashion Club in high school for nothing."

"Great idea, Aniki! I'll help too!" Minako smiled. "Oh that brings back so many memories!"

Kanji was amazed. "Wow, you two know how to sew too?"

"We learned it from Bebe, a foreign exchange student from France we met during high school," Minato explained. "He's a cheery, kind fellow who loves fashion design and everything about the Japanese culture."

"It was so fun helping him make a kimono. Bebe-kun is such a sweet friend," Minako said, recalling the friendly student. "I should ask Rio-chan for his e-mail the next time I call her."

Shinjiro snorted lightly and looked away, feeling a bit jealous of the guy. Seeing that, Minako giggled. _'You look so cute when you're jealous, Shinji-kun.'_

"C'mon guys," Souji said. "We had quite a day today. We better head back before any of us catch a cold."

The others agreed and the group went back together. It was rather awkward seeing the guys dripping wet as they walked.

Naoto and Kanji were at the back of the group. The young detective found herself staring a Kanji while reflecting on what had happened today. _'I must figure this out… About me... About Kanji-kun… About us…'_

Kanji took a quick glimpse at Naoto. _'She looks prettier than usual…'_ he complimented in his mind. _'The day after tomorrow...during the festival I'll finally confess to her what I really feel for her. I ain't gonna be a wuss anymore!'  
><em>  
>Love, fun, laughter and joy. That was the atmosphere surrounding the group. At this pace, the Summer Festival is going to be a success!<p>

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><p><em>So yes, taking a break from all the fight and focusing on couples and characters interactions, but do not fret. Action scenes will be plenty in the future!<em>

_If you guys have any questions, feel free to ask. _

_Don't forget to __Read, Review and Enjoy!_


	11. Chapter 11: Festival Fun

_Hey there! Glad to see everybody again. I'm sorry about the delay on both here and at DA. Ohta-chan just graduated from college this month and I'll graduate from Medical Scholl in early November. Needless to say our lives have been quite hectic over the past weeks. However, rest assured that we'll keep working on Chaos Butterfly as much as we can. Wish us luck!_

_Time to answer some questions:_

_MysticKnight001: We have plans to add Labrys to the plot in the later chapters. She'll play a rather special role. About the P1-Grand Prix, there'll be something along those lines, but that's all I can say for now._

_Guest: Due some issues at college and some inspiration block, Chapter 18 had to be delayed, but we're working on it. Promise. _

_A few warnings: (Yes, I put those before every chapter to avoid issues)_

_-There will be spoilers for all games! You've been warned.  
>-The Main characters from each game in this fanfic are called Minato Arisato (P3:FES), Minako Arisato (P3P) and Souji Seta (P4)<br>-There'll be some cursing. (Anyone that played any persona games knows that some characters on it curse quite a bit.) as well as some heavy subjects.  
>-Main Pairings in this fanfic: MinatoxYukari, ShinjiroxMinako, SoujixYukiko, KanjixNaoto, AkihikoxMitsuru, YosukexChie.<br>-Hinted Pairings(in later chapters): JunpeixChidori. (Hinted because Chidori doesn't appear much on this story) KenxNanako (Ya know those little girl's crushes on older boys? It'll be along those lines) FuukaxKeisuke (Other than Minato and Junpei, Fuuka only displayed some sort of close relationship with Keisuke the club president. I found it kinda cute.) TeddiexRise (Just for giggles. They are after all the two hyperactive cuties of the team X3)_

_Have fun ya guys. On with the show!_

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><p><strong>Chapter 11: Festival Fun<strong>

After the splashing incident during the fishing trip, the boys went back to change into dry clothes. Souji invited Ken and Minato with him to Junes that evening to look for the new Phoenix Ranger Featherman R model. Of course, Nanako will be coming too. They had run out of groceries and Dojima was working late. Shinjiro decided to tag along because he still felt guilty and wanted to make it up to the kids and the dog. Koromaru wagged his tail happily before trotting beside them. The girls wanted some time for themselves, the other guys needed rest and Junpei wanted to keep Chidori company, so they passed. Minako wanted some pastries though, and asked her twin to get some for her.

Minato, Shinjiro, Ken and Koromaru left for the Dojima residence after they informed the rest where they were going. Souji and Nanako were already waiting when the four of them arrived. Koromaru would be guarding the house while they were away.

They headed to the toy department first, under the models section. Souji browsed through the new stock that Yosuke mentioned earlier along with Ken. The pre-teen was babbling on excitedly about the awesome adventures of the Featherman Team in the latest episodes. "And then Red Hawk infiltrated the secret base on his own, even though Black Condor had warned him about the booby traps the enemy had set up before hand. He was half-way of rescuing the hostages when Blue Swan suddenly…" Souji listened with a smile. He was hit with a wave of nostalgia as he remembered watching the series with the twins when they were toddlers, and later mimicking the moves they have seen when they played at the park in the evenings.

Minato accompanied Nanako to look at the other toys on display, and trailing behind them was Shinjiro. The blue-haired teen chuckled at how his senior was trying hard to keep his expression neutral as not to scare the other kids away. He knew Shinjiro was impatiently waiting for them to finish and head to the grocery department.

Back to Ken and Souji, their eyes settled on one particular Mecha that had already been completed, standing proud and tall, surrounded by smaller gashapon characters from the Featherman series in a display case. The two of them pressed their noses against the Perspex, as if they expected to ghost through and touch the object of their desire.

"C-can we get that one, Souji-san?" Ken asked in a shaky voice. It had to be one of the coolest things he had ever seen.

"Of course we can, Ken. Hell, I can't wait to get started!"

Both boys frantically looked for the model on the shelves. They high-fived each other when Souji grabbed the last one. When they called the others to inform that were about to buy it, Ken made a hand gesture to Minato and Shinjiro, demanding them to pay up.

_ 'Wow, Ken must want this so badly,' _Minato thought, sweatdropping as he pulled some money from his wallet. _'I've never seen him look so serious, yet happy at the same time.'_

Shinjiro groaned a little before taking out his own wallet. He silently vowed to never go fishing with the guys again.

Ken's eyes were shining after they made the purchase. "Souji-san, you're going to teach me how to put this together right?" He gazed at the box lovingly. The rather expensive item was made affordable thanks to three guys pooling their money in. Nanako could only giggle at his antics.

"Of course, Ken. We'll get started once we get back to my house," Souji answered. "I still have the tools you need for it."

With that part finally done, they headed to the grocery department. Shinjiro sauntered off on his own when they got there.

"Don't mind him," Minato said. "He's just used to doing his own thing. We'll see him later."

"Let's see…" Souji took out a shopping list from his pocket and scanned the contents. "We need eggs, rice, milk, bread, some chicken, vegetables…and Uncle just ran out of his favorite pickled radish. Anything to add, Nanako?" he asked his little cousin.

"Can we get some chocolate too?"

"Sure, why not?" Souji playfully ruffled Nanako's hair. "If we hurry, I can make everyone a quick snack for everyone before Aniki and the others have to head back to the inn."

Minato helped Souji choose the vegetables while Ken accompanied Nanako to get the bread, milk and eggs.

"Hey, don't you think those two look cute together?" Minato nudged his pseudo brother and jutted his chin at the young pair. "I'm starting to think that Nanako-chan is developing a crush on our little Ken."

Souji rolled his eyes. "What are you, a girl?" he scoffed. But then he stopped to think about it. He looked over to his little cousin and for the first time, noticed the blush that stained her cheeks. The expression on her face was the same one she made whenever she shows affection to either him or her father. Despite trying to lean away from embarrassment, her toes were constantly pointing towards the pre-teen. Souji already knew what Ken felt about his cousin after his confession to the guys at Samegawa, he just didn't expect Nanako to develop certain feelings for the kid. "Oh hell no…"

"A little jealous are we?" Minato smirked. "I understand though. When Minako started paying more attention to Shinjiro-senpai, I was livid. Face it, he's not the kind of guy I would want hanging around my sister, and I was afraid she'd choose him over me. The feeling passed as I got to know Senpai a little better."

"B-b-but…what about their age difference?!" Souji asked, slightly panicking. "I mean, is that even normal?"

"Relax Banchou-kun. Little girls develop crushes on older guys all the time. It's all part of growing up. And if I remember correctly, you told me that she wanted to marry you when she got older."

The younger of the two blushed. "Sh-shut up! I'm not jealous!" he retorted defensively.

"It's only a phase," Minato said. "I'm pretty sure it'll pass soon enough." He gave Souji a reassuring pat on the back before continuing with their shopping. They stopped by a cake store to get Minako's pastries.

Shinjiro was already waiting for them in front of the cashier counter with a scowl on his face. In his arms was a grocery bag filled with his own stuff, and another bag filled with canned dog food. They headed back after that.

Dojima still wasn't home when they got back. After Souji and Nanako put away the groceries, Shinjiro approached the silverette. "Hey, can I borrow your kitchen for a while?"

"What for?" Souji inquired.

"Remember what I said about making it up to Ken, Koro and Nanako-chan?" Shinjiro said. Souji nodded. "I was thinking of cooking them dinner. That is, if you'll let me."

"Of course, Shinjiro-san," Souji answered. "I was wondering what you were up to back at Junes. Earlier I was thinking about making some sandwiches for you guys, but since you're offering dinner who am I to refuse."

Shinjiro plopped his grocery bag on the kitchen counter. He took out a few meat cutlets, herbs and spices, and some root vegetables.

Souji looked at the ingredients and concluded that the senior was either going to make some sort of hotpot or a stew dish. "There's some broth in the fridge if you're interested," he offered. "And red cooking wine in the cabinets. I'll be upstairs if you need any help." He gestured for Ken to follow him to his room along with their newly acquired robot model.

Minato sat with Nanako and Koromaru in front of the television, watching a quiz show with them.

In Souji's room, he sat with Ken at his working table. They gave the instructions and model plan a once over before taking out the parts. "Wow, there are so many pieces in here," Ken said. "At this point it's difficult to see how all of this will become like the picture on the box."

"Like I said before, it takes patience and a lot of diligence. It took me about five days to get the Brahmin Armor together, and more than that with the Agni. But most importantly, you have to follow the instructions very carefully, since you are kind of new at this." Souji began tutoring Ken on how to use the tools to cut the pieces out of their frames, and the correct techniques on gluing them together.

Ken was a very patient and attentive student. They started small, with the Mecha's left leg. Even for that part alone, there were more than five pieces to be put together.

Souji watched Ken work, trying to pry the pieces out, correcting him once in a while. He snickered a bit when Ken stuck out his tongue as he focused on his task. After about an hour, a soft knock on the door could be heard.

"Ken-kun, Big Bro…" Nanako stuck her head in, her cheeks pink. "Shinjiro-san said dinner is ready."

"Thanks Nanako-chan!" Ken said, looking away from the plastic pieces. He gave her a grateful smile. "We'll be down in a bit."

Nanako gave a soft squeak of embarrassment and left. Souji frowned. _'Wait, why did she greet Ken first instead of me?'_ was his first thought, and it bothered him. He mentally slapped himself. _'Idiot, don't get jealous over such a small matter. Aniki said that this little crush of hers is natural. It's not like Ken is going to be my future brother-in-law…right?'_ Somehow, he wasn't convinced.

Souji had guessed right earlier; Shinjiro did make stew. In addition to that, he grilled some steaks for Koromaru: the only way to make it up to a dog was to feed them prime cuts of meat. Nanako and Minato helped set up the table. Shinjiro sliced the steak into smaller pieces, mixing them with the dog food and placed them in a bowl on the floor beside the table. Koromaru sniffed the air before barking excitedly, wolfing down the beefy goodness without pause.

Ken and Nanako stared at the food on the table, mouths slightly watering. There was the beef stew, along with some rice and cucumber salad.

"I already saved some for your dad, Nanako," Souji said. "What are we waiting for? Let's eat!"

As Nanako was reaching for a fork, her fingers brushed against Ken's, who was also reaching for it. The little girl's entire face became red, and Ken's cheeks were a pink tinge but only for a moment.

The three guys saw this. Two of them smirked knowingly. Souji sighed; he wasn't about to reprimand Ken and upset his little cousin so he remained quiet.

As they ate, Souji mulled through his thoughts. _'It's not like I don't like Ken. In fact, I like him very much. He's mature and responsible, and very much a gentleman. I can trust him to protect Nanako. Ugh! I wouldn't be having this conversation with myself if Nanako was a little older.'_

"Souji-san," Ken said, breaking Souji's train of thought. "Do you mind if I come here again tomorrow? I want to learn more about putting that model together if that's okay with you."

Souji smiled at the kid. _'Maybe Aniki was right. I should get to know Ken better before I give in to these negative feelings. We are a team after all,'_ he thought.

"Sure. Why don't you come over after the fitting session for our yukatas at Kanji's place? We'll have plenty of time after that," he said. "Oh, that reminds me. I did promise I'd lend you some of my books. I'll give them to you before you head back."

"Thanks a lot, Souji-san!"

After dinner, Souji and Ken helped clean up while the others watched TV. Nanako played with Koromaru.

Dojima should be back any minute now, so they had to leave. Nanako surprised Shinjiro by giving him a hug before he went. "Thanks for the delicious meal, Shinjiro-san," she said, blushing a bit. "You may look scary, but you're really nice!"

The beanie-wearing teen was taken aback by her honesty. "Uhh…thanks."

"Why do you think Aneki likes him so much?" Souji grinned, ruffling Nanako's hair. "Come on, you gotta help me fold the laundry before your dad gets back."

"Thanks for the books, Souji-san!" Ken said, clutching a few of the Timid Teacher volumes to his chest. "I can't wait to start reading them."

Minato and Shinjiro waved them goodbye after Koromaru finished licking Nanako's face, and left.

* * *

><p>The next morning, Minako, Aigis, Metis and the guys gathered at Tatsumi Textiles. Kanji greeted them with the normal "What's up?" as his mother served them tea. It was a rarity to see a huge group coming to her shop and she was happy that her son had made such great friends.<p>

"My, my, it's good to see you again. Kanji told me that you boys will be wearing yukatas to the festival," she said, smiling at them. "Oh dear, this brings back good memories I had with my late husband. There will be fireworks again this year. It makes the event much livelier."

Minako's eyes were shining. "Really? I love fireworks. I haven't seen one in quite a while!"

The boys continued their small talk with Mrs. Tatsumi as Kanji took the twins to the back room, where they will be working until lunch time to adjust the yukatas. The guys were fitted one by one, with Kanji and Minato taking the measurements while Minako wrote them down. There wasn't a lot that needed to be done since Aigis and Rise had a good eye for detail when choosing out their sizes.

"This is my first time wearing such a beautiful garment," Metis said as she modeled her yukata. "And I'm excited to see this 'fireworks' display that you were talking about earlier."

"It's really beautiful," Minako said, sticking in a few pins for the adjustments. "There's something about fireworks that lets out your inner child. It's a wonderful feeling!"

After the fitting session was done, those who weren't involved with the yukatas left the shop. As soon as they were far enough, Yosuke swiveled around to face his friends. "Guys, I need to ask you for a really huge favor!"

"Uh-oh, I know that tone…" Souji grimaced. "You need our help at Junes, don't you?" There were only two things Yosuke would beg him for: a last-minute cram session before exams and a favor at Junes.

Yosuke's eyes shined with tears of happiness. "Souji, buddy, I knew you'd understand! That place is seriously understaffed because most of the part-timers are away on vacation. I'd really appreciate it if you guys can lend a hand." He gave them one of the cutest puppy-dog faces Souji had ever seen him make. "I'll even pay you guys more than what the normal part-timers earn. What do you say?"

"Sorry, buddy. I can't help you today. I kind of promised Ken that I'd help him with the Featherman robot model. Maybe some other time." Souji hoped that his best friend won't be too disappointed. There was no way he could refuse Yosuke when he's this desperate. "Knowing you, you already roped in Chie for this. What do you need help for anyway?"

"Just restocking the shelves, and then I'll be free for the entire day tomorrow." Yosuke sighed and rubbed the back if his head. "Dad can be such a slave-driver sometimes," he grumbled.

"Why not?" Shinjiro shrugged. "I don't have anything to do anyway, and I could really use the money."

"That doesn't sound so hard," Junpei said. "Count me in, dude!"

Metis didn't want to pass up an opportunity to experience 'the joys of earning a living', and volunteered herself. Aigis also agreed to help.

"The more the merrier, right?" Akihiko added. "I wonder if the other girls are willing to help."

After a few phone calls, only Aigis and Chie were available that day. Fuuka and Yukari wanted to focus on their college assignments, Mitsuru had a teleconference to attend, Yukiko and Rise were helping with their families' business and Naoto was checking some minor cases over at the Shirogane Estate.

Yosuke thanked the heavens and his friends. "Thank you so much, guys! I really appreciate this!"

"Teddie can't wait for tomorrow!" the blonde Shadow cheered. "We're gonna have so much fun!"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Tatsumi Textiles…<strong>_

The sounds of sewing machines and the snipping of cloth could be heard in the textile shop. Kanji and the Arisato twins were kept busy. There was still a long way to go before they could take a break.

They were interrupted when a middle-aged man in a black suit entered their working room. He was holding an expensive-looking paper bag.

"Hey, I know you," Kanji said. "You're Yakushiji-san, the secretary for the Shirogane Estate. What are you doing here?"

The man bowed politely. "I have come to deliver something which Naoto-sama might need. Her grandfather received this from one of his business associates as a gift to her, but sadly it doesn't fit," Yakushiji explained. "I heard that you are adjusting yukatas for your friends to wear tomorrow, so I was hoping you can add this one into the pile as well."

"We still have time for one more," Minato said. "But we can't do it without knowing her measurements."

"Do not fear. I took liberty of having those as well." Yakushiji took out a folded piece of paper from his breast pocket and handed it to Kanji. "I am sure you are able to adjust her new yukata with this information." He bowed to them once more and left.

Kanji's hands were shaking as he held the piece of paper. _'Holy crap, I'm holding the measurements of Naoto Shirogane in my hands…'_ He began to sweat as his imagination started to run wild. Soon, he felt something leak from his nose and snapped out of it. "Minako-senpai, c-can you do the adjusting on N-Naoto's yukata? I d-don't think I can…" Kanji trailed off, handing the paper to Minako. He looked away as the twins were eyeing him curiously.

"I don't mind," Minako said, grabbing the unopened piece of paper. She took out the yukata from the bag and gasped. "Oh my, this is so lovely. The cloth itself must have cost a fortune. Naoto-chan is so lucky to be wearing this!" The fabric was a dark shade of azure, decorated with intricate patterns of yellow and pink flowers.

"Kanji, do you have a problem with women's clothing?" Minato asked. It was strange to see him behaving this way.

The bleached blonde didn't say anything and went back to work. The sooner he focused on something else, the better. Minato shrugged and continued sewing.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Dojima Residence, Souji's room…<strong>_

It was anything but quiet in the silverette's room. "Ken, wait! That part was meant to go on the head, not the torso!"

"Ah, Souji-san, what should I do?!"

"Take them apart before the glue dries!"

Ken pried the wrongly connected parts away, his fingers a sticky mess from the adhesive. The small room reeked of chemicals and it was making his head spin, hence the mistakes he was unintentionally making.

"Let's take a break," Souji said finally. He went to open the windows wider so that the smell doesn't suffocate them both. Ken went to the bathroom to wash his hands.

"How do you find the time to do all this?" Ken asked when he returned, sitting down beside Souji. "The models, part-time jobs, studying, fighting Shadows, making friends…just like Minato-san and Minako-san back at the dorm."

Souji contemplated Ken's question. "Hmm…good time management, I guess. Sometimes it isn't good to just focus on one aspect of your life. You have to mix it up and create variety, even if it rather hectic," he answered. "It keeps things interesting amidst the responsibilities that come with being a team leader, and having friends always makes it easier to bear with."

"That sounds rather complicated," Ken said. "Even back at Iwatodai, I don't have many friends my age. After what happened with Shinjiro-san, it got me thinking…that I don't ever want to be alone again."

"Hey, don't sweat it," Souji said, ruffling the boy's head. "Making friends isn't hard, just be you. You're unique, Ken. No one can replace you."

"Th-thanks a lot, Souji-san." Ken smiled bashfully. "No wonder Nanako-chan looks up to you. I wish I had an amazing older brother."

Souji's chest swelled with pride, feeling a connection with the boy. A faint voice echoed at the back of his mind.

_Thou art I… And I am thou…  
>Thou hast established a new bond…<br>It brings thee closer to the truth…  
>Thou shalt be blessed when creating Personas of the Justice Arcana…<em>

_ 'Another Justice social link,'_ Souji thought. _'I guess that makes sense. Nanako and Ken do have a lot in common.'_

A knock on the door was heard before Nanako poked her head in. "Big Bro, Ken-kun, its lunch time!" She entered the room when Souji nodded his head. "I made sandwiches for you!" She wanted to place the platter of sandwiches on the working table, but it was too cluttered, so she put it on his study desk instead.

"Thanks a lot, Nanako-chan!" Ken beamed at her, making the little girl blush.

"I…I should b-be g-g-going now," Nanako stuttered, facing away from Ken so he couldn't see her red face. "Koro-chan will get lonely again." She darted out of the room before both boys could blink.

Ken took the platter and passed it to Souji, not before taking a sandwich for himself. "That was nice of her," he said, sinking his teeth into it. "Oh, tuna. My favorite!"

Souji bit into his sandwich, when a sudden thought occurred to him. _'Hold it…Nanako and Ken are both of the Justice Arcana. Does that mean they're compatible in some way?'_ He refrained from slamming his head on the table when he remembered that Ken will be accompanying his cousin to the festival. It stung more when he also remembered it was his idea in the first place. _'Shit…'_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Junes' Food Court…<br>**_  
>After helping Yosuke and Teddie, the guys, Chie, Aigis and Metis gathered at the Food Court to rest and have lunch.<p>

"Gah… I'm beat…" Junpei groaned, his head resting on the table. "I didn't know restocking could be so tiring…"

"C'mon, Junpei, it wasn't that bad." Akihiko said. "Though I'm surprised at how much weightlifting you guys ended up doing while working here."

"It's even worse on a sales day…" Yosuke sighed before taking a gulp of his TaP Soda. "Again guys, I can't thank you all enough for all the help. You have no idea how much you saved my butt today!"

"How about you start thanking us by buying lunch?" Chie smirked. "I'm hungry!"

Usually Yosuke would nag Chie for only caring about food, but he simply kissed her forehead. "Fine." He smiled at her. "Do you want a grilled steak? Or something else?"

Chie looked away, blushing madly. That's been happening a lot whenever Yosuke treated her like a girl. The others chuckled.

"Love is in the air~!" Teddie sang. "And it's not even Festival Day yet!"

"Which reminds me…" Yosuke turned to glare at Teddie, pointing to his face. "You better behave yourself this year or I'm knocking the stuffing out of you!"

"How mean of you, Yosuke!" the bear whined, sticking his tongue out at him. "I'm always good! That's why the ladies love me!"

The guys looked at the bickering pair, curious. "What happened last year anyway?" Shinjiro asked Chie.

"Teddie tricked Yosuke and the guys into letting him go out with me, Yukiko and Rise-chan at the Festival, which sucked by the way." Chie rolled her eyes. "How they fell for that is beyond me."

"Hey, it was Kanji who fell for it!" Yosuke growled. "This stupid bear ran off with you three before Souji and I could do anything about it!" He was ignored by his girlfriend.

The SEES guys exchanged glances before glaring at Teddie. They definitely didn't want him trying to have his way with their girls.

"W-What?! I promised Sensei I'd be a good bear, didn't I? It's not my fault everybody has a date, but not…poor…Teddie…" Tears started pouring from his eyes, flowing faster at every word. "I don't wanna spend the Festival all alone!"

Feeling bad for him, Metis and Aigis patted his furry head. "Don't be sad, Teddie-san," Metis said softly. "We'll go to the Festival with you. Right, Sister?"

At Aigis' nod, Teddie's face brightened up like a Christmas tree. The tears dried up instantly "Oh, Ai-chan, Metis-chan… Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" he squealed. "We'll have the bestest Festival ever!"

"Of course, Teddie-san." Aigis smiled. "You can help me teach Metis how to enjoy the festival."

"Sure! Teddie is an expert about festivals!" he stated proudly. "There are lots of yummy treats and so many fun games! We'll have a blast!"

As Teddie talked with the two sisters, the others smiled, feeling relieved. "With Ai-chan and Metis keeping him busy, I think we'll enjoy ourselves tomorrow," Junpei chuckled.

"Rise-chan will probably keep an eye on him too, but ya can never be too careful with Teddie," Chie said. Her stomach began to growl loudly, drawing all eyes towards her. She blushed at that, feeling embarrassed. "Hehehe…"

"Wow, you really are hungry, huh Chie?" Yosuke blinked before laughing. "C'mon guys, let's have some lunch. We can talk about the festival later."

"Right. I wonder if they got any beef bowls here…" Akihiko said. Shinjiro could only roll his eyes at that.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Back at Tatsumi Textiles…<strong>_

It was almost time for lunch. Kanji and the twins were nearly done. All that was left were the finishing touches to Naoto's yukata and they could finally go eat.

As Minato was helping his sister with the yukata, a loud voice interrupted them. "Kanji! Kanjiiiii….where are youuuuu~?" It was Rise. She nonchalantly barged into their working area.

Kanji came out of the storage room, holding a pile of scrap cloth. "Rise, what the hell? How many times do I have to tell ya to wait for me at the front if you want something?!" He gave her a look of utmost annoyance.

"But it's more fun this way," Rise pouted cutely. "Grandma sent me off early to do some errands for her. I came by to check up on you."

"Why would I need checking up on?" he sighed. It was tiring to keep up with her sometimes.

"Oh Kanji, you're so silly. Why don't you just admit that you're lonely without me?" Rise teased, sticking her tongue out playfully.

"Like hell I am!"

The twins have stopped working to watch the two high school juniors interact with each other. It was rather funny seeing them bicker over the most trivial things, much like Junpei and Yukari's arguments back at the dorm.

"Besides, I have something to show you!" Rise chirped, taking out her cell phone.

Kanji exhaled loudly. "Fine, but ya gotta leave after this alright? We're kinda busy here if ya can't tell…" As soon as he laid eyes on the phone screen, his nose started bleeding. He made a mad dash to the bathroom, causing the twins to look at Rise questionably.

"Umm…Rise-chan? What exactly did you show him?" Minako asked.

The teen idol giggled. "Kanji is so much fun to tease. It's a picture of Naoto-kun when we were out clothes shopping yesterday. See?" Indeed, it was Naoto on the screen, wearing the feminine version of her detective outfit. She looked absolutely adorable without her hat, and the blush on her cheeks made her look even cuter. No wonder Kanji couldn't resist.

The twins sweatdropped. _'So this is what Kanji-kun has to endure every day?'_ Minako thought sympathetically.

_ 'It certainly doesn't help that Rise-chan's shop is only a few blocks from here,'_ Minato thought. "Poor Kanji…no wonder he didn't want to adjust Naoto's yukata just now. I bet he would pass out just from knowing her measurements alone," he said, looking thoughtful.

What Minato didn't expect next was his sister wearing the same devious smirk as Rise. "That was priceless!" she squealed. "I can't wait to see how he'll react when he sees Naoto-chan in an actual yukata. Rise-chan, bring a video camera tomorrow. We can't miss this!" Both of them laughed evilly.

_ 'Girls…' _Minato rolled his eyes. "If you're done hatching plans about tormenting Kanji, I'm off to have lunch," he said, walking away from the girls. "Man, I'm starving."

"Ah, Aniki, wait for me! I want fried rice with chicken…and steak skewers!" Minako cried, running off after her brother.

Rise skipped off to do her errands, satisfied that she got her wanted reaction from Kanji moments ago. She wouldn't be surprised if he was shouting curses at her right now.

* * *

><p>After lunch, the Arisato twins went back to the Tatsumi's shop to check on Kanji. They found the bleached blonde working on another yukata, but it was small – too small to fit even in a kid.<p>

"Hey, Kanji-kun, wat'cha doing?" Minako asked curiously.

"Huh? Oh, this? Well… Remember I promised to make it up to Koro-chan, Ken and Nanako-chan for the fishing trip fiasco?" At the twins' nod, Kanji grinned. "I made this for Koro-chan!"

"A yukata for a dog? That's brilliant!" Minato said, impressed as he looked at the yukata. The colors were similar to Cerberus, Koromaru's Persona. "Now Koro will be able to fully join us in the festivities."

"Great thinking, Kanji-kun!" Minako praised him.

"Aw, hell… it was nothing…" Kanji rubbed the back of his head, feeling embarrassed. "I also finished Ken and Nanako-chan's gifts." He pointed to two dolls on a nearby table. One resembled Red Hawk from Phoenix Ranger Featherman R and the other was a doll of Nanako's heroine, Magical Detective Loveline. Both were…very elaborate.

"Wow, how did you make them so fast?"

"I worked on them after I got home from the fishing trip," Kanji said. "Koro-chan's yukata wasn't hard to put together as there's a lot of leftover material in the shop."

"They look so awesome! The kids are gonna love it!" Minako giggled picking the Loveline doll. "This is so cute!"

Minato chuckled. "Yeah, you even got Loveline's outfit details right including magnifying glass and puppy. Wonder if there's any manga or DVD of it…" At his twin and Kanji's amused looks, he shrugged. "Don't mind me. Just some random rambling."

"Whatever you say, Aniki," Minako giggled again before looking at her watch. "Wow, time flies when you're having fun. It's already time to go pick Ken-kun and Koro-chan at Souji-kun's place."

"Already? Well okay then, let's go." Minato turned to Kanji. "Wanna come with us?"

"Sure! I can't wait to give these to Ken, Koro-chan and Nanako-chan!" Kanji said. "I sure hope they like it."

"I'm positive they will, Kanji-kun," Minako reassured him. "C'mon, let's go."

In no time the three made their way to the Dojima Residence. Nanako was tending to the front yard's garden while Ken was at the doorstep playing with Koromaru and Souji was feeding a stray cat. The twins smiled. Souji always had a way with animals, even though his parents wouldn't allow him to own a pet, it didn't stop him from playing with and feeding them.

Nanako spotted them first. "Aneki! Aniki!" She squealed running up to them and wrapping them in a big hug.

"Hey, Nanako-chan." Minato smiled ruffling her hair. "Having fun with Ken and Koro-chan?"

"Uh-huh!" Nanako smiled. She seemed happier to see them than ever.

Minako and Minato glanced at the garden. They didn't notice before, but it really looked pretty. "Wow, Nanako-chan, that's a really beautiful garden!" Minako was amazed. "You tend to it yourself?"

"No. Big bro helped me!" Nanako beamed. "The flowers looked so pretty at spring! And a lot of really cute bugs come visit the garden!"

"You like bugs, Nanako-chan?" Minato asked amused.

"Yeah! They're so cute! I like grasshoppers, beetles, ladybugs, butterflies…" Nanako smiled. "Big bro once helped me catch a few bugs at the shrine for school's 'show and tell'!"

"We like bugs too!" Minako grinned while his brother nodded. "If ya want we can go bug catching with you whenever ya want, Nanako-chan!"

"Yeah! And we can help with the garden with Souji-kun too." Minato added with a gentle smile. "I bet it'll make a great home for lots of cute bugs."

"Really?!" Nanako smiled radiantly. "Yay! Thanks Aniki! Thanks Aneki!"

The twins smiled at that when a card flashed in their minds and a voice echoed.

_Thou art I… And I am thou…  
>Thou hast established a new bond…<br>Thou shalt be blessed when creating Personas of the Justice Arcana…_

_"A new Justice Social Link? Well, makes sense seeing how Ken and Nanako-chan have a lot in common."_ Minato smiled before chuckling. _"Maybe they are meant to each other… Banchou-kun won't be pleased."_

Minato turned to his twin who was giggling as she tickled Nanako. She was thinking the same thing.

Souji calmly walked up to them followed by Ken and Koromaru. "Hi guys," he greeted with a smile. "You already done with the yukatas?"

"Yep. It was pretty easy when working together," Minako said. "Kanji-kun even got to work on a little something for these three."

"Something?" Ken asked curiously. "What is it?"

"Y-Yeah…" Kanji pulled out the dolls from his bag and handed them to Ken and Nanako. "I-I hope it makes up for… y'know…yesterday."

Silence fell over the two kids as they stared in awe at their gifts. Never had they seen such beautiful and detailed dolls.

"Wow, she looks perfect! Loveline is so cute!" Nanako squealed, squeezing her doll tightly to her chest before hugging Kanji. "Thank you, Kanji-nii! I love it!"

Ken's eyes were sparkling as he checked out his doll. "Yeah! This is so awesome! This Red Hawk is way better than the figurines from Junes!" He hugged Kanji was well. "Kanji-san, I…! Thank you so much!"

Kanji was surprised at their reaction, but felt relieved and glad that they had liked his gifts. "You're welcome, guys." He smiled and patted both kids on their heads as the three Wild Cards looked on, nodding in approval.

Koromaru panted, happy to see both kids so excited. Kanji then turned the Shiba Inu as both kids let go of him. He walked up to the dog, dropping on one knee to make eye contact. "I've got something for you too, Koro-chan." He pulled the yukata out from the bag. "You can use this to come to the Festival with us."

The pooch sniffed the yukata a few times before running around Kanji, barking his little head off. "I think Koro-chan really likes it, Kanji-kun," Minako giggled.

"Really?" Kanji asked. He was answered with a good lick on the face from Koromaru. "Heh… You're welcome, Koro-chan..." he grinned, rubbing Koromaru's fur.

"Wow, gotta hand it to you, Kanji. Those dolls and the yukata must be your best works yet," Souji praised, patting his underclassman on the back. "You must've worked really hard on them."

"Aw, shucks! Thanks, Senpai," Kanji said with a goofy grin on his lips. "I just felt awful about yesterday so I really wanted to make up to them."

"And you accomplished that with flying colors, Kanji." Minato smiled, watching the entire scene; the kids were showing each other their gifts while Koromaru pranced around them. "Just look at them. They're ecstatic."

Minako grinned "At this pace, the Festival will be even better!"

Souji smiled. Seeing Nanako so happy made his worries about her and Ken melt away for the time being. His surrogate sister was right. The festival was going to be great.

* * *

><p><em><strong>The next day, early afternoon…<br>**_  
>Kanji walked down the street, nervous as hell. He sort of expected Naoto's secretary to pick up her yukata, but he never showed up. Now it was up to him to deliver the outfit to her before she headed to the Amagi Inn to meet up with the rest of the girls in order to get ready for the festival. And he still had to meet up with the guys at Souji's place in order to get ready himself.<p>

_ 'Oh man… what am I gonna do?'_ he thought. _'What if she asks me about it? What if she thinks I know her measurements? She's gonna think I'm a perv like Yosuke-senpai!'_

Not too far from there, Naoto was also walking down the same street. She was wondering how she would explain to the girls about her missing yukata. She had told them that she had one, a gift from one of her grandfather's clients, but now she couldn't find it. She dreaded to imagine what sort of lecture she would be getting from Rise if she went to the festival without one.

_ 'How ironic… One year ago, I would not care about such trivial things as a festival… But now, I rather look forward for it…' _Naoto thought with a wry smile. _'Perhaps that's what Souji-senpai was talking about back then…'  
><em>  
><em><strong>…Flashback…<br>**_  
><em>Souji and Naoto were at the bookstore, looking for new books to read. Things had been quiet after Adachi was caught and put behind bars, so now they could focus on other things.<em>

Naoto let out a frustrated sigh, catching the silverette's attention. "Something bothering you?"

_"Yes… The new detective novel I'm waiting for hasn't arrived yet," Naoto replied, sounding disappointed. "Without it and no cases to work on, I'm pretty much left with nothing to do."  
><em>

_Souji crossed his arms. "You could always hang out with me and the others," he said, giving her a 'isn't-that-obvious?' look._

Naoto thought about it. "I don't want to bother the others… They are probably busy with their own activities and you…" She trailed off for a bit. "You'll be leaving soon."

Souji frowned a bit. He didn't like bringing up the subject of his departure.

Having realized what she just said, Naoto looked away. "I apologize for b-bringing that t-topic up, Senpai," she stuttered. "I… I should go."

Before he could say anything, Naoto was already walking away. "Oh boy…" he sighed, following her.

**The hill overlooking town…**  
><em><br>Naoto was sitting at one of her favorite places in all of Inaba, lost in thought. "What Senpai said just now...it sounds a bit like what Grampa told me before he transferred me to Yasogami High." She sighed and continued to stare at the scenery from on top of the tree, scowling. "Hanging out...making friends...those things are irrelevant in the life of a hard-boiled detective."_

"I wouldn't say that if I were you," said a voice from below.

Naoto was pulled out of her reverie, and looked down to find her silver-haired upperclassman waving at her. She jumped from her perch and landed with both feet on the ground. "Senpai, why did you follow me here?" she questioned, not pleased at being stalked.

Souji chuckled at her insinuation. She seemed to have forgotten that it was her who taught him how to be inconspicuous when following a suspect. "You looked upset when you left the book store. Maybe you want to talk about it?"

"There is nothing to talk about," Naoto answered curtly.

"Is that how you truly feel?" Souji didn't waste time getting straight to the point. "About friends being irrelevant in the life of a detective?" He then grinned. "Naoto, you really have to loosen up a little. You'll end up more socially awkward than you already are. Now that would be a real inconvenience in the work of a detective."

The young detective blushed and covered her mouth. "Did I just say that out loud?"

Souji's features softened as he looked at her. "Naoto, I mean it. I think your grandfather sent you here for a reason; to make friends and live like a normal teenager. No one can truly live in solitude." He paused for a while to let the words sink in. "Your Shadow said that she hated being lonely, and want to be accepted. How can you be accepted if you don't have people who want to accept you in the first place? You just have to give them a chance."

"That wasn't me talking!" Naoto protested. Whenever she had these kinds of conversations with Souji, she knew she could never win.

"Deny it all you want Naoto," Souji said, his voice hardening. "A Shadow may be the dark side of a person, but one thing they cannot do is lie."

_ Naoto stayed silent, but deep inside she was shocked. The truth hit her like a sledgehammer in full momentum, and realized that of all the things her Shadow had said, the part about her being lonely, stung the most. She could no longer refute what her Senpai had pointed out. "...Then what should I do…?" she asked, looking down and defeated. _

_ "Why don't you get to know Kanji a bit better? Spend more time with him," the silverette suggested._

_ "Why him?" Now Naoto was curious. Of their entire team, why did he pick Kanji?_

_ "He's just as socially awkward as you are. He may not seem so to you, but I've seen his Shadow," Souji said. "You two should work it out together. It won't hurt to try, and both of you have nothing to lose by doing so."_

_ Naoto crossed her arms and closed her eyes in thought. Rise and Teddie were too rambunctious to her liking and hard to keep up with when not supervised; Yosuke, Chie and Yukiko were easier to talk to but they didn't have that much in common yet. Plus they were her upperclassman so that made it a bit awkward in itself; that left Kanji as the most logical choice to start getting close to the others. _

_ "Very well...I suppose it could be a good start." She looked at Souji. "Thank you for your advice, Senpai."_

_ Souji smiled. "Hey, that's what friends are for, Naoto." _

_ "What friends are for...?" Naoto whispered with a small smile. A warm feeling inside her started growing. _'I think it'll be a good experience for me.'

…_**End flashback…**_

Following Souji's advice, Naoto tried to hang out with Kanji more – helping him study, hanging out at his mother's shop, letting him walk her home after school. It started out rather awkward, due to Kanji's and her own shyness, but over the time she came to enjoy his company.

At the same time, she also felt more comfortable with hanging out with the others, even though Souji was no longer with them. She also noticed that Kanji was becoming more comfortable around her presence, talking with her and didn't blush as much as he used to when she was close to him.

Naoto was so busy with her own thoughts, she failed to notice that she was in a collision course with someone until she crashed into them. "Ow...! My apologies! I wasn't paying attention to where I was going and..."

"S'no big deal...I was distracted too and...Naoto?"

The young detective's eyes widened in surprise as she recognized the voice, and looked at the owner. "Kanji-kun? What are you doing here? I thought you were going to meet the other guys at Souji-senpai's residence."

Kanji started blushing. He wasn't expecting to bump into Naoto of all people on his way to her place. "W-well...I was...b-b-but...I had to d-deliver this f-first." He held out a paper bag and handed it to Naoto. "H-Here..."

Naoto blinked confused as she opened it. She gasped in surprise when she found it was her missing yukata. "H-How did you...?"

"Y-Your Grampa asked Y-Yakushiji-san to take it to Ma's shop for adjustments..." Kanji stuttered, his face redder than tomato paste.

"Adjustments? Oh, that's right...I never really wore it before..." She froze when she recalled something. "W-wait a minute...you c-couldn't have d-done that without knowing m-m-my..."

"Yakushiji-san gave me a paper with them, but I didn't read them! I swear!" he blurted out. "I-I know you don't like guys knowing that sort of stuff 'bout you so I asked Minako-senpai to do the adjustments for me! I swear! You can ask her or Minato-senpai if you don't believe me!"

"Kanji-kun, calm down!" He would have continued rambling if Naoto didn't stop him. "I believe you."

"W-Wha…? Y-ya do?"

"Of course. You have no reason to lie to me," Naoto said. _'He's such a gentleman for not looking at my measurements...'_ She blushed, but at the same time smiling. "It was really thoughtful of you to do that, Kanji-kun. Thank you."

Kanji smiled, relieved that Naoto wasn't mad at him. "Y-you're welcome."

"Well, I must get going. I don't want to keep the girls waiting. I'll see you at the festival." Naoto placed the yukata into her bag before turning around to walk away.

"Naoto! Wait!" Kanji grabbed her wrist, fully aware that his nose could burst at any moment. _'It's now or never!'_

Startled, she looked up at Kanji. "What is it, Kanji-kun?"

"T-there's something…I wanna t-tell you." Kanji tried his best to avoid eye contact. "I-It's really important..."

"Something important?" Now Naoto was curious. "So, what is it?"

Kanji instantly started to sweat bullets as his heart was beating very fast. He had to give the detective an answer and he could not mess it up, but still nothing came out of his mouth. _'Aw, come on, Kanji, you idiot! Say something!'_ he internally scolded himself. The tall teen then gave a very deep sigh. Now was the time to be a man!

"Naoto...you know our Shadows came from part of us that we want to deny, right?"

She raised her eyebrow in confusion. "What about that?"

His went pale at the memories of his kidnapping, the sauna and his Shadow, but kept his ground. "You see, m-my Shadow was created because of my f-fear of rejection."

"Fear of rejection?"

"Yeah, I was always afraid of being rejected because of my hobbies."

"Your hobbies?" she repeated.

Kanji sighed. "Yes, Naoto. You know that I like to sew and bake and other things girls are supposed to like," he said. "The girls always made fun of me because of it. But the guys...they were a little bit more tolerant, but didn't fully accept me either..."

"Really? Usually, it is the other way around."

"I know. Anyway, I met someone... and for some reason... I feel attracted to that person," Kanji explained. "I suddenly started to question myself as a person. I think that's what created my whacked up Shadow."

"I see."

"And do you know who that person is?"

"Who?" Naoto quizzed.

Kanji took a deep breath. He couldn't go back and he knew it. His lips started shaking before he nervously spoke out his statement. "It was you..."

Naoto's eyes bugged out to the fullest.

"That's right, Naoto." Kanji then made a bold move and held her free hand. "Whether I thought you were a man or a woman, it didn't change the fact that I had feelings for you. Feelings I never felt for anyone else."

The young girl looked stunned at this. Kanji didn't think he ever saw anyone go so pale. He let out a deep sigh. "Listen, Naoto. This is a very hard thing for me to do so I am going to say this once. I. Love. You!" He then quickly shut his eyes as if expecting to get hit or something. Much to his surprise, he felt better…much better. Better than he had ever felt in his life, as if a giant boulder had been lifted off his shoulders. That didn't stop his face from going red though.

Naoto, on the other hand, couldn't believe it. She had a lot of female admirers confess their love to her but never a man, and from Kanji Tatsumi of all people. Then again, that would explain why he acted shyly around her, and why he didn't judge her for her interest in robots and action series, or her talent for crafting detective gizmos.

Suddenly all the puzzle pieces fell in place; they did have much more in common than she thought, and Souji knew it. That was the reason he encouraged her to start hanging out with Kanji first.

"Is... Is that true, Kanji-kun?" Naoto asked in a surprisingly high-pitched voice. "Do you...?"

"Yes, Naoto... I do..." The muscles in his face began to relax as he breathed out a relieved sigh.

The awkward silence between the two was almost unbearable. None of them seemed to notice the sky going dark.

He felt something gripping his hand. He slowly opened his eyes halfway only for them to widen when he saw that it was Naoto, her face was a deep shade of pink.

"Kanji-kun... Thank you... You must be the first boy to ever confess their love to me," she said, having lost all masculinity in her voice.

Kanji was touched by her words. "Naoto..."

"Kanji-kun…" she whispered. He did not know if he leaned down or if she leaned up or both, but the space between their faces was decreasing to the point their lips were almost touching.

Sudden hissing sounds snapped both teens back to reality. To their horror, they were inside the Dark Hour and about fifteen rouge Shadows were launching towards them! Most of them were DNA strands, forming a humanoid shape, but leading them was a giant humanoid robot armed with a broadsword.

_ 'Aw, shit!'_ Kanji was pissed. _'I was so close!'_

Naoto narrowed her eyes. "We're outnumbered!" She drew her revolver. One could see anger burning brightly in those dark blue orbs.

"Damn Shadows! I'm taking them down!" Kanji roared, but something didn't feel right. "Shit! I don't have a weapon!"

"You use blunt objects for weapons, right? Try using that!" Naoto pointed to a trash can's lid before she shot at one of the Gene Shadows who was trying to sneak up on them.

"Great idea!" Kanji made a run for it, punching two Shadows out of his way before grabbing the lid and smacking a third one away from him. "Now you're gonna get it!" He whacked that Shadow again, causing heavy damage. The lid was bent in half, rendering it useless. Kanji picked up another one.

Naoto shot her last bullet, but refilling would take some time. Then she recalled a vital piece of information. "Kanji-kun, if I'm not mistaken, these Gene Shadows have a particular weakness to wind or thunder. Try hitting those ones over there!" she shouted, pointing to a group consisting of five wobbling DNAs.

Kanji obliged. He summoned his tarot card, hoping that he won't miss his targets. He whacked it with the trashcan lid. "Rokuten Maoh, Maziodyne!"

Luckily for them, the Shadows fell on their butts and writhed on the ground after getting electrocuted.

"Tch, there are too many of them. If we keep this up then the surrounding area will be damaged," Naoto said.

"The flood plains ain't that far. Let's go!" Kanji grabbed Naoto's wrist and they made a run for it to a more unpopulated area. The Shadows quickly followed behind.

"They're gaining on us!" Naoto yelled, looking back. Despite their wobbly bodies, the gene Shadows were quite agile.

"Keep running!" Kanji shouted. "We're almost there!"

One of the Shadows stretched out its arm at the two, hitting Naoto on the ankle. She tripped and fell flat on her face. "Ooof!" she grunted.

"Naoto?!" Kanji gasped, running back to help her up.

"I'm okay!" Naoto said as she got to her feet. The Shadows were getting too close!

"Crap, those guys are stubborn!" Kanji growled as he and Naoto resumed running. Thanks to long muscular legs, he was faster at running so he ended up hoisting Naoto up and tucked her under his arm, without awareness of the actions he was performing.

"K-Kanji-kun, put me down! I can run on my own!" she protested, blushing madly at their situation.

Kanji grinned like a madman when they finally reached their destination. However, when he realized what he was doing, he quickly put Naoto down. "S-Sorry…" he whispered. Naoto nodded as she readied her gun, the Shadows hot on their trail. After finding out about their foes' weakness, he wasn't about to waste this chance; he casted Maziodyne multiple times to incapacitate the Shadows, and Naoto took them out with Vorpal Blade.

Naoto wasn't paying attention when a stray Gene attempted to hit her from behind. Fortunately, Kanji noticed. "Naoto, duck!" he hollered. Instinctively, the young detective dodged and curled into a ball. Kanji threw the trashcan lid like a Frisbee with all of his strength, effectively slicing the Shadow into two.

Just when they thought they were in the clear, a loud hissing noise could be heard. The robot was slowly making its way to them, the clunking of its gears could be heard miles away.

"Damn it, we don't have enough energy to fight that thing as it is…" Kanji said, panting heavily.

"I have a few health restoring items with me, but I doubt it will last us long enough," Naoto said. "From past experience, we're going to have an extremely difficult time with that thing without Souji-senpai's help."

Kanji cursed under his breath. If only there was a way…the thought of Souji gave him an idea. "Hey Naoto, remember that combo attack Senpai did with the twins? If we can combine our two strongest attacks then…"

"Are you sure, Kanji-kun? Even with my charged up Megidolaon there's no guarantee that it will take out that thing in one hit, plus it will obliterate everything around here. We can't risk it."

"We'll just have to try," Kanji said. "All we have to do is be in sync, just like those three."

"In sync…harmony…" Naoto whispered, mostly to herself. Then she smiled at him. "Alright, I think I got it. Let's do this, Kanji-kun!"

As they both summoned their Personas, Kanji concentrated his energy for a Primal Force while Naoto casted Mind Charge on herself. Kanji then stood closely behind Naoto, and grasped her hands that were on her revolver. Both were blushing furiously, but the situation at hand prevented them from delving into the warm feeling.

"Just concentrate your Megidolaon into my attack," Kanji whispered, as both of them merged their energies. Naoto aimed her revolver at the giant robot, who by now had finished charging and gearing up for a strike attack. "On three…"

They didn't bother to start from one. "THREE!"

Rokuten Maoh pointed his weapon at the enemy as Yamato Takeru hovered above his head, gloved hands glowing with purple light. When they released their attack at the same time, a huge beam of purple energy shot out from the tip of Rokuten Maoh's staff. It blew a clean hole straight through the giant robot, and in a matter of seconds it disintegrated into ashes.

Shocked and relieved, both of them fell on their knees, panting hard. Now they understood why Minato, Souji and Minako were completely worn out after a Fusion Raid.

Naoto smiled. "Thanks to your pierce attack, I was able to focus my Megidolaon for one enemy instead of having it explode all over the place," she theorized, feeling rather proud of her explanation. "And it also overrides any physical or elemental advantage the enemy had. A perfect combination."

"Looks like we make a good team after all," Kanji said. Then he started to blush, because he was still holding Naoto in an intimate manner. "Uh…"

Naoto smiled at him, blushing as well. "We really do, Kanji-kun," she said before wrapping her arms around his torso.

Kanji's eyes were wider than saucers, but he then smiled and returned the hug. It looked rather awkward, because Naoto was pint-sized compared to himself, but…it felt right, and that was all that mattered.

Naoto smiled back at him. As the Dark Hour faded, their eyes met and their faces came closer. This time _nothing_was going to interrupt them…

* * *

><p>"Kanji! Naoto!" Souji shouted as he and the others ran towards the flood plains. Needless to say he was worried about his two friends when the Dark Hour appeared and it only got worse when Rise and Fuuka informed them that a huge group of Shadows was in the same area as them. "Damn it… where are they?"<p>

"Easy, Banchou-kun, I'm sure they're safe," Minako tried to reassure him. "Naoto-chan is a smart girl and Kanji-kun's pretty tough. As long as they're together, they'll be okay."

The group was surprised when suddenly, a huge purple beam of energy shot across the dark sky. "Whoa, what was that?!" Junpei shouted in awe.

"I don't know, but it sure looked powerful!" Teddie said impressed.

"Fuuka, are we getting any closer?" Minato asked.

"Yes, but this is strange…" Fuuka said. "The Shadows… just vanished. I'm not sensing any of them anymore."

"Not even the big one is around," Rise said. "How can that be? Those are especially difficult to get rid of."

Now they were confused. Souji sighed and kept running. He could only hope that Kanji and Naoto had beaten the Shadows and were unharmed. The others followed him close behind.

"There they are!" Chie shouted, pointing out two figures before them.

As the gang got closer, the Dark Hour vanished and they could clearly make out the figures of both Kanji and Naoto. Souji was about to call them again when he realized…the delinquent and the detective were hugging and, more astonishingly, KISSING!

Both members from SEES and from the Investigation Team stared in surprise and amusement; Minato, Souji and Shinjiro smirked seemingly proud; Minako and Rise were both struggling not to squeal in delight; the others girls were giggling while the boys were staring blankly.

Finally, Kanji and Naoto broke up the kiss and stared at each other, smiling. They were snapped out of their trance when they heard a clicking sound.

"Got it!" Rise squealed holding out her cellphone triumphantly, to everybody's surprise. "You two looked so cute kissing like that!" She began to sing. "Kanji and Naoto, sitting in a tree ~ K-I-S-S-I-N-G ~ "

"RISE!" Both Kanji and Naoto shouted, chasing after the teen idol, who was giggling like crazy and waving her cellphone around. The others watched over the amusing scene, not bothered to stop them.

Souji rolled his eyes, but deep inside he was truly happy that both Kanji and Naoto were safe and had finally understood their feelings for each other. "Okay, that's enough now," he said as Rise hid behind him to protect herself from the newly formed couple. "And Rise, stop teasing them."

"You two okay?" Minato asked.

"Yes… Just some minor injuries and a bit of fatigue…" Naoto panted, trying to regain her composure. Her face was completely red.

"Yeah…yeah… Just a scratch here and there…" Kanji huffed, still embarrassed.

"Thank goodness you're safe," Yukiko said with a warm smile.

"By the way, good job clearing out all those Shadows," Akihiko said.

"Yeah. When Rise-chan and Fuuka-chan told us about them, we got worried and left Chidori and Nanako-chan with the Fox at the Inn before rushing here as fast as we could." Minako said. "How did you do it, anyway?"

"It was piece of cake, really." Kanji grinned. "Just a little a bit of teamwork."

"A little?" Yosuke nudged his stomach, teasing grin in place, "You mean you finally manned up and asked her out to the festival, right?"

Naoto scowled in annoyance and embarrassment. Kanji, on the other hand, slowly turned to face his comrade, who still held that damned smile on his face, "Hey Senpai, do you know what my shoe size is?"

Yosuke was taken aback, grin falling from his face, "Uh… no. What is it?"

"Thirty-five centimeters," Kanji informed proudly.

Yosuke's confusion was even more elevated. "Why did you ask?"

"So that you know just how much of my foot is about to get relocated up your ass if you don't get the hell outta my face!"

Yosuke's face twitched into a half-grin of terror before he scuttled away fast as he could. "Okay guys…" he called, his voice about four octaves higher than usual, "Let's go back. I think I need a bath before the festival…" He turned and mumbled, just loud enough that Kanji could hear him, "And some fresh underwear…"

The others laughed at that. Kanji gave a smirk of satisfaction and turned to Naoto, silently asking her about the festival. The detective prince just smiled and nodded. Minako and Shinjiro stared at them before looking at each other, nostalgic smiles on their faces.

* * *

><p>The shrine was lit up by hundreds of stringed lanterns in all shapes and sizes. Children were running everywhere, either holding balloons, cotton candy, or paper lanterns of various cartoon characters hanging from a stick. The atmosphere was buzzing with excitement and laughter. For the SEES and Investigation Team, it was a nice change of pace from all the Shadow fighting. Although the sun hasn't set yet, the temperature was cooling down, the bright sky tinged with orange and pink giving it a romantic feel.<p>

Everyone agreed to meet up in front of the offertory box. The guys arrived there first, and the ladies about twenty minutes later.

The guys couldn't help but stare at the sight before them. Although the girls were wearing the same yukata they had worn during previous festivals, save for Chidori and Metis, it seems that they sported different accessories and hair styles to look different this year.

Instead of her usual XXII hairpins, Minako had a sunflower pin in its place, her hair let down instead of a ponytail. Yukari opted for a pair of dangling pink earrings, while Fuuka's hair was held in place by a comb with white calla lilies painted on it. For Mitsuru, she tied her hair in a low ponytail instead of the usual up do, making her look more down-to-earth instead of like a rich heiress. Aigis and Metis had ribbons in their hair, courtesy of Nanako. Chie had placed the fake flower she bought at Okina above her right ear, and Yukiko wore her usual red hair band with a pink gerbera pinned on it. Rise tied her two pigtails with colorful beads, and Nanako wore the Featherman hairpin Minako got for her. Chidori had her hair made in a stylish bun.

Kanji however, couldn't stop staring at his new girlfriend. Her yukata matched her eyes and _holy crap_, _what did she do with her hair?_ Instead of the detective cap, there was a headband with a blue bow on the side. Kanji's face turned redder than a strawberry, his nose was close to bursting from all the cuteness that is Naoto Shirogane.

Koromaru was wildly wagging his tail from happiness. He pranced around in his new outfit; rather pleased at the attention he was getting from the children and adults alike. A little boy threw some takoyaki at him, and he barked his thanks, eating the delicious treat.

Rise didn't miss the opportunity to record all of the guys' reaction on her video camera. She was especially enjoying Kanji's, and not surprised at Teddie's drooling.

The girls couldn't help but stare at the guys too. There was something roguishly handsome about a man in a traditional Japanese outfit. However, there was one item on somebody's head that caught Minako's attention. "Shinji-kun, can't you take off that beanie for one night?" she asked, pouting a bit. "It doesn't suit the yukata." She stood on her tip-toes to remove the offending item. Oddly enough, Shinjiro didn't protest. He was however, a bit surprised when his girlfriend sneaked in a kiss as she did so, causing him to blush different shades of crimson.

"Wow, this brings back a lot of memories…" Minato said, surveying the surroundings. "It has a different feel to it than the one at Naganaki, but I'm excited!"

"I have to admit that last year's was a drag, but now I can't wait to get started," Souji said.

"Aniki, we should take a group picture before we start," Minako suggested. "Then we can go and have some fun!"

Mitsuru took the opportunity to snap a picture of Shinjiro in his yukata, and another one with Shinjiro and Minako together. He didn't like all the attention he was getting, but he softened a bit when Minako smiled sweetly at him. _'Damn it, Iori was right. I really am turning into a sap,' _he thought, the warmth in his chest refusing to go away. _'But I guess it's times like these that make a moment worth it.'_

Souji was rather ticked off when Teddie coaxed Nanako and Ken to pose for a picture together, but he didn't show it, not if it means ruining his cousin's happiness. Yukiko noticed this and giggled to herself. Minato, being the avid photographer that he is, also took the chance to capture the moment.

After that, they took off into the crowd. The sights, the smells, the sounds; the gang took it all in as they tried to decide what game or food they should try first. The separated into smaller groups, agreeing to meet at the takoyaki stand in another hour and a half.

Minako dragged her brothers to scoop for goldfish. "The last time we did this was when we were kids. I remembered throwing a huge tantrum when I couldn't scoop a single one," she said.

"Don't remind me…" her twin groaned. "Dad had to get you five boxes of takoyaki and two cotton candies to calm you down. Then he got scolded by Mom for spoiling you too much."

The youngest of the three sweatdropped. Yes, he remembered that particular event and it wasn't pleasant. He hid behind his mother the whole time until Minako had quieted down. Hopefully, the two of them wouldn't be at the receiving end of her wrath if she decided that the goldfish were outsmarting her again.

"Hey, check it out. It's Souji!"

The silverette turned around when he heard his name being called. It was Kou and Daisuke, in normal street attire.

"Whoa, look at you dude! All dressed fancy for the party," Daisuke praised, "and Minato-san too. Now I wished I wore a yukata."

"Ai-san wanted you to wear one, remember? And you had to go do something stupid and now she and Yumi ditched us. Nice going," Kou said sarcastically, rolling his eyes. Then he saw Minako. "Oh, hey there…I haven't seen you around here before."

"Kou, Daisuke, this is Aniki's twin sister Minako." Souji introduced both parties. "Aneki, this is Kou Ichijou from basketball. And this guy is Daisuke Nagase from soccer."

Minako bowed slightly. "Hi, nice to meet you guys."

"Nice to meet you too," Kou said, returning the gesture. He then turned to Souji. "Dude, there's a game booth not far from here where we can win prizes by shooting hoops. Let's show these suckers how it's done, eh? Since the murders are put to rest, they decided to add more games to attract more people to come."

"That does sound pretty awesome," Souji said, "but I promised to go and scoop goldfish with them first. Why don't we go after that?"

"Sure, we'll wait for you there," Kou said. "Meanwhile, I gotta help this lug find something to make it up to Ai-san. I have no doubt that even he'll screw that up." He turned around quickly and sped off before his friend could catch up.

"Hey!" came Daisuke's indignant yell.

As the two left, Minako giggled. "Wow, those two are quite the tag team. They even argue like Kenji-kun and Kazushi-kun." She then preceded to the scooping booth, her brothers not far behind her.

They never made it there though, because Souji kept bumping into many of his friends who were also enjoying the festival; Naoki and Ayane, Hisano who was accompanied by her grandchildren, and Ai and Yumi (the former kept complaining about her boyfriend). The twins had fun getting to know their little brother's friends, whom he had created strong bonds with. They did manage to meet Kou and Daisuke at the mini basketball booth, where all five participated. Souji and Kou won the grand prize; a pendant each with weird markings on them, and the other three got to choose between a phone strap and two keychains.

On the other side of the shrine, Mitsuru and Yukari were browsing at the stalls which sold specialty items and foods. Ken and Nanako looked at the masks and sculptures on display with Koromaru and Yosuke. Dojima couldn't come, unfortunately, due work, so the little girl was determinated to get a souvenir for her dad with Ken's help.

Yukiko and Chie were throwing miniature hula-hoops, hoping one would land around the many sake bottles of different colors. Chie wailed when all of her hoops were used; she was hoping it would land around a red bottle because those would have won her a pair of new boots. Yukiko had better luck when one of her hoops landed around a green bottle and won herself a blue paper fan.

Junpei was trying to win Chidori a giant teddy bear at a game of darts, but he wasn't doing so well. Fortunately the booth owner was kind enough to give him a consolation prize for trying; a beautifully painted wooden bangle. Chidori even thanked the owner by offering one of her sketches from her drawing pad.

Not far, Akihiko and Shinjiro were joined by Naoto and Kanji at a shooting range. It seems that Akihiko openly challenged Naoto to a shooting competition, and she was wiping the floor with him. So far, she managed to shoot down fifteen ducks while he only shot seven. Shinjiro was enjoying himself, watching his best friend lose to a girl as Kanji munched on ikayaki, cheering his girlfriend on. Naoto won the ultimate prize; an expensive-looking ring with decorative blue stones while Akihiko got a white Persian cat doll, which he planned to give to Mitsuru later.

Teddie and Rise were showing Aigis, Metis and Fuuka around the festival. The bear even managed to charm the ladies who were manning the snack booths with his sparkles to give him discounts or free food. Rise only rolled her eyes at his behavior, scrunching her face in displeasure as Teddie almost spilled mustard on her yukata. She wasn't a sucker after all. Fuuka and Metis giggled while Aigis disapproved; he reminded her too much of another flirt who used his charms to get his way.

After trying out different games and winning a few more prizes, the gang met at the takoyaki stand as promised. They sat down together in a huge group and ordered takoyaki, shaved ice and okonomiyaki with various toppings. Rise kept herself busy filming the entire scene while the others ate and talked.

Souji recognized the people who sat at the table beside them. "Eri-san, Yuuta, fancy meeting you guys here."

Eri Minami's eyebrows shot up at the familiar voice, and smiled. "Souji-kun, what a surprise. I heard rumors you were back in town. It's nice to see you again."

"Souji-san!" Yuuta got up from his seat to give him a hug. "Look what I won! A rare action figure of Black Condor! Mom even got me an awesome t-shirt. I can't wait to wear it to school!" The excited little boy had to be calmed down by Souji, who then introduced them to his friends.

"Guys, this is Yuuta Minami and his mother, Eri-san. I worked part-time at the daycare where he was sent to last year," he said. "Yuuta, Eri-san, these are my friends from Tatsumi Port Island. And this is my cousin, Nanako."

Nanako smiled at Yuuta. "Oh, I already know him Big Bro. Yuuta-kun is in my class this year. I didn't know that you knew him though."

Souji was about to say something when yet another familiar voice interrupted him. "Sensei, what a surprise. You're here too?" He turned around to see Shu Nakajima, in his normal attire of a blue checkered shirt and brown pants. He smiled at the boy and introduced him. "Guys, this is Shu. I used to tutor him, and he's one of my best students."

Shu grinned playfully. "Please, I was your only student." He then exchanged friendly conversations with the rest of the group. Souji invited all three of them to join in.

"Wow, Souji sure is popular huh?" Junpei whispered to Yosuke.

"You don't know half of it," Yosuke said. "He got to know a lot of people here. I swear the whole town is in love with him or something. Don't get me started about school…"

"That pretty much sums up the twins too," Junpei said. "Mina-tan is especially popular because of her cheerful personality. I doubt Shinjiro-senpai is gonna enjoy that piece of info though."

By the time they finished eating, they separated again but in couples this time. Eri volunteered to take Shu, Yuuta, Ken, Nanako and Koromaru to go play games and watch the fireworks, which Souji was thankful for.

Rise stuck with Teddie to prevent him from flirting with random women. Fuuka and the two androids decided to help her keep him out of trouble. The other couples roamed around the festival, enjoying the view. It was almost time for the fireworks to start and everyone went to find a good spot to view it.

Minato and Yukari strolled near the edge of the shrine, on top of a small hill and away from the stalls. Not a lot of people were there, and there was a nice, shady tree where they sat down under. Crickets and cicadas sang in the night air; the perfect romantic setting.

They looked up to the sky, where the fireworks exploded in a multitude of colors. The festival this year coincided with a full moon, so the sky looked more beautiful tonight. The two lovers held hands and closed the gaps between them. Yukari rested her head on Minato's shoulder. "I have to say, this is much more beautiful than the one at home." She sighed contently. "I feel…peaceful and happy. Not just for us, but for everyone."

"I feel the same way," Minato said, looking down at his girlfriend's face. "It's ironic…looking at the full moon used to bring me much sorrow; losing my parents and Minako, Shadows, The Fall. Never in a million years would I have thought that I get to reunite with my family and friends again after I died…or thought I did." He paused for a while before smiling. "Now the full moon reminds me of what I gained after that, and what I must protect. I never want to lose any of you guys ever again."

The young brunette smiled, looking into Minato's grey-blue eyes. "And we'll stay by your side all the way through. I don't want to lose you either." She tilted her face up and pressed her lips against Minato's, the same moment when a particularly bright firework shot up into the sky, showering the night with bright pink sparkles. The gasps of surprise and awe among the spectators were ignored as the blue-haired teen returned the kiss.

After a while, they broke apart.

"I love you, Yukari."

"I love you too, Minato-kun."

Both of them continued to watch the fireworks, staying close as ever. Sometimes, they would spot their friends among the people below. Fuuka's group was chasing after Teddie, who seemed to have offended a group of older women – probably he did something perverted and they wanted revenge. Ken was accompanying Nanako by himself. They must have separated from Eri, Yuuta and Shu. The little girl was smiling broadly, hugging a ginger cat plushie while Ken was carrying a Daruma's mask they had picked for Dojima. From the looks of it, Ken had won both items for her. Minato chuckled, _'Banchou-kun isn't gonna like that…'_ he thought. Not far from where they were sitting, Koromaru was watching the fireworks with the fox cubs. The other couples were enjoying themselves, eating snacks and holding hands.

Yukari spotted Minako and Shinjiro. She was holding her boyfriend's hand, dragging him around everywhere, and the other held a rather large pink cotton candy. Shinjiro grimaced when Minako began consuming the fluffy sweet. The two watched on with amusement; Shinjiro was giving one of his lectures about how that crap wasn't good for her, and fell on deaf ears when Minako shoved it into his face, effectively shutting him up. Her laughter rang through the air when his face was covered with a pink beard, and laughed some more when he shot her a death glare. Yukari smiled – Shinjiro should know that glaring wouldn't work on Minako, especially when it came from him. And he could never stay mad at her for long anyway. She continued to observe in amusement when Minako took out a handkerchief and cleaned Shinjiro's face for him, and he let her. Minako then gave him a kiss, and Shinjiro blushed after that.

"That guy still isn't used to romance, huh?" Yukari giggled.

"Give him time," Minato said. "Minako enjoys teasing him like that, and you have to admit it doesn't get old." He grinned and pointed to another couple walking in the distance. "Look over there…it's Souji-kun."

Souji was walking with Yukiko at the other side of the shrine where there weren't a lot of people. They were keeping a slow pace, hand-in-hand and talking. Occasionally she would giggle at something he said. They passed a small stall selling flowers, and Souji bought a small bouquet of red peonies for Yukiko. She blushed the same shade.

Minato smiled. "It looks like Yukiko-san understood what he wanted to tell her."

"Eh? He only bought her flowers…" Yukari tapered off, looking confused.

"According to the language of flowers, red peonies symbolize devotion. And the color red suits Yukiko-san the best, the color of passion and love." Personally, Minato agreed with his sister that Yukiko was the perfect girl for their little brother; he was quiet and serious, kind and observant. She was passionate and determined, but also loving and patient. A match made in heaven.

"Do you have to know everything?" Yukari asked, rolling her eyes playfully.

"What's the problem? You can brag to the rest that you have a super-smart and super-strong boyfriend," Minato answered. "I already made it clear that my girlfriend is the most awesome thing to ever happen in my life."

It seems that Yukari was satisfied with his answer and snuggled closer. They stayed that way until it was time to go back.

Everyone was already waiting at the entrance of the shrine to head back together, their expressions happy but tired, carrying loads of prizes. Teddie sported a few bruises but nothing too major. There was still room for some light teasing before they separated, heading to their own homes.

It could be said that this was the most memorable Summer Festival they ever had, and Minato had a camera full of photos along with Rise's video camera to prove it.

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><p><em>Hope ya guys enjoy all the fluff in this chapter as much as Ohta-chan and I enjoyed writing it. Oh and be prepared: next chapter will be a little on WTH?! side. How? You'll find out soon enough. 3<em>

_Have fun and don't forget to Read and Review! _


	12. Chapter 12: Misadventures in Babysitting

_Hey guys, Sea of Soul here. I'm truly, truly, truly sorry about taking so long with the updates. I've got a good explanation for it and so does Ohta-chan:_

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><p>"<em>What's up, guys? Hi, I'm OhtaSuzuke, co-writer and beta for this fic. As Sea of Soul mentioned just now, we've been busy as heck these past few months. I managed to graduate from university last September, followed by my convocation ceremony the following month. You'd think that I'd be stress-free after that, but I beg to differ. It was job-hunting madness right after…and my mom won't stop hounding me about it until I'm employed. To lessen the intensity, I took a part-time job to at least have some spending money for myself, along with job interviews in between. Boy was it a relief, when only last week that I got hired by a production company just a town away. Now my mom can stop breathing down my neck and do her own thing without worrying about financing me. But I still can't catch a break; the ever-so hideous writer's block hit me like a brick wall and now it's hard to put my thoughts into writing when my brain is just bursting with ideas. AAARGGHHH! So please, bear with us. We worked out half the plot, filled with awesome teasers and cliffhangers, but life gets in the way too often. Your support and comments keep us alive and going, and who knows, inspiration might hit us hard and we'll be updating much, much more frequently. *Kneels and pleads* Please…PLEASE pray for that day! *Puppy-dog eyes*"<em>

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><p><em>As for me, I've graduated from Medical School in November and I've been studying non-stop for the Residency exams now in December. It's my dream to become a Pediatrician. Becoming a doctor is the first step, and for the next part, I need to pass on the residency exam so I can learn how to be a proper child doctor. If I don't pass on that exam, I'll have to waste an entire year with cramming school and part time jobs in order to pass and I so don't want that. Please bear with me and Ohta-chan. Once the exams are over I should be able to rest and upload this fic at a steadier pace. So please, keep reading and reviewing! Love ya all!<em>

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><p><em>A few warnings: (Yes, I put those before every chapter to avoid issues)<em>

_-There will be spoilers for all games! You've been warned.  
>-The Main characters from each game in this fanfic are called Minato Arisato (P3:FES), Minako Arisato (P3P) and Souji Seta (P4)<br>-There'll be some cursing. (Anyone that played any persona games knows that some characters on it curse quite a bit.) as well as some heavy subjects.  
>-Main Pairings in this fanfic: MinatoxYukari, ShinjiroxMinako, SoujixYukiko, KanjixNaoto, AkihikoxMitsuru, YosukexChie.<br>-Hinted Pairings(in later chapters): JunpeixChidori. (Hinted because Chidori doesn't appear much on this story) KenxNanako (Ya know those little girl's crushes on older boys? It'll be along those lines) FuukaxKeisuke (Other than Minato and Junpei, Fuuka only displayed some sort of close relationship with Keisuke the club president. I found it kinda cute.) TeddiexRise (Just for giggles. They are after all the two hyperactive cuties of the team X3)_

_Have fun ya guys. On with the show!_

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><p><strong>Chapter 12: Misadventures in Babysitting.<strong>

_**Yasoinaba Station…**_

The Summer Festival came and passed for the Persona users and now it was time to go back to their routine of fighting Shadows and investigating the mystery behind the Dark Hour and the Fog.

It also meant that Chidori needed to return to Port Island, for her own safety. So the entire group, plus Nanako, had gathered at the station to see her off. The day of her departure was really tear jerking for her and the girls, as they had became quite close friends.

"Take care, Chidori!" Minako said, hugging her. "We're gonna miss you so much!"

"I'll miss you guys too…" Chidori was trying not to cry. "You're the best friends I've ever had…"

Yukari smiled at her. "Hey, don't be sad. We'll come visit you when we come back to Port Island. We can go shopping again."

"We can also chat online with the web cam I gave you," Fuuka added. "That way we will always stay connected."

Chidori gasped when she recalled something. "But what about…"

"I already took care of that," Mitsuru said. "Regarding your absence, I already contacted your college and explained that due to 'health issues', you were invited by us to spend some days in Inaba to rest."

Thank you, Mitsuru-san." She then looked at the guys. "I can't thank you enough for what you all did for me. Especially Hanamura-san and Teddie-san."

"There's no need for that, Chidori-san." Yosuke gave her an embarrassed smile. "I'm glad to help."

"Teddie loves to help pretty ladies like you, Chidori-chan. By the way…" Whatever pick-up line he almost tried, was cut off by a smack on the head from Yosuke. "Ow! You meanie! Jerk!"

A giggle escaped her lips when she was approached by Minato and Souji. "I owe you two my thanks as well."

"Your friendship is gratitude enough for us, Chidori," Minato smiled.

"The same goes for me. Have a safe trip," Souji added.

Chidori smiled at them. A hand landed on her shoulder. She turned around and her eyes met Junpei's. "Chidori…" He was trying his hardest to keep a straight face, but in the end he couldn't contain himself and started bawling.

"Junpei…" She smiled warmly at him. He leaned close over her, and she whispered, "Can you… Can you kiss me?"

With a blush, Junpei nodded. He turned his back to his friends, shielding Chidori as well, not wanting them to see his blatant display of affection. Very slowly, deliberately, tenderly, Junpei pressed his lips to hers in a single, passionate kiss; and as they parted, she softly whispered, "Promise me… Take care of yourself and come back safely, okay? I'll be waiting for you."

As the train whistled signaling its almost-departure, Junpei nodded as he embraced her. "Of course, Chidorita…" He gently stroked her hair. "I promise." His voice held strong conviction and finality.

With final hugs and goodbyes, Chidori boarded the train and, with a final, gentle smile, she left, content.

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><p><em><strong>A few days later…<strong>_

Souji's prepared breakfast for himself, uncle and cousin. His mind was crowded with concerns and questions as he tossed some vegetables in the wok.

The rumors of the supernatural phenomena continued to grow as the sightings increased. More and more people witnessed the undeniable evidence, like the ghost lights and blue fire; but so far, everything seemed harmless, for which the group was immensely glad and relieved for. At the same time, it seemed that the supernatural sightings were becoming almost _normal_to the town of Inaba, as if it was an everyday occurrence that sparked little attention from the desensitized populace, save for those few that knew that something worse could be on the horizon.

*Yip!*

He paused, looking up with a frown – had he heard something?

*Scratch scratch*

There it was again! He turned, looking towards the back porch, and he blinked at what he saw there. With a smile, he went over to open the door, dropping to one knee as the Fox nimbly stepped inside, two cubs on her back and the third dangling from her jaws.

"Taking me up on my offer?" Souji asked.

The Fox placed her cubs down before nodding once in reply.

With a smile, Souji patted the Fox. "There should be a comfortable space beneath the porch for you for the time being, and I'll let my family know you're here after breakfast, okay?"

She let out a small yip of gratitude and reached over to give him a quick lick before disappearing outside with her cubs.

_ 'What a nice family...'_ Souji thought. His memory drifted back to his parents and he frowned a bit before mentally slapping himself to snap out of it. _'C'mon, get a grip of yourself! As long as there's a chance, no matter how small it may be, I gotta cling to the belief they're still alive!'_

Sighing softly, Souji finished making breakfast and brought a small dish filled with water to the back porch, setting it down on the grass for his unexpected, but not unwelcomed guests before he went back to his room in order to get ready.

When Souji came down, he was greeted by Nanako carrying one of the Fox's kits in her arms, cooing over 'Kyu-chan', as she affectionately called the tiny creature. Souji couldn't help but feel his worries washing away at the sweetness that was his cousin with the little animal.

The kits were so adorable that even Dojima wasn't immune to their cuteness, and he gave his approval for Fox and her family to stay with them once Souji explained the situation.

With that settled, the family had a nice breakfast together and then Souji left to meet up with the others.

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><p><em><strong>Evening, TV World…<strong>_

"Sensei! Sensei!" Teddie was running towards Souji, in his hand was a small sack of some kind. "Look what I found near Nao-chan's dungeon!"

Souji and the Investigation Team, plus all the members of SEES, were resting at the entrance hall after a training session in the TV world. "What is it, Teddie?" he asked.

Teddie lifted the small sack high enough for everyone to see. "I don't know what it is though. I was just passing by and a Shadow ran away and dropped it. I think it was sniffing around for something."

"Guys, we should be careful with that," Yosuke interrupted. He snatched the sack out of the blonde's hands. "He did say he found it in Naoto's dungeon after all."

Everyone's interest, especially SEES, were piqued.

"So ~ what about that particular dungeon?" Junpei asked, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. An instant later, he was smacked by Yukari.

"Get your head out of the gutter, Stupei! Yosuke-kun doesn't mean it like that." She shifted her eyes to the young detective, and shook her head. When Naoto admitted to SEES that she was actually a girl, all of them had a hard time believing it. Junpei found it highly amusing when the detective told them she managed to fool their entire school for a few months. An instant later he was crestfallen when Rise blurted out how she won the school beauty pageant because she was also popular among girls (which Junpei was not) causing everyone to laugh.

"You say that these 'dungeons' were created by the people who were thrown into this world. What exactly did you mean?" Aigis inquired.

The Investigation Team looked at each other with mixed expressions. Of course, they haven't mentioned the embarrassing stories that followed suit said dungeons. Nobody else had to know about that! All seven heads turned to their leader. "Why don't you tell them, partner?" Yosuke prompted. "You're the one who's actually good with words." However his eyes were pleading Souji not to tell the older group about their personal revelations.

"Come on, Banchou-kun. We wanna know too!" Minako chirped. She was sitting between her twin and Shinjiro.

Sighing, Souji turned his attention towards the others. "Well, how should I start? You all remembered that at each dungeon we had to fight each of their personal Shadows before the fog sets in, right?"

Everyone nodded.

"Each dungeon also harbors that person's unique characteristics. For instance, Naoto here is knowledgeable and very passionate with detective related stuff especially mechanical trinkets. Even the Shadows and objects there look a lot like things you would find in an espionage movie."

"Ooh! Remember that huge robot Shadow we had to fight before we could precede to the next floor?" Chie exclaimed. "It looked like something from Featherman."

Ken's eyes sparkled. "I wish I could have seen that!"

"Anyway, Yosuke is right." Souji got up, dusting off his bottom. "We should probably put that somewhere safe until we know exactly what it is. If it's from Naoto's dungeon, I wouldn't be surprised if it contains some sort of untested chemical reagent or whatever. It could be nothing, but better safe than sorry."

"Doesn't look like any healing item I've ever seen," Minato said with a thoughtful look. The brownish gurney sack looked normal, but there was a symbol for radioactive substance painted in yellow on it.

Minako also came to join the conversation, her ruby-colored eyes shining with curiosity. "I wonder what it does…"

As the team leaders were discussing about the possible contents of the sack, Teddie started to fight with Chie and Kanji for the last piece of egg roll Souji cooked earlier.

Yukiko was trying to calm them down, but one could clearly see the strained smile she had on her face. "Come on, guys. I'm sure Souji-kun can make more tomorrow!"

"But you guys always eat Sensei's cooking at school!" Teddie complained.

"Piss off, Ted!" Kanji growled. "That egg roll was in MY lunchbox." He emphasized this by pointing his chopsticks to a messy scrawl in permanent black marker on one side of the container. "I don't see your name on it."

Chie rolled her eyes. "Like I care… you already had two servings for crying out loud!"

"Could you please stop quarreling over food like children?" Naoto drawled. Such childish behavior was beyond her comprehension, and she didn't want to be part of it.

"Please give me some, Kanji!" Teddie pleaded, trying to wrestle the container out of Kanji's large hands.

"Get bent!"

Shinjiro smirked. It's been quite a while since he heard meaningless banter. He forgot the last time he and Akihiko fought over food.

Akihiko was also amused. In his mind he was comparing his best friend with the high school delinquent and found many similarities, and chuckled. If he voiced his thoughts aloud though, Shinjiro would be pissed.

A vein in Yosuke's forehead was throbbing. Being second-in-command was a pain in the ass sometimes, especially since he was the only other male senior in their team. As their leader was busy figuring things out, it was his job to keep the situation under control. "SHUT UP!" he yelled at the two. "If you don't stop fighting over that damn egg roll, I swear I'm going to blow you guys over with Magarudyne!"

Kanji immediately let go of his container. He didn't want to anger his senpai any further. Despite being a jokester most of the time, Yosuke can also be scary when he got upset and that frightened him. He remembered one time Yosuke got hit with Pulinpa and turned against the team, knocking him out with a powerful Garula spell which he was weak against at that time. His body was sore for the next three days.

When Kanji let go, Teddie lost his balance and crashed into Yosuke, the egg roll flying out of the container and landed right in front of Koromaru. The dog was only too happy to receive free food and ate it, tail wagging all the way.

Having lost his balance, Yosuke's arms flailed. The sack flew out of his hands.

Time seemed to pass very slowly as the Investigation Team and SEES helplessly watched the sack fly in the air, its projectile clearly indicating it was about to land on top of the oblivious Wild Card trio. It landed on Minato's head, engulfing the three in comedic yellowish smoke.

As the smoke started to clear, Shinjiro was the first one to approach. He was worried about Minako. "Oi, are you guys alright?"

"Minato-kun?" Yukari called out, followed by Yukiko's "Souji-kun?"

The two teams now surrounded the area after the smoke completely cleared.

In the middle of their circle, three toddlers stood; their expressions dumbfounded, in clothes that were three times larger than their size.

A thick silence followed before…

"Holy crap, we're in seriously deep shit!" Yosuke hollered, being the first to break the silence.

Mixed expressions could be seen on everyone's faces; from horrified (Yosuke, Naoto, Mitsuru and Akihiko), surprised (Chie, Yukiko and Fuuka), amused (Junpei, Ken and Rise), shocked (Shinjiro, Kanji, Teddie and Yukari) and straight poker faces (Aigis, Metis and Koromaru).

The three children looked around. They were obviously confused because they didn't know how they got here in the first place.

Little Minako walked towards Shinjiro with great difficulty in her big clothes. She stared at him straight in the face, her mouth forming a cute pout. "Umm…Mister, do you know where my Mommy is?"

Shinjiro blushed at the cute gesture. Despite the confusion and shock, he was relieved that the little girl wasn't afraid of him. The others weren't sure how to answer her question, because everybody already knew what happened to her parents 13 years ago.

"Minako, don't talk to strangers!" Minato scolded, pulling his sister away from Shinjiro. He managed to stick his tongue out at the beanie-wearing teen before turning away, which annoyed Shinjiro in so many ways.

"Yeah, leave our sister alone you meanie punk!" Souji exclaimed, backing up Minato and puffing out his chest. It was an adorable attempt at aggressiveness, causing the girls to coo in delight. Shinjiro's eyebrows twitched in more annoyance.

"Onii-chan…Banchou-kun…" the little girl protested, but followed them anyway. "I don't think he's a meanie…"

"Don't you remember what Dad said about approaching people we don't know?" Minato said, pointing to the other grown-ups. A frown was plastered on his face. "We don't know any of them. Now let's get out of here," he added with finality.

"Aniki's right. Let's get the hell outta here." They were completely oblivious to the fact that they were wearing such big clothes.

The little girl's pout became longer. "Stop swearing, Banchou-kun. Don't make me tell your mom that you were watching yakuza movies with your dad again."

"Sensei…likes yakuza movies?" It was Teddie's turn to pout while holding his chin. His eyebrows were scrunched together, trying to imagine Souji in a yakuza getup. It wasn't that difficult really; Souji's skill with a katana and his Persona Izanagi was the perfect example. The blonde Shadow shivered in fright.

Meanwhile, everyone else was close to panicking.

"Oh…my…GOD!" Yosuke was attempting to tear his hair out, refraining from swearing out loud. "Don't tell me these guys don't remember us?!"

"I'm afraid so," Naoto sighed. "It seems that they have forgotten about everything that proceeds their current age. But they seem to know each other. I would estimate them to be between the ages of three to six."

"This is a nightmare indeed," Mitsuru deadpanned.

"It's that weird powder!" Junpei said, putting the pieces together. "It turned them into kids? How the heck does something like that even exist?!" With that, everyone panicked. Teddie ran around as if his head just disappeared.

Fuuka, Yukari and Yukiko were rational enough to try and dissuade the children from leaving and wonder around by themselves. It was obvious that leaving them alone in the fog-filled world was dangerous.

"First things first, we have to get them out of here," Kanji said. "We don't want what happened to Nanako-chan to happen again."

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><p><em><strong>Junes Food Court …<strong>_**  
><strong>  
>The three children fell asleep as they were carried out. Shinjiro, Metis and Aigis were holding Minako, Souji and Minato respectively. Everyone hurried to their usual spot at the food court despite the thinning crowd.<p>

Yosuke was rubbing his temples. _'This day just gets weirder and weirder…'_

Everybody was silent for a moment before Yukiko said "I don't think we should take Souji-kun back to Dojima-san's house."

"Yeah, she's right," Akihiko added. "He won't have trouble believing that something turned his nephew into a kid, but I don't think that he'll have the time to take care of another one."

"We'll tell him the truth if need be," Naoto said. "But I suggest that the three of them stay at the inn with you guys until we figure out how to turn them back."

"Yeah, that would be best. We did promise not to lie to Dojima-san after all," Yosuke agreed, but still felt uneasy. How else was he supposed to feel? His best friend was turned into a child and showed no signs of turning back to normal any time soon.

"This is seriously going to cripple our investigation," Chie groaned. "How are we gonna do it without our leaders?"

Mitsuru's expression turned dark. She looked at everyone around the table. "Yes…that will be a problem. But in the meantime, somebody will have to babysit these three. We can't have them causing trouble while we try to find out how to turn them back."

"Err…come on Mitsuru, you know I'm not good with kids," Akihiko stated, blushing a little. He hated admitting his weakness in front of others, and after Miki's death he never really interacted with young children much.

The group of teenagers looked at each other, faces filled with confusion. From the looks of it, it seems that nobody here possess any knowledge of taking care of toddlers. "Actually, the only one among us who have any experience of babysitting is Souji-senpai," Kanji pointed out. "He took care of Nanako-chan _and_worked part-time as a daycare assistant last year. I dunno how he did it…"

"Come to think of it, I sometimes see Minato-kun and Minako-chan playing with an elementary school girl at the shrine back home," Fuuka said. "Does that count as babysitting?"

"We're officially screwed either way," Junpei sighed, leaning against his chair. He crossed his arms and swung his left leg over his right thigh.

The three toddlers were left to sleep on a bench nearby. Yukari, Yukiko and Rise were watching over them, whispering and fawning. Yukiko let out a soft squeal as little Minako scrunched up her nose, followed by Minato and a little while later Souji. They were smiling and giggling, mumbling something about candy.

"Oh my goodness, that was so cute!" Rise cooed.

"I always wondered what our kids would look like," Yukari sighed, her gaze settling on Minato with a gentle smile on her lips.

"Then I guess this is close enough," Yukiko giggled.

Rise turned around to see Shinjiro sitting nearby, his body language clearly indicating that he was listening to their conversation despite a slight scowl. A wicked grin appeared on her face for a microsecond. "I wonder how Minako-senpai and Shinjiro-san's kids would look like? Hopefully they'll be as cute as her~!" she sang, raising her voice slightly with a sharp, sweet tone. Just like Akihiko, Rise too secretly compared Shinjiro with Kanji. Knowing him – _messing with the big idiot never gets old_– she hoped that the tone she used hit a nerve in the older male.

Of course, it worked. Shinjiro cringed, the high-pitched noise hurting his ears. At the same time he was blushing furiously at the mention of his and Minako's future children, and pulled his beanie down further to hide his face. He turned his head in another direction to avoid being seen by the others.

Rise was watching his reaction with delight. _'Aww…he's so cute!'_she thought with a giggle as she approached the older teen. She immediately plopped down beside him.

Shinjiro scowled at Rise, his face still red from the blushing earlier. "What do you want?!"

"Hehe…it's nothing to be embarrassed about. I knew you were listening~" Rise sing-songed, swinging her legs back and forth.

The intensity of Shinjiro's blush increased again. "Wha-what the hell are you talking about!?"

"So…" she scooted closer to him, which Shinjiro inched himself away. "When are you gonna pop the question?"

"Huh?"

"When are you going to propose to her?" Rise asked bluntly, invading the older teen's personal space again. "Minako Aragaki…it has a nice ring to it, don't ya think?"

Shinjiro was feeling very,_very_ uncomfortable. A part of his mind was questioning how Souji put up with such straightforward shamelessness. The other part was still processing Rise's question, not sure how to give an answer. Never in a million years will he admit that he _liked_what she was insinuating to the young idol's face. Shinjiro prayed for an escape.

His prayer was answered when Mitsuru approached them. "Shinjiro, I need you to babysit the children while the rest of us investigate Shirogane's dungeon to find a cure," she said. "Ken will help you."

His eyes went wide. _'Straight from the fishing net and into the frying pan.'_He thought before he found his voice again. "Are you kidding me?! I don't know anything about taking care of kids!" he protested. "Can't any of the girls do it?"

"Come on Shinji, don't be like that. Remember what a great job you did when the twins fell sick during the typhoon?" Akihiko stated, approaching just in time to back Mitsuru up. He ignored the glare Shinjiro threw at him.

Minako was the first one to wake up after her short nap. She rubbed her sleepy eyes and yawned widely. Yukari and Yukiko had to stifle their squeals at seeing how cute she was. As soon as she was on her feet, her stomach gave a loud growl. Everyone swiveled their heads at her direction.

"Uh…umm…" Minako stuttered. It was clear she was embarrassed and confused, staring at her feet to avoid eye contact with the others.

Yukiko was the first one to approach. "Are you hungry, Minako-chan?" she said kindly. "It's almost dinner time. Why don't we go back to the inn and I'll make you something to eat. Would you like that?" Minako nodded shyly, giving Yukiko a small smile.

"Over my dead body!" Yosuke interjected. As quick as a flash, he was standing between Minako and Yukiko. "Look, I don't care what Chie said about you training under the head chef at the inn. You and the girls are forbidden to feed them any form of Mystery Food X!" he scowled, hands on his hips, standing with his full height, completely serious.

"Uh…what's Mystery Food X?" Junpei asked Kanji.

"It's basically anything cooked by Chie-senpai, Yukiko-senpai and Rise. The leader and Yosuke-senpai almost died eating it last year, though I don't know much about the hellish details," Kanji said with a shrug.

"Why isn't Naoto included?" Rise whined, which he ignored.

The other girls glared dangerously at Yosuke. "What the hell…you all know I'm right!" he yelled back, flailing his arms. Despite being so serious, his actions were comical.

"It tasted awful too!" Teddie chirped, a little too cheerily. It earned him piercing glares from the girls (especially Chie) causing him to run and hide behind Kanji.

Junpei chuckled. "Yeah, I know the feeling. You can say the same about Fuuka's cooking. The only girl who could make anything decent was Mina-tan." Fuuka only hung her head in shame, a dark depressed aura surrounding her. The memories of the food she cooked being the likely cause of sending some of her dorm mates to the hospital came flooding back. The SEES members shuddered.

Shinjiro was mortified. He wasn't expecting there were another three girls as bad as Fuuka in the kitchen, and he felt sorry for the boys for having to put up with it. He mentally thanked Yosuke for the sudden intervention.

"I think that Shinjiro-san is a good choice. We would not have to worry about the children going hungry," Aigis added.

Koromaru barked in agreement. "He says that we should also include Nanako-chan to help since she is a child herself, she can understand them better," Metis translated.

"A sound idea, Koromaru. But first we have to inform Dojima-san that Souji will be staying with us tonight," Mitsuru said.

"I'll do that," Yosuke volunteered. "Me and Teddie will also be picking up Nanako-chan tomorrow morning so expect us early."

Akihiko smirked at Shinjiro. "Looks like the decision is final, Shinji. You're the babysitter," he said, patting his friend on the shoulder. Shinjiro could only hang his head in defeat.

Minato and Souji woke up due to the commotion. Just like Minako earlier, their tummies growled loudly. Souji started to cry. Ken rushed to one of the counters and purchased three sandwiches and apple juice. "Here guys," Ken said, handing the sandwiches and drinks to the toddlers. "Don't cry anymore, okay?" He patted Souji softly on the head.

"That should hold them until dinner is ready. We should head back," Shinjiro sighed. "Thanks, Ken."

"I still have some of the clothes from my childhood," Yukiko said. "Kanji-kun, can you come to my place later and lend the boys some of yours?"

"Sure, not a problem Yukiko-senpai."

Meanwhile, the toddlers were talking amongst themselves.

"Where's Mommy and Daddy?" Minako whined. Her brother just gave a shrug, munching his sandwich.

"Are you sure they didn't run away?" Souji asked, on another verge of tears. Before he could cry again, Minato conked him on the head.

"Don't be stupid, Banchou-kun. They would never do that!" he said gruffly, but with a gentle undertone.

"But what about those people? Did we get kidnapped by bad guys?"

Minako only smiled brightly. "I don't think so, Banchou-kun. I like them, they're so nice. Nice people don't kidnap kids."

Nodding at his sister's logic, Minato slung his arm around Souji's shoulder. "She's right, so don't cry." Like magic, Souji's tears disappeared and he smiled.

Yukiko approached them. "Alright, kids. It's time to get back. You'll be staying with us for a while," she told them. The toddlers nodded and followed the grown-ups.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Amagi Inn…<strong>_

Yukiko managed to persuade the chefs to let Shinjiro use the kitchen, and also invited the Investigation Team to stay for dinner.

Shinjiro asked Kanji and Yukari to help him prepare food for everybody. He didn't want Fuuka, Yukiko, Chie and Rise in the kitchen for fear that they might accidentally screw up and poison the food.

An hour later, dinner was ready. Everyone somehow managed to squeeze themselves in the private dining hall Yukiko reserved especially for them. On the table were dishes and dishes of good looking and even better smelling food. Yukiko even brought in a small table for the Wild Card trio to use.

"Oh man, I didn't think I'd be able to eat Shinjiro-senpai's cooking ever again," Junpei whooped. A silly grin was plastered on his face. "Delicious dimension, here we come!"

"All this is cooked from scratch?" Chie asked, flabbergasted. "It's like looking at one of those fancy cookbooks."

Akihiko laughed at Chie's reaction. "Shinji is always full of surprises."

Shinjiro could only grin at the younger group. "Alright alright, stop yammering and dig in. We don't want to keep the kids waiting."

A while later, plates heaped with food and drinks were passed around. Squeals of delight could be heard from the girls, while the boys were chewing noisily. Mitsuru and Naoto were reprimanding those without manners. Around the small table, the children were giggling at the funny scene. Koromaru was eating from a doggie bowl beside them, wagging his tail violently, and indicating that he was enjoying himself very much.

"This food is just AWESOME!" Kanji exclaimed, pumping a fist in the air. Yosuke and Teddie only nodded in agreement as their mouths were full, continuing to stuff themselves.

"Too bad Souji-senpai is a child. I wanna eat his cooking~" Rise griped while stuffing a piece of tofu into her mouth.

The three toddlers were eating with incredible gusto, their appetites not ruined the least by their early snack. At least that part of them hadn't changed, and this pleased Shinjiro. Children will eat anything if they are hungry enough after all.

After finishing their dinner, everyone pitched in and help clear their mess. Yukiko accompanied by Yukari took the children to the front garden to play with Koromaru. Hopefully chasing the white dog around will keep them occupied for a while, tiring them out faster.

As soon as the chibi leaders were tucked in, the rest of the Persona-users gathered at the other end of the room. Mitsuru cleared her throat, loud enough for everyone to hear. The room became silent. "While we are still gathered here, let's discuss our plan of action."

"We already agreed that Shinji and Ken will babysit the kids," Akihiko started. "But I'm worried about the Dark Hour."

"We should have a backup team outside of the TV World. That way, while the others are exploring the dungeons they could help protect our leaders from a safe distance," Yosuke suggested.

"I'll stay," Fuuka volunteered. "Rise-chan is more suitable for analytical support inside the TV anyway."

Koromaru barked a few times before scratching his ear. "He says that we should bring him and the Fox to help sniff out for clues," Aigis translated. "I agree, Koromaru-san. Your nose will not fail us."

"No!" Shinjiro cut in. "Fuuka should also go in there with you guys. You need all the help you can get and find something to reverse this." He jerked a thumb at the sleeping toddlers.

"Are you sure about this, Shinjiro-san?" Chie asked.

"I don't think we need to worry too much, Senpai," Naoto said. "Shinjiro-san is a capable fighter and Ken-kun has healing skills in case anything goes wrong."

Everyone pondered at this idea. "Then I guess it will have to do," Metis said, breaking the silence. "Shinjiro-san is right. We should focus on finding an antidote of some kind. We need their Wild Card abilities if we want to continue our investigation."

"Y-you're right, Metis. We can't forget our main objective," Yukari said.

Yosuke got up and smoothed his shirt. "In that case, we should be heading home. Remember guys, we'll be meeting here early in the morning so get enough rest."

After the rest of the Investigation Team left, Yukiko went to get extra futons for the kids while Aigis carried Minako to the girls' room.

* * *

><p>Souji was tossing and turning in his futon, beads of sweat trickling on his forehead as he was struggling with a nightmare:<p>

_He felt odd, because Souji wasn't a child in the dream as he was wearing the Gekkoukan High uniform. His parents were sitting in the front, his mother at the wheel. The radio played some classic English rock from the early 90's, and not long after both of them were reminiscing their younger years. Souji couldn't remember the last time he saw his parents smile like that, so jovial and carefree. The three of them continued to talk about trivial things._

The small car was already halfway across the Moonlight Bridge when a speeding delivery truck headed towards them from the opposite direction. It made a sharp turn and crossed the divider, successfully ramming the Seta family's smaller vehicle. All he could feel was the impact of the crash to his skull, ribcage and arm. Flashes of a manic grin and echoes of maddening laughter could be heard amidst his father and mother's screaming. His vision began to blur and disappear. The last thing he saw before blacking out was the flutter of blue butterfly wings.

Little Souji woke up abruptly, gasping for air. He rolled to his side, instinctively grabbing the nearest object which happened to be Minato's torso. The older Arisato twin stirred from his slumber, and snapped his eyes open when he heard Souji crying beside him.

"Banchou-kun, what's wrong?" Minato asked in a low whisper.

"I had a bad dream," he answered tearfully. "Mommy and Daddy were in a car crash, and I never saw them again!"

Minato sat up and hugged his little brother, patting his back softly. "Wanna go for a walk?" Souji nodded weakly.

Luckily for the two, the grown-ups forgot to lock the door. They quietly sneaked out, only to find Minako already waiting for them, wearing a pink nightgown.

"Aniki, I felt that you were awake and I ran here as fast as I can!" she gushed. "Is something wrong with Banchou-kun?"

"He had a bad dream, so we're going for a walk. How did you get out of your room?"

"I unlocked the door myself. I had to use a chair to reach it though."

The three toddlers silently made their way to the flower garden, illuminated by the moonlight. The sound of the water fountain in the middle of the koi pond was peaceful as the kids huddled together for warmth. They didn't mind, being this close to each other was comforting in itself. The twins patted Souji's head and whispered soothing words to calm him down.

Footsteps echoed behind them, causing the three to panic. They hid behind a few bushes just in time to see three tall figures approaching the center of the garden. All of them were clad in blue. There were two women and a taller man, their golden eyes shining like a cat's under the moonlight.

"Are you sure this is the correct location, Sister?" the lady with the bob haircut asked the one with long, wavy hair.

"I am positive, Elizabeth. Master Souji's compendium tells me this is where he is staying," she answered curtly. "Be thankful that I am supervising you two in this world lest you get over your heads and anger Master Igor like last time."

The tall man sighed. "You don't have to lecture us, dear Margaret. We are perfectly capable of taking care of ourselves in this world."

Margaret pursed her lips in an annoyed manner. "Your overconfidence will be the ruin of you, Theodore. Let me remind you that our master has no tolerance for mistakes this time, and finding the Wild Cards is our upmost priority."

"Master is worried, Brother. Even if he doesn't show it," Elizabeth said with a frown. "The reality altering spell that he detected was by no means casted on a whim. The enemy is up to something. Unless we find those three now, we will not be able figure out what they are up to."

The rustling of bushes caused the Velvet siblings to tense. Unable to hide themselves any longer, the toddlers stumbled out of the bushes in a heap, with Souji and Minako landing on top of Minato.

"Well well, what do we have here?" Theodore inquired, unable to hold back his curiosity. He approached the children and crouched down to their level as they picked themselves up and dusted their clothes. "Children like you should not be allowed to wonder outside this late at night." When the little girl lifted her head to look at him, Theodore took a sharp intake of breath. He recognized those ruby red eyes anywhere. "Could it be? Is that you, Master Minako?" He reached out a gloved hand to touch her head, but was violently pushed aside by her twin.

"Don't touch my sister!" Minato growled. Souji hid behind his back, unsure of what to do. Despite his anxiety due to the nightmare, Souji didn't feel like these people would cause him and his friends any harm.

Margaret and Elizabeth heard the commotion and approached their brother. When they saw the toddlers, they had the same reaction as he did. "Now this is unexpected," Margaret said. "Why would the enemy turn them into children?"

Unlike her ever-so-logical sister, Elizabeth let out a small squeal. "Sister, they are so adorable. Very much like the Jack Frost dolls that Master Minato gave me for one of my requests."

"Elizabeth!" the eldest scolded. "We have a crisis here. Focus!" Unfortunately her warnings went unheeded as her siblings attempted to touch the children. Minato didn't have a problem with Elizabeth, but he slapped Theodore's hand away when he tried to pat his sister's head yet again.

Souji shyly glanced at Margaret from behind Minato's back. Margaret's cheeks began to heat up. She always knew Souji was handsome, as even she was unable to resist his charms. But seeing him this small and cute, it took huge reserves of willpower to refrain herself from acting like her brother and sister. She did notice something else though; the children didn't seem to recognize who they were. This information bothered her, and she would make sure to report this to Igor when they got back.

Elizabeth was pinching Minako's cheeks and Theodore was trying to get through Minato's defenses, which Souji quickly joined in to help keep the adult male away. Margaret really did blush this time; the entire scene before her was just too cute to ignore. All that was ruined when she felt a shiver up her spine, and quickly her golden eyes darted to a rose bush that wasn't too far from them. Margaret furrowed her delicate brows, noticing the light rustling of said bush which could be mistaken for a breeze but she knew better; they were being watched, and closely at that.

Theodore and Elizabeth noticed the tension in their eldest sister's shoulders and immediately put their guard up.

"Master Souji," Margaret said gently, kneeling on the ground in front of the silverette. "I need you to tell me why you're not asleep right now. Maybe I could help."

At first, Souji hesitated to answer but something inside his head told him that he could trust this person. "I…I had a bad dream where my Mommy and Daddy and me were in a car accident. And then there was a round moon, and a blue butterfly, and lots of screaming. Th-that's all I can remember."

"I told him it was just a bad dream," Minato added, placing a hand on Souji's shoulder. Minako hugged him from behind to let him know that he's safe.

Margaret gently ruffled Souji's hair. "Please do not distress over this matter. Master Minato is right, and you have my word that we will try our best to get to the bottom of this." She stood up and held Souji's small hand. "Now let us get you three back to bed. Your friends would panic if they find you missing."

The next morning, everyone woke up early to prepare for the mission. Unfortunately things didn't go as smoothly as planned when you add kids into the equation. The children didn't appreciate being awakened so early, trying to get away from the adults when it was bath time. The little boys managed to squirm their way out into halls, running around naked. A few of the chambermaids and guests shrieked as the guys chased them around the inn. At least Akihiko had the workout of his life; they were sweating bullets by the time they caught little Minato and Souji and hauled them to the bathroom. Who knew that such passive and aloof teenagers would have so much energy? Trying to get them dressed was a different story altogether…

The young women were having an equally difficult time with Minako, but that was expected. What they didn't expect was for her to dash out of the room like a bullet train in her undergarments when Shinjiro opened the door to check up on her. Thus the chasing began yet again.

Yukiko greeted the rest of the Investigation Team plus Nanako and ushered them to the dining hall. SEES and the Wild Card trio were already seated, waiting for the other group. On the huge low table, breakfast was served.

Nanako was surprised when she saw the children, especially the little boy who had dark silver hair like her Big Bro. After a simple explanation from Teddie and Yosuke, the little girl giggled with delight. "So you want me to help take care of Big Bro, Aniki and Aneki?" Nanako concluded. "I'd love to! I get to be the big sister this time!"

"Sorry we couldn't take you to that place, Nanako-chan. It's pretty dangerous there at the moment," Chie told her. Nanako nodded in understanding.

Breakfast was finished in a matter of minutes. After the table was cleared, everyone prepped themselves for their mission.

"So you're going there to find something to turn them back?" Nanako asked. She looked a bit worried.

"Yeah, we're all going except for Shinjiro-san and Ken," Yosuke informed her. "They'll be babysitting you and the little guys."

"We should get going," Mitsuru said, adjusting the ribbon on her collar. They were all dressed, armor hidden under their school uniforms. They left their weapons in an abandoned store room at Junes.

"Right!" everyone echoed in unison.

Mitsuru turned around one last time. "Shinjiro, once we are out of that place, I'll give you a call."

"Will do," he responded.

Shinjiro and Ken watched them leave as Nanako played with the toddlers. "Why don't we go play at Samegawa River? It's nice there this time of year!" the little girl suggested.

Shinjiro thought about it for a while. "Sure, I don't see why not. Better than being cooped up here, I guess."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Samegawa river bank…<strong>_

The air was nice and cool despite the summer heat. Cicadas were buzzing and birds chirping amongst the many trees surrounding the area. It was a nice change of scenery.

Nanako guided the toddlers to her favorite spot near the riverbed where her mother used to take her when she was alive.

As if on cue, an old man came fumbling along. He spotted Nanako and gave her a big toothy grin. "Well, if it isn't little Nanako Dojima. How's your father doing these days?"

"He's doing great. Busy catching bad guys like always!" Nanako stated with pride. "Oh, and these are Big Bro's friends from the city. Meet Shinjiro Aragaki and Ken Amada." At the mention of Ken's name, the little girl's cheeks turned pink.

"Souji's friends, huh? So it's you guys that he was borrowing some of my fishing gear for," the old man said. "It's a pleasure to meet such fine looking young men. Where is Souji anyway? I haven't seen him lately."

Nanako fidgeted at that. She didn't like to lie, but…

"Souji is showing the rest of our friends from the city around town. He asked us to take care of Nanako for a while," Shinjiro answered for her. He saw Nanako sigh a breath of relief and smirked a little.

"Is that right?" the old man mumbled, rubbing his chin. He looked at Shinjiro for a minute. "I was hoping Souji could help me catch the Samegawa Guardian again. My tinker almost stopped when he presented that monster to me last year. I'll never forget it!"

"Big Bro fished a lot during the summer. He caught me my first pet goldfish," Nanako told Ken. "He's so thoughtful."

"Tell him I said 'hi' for me, will ya? I'm sure he'll want to challenge the Guardian again." With that, the old angler walked away.

"Exactly how big is this 'Guardian' he keeps talking about?" Shinjiro asked Nanako.

The little girl merely giggled. "You should have seen it! Big Bro said it could swallow me whole…" she emphasized her point by extending her arms vertically to give the two an idea of how big the Samegawa Guardian was. "I'm sure Dad still keeps the picture somewhere." Nanako giggled again when Ken and Shinjiro's eyes went as wide as saucers.

The Wild Card children were playing nearby, splashing water at each other. Nanako joined them to play with the fish.

Ken laughed at their antics. "Look at them, you'd think this is the first time they see what a river looks like."

The senior chuckled. This was nice; being able to relax without any distractions of their current life, in a beautiful countryside town. His eyes settled on little Minako, and he blushed, recalling Rise's question the previous day.

"You're blushing, Shinjiro-san," Ken pointed out. He sat down beside the senior on a rock nearby, putting the small duffel bag which contained extra clothes for the toddlers (just in case) by his feet.

"It's just an embarrassing question that Kujikawa girl asked me yesterday," Shinjiro said bluntly, turning away from Ken. "And before you ask, I'm not telling you about it."

The middle-school student just shrugged. His thoughts wondered about the others in the TV World. _'I hope they're alright…'_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Inside the TV World…<strong>_**  
><strong>  
>"It's weak against wind spells. Finish them off!" Fuuka yelled.<p>

"Zap 'em with thunder, guys!" Rise cheered.

"Go Susano-O! Magarudyne!"

"Isis, Magarudyne!"

"Psyche, Garudyne!"

"Cesar, Maziodyne!"

"Crush them Rokuten Maoh! Maziodyne!"

In a blink of an eye, the Gigas and Raven type Shadows surrounding them were eliminated.

In order to cover more ground, they divided themselves into two groups. The first group consisted of Junpei, Aigis, Koromaru, Chie, Yukari and Akihiko with Mitsuru as the leader. The other group had Yukiko, Naoto, Teddie, Metis and Kanji with Yosuke as leader. The Fox stayed with Fuuka and Rise.

After a few hours of dungeon grinding, they were nowhere close to finding anything that might reverse the condition of the Wild Cards. They even checked other dungeons, but all they found were the normal items used for healing or support during battle. Even Fox and Koromaru were about to give up sniffing.

At the Entrance Hall, the Persona-users were catching their breath. The Fox was passing around leaves for the injured members. In one corner was a heap all the items they collected earlier, but nothing out of the ordinary. It was a frustrating day…

And they were getting hungrier by the minute.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Back at Samegawa…<strong>_

After playing at the riverbank until it was almost noon, the temperature became unbearable. Shinjiro decided to call it quits and head back to the inn. The kids didn't want to go just yet.

"I want ice cream!" Minako chirped.

"I want soda!" Souji demanded.

"I'm hungry…" Minato groaned, his stomach growling. He had to pat it in order to calm it down.

"Madam Shiroku's shop is not far from here," Nanako pointed out. "We can get some tasty snacks there."

"I am getting a little hungry myself," Ken admitted sheepishly.

At first Shinjiro was reluctant to do so; sugar and children weren't exactly a good combination. But Minako gave him the puppy-dog eyes and he couldn't say 'no' after that. He cursed himself at his weakness and sighed. "Fine, let's go get snacks." The toddlers whooped with joy.

Madam Shiroku greeted them, a warm smile adorning her gracefully aging features. Nanako and Ken made small talk with her as the kids ran around, trying to figure out what snack to get. Shinjiro waited for them outside. While waiting, he thought about the menu for today's lunch. Mitsuru gave him a credit card in case he needed to shop for groceries.

The toddlers were chattering happily when they exited the small shop, each one carrying a small bag filled with rice crackers and sweets. They used their free hand to hold a Topsicle which was slowly melting from the hot sun.

"What flavor did you get, Aniki?" little Minako asked her brother.

"Grape. I wanted cherry," Minato sighed. "What about you, Banchou-kun?"

"I got sour apple," Souji said, scrunching up his face in displeasure. "What about you, Aneki?"

"I think its pineapple," she said. "It's yellow and doesn't taste like banana."

Ken also walked out of the shop with a small bag in hand. He was halfway through his animal crackers when he pulled out a small sticker. Thinking that he didn't need it, he absent-mindedly offered it to Nanako.

"Wow, a rare sticker of the Featherman badge! I was looking for this forever!" Nanako's eyes sparkled. "Thank you!"

Realizing his mistake of not checking his prize before giving it to someone else, Ken felt torn. He wanted the sticker, being a huge fan of the series, but he didn't want to disappoint Nanako and look like a jerk for retracting his offer. Like the gentleman he is, he gave it her anyway.

"Wait till Yuuta-kun sees this," Nanako exclaimed. "I completed my collection before he did!"

Before Ken could ask her about it, Shinjiro cleared his throat loudly. "Are we done here?" he asked. Ken and Nanako nodded, and so did the toddlers. "Let's head to Junes before going back. I need to get some groceries."

It looks like Shinjiro was right all along; sugar and children were a bad combination. When they arrived at Junes, the toddlers, in their hyperactive sugar-rushed state; dashed in three different directions at the same time, leaving their babysitters speechless. Shinjiro cursed under his breath and ordered the other two to chase after them.

Half an hour later, exhausted and out of breath, Shinjiro, Ken and Nanako managed to gather the troublemaking midgets together at the electronics department.

"I told you guys…" Shinjiro panted "…that giving them snacks wasn't a good idea."

"But you said it was okay Shinjiro-san," Ken countered.

"Whatever. We still have some shopping to do," the tall teen grumbled. Nanako on the other hand, looked like she was in heaven despite being tired; they were in Junes after all.

Meanwhile, the children were in front of the giant flat-screen TV used as the gateway to the Shadow Dimension. They were in awe by its size.

"It's so huge~!" Souji said, his mouth still hanging open.

"It's flat too," Minako stated. "I wonder if we're allowed to touch it."

"I dare you!" Minato challenged her.

"Not if you do it first!" she shot back.

"What's the matter? Being a scaredy cat?" Minato taunted. "Mi-chan is a scaredy cat, scaredy cat~" he sang.

"Aniki, stop it…" Souji whispered timidly when he saw anger flash in Minako's red eyes.

"You're going down!" she screeched, and tackled her twin brother. Souji tried to stop her, but ended getting caught in the tousle.

Shinjiro's temper wasn't cooling down. He was about to snap at the three to be quiet, until he saw what they were about to hit in their petty struggle; the television. "Shit!" was all he could say before they collided and got sucked into the screen. He was quick enough to catch Souji's ankle, but the combined weight of the toddlers and the suction of the portal was enough to pull him in. A few unpleasant words echoed out of screen.

"Shouldn't we go after them?" Nanako inquired, sweatdropping.

"Yeah, I think we should," Ken said in an exasperated tone as he held out a hand for Nanako. "Let's go."

The little girl blushed and took his hand and together they leapt into the TV.

Shinjiro's backside hit the ground, bearing the full brunt of the fall and his body acting as a cushion of sorts for the toddlers. They simply rolled off of him as if nothing happened. A few seconds later, they heard another thud nearby.

Ken managed to land on his feet, but he lost his balance and fell flat on his behind. "I'll never get used to this," he groaned. "Are you alright, Nanako-chan?"

"Yes," Nanako said. "I'm fine." She stood up and dusted her dress with her hands. "But I don't think Shinjiro-san is."

The tall teen was still lying on the floor, breathing heavily. He then stood up and rubbed his tailbone. "Those damn brats! I can't wait for this to be over with... Now we can't get out of here until that bear shows up. Just PERFECT!" he hissed.

Said brats were looking at their surroundings, curiosity shining brightly in their eyes and mouths hanging open in a perfect 'O' shape as they ogled the fog-filled world. The fog at the Entrance Hall wasn't as thick as the other places, so they could still see some of the surroundings.

Minato saw something shining on the floor from the corner of his eye. He immediately went and picked it up. "Look what I found!"

Souji and Minako snapped out of their trance and approached him. Shinjiro, Ken and Nanako turned their heads to Minato's direction and gasped. The blue haired boy was holding an Evoker! Ken and Shinjiro checked their holsters, and sure enough, both were empty._'I must have dropped it when I fell,'_they thought at the same time.

"I found another one!" Minako shouted proudly.

"I want one too!" Souji pouted, flapping his arms wildly.

"There aren't any more. You can have this weird hat, Banchou-kun." Shinjiro immediately felt his head. His beanie was gone too!

"B-but…" Souji tried to protest, but Minako shoved it on his head anyway. Souji took the opportunity to grab the Evoker.

"Hey, give that back!"

"No!" Souji stuck his tongue out. Minako proceeded to wrestle the gun-shaped object from his hands.

The toddlers continued to bicker and grapple each other.

Shinjiro finally snapped. "THAT'S ENOUGH!" he roared. He grabbed the Evokers by force as well as his beanie, and returned one to Ken. "You three are going to sit here and be quiet until the others come back. Understand?!" He shot them a glare for good measure.

All of a sudden Minako's eyes begin to water, her bottom lip trembling. She inhaled a huge breath of air…

_ 'Oh shit, she's gonna cry!'_the older teen thought, slightly panicking. The waterworks finally began, and Shinjiro felt guilty all over again. Upon hearing Minako's distress, Souji and Minato were immediately by her side and patted her back to comfort her, disputes forgotten, and shot an equally devastating glare towards Shinjiro at the same time.

Nanako stifled a laugh. She never would have thought that her Big Bro would be so rebellious and cute at the same time.

As soon as Minako stopped crying (much to Shinjiro's relief) the three Fools' attention were now on a glowing blue butterfly which fluttered past them. As if Shinjiro's warning didn't exist, they ran off to chase it.

"What are they doing?" Nanako wondered. "It looks like they're chasing something."

"Chasing? I don't see anything," Ken answered.

One of Shinjiro's eyebrows twitched with annoyance, a vein in his forehead throbbed. Seeing that arguing is not going to make them stay, he decided to take action and secure them by force if necessary. But the topic of their conversation was worrying him._'If Ken and Nanako-chan can't see that blue butterfly, then something is about to go wrong,'_his gut told him. "Stay here and protect Nanako. I'll be right back," he ordered Ken, and put on the glasses Teddie gave him.

Ken and Nanako already had their glasses on. "Alright. Be careful, Shinjiro-san!"

"Damn kids and their short attention span," Shinjiro grumbled. "Wait till those brats return to normal…I can't wait to give them a piece of my mind!"

The trio hadn't run off very far. Shinjiro recognized the area they were in; it was the shopping district on the North side, albeit a creepier version. _'Oh yeah, Hanamura told us that this is the place where he and Souji awakened to their Personas.'_

The blue butterfly was fluttering around an electric pole in front of Konishi's liquor shop, the children running around in circles trying to catch it. As they butterfly was floating above them, they had to jump up and down to reach it. It was giving Shinjiro a headache. He was going to grab and possibly tie them up when his ears heard growls somewhere nearby.

Five Shadows emerged from the shop. There was one Shadow which looked like a lion, chained to a floating ball wearing a blue mask. The other four were literally enormous floating balls with black and purple stripes. It had huge grey lips, with their tongues hanging out. They had their sights on a certain target; the Wild Cards.

By now, the toddlers saw the Shadows and cowered in fear. Minato and Minako were hugging each other, with Souji protectively in the middle. The butterfly was the last thing on their minds right now. The screamed when the lion Shadow begin to pounced on them.

Shinjiro whipped out his Evoker. "Pegasus, Fatal End!"

Pegasus performed the slash attack, but as soon as it came in contact with the lion Shadow, the attack deflected and hit his master instead. He was fast enough to dodge it before it caused serious damage. _'Another one that reflects physical attacks…Just my luck!'_He didn't see one Halberie attack him from behind, and it went downhill from there.

While Shinjiro was struggling, the other Shadows continued to approach the trio menacingly. The children continued to back away before hitting a wall. They gasped in dismay as they were surrounded, their fear of getting eaten growing and growing.

One of the balls leaped at the trio, its tongue sticking out much longer than before. The toddlers were too scared to scream this time.

Blue smoke glowed at their feet, and suddenly three figures hovered above them.

Shinjiro was surprised when he saw that the three toddlers summoned their respective Persona, especially when they didn't have their Evokers or in Souji's case, his tarot card. Orpheus managed to hit one Shadow with his lyre while Eurydice casted Agi as a follow up attack, causing the rest of the Shadows to back away. Izanagi zapped the lion Shadow with Zio, nearly hitting Shinjiro.

Distinct shouts could be heard from the distance (Junpei and Teddie's stood out so far) as the cavalry arrived. Shinjiro never felt more relieved. The children were exhausted from the oppressive atmosphere of the fog-filled world and the summoning of their Persona. They immediately fainted, and the three Personae disappeared.

Seeing the window of opportunity, the Shadows attacked again. But before they can do so, Shinjiro blocked them with Pegasus. He grunted as a piercing sting coursed through his body when his Persona's pain was transferred to him.

"Guys, the Halberie Shadows are weak to fire. Burn their asses!" Rise shouted.

"That Beast Shadow has a weakness to Light. Naoto-chan, please get rid of it!" Fuuka said.

Yukiko was furious. She summoned Amaterasu and released a Maragidyne attack. _'If those Shadows think they can hurt MY boyfriend and get away with it, they've got another thing coming!'_she glared dangerously. Her anger fueled her flames and the Halberies were ash in no time. Junpei didn't even need to help.

"Yamato Takeru, Hamaon!"

A symbol with runes of yellow light flashed beneath the Beast Shadow before the light engulfed it. And the Shadow was no more.

"Shinji, are you alright?" Akihiko approached his childhood friend. "Don't move. I'll heal you." He summoned Caesar and casted Diarahan.

"Thanks, Aki." Shinjiro let himself relax as his cuts and bruises healed, letting the cool sensation of the healing spell wash over him. "How did you guys know we were here?"

"Rise-chan said she sensed a bunch of Shadows here. Mitsuru had a bad feeling about it and we had to check it out. I'm glad we did."

Yukari and the Fox ran towards the toddlers, followed by Yukiko, Yosuke and Teddie.

The young brunette kneeled beside Minato and began to look for injuries. She sighed with relief and checked on the other twin. Yukiko was cradling Souji while Yosuke casted Diarahan on him. Teddie used the Fox's leaves to help them regain their energy.

"Shinjiro, how did you even get here?" Mitsuru questioned. "I thought you were supposed to be babysitting them in our world."

"I was. We were just doing some grocery shopping when they started to fight. One thing led to another and they got sucked here," Shinjiro scowled. "I'm never taking babysitting duty ever again!"

"Where's Ken? More importantly, what happened to Nanako-chan?" Kanji asked frantically.

"Don't worry. I left them at the entrance," Shinjiro grunted. He stood up and dusted himself off before picking Minako up bridal style. "We should head back before this world does any more damage to them."

Junpei took the opportunity to say something. "Shinjiro-senpai, was that Orpheus, Eurydice and Izanagi we saw when we got here?"

"Yeah, I'll tell you about it later."

As the group reached the Entrance Hall, they were greeted by Ken and a very worried Nanako. "Are they alright?" she asked when she saw Minato asleep in Kanji's arms and Souji in Yosuke's.

"They are fine, Nanako-chan. They're just exhausted," Metis answered.

"We are sad to report that our search has not been successful," Aigis said in a depressed tone. Koromaru only whimpered beside her.

"Yes. So far we checked most of the dungeons and found nothing of remote interest," Naoto continued. "Teddie, if you would be so kind to let us out of here."

Teddie nodded. He tapped his foot three times and the stack of televisions appeared. All of them exited the TV World.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Back at Junes Food Court…<strong>_**  
><strong>  
>Yukiko and Yukari were cradling Souji and Minato on their laps, wiping their foreheads with a damp cloth. Shinjiro did the same with Minako. The little girl giggled in her sleep and snuggled into his jacket, feeling safe in his arms. Souji and Minato did the same with their girls, making them giggle and Shinjiro smiled.<p>

Behind him, Akihiko snickered. His best friend rarely showed any sort of affectionate behavior, but never in front of this many people. It was a first. Mitsuru smirked when she saw what Akihiko was smiling at.

Teddie was fussing over Nanako, offering her some of the Fox's leaves and poking and prodding her for injuries. If she was feeling uncomfortable, Nanako didn't show it. The rest slumped on chairs or the benches, exhausted out of their minds. On the table were the items they managed to collect so far.

"We've been through them three times. Most of them are just the normal stuff we use for healing or support," Chie reported.

"I'm so tired. I can't wait to get back to the inn and soak in the hot springs," Junpei sighed.

"You can say that again," Yosuke echoed. "But I'm never spending a night at that inn after what happened last year." He shot Yukiko a dirty look, which she didn't seem to notice.

"That was worse than the camping incident," Kanji said as a depressing aura surrounded him.

"We agreed to never speak of that again," Yosuke hissed. "Do you want to mentally torture yourself to death?"

"You started it…" Kanji mumbled before becoming silent.

Everybody else was too tired to ask what both of them meant. There was one more important question to ask; Junpei was the one to voice it out. "How did the little dudes summon their Personas without the Evoker? I thought we left them at the inn."

"Interesting…" Akihiko mused. "I suspected that it is possible to summon a Persona without one. These guys proved it -" he gestured to the Investigation Team. "How else did you summon yours during your awakening, Junpei?"

"It must have been some sort of defense mechanism," Fuuka theorized. "They were in extreme danger when those Shadows attacked, and they unconsciously summoned their Persona. Minato-kun did that when Minako-chan and Souji-kun were in extreme danger when we faced Adachi."

"Really? Aren't they a bit too young to have any sort of emotional baggage or whatever?" Rise asked. But then she lowered her voice to a whisper. "I mean, remember what we told you about Nanako-chan?"

"The same logic may not apply to them, Rise. After all, they did possess the power of Persona before turning into toddlers," Naoto said.

Shinjiro overheard their conversation while he nursed an unconscious Minako. He had a strong feeling that the blue butterfly helped them, and if anything was connected to the three Wild Cards it had to be the Velvet Room. While he was confused, at the same time he was thankful that everything turned out alright. He might have to thank Igor if he ever saw him again.

"It looks like we should just call it a day," Mitsuru concluded. "Why don't we all grab a bite to eat before we head back?"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Night time, Amagi Inn…<strong>_

"Stupei actually made a good suggestion today," Yukari said as the girls headed for the hot springs. The SEES girls were already in their yukata. They had invited Yukiko to join them, but she declined saying she was busy helping her mother.

"This will be a new experience for me," Metis chirped. She was extremely happy; she had never been in a hot spring before.

"As long as what happened in Kyoto never occurs again," Aigis said in a grim tone.

"Still mad about that, huh? Don't worry, I haven't forgiven Junpei yet either," Yukari reassured the blonde android.

"I'm sure the boys know better now," Mitsuru smiled triumphantly. The other girls shivered at the memory, grateful for not ending up on the other side of their senpai's 'execution'.

Behind the group of girls, the Wild Card trio happily trotted in their little bathrobes. In each hand they carried their bathing items and a towel in the other. It seems that the girls were okay with Minato and Souji joining them; they would be playing at the kid's section anyway.

When they reached the hot springs, the girls took Minako to the locker rooms to undress. Souji and Minato were already in their swimming shorts and made a dash for the children's pool.

The girls came out of the locker room in only their towels. Yukari was holding Minako's hand as she guided her to the hot springs. The little girl was jumping up and down in excitement, causing the others to smile at her limitless energy. They could hear the little boys splashing each other in the distance.

Mitsuru, Yukari and Fuuka sank their tired bodies into the hot water of the springs, letting out a satisfied sigh as they let their muscles relax. Aigis and Metis sat at the edge of the pool with their feet in the water. Minako was at the shallow end, mimicking the three girls while chatting with the androids who were closer to her.

"Hey, let's have a breath holding contest!" Minako announced, waving her chubby arms excitedly. Seeing the girl's enthusiasm the female SEES didn't have the heart to say no. _'She's just too cute!'_they thought.

Before they can start, Minako had already disappeared under the water's surface. At the same time the girls heard loud voices coming from the kid's pool and it didn't sound like they belonged to children.

"That sounded like a man's voice!" Yukari hissed. "That stupid moron, he's trying to peep on us again!" At the word 'peep', the young women wrapped themselves with their towels.

"It will be my pleasure to get rid of him," Aigis said nonchalantly and walked stealthily to the small pool, readying her guns.

"I'll come with you, Sister," Metis said. Both of them disappeared.

Two loud and manly screams followed soon after. Yukari and Mitsuru were out of the hot spring and into their fighting stances, with Fuuka behind them. They heard the bushes rustling nearby and readied themselves to beat the crap out of whoever dared to sneak in while the women were bathing. To their utter surprise, Aigis and Metis pushed two young men from the bushes; and it happened to be Minato and Souji, who weren't kids anymore but full-grown teenagers!

Not just full-grown, but half-naked as well. The swimming shorts they wore when they were in their child forms now closely resembled speedos. Yukari blushed as she caught herself comparing Minato and Souji's physique; Minato was lean and muscular, while Souji had a bit more bulk and wider shoulders.

There was a few seconds of silence before Fuuka screamed. A few moments after that, the sliding door opened to reveal Shinjiro.

"What the hell happened? I thought I heard Fuuka shout–"

"I win!"

Everyone heard a splash of water coming from the middle of the hot spring as a grown-up Minako emerged from the water with her arms raised in a victorious manner.

The three young men blushed at what they saw. Since Minako was facing the opposite side of the pool, they only saw her smooth, bare back, slightly covered by her wet, chestnut hair. Her lower half was (thankfully) still in the water. Dirty thoughts began to form in Shinjiro's mind.

Minato's over-protectiveness kicked in. "Minako, for goodness sakes cover yourself!" He saw her body stiffen at the sound of his voice before she tilted her head downwards and gasped at what she saw.

"KYAAAA!" She submerged into the water once more and wrapped her arms around herself.

Mitsuru found her voice again. "GET OUT OF HERE, YOU DAMN IDIOTS!" she thundered. At the same time Yukari picked up a bucket and threw it at the guys. Fuuka, Aigis and Metis followed suit.

The situation was becoming all too familiar. Minato and Souji high tailed it out of there, dragging a still blushing Shinjiro and dodging buckets in the process. The sliding door slammed shut behind them. The young women swore they heard Yukiko shriek in the hallway a few moments later.

Yukari threw Minako a spare towel and they rushed to the locker room to get dressed, no longer in the mood for another dip in the hot spring.

Somewhere in the inn, a silver-haired boxing champ and a cap wearing class-clown shivered in the warm night.

* * *

><p>Mitsuru had booked a conference room the next day and called the rest of the Inaba Persona-users to join in the meeting to deliver the good news. In the middle of the room was a huge oak table, surrounded by soft, red cushions. Everybody was already seated as Yukiko and Rise passed around some refreshments.<p>

"So let me get this straight…" Yosuke sighed, pinching the skin between his eyebrows. "We went through all that dungeon grinding, found nothing, and all it took to cure you guys was a bath in the hot springs?!"

Souji rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, that pretty much sums it up."

Nanako hugged her Big Bro. "I'm so glad that you guys are back to normal." This earned her a pat on the head.

"Why do bad things happen to us at hot springs?" Minato uttered grimly. His twin was grinning sheepishly between him and Souji, who looked just as dejected.

"So it's like putting clothes in the dryer…they expand!" Kanji said suddenly, punching a fist into his other hand.

Everybody sweatdropped at his analogy.

"Ugh…I'm just glad this whole ordeal is over," Chie grimaced. She knocked Teddie, who was sitting on her left, at the back of his head. "For the record, this is your fault!"

"What did I do?" the little blond whined. Everyone ignored him.

It took a while for everyone to notice that Minato was avoiding Yukari's stare, Souji blushed and quickly looked away when he spotted Yukiko (which is weird because she wasn't sitting beside him like she usually does) and Shinjiro was sitting by himself in one corner trying desperately to avoid a certain crimson-eyed girl.

"Uh…what's going on here?" Yosuke whispered to Akihiko. Beside him, Chie's ears twitched.

The silver-haired boxer seemed uncomfortable at the question. "Well you see…the girls didn't know that this would happen when they took Minato and Souji, when they were still in their kid forms, to play at the hot springs. Shinji kinda barged in on them when he heard Fuuka screaming," he whispered back.

Getting a sense of what might follow afterwards, Yosuke just nodded._'I'm just glad they weren't hurt in any way, if past experience helps,'_he thought.

"They did WHAT?!" Chie squawked, making Akihiko and Yosuke jump in their seats. She happened to be paying extra close attention, since Yosuke wasn't really that skilled at whispering, and she swiveled her head towards Souji. "Even after what happened the last time, you still haven't learned?" she hissed venomously.

"This happened before…?" Fuuka asked.

"They peeped on you guys too?" Yukari gasped.

Souji gulped. He was very much aware of what Chie was capable of when angered enough. "It was an accident, I swear!" he defended.

"You can't blame us! We didn't even know that would happen!" Minato stressed, backing up Souji.

"Aniki is right. You shouldn't get too worked up, Chie-chan...Yukari-chan and Fuuka-chan too. Like Souji-kun said, it was an accident." Minako tried to pacify the martial artist. But when she caught Shinjiro's eye, she blushed and found the floor more interesting instead.

Yukiko was also very red. During the hot spring incident last year, all she remembered was throwing wooden pails at the guys. Last night she saw Souji half-naked, and she couldn't help but stare and admire. When she became aware of what she was doing, Yukiko screamed her head off and ran away covering her eyes. _'I wonder what kind of impression I left on him,'_she sighed mentally.

The atmosphere in the conference room was getting awkward, and fast. In one corner of the room, Shinjiro sat by himself trying to avoid people especially Minato and Souji. He stole occasional glances around the room, but mostly he just stared at the ceiling or the carpet.

_**…Flashback….**_

The three of them managed to return to their room without running into other guests. Minato dashed to the bathroom while Souji just grabbed a robe from the closet to cover himself up. Junpei and Akihiko were shocked when they barged in suddenly, two of them in skimpy clothing. Junpei had the decency not to laugh, which made the situation a little more bearable. Ken and Koromaru were already fast asleep so neither of them noticed the commotion.

A few minutes later, Minato came out of the bathroom fully dressed. Souji took his turn.

"Damn, that was one freaky experience," Minato mumbled, pinching the bridge of his nose as a headache was forming. "I'm just so glad Mitsuru-senpai didn't execute us this time."

"Dude, you had to bring that up?" Junpei whimpered. He could still feel the prickle of ice on his skin after all of these years."But wait…weren't you guys little kids a little while ago?"

"Yeah…you're going to fill us in on that. All I remember was us training in the TV World, surrounded by yellow powder, and then pushed by Aigis and Metis in front of the girls."

Akihiko grimaced. "That is _never _a good situation."

Souji stepped out of the bathroom, dressed in a t-shirt and pajama bottoms he borrowed from Minato. "So you guys had a hot spring incident too?" he chuckled, rubbing his hair dry with a towel.

"It was Junpei's idea," Minato deadpanned. "Why Akihiko-senpai and I listened to him and Ryoji was beyond me."

Shinjiro found this amusing, but it angered him as well especially when it regarded his girlfriend. "You had a part in peeping on girls, Aki? How low can you get?" he glared dangerously.

Akihiko sighed. "Like Minato said Shinji, it wasn't our fault."

"Tell us about yours, Souji, while we're still on the topic," Junpei said, grinning. Akihiko only rolled his eyes at Junpei's perverted intentions.

"It wasn't really our fault either," Souji began. "We were a little jumpy because of the whole murder business and a tiring day at the school's cultural festival. We took the chance to go relax in the hot spring since the front desk called to inform us that it was the guys' time. When we arrived, the girls and Nanako were already there. Long story short, we got chased out by wooden buckets. But what happened after that was a lot worse though, and that time it was Yosuke and Teddie's fault." Souji skin crawled as he tried to scrape the horrible memories from his brain.

"Is that what Hanamura and Tatsumi were mumbling about earlier?" Akihiko wondered. Shinjiro just shrugged.

"Persona-user women really are scary," Junpei muttered. "We were lucky we didn't get frostbite after Mitsuru-senpai executed us."

"So us guys escaped but not without injuries, huh?" Minato laughed lightly. Then he turned sharply to Shinjiro and narrowed his eyes. "Senpai, I hope you don't get any ideas about my sister after what you saw in there. Just because you weren't in Kyoto when it happened doesn't mean you're entitled to a chance."

"That's right, Shinjiro-san. What Aniki said," Souji clasped a hand on the senior's shoulder. His face was smiling but the malicious aura indicated otherwise.

Shinjiro gulped, but still kept his stoic exterior. He was never one to be intimidated, but it was different when being confronted by two powerful Wild Cards who also happen to be overprotective brothers to the girl he loves.

"Whatever," Shinjiro said in a flat tone. That was all he could say at the moment as his heart was uncomfortably beating very, very fast.

Junpei and Akihiko had a newfound respect for Shinjiro, but they also made a mental note not to cross these two – No, scratch that. Make it three since Minako could be just as scary – ever.

_**…End Flashback…**_

Before Mitsuru could say something to break the ice, Rise beat her to it. "This calls for a celebration! How about a karaoke party?"

"That won't be necessary, Rise," Souji told her. "We squad leaders have decided to make lunch for you guys instead."

"Yeah, to thank you guys for braving the Shadows to help us turn back to normal," Minato said, smiling.

"I'll even bake a cake!" Minako smiled.

"It's the least we could do," Souji added.

Yosuke could barely contain his excitement. "Awesome! More delicious food!" His enthusiastic cheer was echoed by Kanji and Teddie, while the girls could only pout.

"It's been a while since we tasted anything you made, Minako-san. I can't wait," Ken said.

The hostility was temporarily forgotten as the conversation steered to the topic of food. The Investigation Team were praising their leader's cooking skills while the SEES members were reminiscing about Minako's home-made sweets or Minato's whacky but delicious ramen combinations. Even Shinjiro was in the mood to join the conversation.

Three hours later, all of them returned from Junes carrying bags of groceries and placed them at the inn's kitchen. The chefs had already cleared out a small area for them to use at Yukiko's request. The three Wild Cards started to work while the rest went to wait at the same conference room earlier.

Give or take another two hours later, the three of them arrived, pushing three carts of food. Everyone was in awe as they ogled their leaders' creations; grilled chicken skewers, soba noodles, beef sukiyaki, salad and fried rice with omelet. To top it off, there were fruit tarts, milkshakes and chocolate cake for dessert.

The sight of the desserts and omelet fried rice made Nanako and Ken very happy. It didn't take long for the food to be passed around and everyone started consuming.

Mitsuru cleared her throat to catch everyone's attention. "I would like to propose a toast to our leaders." She raised her glass of fruit punch. "Congratulations to you three for turning back to normal. And may our search for the truth be victorious!"

"I wouldn't say no to that," Naoto commented as everyone also raised their glass.

"And again, we would like to thank you all and for standing beside us all the way," Minato said, as he glanced to Minako and Souji. "We couldn't have asked for a better team!"

The Persona-users took pleasure in each others' company as they partied into the night, fully aware that tomorrow would bring even more challenges and possible dangers. But for now they were content with the time they have to just enjoy their youth.

* * *

><p><em>Hope ya guys enjoyed this chapter as much as Ohta-chan and I enjoyed writing it. I told ya it would be a sort of WTH?! Oh and stay tuned, next chapters will get intense. And when I say intense, expect serious battles, an unexpected foe returns and memories and secrets are revealed! Mark my words! <em>

_Have fun and don't forget to Read and Review! _


	13. Chapter 13: The Tower of Demise Returns

_Hey guys, Sea of Soul again. I'm done with my residency exams and now I'm waiting for the results. Hope that I'll pass any of them. That'd be the best Christmas gift for me! owo _

_Speaking of gifts, I bring you guys chapter 13 as my and ohta-chan's holidays' gift for you. But first: time to answer some questions/comments:_

**KO**: I don't know 'Black Cat', but I think ohta-chan does. Read her author notes at the end of the chapter.

_**God Emperor Of GAR-halla**_: Hot-springs shenanigans are something common in japanese anime/games/mangas. Personally I find them amusing because girls overreact and the so called 'perverts' get punished for it. Most of times they don't deserve it, it's true, but it's all for laughs. Anyway, everyone's got their own opinion and I respect yours.

**Code-Emperor07**: If memory serves me Nanako's 7 while Ken's 13-14 I think.

**Yuuji Narukami**: Thanks for the pointers. They made a lot of sense in a way. You see, Ohta-chan and I prefer to do them calling out their personas like that because it gets closer to the game. Plus when it comes to the Wild Cards, it is a necessity. As for Shinjiro, him turning into a softie is only because he's being influenced by Minako. He's still a badass, that's for sure, but not as much around his friends and girlfriend. We'll get him turning into one soon enough. Also, instead of the moon arcana he had for a social link in p3p, Shinji is reverting back to his original arcana, the hierophant. Expect him and Kanji cursing quite a bit in the future. Regarding Marie, like I mentioned on a previous chapter, I came to learn about her when I was already working on this fic, so she'll make an appearance in later chapters. I need to find some videos of her social link to get better ideas for her, but I assure you she will appear.

**grandshadowseal**: Good guess, but not really. You'll see who it is soon enough.

A few warnings: (Yes, I put those before every chapter to avoid issues)

_-There will be spoilers for all games! You've been warned.  
>-The Main characters from each game in this fanfic are called Minato Arisato (P3:FES), Minako Arisato (P3P) and Souji Seta (P4)<br>-There'll be some cursing. (Anyone that played any persona games knows that some characters on it curse quite a bit.) as well as some heavy subjects.  
>-Main Pairings in this fanfic: MinatoxYukari, ShinjiroxMinako, SoujixYukiko, KanjixNaoto, AkihikoxMitsuru, YosukexChie.<br>-Hinted Pairings(in later chapters): JunpeixChidori. (Hinted because Chidori doesn't appear much on this story) KenxNanako (Ya know those little girl's crushes on older boys? It'll be along those lines) FuukaxKeisuke (Other than Minato and Junpei, Fuuka only displayed some sort of close relationship with Keisuke the club president. I found it kinda cute.) TeddiexRise (Just for giggles. They are after all the two hyperactive cuties of the team X3)_

_Have fun ya guys. On with the show!_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 13: The Tower of Demise returns.<strong>

Two days after the Wild Card trio went back to normal, they decided to resume their training routine at Void Quest before moving on with the investigation of the other world.

_"It's weak against thunder, Senpai!"_ Rise said. _"Zap it!"_

"Time to try out the Minor Arcana cards' power," Souji said. "Izanagi, Ziodyne!"

The Original God emerged and effortlessly eliminated the Shadow with a single spell. Despite the move being executed with perfection, Izanagi lingered around for a bit longer than usual, staring at Souji with his golden eyes as if questioning him or something, before he vanished. The silverette frowned.

"Hey, partner." Yosuke tapped him on his shoulder. "Everything okay? You look kinda zoned out."

"Huh? Oh, it's nothing, Yosuke. Just kinda surprised at how Izanagi's magic improved…" Souji lied.

"If you say so…" Yosuke shrugged. "Well, we're done here. Wanna go back?"

"Sure. Aniki and Aneki must be done by now…" He turned to his other teammates. "Let's go back, guys"

As they moved forward Souji tried to understand what had just happened. '_Izanagi… what's wrong with you?' _No answer. _'I'll have to talk with Aneki and Aniki about it.'  
><em>

* * *

><p><em><strong>At a lower floor…<strong>_**  
><strong>  
><em><br>"It's weakness is fire!"_ Fuuka said. "_Please, defeat it!"_

"Hey, Aniki, why don't we try out those new cards we got?" Minako suggested.

Minato replied "Very well, sounds like a plan to me." He drew his Evoker.

The Shadow got closer while the rest of their group backed away.

"Orpheus…!"

"Eurydice…!"

"Agidyne!"

The combined fire spell completely roasted the last Shadow, but just like Izanagi, the Master of Strings and the Mistress of Melodies lingered around longer than usual, glaring at their masters as if demanding an explanation, before they vanished.

The twins exchanged worried glances, when they felt someone tapping their shoulders. They turned around to face Aigis and Metis.

"Is anything bothering you, Minako-san? Minato-san?" Aigis asked.

"You two seem distracted," Metis added.

"No, not at all, girls!" Minako managed to smile. "We're just amazed at how easy that was.'"

"Yes, that went way better than I expected…" Minato said before looking at the rest of his friends. "At any rate, we're done here. Let's go meet up with Souji-kun and the others and head back."

As they walked, both twins tried to understand what had happened. '_Orpheus, why are you not answering me?'_ Silence. '_Minako seems to be having the same problem… I wonder if Souji-kun knows anything about it. We'll need to talk.'__  
><em>  
><em>'Eurydice… You were never one to give me a cold shoulder, so why now?'<em> No answer. '_This is bad…we need to speak to Souji-kun about this.'_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Heaven's Pearly Gates...<strong>_**  
><strong>  
>After the training run, Souji took the twins here while their friends rested. Even though the place brought back some of his worst memories, it also made him feel at peace.<p>

While their friends hadn't noticed, they felt something was off with each other and themselves.

"So… We're all feeling something weird with our Personas, right?" Minato started. "Namely, our starting ones."

"Yes… Eurydice is not talking." Minako frowned. "And she used to be quite a chatterbox, commenting about everything I'd do from inside my head."

"I can't hear Izanagi's voice in my mind either…" Souji sighed. "Battlewise, he remains the same, but somehow… I don't know how to put it… he feels... distant."

"Orpheus too…even though he obeys my commands, his sudden lack of communication bothers me." Minato closed his eyes, holding his chin pensively. "And it all started after we were turned into kids…"

Minako played with the hem of her skirt, looking at the ground. "About that time…after that I started having nightmares…" Her voice barely came out as a whisper, earning surprised glances from her two brothers. She looked back up "What…you guys too?"

At their nods, she looked away. "The dream starts out kinda nice, we were hanging out together with our friends and having fun, but the sky suddenly turned dark and everybody disappeared… I then find myself standing before the Great Seal as if it was calling me… I tried to back away, but chains came out of it and wrapped themselves around me, dragging...I - I couldn't fight, I couldn't scream for help. When I thought I was going to die… I heard Shinji-kun's voice and woke up."

"I… I had that dream too! Same scenario, same feelings… I felt completely helpless…so alone…Only I heard Yukari's voice in my case," Minato admitted.

Souji took a deep breath. "I dreamt about my parents. They were with me, Uncle and Nanako. And then my friends and you guys arrived. We were all having fun…" his voice started to tremble. "Suddenly, fog enveloped the area… I was alone… I couldn't see anything. I called out for help, but no one came. Next thing I knew, something grabs me by my neck and starts choking me… I couldn't shout… I couldn't breathe. Then, everything went black and I thought I heard Yukiko calling me before I woke up."

Minato pinched his nose bridge. "Okay, this is getting seriously disturbing… It can't be a mere coincidence."

"Dreams can tell us about our future… Does that mean that something bad is going to happen to us?" Souji asked. He looked really uneasy.

"Don't say that, Banchou-kun! Nothing bad is going to happen to us as long as we're together!" Minako scolded. She looked up to Minato. "Right, Aniki?"

"You're right, Minako. We gotta keep it together. If we break, the others will fall apart as well and they'll be left vulnerable. We can't let that happen!"

Souji calmed down. "You're right, both of you. We will protect them. If we don't, then who will?"

"Exactly. Let's head to the Velvet Room before we go back," Minato decided. "If anyone can help us with this, it's Igor."

"Great idea, Aniki. Theo-kun and his sisters' antics always cheer me up!" Minako smiled. "I'm sure we can find our way out of this maze of confusion, together."

Before Souji could say anything, another voice rang out from a distance. "A maze, you say? Well, to my 'amazement' you've been doing an astounding job so far."

The twins froze. Not because of the terrible pun, but because they knew that voice. "No way…"

Seeing the twins' reaction, Souji quickly sprung into action and brandished his katana. "Who's there?!"

Footsteps were heard, coming closer. From the gates a figure appeared. It was a middle-aged man with long wavy brown hair and dark brown eyes behind round glasses. He was wearing a black turtleneck under a tan suit.

Both Arisato gasped shocked. "Ikutsuki?!"

"My my, if it isn't the Arisato twins," he tittered politely. "You two look quite well… so lively."

Minako pointed at him with the tip of her naginata. "Don't give me that crap, you asshole!"

"Oh dear, Minako, you had better manners than that."

"Shut up, you good-for-nothing creep!" her twin growled, swinging his sword and pointing it at said creep. "Don't think we've forgotten the things you've done!"

"Dear me, you two became quite naughty while you were away." Ikutsuki wasn't fazed one bit, and looked at Souji. "Perhaps you friend here will show proper manners."

Souji went pale and felt cold, not because he was facing the man who almost brought the end of the world and was supposed to be dead. For some reason he couldn't fathom, Ikutsuki's presence made fear grip his heart like nothing before. _'Wh-what's wrong with me?!' _ He almost dropped his sword as his hands were shaking so much.

The twins saw Souji's reaction and became concerned. "Souji-kun, what's going on?" Minako asked.

"I-I…. I d-don't know!" he stuttered. "I c-can't s-s-stop sh-shaking…!"

"Why so scared, little Souji?" Ikutsuki became bolder and took a few steps forward. "You were braver than that when you were a little boy." He gave them a condescending smirk.

The silverette narrowed his eyes. "What are you talking about?! I don't even know you!"

"Hm… Looks like your memory got a bit jammed. Perhaps you should ask you parents…" Ikutsuki's mocking stare never left Souji. "That is, if they're still alive…"

Souji flinched. _How could he know about his parents?_

Before Ikutsuki could get any closer, the twins stood in front of Souji with their weapons ready. "Don't you dare get any closer to our brother!" Minato roared. "You already screwed up our lives once! You're not doing it again!"

"Is that so? We'll see it about that." Ikutsuki snapped his fingers.

The loud sound of rattling chains was heard as a male figure clad in black emerged from a void of darkness on the ground. It was wearing two long steel chains, each across its left and right shoulders, forming a cross. Both its hands wielded two long-barreled revolvers, with a face shrouded in bandages, only one ominous yellow eye to see its surroundings.

The Wild Cards tensed. "The Reaper!" They all had bad run-ins with the powerful Shadow: Back when the twins set out to rescue Maiko, who had wandered into Tartarus after she tried to run away from home, they had barely survived his onslaught _just stalling him_so that their friends could make it to the exit with the little girl. In Souji's case, he encountered Death while searching for Nanako in Heaven, having accidentally opened a treasure chest and the Shadow burst out of it, leaving him with no other choice but to try and stall so his friends could escape without major wounds. He himself barely made it alive. Sure, they fought it again afterwards and won, but they had their friends with them.

"Light and Darkness spells don't work on it, so we'll have to hit him with everything else we got!" Minato warned the other two, who nodded in agreement.

The Reaper stared right into their eyes, as if reading their minds to predict their moves. He started floating towards them.

"Here he comes!" Minako shouted, making the first move. "Surt, Ragnarok!"

The fiery giant casted a giant pillar of flames erupting from the ground, causing the trio to choke on sooty air. Coughing, they removed their hands and stared at their opponent. The Reaper looked unfazed by the assault, advancing towards them slowly.

Souji's mouth formed a small "tch!" before a card appeared on his hand. "I've got this one! Loki, Niflheim!"

Although this time The Reaper shivered from the ice, no noticeable wounds or bruises were taken. Still, the trio refused to give up. Surely that thing had something it was weak against.

"Odin, Thunder Reign!" Minato shouted.

A loud thunder sounded from somewhere as Odin raised his hand. A huge bolt of deadly lightning struck The Reaper and they felt fairly certain that this time it would be affected. They looked up only to see the Shadow stunned, but not quite paralyzed. Sighing with relief, they exchanged glances and summoned their last elemental skill on him together.

"Panta Rhei!"

A giant gust of wind soon turned into a tornado trying its very best to wipe The Reaper off its feet. Looking on with hope, their shoulders sagged to see evil Shadow still in place as though some invisible force is holding it down. Gravity. Was it that strong?

Having enough, The Reaper aimed his guns to the sky and fired several times, unleashing a Myriad Arrows attack. The Wild Cards were unable to dodge, and tried to shield themselves as the shower of bullets fell from the sky with any Persona that had physical resistance.

Wounded, but refusing to give up, they slowly stood up and prepared to fight again.

"If elemental skills don't work, then that just leaves us with physical and almighty skills!" Souji crushed another card. "Futsunushi, Primal force!"

The Reaper looked surprised, a small cut appeared on its arm. At least this made a difference compared to the other attacks, giving them more hope to win this battle.

"Michael, Heaven's Blade!" Minato shouted.

The Reaper only nimbly dodged the Archangel's blade aside, apparently with a smirk underneath all those bandages.

"Metatron, God's Hand!" Minako shouted.

The Persona-users gasped in surprised as The Reaper grabbed the falling hand before spinning like a ballerina to gain momentum, and swung it away.

_'You gotta be kidding me!'_

There was only one option left. The only skill they had not tried yet- an almighty spell.

However, The Reaper had other ideas. It put the guns away and removed the chains from its shoulder, and began to swing them around. As it gained more speed, it looked as though the chains were multiplying, whipping through the air like they had minds of their own and spreading across the area surrounding the three Wild Cards.

A flying chain missed Minako by a few inches. "What is it trying to do?!"

"I don't know, but I don't like the looks of this!" Minato shouted, narrowly dodging a chain from hitting him on the face.

"We need to get rid of those!" Souji dodged another chain. "Belial, Maragidyne!"

"Surt, Maragidyne!"

"Asura, Maragidyne!"

The gigantic fire spell combo melted some of the chains whilst the rest shattered. However, The Reaper wasn't about to give up that easily. With a roar, it slammed the remaining chains into the ground, like tree roots digging into the earth.

Cautious of their surroundings, the Wild Cards kept their guard up. They couldn't fight what can't be seen.

A thick chain silently emerged from the ground and snaked around Souji's ankle. He fell down face-first into the dirt as more chains emerged and yanked the silverette towards the Shadow, causing the twins to look in his direction. Before he could do anything, the chains were wrapping themselves around his body as he was lifted into the air.

"Banchou-kun!" Minato and Minako screamed.

Souji couldn't even cry out. Chains of various thicknesses were slithering up the bigger chain and wrapped itself around his neck and limbs. The more he struggled the tighter it gripped him, and he felt weaker and sleepier. '_Damn it, this could only mean one thing…'_he thought, his vision becoming blurrier.

* * *

><p>At the Entrance hall, the others waited for their leaders to return.<p>

"Man, what's taking them?" Yosuke whined. "Something's not right. They said they were only going to talk in private."

"Is it just me or do they looked kinda bothered by something?" Yukari asked.

"Yeah, they weren't focusing on fighting that much earlier," Chie pointed out.

"Um… I'm not sure if I should tell you this but…" Metis started, drawing the group's attention. "Yesterday, Minako-san woke up in the middle of the night and she seemed rather agitated. Her vital signs showed so."

Koromaru barked three times. "Koromaru-san is saying that the same happened with Minato-san as well," Aigis translated. "He seemed really tense about something."

Fox yipped. "Fox-san says that also happened with Souji-san," Metis continued. "During her night stroll, she saw Souji-san standing at his house's back porch as if he was trying to calm himself down."

The gang began to look worried. "First they are turned into kids and now they all have nightmares? Okay, this can't be a coincidence…" Akihiko crossed his arms.

"Shouldn't we go check on them?" Ken asked. "Just in case?"

Suddenly, Fuuka paled and started shaking. "Oh no… Death is near…! It's attacking them!"

That startled them. "What?! Who?!" Junpei asked frantically.

"We can sense it! It's The Reaper!" Rise cried, tears threatening to fall as she clutched her head. "It's sucking out Senpai's life and spiritual force! He's getting weaker by the second! Minako-senpai and Minato-senpai are hurt too!"

The group froze. That was bad!

"No! Souji-kun!" Yukiko sobbed.

"Minako!" Shinjiro drew his axe and ran towards the direction the leaders had walked off. "Hang in there, I'm coming for you!"

"Hey, wait for me!" Yukari shouted after him.

Yukiko said nothing and followed them. "Yukiko!" Chie tried to stop her best friend but with little success.

"Shinjiro! Yukari!" Mitsuru called out in vain. She sighed and turned to the others. "Let's go. If those three are in danger we must help them no matter what!"

Everybody nodded and headed off.

"Hang on, Sensei! We're gonna save you!" Teddie cried out.

* * *

><p>Minato and Minako stepped towards The Reaper. The look in their eyes could send shivers up one's spine. They were angry and out for blood.<p>

"Let our brother go!" Minako seethed, gripping her Evoker tighter.

"You're going down, HARD!" Minato readied his Evoker to his temple, with Minako doing the same. A huge swirl of bluish smoke appeared at their feet.

"Shiva…"

"Parvati…"

The Reaper didn't seem impressed at that.

"ARDHANARI!"

A huge burst of fire exploded and started to burn the surrounding chains, instantly crumbling and turned into ash under the intense heat. The fire seemed to have a mind of its own, because while it destroyed the chains and attacked The Reaper, it wasn't affecting Souji. He fell on the ground with a heavy thud as the shattered chains could no longer hold his weight.

When Souji was safe, the twins stopped their Fusion Raid and rushed to his side, panting hard. "Aniki… Aneki…" he breathed out, trying to stand up.

"Shh… Banchou-kun, save your strength," Minako said gently. "It's okay…"

"You're safe now…" Minato whispered, holding on to his shoulders. "We got you…"

Sudden gunshots were heard. The Reaper was using Power Charge followed by Mind Charge. Their eyes widened; that could only mean one thing…

Ikutsuki laughed mockingly. "Let's see you survive a fully charged Megidolaon attack!"

The twins stood up, shielding Souji. "Two can play that game!" Minato grunted.

"Make it three!" his sister echoed.

The Reaper unleashed its spell, and the twins attacked.

"Satan, Black Viper!"

"Helel, Morning Star!"

Bright light pillars and dark crimson orbs fused together, creating a great wave of energy as they collided with The Reaper's purple orb. At first it looked like they were evenly matched, but all too soon, The Reaper's Megidolaon managed to make a tear through the twins' attack, merging with it…_and heading straight for them!_

They could only stare. Without time to dodge or energy to fight back, the twins did the only thing they could do; they hugged each other, with Souji protectively in the middle. "Please help us…" they whispered. "Messiah…"

A loud explosion happened, sending huge shockwaves all over the place. Flowers and plants surrounding the gates were reduced to ashes, the castle-like walls crumbling down.

The Reaper roared in victory as the smoke cleared. The twins fell to the ground face down, barely breathing while shielding Souji underneath them. Above them hovered a male figure; he looked like Orpheus and Eurydice in facial appearance, but carrying a chain of silver coffins like Thanatos' and a cross like artifact on his back. His complexion was pale as ivory, with red eyes that then vanished.

"Aneki… Aniki…" Souji felt sore, but he understood what had happened. At the last minute, the twins summoned Messiah and used his Enduring Soul ability to protect them from the explosion, only for them to receive the worst part of the attack as they protected him with their bodies.

The Reaper approached the fallen trio, still wanting to fight more when Ikutsuki held up his hand. "That's enough," he ordered brusquely. "We need them alive. For now..." The Shadow grunted, annoyed, but complied.

"No… Don't take them…" Souji whispered weakly, feeling the weight off him as The Reaper lifted the twins.

Ikutsuki stared at Souji with a look of disgust. "You want them back? See if you can save them." The former chairman and The Reaper vanished into the fog, taking the twins with them. "If you survive, that is…!"

As Ikutsuki's laughter faded, several minor Shadows emerged and made their way to Souji, who was still too wounded to stand or fight. "Aniki… Aneki… I…I'll come back for you… I promise…" he vowed before passing out.

* * *

><p>The rest of SEES and the Investigation Team rushed towards Heaven when they felt a huge shockwave that nearly knocked them off their feet.<p>

"What the hell was that?!" Kanji roared.

"I'm not sure, but it can't be a good sign," Yosuke said. "Stay on your toes, guys."

Finally they made it to the Pearly Gates, only to find a shocking sight; Souji was passed out on the ground and about to be attacked by Shadows!

"Souji-kun!" Yukiko shouted as the Shadows leapt at the silverette. Her eyes blazed with anger. "Don't you dare! Amaterasu, Maragidyne!"

The Perpetual Sands were burned to a crisp, but the Maniacal Books were still on the loose.

"You're gonna pay for hurting Sensei!" Teddie growled, actually sounding angry. "Kamui, Mabufudyne!" Fueled by Teddie's anger, Kamui's attack eliminated the leftover Maniacal Books. With the path clear, Yukiko immediately rushed to her boyfriend's side, followed by their friends.

"Souji!" Yosuke called out. "C'mon partner, wake up!" Shouts of similar intonation followed from his teammates.

Naoto checked Souji's pulse. "He's still breathing, but is severely weakened," she said, trying not to show nervous she was.

"Hang in there, Souji-kun," Yukiko said, casting Samarecarm.

The soft light covered Souji's body for a few seconds. Slowly the silverette came to and got on his feet with Kanji and Yosuke's help. "Ngh… Wha?" was all he said before Yukiko wrapped him into a bone-crushing hug. "Yukiko…"

"Don't scare me like that…!" she whispered, sobbing into his chest.

Souji sighed and gently caressed Yukiko's head to calm her down.

"Where's Minako?!" Shinjiro demanded, anger and concern clearly written on his face.

"And Minato-kun?" Yukari blurted out, on the verge of tears.

"Seta, what happened?" Mitsuru asked, serious yet worried.

Souji looked down. He took a deep breath and started to explain. "After the whole turning-into-kids thing, we started having nightmares. Izanagi, Orpheus and Eurydice were no longer communicating with us…" Anger and sadness laced his voice. "We were about to go to the Velvet Room and ask Igor about it when this man appeared... they called him… Ikutsuki."

SEES gasped in shock. "The chairman?! What the hell?!" Junpei yelled. "That bastard died when he tried to use Aigis to kill us! How can he be alive?!"

"I don't know, alright?!" Souji snapped, startling everybody. He took several deep breaths to calm down. "Something about him… something about that man frightened me… I've never felt that afraid before. H-he knew my name… he knew about my parents, and how close the twins are to me…" He clenched his fists. "When they tried to protect me, he summoned The Reaper to attack us. We didn't stand a chance… it was so much stronger than our previous fights…"

Souji fell on his knees. He didn't want the others to see him crying, but this was too much. "When that almighty spell tore through theirs, they used Messiah to protect us from harm…" he sobbed. "They… they protected me using themselves as a shield! The Reaper then grabbed them when Ikutsuki said he needed them alive… and they vanished…" The tears wouldn't stop as he pounded a fist on the ground. "I… I couldn't do anything to help them! Some brother I am…"

The group fell silent, trying to soak in what Souji had said. It broke the Investigation Team's hearts to see their leader so broken. The SEES members were also disheartened by the news, but they were also concerned about their own leaders.

"It's not your fault, Souji-san," Aigis said, trying to comfort him while Metis held him steady.

"Damn, right! If anyone's to blame is that damn chairman!" Akihiko said. It was rare to see the boxer so angry, but right now he was about to explode.

"That's right. Even with The Reaper's powers, I doubt the chairman can leave this place without Teddie's help or the Dark Hour being active outside, so they still must be somewhere around in this world." Mitsuru turned to Fuuka and Rise. "Fuuka, I need you and Kujikawa to use your Personas to track down their location. Once we find it, we'll set out to rescue the twins."

"What?! You can't be serious about heading out just like that!" Yukiko protested. "Souji-kun can barely stand! He's in no condition to fight! He needs some time to recover!"

"And what about Minato-san and Minako-san!?" Ken retaliated. "Souji-san said they both were really hurt… If we don't hurry they might die!"

"And if we go off reckless like that, we all are gonna get killed!" Chie shouted back.

"If you don't want to help, that's fine with me, but I'm going!" Yukari seethed. "I already lost the only guy I love and my best friend once. I'm not losing them again!"

"Same here! I'm not letting anything or anyone who hurt Minako and her brother get away with it!" Shinjiro roared.

"Screw you! We'll be in even worse shit if Senpai ain't in the right condition to lead us!" Kanji growled. Once again, the former delinquents had a glare-off.

"I know you are all concerned about the twins' condition and trust me, so are we, but please remain calm!" Naoto tried to reason. "We're not abandoning them! We're just asking for a bit of time to regroup and think on our strategy!"

The atmosphere was becoming really tense, both sides refusing to back down. "We're going," Souji said out of the blue. His voice held high authority. "Yosuke, do you still have any of those Somas we found during the murder investigations?"

"Uh… Sure." Yosuke dug into his pockets and found the vial of Soma before handing him the rare item. "You always said to have one at hand in case of an emergency."

"And this is one of those emergencies." He downed the entire thing, which was supposed to be shared by four people. His injuries instantly healed and his energy returned with impressive speed. "I promised myself I'd protect both Aniki and Aneki. I'm not breaking that promise!"

The Investigation Team nodded. "Then we are all going," Yosuke said. "After all, they're are our friends too."

"Thanks, guys. I'll need your strength. All of it." Souji turned to SEES. "As well as yours."

"You can count on us!" Junpei said on behalf of his team.

Fuuka and Rise nodded to each other and summoned Juno and Kanzeon to scan the area, trying to find the twins' whereabouts. After what seemed like forever, they got something. "A new dungeon appeared," Rise said. "And the twins are still together."

"Something doesn't feel right about that dungeon…" Fuuka said. "It feels awfully familiar somehow."

"We'll just have to see it for ourselves," Souji said. "Everybody ready? Let's move out!"

* * *

><p>"Of all places they could create, it had to be <em><strong>this<strong>_?!" Yukari said in dismay. Her SEES teammates were surprised as well.

They recognized the front door of the dungeon that their twin leaders had created in this bizarre world – the entrance to Tartarus. Although it wasn't as tall, it's as spooky and intimidating as it was in the past.

"So this is the infamous Tower of Demise that you all have spoken about…" Naoto said, looking upwards. "I remember specifically that you said it has more than 250 floors. How come it's so…small?"

Rise spoke up next. "This isn't exactly the real tower of Tartarus. It has the same concepts of Chidori-san's dungeon, and I can sense a lot of emotions coming from inside. I never felt anything like this before with the other dungeons."

"According to my readings, this place only has seven floors. Each floor has a different structure, but other than that it's exactly the same as Tartarus," Fuuka reported. "I wonder what it means?"

"What are we still doing out here?" Shinjiro growled. He looked like he wanted to kill somebody. "The twins are inside that damn tower. Let's go in and rescue them before they get seriously hurt!" He shoved Yosuke and Junpei out of his way, but Akihiko grabbed his shoulder and spun his friend around to face him.

"Calm down, Shinji. We can't just rush in like that!" he said "I want to rescue them as much as you do, but we have to consider what Souji saw. Ikutsuki is back, and more likely a hell of a lot dangerous…probably even more dangerous than Adachi. We have to think this through!"

Shinjiro calmed down a bit and cursed under his breath, looking away. He let his anger and worry get the better of him for a moment there, which was ironic since he was comforted by Akihiko.

"He's right, Shinjiro. Something about this whole mess is much too organized to be a random attack, and I don't like it," Mitsuru said. "Seta, while Fuuka and Kujikawa scan the tower, let's go over our battle formation to reach the top floor."

Souji nodded. "That's a good idea. Fuuka-san, Rise… use everything you got to scan every floor, and while you're at it, try to scan the Shadows in there as well. We need every advantage we can grasp so the enemy doesn't overpower us. Aigis-san, since you have been team leader before, so you'll be representing Aniki and Aneki."

"I understand."

There wasn't really much discussion for the team formations. Just like in Adachi's dungeon, they formed two sub-groups, only Aigis and Souji are the leaders this time. The dividing of members were still the same as before. After Fuuka and Rise finished their scanning, they pushed open the tall crystal door and entered the tower.

Unlike the real Tartarus, there was no entrance hall or a large clock in the middle of the floor. SEES recognized the structure of this particular floor – it was Thebel, the first block they encountered in Tartarus.

"So this is what it looks like inside…" Yosuke commented, side-stepping a puddle of blood. "It's damn freaky, but less scary than Adachi's dungeon."

"Tartarus…a type of hell in Greek mythology," Naoto mused. "I still find it hard to believe that this tower manifested every single day at midnight in the past. It makes me kind of glad that I didn't have a Persona back then."

The Shadows in Thebel were the exact same ones they have fought in the past, but were much stronger than they remembered. It was still relatively easy for the Persona-users to fight them because Fuuka still had the data.

When they reached the center of the maze, there was a giant, glowing golden door with strange hieroglyphic-like carvings. On each side, a tall torch with bright red and blue flames stood proudly, giving it the extra creepy factor.

"This…this is just like the Abyss of Time," Ken said. There was a slight concern in his tone. "Fuuka-san, do you detect anything behind this door?"

"No, I don't sense any threatening presence behind that door," she said. "If this is anything like the Abyss of Time, then there must be a memory projection behind it. There is no other explanation, but we won't know until we open it."

Yukari tried to push open the door, but it wouldn't budge. Junpei, Yosuke and Teddie tried next, but it still won't move. Akihiko, Shinjiro and Kanji had the same results as well.

"Damn piece of shit," Kanji and Shinjiro cursed before giving up.

Finally, it was Souji's turn. His fingers simply brushed against it and the door swung open, engulfing them in a bright white light.

When they opened their eyes, they were in what seems to be a theater room and the movie was playing. Yukari, Junpei, Mitsuru and Akihiko gasped. They recognized this place; the Kirijo mansion in Yakushima, and the scene being played out in front of them was familiar as well.

_Yukari fled the room after the video showing her father's confession and how he died ended. Mitsuru sighed, understanding that the young girl needed some time alone to sort out her thoughts. But she was still worried about her._

"_Can either one of you go after her?" she asked the twins._

_Minato was reluctant at first since he wanted to give Yukari some space, but his sister nudged his ribs so hard he thought they might break. She gave him a look which meant "What are you waiting for? Go after her, you dumbass!"_

_In return, he raised an eyebrow at her. He then gave a bored expression which meant "You're a girl, you go."_

_Minako rolled her red eyes, and then shot him an angry glare. Her brother replied it with a shake of his head, his features softening, silently telling her to leave Yukari alone for the moment. She then used her secret weapon, the puppy-dog eyes'. Minato returned her stare for about a minute, sighed in defeat, and went after Yukari._

_The others who were watching the two remained silent. Only after Minako had gone off to check on her brother and best friend did they start to speak again._

"_Okaaay, did any of you just understand what they were telling each other?" Junpei asked. "It was like…they were mentally communicating or somethin'. Freaky…"_

"_I think that is to be expected," Fuuka said in a quiet voice. "Some psychologists believe that twins have the ability to communicate telepathically with one another. And from what I can see, their bond is strong enough to allow them to do just that."_

"_Iori, what are you waiting for?" Mitsuru chided the cap-wearing teen. "Go and accompany her. It's too dangerous for a young lady to be wondering around this late at night." She narrowed her eyes to emphasize that this was an order, not a request. Junpei gulped and ran off after Minako._

_Akihiko sighed. "Damn, that was depressing. I feel bad for keeping this from Takeba."_

"_We lost a lot of good people in that explosion," a man wearing an eye-patch said. He sat down on the sofa, looking wearier than when he came in and exhaled loudly. "I wished every single day that I could go back and change everything…but I don't have the power to stop it. The only thing I can do is support you youngsters in the battle against the twelve Shadows."_

The scene ended there, and a stairway appeared before them. The ones who were actually there when the event happened were befuddled, because it didn't play out the way they remembered it.

"That was...before the summer vacation started, when we went to Yakushima," Yukari said. She then proceeded to tell everyone what happened during that night, what was on that tape and what happened after she ran off.

"Wait a sec…how come both of them were there? I don't remember anything like that," Junpei stated.

"I think that's because when the two realities merged, it changed past events," Souji answered. "Aneki mentioned that her memories were fused with Aniki's, and that the past altered to include both of them in it. Perhaps none of you remember because your memories hadn't caught up yet." He was thoughtfully silent for a while before speaking again. "They used to do that a lot you know…when we were kids. They could never hide secrets from each other, and on rare occasions I could read their minds too." A smile formed on his lips as he reminisced. "I guess that's one reason why we're so close. We've been inseparable since I was born."

"But those two already have the power of Persona. You said that only those who haven't awakened to their power are whose innermost thoughts could be heard in their dungeons," Metis said. "How can this be happening, and a memory projection at that?"

Akihiko stroked his chin in thought. "Back in the Abyss of Time, it showed us the how we awakened to our power. Do you think it's trying to do the same here?"

"That's a good question," Aigis said. "Perhaps we will know more once we ascend the tower."

Souji walked ahead. "Let's go, guys."

* * *

><p>The second floor had much more blood puddles than the previous one, where the walls were purple and had faces carved into them. Yes, it was the Arqa block. In short, it scared the hell out of the Investigation Team. Rise even screamed and nearly suffocated Teddie in a vice grip. The team had little trouble battling the Shadows here despite them being slightly stronger than the ones in Thebel. Just like the previous floor, a door waits to be opened, and the only one who could do that was Souji.<p>

_Their surroundings began to blur as the projection started. This time, everyone recognized where this was – the Moonlight Bridge._

_A loud explosion just occurred in the distance. The sky tuned an eerie green, and the area surrounding them was covered in smoke and dust, before turning quiet as a grave._

_A lone car was on the middle of the bridge. The back door opened, and two small children stepped out – a boy with blue hair and an auburn-headed girl. They gasped when they saw two coffins in the front seats where their parents sat. Feeling frightened, the girl began to cry. Her brother pulled her into a hug, trying to put on a brave face._

_The explosions got louder and closer. "Aniki, what was that?" the girl whimpered._

"_I don't know…but we're not leaving Mom and Dad!" His voice was slightly shaking, despite his effort to sound fearless._

_The next explosion shook the ground. A feeling of protectiveness prompted to boy to pull his sister and hide behind the other side of the car, which was a good thing. Seconds later, a giant blast engulfed the bridge. The shock sent them tumbling back, at a distance that was considered slightly safe. When they came to, the car was nothing but a burnt crisp, including those inside it…_

"_MOMMY!" "DADDY!"_

_The scene suddenly shifted. Dark clouds were floating in the sky; it looked like it was about to rain and thunder could be heard in the distance. The only people standing before the fresh graves were a man, a woman, and three small children. Everyone recognized the children to be the Wild Cards. The man was about Souji's current height, and quite handsome, with messy dark-silver hair and dark brown eyes, almost black. He was wearing half-rimmed rectangle glasses and a black jacket over a green shirt, and a pair of jeans. The woman was slightly shorter than the man with a slender build. She had long black hair, tied in a French braid, and soft, grey eyes. She wore a black knit cardigan over a white blouse paired with a black pencil skirt that reached below her knees._

_Little Souji held on to his surrogate siblings' hands as they mourned over their parents. When their crying got too loud, the adults would comfort them._

Souji gasped. "I remember this…their parents' funeral, back in 1999. After they were released from the hospital, my parents took us to visit their graves."

"Are you saying those two are your parents?" Yukiko asked meekly. She used present tense instead of the past so as not to offend him, because she knew that deep down Souji was adamant that they were still alive, even if the odds were against it.

"Yeah…" he tapered off, not wanting to bring up that particular topic.

Everyone was saddened to hear that, but they remained silent as they focused on the vision in front of them. The scene shifted from the cemetery to a small house somewhere in Iwatodai. Souji commented that this is where his family lived before they moved away.

_The children were gathered in an almost-empty living room. They spoke in small, hushed tones that made it difficult for the others to make out what they were saying. That was before the twins started wailing._

"_What do you mean you're moving away?" little Minako squealed, bawling her eyes out. "You can't move away…you just can't!"_

"_I'm sorry…" little Souji mumbled. "Daddy and Mommy just told me yesterday."_

"_But…who's gonna play Featherman with us, or go on super secret missions, or take care of our secret base?" Minato whined. "Who's gonna hide the candy when you're not here anymore?"_

"_First Mommy and Daddy, now you…" They sniffled. "We don't want you to go!"_

_Souji remained silent, guilt and sadness reflected in his eyes. He didn't want this anymore than they did. The three of them embraced each other in a group hug, never wanting to let go._

_Mr. Seta entered the living room, and cleared his throat to get the children's attention. They looked at him, startled at first, but then their eyes began to water simultaneously. It was so heart-breaking that he had to look away, as if he knew what they were talking about before he came in. "Souji, go upstairs and pack your things. Our departure to Osaka was long overdue. We have to leave tomorrow."_

"_But I don't wanna go!" Souji sobbed, hugging Minako._

_Loud voices could be heard in the kitchen, before Souji's mother entered the living room, her pale cheeks red with anger. She was followed by an older couple, but the expressions on their faces weren't exactly friendly. The woman had an uptight smile on her lips, and the man just looked bored. Despite wearing rather nice and expensive clothing, their aura was that of hostility._

"_Minato, Minako, this man is your mother's cousin and this is his wife. They will be taking care of you as of now," Mrs. Seta said, trying hard not to look annoyed at the other couple. "They live two cities away, so you'll be going with them."_

_The twins gaped at the older man in pure horror. They didn't like the way he looked, and immediately hid behind Mrs. Seta, cowering in fear._

"_Aunty, we don't wanna go with them," Minako whimpered, hugging the woman's right leg._

"_Can't you and Uncle take us with you?" Minato begged._

_Mrs. Seta kneeled to look at them in the eyes. "I'm sorry, but that would be against the law. The only people who are legally bound to take you in are your blood relatives." She tenderly wiped their tears with her thumbs. "I really wish we could take you two in with us after what happened to your parents, but we can't. These people will take good care of you instead."_

"_Now come with us, you two," said the other woman with fake sweetness. "The car is already waiting outside, and your things are all packed up. We'll be leaving after you say your goodbyes to your friend." Her husband grunted, probably having nothing polite to say to the children._

"_Aniki, Aneki, I don't want us to be apart!" Souji cried, hugging them tightly. "You guys are the best brother and sister ever!"_

"_We feel the same way Banchou-kun," Minako said. She then brightened up. "Then let's make a promise! Let's promise that we will never forget each other."_

"_And that we'll meet each other again someday," Minato added. He held up a pinky to seal the deal._

_They returned the gesture, curling their little pinkies together, singing the nursery rhyme that goes with it. "We promise. And you'll always be our little brother, Banchou-kun." They embraced each other one last time before their distant uncle had enough and dragged the twins to the car._

_Souji didn't want to let go, so his parents had to pry him away. He pressed his face to the front window, hoping to catch a glimpse of them one last time._

"They told me that they've been shifting from relative to relative while growing up," Souji said, continuing the story. "Apparently, the relatives didn't want them, and some weren't even treating them properly. When they were forced to separate from each other, they ran away to an orphanage a little while before coming to Gekkoukan." His friends gasped at this.

"First their parents, and then they were forced to separate from the people who truly cared…" Junpei said. "Now I kinda understand why Minato was cold and distant when he first moved into the dorm."

"That's the same impression I got from Souji-kun when he first moved to Inaba," Chie informed.

"But Minako-chan…she's so cheerful, so I never really understood why she was like that after knowing what they've gone through," Yukari said, looking down. "They never really said anything about it either."

"I guess she was hiding her pain behind her smile," Fuuka said. "It's just like her to not let anyone worry. Minako-chan is too kind for that."

Not wanting them to feel guilty about something that's happened in the past, Souji quickly spoke up. "Come on guys, don't let it get you down. If Aniki and Aneki are willing to forget all this, then so should we. They've moved on and that's all that matters." The grip on his sword tightened as he walked purposely to climb the stairs while the rest followed.

Mitsuru smiled, a bit of pride in her eyes. "Wiser words have never been spoken."

Shinjiro clenched his fists. _'I'm such a selfish bastard. They watched their parents get killed by Death, went through some serious shit and still moved on with smiles on their faces. They even forgave Death after that! While I…I made Minako's pain worse by throwing my life away...'_ He couldn't help being angry at himself, but shook that thought away. Now wasn't the time to get distracted. What's important however, was to kick Ikutsuki's ass and get those two back.

* * *

><p>The Persona-users fought their way through Yabbashah and made it to the third door, followed by the usual drill. Souji opened the door and once again, saw a vision of the past.<p>

_It was raining cats and dogs in Iwatodai, which the Arisato twins dashed through to get back to the dorm, holding their bags over their heads. Minato had to finish some paper work for Student Council while Minako organized the files. They didn't realize it was raining until it was literally pouring outside. As luck would have it, Minato forgot his umbrella and Minako's was damaged beyond repair by the strong winds._

_They finally arrived at the dorm, soaking wet and miserable._

"_So you guys were too slow, huh?" Junpei teased after Minato forced the door shut against a strong blast of wind. The rest of SEES were hanging out in the lounge, sipping hot chocolate._

"_Shut up, Junpei!" Minako scowled, and let out a powerful sneeze. "Ugh…I don't feel so good…" she moaned._

_Minato was panting, his face rather red. "Make that two." He shivered as he took off his soggy jacket. Both of them went upstairs to take a hot shower and change into something dry._

_Shinjiro was sitting at the kitchen counter, observing the twins as they ascended to their rooms. A worried frown was etched on his face, which was carefully hidden behind his mug as he drank its content. Yukari was a lot more obvious as she furrowed her brows, sensing something wrong._

_After an hour, the rest of the dorm residents were getting anxious when both of them didn't come back downstairs. Usually they would hang out with the rest while having dinner or watch TV._

"_That's weird…those two are usually here by now," Junpei commented, slurping his cup of instant ramen._

_Akihiko looked across the room at his best friend, who was squirming in his seat, pretending to read a magazine. A smirk made its way to his lips. He whispered something inaudible to Mitsuru, who was reading a book beside him on the couch. She sneaked a glance at Shinjiro and hid her own smirk behind her book._

"_Aigis, do you mind checking up on them?" Mitsuru requested the android. As much as she enjoyed watching Shinjiro's discomfort, the twins' condition was more important. "They looked like they were not feeling well after they returned." Akihiko gave her a look of disbelief, but she didn't miss the relieved exhale from their beanie-wearing comrade._

"_I will do as you wish," Aigis replied monotonously, making her way to the stairs. "My utmost priority is to be with them."_

_Yukari rolled her eyes at the android's often spoken statement, but followed her anyway._

_After a few minutes later, both girls returned to the lounge. "I have unfortunate news," Aigis said, drawing everyone's attention. "Minato-san and Minako-san are incapacitated with a cold. They are unable to join us tonight."_

"_I hope it's okay for them to share a room temporarily. We don't want to risk infecting anyone else, and I doubt they'll want to be separated while they're sick," Yukari added. "Aigis and I agreed to place them in Minato's room for the time being. It's easier to keep an eye on them if they're together."_

"_Good thinking, Takeba." Mitsuru said. "While they rest, we have a lot of work tonight to reinforce the dorm. I expect all of you to pitch in."_

_Junpei started to complain about how lucky the twins got sick that night so they didn't have to do slave labor, unlike himself, which earned a lecture from Mitsuru and a threat from Yukari that she'll throw him out of the dorm to suffer the typhoon if he didn't shut up soon, which he did._

"_Oh, that's too bad," Fuuka said, disappointed. "I was hoping Minako-chan would help me with our Cooking Club project." Koromaru whimpered when he heard the word 'cooking' come from her mouth. Ken gulped in horror._

_That night, Shinjiro made rice porridge for their sick leaders. Yukari and Aigis went to prepare Minato's room to become a temporary sick bay for two. Mitsuru had assigned Yukari and Shinjiro as caretakers while the others helped reinforce the dorm. Despite the scowl on his face, he didn't complain._

_In Minato's room, the twins were lying on thick futons laid out on the floor. A tray of dirty bowls, a jug of water and two glasses were placed on the bed._

_Yukari put a wet cloth on Minako's forehead and proceeded to do the same for her brother. They immediately fell asleep after taking their medicine._

_Shinjiro placed a hand on Minako's damp forehead. "Shit, it's so hot." Her face was red and she began to pant softly._

"_Senpai, her fever is getting higher. You have to keep her cool so that she'll feel comfortable," Yukari reminded him. She replaced the damp cloth on Minato's forehead when it got too warm, and pressed a cool pack she often used for sports injuries on his neck. He calmed down a bit after that._

"_I know, I know…jeez!" Shinjiro did the same thing, but he felt awkward. It wasn't like he never took care of a sick person before, but it was different when that person was Minako. She was the reason he often felt hot and bothered every time he thought about her._

"_Ma…mommy…daddy…" Minako began to mumble in her sleep. She started to whimper, possibly from pain._

_Shinjiro wondered briefly whether or not to comfort her with Yukari in the same room, but seeing Minako in pain wasn't something he could push aside. He gently held her hand, and placed his other on her forehead, rubbing his thumb at that one spot between her eyebrows. "Hey, take it easy, alright?" he whispered._

"_Nnh…no…don't…don't leave…me…" Minako's grip on Shinjiro's hand tightened._

_For once, he let his guard down. "I ain't going anywhere." His face softened at her sigh of content._

_Minato was also having feverish dreams. "Ban…chou-kun…wait…don't go…"_

_Yukari frowned. ''_They must be dreaming about their parents, but who is this 'Banchou-kun'?'_ she wondered. Her thoughts were cut off when Minato began to cough, his expression showing he was in pain as well. Yukari ran her fingers through his hair and began to massage his scalp, whispering soothing words. "Shh... It's okay. I'm here... you're not alone. I'm with you. I won't leave you. I promise, it'll be okay..."_

The girls from the Investigation Team cooed at Shinjiro's display of affection – it was painfully obvious that he was in denial of his feelings back then. The scene flash forwarded to the next three days, when the twins' fevers were starting to let up.

_According to Minato's digital clock, it was way too early in the morning. A snick of the door was heard and it opened, revealing Aigis. "Door unlocked in 92 seconds…My time has improved." There was a hint of pride in her voice as she slowly approached the makeshift bed the twins were sleeping in. They were oblivious to her presence, slumbering peacefully side by side. _

_She kneeled and inspected each twin, her face so close as if about to kiss them. "Surface body temperature reads…98.7 degrees…No fever." She straightened up. "At this rate, they should make a full recovery by morning. The pillows I prepared in the freezer will not be necessary." Aigis nodded to herself. "…I mustn't stay too long, or Yukari-san will reprimand me again…or Shinjiro-san for that matter."_

_Aigis stood up, about to leave when a sudden thought hit her. "There are 4 hours and 12 minutes until sunrise…" A pause. "I need only sneak out again before morning." She turned around, and sat on the floor at the foot of the makeshift bed, staring at the twins intently. "I…will keep watch over them for a little while longer."_

A pregnant silence followed after the vision ended. The staircase that appeared was temporarily ignored.

"What the hell, Aigis?!" Yukari exploded. "How many times had this happened? Even after I told you not to enter their rooms without permission!"

Junpei shivered. "I kinda understood her need to be close to them…but this…I never knew that Ai-chan was this much of a stalker!"

The others murmured their agreement.

"What? Wait…I'm not like that anymore!" Aigis protested, waving her arms in front of her face. "It is true that I sneaked into their rooms a few times, but that was before I remembered that I sealed Death inside them."

"Before you remembered…" Yukari spluttered. "That means you've been at it for four months?!"

"Please do not judge her too harshly." As always, Metis will defend Aigis. "My sister only had their best interests at heart. She did her best to protect them."

"Wait a minute…how can they remember this if they were unconscious at that time?" Ken wondered. Fuuka shrugged.

A vein in Shinjiro's forehead threatened to burst. "What the hell are all of you bitching about?" he said in an eerie tone. "We still have four more floors to go. I'll be damned if Minako and her brother gets killed while all of you are arguing about stalkers!"

Souji gripped Shinjiro's shoulder. "I agree with you Shinjiro-san, so please calm down." He felt tension in the senior's shoulders loosened a bit, and he turned to the others. "Let's save this topic for after we rescue Aniki and Aneki. We can't afford to waste any more time."

The others were quiet, ashamed at themselves for forgetting their main objective. They followed the Wild Card up to the next floor.

* * *

><p>Tziah was a lot more challenging to fight through. The Shadows were growing much more powerful after every floor, and they had to be careful with their restorative items. Luckily, Souji purchased leaves from the Fox in advance to replenish their energy. He ordered everyone to stop and rest before opening the next door; they were not leaving the TV World until they rescue the twins.<p>

The scenery was now inside of a classroom. Everyone recognized it to be class 2-F of Gekkoukan High.

_The bell rang indicating that school session was over. Minato stood from his seat and immediately pulled his sister out of the classroom. In one hand she held a bag, which contained something very precious to her. The twins made their way to the monorail station, where the streets were filled with couples and lovebirds celebrating the special day of Christmas Eve._

"_I…I hope he likes it," Minako said softly, her voice muffled by her red scarf. She clutched the bag closer to her chest._

"_I'm sure he will," Minato replied, patting her head softly. "You're the one who made it for him after all."_

_They reached their intended destination; Tatsumi Memorial Hospital. Minako wanted to see Shinjiro and give him his gift. Minato would help her sneak into his room since he wasn't allowed any visitors._

_Inside the waiting area, decorated Christmas trees were placed in every corner. Streamers and cards hung on the walls, and mistletoe hung from the ceiling, filled with messages of encouragement and wishing everyone a happy holiday. However, none of that was enough to lift their mood._

_The two of them took the elevator to the sixth floor, where the private room Shinjiro was being held at was located. They knew where it was and how to get there; Minato asked Keisuke-senpai a few days ago to check it out for him as a favor. They stealthily walked through the hallways, making sure not to attract the attention of any doctors or nurses._

_A huge sign saying "No Visitors Allowed" was ignored by the twins as they silently entered the room. The patient Minako wanted to see lay on the bed, so still as if lifeless. The only thing indicating he was alive was the beeping of the heart-rate monitor._

_Minako stood by his bedside, and lovingly brushed the hair out of Shinjiro's face. "Senpai, I finally made it." She tried to smile, though some of her tears were threatening to spill out. "Onii-chan is with me, but he has to go soon. Don't worry, I'll be here the whole day to keep you company."_

_It broke Minato's heart to see his sister like this. He knew she wouldn't be broken that easily, but right now she was so emotionally vulnerable that it might not take much for her to snap. But he had faith that Shinjiro will pull through, for both their sakes. He pulled Minako into a gentle hug and kissed the top of her head. "I'll be going now. Yukari's waiting for me at the mall," he whispered into her hair. "Make sure to get back before curfew, alright?"_

"_Okay, I promise. Thanks for helping me out."_

_With a last wave, Minato left the room. Minako pulled a chair and sat beside the bed. Being careful not to touch his torso, she grabbed his larger hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Hey Senpai, I hope you're dreaming of nice things. If Mitsuru-senpai and Akihiko-senpai found out that I came here, I'll be executed for sure." She gave a small laugh before continuing. "I made you a present. My friend from Fashion Club helped me out with it. Since I didn't know what your favorite colors are, I put in some of mine." Minako rummaged the bag she was holding and took out the handmade scarf. It was orange with maroon and white stripes. She wrapped it around his bare arm. "I figured that you must be cold being in the hospital all by yourself. And knowing you, you're probably complaining about the food on a daily basis. But…I like you that way. Don't ever change, ya hear me?"_

_She could no longer hold back her tears when the senior didn't respond._

Shinjiro could only stare at the scene. There she was, the girl he loved more than his own life, crying her eyes out for him and looking so broken. He wished he could turn back time and undo that one event, but knew he was powerless to do so. The only thing he could do now was to fulfill the promise he made to her.

The other felt uncomfortable at the vision. It felt like they were intruding a private moment.

_The scene shifted again. They were still in the hospital, but it was already night time. "I should be going now. I don't know when I'll be able to see you again." Minako stood up and leaned down, gently pressing her lips on Shinjiro's stiff ones. "Merry Christmas, Senpai. I love you, and always will." She smiled at him one last time before leaving._

_When Minako got back to the dorm, she was greeted by the livid faces of Mitsuru Kirijo and Akihiko Sanada. "Arisato, where have you been?" the former questioned. The tone she's using was especially reserved for interrogation purposes._

"_Senpai, what are you –"_

_Minato came down just in time. "Leave her alone! She didn't do anything wrong," he said, making his way to his sister._

"_Watch your tone, Minato," Akihiko warned. "Mitsuru got a call from the hospital saying that Minako sneaked into Shinji's room. Do you know anything about that?"_

"_Even if I did, I don't see how that is any of your business," Minato retorted, shielding his sister from view. "It won't affect our performance as leaders if that's what you're worried about."_

_Mitsuru narrowed her eyes in annoyance. "You both know the reasons why the doctors isolated him. His condition is so serious that even the slightest excitement could kill him. Is that what you want?"_

_Minako flinched at the accusation, looking down as tears pooled in her red eyes._

"_I don't give a shit about what the doctors think!" her brother hissed venomously. The others in the dorm backed away. They could sense that their leader was furious and overprotective; a deadly combination. "Look at it from Shinjiro-senpai's and my sister's perspectives. Do you think that what they're going through is easy? We're about to face the fight of our lives and she couldn't even go see the guy she loves? That's a load of crap! I shouldn't even be hearing this from you, Akihiko-senpai. I know that you've also been sneaking into his hospital room for some time without permission."_

_Akihiko was taken aback. "How did you…?"_

"_It doesn't matter. Confirm with the doctors of Senpai's condition if you must." Minato looked away. "I just wanted to help him and my sister. Is that so bad?"_

"_Onii-chan… It's okay… please…" Minako pleaded._

"No it's not! It's not fair for you or for Shinjiro-senpai either. C'mon…" He grabbed his sister's hand and ushered her upstairs. The loud sound of the door slamming was heard shortly afterwards.

The vision ended there. Some of the girls started crying.

"Now I remember," Mitsuru said glumly. "I actually did contact the doctors that night. They told me that Shinjiro's condition remained unchanged, but there was a slight improvement. He showed minor signs of movement, as he was gripping that scarf tightly and was also smiling. I guess they did the right thing after all."

"After seeing that, I feel like a total jerk right now." Akihiko sighed, running a gloved hand through his silver hair. "I was pretty insensitive to Minako's feelings. I think Minato was ready to kill me back then too."

"This memory must have been important to both of them, even if it was unpleasant," Metis commented. "In fact, all of the memories we saw must have had huge significance in their lives before becoming the Great Seal."

"That would make sense since this is the dungeon that their hearts have created," Teddie said.

Another stairway materialized before them. The group took a deep breath and composed themselves, preparing for what other important memories that lie ahead.

* * *

><p>Wails and groans of frustration could be heard when the two teams arrived at the fifth floor, which happens to be the disco-themed Harabah block.<p>

"I thought it was impossible for another place like Void Quest to exist," Kanji moaned as they made their way to through the maze. By the time they reached the giant door, everyone was either rubbing their eyes or temples, trying to readjust their eyesight from the bright colors.

"Teddie feels like throwing up a neon rainbow," the Junes mascot said, his eyes turning into swirlies.

"That doesn't even make sense…" Yosuke sweatdropped.

"Shut up, you guys!" Chie scolded. "It's about to start!"

The others sweatdropped at her statement. She made it sound like they were watching a movie.

This time, it was inside someone's room. The SEES members recognized it to be Minato's dorm room.

_The twins themselves were sitting on the bed with blue covers. The auburn-head was crying her eyes out on Minato's shoulder, as he patted her back in attempt to comfort her, but the look on his face was anything but peaceful. His eyes reflected fear, panic, and mostly sadness as he stared out of his bedroom window._

"_Did…did we make the right choice?" Minako sniffled, her tears soaking the fabric of her brother's school jacket._

_He sighed. "To be honest, I have no idea." He rubbed gentle circles on his sister's upper back, while his other hand ran through his blue hair. "But I'd be lying if I told you that I'm not scared."_

"_Why? Why us?" she asked no one. "All this happened just because we were crossing the Moonlight Bridge with Mom and Dad all those years ago…"_

"_Hey, look on the bright side…" Minato said in a cheery tone. "At least we're still together, right? I mean, Mom and Dad are gone but at least I still have you. Doesn't that count for something? Either one of us could have died that night."_

_Minako stopped sobbing as she lifted her head. Despite the rumors at school saying that Minato was gloomy and rarely smiled, they just assumed that he was pessimistic as well. That wasn't true at all. Her twin brother's calmness was like an anchor to her impulsive nature, keeping her grounded and most importantly, out of trouble. At times like these, he always managed to find a silver lining. "Y-you're right, Aniki. At least we're not alone. Despite the crazy year we had, I wouldn't exchange it for anything." She smiled and caressed the strap of her wristwatch. It was becoming a habit lately. It made her feel better whenever she was sad or angry._

"_You and I both know why we chose this. We want to protect the people who are precious to us," Minato said, but then a little smirk made its way to his lips. "You haven't called me 'Aniki' for almost ten years. It's nice to hear it again."_

"_You think so?" his sister giggled. "You're right though. I do want to protect everyone. I don't want the world to end. In a way, we'll be protecting Banchou-kun too, right? Even if he'll never know what we did."_

"_Yeah, we will. And this way, I can keep my promise to Mom and Dad to always stay together with you."_

_Minako smiled. "Do you think we'll get to see Banchou-kun again? I miss him so much. Does he even remember us?"_

"_I think so. Even if he is far away, he'll always be our little brother. And someday, we'll see him again."_

_The two of them continued reminiscing their childhood until late in the night. Minako spent the night in her brother's room._

After the vision ended, the atmosphere turned grim.

"Tch, why do they have to smile like that?" Junpei said, voice strained. "They decided not to kill Ryoji that night, knowing that the world was gonna end, yet they still didn't complain…They were scared like all of us, but continued to fight."

"I'll never forget how they floated up to the moon and singlehandedly defeated Nyx," Akihiko added. "They knew that they would become the Great Seal and die, but they did it anyway."

Ken nodded. "I really admire what they did back then. None of us could have made such a sacrifice."

Souji closed his eyes. _'Even after ten years of being separated, they still remember me? And they had me in mind when they made that decision?'_ His respect and love for them grew. He had no doubt he would have done the same. _'Please, let us make it in time…'_

* * *

><p>The white and polished silver surfaces of Adamah made the already cold atmosphere drop a few more degrees. Everyone was shivering their asses off, slightly glad that they decided to wear their winter school uniform.<p>

"Will we find the twins at the top?" Shinjiro asked, heaving his giant battle axe on his shoulder. The cold wasn't really bothering him.

"They should be," Fuuka said. "I sense them up there. There should be one last door before we can reach them."

Wasting no time, everyone fought their way to the center.

"Hopefully this is the last door," Souji said. "I get the feeling that they're trying to tell me something…but what?" He pushed the door open, and the group was engulfed in white light.

_The scenery was the rooftop of Gekkoukan High. There were three people there; a blue-haired boy, an auburn-haired girl, and a blonde robot, sitting on one of the stone benches. The boy and the girl rested their heads on each the robot's shoulders, tired and out of breath._

"_I am sure they remember the promise we made," Aigis said to the twins, looking at them lovingly. "They should be here soon." She grabbed each of their hands and squeezed gently._

"_Minato-kun!"_

"_Minako…!"_

_The door slammed open to reveal Yukari and Shinjiro. The latter looked like he'd seen better days as he just escaped from the hospital. He was clutching his chest and coughing. Hanging around his neck was an orange scarf with maroon and white stripes._

_Yukari slung Minato's right arm around her shoulders and helped him stand up. She stumbled to the next bench, supporting her boyfriend's body as best as she could and helped him lie down, resting his head on her lap. She played with his hair as she talked. "Minato-kun…I finally remembered! About you! About us! We... we're like boyfriend and girlfriend weren't we…? I really...truly... love you... more than anything…and you….you returned my feelings… I can't forgive myself for forgetting it... I'm sorry…. I'm so sorry..." She started to cry while holding him close. However, she smiled when she saw the strap she had given to him neatly attached to his MP3 player, close to his heart. "You look exhausted. Right now, you can stay like this. I'll always be with you… I'm not letting go of you ever again."_

_Yukari smiled when she heard footsteps. "Listen! Everybody's almost here." She gently kissed Minato's forehead. "Just... just… stay with me for a little while… I love you, Minato-kun…"_

_Aigis kindly picked Minako up bridal style and placed her on Shinjiro's lap, seeing he was in no condition to carry anything. She then walked away to stand by the door to give the couples their privacy._

_Shinjiro let Minako's head rest on the crook of his neck as he tried to catch his breath. He cradled her body gently in his arms, her slow breath tickling his skin. "Minako…" he said softly, panting a little. "Hah... That hospital can't hold me forever..." He finally managed to catch his breath and looked down at her. "Looks like I forgot about everything… it's kinda pathetic of me. And even then... my feelings… your feelings never changed." He let out a weak laugh. "Hah... I really don't deserve you. In my dreams...I saw you, the girl of my dreams... That was you. You were crying and laughing like usual. You really do love a horrible person like me. Haha…"_

_He suddenly embraced her tightly "Ah...this ain't a dream. You're really here…" he whispered, a rare smile on his lips when he heard the voices of the others approaching and chuckled. "Geez, those guys sure know how to ruin a moment." He turned his gaze to Minako and kissed her cheek gently. " I'm so glad... that I met you… I love you… Minako…"_

_In the warm sunlight and the warmth of their loved ones' arms and with their friends getting closer, the Arisato twins felt at peace. They had fulfilled their role. The world and the people they loved so much were now safe._

There were faint voices in the background, loud enough for everyone to hear. They looked around to find out whose voice it belonged to, and realized that they were hearing the twins' last thoughts.

_"I'm sad to leave everybody, but I wouldn't change this year for nothing in the world… Neither would Aniki…" Minako said. "We kept our promise to our friends… And I got to say good bye to Shinjiro-senpai… I just feel bad for not being able to see Banchou-kun one last time… Love you all, guys… please take care of each other…"_

"Guys… Thank you… For everything you guys gave me and my sister… Without you, our lives would have been meaningless… Despite everything we went through, it was worth it…" Minato said. "The promise we made, we fulfilled it. Yukari… I got to be with her for one more time… I only regret not doing the same for Banchou-kun… Take care of yourselves, guys… I'll never forget you…"

With smiles in their faces, they closed their eyes and let themselves fall into a deep slumber.

Yukari fell to her knees when the vision ended. "I…I never knew…that they felt that way…about us…" she murmured, tears streaming down her face. "Minato-kun…Minako-chan…it must have hurt them to leave us that way…a lot more than it hurt us when we lost them."

She wasn't alone. Koromaru began howling to the ceiling. Metis was crying. _'No wonder Sister was so full of grief when she came to the Abyss of Time. Now I understand why she was so desperate to see them again, even if it meant undoing the past and breaking the Seal,'_ she thought. _'Those two are more than just her friends…they were part of her world…her reason to live.'_

The back of Shinjiro's eyes stung as he saw, once again, his girlfriend closing her eyes, only to never open them again. _'Damn it, Minako,'_ he thought, gritting his teeth. _'Of all the memories you made, you had to cherish this one? You really are a piece of work…'_

"Snap out of it you guys!" Souji shouted, startling everyone. He tried his best not to tear up. "I promised myself that I would protect them, no matter what. Whatever happened in the past should stay that way. I won't let that happen again!" The force of his voice shook everyone to the core. They hastily wiped their tears and composed themselves.

"Damn straight!" Shinjiro said. "I also promised myself to make it up to Minako. I won't disappoint her again." He swung his axe back on his shoulder, looking confident as ever.

"Let's go!" Souji said, leading the way.

With a new found determination, the Persona-users moved forward.

* * *

><p>The final staircase materialized and Souji had difficulty keeping his cool, but forced himself to walk slowly and conserve his final reserves of energy. The same could be said for Shinjiro and Yukari. Slowly but surely, they made their way up the spiral staircase leading to the top floor.<p>

"Hey, do you think their Shadows are waiting for us up there?" Yosuke had to ask. All of their past adventures in each other's dungeons led up to that point.

"I don't know Yosuke. If you think about it, since Izanami isn't here anymore, there's nothing that could awaken their inner Shadow," Souji said. "But we have to be careful. Whatever's waiting for us up there…I have a bad feeling about it."

"Knowing that bastard, he's gonna keep them guarded," Akihiko said. "There's no telling what it is, so we should stay on our toes."

Everyone kept that in mind.

The top floor looked like one gigantic room. There were puddles of blood on the floor, the walls with color schemes of grey, black and red. Four tall pillars resembling the Greek Parthenon supported the entire structure at each corner. SEES recognized it as Monad Depths, the mysterious block where the twins faced Elizabeth and Theodore all by themselves. In the middle of the room were two figures slumped on the ground, unconscious.

Souji, Shinjiro and Yukari recognized them immediately.

"Aneki! Aniki!"

"Minako!"

"Minato-kun!"

They rushed to be by their sides. Before they could even get close, they were thrown back by a strong gale.

Shinjiro cursed a string of expletives under his breath. Souji readied his katana while Yukari took out an arrow from her quiver. "Who's there?!" she shouted.

"So you guys finally decided to show up?" a strange but familiar male voice said.

"Took you long enough," a feminine one added.

From behind the two pillars opposite the group of Persona-users, two figures wearing the Gekkoukan High uniforms emerged. They gasped in disbelief; those two looked exactly like the Arisato twins! The only difference was the color of their eyes – golden and devoid of emotions.

"But…how can this be?" Yukiko stuttered.

"This must be some kind of sick joke…" Kanji said, readying his fighting stance. "How the hell can their Shadows manifest if they already have Personas?!"

The Shadows only gave them a creepy smile.

* * *

><p>Things just got serious. What sort of mess our heroes got into, huh? You guys probably have tons of questions in your minds, but I'm afraid you'll have to wait for the upcoming chapters to understand how that happened or what's going on here. Expect an epic battle on the next chapter.<p>

Oh btw: Ohta-chan has some words for you guys:

**OhtaSuzuke's A/N:**

**I know what you're thinking…it's so cheesy and cliché that a destructive and powerful attack like Ardhanari kills Shadows but doesn't harm a person in the line of fire. Let me explain how I think it works. During the game, that particular Fusion Raid annihilates anything in its way without leaving a trace, but doesn't seem to click with me that such a destructive attack using a combination of Hindu deities Shiva AND Parvati would be so brutal. Sure, Shiva is the deity of destruction and considered to be powerful and all (hence the awesome fire power) and Parvati is his wife so why wouldn't they go together? Here's the thing…Parvati is the deity of love and life, which contradicts destruction. So maybe if the Arisato twins love someone enough, then Parvati would protect them, that person being Souji. So Shiva's destructive fire eliminates everything ('cuz why in the hell would the twins love Shadows?) while Parvati protects. Makes sense to me anyway.**

**Regarding the previous chapter, I wrote that as a rough draft way back before I contacted my buddy Sea of Soul. When we joined forces, I showed it to her. She loved it, but it wasn't until we got to discuss the really serious plotlines that she decided to use my draft as part of the story. It fit well into a much bigger puzzle that we have planned out, which I think was Fate at work hehe (^_^)v Anyway, it was inspired by this drawing on DA, called 'Babysitter Shinji' by orcatea. I have watched the anime 'Black Cat' before, but it was a long time ago, so I guess the coincidence was all subconscious…? Weird ideas popped into my head when I saw the drawing and a possible cause and cure of their chibi-ness, which led to the hotsprings (=.=)"**

_Have fun and don't forget to Read and Review! _


	14. Chapter 14: I'm yourself You're myself

_Hi! It's Sea of Soul again. Hope ya guys had awesome holidays 'cause I totally did. I passed the first phase of my exams! In two weeks I'll be having my job interview. Wish me luck guys. owo _

_To celebrate, I bring you guys chapter 14 for you all. But first, as ya know, it's that time again: time to answer some questions/comments!_

**KO**: Izanagi-no-okami, alongside Orpheus Telos and Eurydice Telos, are what I call the World Arcana and Ultimate personas of the Wild Card trio so they aim to become stronger by strengthening their bonds so they can recreate those personas. Kaguya will definitely be summoned by Souji in the nearby future as a nod to his bond to Marie. Magatsu Izanagi… Hm… since I don't consider the Jester/Lust social arcana with Adachi cannon to this plot (Really, as creative as that is, it kind irks me. Plus the fic was on-going when I learned about that link anyway), Magatsu Izanagi will appear summoned by Souji, but in an unexpected way.

**Code-Emperor07**: Yes, Pharos, alongside Ryoji and Marie, will have an important role in this plot for sure. That's all I can say.

**Yuuji Narukami**: You're correct, my friend. But when or how this will happen, I cannot say yet.

**grandshadowseal****: **I'm glad you liked it. Hope this chapter fills your curiosity.

**Sketchman**: Why thank you. This twist was quite fun to work on.

A few warnings: (Yes, I put those before every chapter to avoid issues)

_-There will be spoilers for all games! You've been warned.  
>-The Main characters from each game in this fanfic are called Minato Arisato (P3:FES), Minako Arisato (P3P) and Souji Seta (P4)<br>-There'll be some cursing. (Anyone that played any persona games knows that some characters on it curse quite a bit.) as well as some heavy subjects.  
>-Main Pairings in this fanfic: MinatoxYukari, ShinjiroxMinako, SoujixYukiko, KanjixNaoto, AkihikoxMitsuru, YosukexChie.<br>-Hinted Pairings(in later chapters): JunpeixChidori. (Hinted because Chidori doesn't appear much on this story) KenxNanako (Ya know those little girl's crushes on older boys? It'll be along those lines) FuukaxKeisuke (Other than Minato and Junpei, Fuuka only displayed some sort of close relationship with Keisuke the club president. I found it kinda cute.) TeddiexRise (Just for giggles. They are after all the two hyperactive cuties of the team X3)_

_Have fun ya guys. On with the show!_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 14: I'm yourself. You're myself.<strong>

Teddie was flabbergasted. "H-how can this be? I thought people like Sensei didn't have Shadows…!"

Said Shadows snickered.

"What a stupid bear," Shadow Minato said. "The three Wild Cards are human. Of course they have Shadows dwelling within them."

"Yeah, but we're just better at hiding it," Shadow Minako added, letting out a creepy giggle.

"If Izanami is gone, then why are you here?" Naoto questioned. "There's no way that you two could have awakened without her help." The others murmured and nodded their agreement.

At that, the Shadows burst out laughing. "You guys don't get it, do you?" Shadow Minako said after her fit. "While it is true that Izanami is no longer here, the both of us have always existed. Even when Aigis gained our power after we became the Great Seal, did you really think we disappeared? Thanks to her retaining that power for us, we were able to return." Her crooked smile sent shivers down their spines.

"We are Shadows, the true self. What part of that statement don't you dumbasses understand?" Shadow Minato taunted. "Think about it this way…why would we need help awakening if that was already done three years ago? Ask Akihiko-senpai and Mitsuru-senpai…they saw the whole thing." He smirked at Yukari. "Oh yeah, so were you, right Yukari-chan? You were lucky enough to have witnessed it up close."

Akihiko and Mitsuru flinched. So he was aware they were watching his awakening before they were even told about it?

"You mean back in April of 2009, during the full moon…" Yukari trailed off, eyes wide. She then frowned, looking angry. "You're lying! There's no way you can be them! You just aren't! "

"No, they're not lying." Souji held out an arm to silence everyone, his tone calm and firm. "One thing Shadows can't do is lie, no matter how horrible the truth might seem." He gazed at the two Shadows in the form of his surrogate siblings. "I get it now. There's no mistaking it…those two are Orpheus and Eurydice, reverted back to their Shadow forms."

The Investigation Team looked at Souji with disbelief. "How can you be sure, Sensei?" Teddie asked. "Is that even possible?"

"A Shadow and Persona are the same thing…two sides of the same coin. The only difference is that a Persona can be controlled at will."

"Good guess, Souji-kun," Shadow Minato applauded. "But I'm not surprised you managed to see right through us. You've always been the observant one."

"But that's impossible," Junpei said in disbelief. "We kicked your asses in the Abyss of Time. Why are you guys still here?!"

"As for Junpei's question," Shadow Minako began impatiently, "what you defeated back then was a physical manifestation of SEES' grief that took our form after we died." She sneered at Junpei that had him bristling. "We on the other hand are the negative emotions those two have been keeping pent up for so long. Such an unhealthy thing to do by the way… Did you guys enjoy the little memory trip inside their heads?"

Soft moans were heard when the twins started to stir. Slowly, they got to their feet. When they to get their bearings straight and looked at their surroundings, they were shocked to see their own look-alikes.

"So you two are awake now. This is great! Now we can properly finish what we started!" Shadow Minako cheered, clapping her hands. The others cringed; it was rather disturbing to see a Shadow acting so much like its master, slightly on the childish side.

Souji stepped forward and brandished his sword, not taking his eyes off the Shadows in case they did something unexpected. Yukari and Shinjiro rushed to their beloved's sides, checking to see if they're alright.

"Wh-who…what are they?" Minato questioned, feeling uneasy.

"Why, I'm hurt that you don't recognize me," his Shadow said, feigning shock. "I am you, and you are me. The same goes for Minako here."

Minako was confused, looking imploringly at Shinjiro before turning back to her doppelganger. "You…are me?"

"Of course I'm you, silly," her Shadow counterpart giggled. "I know everything there is to know about you. Your thoughts, your dreams, your _fears_…" She snickered when Minako instinctively gripped Shinjiro's arm. "That's right. Your greatest fear is letting the ones you love go and being left alone again. It wasn't all sunshine and rainbows when you were stuck as the Great Seal, wasn't it? All you could do was gaze at your friends below…living their lives while you had to hold back Erebus for all of eternity."

"I… I chose that of my own free will!" Minako tried to sound brave, but the fear in her eyes was prominent. Shinjiro wrapped his arms around her, trying to calm her shaking body.

"Of course you did," Shadow Minato replied sarcastically. "Don't bullshit with me now. Admit it, you were scared as hell at your sudden return. Did ya tell Souji that when he found you in the middle of the street during the Dark Hour?"

Souji raised an eyebrow in confusion, but maintained his stance. "Aniki, what is he talking about?"

"What am I talking about?! I'm talking about how the Seal is weakening the longer we remain in this world. If we don't return to it, then the world will end! Have you idiots not figured anything out yet?!" Shadow Minato yelled. His sudden mood swing caught them by surprise. "Did you ever think that us being here isn't going to have any consequences?!"

"We were freed for a reason. There's no way we're going to give up!" Minato shot back. Yukari was supporting him since he didn't have enough strength to stand upright.

"Aniki is right. We'd do anything to protect our family and friends, even if it means doing it all over again!" his sister added, almost missing the pained look in Shinjiro's eyes.

The black smoke swirling around the Shadows' bodies became thicker. The Investigation Team immediately went into battle mode, readying their weapons. Normally they wouldn't interfere with a Shadow and it owner's revelations, hoping they could sort it out, but it always ended up with a fight. The rest of SEES followed.

'_This isn't good,'_ Souji thought. _'Their emotions are starting to become unstable. The Great Seal is a touchy subject…and their Shadows are making the situation worse. Come on, think! What would make them say these things?'_ A sudden revelation hit him; a Shadow represents the inverse of a person's arcana. Being a Wild Card meant that the twins and himself have multiple arcanas, but their dominant ones were The Fool, The Judgment and The World. _'According to the book I read about tarot reading, the Inverse Fool represents foolishness, losing the path in one's life, or makong decisions that will end in doom. Could that be related to the Great Seal? They thought that that was all they were good for? Their only purpose?'_

"My dear master, that's a blunt faced lie and you know it," Shadow Minako pouted, becoming childlike once more. "Your memories showed that you didn't have any regrets sacrificing yourselves to protect everyone, but is that really true? Nothing could be done about the Great Seal, as it is our fate to stay there forever. After all, with great power comes great responsibility…right?"

Minako closed her eyes and covered her ears, looking like she was about to cry.

"You guys are just _selfish_," Shadow Minato annunciated the last word. "Both of you don't intend to go back. Even if it is for the greater good, you guys are too scared to lose the lives you had, the people you love. SNAP OUT OF YOUR RIDICULOUS FANTASIES AND WAKE THE HELL UP! The realities are out of balance because of you!"

Minato was on his knees, holding his head. "No…no! We wanted to protect everyone! We didn't mean to cause anyone any heartache…"

Souji continued to process this information. _'The inverse Judgment represents the inability to move forward. That could be why most of the memories shown were the painful parts of their past. And the inverse World…the refusal to accept the truth. I guess deep, deep down, Aniki and Aneki thought that this chaos that we're going through is their fault. But it isn't! They were definitely freed for a reason!'_ He wanted to so badly to slice the Shadows and force them back, but he knew it doesn't work that way.

Shadow Minato continued his rant. "These people aren't your friends. What did they ever do to help you, when you guys were suffering in silence? Nothing!"

"SHUT UP!" Minako screamed. "Leave them out of this. They have nothing to do with it!" Hysterical sobs escaped her throat as she fell on her knees.

Shinjiro tried his best to console her, but nothing he said was working as her sobs got harder.

"Minato-kun, please get a hold of yourself," Yukari said softly, rubbing his back. "If this continues, those things will go berserk."

Shadow Minako laughed like a maniac. "Berserk? Berserk?! You're so damn clueless Yukari-chan. None you could even understand the loneliness we felt when we were in SEES, or comprehend the pain of being bashed by Erebus day after day when we were trapped up there! And Shinjiro…you don't deserve any happiness, because you were the entire reason for my heartache!"

Yukari gasped and covered her mouth, while Shinjiro looked like he'd been shot. He momentarily loosened his grip on Minako.

"No…that's not true!" she screamed, shaking her head violently.

"We never thought like that!" her brother yelled.

Souji had enough, and turned to face them. "Aniki, Aneki, stop it! Stop it…please…" His voice got softer. "I know. I understand your pain and loneliness…all of it, because I went through it myself. Of all the people in this room, I understand that the most. Not just because of our Wild Card ability, but because you guys are my family. I wouldn't judge you if you had all these emotions pent up inside, because I have felt it too. So please…don't deny it anymore…I'm here, aren't I? You guys can tell me anything."

His choice of words snapped the twins out of it. "Banchou-kun…" they whispered, slowly calming down.

The others were silent, the Investigation Team even more so. They never knew that their fearless leader was suffering just as much as the Arisato twins, despite their close relationship with him. They were starting to wonder just how much he was hiding behind his calm exterior. But their thoughts were cut off when they heard creepy giggles coming from the two Shadows. Black mist swirled around and engulfed them.

"Too late ~ " the Shadows sang.

The Persona-users could feel the malicious aura they were emitting. "What the…" Yosuke was stunned. "How can this be? Those two haven't completely rejected their Shadows yet!"

"It must be because of their Wild Card powers, so their Shadows aren't like ours," Naoto said, filling bullets into her revolver. "We also can't rule out the overwhelming levels of emotional pain those two have gone through. Our problems were considered normal compared to theirs."

"Ikutsuki must have been the trigger, and seeing Souji get hurt must have made them snap," Akihiko said. "That bastard…wait till I get my hands on him…"

"So it is safe to assume that their Shadows are much more dangerous than any of yours," Mitsuru said. "If so, then expect a tough battle."

Minato and Minako felt their strength being drained and fainted. Luckily, Yukari and Shinjiro caught them before they could hit the floor. The five of them were thrown back as a burst of energy exploded from the black mist. Two tall figures started to materialize and take shape, suspended in the air. One of them looked like Orpheus Telos, except that his metallic body was black and his limbs were white. The color of his skin and hair were disgusting shades of grey, making him look extremely ill. He was carrying silver coffins on a chain like Thanatos, and mounted on his back was a rusty lyre with sharp, jagged edges. The stereo speaker on his chest was rusted as well, vibrating irregularly. His eyes were bluish-milky white, crying tears of blood. The other one looked like Eurydice Telos with the exact same discoloration and accessories as her male counterpart.

"We are Shadows, the true self," they echoed in unison. "We're tired of losing what means the world to us, so we might as well cut off everything away and end the source of the pain…starting with YOU!" The two Shadows glared at Souji, and started to swing the coffins around. When enough momentum was gained, they aimed the attack at the silverette.

"LOOK OUT!" their friends cried.

Souji had to act fast before the attack could cause any direct and collateral damage. He threw himself directly at front and crushed his card. "Ganesha, Tetrakarn!"

The elephant god casted the reflective barrier and Souji expanded it just in time when the coffins made impact. With the barrier activated, the full force of the attack was redirected back to the Shadows. It could have killed them, Souji knew, but the Shadows were seemingly unharmed. Whatever it was, he wasn't about to let them harm his siblings and casted another two Tetrakarns on them for good measure.

"Shit…I never thought that their Shadows were so volatile. And I almost got them to calm down too…" he groaned. But he didn't have time to dwell on it and got up, gearing himself for battle. "Yukari-san…Shinjiro-san…get them to safety. I'm taking both of you out of the fight so that you can protect them." Shinjiro wanted to protest, but Souji gave him a glare so fierce that he was forced to obey. The silverette continued to give out orders. "Ken and Yukiko, you two are our main healers right now. Their attacks are likely to cause a lot of damage, so I don't need you to waste your energy on fighting. We'll fight them as two separate teams; I'll take on Shadow Eurydice and Aigis-san will take on Shadow Orpheus. We have to take them down fast, so don't hold back!"

The others scattered around but stayed close to their assigned sub-group. Fuuka and Rise remained close to Yukari and Shinjiro, scanning the Shadows as quickly as they can.

Souji made his first move.

"Zaou-Gongen, Vorpal Blade!"

Being one of Souji's high level Personas, the Shinto mountain deity's attack slashed Shadow Eurydice with great accuracy. She let out a high-pitched shriek, unsuited for her title as Mistress of Melodies. '_She must have been injured by that reflected attack after all.'_ Feeling confident, he summoned another Persona. "Surt, Ragnorak!"

"I'll back ya up, parter!" Yosuke said, summoning his card. "Susano-O, Garudyne!"

The giant pillar of magma engulfed Shadow Eurydice, and Yosuke helped amplify its fire power. Koromaru added his own Agidyne to the mix. The female Shadow screamed as she tried to put it out the hell inferno with little success.

Meanwhile, Aigis ordered a full assault on Shadow Orpheus. "Give it all you got!" she told her team.

A flurry of magic and physical attacks hit the male Shadow simultaneously. Though it didn't beat him into submission, it managed to injure him just enough to give Mitsuru an opening to cast Mind Charge on herself and release a powerful ice storm, successfully wounding him even further.

As the magic attacks and blizzard died down, they watched with bated breath, anxious to know if their opponents had given up. Shadow Eurydice had severe burn wounds and there were shallow cuts on Shadow Orpheus, but that was about it.

They laughed and continued to taunt their opponents. "We represent the arcana of unlimited potential. Did you really think that your measly attacks can hurt us?" Both of them tied the chains of their coffins to their waist and dismounted their lyres.

Souji cursed in his mind when he heard Rise's voice. _"Senpai, both of them have very high resistance to physical and magic attacks, and they nullify Dark and Light,"_ she reported.

"_Not only that, their evasion rate, strength, defense and agility are at their maximum," _Fuuka added._ "Please be careful…I sense that they have a few hidden abilities which will be very troublesome in battle."_

"This isn't good…" Souji mumbled to himself. He turned his team. "Akihiko-san, I'm afraid you're going to have to debuff their stats constantly. Yosuke, be on the lookout if they buffer up and nullify them immediately. They seem to be attacking in sync, so finding an opening for an All-Out Attack is going to be a huge problem," he said, loud enough for the other sub-team to hear.

"If they are the Shadows of Minato-san and Minako-san, then they also have the knowledge of our Personas and their skills," Metis said. "We are at a disadvantage like this."

"So what?" Kanji interjected confidently. "If they know about yours, then we have the upper hand. They don't know much about ours, and I'm sure Souji-senpai have a few Personas which they don't."

"That may be a good idea, Kanji, but we have to do better than that if we want to defeat them before our energy runs out," Souji reminded him. _'And before they kill all of us.'_

A strange, hypnotic melody was being played as the Shadows strummed their lyres. It was soothing like a lullaby, yet at the same time aggravating as the rusty strings vibrated, sending the music across the air.

"So…pretty…" Teddie said, swaying back and forth to the music. Junpei and Yosuke's eyes were getting glassy, and a few of the others seem to be in a trance.

Souji's eyes widen when he realized what was going on. "Cover your ears! Don't listen to the music!" he bellowed. He quickly reequipped his Persona to one with multiple ailment nullifying skills. Those who weren't yet affected plugged their ears, including Shinjiro and Yukari. After what seemed like an agonizing minute, the rusty speakers on both Shadows' chests were vibrating faster, and a loud screech echoed through the small room where the force of it was enough to push them backwards slightly, and silence soon followed.

The silverette's eyes scanned his teammates. Those who covered their ears were fine, but Teddie and Junpei seemed to have been hit with confusion, Akihiko was silenced, and Chie and Koromaru were ailed with fear. "Fuuka-san was right. Their music can cause random ailments, and with that they have complete advantage. This is troublesome indeed," he told the others.

"It will be more troublesome if they can cast Control like Kunino Sagiri," Naoto said. "We can't have anyone stabbing us in the back."

Yukiko knew what she had to do. Since Souji put her on the sidelines, she could better observe those who needed any aid. "Amaterasu, Salvation!"

Those with ailments quickly recovered, able to focus on the fight once more. They sent magical and physical attacks at the Shadows, but whatever the Persona-users sent them wasn't having a major effect. Akihiko was trying his best to lower their status, but he was having trouble avoiding the ice attacks aimed at him by Shadow Orpheus. It was nearly impossible to get close and land a direct hit with a short-ranged weapon. The Shadows also have a tendency to switch positions when the team least expected it, causing confusion amongst them.

"Rise, do they have any passive abilities that you can tell?" Souji asked his team's analyzer.

"_Give me a sec, Senpai. Even combining Kanzeon's scanning abilities with Juno's, it's gonna take some time for accurate results."_

The Persona-users had to constantly keep their guard up as the Shadows constantly played their instruments, making it worse by amplifying the sound with their speakers. When some of them were distracted, Shadow Eurydice would hit them with a shockwave, followed by powerful elemental spells, specifically targeting anyone with a weakness to it. Ken and Yukiko were kept busy healing their teammates, but even they were close to their limit. And they were also slowly running out of supplies, namely Stimulants, Mouth Washes and Dokudami Teas. Fatigue and mental strain from the surrounding fog were catching on, too.

Meanwhile, Shinjiro and Yukari were trying their best to wake the twins up, but to no avail. Shinjiro had to summon Pegasus a few times to block any attacks coming their way, while Yukari used her wind magic to cushion any of her friends who were about to collide with the gigantic pillars.

After what seemed an agonizing long time, the scanners finally got something. _"Senpai, I don't think they have any resistances to Enervation and Exhaustion. Fuuka-senpai said she never even heard of these ailments, so I guess they didn't develop any skills to counter it back in Tartarus,"_ Rise said triumphantly, although there was some tiredness in her voice.

"_That does make sense, because the properties of this world are very different from Tartarus,"_ Fuuka added.

Souji smirked. "Thanks for the update, guys. It's time for a strategy change!" As he went through his Personae arsenal, Souji gave the rest of the team new orders. "Yosuke, take over our sub-team and bombard it with any attacks that you can think of. Aigis-san, you do the same. I need you guys to keep them busy while I try to weaken them even further."

Yosuke wasted no time shooting a series of wind spells and physical attacks on Shadow Eurydice, nimbly avoiding her counter-attacks with his acrobatic moves and speed. As he was playing decoy, Mitsuru, Akihiko and Koromaru combined their magic spells and sent it straight to the Shadow when she got too distracted.

"Don't give him any chance to play his lyre! Destroy it if you have to!" Aigis ordered. She boosted her sub-team's speed and accuracy with Masukukaja and proceeded to shoot Shadow Orpheus with her ammo. Naoto pulled her revolver trigger non-stop, hoping to damage his instrument. Kanji, Metis, Junpei and Chie assaulted him with powered up physical attacks while Teddie conjured ice blocks to hinder his movements.

Souji was waiting for the right opportunity to use his special attack as his tarot card spun on his palm. When the twins' Shadows were close to each other and his teammates some distance away, he crushed it. "Shiki-Ouji, Navas Nebula!"

It took Souji a few tries for the Exhaustion effect to kick in, causing the damage done to increase by 50%. The Investigation Team smirked and doubled their efforts in attacking, followed by SEES. Souji wasn't about to stop there now that he knew what his strongest advantage was.

"Alraune, Old One!"

After three tries, both Shadows were enervated, their stats dwindled by half. The damage caused by the Persona-users were starting to show, but it still wasn't enough to take the Shadows down.

"Damn tough bastards…" Shinjiro muttered under his breath as he watched his teammates fight. "I guess that's to be expected of a Wild Card. They never go down easy."

Yukari summoned Isis and casted Samarecarm on the twins, but it wasn't working. "That's one of my strongest healing spells too. I guess until their Shadows are defeated they'll stay unconscious." She dismissed her Persona and continued to watch over them.

"Why…why won't all of you just disappear!?" Shadow Eurydice screeched, banging her rusty lyre to the ground, sending large chunks of the floor to Aigis and Metis who were protected by Athena's shield.

"It hurts…" Shadow Orpheus cried, mounting his lyre on his back to use his chain of coffins once more. "The pain of lost…IT HURTS SO MUCH!" He started attacking Yosuke and his group, everything about his movements wild and reckless, without any sense of purpose but to destroy.

"_Even with their stats halved, they are still very resilient,"_ Fuuka said, starting to sound worried when the dungeon began to rumble. _"Guys, I don't think this floor will hold out much longer. They are causing too much destruction. You have to defeat them quick!"_

Thinking furiously about how he should weaken the Shadows further, Souji had an idea. Popping a few Soul Drops onto his mouth, he readied his next Persona to be summoned from the sea of his soul. "Trumpeter, Debilitate!"

The archangel of the Last Judgment materialized, blowing his trumpet at the direction of the two Shadows. They started to become slightly weak, their movements sluggish. Koromaru and Yosuke took advantage of this and casted Masukukaja on everyone, doubling their speed to avoid getting injured by their opponents. The rest combined their attacks to maximize the damage.

Souji changed his Persona to Yoshitsune. He planned on using him for his final and strongest physical attack to end this fight.

"Power Charge! Heat Riser!"

The ancient Japanese General appeared, casting a golden light on his master. Souji felt stronger, his senses more alert. "Get out of my way!" he yelled to his friends. "And take cover…I'll end this once and for all!"

Without needing to be told twice, the Investigation Team and SEES scrambled out of range. Shinjiro carried Minako while Junpei helped Yukari with Minato and took them to safety behind a pillar. The rest also took shelter behind the other pillars.

"Yoshitsune…" The Persona nodded, readying his twin daggers. "HASSOU TOBI!"

Crimson rays shot up into the sky, followed by a rain of arrows, piercing the Shadows at every angle possible. They screamed in pain, an unearthly cry filled with sorrow that vibrated through the air like a melody from Hell. Their lyres and coffins shattered, leaving them defenseless as they fell to the ground in an unceremonious heap. A puddle of blood oozed on the floor as they started to sob, twin streaks of red liquid streaming from their eyes.

The Arisato twins were beginning to stir, and the others finally knew that the Shadows have been defeated. All that was left to do was for them to accept the darkest side of themselves, but that was another thing altogether.

"Aniki, Aneki!" Souji made his way to his siblings, panting hard. Aside from Adachi, that was the toughest battle he had endured. "Are you guys alright? Are you hurt?"

"Just my head…" Minako groaned, being helped to her feet by Shinjiro.

"What happened to the Shadows?" Minato asked groggily, supporting his weight on Yukari.

"About that…" Souji began, giving them a stern look. "I don't need to say this again, but I'm sure you're aware that if you reject them once more they will go berserk and attack us." He suddenly pulled the twins into a hug. "I'm sorry…" he said shakily, gripping them tighter, "for not being aware about your pain. As your brother, you guys can tell me anything. You don't have to go through that alone anymore, because I'm not going anywhere." His gaze met that of Shinjiro, Yukari, and the others who were starting to crowd around them. "Correction…WE are not going anywhere." He gave them a sincere smile.

The twins broke away from the hug and approached their Shadows.

"I wanted to deny you guys so bad," Minato said to Shadow Orpheus. "But I knew you were telling the truth, every single detail. You were right, all I could focus on when I was the Great Seal was how my friends have moved on, and eventually they'll forget about me. Just because we didn't have any regrets doesn't mean it wasn't painful. If you really are me, then you must have felt the same pain. I'm sorry…I really am."

"When Aniki and I returned after the reality merge, I was so happy that I got to meet everyone that I held dear. It was a dream come true," Minako admitted to Shadow Eurydice. "But it also scared me that if I was forced to return, I'd lose all that again. That's something that I don't want. I held onto it desperately, even if it meant that I couldn't move on…remaining fixated to the past." She began to cry. "I apologize for causing you so much pain."

From their positions on the floor, the Shadows looked up to their respective masters, and held out a hand. Both twins grasped them and smiled, letting them know that they no longer rejected their existence. The four of them were surrounded by soft blue light as the bulky forms of the Shadows reverted back to Orpheus, the Master of Strings and Eurydice, the Mistress of Melodies. As the Personas returned to the sea of their souls, the twins felt as if a heavy weight was lifted from their chests.

Feeling dazed and tired, they were about to faint again but luckily were caught by Shinjiro and Yukari.

Souji saw the look of content on his sibling's faces. _'I'm glad that they accepted their other selves and moved on. I forgot that they also have another dominant arcana – Death. The inverse of that represents a mentality of being stuck in life, unable to mourn any loss and cannot accept changes that come with the future. I couldn't blame them for that. They've gone through and sacrificed so much, it's only human to feel that way. Hope…is really a wonderful thing.'_

Taking charge once more, he addressed the gang. "Let's get out of here. Aniki and Aneki are gonna need a lot rest after that ordeal, and so do the rest of us." 

* * *

><p>The trip back to the Inn was longer and quieter than usual. The Persona-users were exhausted from the vicious battle and immersed in their own thoughts. Shinjiro carried Minako on piggyback with Akihiko doing the same for Minato, Yukari silently walking beside him. Both twins were fast asleep. Souji kept looking at them every now and then as if to make sure they were both okay.<p>

Once they arrived, both twins were taken to their rooms. Due to the late hour, Mitsuru decided to call a doctor in to check on them, to confirm they hadn't suffered any major injuries that couldn't be seen or healed with their magic or the Fox's leaves. After a thorough examination, the doctor didn't find anything wrong with either one of them, only that both were exhausted with a few bruises. He prescribed some multivitamins and painkillers in case they had headaches, instructed Shinjiro and Yukari to help them change bandages often and told them to get some extra sleep.

After both twins were tucked in and left alone to get some well deserved rest, both groups headed to the lounge. There weren't a lot of people around, since most of the guests were enjoying dinner in the dining halls.

"So, what do we do now?" Junpei asked. "The chairman is still on the loose…"

"Yes, as long as he's around with The Reaper to do his bidding, he's a menace to all of us," Mitsuru said in a serious tone. "It seems obvious that he has a role in the return of the Dark Hour and the series of events involving the twins and Seta."

"First Adachi and now Ikutsuki. They're using our old enemies against us…" Akihiko narrowed his eyes in anger. "I don't like where this is going."

Souji closed his eyes in thought. "I understand what you mean, Akihiko-san. The stakes are higher now and things are bound to get more dangerous. But for now, the best we can do is to get some rest and allow both Aniki and Aneki to recover. Once we're in better shape, we can discuss more properly what to do regarding that man."

No one could argue with that. They were all physically and mentally drained, definitely not in the condition to discuss such a serious topic.

SEES left for their rooms, leaving the Investigation Team by themselves at the lobby. Souji was about to leave when Yukiko tugged on his arm. He turned to face her. "Yes, Yukiko?"

"Souji-kun… about what happened in Tartarus… I mean, about what you told Minato-san and Minako-san when we faced their Shadows…"

"Yes?" Judging from his sigh, Yukiko knew he was way exhausted.

"Never mind. We can talk tomorrow." She looked away. "You should go home and rest... Dojima-san and Nanako-chan will worry about you if you're late."

As if knowing what was worrying her, Souji gently kissed her forehead. "Don't worry. I'll take care of myself. Nothing's gonna happen to me. I promise."

"Souji-kun…" Yukiko smiled, feeling more at ease. "Thanks."

"You take care too, okay? I love you." Souji kissed her again before heading home. "See you tomorrow."

With Souji gone, Yukiko sighed. "So you couldn't ask him about it either, huh?" Yosuke said as he and the rest of the Investigation Team walked up to her.

She sighed again and shook her head. "I didn't have the courage to. After everything that's happened today..." She turned her gaze towards the direction that Souji left. "He's exhausted…physically and emotionally."

"I know…I didn't have the guts to ask him about that either." Chie frowned. "But what he said… about him understanding their pain because he felt the same thing…"

"Makes me wonder how well we really know Senpai…" Rise said morosely. "He understands us so much, but do we really understand him?"

"But Senpai is such a straightforward guy… does he really have anything to hide?" Kanji asked.

"Wild Cards are better at hiding their inner feelings… that's what their Shadows said," Naoto stated.

Teddie sniffled. "Does that mean that the reason Sensei understands us so much is because he feels more pain and sadness than we did?"

Everybody turned to the blonde Shadow. "Maybe that's the case, but I don't think Souji's ready to talk about any of that right now," Yosuke said. "Whether or not he's hiding his pain, whether or not he does have a Shadow like Minato-san and Minako-san, he needs his time. What happened today really shook him up. You saw how worried he was about the twins. The only time he was that worried was when Nanako-chan…" He sighed, and stretched his tired limbs. "Anyway, we should bring that up only after things have settled down for a bit. Let's go home and get some rest. I don't know about you guys, but I'm beat."

That was something they could all agree on. 

* * *

><p>Yukari and Shinjiro quietly made their ways to the rooms where the twins were resting. Everyone else made up excuses not to go to bed yet: Junpei was going to get himself and Koromaru something to eat; Fuuka wanted to help Aigis and Metis fix some minor damages they had suffered in battle; Akihiko and Ken went to the hot springs to soothe their sore bodies; Mitsuru had to make some phone calls – family business, she claimed. That gave them both a chance to check on their loved ones without being bothered.<p>

Yukari quietly entered the boys' room and looked around. Minato was fast asleep in his futon with a soft expression on his face. He looked so peaceful in his slumber inside the dark room that he reminded her of those ethereal guardian spirits from old fairy tales. She smiled and knelt beside him. It didn't take long as her eyes began to water.

"Minato-kun… I'm sorry…" she whispered. "I was so self centered that… I never understood what you were going through. I'm your girlfriend and I still…Oh, I'm so sorry…" She started to sob, wiping some of her tears. "I couldn't do anything right on my own, and I never saw how much pain you were in. You've always been this amazing leader and hero… if you weren't by my side… I – I wouldn't know what to do…"

Hesitantly she reached out, gently brushing Minato's bangs away from his eyes. "I always felt close to you…because you understood me, cared about me and listened to me more than anyone else did when I was so lonely. When you left us, I took it really hard. But after seeing all those memories… I came to realize that life was way harder for you and Minako-chan."

"I'm so sorry, Minato-kun…" The tears wouldn't stop. She was about to get up and leave when something reached out and grabbed her by the wrist. Yukari squeaked, frozen in her spot.

"Don't go…" Minato whispered, slowly opening his eyes. They still showed exhaustion due to the day's events. "Please, Yukari… don't…leave me…alone…"

Yukari's eyes widened as she watched a tear trail down his cheek, something which she had never seen before. He had heard her all along. He released his grip on her wrist as his hand dropped back on the futon, but she stayed frozen where she was, her heart rapidly pounding as she stared at her boyfriend. In the dim lighting of the room, she could see more tears stream down his face.

"I was always protecting Minako, and to do that I took everything on my own. The same applied when I became leader of SEES. It never occurred to me that I didn't need to shoulder my burdens alone…I – I didn't want to worry you or the others… I felt it wasn't right to bother you with my problems when you were going through so much on your own…"

Inhaling deeply, Yukari swallowed as she listened to his confession. It was beginning to make some sense now, why he seemed so upset when he thought she was leaving. For that one instant, what she saw then was Minato at his most open, his most vulnerable…she had seen him unguarded, witnessed a side of himself that he hardly showed anyone. She could tangibly feel how _lonely _he really was.

"It's okay." She pulled the covers and slid herself inside his futon, snuggling her face in his chest. "You can talk to me about anything you want. This time… I'll be listening."

Minato wasn't sure how to handle the understanding gaze in Yukari's eyes. It was an entirely new experience for him being comforted rather than comforting others. He tentatively wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. Something in his chest throbbed, making the whole situation awkward for him, leaving him uncertain and confused.

But as Yukari's warmth enveloped his body, Minato found that for now, he didn't really mind. In fact, he could get used to this warm feeling. They chatted for a while until he eventually fell asleep in her embrace.

_**At the same time, in the girls' room…**_

Shinjiro quietly stepped inside the dark room. Minako was asleep in her futon, with a gentle smile on her face, her free auburn hair messily splayed on the pillow. Witnessing his girlfriend sleeping like that was a rare event and Shinjiro was taking it. It probably sounded cliché – heck, it still is – but Minako looked like an angel.

Carefully, Shinjiro seated himself at the edge of her futon. His fingers slipped between hers, her warmth spreading in his cool palm.

Minako shifted at his touch, turning onto her side towards him. Shinjiro's heart lurched as he recalled the words from Minako's Shadow.

_"You don't deserve any happiness, because you were the entire reason for my heartache!"_

He may not have showed it (or so he thinks) but he felt rather broken-hearted at the Shadow's statement. "I was such an ass back then… I caused you so much grief, Minako. I kinda deserved that as much as it may have hurt hearing it…"

He felt his eyes stinging, but he fought the urge to cry. "You changed me for the better. You helped me come to terms with my pain… my past. You gave me a reason to yearn for the future…" He closed his eyes tightly. "And I… I never thought about how much pain you and your brother were going through, because I'm a selfish bastard who can only think about himself. Hell, you're only human… I'm sorry... Really..."

Not realizing his grip on her hand had tightened, Minako whimpered in her sleep. Hearing the sudden gasps, Shinjiro immediately let her seemingly fragile hand go. His move was too hurried, causing her sleep-induced breaths to become irregular, as if trying to break free from a dream. Shinjiro sensed her about to wake, not wanting to be there in case he caused her more pain. Just as he was about to get up, the left sleeve of his coat was pulled back.

"Shinji-kun… Don't go…" Minako pleaded softly, slowly opening her eyes. Tears pooled in her eyes. "Please…. Please, stay with me…"

Shinjiro took his place again by her side, gave her a reassuring smile as he kissed her cheek. "I ain't going anywhere."

"Good…" She sighed and closed her eyes. "I thought it was easy to just smile and hide what I felt, so that Aniki didn't have to worry about me all the time. I – I didn't want to burden him. I did the same thing when I joined SEES so I wouldn't worry the others and help them… I never realized that others could do that for me too…"

As he listened, Shinjiro caressed her forehead, running his fingers through her hair. Feeling a strong urge to be close, he lied down next to her, propping his elbow up to support his head. Without thinking he lowered his head and pressed his nose against her hair, inhaling deeply. _'Good god, she smells so good,' _he thought. It was a cross between strawberries, honey and sunflowers; a scent he was not likely to forget any time soon.

Minako giggled at the sudden display of affection. She felt a large hand cup her cheek, turning her face to his direction. Her heartbeat suddenly sped up tenfold as she looked into his gentle eyes, sinking into his touch, the warmth radiating from his hands making her vulnerable and safe at the same time.

"Don't hide anything from me anymore," he said, rubbing her cheek gently with his thumb. "When I promised I'd make it up to you, I meant every single word of it. And I'll be damned if I break that promise."

She gave him a small smile, filled with love and a myriad of other emotions.

Shinjiro shifted to make himself comfortable, pillowing her head with his arm and taking the actual pillow for himself.

Minako blushed as he gingerly wrapped her inside his oversized coat, where both of them fit in snugly. He encased her in a hug for more security, warming her up at the same time. Nothing was said between them as she fell asleep, all her fears washed away just being in this man's embrace. 

* * *

><p>Once Souji finally got home it was already evening. Dojima was already home, reading his paper while Nanako was watching TV. The usual scene. "I'm home…" he announced, almost whispering.<p>

As both father and daughter noticed his presence, Nanako quickly went hug him. "Welcome home, Big Bro!" She greeted him with a smile, but frowned upon seeing her cousin's worn out expression. "Are you okay? You don't look so good…"

"I'm okay, Nanako. Just had a long day." He slumped on the couch and sighing heavily.

Dojima got up and put his paper away. "Nanako, can you please get Souji's futon ready?"

The girl nodded and went upstairs. Dojima sat next to Souji, the sofa groaning slightly. "Long day, huh? Does it have to do with those things?"

Souji looked down. He didn't have to hide things from his uncle anymore, but today's events were still bothering him, specially the run-in with Ikutsuki. "Yes… more related to Aniki and Aneki actually…" He explained to his uncle what had happened, giving him the bare facts.

Dojima narrowed his eyes as Souji finished explaining. "Okay… I can almost understand you and the twins transforming into kids, but a dead guy coming back to life? That's going a little too far…"

"Yeah. He tricked them in the past, almost leading to the end of the world as we know it, and died in the process. But it isn't that part that bothers me the most… it was the fact that he knew my name, and that something happened to my parents."

Dojima frowned in concern. He knew Souji wasn't entirely over his parents' disappearance although he was recovering from the trauma. "Your parents are good people. That guy is probably lying to try and get to you." He put a comforting hand on his nephew's shoulder "What matters now is that you kids are safe."

"Yeah, you're right." Souji gave him a smile of gratitude. "Thanks, Uncle."

Dojima grinned and patted Souji's back, just as Nanako came back down. "The futon is ready," she said.

The detective nodded at his daughter and then turned to Souji. "You, go have dinner, take a shower, and sleep. You look almost dead."

As his nephew made his way upstairs followed by Nanako, Dojima began to contemplate. Something about all this didn't sit well with him. His detective's intuition kicked in, churning out all sorts of questions: Just how well did he know his own sister? What about her husband? The Arisato family? Now that he thought about it, he lost contact with his sister for over ten years before he got a surprise call from her, asking him to look after her teenage son for a year during their overseas business trip. What exactly happened during that gap? Did this Ikutsuki person have anything to do with it?

He was determined to find out. 

* * *

><p>The next morning, Minako woke up to the tantalizing smell of warm pancakes. Her tummy growled loudly, demanding to be filled. Yukari's smiling face greeted her as she opened her eyes.<p>

"Good morning, sleepy head!" she chirped.

Minako yawned. "Mmm…morning. What time is it anyway?"

"Still early for Junpei's standards, and that's telling how late it is," Yukari snorted, laying the tray down beside the futon. There was a stack of pancakes, a bowl of fresh fruit, a glass of milk and a cup of tea. "Hope you're hungry. Shinjiro-senpai woke up early and made everyone breakfast with Souji-kun's help. He asked me to bring it to you since you're still tired from yesterday."

"Souji-kun's here?" Minako asked, already stuffing her mouth with pancakes drenched in syrup and butter.

Yukari sweatdropped. Her friend's gluttony never ceased to amaze her. "Yeah, he wanted to check up on you guys. Shinjiro-senpai should be with Minato-kun right now, serving him his breakfast." She then grinned slyly. "Although I have a sneaky feeling that he wanted to personally serve you, but Mitsuru-senpai would kill him if he sets foot in this room again."

Minako was enjoying her food too much to even blush.

Meanwhile, in the room the guys were staying, Shinjiro was feeling rather annoyed. _'Damn Mitsuru and her stupid rules. She couldn't even cut me some slack this one time,'_ he thought grumpily as he watched his girlfriend's twin eat with incredible gusto. "Slow down, you moron. The food's not going anywhere. Chew properly before you swallow!" he snapped.

"Hey, don't get all pissy at me just because you couldn't serve my sister breakfast," Minato shot back, pointing a fork to Shinjiro's face. "Besides, I'd be happier if Yukari was here but you don't hear me complaining."

The tall brunette blushed. "Wh-whatever. Just finish that up before Aki gets back. That idiot will get all whiny if he saw I made you guys pancakes and he didn't get any."

Minato shrugged, not in the mood to argue with his senpai. But one thing is for sure, the man was an awesome cook.

Shortly after breakfast both twins went to take a shower and got dressed. They decided to take a stroll in the garden together, wanting to get some fresh air and collect their thoughts.

"Ah, this feels great!" Minako smiled as the warm sunlight showered her and her brother. "It's like all of our worries were washed away."

"I know… my body feels so light," Minato stated, stretching his muscles and grinned at a satisfying 'pop' from his backbone. "I've never felt so… alive."

Minako giggled. She was about to inhale the scent from a rose bush when a glowing blue butterfly flew past them, followed by another one, then another, and another. Soon enough an entire swarm of butterflies were flying above them. She blinked, surprised. "Okay… you don't see that everyday…"

"That's not natural…" Minato said, warily backing away. He wasn't moving an inch however, as his whole body felt stiff. "What the?! I can't move!"

It was like some invisible force was holding them down, causing Minako to panic. "Aniki, I… I can't move either!"

The butterflies landed before them, swirling around and merged into a human-like figure. A tall, slender male with dark brown hair tied on a short ponytail, wearing a black turtleneck underneath a white suit and polished black shoes, appeared before them. His face was concealed by an elaborate butterfly-shaped mask that showed his golden eyes.

"Who are you?!" Minato questioned.

The man said nothing as he calmly walked up to them. Minako glared at him. "What do you want with us!?"

Once again the man remained quiet as he stood before them. The twins tensed at first, but upon gazing into his eyes, they didn't sense that this mysterious stranger was a threat, instinctively knowing he meant no harm. He gently placed two fingers on each of their foreheads, soft blue light emanating at the tips. The twins calmed down despite being unsure of what was going on. A feeling of light-headedness took over, as if surrounded by a blanket of fuzz, falling into a trance.

Not too far from there, Souji, accompanied by Yukiko, Yukari and Shinjiro, entered the garden, looking for the twins.

"I'm really glad Aniki and Aneki are recovering so well from yesterday," Souji said, sighing happily. "In every way." Despite still being tired, he wanted to come by early and check up on them personally.

"Yeah, I was worried about them after what they went through, but they picked themselves up and seem stronger than ever," Shinjiro commented.

"I think that's because they have such great friends with them, Shinjiro-san. Your support, along with Yukari-san and Souji-kun's means a lot to them." Yukiko smiled. "They must've felt more at ease after you two went to see them last night."

Yukari smiled back. "Yes… What?!" she nearly shouted, her face a deep shade of pink. "Y-You mean, you saw us going into their rooms?!"

Yukiko nodded, and realized what she just said. "O-oh, I was going to my room when I saw you and Shinjiro-san heading there." She started to blush. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to spy on you!"

Shinjiro grunted, annoyed and embarrassed, but before he could say something, he spotted who they were looking for. "There they are." His eyes narrowed when he saw the stranger. "Who the hell is that freak? What is he doing to them!?"

Souji's protectiveness kicked in. "Aniki! Aneki!" he shouted.

The masked man, startled by the sudden arrival of the group, quickly backed away from the twins. They swayed slightly at the disconnection, sinking to their knees.

Souji and Shinjiro stood protectively between them, while Yukari and Yukiko supported them.

"Who are you? How did you even enter this place?" the raven-haired girl asked in anger. An intruder in her family's Inn was something she'd never tolerate.

"What are you trying to do with Minato-kun and Minako-chan?!" Yukari demanded.

Shinjiro got into a fighting stance. "Stay the hell away from them, you creep, or you'll be dealing with me!"

"If you tried to hurt them, I'm gonna make you pay!" Souji threatened. Even though he didn't have his sword at hand, he was more than willing to fight whoever tried to hurt his family.

Without warning, the man turned around and took off in a swift run. "Oi, get back here!" Shinjiro shouted, sprinting after him.

"Shinjiro-san, wait! Yukiko, stay here with Yukari-san, Aneki and Aniki. I've got a weird feeling about that man."

"Please be careful!"

Yukari drew her cellphone. "I have to tell the others…" She dialed a number. "Mitsuru-senpai, we've got a problem!"

Meanwhile, Souji and Shinjiro were still running after the masked man heading for the Inn's main gate.

"You ain't getting away, bastard!" Shinjiro growled.

The stranger almost reached the gates when the remaining members of SEES blocked his way, giving Souji and Shinjiro enough time to catch up and surround the him.

Akihiko cracked his knuckles. "Going somewhere, wise guy?"

"You're gonna pay for trying to hurt Minako-san and Minato-san!" Ken said. Koromaru growled, baring his fangs.

"Are you working with the chairman?" Mitsuru asked coldly. "If so, then expect no mercy!"

The masked man remained silent, instead turned around to face Souji, his expression unreadable. The silverette cocked his head in confusion. _'Why is he looking at me like that? Do I know him?' _Before he could say anything, the stranger's body started to glow, disintegrating into blue butterflies. The butterflies flew all over the place, blinding them for a few seconds. When they reopened their eyes, he was gone.

"What the hell?! Where did he go?" Junpei shouted, shocked. "How did he do that?"

"That man…was not human," Metis stated.

"But he's also different from any Shadows we've encountered so far," Aigis added. "Why do I get the feeling that I've seen something like that before?"

"What could he possibly want with Minato-san and Minako-san?" Fuuka questioned.

Shinjiro huffed in annoyance. "If he's connected to the chairman, that can't be a good thing."

"I'm not sure that's the case…" Souji interjected, holding his chin in deep thought. This earned him skeptical gazes.

"What makes you so sure, Seta?" Mitsuru questioned.

"When he stared at me… I don't know why, but something about him felt odd… Almost nostalgic…" Souji looked up to the sky. "I can't explain it, but something inside me tells me he's not a threat. And I also have a feeling we haven't seen the last of him."

"Tch, whatever. If that guy tries anything funny, I won't answer for my actions," Shinjiro said, unconvinced.

"Anyway, we should go back to Yukari-san and Yukiko to check on them…just in case."

_**Back to the garden…**_**  
><strong>

The twins had finally recovered from their daze, finally able to stand up when Souji and the others arrived. "Aniki! Aneki!" He rushed to their side. "You two okay?"

"Yeah. Head feels kinda light though," Minato said, shaking his head to snap out of it.

"What happened to that masked man?" Yukari asked.

"You're not gonna believe it, but he turned into a bunch of butterflies and disappeared," Junpei said, making elaborate gestures with his hands.

"Actually, we do believe that, because he appeared from a bunch of butterflies…" Minako said, holding on to Shinjiro's arm to stay steady.

"Did he try to hurt you?" he asked. His eyes scanned Minako's body for any injuries he might have missed.

"No. All he did was touched our foreheads," Minato said. "But when he did, I heard a voice. It wasn't from Orpheus or any other of my Personas though."

"That also happened to me and I'm pretty sure that wasn't Eurydice or the others talking…" Minako closed her eyes in recollection. "'I am you, and you are I… I am always within you, watching over you.' That's what the voice said. Right, Aniki?"

Her twin nodded. "That's correct. I'm not quite sure what to make of it, but that man didn't feel like a threat. Call me crazy, but there was something… nostalgic about him."

Souji grinned. "I know the feeling."

"Looks like Souji was right about that man after all," Akihiko said. "Still, we gotta be really careful for now. No way I'm gonna let anything happen to you two under my watch."

"Akihiko-senpai is right," Fuuka said. "We don't want you two to be in any more danger."

"After yesterday, we saw how much we took your feelings for granted," Mitsuru said. "Yes, we treasure the bonds we have with you two, but it never occurred to us how much of an importance it means to you."

"From now on, we'll always be by your side, not only in battle, but in life as well," Aigis said.

"We'll never leave you," Metis said.

"In the times of joy as well as sadness," Ken said. "Just like you've been there for us."

Koromaru barked, wagging his tail happily. "Koromaru-san says that he'll stand by your side until the end," Aigis translated.

Junpei grinned. "That's right, dudes. I'm with you two for the long run too."

Yukari hold Minato's hand with a warm smile, Shinjiro doing the same with Minako. There was no need for words. Their eyes said it all.

"Everybody… thanks…" Minato smiled, his eyes closed.

"From the bottom of our hearts," Minako added.

Yukiko and Souji just smiled as the group walked back into the inn, smiling and laughing together. 

* * *

><p>In the small confines of the meeting room that Mitsuru was able to book last minute, SEES and the Investigation Team were squeezed in together. The red-head herself was standing at the front of the room, in her no nonsense business-like manner.<p>

"I thank you all for coming on such short notice," she began. "Since summer is about to end, this matter can no longer be delayed."

"I believe you're talking about the second semester of school starting next week," Naoto said. "I too, was wondering what your future plans are since you're only staying here temporarily."

Mitsuru nodded at that. "Yes, that's true. At first, we were only here on vacation and to confirm the internet rumors which Iori told us about. After all that's happened, I'm positive that the TV World is the source of all the Shadows' activities, and might hold the key to solving this mystery. For that, I have decided for SEES to set base here in Inaba."

The others murmured amongst themselves.

"But what about our life in Port Island, especially college?" Fuuka questioned. "And as for Ken-kun, he has school to think about."

"I understand your concern, Fuuka. I took the liberty of negotiating with your professors to allow all of you to study long-distance, myself included. Since it was such an unusual request, a few of them demanded a couple of extra-credit assignments depending on your majors," Mitsuru explained. "As for Ken, I have submitted the paperwork needed for his transfer to Yasogami Middle School. When the school session starts, he will be attending there."

"So does that mean I don't have to wake up early and go to class?" Junpei asked with a stupid grin on his face. "That's awesome!" His excitement was short-lived when Yukari and Minako smacked him.

"Long-distance study doesn't mean you can skip the studying, you dumbass!" Yukari reprimanded. Minako's glare shut him up completely.

Everyone else looked at Ken, who had an unreadable expression on his face. He then gave them a small smile. "I don't mind," he said. "In fact, I kind of saw it coming to be honest."

"What about me and my brother, Mitsuru-senpai?" Minako asked. "We didn't even start our senior year at Gekkoukan High, so technically we're still high school students."

"According to Officer Kurosawa and our friends from school, we were in a coma for over two years. As far as the world is concerned, our lives have stood in a standstill," Minato stated.

"I was waiting for you to bring that up," Mitsuru said. "Yes, both of you are correct. I found medical records from Tatsumi Memorial Hospital confirming that story. Using those, I managed to secure you two, Shinjiro and Metis a place in Yasogami High. Well, for Metis's case I used the foreign transfer student angle. They informed me that the four of you will be in the same class as Seta. Despite our secret activities, I expect all of you to do whatever is needed to blend in."

Minako stood from her seat and cheered. "Did you hear that Souji-kun? We're gonna be in the same class!"

"I sort of missed going to school," Minato grinned. "Now I'm getting all excited! I wonder if there's a photography club in Yasogami?"

"I shall cherish this experience," Metis said, clapping her hands. "If my sister managed to do it, then so can I."

Beside her, Aigis smiled proudly.

Junpei pointed at the twins, horror-struck. "Are you guys serious? Dudes, you're not normal!" he screeched. To him, this was a new level of crazy.

Shinjiro resisted the urge to clean his ears. Did he just hear that correctly? _Him? Enrolled in Yasogami High as a senior?_ For once, he agreed with Junpei. "Wait just a damn minute!" He slapped the surface of the table and stood up, startling the others. "Why the hell do I have to go to school? I'm twenty frickin' years old! I don't belong there anymore!"

Mitsuru glared at him in return. "Shinjiro, you are aware that you yourself have not even finished your senior year?" she stated in a menacing tone. "I don't care how long it takes, you _will_ graduate." As she said this, the temperature in the room dropped dramatically.

Akihiko took this opportunity to tease his best friend and calm Mitsuru down in the process. "You can't argue with that, Shinji. But look on the bright side; now you can watch over Minako at school instead of waiting for her to come back to the dorm like you used to." A broad smirk appeared on his face as he watched his friends blush madly.

"Think of this as a chance to redeem yourself, Senpai," Yukari said. "You're given a rare opportunity here. You better use it wisely."

"Shinjiro-san seems like the delinquent type that often skips school, like Kanji-kun did before we rescued him," Yukiko pointed out thoughtfully. "Thank goodness for the mandatory attendance policy. Otherwise he'd be in such big trouble."

"As if he wasn't in trouble enough," Rise snickered.

"Yeah. Kanji is always getting in trouble for not wearing the proper school uniform," Chie smirked.

"Don't remind me of that, Yukiko-senpai," Kanji groaned. "That's just some stupid law the school made up to torture the students."

Shinjiro bit his tongue to prevent himself from spewing curses. _'I'm so screwed…and why the hell are they comparing me to Tatsumi?!'_

Minako gripped his hand which got him to sit back down. "Don't worry about that, Shinji-kun. My friend Saori-chan from the Health Committee was two years older than I am when she enrolled as a junior back in Gekkoukan. She did have trouble fitting in at first, but that was because she didn't have any friends back then." She gave him a bright smile. "Besides, I think you'll fit in just nicely."

He considered his options, re-thinking about the perks Akihiko just mentioned. _'I guess it wouldn't be that bad…'_

"So where are we going to live?" Ken inquired, "It's not like we can stay here forever."

Mitsuru opened her laptop and plugged in the projector. "When Iori told me about the internet rumor that took place in the countryside, I did some research on a few of the real estate here." She clicked the mous a few times, and the projection screen showed a rather old stone mansion near a hillside. "I found this house by pure chance, and confirmed the purchase two weeks ago. I originally wanted to use it as a vacation home, but under the current circumstances it is being remodeled into a dormitory for SEES to use. It has three floors and exactly twelve rooms. Granted, it might not be as big as our previous dorm, but all the facilities are there. The entire place is scheduled to be completed in three days time. I have also arranged for your things back in Iwatodai Dorms to be shipped here and expect them to arrive in the next five days. Any questions?"

Her teammates' jaws dropped, but no one dared say anything. _'Just how long has she been planning all this?'_ they thought simultaneously, rather shocked. _'As expected of the Kirijo Group heir…'_ She showed everyone a picture slide of the interior and exterior of their soon-to-be home, earning a few impressed murmurs and nods.

"I hope you can all understand why I made this decision without consulting you all first," Mitsuru said. "Whatever is causing the disturbance of balancebetween the worlds is no laughing matter, and takes top priority. Until we can find out what's causing all this chaos, we shall remain here to deal with it. Not to mention that Seta's friends and family are likely to be endangered if this keeps up."

The others were silent after that piece of information. Souji looked guilty, but was comforted by Minato and Yukiko.

"I'm surprised that Senpai managed to arrange all that in such a short time," Minako muttered. "Her foresight is amazing…"

"Don't worry, Mitsuru-senpai. I agree with you completely, and adjusting to life here shouldn't be that hard to do." Yukari said, earning nods of agreement from SEES. They made a vow to protect everything they held dear, and were willing to sacrifice, if only temporarily, their lives back in Iwatodai to deal with the problem.

"Now I remember where I've seen that house…" Kanji said suddenly. "That place is not far from the Ichijo Estate. It had been abandoned for a long time, but it's a nice place even if it is a little secluded."

"We'll help out any way we can. I'm pretty sure there's still a lot to do when you guys start moving in." Souji offered.

"Now that that's taken care of, I have one more announcement." Mitsuru was smiling wide. All sense of formality had dropped, and there was a playful glint in her eyes. "Who's up for a trip to Yakushima?" 

* * *

><p>Phew… That was intense. Hope ya guys enjoyed this one. Ohta-chan and I had a blast making this chapter.<p>

Oh, by the way, can any of you guys draw? Ohta-chan and I are curious to see how you guys picture Minato and Minako's Shadows to look like. Just PM us your link to where you posted it and we'll have a look.

_Have fun and don't forget to Read and Review! _


	15. Chapter 15: King's Game! Again!

_Hi! It's Sea of Soul time! owo How is everybody? I'm great! I GOT MY JOB! I start working in March, but don't worry. Ohta-chan and I will keep working on this in a steady pace as we can._

_Since it's summer where I live it's time for a tropical chapter! This is gonna be really funny! XD _

_First, it's that time again: time to answer some questions/comments!_

**KO**: Yeah. It is kinda obvious. It may take a while for Magatsu to appear, but some hints of it will be mentioned along the plot.

**Guest**: He'll be a supporting character acting in the shadows. All I can say is that.

**Zimudra**: Sorry, but as I mentioned in every chapter none of my pairings involves Aigis. There'll be friendships scenes though.

**13****The****Ace:** Thank you. We'll keep working on it the best we can.

**LoneTaku:** Yeah, baby! This is gonna be fun! XD

A few warnings: (Yes, I put those before every chapter to avoid issues)

_-There will be spoilers for all games! You've been warned.  
>-The Main characters from each game in this fanfic are called Minato Arisato (P3:FES), Minako Arisato (P3P) and Souji Seta (P4)<br>-There'll be some cursing. (Anyone that played any persona games knows that some characters on it curse quite a bit.) as well as some heavy subjects.  
>-Main Pairings in this fanfic: MinatoxYukari, ShinjiroxMinako, SoujixYukiko, KanjixNaoto, AkihikoxMitsuru, YosukexChie.<br>-Hinted Pairings(in later chapters): JunpeixChidori. (Hinted because Chidori doesn't appear much on this story) KenxNanako (Ya know those little girl's crushes on older boys? It'll be along those lines) FuukaxKeisuke (Other than Minato and Junpei, Fuuka only displayed some sort of close relationship with Keisuke the club president. I found it kinda cute.) TeddiexRise (Just for giggles. They are after all the two hyperactive cuties of the team X3)_

_Have fun ya guys. On with the show!_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 15: King's game! Again?!<strong>

**_The Velvet Room…_****  
><strong>  
>"Welcome," Igor greeted with his usual enigmatic smile. "It is delightful to see the three of you unharmed after facing the most difficult ordeal so far."<p>

The three Wild Cards decided to pay a visit to the Velvet Room after the latest events, hoping that Igor would have some answers for them.

The three Velvet siblings, beneath their calm and sophisticated façade, seemed happy and relieved to see they were safe and sound.

"I see you already know what we went through, huh?" Minato said, not really surprised. "Well, might as well go straight to the point then. What can you tell us about that?"

"As you know, one's Shadow self comes out of the darkness of one's heart, be it guilt, regret, despair, or any other assorted negative emotions related to their past in order to deceive and confuse them," Elizabeth started. "However, _your_ Shadows were different."

"Different? How so?" Minako asked.

"Instead of leading you to reach any kind of resolution, their intention was to kill you both, even if you have accepted them," Theodore replied.

"Hmm… That explains why they transformed before Aniki and Aneki fully rejected them," Souji stated.

"Correct. Their loss of control over their suppressed feelings caused their original Personas to revert to their primitive state as Shadows," Margaret said. "Such unnatural origin caused them to be more unstable and violent than regular Shadows."

Minato closed his eyes in thought. "That happened because we ran into the chairman, but before that our Personas already showed changes in their behavior because of the nightmares."

"Which in turn started after we were turned into a bunch of toddlers," Souji concluded. "Come to think of it, why would our enemy change us into 4-6 year-old kids to begin with?"

"It is said that the ages between 1 to 7 years are the most influential in the lives of humans and the development of their personalities," Theodore theorized. "Yet the human brain cannot store that much information, so it ends up forgetting a very huge portion of it."

"The most influential period…" Minako suddenly remembered. "Aniki, the car accident!"

"Of course! That incident and its consequences were the start of all...the defining moment of our lives…" He finally understood. "Changing us back to that age forced us to recall the memories, opening old emotional wounds and caused those disturbances in our Personas, leading to the nightmares. The chairman's return was just icing on the cake." He looked at Souji. "But what about you? I mean, that incident also affected you, but not in the same intensity…"

"I see your point, Aniki. I really can't recall any childhood incident that affected me with a similar impact." Souji closed his eyes, trying to recollect the memories, but nothing so far. "Then again… It could have something to do with that chairman character we ran into."

"I'm afraid that we cannot be of much help on that matter, but we can provide you with our encouragement and support," Elizabeth consoled.

"Never forget that your Persona's strength lies within your emotions," Margaret said. "Should Master Souji or any of you two lose control over them, your Personas could revert back into Shadows and may kill you next time"

Minako nodded. "We now understand that. Thanks to the bonds we've made, we'll never again drown in despair even if our darkness is made to manifest." She smiled at her brothers. "We'll grow from the lessons our Shadows taught us, bonding us closer instead of shattering us."

Minato and Souji smiled back at her and nodded. The strength in their resolve could be sensed by the residents and Igor. The strange long-nosed man smiled, pleased that his guests had found one of their answers.

"Well done, my strong resolve to find answers will be a most valuable asset in your journey." He clasped his hands. "Now, I also have something to aid a wave of a hand, two cards materialized on his table. "I am sure you recognize these."

"The Justice and Aeon arcanas?" Souji wondered.

"Correct. As you bond with different people with similar arcana, your Social Links expands and grow stronger, thus new possibilities have been revealed to you."

"So, now we can create new Personas?" Minato questioned.

"Indeed young man," Igor chuckled. "The possibilities will show before you and even if they may seem difficult to grasp, I'm positive, you'll understand them."

Minako smiled. "Alright! This will certainly come in handy!"

"Remember: the stronger your bonds become, new paths will be open to you. Where they shall take you, is entirely up to you."

"Now that sounds familiar," Souji chuckled nervously. "Alright, let's see who we can fuse so far."

The Wild Cards walked up to their respective assistants to check on their Compendiums. Sure enough, there were more empty pages waiting to be filled. When the Justice Arcana chapter came up, one page caught their attention, showing the glowing silhouette of a winged female.

Minato studied it. "Hm… this one looks interesting. And I think we got all the Personas necessary for it."

His sister had an idea. "Hey, guys, why don't we all use different Personas to fuse her? Since there are several possible combinations, we can give her different skills."

"That could be useful when facing a difficult situation," Souji said.

"Agreed," Minato decided.

They approached Igor with their Compendiums in hand. The long-nosed man then extracted the Personae needed in the form of cards and laid them on the table in a circular pattern of three different sets. Souji had chosen Angel, Virtue, Hariti, Gabriel, Michael and Isis while the twins chose Angel, Virtue, Hariti, Raphael, Uriel and Cybele.

Each Wild Card then shuffled the deck until they were satisfied with the skills that the new Persona would inherit. With a wave of Igor's hand, the cards began to levitate as a glowing blue symbol in the shape of a six-pointed star appeared.

Igor then combined the cards. The Velvet Room was blinded by a brilliant white light before a figure sporting a pair of black wings and a mourning hat materialized before the trio. Her body was fully covered by a black mantle, her face adorning an ever-smiling mask. "I am Lailah the Divine. All life is born, laid to rest, and frozen. Hello, young ones," she said in a gentle voice before vanishing into three different cards and merged into the sea of their souls.

"Lailah is the Jewish angel of conception, the angel that brings souls and the seed together and then sees to it that the seed is planted in the womb. While the infants grow in the womb, Lailah places a lighted candle at the head of the unborn infant, so he or she can see from one end of the world to the other. She also teaches the unborn child the entire Torah, as well the history of her soul," Minako read the new Compendium entry aloud for her brothers to hear. "Then, when the time comes for the child to be born, the angel extinguishes the light in the womb and brings the child into the world. And the instant the child emerges, the angel lightly strikes its finger on the child's lip, as if to say 'Shh' and this causes the child to forget everything learned in the womb. It's implied that the knowledge is still there, but merely forgotten."

"Fascinating…she'll be really helpful," Minato said.

Souji turned to the long-nosed man. "By the way, there's something else I wanted to ask you."

"Go ahead, my dear guest."

"A man wearing a butterfly-shaped mask approached Aniki and Aneki after we fought their Shadows, leaving a cryptic message. He appeared and disappeared as a bunch of blue butterflies. You wouldn't happen to know who he is, would you?"

Upon Souji's question, the three assistants wore looks of surprise. Nameless and Belladonna paused their music act and the Demon Artist stopped working on his canvas, all staring at the three Wild Cards incredulously. For a split second, they could've sworn even Igor seemed taken aback, but he quickly regained his creepy smile.

"Hmm…? This strange visitor… Who is he? Is he a friend? Or someone whom you already know? Perhaps someone that watched over you in the past? Or is he just a mere observer?" he said while tapping his fingers in a strange rhythm. "All of these are true and yet they're not…"

The Wild Cards groaned. "Why did I have a feeling you'd give us a vague answer again?" Minako sighed. "Oh well, he's not a threat. That much I'm sure of."

"Guess we'll just have to figure it out on our own." Minato turned to his siblings. "C'mon, guys. We should be going. We still need to pick up Kanji, Ken and Nanako-chan at Madam Shiroku's." After bidding good bye to all residents, the three left.

"That was an unexpected turn of events…" Nameless said once he was sure their guests were gone.

"It seems the past has come back to haunt us," Belladonna sang.

The Demon Artist nodded, a deep frown etched on his face. "Or rather, look for new targets."

Igor drummed his thin fingers on the table. "Indeed. The last time this happened…" His brows arched upward, the balls of his eyes almost fell out of its sockets. "Unless…No, that couldn't be. He would have told me…"

"Master, what's really going on here?" Margaret questioned, clearly worried. For someone like Igor to be out of the loop, something disturbing is about to happen.

"Nothing to concern yourselves for the time being," Igor said. "Elizabeth, I need you and your brother to head back to the Great Seal. Margaret, continue your research. I need some time to reminisce…" He looked at the other three, and closed his eyes. "But for now, we can only wait and see what happens."

Belladonna continued singing to Nameless' melody. The scratching of paintbrush on canvas accompanied the aria.

* * *

><p>The LED signboard above the ticket counter showed the arrival of the next train, which would be another half an hour. A large group of teenagers, a middle school student, a little girl and a white dog were giddy with anticipation (except for a scowling, beanie-wearing young man). They couldn't wait to board that train and head off to their destination – Yakushima Island.<p>

From what they heard from SEES, they would be lodging in the grand mansion of Mitsuru Kirijo herself, who made the arrangements a day before. It's been a long time any of them had gone to the beach. More importantly, they could finally fulfill their promise to Nanako that they'd be eating this year's summer watermelons the proper way. All they had to bring were some clothes, toiletries and swimwear as everything else will be provided at the mansion.

Kanji on the other hand, carried an extra bag stuffed with snacks, mainly animal crackers. "What?!" he asked, wary that the others were giving him weird looks. "I get hungry okay…"

"This is so awesome!" Yosuke exclaimed. He looked like he was about to leap off the platform. "A fully-paid vacation at a beautiful island…surrounded by beautiful women. It's good to be alive!"

Teddie was already daydreaming about the girls, but caught himself in time when he remembered that Nanako was with them, and the scary glare Souji shot him as warning to behave.

"You said it, dude." Junpei was grinning from ear-to-ear. "Now we have twice the amount of cuties to look at." He yelped loudly when Yukari stomped on his foot.

"Don't get any ideas, Stupei," she growled. "Do something perverted and I'll tell Chidori on you."

"It has been such a long time," Minako interjected, not wanting an argument to occur between her friends. "We also met Aigis for the first time there too."

Akihiko, Junpei and Minato groaned at that, particularly the memory which involved a dare and attempts at picking up random women.

Nanako was holding Minako's hand, looking particularly cute in a pink summer dress. "I've never been to the beach before," she admitted. "Dad wanted to go on a picnic last year, but he was called away to work. Big Bro and his friends made it up to me though. Too bad there weren't any packed lunches."

Souji ruffled her hair. "Don't worry about that. I'll make you as much as you want when we get there, then we'll have a real picnic." His smiled widened when she cheered with delight.

The train had arrived. The Persona-users hurriedly rushed into the train, couldn't wait to get to Yakushima Island.

Minato on the other hand, was keeping an eye on his little brother. He was concerned, mainly after how Ikutsuki seemed to recognize him before their True Shadow incident two days ago. 

**_…Flashback…_**

_Junpei jumped out of his chair at the mention of the island paradise. "Yakushima, baby! Oh man, that brings back memories…"_

_"I read about that island in a travel pamphlet once," Yukiko said. "It's supposed to have some of the best beaches in Japan, and the natural beauty is like nothing else."_

_"I thought the rest of us could use a little vacation after yesterday's incident. I've arranged a three days stay," Mitsuru said before turning to the leaders. "The three of you must still be exhausted, and the school session is starting soon. We should take this opportunity to recuperate while we still can."_

_Excited chatters soon broke out._

_"Hey, didn't we promise Nanako-chan last year that we'd break a watermelon by the beach?" Chie wondered, but then doubled back when she caught Mitsuru looking at her. "Uhh…I mean if it's okay with you, of course!"_

_The red-head smiled. "Why wouldn't it be? If her father gives his permission, then I will allow it. The more the merrier, right?"_

_"So, when do we leave?" Ken asked eagerly. He had never been to a beach outside of Port Island before._

_"The day after tomorrow," Mitsuru answered, smiling at the positive reaction she got from everyone._

_When it was time to leave, Teddie sprinted out of the Inn, excited to tell Nanako the good news. Souji was chasing after him, since he intended to tell his cousin about the trip after talking with his uncle. The rest laughed at that and a playful chase ensued._

_The twins approached Mitsuru when Yukiko left for her room. "Senpai, there's another reason for this trip isn't it?" Minato asked in a serious tone, loud enough to catch the attention from the rest of SEES._

_"You want to go check out the labs there, right? I mean, the chairman is back, so he might try to access any data from the Kirijo Group," Minako deduced. "But that doesn't explain how he knew Souji-kun and his parents…"_

_Mitsuru sighed lethargically. "Yes, you're both right. I wanted to see if anything has been tampered with over there. Seeing that he was dead, I didn't take the precautions to block any of his access and influence. Now that you mentioned it, I don't think that it was a coincidence when he suggested we go to Yakushima three years ago." She rubbed her temples, trying to rid of her frustration._

_"I see where this is going. He must have orchestrated me meeting with Minato-san and Minako-san back then," Aigis concluded. "And also the meeting with your late father. He had it all planned out, using Yukari-san's late father as the scapegoat."_

_"Please don't mention any of this to Seta and his friends. We should just enjoy what we can before we officially move here. I have a feeling that things will get worse after the semester starts, and we need to be prepared."_

**_…End flashback…_**

The train ride was filled with happy chatter and laughter. Everybody was excited as they got closer to their destination.

Souji smiled. Seeing everybody in such high spirits after everything they had gone through helped him relax.

However, that didn't put his mind completely at ease. There was Ikutsuki and his alleged knowledge of his parents' disappearance, the mysterious butterfly-masked man, and to top it off, Izanagi's behavior still puzzled him. After the twins' Shadows were defeated, he resumed talking to him, but there were moments when the Original God remained silent, refusing to speak at all.

An image flashed through his mind, bits and pieces of hazy memories being played on an ancient film reel; he was a toddler holding hands with his parents, there were men dressed in white, surrounded by weird machines. One of them stepped closer to him. For some reason, that image made his heart beat faster and his head heavy. Izanagi was getting agitated, pounding his head like crazy, as if he wanted to escape his skull.

The silverette pressed the heel of his hand on his forehead and closed his eyes, letting out a small groan.

"Souji-kun, you okay?" Yukiko asked, drawing some attention towards him.

"I'm fine, Yukiko. Just got a minor headache..." he assured her. As soon as he started, Izanagi finally quieted down.

Minato and Minako frowned and exchanged glances, but said nothing as to not worry the others…and because they knew Souji wouldn't say what's wrong until he felt the time was right.

Sensing the others were getting concerned, Souji looked out the window and grinned. "Hey, guys, we're almost there! Look at that view!"

That turned the mood happy again and they resumed talking about the trip. Souji smiled and joined in the conversation, trying not to think about what just happened.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Kirijo Mansion…<em>**

The Investigation Team, including Nanako, Ken and Metis, walked along the halls with their mouths hanging open, staring at the immense wealth the magnificent mansion possessed. They were even more flabbergasted when a group of maids came to greet their mistress. Even the younger members of SEES haven't gotten used to it, but their reactions were slightly toned down.

"Welcome back, Kirijo-sama. We have the rooms prepared for you and your guests as per your orders."

"Thank you. Please show our guests to their rooms," Mitsuru said curtly. The maids bowed and left.

Yosuke gaped like a fish out of water. "Real life maids…Dudes, I don't think we're on the same planet anymore…"

The others nodded in agreement, still speechless. Kanji had a small nose bleed, earning disgusted comments from his female teammates.

"Damn it…all this fancy stuff and formal shit is giving me allergies…" Shinjiro grumbled, walking off in the directions of their assigned rooms. Souji frowned at his crude words, especially with Nanako in hearing distance.

Akihiko sighed. "I better go with him and keep him out of trouble," he told Mitsuru, and went after his best friend. "Shinji, wait up!"

"Aneki, do you want to share a room with me?" Nanako shyly asked her new 'sister', blushing a little.

Minako smiled. "Sure, let's go! If we hurry, we can go for a walk at the beach and collect seashells before dinner." Nanako squealed and raced with her to their room.

"If we're choosing roommates then I'm staying with Yukiko," Chie said, already picking up her bag. Yukiko nodded and they both headed off.

"Naoto-kun is mine!" Rise cheered. Nobody missed the mischievous glint in her eye. The Detective Prince shivered. Before she could plead for help, Rise was already dragging her away.

"I'm sharing with Fuuka then," Yukari said, stretching her stiff muscles. "I'm pretty sure Metis is gonna want to be with Aigis anyway."

Fuuka nodded. "If you two ever need any help, you can come to me anytime," she said before leaving with Yukari. The two androids followed before separating to their own room.

"Then I'll be leaving for my own quarters as well," Mitsuru announced. "I still have some work to finish before dinner."

That left the other seven guys and dog in the hallway. Yosuke made a hopeless face and sighed. "Looks like I'll be bunking with Ted again. I'm sure you and Minato-san are gonna want to catch up more, partner."

"But I wanted to share a room with Sensei!" Teddie protested. "You never let me have any fun, Yosuke. You meanie!"

A thin vein appeared on Yosuke's forehead, throbbing dangerously. "And if you don't stop annoying me, I swear I'm going to shave off all the fur from your bear suit when you're asleep."

Teddie paled. "No! Anything but that!" He picked up his bag and scurried to their room.

"That's what I thought," Yosuke grumbled, and headed off.

The others sweatdropped. "Junpei-san, why don't you and Kanji…" Souji stopped midway of his sentence and reassessed the situation. "Nah, Kanji should take care of Koromaru. The little guy seems to like him a lot for some reason." As if agreeing with the silverette, Koromaru licked Kanji's hand.

He kneeled down to scratch his ears. "Heh, I don't mind. We're gonna have some fun…right, boy?"

Koromaru wagged his tail and trotted after Kanji to their shared space.

"Looks like it's just you and me, little dude," Junpei grinned at Ken.

Ken didn't seem to mind sharing a room with Junpei. After they left, Souji gave Minato a questioning look. "Aniki, what's going on? You've been staring at me all day. Is there something wrong?"

"No, nothing's wrong," Minato lied. Until Mitsuru found something definitive, he wasn't going to worry Souji. He patted his brother's shoulder. "Let's get settled in, shall we?"

Souji narrowed his eyes, but followed anyway. As they headed for their room, the images resurfaced again. Izanagi grew agitated as well, giving his master another headache. _'Damnit, not again!'_ He yelled in his mind, holding his head. _'Calm down, Izanagi!'_

Minato sensed the tension and turned around. "You okay?"

"My headache came back…" Souji said, not yet ready to tell anyone the real reason for it. The images finally faded and Izanagi fell silent once again.

Minato crossed his arms. While knowing something was up, he decided it to let it slide for now. "You can ask Mitsuru-senpai's maids for some aspirin if you need it, but if those don't stop, you'd better tell me what's going on," he warned before resuming his walking.

Souji sighed and followed him. _'Looks like I'm not the only one holding things back…'_

* * *

><p>After the group unpacked and had dinner, they gathered at the karaoke lounge.<p>

Minako was constructing a few bracelets from the seashells she and Nanako had gathered at the beach. Metis watched her with great curiosity, fascinated by the variety of different shapes and colors.

Nanako and Ken entertained themselves by playing a board game. Whenever Minako completed a bracelet, she would show it to Nanako; the little girl's squeals were signs of approval. Minako caught on that Ken would smile whenever Nanako did, which she almost melted at the cuteness.

Rise was singing on the karaoke machine and dancing, both Junpei and Teddie loving her show and cheering her on. Even though the teen idol had taken a break from her career during summer vacation, she's still talented as ever.

Minato was chilling on the couch sharing a tall glass of orange juice with Yukari, who snuggled up next to him. Both were enjoying Rise's performance.

Aigis and Naoto were having a chess match, android and detective equally matched in the game of wits.

Meanwhile, Akihiko and Kanji were locked in a battle of fists, or rather, an arm wrestling competition. Chie and Yosuke watched them, noisily making bets on who was going to win. Shinjiro rolled his eyes at their antics, scratching Koromaru behind his ears as the pooch took a nap on his lap.

Yukiko and Mitsuru were engaged in a conversation about what activities the group could do during their stay in Yakushima.

Fuuka sat next to them with her laptop. She was chatting online with Natsuki, giggling and blushing whenever her friend brought up the topic of her soon-to-be doctor boyfriend Keisuke.

Souji was quietly reading a book, becoming increasingly engrossed in it. It was a sci-fi thriller he had bought at the start of summer but didn't get a chance to read it until now. The plot was fascinating and helped distract him from his concerns and troubling thoughts.

"I win!" Nanako exclaimed triumphantly before yawning.

Souji smiled at his cousin before he checked his watch. "Whoa, look at the time." He put his book aside. "Nanako, bed."

She made a cute pout, but obeyed and stood up. The shuffling of her feet woke Koromaru, who got off his spot and walked up to her. "Big Bro, can Koro-chan sleep with me?" Nanako asked, petting the Shiba Inu.

Souji looked at the others, who nodded their approval. "Of course he can." He took her hand. "Let's get you ready for bed."

Ken stood up and stretched himself. "I think I'll hit the sack too…" he yawned. "The trip was really long anyway…"

The others wished the two kids and pooch goodnight before Souji led them back to their rooms. As soon as the silverette was out of sight, Teddie's eyes gleamed, a ghost of a devilish grin appeared on his face. Without a word, he dashed out of the lounge, surprising everybody.

"What's up with that dude?" Junpei asked.

Yosuke rolled his eyes. "Whatever it is, it can't be good."

A while later, Souji returned. "They're sleeping like angels…" He looked around and noticed someone was missing. "Where's Teddie?"

"Dashed out of the room right after you left," Yukari replied.

Suddenly, a blonde blur crashed into Souji, sending him face first into the ground. "Agh! Teddie!" he groaned as the blonde fell on top of him, in a rather compromising position.

"Oopsie! Sorry Sensei," Teddie said with a sheepish grin as he got off. He was cradling something with the utmost care.

"Just…try to be more careful, okay?" Souji sighed, narrowing his eyes at the thing Teddiewas holding on to. "What's that anyway?"

Teddie grinned wildly as he held it out for everyone to see: a cylinder container filled with chopsticks, labeled with numbers all except one with a red mark. "Ladies and gentleman, the time has come!" he announced dramatically. "Port Island trip was fun and so is this one. Of course, no trip would be complete without a game of skill and courage! It's time to play…THE KING'S GAME!"

From the looks of the Investigation Team's faces, one might think they had just seen the scariest thing in their lives. SEES eyed them with curiosity rather than confusion.

"W-WH-WHAT?!" Chie shouted.

"Are you crazy?! No way I'm going through that crap again!" Yosuke protested, crossing his arms in a huge 'X'.

"Umm… Have you guys played that game before?" Fuuka asked timidly. No one heard her.

Rise and Yukiko lowered their heads. Recently, they were told about what had happened in Escapade and needless to say were rather embarrassed about it.

"I refuse to take part in that nonsense again!" Naoto frowned, trying not to lose her calm.

"Damn right!" Kanji agreed. He clearly looked uncomfortable about that idea for some reason – his red cheeks were a dead giveaway.

Souji sighed again. "Sorry Teddie, but I don't think anyone is willing to try that game again…"

Teddie's blue eyes became all teary. "No fair! Nobody wants to play with me..." he whined, shedding crocodile tears. "I never get to have any fun…"

Metis and Minako felt sorry for him. "Aw, c'mon guys, let's give it a try," Minako encouraged. "I mean, it can't be _that_ bad."

"I want to learn more about that game too. It sounds challenging." Metis added, looking excited.

There were some murmurs of agreement from the others, but definitely _not_ coming from the Investigation Team. Souji sighed in defeat. How could they say no after being so kindly treated with this trip? "Fine, we'll play..." he begrudgingly agreed.

"YAY!" Teddie squealed, jumping up and down. "We just need some music and drinks!"

"I'll arrange those," Mitsuru said, getting up from her seat. "I'll ask the maids to bring us more juice."

Before she could leave, Kanji shyly tapped her shoulder. "Umm… Senpai…? There will be only fruit juice, right?"

Mitsuru raised an eyebrow at that. "Why of course, Tatsumi. Why do you ask?"

"N-No reason…" Kanji went back to his seat. He looked relieved, like the rest of his team.

"Dude, what's with the paranoia?" Junpei whispered to Minato.

He could only shrug. "Dunno..."

"So, how do we play this game anyway?" Shinjiro asked, breaking the awkward silence.

"See those chopsticks? If you draw one with the red mark, that means you're the King, while the other chopsticks have numbers on them. The King then chooses a number and says a dare that person has to do," Yosuke explained. "No one knows who has which number until the King gives the order and no take-backs are allowed. You can't refuse doing a challenge either."

"Heh, I ain't the type of guy to back off from a challenge anyway," Akihiko grinned, interested. "Let's do this!"

"Before we start…" Souji gave Teddie a serious glare. "I'm setting some extra rules for this game."

His team members sighed in relief, knowing Souji would ensure that things wouldn't go crazy like last year.

"Why of course, Sensei," Teddie nodded in agreement, not wanting to anger his beloved leader.

"_If_ the King chooses a dare that involves more than one person, the person who has to do the dare must do it with either their lover or a very close friend in order to avoid jealousy or any awkwardness," Souji decreed.

The rest glanced at each other. The couples blushed at that, but agreed it was fair. In no time everything was set. Each person was seated comfortably on the couches, drinking juice and listening to music. It was time; Teddie passed around the chopsticks. Everyone looked at their respective number, anticipating for the order.

"So…" Rise started. "Who's the King?"

Yukari stood up. "That would be me." She looked around, thinking. "I choose number 6!"

Junpei jumped out of his seat. "What the hell?!"

"Hehe, this will be good…" Yukari grinned evilly. "Junpei, your challenge will be… Put an ice cube in your pants, and keep it there until it completely melts!"

"You gotta be kidding me!"

"The King's word is the law!" Yukari smirked. "Minato-kun, can you help him out?"

He felt bad for Junpei, but now wasn't a time for sympathy. "Sorry, man, but the King's word is absolute." He handed Junpei the ice bucket. "Go ahead."

"Just my luck…" Junpei whimpered. He pulled the waistband of his pants and dropped the ice cube in. At first it didn't feel that bad, but soon enough the freezing sensation got to him and started pulling all sorts of weird faces. "C-C-Cold!" Everyone just laughed at him.

"This ain't bad at all," Kanji grinned, seeing it was just a normal prank and began to relax.

"Looks like I'm next," Minato smirked. "I choose…Number 11! I dare you to moonwalk across this room."

Yosuke stood up. "Piece of cake," he smirked.

"Pffftt…I bet you can't even get across half," Chie teased.

"Oh yeah? Watch me!" He walked to one end of the lounge and pulled off the moonwalk magnificently. He faced the others and smirked at his girlfriend. "A dancer with my sort of talent should be able to bust _that_ move."

Chie was speechless. Yosuke looked…cool…and totally irresistible! She went to him and planted a kiss on his cheek, causing him to blush.

"Alright, next!" Teddie shouted.

"I'm next!" Yukiko giggled. Souji and Chie tensed, wondering if she's drunk already. "Number 15 must imitate someone in this room, and the rest must guess who that person is." They were relieved when that wasn't the case.

Rise got up and struck a masculine pose. "Watch where you're going, dumbass. I'm walking here!" She was scowling, her voice deep and rough. "Get the hell out of my way before you regret it!" She shook a fist in front of her. And then she acted bashful for some reason, rubbing the back of her head. "Th-This ain't nothin'. It's not like I'm thanking you or anything…"

"That's totally Shinjiro/Shinjiro-senpai/Shinji!" SEES shouted.

"That's totally Kanji/Kanji-kun!" the Investigation Team shouted at the same time.

Suffice to say those two weren't pleased. "Why are you comparing me with this moron?!" they roared in unison, then glared at each other. "Quit copying me, dumbass! What the -? Quit copying me!"

Their friends laughed until their stomachs were sore. Rise grinned. "Actually, I was imitating Kanji, but I guess you two are rather similar in the trash-talking and tsundere department."

Before the two could start a fight, Mitsuru intervened. "That's enough! Onto the next round."

Akihiko didn't waste any time when he got chosen. "Number 4 must do a handstand and last for one minute."

"What?!" Chie shrieked.

"You heard me," he smirked. "Or are you chicken, Satonaka?"

Chie growled. "Fine! You're lucky I can't Galactic Punt you right now. Thank goodness I'm wearing shorts," she mumbled the last part. She had to use the wall for support, but managed to last more than a minute. "Beat that!" she exclaimed in victory.

was Shinjiro's turn as King. "Let's see…" he pondered. "Number 9, I want you to get off your ass and cartwheel across the room."

"Are you insane?!" Akihiko shot up, scowling at his best friend. "The floor is slippery in here. How do you expect me to pull it off?"

"Hey, I don't make the rules here. The King's word is law," Shinjiro grinned sadistically. The others watched in anticipation.

It was Akihiko's turn to growl. Karma can be a bitch, but he had no choice. Taking off his shoes and socks, he attempted the dare on the smooth floor. At the last turn, his hand slipped. Shinjiro laughed at his misery.

"Shinji-kun, that's not nice!" Minako scolded. "Senpai, are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Akihiko groaned in pain. "I almost twisted my kneecap. Damn it, Shinji, you owe me some beef ramen."

"Okie-dokie, it's time to choose the next King!" Rise said, shaking the chopsticks in its container. No one noticed that her cheeks were getting a little red.

Mitsuru pulled the red chopstick. "Umm…I've never played anything like this before," she said nervously. "Number 3 must be moved from one end of the lounge to the other by their most worthy adversary, by any means necessary." She said it in such a formal manner that the others had to sweatdrop.

"A worthy adversary, huh?" Naoto mused, holding her chin. "Well, I would say Souji-senpai, but that would be breaking the rules. However, I had a fun chess match with Aigis-san just now…so I guess she'll be doing the honors."

"The pleasure is mine, Naoto-san." Aigis said.

It wasn't difficult for a robot to carry a human of Naoto's size. However, she carried the detective like a sack of potatoes over her shoulder made it funny to watch.

The next King was Minako. She looked around the room at her friends before choosing her target. "Number 5 must tell us where they are most ticklish, and their best friend will do the tickling!"

Fuuka began to panic. "Minako-chan!"

Minato remembered the secret video he and his sister watched at the dorm. _'Fuuka, huh? Judging from that video, her reaction will be hilarious!'_ he chuckled in his mind.

"Umm…I'm q-quite t-t-ticklish at my m-mid s-s-section," Fuuka stuttered, wondering if Minako planned this beforehand, because it didn't seem like a coincidence.

Yukari flexed her fingers. "Don't hate me, Fuuka. King's orders!" she smiled, and began tickling. The scanner was convulsing so hard after Yukari was done that the others wondered if she needed medical attention. "I-I'm…I'm okay…" she heaved, trying to get her heart rate under control.

The game picked up after that. Seeing how most of the challenges were rather harmless, the Investigation Team let their guard down. The next King was Kanji, who told number 16 to rest their head on their lover's lap. Number 16 happened to be Metis, since she didn't have a lover, placed her head on Aigis' lap. She looked quite content, feeling much closer to her sister as she stroked her hair.

Souji was next. He ordered number 13 (Yosuke) to give a piggyback ride for anyone they wanted. No surprise, he chose Chie. She was embarrassed enough, but looked like she enjoyed herself.

Chie smirked when she was next. She commanded number 7 to give her a shoulder massage, which happened to be Kanji. "Heh, someone big and strong. I picked a good one for once. What are you waiting for? These shoulders aren't gonna rub themselves, ya know!"

Kanji was hesitant to touch her, since Yosuke was giving him dirty looks. But the command in Chie's voice snapped them out of it. Feeling that Yosuke was easier to deal with than Chie, he started his massage. Later when he went back to his seat, he gave his class-clown senpai an apologetic look. "Sorry man. I know she's your girlfriend and all, but I didn't want to get kicked."

"It's okay Kanji. I wouldn't want to deal with that myself," the brunette sighed.

Metis came next, who challenged number 2 (Souji) to rub noses with their beloved, which Yukiko was more than happy to do. The challenge was innocent enough to say the least.

Not wanting to be left behind, Fuuka told number 1 (Kanji, again) to hug someone. Kanji being his awkward self, decided he should man up by hugging his girlfriend, and silently congratulated himself when he didn't get a nosebleed. Naoto was slightly uncomfortable at the public display, but didn't pull away either, blushing like mad.

Aigis took it up a notch by daring number 10 (Yukari) to sit on his/her lover's lap. Yukari was embarrassed at first, but Minato didn't mind. In fact, he enjoyed it as he snaked his arms around her, causing her to squeak.

When it was Naoto's turn as King, her eyes had a mischievous glint. "As revenge for spying on me and Kanji-kun kissing before the Summer Festival, I dare number 8 to kiss their very special person in front of everyone!"

Silence.

Much to her dismay, she knew her plan had quickly backfired when Teddie jumped out of his seat and declared, "But everyone is my bear-y special person. It's your lucky day, Nao-chan, because I choose you!" He closed his eyes and puckered his lips, making his way towards her.

"Like hell you are!" Kanji roared. Using his quick reflexes, he pulled Naoto onto his lap. Teddietripped on his own foot and landed on Rise.

Rise's eyes bugged to the fullest when Teddie's lips fell on hers. Her brain disconnected for a while, wondering what on earth was going on. When the blonde boy started to wrap his arms around her, she snapped. With all her might, she punched him in the gut, earning a loud wail as the human Shadow fell on the floor.

Kanji laughed out loud at Teddie's predicament, before Rise changed targets and kicked him in the right shin, hard. He howled in pain and stood up, forcing Naoto off his lap. "Whoa!" she cried, and landed on the floor.

"What was that for?!" Kanji hollered.

"For letting that perverted bear kiss me!" Rise glowered, and gave him another did a good job of holding back his cries of pain this time, but panicked when she began to cry."Hey, what's wrong with you!?"He was making weird gestures with his hands, unsure of what to do. He did notice that her face was rather red though.

Rise abruptly pushed him aside and went to hug Naoto, who just got up. "Naoto-kun, I'm so proud of you~" she slurred, swaying back and forth, pulling the young detective with her in an awkward waltz. "You remembered *hic* the rule…about how the…next *hic* dare should be more daring than the last. I never thought that you'd come up with *hic* something like that!"

This was the perfect time for one of Yosuke's 'Oh shit!' moments. "Nobody was supposed to know about that!" He waved his arms in denial as SEES looked at him strangely.

The looks on Naoto and Chie's faces were akin to that of quickly jumped over the couch to hide behind Chie's seat when Teddie, who was still on the floor, let out a giddy belly laugh.

"Wait a minute…is she drunkagain?!" It was Souji's turn to panic. He turned to his girlfriend and sure enough, Yukiko started to hiccup and giggle uncontrollably, her cheeks a rosy red."Damn it, I shouldn't have let my guard down!"

The bizarre turn of events had SEES even more confused and slightly frightened.

"What the hell?" Shinjiro snatched a glass off the coffee table and sniffed its content. "Doesn't smell anything like alcohol…Oi Mitsuru, are you sure this is juice?"

Mitsuru frowned. "I personally made sure. What's going on here?" she demanded.

"Was this room used to entertain and serve alcohol at some point?" Souji had to ask, dreading the answer.

Taken aback by the question, Mitsuru answered him anyway. "My late father used it to entertain his favorite clients in the past. But that was a long time ago. Why?" She was surprised when Souji, Yosuke, Kanji, Chie and Naoto face-palmed themselves.

Akihiko raised an eyebrow. "Has this happened before?" Before anyone could answer his inquiry, Teddie shot up from the floor and laughed like a hyper child on sweets.

"Let's get on with the game!" he cried, snatching everyone's chopsticks out of their hands and jumbled them up it the container. Just like that, the situation went from harmless fun to awkward. Everyone hesitantly took a chopstick as Teddie passed it around, where SEES were still confused at what was happening.

Yosuke was the next King. He was sweating profusely when Rise and Yukiko glared at him with scorching intensity, promising him pain if he screwed the game up or broke the rules. In his state of distress, he blurted the first thing that crossed his mind. "Number 14, you are to take off your partner's shirt!" he gushed, and crossed his arms in front of his head in a defensive stance.

Everyone except the drunkards and Metis blushed.

"Yay! I'm the lucky one again!" Yukiko cheered, waving her chopstick. "Not that it's something I haven't seen." She winked sultrily at Souji.

Rise fell asleep in an upright position on her seat, snoring lightly. Souji was relieved. _'One less person to see me topless,'_ he thought. With a last sigh, he faced Yukiko. "Ready when you are."

It was agonizing torture for him as Yukiko slowly unbuttoned his shirt. The heat between them was growing uncomfortable that he had to grit his teeth. Yukiko didn't notice any of this, as she was still tipsy. When she finally unhooked the last button, she pushed to fabric off his body to reveal a well-toned chest and muscled arms. If possible, the sober girls blushed even harder. Even Metis had a pink tinge on her cheeks.

The sexual tension was getting unbearable and Yosuke had to scream "LET'S CHOOSE THE NEXT KING!" to get everybody's attention, including Rise who woke up with a start. Souji quickly put his shirt back on before Yukiko could do anything else.

"I thought I would never get chosen!" Junpei smiled widely, showing of teeth as he showed off the King's chopstick. His grin twisted into that of a pervert's as he gave the order. "Number 3 must transfer all of the juice in this glass…" he said, refilling an empty glass goblet, "and have their partner drink it…" pausing for effect, "…without the use of _any _utensils."

Rise and Teddie clapped for the unfortunate victim, which happened to be Shinjiro. "How the heck am I supposed to do that?!" he questioned irritably.

"I dunno, Senpai. Figure it out yourself." Junpei grinned, waggling his eyebrows. "King's orders."

Shinjiro was tempted to punch him in the face, because he knew what that idiot was implying. "I'm not doing anything like that!" The second those words left his mouth, he was subjugated to the same scathing stare that Yosuke got, along with Teddie's whines of disappointment, which in his opinion, was a lot more annoying.

"Just do it, Shinji," Akihiko grunted, covering his ears. "I'm pretty sure he's not gonna stop until you do."

Minako was looking at the floor, her entire face strawberry red with embarrassment. _'Junpei-kun is so gonna get it later!'_ She glared at him for good measure.

"Minako," Shinjiro's voice cut through her thoughts. He pulled her up from her seat so that she was standing in front of him, the glass of juice in one hand. "Let's get this over with. That bear is starting to annoy the hell outta me," he told her, rubbing the back of his neck.

She noticed the slight blush on his cheeks, and giggled a bit._'He's just too cute sometimes…'_

Tilting the glass to his mouth, Shinjiro drank about half of its content but didn't swallow. He gently grabbed Minako's head with a free hand and placed his lips on hers. Understanding what he was doing, she parted her own lips and accepted the liquid, letting it flow slowly down her throat as she gulped. In Minako's opinion, the juice that had been warmed from his mouth tasted so much better than drinking it cold from a glass. After three rounds of mouth-to-mouth transfer, the dare was complete.

Both were still in a daze after they parted. Minako gave him a blinding smile, which Shinjiro returned, albeit a small one.

The rest of SEES gaped; they had never seen the beanie-wearing teen act so lovey-dovey in front of them before. Yukiko and Rise giggled with delight. "They lllllooooovvvee each other!" both of them chorused.

Minato and Souji stared dumbly. It wasn't like they haven't seen their sister kissing her boyfriend before; but seeing it this up close was rather mind-boggling.

"How come Mina-chan gets to kiss but I don't?" Teddie griped, crocodile tears starting again.

"Maybe we should stop here…" Souji began. His intention was for the game not to get awkward, but the next dare is sure to go beyond that.

"NO!" The blonde stopped his melodramatic crying and snatched all the chopsticks, furiously mixing them up.

"Stupid bear is getting way too serious," Yosuke muttered, wishing that Teddie would pass out already. Too bad that wasn't happening anytime soon.

Everyone waited with bated breath for the next King to announce his/her identity. Rise gave it away when she started to chuckle rather loudly. "I'm the King…the King~" she sang. She stood up and did a little pirouette. "As King…Queen…whatever…I decree that number 5 must lay on top of their lover!"**(A/N: double meaning on 'lay')**

Mitsuru spit out her drink, her face the color of her hair. Even Junpei had the decency to look embarrassed. Kanji was pinching his nose, and the others were right there with him.

"I take it that it's you, right, Senpai?" Rise asked, pertaining Mitsuru. "I think that *hic* came out wrong. What I meant was, you have to *hic* sit on top of Akihiko-senpai for say…seven minutes?" She giggled some more and flopped back on her seat like a true drunk.

"Th-that's highly inappropriate behavior!" Mitsuru almost shrieked.

"Noooooo take-backsssss~" Rise slurred before falling asleep once more.

Akihiko got up. "S-so…how d-do you want to do th-this?" he asked his girlfriend. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get rid of his blush.

"Umm…just lie down on the floor, and I'll s-sit on your b-back…" Mitsuru stuttered. "Arisato, p-please take note of the t-t-time." Minato gave her a thumbs-up as Akihiko placed himself on the floor, lying on his stomach. He supported his head with his forearms.

Just like Souji, this was the worst possible torture for Akihiko. He was sweating with anticipation, waiting for Mitsuru to sit on him. When he felt something soft touch his hard back, his body temperature skyrocketed. He thumped his forehead on the cool floor, hoping to gain some control over his traitorous hormones. _'At least the floor is clean…'_ he thought sarcastically.

Mitsuru was a little hesitant to place her entire weight on Akihiko, but she constantly reminded herself how strong he was and fully placed herself on the middle of his back. _'I hope he's alright…'_

If Akihiko thought that his situation was unbearable, the sober ones felt downright frustrating. They scrunched their faces in discomfort as wave after wave of sexual tension slapped them in the face. Minato was silently berating his watch, wishing it would go faster and get them out of this mess. Even Shinjiro felt sorry for his friend and remained quiet. Only Rise's snoring could be heard.

Unsettled about the silence, Mitsuru softly asked Akihiko if he was alright, twisting her torso a little to place both her hands on his shoulders, lightly pressing the tense muscles there. Despite hiding his face in his arms, Akihiko's face grew redder than humanly possible.

Junpei was the first one to break the silence, unperturbed by the scene at all. "Hahaha! Dude, check out Akihiko-senpai's face…it's as red as Mitsuru-senpai's hair!" He nudged Minato in the ribs to get his attention. "No wonder he likes that color so much, eh? Look, he's almost glowing in the dark!"

Metis giggled at Junpei's joke, and the others were slightly amused. The couple on the floor tried to ignore the snickering.

_3…2…1!_

Minato finally announced that their time was up, earning relieved exhales from the rest. If that went on any longer they would have fled the room!

Rise woke up with an unladylike snort, and realized she didn't get to watch her dare. "Huh, it's over already?" she whined sleepily.

By now Souji saw that things were spiraling downhill, and that was an understatement. _'Shit, this is even worse than last year...'_A sudden thought hit him. _'Oh crap… Teddie didn't become King yet… If he does, we're all screwed…'  
><em>  
>Quickly scanning around the room, he noticed the other guys were silently watching Teddie like hawks. <em>'Guess I'm not the only one worried…'<em> Said Shadow/human/bear was watching every round unfold with great anticipation, hoping to finally get his turn. _'Well, he is behaving so far. But Teddie is innocent one minute and devious the next…'_

"C'mon! One more! One more!" Teddie laughed, shaking the container while Yukiko and Rise cheered.

The sober ones of the Investigation Team were close to panicking while those from SEES were still confused as hell and uncomfortable at how things were developing. The twins were starting to wonder if they should interrogate Souji about the previous King's Game some other time.

"Draw your chopsticks!" Teddie ordered, passing them around. "Choose your destiny!"

The gang hastily did so, hoping things wouldn't get any worse.

"Who's the *hic* King?"

Silence. The atmosphere was a mix of dread and suspense until…

"Teddie's red! Red!" he cheered, jumping and bouncing around. "I'm the King!"

A wave of groans and protests echoed throughout the room. Souji sighed in defeat. "'Better get this over with already…" he told the others.

Teddie stood up made a regal pose. "I, the King, hereby declare that all commoners present in this room must do everything that I, King Teddie, order them to do for the next entire hour!"

Everybody's jaws dropped and their eyes widened. Even Yukiko and Rise sobered up after hearing that.

"What are you peasants looking at? A King's order cannot be denied!" Teddie pompously huffed. He was being serious and didn't look drunk anymore.

That caught the others off guard. Sure, they expected Teddie to take advantage of the King's game, but not like this.

"Tell me this ain't real…" Kanji groaned.

"How the hell did we let this happen!?" Yosuke almost shouted, attempting to rip his hair out. "You…you planned this all along! You conniving sack of honey!"

"Whoa, smooth move, dude!" Junpei praised, immediately receiving hateful glares. "What? Gotta give him _some_ credit for planning this out."

"Thank you, Junpei!" Teddie puffed out his chest, holding his chopstick as if it was a scepter. "For your loyalty, you shall become my champion knight!"

"Sweet! This is even cooler than those MMORPG's!" Junpei grinned and bowed. "I mean, thank you, Your Majesty."

The others sweatdropped. "You're actually enjoying this?" Yukari asked in disbelief. "That's Stupei for you…"

"Lighten up, Yuka-tan. It's just a game of roleplay, like those TV dramas you girls like to watch."

Seeing that the gang was hesitant in playing along, Teddie started throwing a tantrum like a crybaby that doesn't get his way, forcing everybody to cover their ears.

Minato rolled his eyes. "Let's just amuse him, okay? The sooner we do what he wants, the faster this is over."

Without another option, the others agreed. Teddie did a one-eighty and squealed for joy. "Yay! This calls for a celebration!" At their confusion, the blonde's grin got wider. "Fear not, my loyal knights and fair maidens for King Teddie has already provided the perfect outfits for you all!"

_'This can't be good...'_ everybody but Junpei thought.

Teddie pulled several bags from behind a couch and handed one to each person in the room. "Wear this! I'm sure you all will love it!"

Mitsuru glanced at the bags. There was something familiar about them. "Now where have I seen these before?"

"Try it out! Try it out!" Teddie was barely containing his excitement.

Having no choice, the girls went to another room to change while the guys did so in the nearby living room. The karaoke lounge's lights were off, to set the mood for the King's Game and Teddie insisted to keep it that way, so the others couldn't see what they were wearing until he was ready.

When they opened the bags and saw what they had to wear, everyone (sans Junpei) thought the same thing: _'I'm going to murder that bear!'_

Despite not wanting to, they put the clothes on anyway and headed back to the lounge, where they found that the couches had been moved and formed a heart shape, courtesy of Teddie, donned in his bear suit and sitting on the most comfortable armchair, wearing a paper crown on his head and a red blanket adorned with stars acting as a cape. The only dim light source in the room was a tall lamp he placed behind his chair, giving him a look of faux superiority.

"Welcome to King Teddie's Heart Table, my loyal subjects," the bear greeted with a cheeky grin. "I see that I have chosen the right outfits for all of you." He clapped his hands twice and the lights flickered on.

The girls gasped. The guys' eyebrows twitched. All of them were dressed as **butlers** and **maids**. Needless to say, it was plain awkward for most present. Save from Metis and Aigis, the girls were blushing in different intensities while out of the guys, only Junpei seemed comfortable with his outfit, even taking off his top hat and bowed to the girls and Teddie.

"Teddie, where did you find these?" Rise asked, sounding rather annoyed.

"In one of the bedrooms," he chirped. "Found them when I got lost looking for the kitchen to make a snack before dinner."

Yukari looked at Mitsuru. "Senpai, why did you keep these outfits?"

"I… I didn't have the heart to throw them away…"

"What's so bad about these outfits? They are rather comfortable." Metis cutely spun around, causing a few of the guys blush.

The girls exchanged glances. "M-Metis, you see, maid and butler outfits aren't something you can use all the time…" Fuuka tried to explain.

She didn't seem convinced. "Why not? My sister said you wore those outfits several times while exploring Tartarus."

The Inaba girls' eyes widened and the older girls blushed some more. "W-Wait, you guys had to use weird outfits too?!" Naoto flustered.

Yukari sighed. "Those were Minato-kun and Minako-chan's idea." She glared at the twins. "Sometimes I think they misuse their position as leaders to get us to wear these, and a few others which I don't want to mention…"

Chie threw a dirty look at the silverette. "Souji's the same…"

The Wild Cards smiled sheepishly. "Hey, we only found those outfits. You can't blame us for their creation or being effective armors," Minato reasoned.

Kanji ran a hand through the lapels of his suit. "Damn, you're right," he said, sounding impressed. "This is some really good fabric here… It's strong material, good enough to be used as armor and yet light enough not to hinder in battle…" Everybody gave him a weird look. "What?! I live in a textile shop. I gotta know this stuff!"

Minako giggled. "Kanji-kun's right. They work affectively as armors. Besides, when we were short on money, we had to improvise."

"Yeah. We often found unusual outfits during our explorations. Some could be used underneath our uniforms, while some couldn't." Souji rubbed the back of his head. His team would probably kill him if he mentioned that he _bought_ some of the costumes at Croco Fur, so he kept mum about that particular info.

"Enough idle chatter!" Teddie's sharp command caught their attention. "Your King has orders!"

"And what do you want, your M-_ass_-jesty?" Yosuke hissed with a hint of sarcasm that his foster brother failed to notice.

"The King is hungry and thirsty!" He shot a look at Minato, Souji and Shinjiro. "I order you three to make me a tasty snack and a delicious drink!"

"How 'bout a big knuckle sandwich, ya little…" Shinjiro stepped forward menacingly, but was stopped by Souji who grabbed his shoulder and shook his head. The older teen was disgruntled to say the least. "Tch, whatever, 'King'."

The trio left for the kitchen to make the King's meal, Shinjiro muttering several expletives along the way. Teddie then turned to Rise and Yukari. "Oh fair maidens with beautiful voices, entertain the King with some singing." He then turned sharply to Yosuke and Kanji. "As for the two of you, I order you to dance lead by Sir Junpei!"

"Dance?! So much for my pride…"Kanji hung his head in shame.

"Or what's left of it after last year…" Yosuke snickered.

"Shut the hell up before I punch that mug of yours!"

Luckily for Yosuke, Junpei came to his rescue. "Guys, cut it out! We're here to have fun, not punch our buddies! Even the toughest of men gotta know when to get their groove on every now and then."

The tall teen cocked his head in thought. "I…guess…?"

Junpei grinned and turned to Yosuke. "C'mon dude, you said you were good at dancing, didn't ya? You can nail this just fine!"

"Fine…just try and keep up with me." A smirk of pride lit his voice, despite not wanting to do the order.

Rise and Yukari sweatdropped as Yosuke taught the other two some dance steps. "What a bunch of idiots…" she face-palmed.

"It's a guy thing… No point in trying to understand them, Senpai." Rise shrugged.

Teddie tapped his foot impatiently. "Ahem! The King said he wanted some singing!"

Both girls glared at the bear, sighed and made their way to the karaoke machine. Once it was up and running, they started off with one of Rise's hit singles while Yosuke, Junpei and Kanji acted as backup dancers, making it quite a sight to behold.

"Ugh… how did it come to this?" Chie rolled her eyes.

"Now this is some high-quality entertainment!" Teddie clapped his hands in delight before he laid eyes on Fuuka. "Oh, Fuuka-chan ~ can you give me a shoulder rub, please? Being a king can be so tiresome..."

"Uhh um… O-Okay…" Fuuka said shyly. She walked over and stood behind Teddie. In his bear suit, he was the only one she could loom over, and was a bit pleased by that. "Ah...where are your shoulders, Teddie-kun?" When he didn't answer, she continued, "Hm… Where does it hurt? Where should I massage you?"

"Oh, anywhere you like, Fuuka-chan ~ " His tone was subtly lecherous, blushing in a way that didn't look innocent at all. After hesitating another moment, Fuuka placed her hands just below Teddie's head and began making light, circular motions with her fingertips. She looked quite uncomfortable at doing that though.

"Ooooo, Fuuka-chan… This is even better than that chair at Junes!" he purred, eyes closed in content, not before taking a glance at Yukiko. "Say, it's kinda warm in here… Cool me, Yuki-chan."

"Fine…" Yukiko drew her fan and started fanning Teddie. In her mind she was scheming several ways to get back at him for this. _'When I get my hands around his little neck…!'_

"Ah… This is the life…" he sighed contently, enjoying the cool breeze before turning his attention to Chie and Mitsuru. "The King now wants some petting! Can you and Mitsu-chan do the honors, Chie-chan?"

Chie cracked her knuckles, an evil grin on her face. "It'll be my pleasure…"

Mitsuru was confused at Chie's real intentions, but stepped up nonetheless.

Both girls started stroking his fur, Chie harder than Mitsuru, but Teddie didn't seem to mind at all. "Oh, Chie-chan, Mitsu-chan, you have angel hands…" he cooed. _'Good thing I got my suit on before being petted,'_ he silently added.

Chie growled in frustration. '_Grrr… When this is over, you're so gonna get it, Teddie!'_

Souji, Minato and Shinjiro returned with a tray of sandwiches, a bowl of grapes and strawberries and a glass of smoothie. They sweatdropped at the scene before them. _'On the bright side, Ryoji isn't here to screw things up even further…'_ Minato thought with a sigh.

Souji cleared his throat to get Teddie's attention. "Sorry to interrupt, but your meal has arrived, Your Majesty."

"Good timing. Thank you, Sensei!" He looked at the girls surrounding him. "You may stop for now. Just sit beside me and look pretty like you always do." He giggled like a little kid. "I feel like a hot stud already!"

Fuuka blushed deeply, Chie and Yukiko growled, and Mitsuru held back a frustrated groan and the bubbling desire to execute the blue-furred creature for his behavior before they all sat down close to him.

Teddie looked at Aigis and Metis. "After a good massage, the King's fur must be brushed to become extra shiny and fuzzy! Ai-chan, Metis-chan, brush me!"

Without saying a word, both sisters obeyed and gently brushed Teddie's fur. None of them seemed annoyed at doing such a task.

"Ah… This is even better than those spas they show on TV…" He closed his eyes. "Bring me my meal!"

The three guys walked up to him, but were rudely halted. "Not you!" Teddie pointed to Minako and Naoto. "Them! I want Nao-chan to serve me my drink and Mina-chan to feed me!"

Naoto fought the urge to shoot Teddie point-blank while Minako tensed. "I knew we wouldn't be let off the hook so easily, huh?" the latter said. "C'mon, Naoto-chan, let's feed His Majesty."

"Fine…" Naoto let out an exasperated sigh and took the tray with the glass from Minato's hands.

Minako took the tray of sandwiches and bowl of fruits from Shinjiro. "It's okay, it won't take long," she whispered to him and winked.

Her cheerful attitude managed to calm Shinjiro a bit, though he wasn't comfortable with their situation at all.

The two girls then made their way to Teddie to feed him, but he was having trouble getting in a comfortable position. "Ngh… This isn't working…" He fidgeted around in his seat. "Sir Akihiko, come here!"

Disgruntled, Akihiko did so. "Yes?"

"On fours!"

He blinked dumbly, confused. "What?"

"I said, on fours!" Teddie repeated, pointing to a spot on the floor in front of him.

Akihiko clenched his fists, clearly pissed, but got on his hands and knees. Next thing he knew, some weight landed on his back. His eyes widened– Teddie was using him as a foot stool! "You gotta be kidding me!" Humiliation flooded his cheeks. "If it was Mitsuru, I wouldn't be complaining that much…" he grumbled under his breath.

The guys felt awful for Akihiko. Their situation was bad, but his was so degrading that not even Junpei found it funny.

"Ah, that's better…" Teddie sighed, ignoring Akihiko's predicament. "Please ladies, my meal."

Minako decided that she didn't like this game anymore, but was powerless to stop it. She frowned as she handed a sandwich to Teddie's hungry mouth, while Naoto held up the straw for the smoothie. He slurped noisily.

"Is it just me, or does the food taste even better when you're feeding me, Mina-chan?" He winked at her. "Ooooh, I'd like some grapes now."

Not far, a certain butler was trying his hardest to suppress the need to strangle the human Shadow as he watched _his_ girlfriend serve fruit to the stupid bear.

"Nao-chan, lift the straw higher. A king of my importance need not bend down like a petty commoner!"

Kanji was seeing red. _'One of these days, I'm going to dress that fuzz ball in a maid outfit and see how he likes it!'_ he promised himself. He smirked when an image of Teddie cross-dressing as a French maid being surrounded by hormonal teenage boys came to mind.

"Ahhh, this is the life! A bear can sure get used to this!" Teddie grinned, crossing his short legs on Akihiko's back. "Ladies, be a dear and sit quietly like Fuuka-chan, Mitsu-chan, Yuki-chan and Chie-chan. Let the boys take away the dirty dishes." He waved a hand in a lazy fashion to emphasize his order.

Souji, Minato and Shinjiro growled, but complied. They took the dirty dishes back to the kitchen and returned a minute later.

Teddie got to his feet, relieving Akihiko of his shame. "Now, for the highlight of the hour!" He went behind his 'throne' and pulled out more bags. "My faithful subjects, you have proven yourselves worthy of the great King Teddie. In order to prove yourselves even further, all of you are to put on a fashion show in my honor!"

The Investigation Team girls stood up, clearly wary at that idea. "You're not gonna pull anything like the Beauty Pageant last year, are you Teddie?" Chie asked, ready to give him a good punt.

"Nonsense, Chie-chan!" Teddie was nonchalant as he handed out the bags to the girls. "Aren't we going to the beach tomorrow? I can wait, you know. You're gonna be in swimsuits there all day long!"

As perverted as that sounded, he did have a point. _'Well, it can't get worse than maid outfits…'_ the girls assumed, exchanging suspicious glances with each other.

"While you ladies go get ready, they will set the catwalk for your glorious show." Teddie turned to the guys. "Get to work, peasants! Chop-chop!"

Muttering curses and angry growls, the guys got to work moving the carpets and couches to create a stage for the fashion show. The girls sighed and left to change their clothes.

"Now, Sir Junpei, as my champion knight, you are also my wing man." Teddie got back on his 'royal' seat. "That means you must announce each girl as they walk in, got it?"

"Alright! This is gonna be awesome!" Junpei cheered.

"How come he gets the easy work?" Yosuke complained as he and the guys moved furniture around.

"Because he's as dirty-minded as that overgrown stuffed animal!" Shinjiro grunted.

"When I get my hands on that spoiled brat…" Akihiko hissed, his fists itching to destroy something.

"Not if the girls get to him first, Senpai," Minato reminded slyly.

"If he survives that, I'll take care of the leftovers," Souji said with a dark undertone. "You have my word."

Kanji shuddered. "When Souji-senpai says he'll do it, he'll do it alright. Teddie's really gonna get it this time…"

Soon enough the improvised catwalk was ready. Several carpets were joined together as the runway and rows of chairs on both sides were placed so the audience could watch the girls walking. "It's show time!" Teddie cheered. He turned to door of the room where the girls were. "Are you girls ready?"

_"Like we had a choice!"_ Naoto shouted from the changing room.

"Sir Junpei?"

Junpei nodded with a grin, a hairbrush in his hand as a pretend-microphone. "Ready when you are." He cleared his throat. "Ladies and gentleman, King Teddie's very first Yakushima Fashion Show is about start. Tonight, we feature the most beautiful, elegant and amazing girls from both Iwatodai and Yasoinaba! So fellas, open your eyes wide, get your cameras ready and prepare yourselves for one heck of a show!"

Junpei's enthusiasm regarding the whole thing was perplexing as the guys took their places at the front rows. Then again, Junpei wasn't the jokester of SEES for nothing.

"And now, for our first lady to walk in… Say hello to Chie Satonaka!" Junpei announced as the door opened. "Looks like Christmas came early this year!"

Everybody's eyes turned to the door as Chie walked in. She was wearing a red mid-thigh length dress which covered her decently, red high heel boots and a Christmas Santa's hat. Her walking was rather stiff and a tad clumsy, since she had no real experience with high-heeled footwear, but she managed to keep a feminine pose and pass through the entire catwalk without stumbling.

"What do ya think, Yosuke? Chie can pack one heck of a kick with that outfit or what?" Junpei wagged his eyebrows at his fellow Magician.

Said Magician was too busy staring at Chie to reply. _'Man, she looks so hot in that outfit… I mean, just look at those nice, smooth legs…!'_ he thought, but kept both hands on his mouth so he wouldn't blurt out anything stupid and bring forth her wrath upon him later.

Chie knew everybody was staring at her, but Yosuke's gaze was all she could think about. _'I hope he likes what he's seeing, because I'm not doing this ever again!' _Somehow, her desires were contradicting her thoughts.

"Oh, Chie-chan, you look marvelous! If I be a good bear will you give me a nice present?" Teddie winked at her, bouncing on his seat.

Chie and Yosuke glared. _'Hell no, you sneaky little fur ball!'_

Thinking fast, Junpei acted. "Thanks, Chie! Now for our next model…" He glanced at the door and grinned. "Ooohh yeah! Looks like we've got a double performance now! Say hello to our dear scanners FuukaYamagishi and Rise 'Risette' Kujikawa!"

Fuuka and Rise walked in. Fuuka wore a long red gown with a red Christmas shawl and a white jasmine flower adorning her teal-blue hair. Rise's dress had short sleeves with an even shorter skirt and a big bow on her bust, paired with thigh high pink and white stripped socks and ballerina flats. Her pigtails were tied with two identical ribbons. It was quite the contrast seeing the two walking side by side: Fuuka was shy so she was fidgeting a bit as she walked. Rise had a more flamboyant style since she was used to being on stage, so it came naturally for her.

"Whoa… you two look so… so… nice! Fuuka and Risette! What a great combo! You girls should wear this more often!"

Fuuka blushed and quickly hid behind Rise.

_"Junpei! One more bad comment and I'm telling Chidori on you!"_ Yukari's voice hollered from behind the door.

Junpei gulped. "Anything but that!" His panicked plea earned some snickers from the guys.

Rise giggled and winked at him. "Don't worry, Senpai. I get that a lot, anyway." She turned to Fuuka. "She does look great, huh?"

"R-Rise-chan!" Fuuka squeaked. _'I really didn't want any attention wearing these clothes…even if they are beautiful…I thought if Rise-chan came with me they'd focus more on her rather than me…'_

"C'mon Fuuka-chan, don't be shy. You look smashing!" the 'King' assured her. "And so does Rise-chan. This is such a treat! It's even better than last year's Beauty Pageant!"

Fuuka turned redder than possible. Rise threw a dirty look at Teddie. She wouldn't admit out loud that she liked the outfit, but him taking advantage of them was unforgivable.

"Alright! Thank you, ladies. On with the show!"Junpei continued after Fuuka and Rise sat down. "Our next girl is our gracious host, so let's welcome the one and only…Mitsuru Kirijo!"

Mitsuru walked in with a confident yet arrogant stride, her hips swaying gracefully. She was wearing a strapless red knee-length gown with red high heels and the Santa hat.

"Gosh, Senpai… You look so graceful!" Junpei turned to Akihiko. "Don't you think so Akihiko-senpai?"

The boxing-champ said nothing as he stared. Though it wasn't the first time he saw her wearing that outfit, he couldn't help but admire her beauty.

_'This is so embarrassing…'_ Mitsuru was trying hard not to blush with the way Akihiko was staring at her. _'Quit staring at me like that!'_

"My, my, Mitsu-chan, you really are a beauty queen. I must be in heaven because I'm surrounded by angels ~ " Teddie purred.

"Hmph!" Mitsuru looked away, her face red as she took her seat. _'The nerve of that bear! When this is over, I'll give him the worst execution ever!'_

Akihiko glared daggers at him, ready to pummel if needed. _'If he thinks he can get away with flirting with _MY_ girl, he's sorely mistaken!'_

Junpei and the others gulped, feeling the temperature begin to drop, and the slight tingle of electricity in the air. "Ehehe… Next model is…" He looked at the door. "Alright, another double feature! I'm happy to announce our favorite Anti-Shadow Suppression weapon sisters, Aigis and Metis!"

Metis got hit by stage fright as she stood by the door. Not only she didn't know what a fashion show was, she also felt rather out of place and intimidated of being stared at. "I… I don't know if I can do this…" she whispered, feeling like crying. Aigis gently grasped her hand. "Sister?"

"It's okay. We can do this together."

Metis nodded and smiled back at her, now feeling more confident. "H-hai!"

Aigis calmly pulled and guided her through the runway, showing off their outfits. Aigis had on a red knee-length long sleeved dress with a white puffy headband, while Metis' dress was a shorter, sleeveless version, with red gloves and red and white earmuffs. Though they still had a robotic-like walk, it was done with grace and charm.

Junpei grinned. "Wow… you two look so cute. Especially you, Met-chan."

Said android blinked at the nickname. She didn't dislike it, but it gave her a weird, warm feeling inside. The same feeling she had whenever she was with Aigis, or playing with Nanako, or spending time with the Arisatos and Souji. It was the feeling of belonging, of true friendship. "T-Thank you, Junpei-san…"

Teddie clapped his hands. "I agree with Sir Junpei! You two are heavenly beautiful! Truly wonderful! I feel like I could stare at you two all day long…"

Aigis narrowed her eyes in mild annoyance. The bear was acting too much like a certain person and she didn't like how he was flirting with her sister. _'Do all Shadows with human appearance behave like this, I wonder?'_

"This just keeps getting better and better!" the 'appointed' MC Junpei said. "Next girl to do the walk is our number one detective! Welcome…Naoto Shirogane!"

Everybody's eyes turned to the door but no one came out, causing slight confusion. "Huh? Naoto-chan?" Junpei called.

_"I'm not doing this! I'm not walking out wearing….wearing THIS!" _she screeched from the changing room.

"Oh great, she's trying to bail out on us like last year," Chie groaned, rolling her eyes.

_"Come on, Naoto-kun, the sooner we get this over with the better it is for everybody!" _Yukiko argued back.

_"NO!"_

_"Don't make me get Kanji-kun to drag you out!" _Minako threatened.

"What the hell?!" Kanji stood up, not knowing what to do.

_"Ugh…! Fine! FINE! Stop pushing me!"_ Naoto said, defeated. _"I'm coming…!"_

"Oh man…" Kanji started to sweat, shivers running down his spine.

"Kanji, sit down," Souji ordered, taking something out of his pocket. It was a handkerchief. "Here."

He sat back down and took the item, knowing what his upperclassman meant. "Th-thanks, Senpai…"

"What's with the handkerchief?" Shinjiro asked. The other guys, minus Yosuke and Minato, wondered that as well.

"He's gonna need it. Trust me."

Everybody's eyes turned to the door as the shy figure of Naoto finally walked in. She wore a short spaghetti-strap top which exposed her belly and arms, red denim shorts which showed off most of her legs, knee-high boots, long gloves and a Santa hat. She was walking rather stiffly and awkward, her face a dark shade of crimson.

"Wow Naoto-chan, what a bold choice of an outfit! I like that!" Junpei cat-called.

The amount of skin Naoto exposed was too much for Kanji as his nose started bleeding. Luckily for him, Souji had anticipated that. Using the handkerchief, he quickly covered his nose before anybody noticed. _'Dammit, Naoto… Why do ya have to be so… so…so cute!'_

Naoto quickly glimpsed at Kanji before looking down, her blush deepening. _'K-Kanji-kun, don't stare at me like that… I-I must look horrible…'_

"Whoa Naoto-kun… Never thought you'd look so hot!" Yosuke said in awe. Souji and the other guys only nodded in agreement.

Naoto only blushed harder. Kanji glared at him as if saying _"Quit staring at my girl or I'll kick your ass!"_

Yosuke quickly got the message and shut up.

"My my, Nao-chan… You're certainly worthy of the title Miss Yasogami 2011. I feel like a VIP for being able to see you like this!" Teddie cheered.

Naoto pulled her hat down with both hands, trying not to scream out in frustration. _'When I'm done with this, you'll be punished severely!'_ was what she wanted to scream aloud, but kept it inside.

"Thank you, Naoto. The next model is…" Junpei paused to the beat of an imaginary drumroll. "Alright! Let's hear it for my good friend, Yukari Takeba!"

Yukari walked in wearing an off-shoulder red dress paired with a red tank top underneath, short gloves, high heels and a Santa hat. She walked in with the grace and confidence of a catwalk model.

"Gosh, Yuka-tan, you're looking too pretty…" Junpei grinned, hoping not to anger her. "I'm sure Minato agrees with me, right buddy?"

Minato couldn't help but smile as he stared. _'She's even prettier than usual…' _he thought, clapping in approval.

Yukari noticed him and blushed. _'Oh… Why do you have to smile at me like that, Minato-kun…I mean, the clothes are nice, but I'm not fond of wearing these in public…' _She gasped. _'What am I thinking?! I'm not fond of wearing these at all!'_

"Bravo, Yuka-chan! You're a natural! Such attitude, such poise, such beauty and grace! Oh, how talented you are and how delightful it is to stare at you!"

Yukari wanted to stomp on Teddie right then and there. _'Gah, and I thought Junpei was a pervert! He's so gonna get it!'_ She sat down beside the other girls, fuming with rage.

Minato was displeased with Teddie's innuendos, to put it lightly. _'Enjoy it while you can, bear… for when this is over, you're in so much trouble!'_

"Thanks, Yuka-tan. This is quite a show, huh guys? Let's keep going," Junpei egged on. "Our next model is quite a refined young lady. Say hello to Yukiko Amagi!"

Yukiko's outfit was a red plain halter-neck dress with a big bow on the front, black stockings, red high heels, gloves and her trademark red headband. Being raised to wear a kimono so often gave her an elegant and natural balance so she had no trouble walking along the runway.

"Wow Yukiko, you're a natural at this!" Junpei praised her. "Hey, Souji, am I right or am I right?"

Souji wouldn't admit it out loud, but Junpei was indeed, right. _'Red never looked this good…' _he smiled. _'Then again, everything she wears looks good on her.'  
><em>  
>Yukiko's face was redder than her headband as Souji's gaze on her was so intense. <em>'Gee, Souji-kun… Why do you have to stare at me like that? I mean, it is a pretty outfit, but… Oh… this is so embarrassing…'<em>

"Yay! Yuki-chan, you're so, so, so, sooooo pretty! So hot! Whoohoo! I'm having the best time ever!" Teddie almost fell off his chair in excitement.

"Eeeek!" she shrieked at that, clearly disturbed by Teddie's behavior as she rushed to her seat.

Souji wasn't happy with Teddie at all. He gritted his teeth. _'Even if you're drunk, I can't forgive you for taking advantage of us. Sorry, but I'll have to teach you a lesson when this is over.'_

"Now for the cherry on the cake! The last girl to walk in!" Junpei announced. "She's one of our leaders and everybody's best friend! Give it up for…Minako Arisato!"

Minako walked in wearing a strapless mini dress with red long gloves and matching high-heel boots, and a pair of furry white earmuffs. She was walking like usual with a bright smile on her face.

"Mina-tan ~ looking good as ever!"Junpei smirked at Shinjiro. "Wouldn't you agree, Senpai?"

Shinjiro had never seen his girlfriend wearing that outfit since he was in a coma by the time she had found it. _'Where the hell did those come from? And why does it have to show so much skin?!' _He mentally admonished the attire. _'But then again, she does look pretty damn cute…'_

Minako noticed him ogling her and blushed. She gave him a little wave. _'Shinji-kun, I hope you like it…'_ She was too busy staring at him to watch where she's going. At the end of the catwalk, she tripped on one of the carpets and stumbled. "Whoa…!"

Souji and Minato quickly jumped out of their seats to catch her. The others gasped.

Shinjiro beat them to it and grabbed her before she could hit the ground and end up with a broken nose.

Minako kept her eyes closed tightly, waiting to hit the floor…but it never happened. She felt a strong arm around her waist, supporting her and pulling her up. Slowly opening her eyes, the first thing she saw was Shinjiro staring back at her as he held her gently. "You okay?"

"Y-yeah…" she blushed, getting back on her feet. "Thanks to you…"

"Tch…What am I gonna do with you?" He tried to sound stern, but the pink hue on his cheeks betrayed him. Minako giggled at that.

Minato and Souji smiled. This was one of the reasons why they approved of Minako's relationship with Shinjiro; he really knew how to look after her.

"Awww Mina-chan, why does a pretty girl like you have to hug him, but not the King?!" Teddie whined. "I'm two times fuzzier than he is!"

Minako stuck her tongue out at him and she buried her face into Shinjiro's chest, her face red as her outfit.

Shinjiro on the other hand gave the Shadow bear a murderous glare. He was about to tell the pervo off, but bit his tongue when he felt Minako cuddling him. "Tch…whatever…"

"Hmph! Oh well, I'll let this pass," Teddie pouted. "Thank you, ladies, for the delightful performance! Now, for the second act…"

"Hey, wait a minute!" Yukari stood up, pointing an angry finger at the guys. "How come only us girls have to go through this? Why can't they cosplay too?!"

The girls were in agreement and glared at Teddie, who stroked his chin in thought. "Hm…? Glad you brought that up, Yuka-chan!" A sneaky grin appeared on his face, giving the guys a bad feeling.

"Don't think all of you are out of the woods just yet! The show must go on!" Teddie announced dramatically. "My next order is for the men to walk on the runway wearing..." He rushed behind his chair and pulled out the outfit of choice for all to see. "This!"

It was a Shirt of Chivalry. The men of SEES (except for Junpei of course) groaned. The girls tittered – at least Teddie was being fair. "I was saving these for Sensei and the others to wear tomorrow at the beach, but I think you girls deserve a little treat!" he said, grabbing yet more bags.

"You gotta be kidding me…" Yosuke hung his head in shame. "You guys actually wore those?"

"Got a problem with that, dude? Those are awesome!" Junpei pumped a fist in the air. "Kicking Shadow butt had never been so cool!"

"Speak for yourself…" Shinjiro muttered.

"Aw c'mon guys, you looked really good wearing those." Minako smiled at the memory. "I bet Souji-kun and his friends would look great in it too."

"I agree with Minako. Besides..." Mitsuru glowered at them threateningly. "It wouldn't be fair that you all sat back and watch us expose ourselves now, would it?"

The girls' united murderous stares sent shivers down their spines. Unless they were crazy, or had a death wish, they didn't dare say no.

"Okay… Okay… You girls win. We'll do it…" Minato sighed in defeat as he took a bag.

Souji sighed and took another. "C'mon guys. Let's get ready…"

The rest grabbed the remaining bags and headed to the makeshift dressing room to get dressed. Shinjiro and Kanji were muttering curses all the way. Yosuke and Akihiko were just plain embarrassed.

"Mwahaha! This is gonna be good!" Teddie crowed.

The others waited for about 10 minutes. "C'mon! We don't have all night, you know!" Chie called out.

_"We're coming already! Jeez…"_ Yosuke replied.

Rise suddenly had an idea. She stood up and walked up to the front of the catwalk and stood beside Teddie. She took the hairbrush Junpei left behind and used it in the same manner. "Okay ladies, I'm taking the host role now!" she announced. "The mistress of ceremony is in the house!"

The girls clapped politely, impressed with Rise's enthusiasm. Teddie's eyes sparkled at being so close to her, especially in that short skirt.

"Alright! Now for our man-only fashion exhibition. Exhibit number one, we have our blue-haired, music savvy leader…I'm happy to announce Minato Arisato-senpai!"

Finally, the guys started coming out. As announced, Minato came first, wearing the traditional Japanese shirt for men, shorts, sandals and hachimaki. He walked casually with his hands in his pockets, MP3 player and headphones swinging from his neck, not bothered by the outfit at all.

"Oh, Yukari-senpai… You're blushing!" Rise giggled. Yukari squeaked in embarrassment. "You like what you're seeing, huh? I certainly do."

Hearing that, Minato took a quick glance at his girlfriend and felt his own cheeks heating up. _'Sheesh, now I know how models feel…'_

"It seems like the Iwatodai guys are walking in first. Not that we would have a problem with that. Isn't that right, girls?"

The girls hooted and cheered, clapping in excitement. Minato quickly took his previous seat, extremely glad that his turn was over.

"Our next exhibit is a hunk of man-flesh. Too bad he's already taken, ladies. Give it up for one of Japan's hottest future law enforcer, Akihiko Sanada!"

Akihiko walked in. He had a neutral face plastered on. It seems that he's so used to girls staring at him that he didn't want to waste energy expressing his displeasure. He couldn't help but grin when he caught Mitsuru staring at him unabashedly, inflating his ego a bit.

"Mmm…I can see why he's Gekkoukan's golden boy. He's such a knock-out!" Rise fanned herself with her hand."Here comes our next contender. Let's welcome the yankee of Gekkoukan…or should I say Yasogami now…Shinjiro Aragaki-senpai!"

The moment Shinjiro stepped out, he scowled at everyone present. Unlike the previous two, he wore a bandana to hold back his long hair instead of a hachimaki. He groaned when the others stared at him: one thing he hated most was drawing attention to himself. He spotted the object of his loathing…the human Shadow in a bear suit. With a purposeful stride, Shinjiro really did intend to strangle him this time, but was intercepted by Rise. "What are you doing, Senpai? This is a fashion show! You're supposed to walk slower so everyone can admire you in your outfit!" she scolded, hands on her hips.

"I don't have to do anything you say!" he retorted, a huge red mark ticking above his head.

"Not if she has anything to say about it." Rise pointed to Minako, who was watching Shinjiro unblinkingly with her mouth slightly open. "Now go back and start over!"

_'Wait, is she…is she drooling?!' _Shinjiro thought, not sure how to feel about the way his girlfriend stared at him. Reluctantly, he turned around. '_I'm doing this for Minako, and no one else!'_ he told himself.

Rise looked at Shinjiro as he walked back. "Wow, now I know why Minako-senpai can't take her eyes off him. He's got such a nice ass!"

Minako's cheeks burned in mortification as she was caught red-handed. "R-Rise-chan!"

Shinjiro hastily finished and took his seat, clearly uncomfortable at the attention after Rise said that.

The teen idol resumed her commentary. "Okie-dokie, the next guy we're about to see is King Teddie's wing man and ultimate class clown, Junpei Iori!"

Junpei stepped out onto the runway with all the confidence in the world, a stupid grin on his face and his usual baseball cap on. Halfway, he struck a pose like a bodybuilder's, and a few more ridiculous ones after that, all the way to the end. He was clearly enjoying making a fool of himself on stage.

Yukari captured every single one in her phone for future use. She needed some ammo if Junpei annoyed her again.

"Well… That certainly was…interesting..." Rise said, sweatdropping. She cleared her throat once more. "So we have seen what Port Island has to offer, and it wasn't disappointing! And now for the delight of us girls, our first contender from Yasoinaba is…" She looked at the door, but there was no one there. "Huh? I _said_ our next contender is…"

The audience could hear three Inaba boys arguing in the changing room.

_"You go first, Kanji!"_ Yosuke said. _"I went first the last time!"_

_"Hell no! Don't blame me for you screwing up last year!"_ Kanji retorted.__

_"What?! You were the one that agreed with it, numbskull!"_

_"And you were the one that got us into that mess in the first place!"_

_"Will you two shut up already?!" _Souji yelled, startling both guys and everybody else outside. His patience seemed to be running out. _"Listen, I'll go first, Yosuke is second and Kanji is third! Got that?!"_

_"Yes, sir!"_ they squeaked, not wanting to anger him any further.

Souji sighed and regained his cool composure before he started walking. Like Minato, he wasn't bothered by the outfit at all.

"Ooooh, Senpai! You look so cool!" Rise fan-girled at the sight. "Right, Yukiko-senpai?"

The other girls nodded in agreement. Yukiko couldn't help but admire how the outfit highlighted Souji's well-toned physique. It looked like every muscle in his abdomen rippled beneath the singlet he wore under the Japanese shirt. It was so impressive she ended up letting out a small squeal, embarrassing herself and Souji.

"Bravo, Sensei! You're the man!" Teddie clapped. "As expected of the 'Amagi Challenge' winner."

Souji smiled at him, but there was something frightening about it, which caused his friends to shudder. Except Teddie, who felt invincible as the King.

"Alright, our next male model is our number one clumsy jokester and future owner of Junes... Give it up for Yosuke-senpai!"

Yosuke walked in. He looked awkward and self-conscious.

"C'mon Senpai, you don't look bad at all," Rise winked. "It could be worse, ya know…"

_'Well, this certainly beats cross-dressing anytime,'_ Yosuke thought, pondering over Rise's words.

"C'mon, dude, this is a hero's armor!" Junpei tried to encourage him. "Gotta look good for Chie, right?"

Yosuke turned his attention to Chie, who seemed to be gawking at him. "Heh, this isn't so bad after all…" he smirked. "Alright, Chie, this one's for you!" At the end of the catwalk, he struck a pose making a peace sign, a cheeky grin and a wink at her. While most rolled their eyes, thinking that he was being his silly and cheesy self, Chie smiled back at him, knowing it was his way to show affection.

Rise giggled. "Alright, next one to do the walk is our favorite badass and doll maker! Let's hear it for Kanji-kun!"

Kanji dragged his feet lazily, since he clearly wasn't wholeheartedly into the whole fashion thing. Like Shinjiro, he kept his shirt open so his bare chest was exposed.

"Wow, Kanji-kun, you clean up nice after all…" Rise teased him. He glared at her. "Aww, c'mon, ya know it's true. Right, Naoto-kun?"

Kanji blinked when he realized that Naoto was in fact staring at him with such intensity that he could feel the heat of her blushing cheeks burning his skin. Millions of thoughts crossed his mind as he tried to figure out what she was thinking about him, until he felt something warm ran down his nose. "Oh, shi….!" He made a dash to the nearest bathroom.

"Jeez… again?" Yosuke said exasperatedly.

"Does Kanji-kun have some sort of circulatory condition that makes his nose bleed so easily?" Naoto questioned, blissfully unaware of the _real _reason for his nosebleeds.

Rise snickered. "Oh Naoto-kun, you're so naïve."

"What's that supposed to mean? Do you know something that I don't?"

"Hehehe, not at all!" Rise said slyly, trying to change to subject.

Naoto, however, was unconvinced. Before she could further question Rise, Kanji came back, blowing his nose with some toilet paper. "Damn nosebleeds…" he muttered.

"Are you okay, Kanji-kun?" she asked.

"Y-Yeah… J-just a stupid nosebleed. N-no big d-deal…"

"Are you sure?" Naoto moved closer to him. "Perhaps you should have that checked by a doctor."

Kanji's eyes bugged out as she came closer, and got an eyeful of her outfit, including everything else it didn't cover. Thinking fast, he stuffed more napkins up his nose before he bled to death. "R-Really, I'm fine now!"

Before things could get awkward, Metis spoke up. "Umm… Can I ask you guys something?" The guys tensed, like a string about to snap. "What are the symbols on your backs? They all look different."

The guys eased up and the girls giggled. Metis' curiosity and innocence were quite adorable.

"Those symbols are called kanji, Metis, characters used in Japanese writing along with hiragana, katakana, Indo-Arabic numerals and occasionally the Latin alphabet," Aigis explained. "Each kanji has a different meaning."

"Yeah, like Minato-kun's for example," Yukari pointed at her boyfriend. "The kanji on his shirt means 'honorable man'. Very fitting if you ask me."

Minato blushed at that but got back at Yukari by hugging her.

"Oh, oh! What does mine mean?" Junpei asked, an arm flailing in the air.

"Well, if I'm right, yours mean 'color', Junpei-kun," Fuuka started. "But…"

"Alright!" he cheered. "Wait 'til Chidorita hears that!"

"But it can also mean 'dirty-minded'…"

Minako laughed. "That's Junpei-kun alright!"

The others laughed at Junpei's embarrassment. "Eh… let's keep that just between us, okay?" He rubbed the back of his neck. "Chidori doesn't need to know that… Please?"

"Don't worry, Junpei. It's not like Chidori doesn't know that side of you anyway," Yukari teased.

"Hey, I resent that!"

"Back to Metis' question, Akihiko's symbol is 'fight'. Needless to say it's perfect for him," Mitsuru stated with pride. "Although his hot-headedness in another thing altogether…" she trailed off.

"He only seems to mature when Mitsuru-senpai is by his side. So that's a good thing, I guess," Minako added with a giggle.

Shinjiro smirked. "You got that right."

"Shut it, Shinji!" Akihiko hissed. "What does yours mean anyway?"

"It means 'life'," Minako answered for him. "Makes sense when you think about how much of an impact he had on our lives, especially Ken-kun's and Akihiko-senpai's."

"There's more to it," Shinjiro added, surprising everybody. "Before, I could only wish for death." He looked into Minako's eyes, his stare gentle. "But now I have more reasons to live." She held his hand and gave an understanding smile.

"Heh, that's pretty deep…" Yosuke hummed. "I wonder what mine means."

"If I'm not mistaken, that one stands for 'swift'," Souji said.

"It does fit you since you're the fastest among us and skilled using wind spells," Chie pointed out.

"Now, the symbol on Kanji-kun's outfit stands for 'manly', 'hero' or 'superior','" Naoto stated.

"Do I sense some irony here, or is it just me?" Yosuke joked. This earned him a punch in the shoulder by Kanji. "Ow!"

"You were saying, Senpai?" he growled, ready to do it again.

"Nothing! Nothing!" Yosuke whimpered.

"That answers your question, Yosuke-senpai," Naoto drawled.

"Souji-kun's means 'truth' or 'reality'," Yukiko said with a small smile. "It really suits him, after what we've gone through."

Further discussion was interrupted when exuberant music filled the air, confusing the group. Half of the lights in the lounge were turned off, highlighting the stage closest to the changing room. The Persona-users couldn't help but focus their attention there.

The door slammed open, revealing Teddie dressed in a Shirt of Chivalry over his bear suit. He walked with pomp and grandiose, nose in the air as he strode along the runway, reveling in the attention he was attracting.

They face-palmed at the display. One word came to mind – Desperate.

As Teddie turned around to strike a pose, the kanji on his shirt was visible for all to see. Everyone but Metis sweatdropped. "And that one? What does it mean?" she asked in naïve curiosity.

"That one means 'predator'…" Rise said flatly. "No comment…"

"…"

"Yes, yes, I know I'm marvelous, no need for further words!" Teddie boasted, misunderstanding the silence in the room. "And now, for the final act of tonight's fashion show, all girls must wear one last outfit!"

"What?! Aren't we over this?" Chie protested.

"Actually, Teddie-san still has ten more minutes of reign..." Aigis said, depressed.

"Yes, I'm still the King and that's an order! The outfits are already in the changing room. C'mon, this is gonna be the best part!"

Sighing, the girls headed inside for one last change.

"Can somebody tell me who comes up with this stuff, anyway?" Kanji asked. "As weird as they are, it's really high quality clothing."

"Beats me. We often found them lying around in rare treasure chests in Tartarus," Akihiko said.

"Tartarus is similar to the TV World where we often find peculiar outfits…" Souji crossed his arms in thought. "If the other side represents mankind's heart, could those outfits and the other items we found represent some hidden desires from mankind?"

"If that's the case I can name at least two sources for those outfits." Shinjiro glared at Junpei and Teddie, who were too distracted waiting for the girls to come out to listen.

"How many outfits are there anyway?" Yosuke asked Minato.

"Well, for us guys there were the butler suits and the Shirts of Chivalry," he replied, ticking off his fingers. "While the girls had the maids set, the Christmas dresses and the – " He was cut off by girlish screams, Naoto's easily the loudest.

"Yay! The girls loved my surprise!" Teddie beamed.

"The hell?! Naoto!" Kanji shouted, running towards the room in panic.

Minato tried to stop him, having an idea of what was going on. "Kanji, wait! Don't go in there!"

Kanji paid no mind to Minato. As he was about to open the door, it swung open revealing a very flustered Naoto.

"That does it! I can't take this anymore!" She dashed out, only to crash into Kanji and sending them sprawling on the floor.

"Naoto-chan, wait!" Minako shouted as she and the other girls rushed out.

If things could get more awkward, they did now. The guys' eyes were wider than saucers and the girls started blushing madly.

Teddie's choice for the last set of outfits was the infamous High-cut armors, the women's armor that resembled a bikini! Minako's was white, Yukari's red, Mitsuru's black, Fuuka's teal, Yukiko's magenta, Chie's aqua-green, Rise's pink and Naoto's navy blue. Not even Aigis and Metis were spared as Teddie had managed to find black and white mechanical parts that resembled the bikini armor for both androids to wear.

Without knowing, Souji and Yosuke got minor nosebleeds. Kanji nearly passed out as his nose squirted a red waterfall.

Minato, Akihiko and Shinjiro could only gape. Junpei and Teddie drooled, their imaginations going haywire.

"Oh, no, I've had enough of this… this _tomfoolery_!" Naoto huffed.

"Me too! I should have known that the last outfit is going to be worse than the others!" Yukiko added.

"I'm tired of making a fool of myself for your own little fun!" Chie stomped her foot. Yosuke could swear he saw some cracks forming on the ground and backed away.

"I… I'm sorry… But I don't feel comfortable with this anymore either…" Fuuka shyly protested.

"Your fun is over, 'King'! We rebel!" Rise put her hands on her hips as an act of defiance.

Teddie's next reaction was unsurprising. He sat on the ground and burst into tears, real ones this time. "Wahahhhhhhh! This was meant to be my best night ever….!" He sobbed. "After all the pretty outfits I found for you all… You guys are so mean! Wahhhhhh!"

While most covered their ears trying to block out his crying rant, Minako and Metis felt sympathy for him. "There, there… It's okay…. Don't cry… Please…." Metis said gently, stroking his fur.

"The ending is always the best part they say," Minako tried to cheer him up. "Don't cry, Teddie-kun, we'll do it."

"Minako, are you serious?!" Mitsuru questioned, the others staring at her in disbelief.

Teddie sniffed and whipped some tears away. "You mean it, Mina-chan?" he asked with sparkling eyes.

"Yes, I do," she confirmed. Teddie began to cheer. "C'mon girls, let's get this over already." Sighing, the girls headed inside for one last walk.

Teddie danced in glee when the girls came out of the dressing room one by one, no following commentary this time. They attempted to salvage any amount of modesty they had left by covering the exposed parts with their arms, especially their chests.

_'Damn bear!'_ the guys who weren't Junpei cursed. On the other hand, they couldn't tear their eyes away from the girls wearing such outfits that highlighted their nice bodies.

"Ugh… After this night, I swear I'll never complain about the qi paos ever again!" Chie groaned, recalling the pretty Chinese dresses Souji had given them months ago. "At least those were decent!"

"Oh yes! YES! YES! YES! This is the best night ever!" Teddie burst with happiness, running around like a kid inside a toy store.

Chie finally snapped. "That's IT! I hereby sentence you to a million kicks to the head!" She lunged at Teddie, only to be held back by Yosuke, who was holding her waist, while Junpei and Minato restrained her arms. "Let go! LET ME GO!"

Out of fear, Teddie stopped running and hid behind Minako since at the moment she and Metis were the only ones who sympathized with him.

"Chie-chan, calm down! It's not that bad. You look really nice, you know," Minako praised. "Yosuke-kun agrees with me, right?"

When she realized Yosuke was hugging her from behind, Chie stopped struggling. Junpei and Minato released her. Yosuke, afraid to receive another critical hit to a very sensitive area for males, let go of her, his face burning red.

"You two look so cute blushing like that!" Minako chuckled at the two.

"Thanks for the save, Mina-chan…" Teddie exhaled in relief, and threw himself at her for a hug.

Minako was surprised at Teddie's move, but being oblivious to his intentions, she hugged him back. "Aww, your fur is so soft. Teddie-kun." She rubbed her cheek against his fur. "It's even fuzzier than the Bunny plushy Akihiko-senpai gave me."

The others sweatdropped. Minako was too nice for her own good sometimes. However, her twin, Souji and Shinjiro weren't pleased at what they're seeing.

"He does have a soft, fuzzy coat…" Kanji mumbled earning glares from the three guys. "What?! I like plush animals, okay!"

Minako's giggles drew the trio's attention. "That tickles!" She laughed as Teddie wrapped his arms around her waist.

Metaphorical red alerts were blaring…quite loudly.

"Hehe… Mina-chan is ticklish!" Teddie taunted as his furry hands went lower… lower… until they were almost touching Minako's backside.

That was the last straw. Minato snapped. "Dammit, Ryoji! How many times do I have to tell you NOT TO TOUCH MY SISTER?!" he thundered, his calm replaced by overprotective fury.

The SEES members backed away, knowing that when Minato was like that, he was quite fearsome.

The Investigation Team didn't know who Minato was talking about, but knew that things were serious when Souji had a dark glint in his grey eyes, so they too backed away. "Teddie, remember what I told you about not hitting on Aneki and her friends for your own safety? Has it ever occurred to you that I might hurt you if you do?" His tone was low and dangerous, like a cobra ready to strike.

"Get your filthy paws off her, bear!" Shinjiro roared, wanting nothing more than to rip the fur off Teddie's costume.

Sensing their murderous vibe, Teddie started shaking and released Minako. "C-C'mon, guys. It's j-just for f-f-fun, right? I'm still the King. You can't hurt m-me…"

"Sorry to interrupt, but Teddie-san's time as King just ended now," Metis announced, pointing to the clock.

"Uh-oh… Wah!" Teddie yelled, accidentally shoving Minako to the ground. "Eeeekk! I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to!"

"Ow! That hurt!" Minako whined, rubbing her bottom as she stood up. "Teddie-kun, that was mean of you!"

"Now you're gonna get it!" Shinjiro cracked his knuckles, and the girls looked ready to squash him.

The bear/human/Shadow was too frightened to move as they started to close in.

"Don't just stand there!" Junpei shouted. "Run for your life!"

Suddenly Teddie perked up, seemingly even more panicked. "Oh no! Oh no! Oh no! Oh no!" He ran around in circles before making a break for the exit. "Not good! Not good! Not good! Not good at all!" he screamed.

"You're not getting away!" Akihiko yelled, about to give chase.

"Hold it!" Minato ordered, stopping Akihiko with an extended hand. "Mitsuru-senpai, aside from these armors, did you keep any of our old weapons?"

"Yes… I do," Mitsuru replied. "It's in the same room where Teddie discovered the armors."

"Good." Souji turned to his team. "Guys, better prepare yourselves."

That caught them off guard. "C'mon, dudes… Ain't that going a little too far?" Junpei asked. "I mean, sure he got carried away, but…"

"Something else is up. We were too busy to notice before, but I think Teddie-kun felt it," Minako said, her tone serious. "His punishment will have to wait. Come on!"

The Persona-users went to arm themselves before chasing after Teddie.

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><p>Long chapter I know, but this was extremely fun to work with! I laughed while working on this chapter all along! XD Teddie will get his punishment alright. Just wait and see. XD<p>

**Ohta Suzuke's A/N: Before you guys finish, we forgot to include this request in the previous chapter. We wanna hear your interpretations of the symbolic meaning behind the design of the Arisato twins' Shadows. I helped with most of the Shadows' description, and pretty much left it a blank canvas for the readers to find out what they represent. I have my own, and so does Sea of Soul, but we wanna hear feedback from you. We really appreciate it a lot. Cyber cookies (white chocolate macadamia and oatmeal raisins are my faves!) for those who do! ****XD**

From me you'll guys get chocolate chip cookies and hot cocoa! X3

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><p><em>Have fun and don't forget to Read and Review! <em>


	16. Chapter 16: Shadow fights and beach fun!

_Sea of Soul reporting for duties! owo How is everybody? I'm doing great! My job just started and I'm having a great time! Sure it is kinda tiresome, but I love it. So, be ready for a lot of fun!_

_Questions time!_

**KO**: Indeed, not a good sign and it is related to Magatsu Izanagi. That's all I'm saying.

**Snake King**: Shadow kicking and some beach antics are due to happen. Hope ya like it.

**Code-Emperor07:** Teddie's punishment will have to wait a bit, but you can be sure he will be punished D About Ryoji, not sure if he'd be worse than Teddie as a King, but I know for sure he'd try to take advantage of Minako being too nice for her own good. And Minato wouldn't be happy with that at all ^^;;

**13TheAce:** Let's say Aigis wasn't the only one protective of Minako when Ryoji was around Gekkoukan. *winks*

A few warnings: (Yes, I put those before every chapter to avoid issues)

_-There will be spoilers for all games! You've been warned.  
>-The Main characters from each game in this fanfic are called Minato Arisato (P3:FES), Minako Arisato (P3P) and Souji Seta (P4)<br>-There'll be some cursing. (Anyone that played any persona games knows that some characters on it curse quite a bit.) as well as some heavy subjects.  
>-Main Pairings in this fanfic: MinatoxYukari, ShinjiroxMinako, SoujixYukiko, KanjixNaoto, AkihikoxMitsuru, YosukexChie.<br>-Hinted Pairings(in later chapters): JunpeixChidori. (Hinted because Chidori doesn't appear much on this story) KenxNanako (Ya know those little girl's crushes on older boys? It'll be along those lines) FuukaxKeisuke (Other than Minato and Junpei, Fuuka only displayed some sort of close relationship with Keisuke the club president. I found it kinda cute.) TeddiexRise (Just for giggles. They are after all the two hyperactive cuties of the team X3)_

_Have fun ya guys. On with the show!_

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><p><strong>Chapter 16: Shadow fighting and beach antics!<strong>

Still in their High-Cut Armor and Shirt of Chivalry, along with some weapons they procured, the gang stumbled out into the hallways and chased after Teddie. The bear was waddling towards the direction of the beach, looking frantic.

"Slow down, ya damn bear!" Shinjiro yelled. "When I'm through with you, you ain't gonna have any stuffing left!" The others were also shouting similar strings of threats.

As soon as they stepped outside, the Dark Hour hit. The sky turned dark green, and the only source of light was the eerie glow of the pale yellow full moon.

"Wow, we detected the Dark Hour coming a lot sooner than last time," Minako commented. She shared a look with her brothers that the rest couldn't understand.

Teddie stopped in his tracks at the beach, sniffing around madly. Yukari recognized it as the same area where Minato hugged her for the first time three years ago.

"Fuuka-chan, Rise-chan, do you guys sense anything?" Minako asked.

Fuuka and Rise summoned their respective Personas. "There are definitely Shadows lurking around here. I'll try to expand my radar to get a gist of the surroundings. We never know where they might conceal themselves in this type of environment…" Rise said. No Shadow could hide from her Enemy Radar.

"Good thing we got prepared." Minato said, taking out the evoker from his vest. "I hate to admit it, but I'm glad to be wearing some armor right now."

"And we brought our own stuff for such emergencies," Yosuke said. He lifted up his undershirt to reveal a thin leather belt wrapped around his waist, with sheaths holding his kunais. Yukiko reached for her fan and Naoto brought out her gun.

Akihiko slipped on black leather gloves. "At least I can take out my anger on Shadows." Even the tone of his voice indicated he was still pissed.

"Tch, bear got lucky…" Shinjiro muttered, unhappy that Teddie couldn't be punished right away. He wrapped a terry cloth around his knuckles to enhance the grip on his battle axe.

"Wha…? Not even a 'thank you' for sniffing out the Shadows?!" Teddie gawked dramatically. "How ungrateful!"

"Don't push it, Ted…" Kanji all but growled. The bear whimpered and shook at the evil glare he shot him. He also didn't miss the 'we'll-deal-with-you-later' glower everyone gave him.

The Persona-users tensed when Fuuka let out a sharp gasp. "Guys, I sense about eight of them nearby. There are six Magus and two Musha types," she reported. "I'll scan for weaknesses immediately!"

The Shadows came towards them. They Persona-users could finally see what their enemies looked like: the Mushas wore silver and metallic red samurai armor, their swords encased in ruby-encrusted scabbards. As for the Magus Shadows, they had blue and green stripes on their robes, holding scepters taller than themselves with a pink jewel at the tip.

Minato gave out orders. "Those Magus types are probably prone to physical attacks. Shinjiro-senpai, Metis, Aigis and Chie; the four of you take out those three," he said, pointing to a trio at his left. "Kanji, Junpei, Akihiko-senpai and I will take care of the rest."

"Yukari-chan, Mitsuru-senpai and Yukiko-chan are with me. We'll take out that Musha," Minako commanded, eyeing the targeted Shadow. "They're likely strong or immune to physical attacks so hit it with all the magic you've got!"

"The rest of you are with me. Let's buy Rise some time to complete the scanning," Souji ordered, already summoning his card. "Be careful. From past fights, I'm pretty sure that Musha has plenty of Evasion skills."

"Got it, Senpai!" Rise replied. "Be on your guard though. I can sense that they're stronger than the usual ones we've encountered so far."

Both Mushas released a combined Myriad Arrow attack that rained on the Persona-users. Aigis blocked them with Athena's shield and Souji reflected some with Rangda's Physical Repel while the rest dodged just in time. Some of the arrows ricocheted back to the enemy, but they seem unharmed.

"So they're immune to Pierce attacks…" Minako observed, readying her Evoker to summon a Persona with high magic status. "Byakko, Ziodyne!" The giant winter tiger zapped a Musha with electricity, but it seemed to have little effect.

The girls in her group also tried to hit their targeted Musha with their own magic, trying to figure out their weakness and buy some time for Rise to finish her analysis. But the Shadow was swift so it managed to evade all of them.

Souji distracted the other one the old fashioned way; by challenging it to a sword fight. While it was busy with him, Yosuke, Naoto and Teddie aimed their attack. They had better luck than the girls, but Yosuke's wind and Naoto's Vorpal Blade didn't seem to work either. Teddie quickly healed Souji when his shoulder was pierced by the enemy's sword. Luckily, it wasn't too deep.

Meanwhile, Minato and his group weren't having that much trouble landing hit after hit on the Magus Shadows. What frustrated them however was the Shadows' tendency to cast Tatrakarn on themselves or their comrades. Whenever one of them got too close, they would cast Marin Karin or worse, Sexy Dance. Kanji and Junpei were the unlucky ones who got charmed.

Fortunately Minato thought fast. "Garuda, Amrita!" White light surrounded them before disappearing with a 'pop'.

Junpei blinked in confusion. Kanji snapped out of his trance, a stupefied look on his face. "What the hell happened?!"

"You and Junpei were charmed. Don't worry, it wasn't your fault," Akihiko assured him.

"What's that?" Kanji asked.

"It's a type of ailment that makes you side with the enemy and attack your friends against your will," the former boxer explained. "It's sort of like Confusion, but you can still use your powers to aid the enemy."

"Basically they make you fall in love with them," Minato added, and grinned when he saw the enraged look in Kanji's eyes.

The school punk summoned Rokuten Maoh in a heartbeat. "Damn you…I love Naoto and only Naoto! You shitheads better remember that!" Kanji put all of his rage into a Primal Force and obliterated one Magus. The side effect however was that he used up a lot of energy, and was on his knees after dismissing his Persona.

The other two Magus took advantage of Kanji's vulnerable state and attacked him with Bufudyne. Minato reacted quickly and absorbed it by summoning Alilat. Akihiko casted Marakunda and Matarunda on the Shadows while Junpei released a barrage of Torrent Shots.

Meanwhile, Shinjiro and his group were toughing it out. He was pissed because the Shadows were immune to the Fear ailment but was satisfied that his team had strong physical-based skills. They took out two with teamwork, but they were starting to wear thin. The last Magus standing wasn't about to give up. It let out a maniacal laugh and its scepter begins to glow a brilliant red.

"I have a bad feeling about this…" Aigis said, ready to summon her Persona.

Fuuka finished her analysis just in time. _"Everyone, those Magus-types are weak to wind and light! Be careful, it can use Last Resort!"_

Rise announced her results about the same time. _"Guys, the Mushas have a weakness against Darkness. Their strength is rather high, so even the weakest of attacks could cause significant damage!"_

Shinjiro grinned. He nodded to Metis, which she understood. Aigis and Chie readied their attacks just in case.

"Pegasus, Garudyne!"

"Psyche, Garudyne!"

Before the scepter could explode, the double wind attack hit the Shadow just in time and destroyed it, its ashes mixed with the sand in the air.

Minato was glad Fuuka finished scanning when she did. The two Magus looked weakened, but he knew never to judge a Shadow's condition by their appearance alone. "Senpai, lower their evasion rate. I need to make sure my attack would be effective," he ordered, then turned to the rest. "Then all of you stay back. I don't want you guys to get hurt." Akihiko nodded while Junpei and Kanji backed away.

"Cesar, Masukunda!"

"Time to test her out," Minato grinned. "Lailah, Samsara!"

The black angel of conception smiled at her master, before raising her candle and casting the Hama spell. Glowing runes of bright yellow barricaded the two Shadows from all sides, making it impossible to escape. Before they could shriek, the runes dissipated and nothing was left.

"That was close," Akihiko commented. "I wonder how the others are doing…"

Minako and her team were constantly bombarded with pierce attacks by the Musha. Yukari and Yukiko were kept busy healing while Mitsuru and Minako kept attacking. Although their armor helped amplify their magic slightly, it didn't protect them much from breaking skin. When Rise's analysis came through, Minako was glad. Mustering up all her strength, she summoned a Persona with Mudo skills.

"Chernobog, Mudoon!"

After the Shadow was defeated, the girls slumped together on the sand, trying to catch their breaths.

Meanwhile, Souji was having troubles of his own. Every time he tried summoning a Persona to cast a spell, his body would suddenly feel drained. If it wasn't for Teddie or Yosuke healing him, he wouldn't have the strength to even move. _'What's going on?'_ he thought. _'Why aren't my Personas responding like I want them to?'_

At this point, the Musha was pissed. It charged towards the silverette in hopes of decapitating him.

"Partner, look out!" Yosuke screamed. With his speed, he made it just in time and pushed his leader out of harm's way. They were rolling in the sand when they heard Rise's voice inside their minds telling them about the Shadow's weakness.

Teddie and Naoto made their way towards their upperclassmen. "Are you two alright?" the latter asked.

"I'm fine," Souji said abruptly, standing once more. He tried not to show how tired he was. "I'll take care of this. Naoto, that cut on your arm needs tending to. Don't think you can hide your injuries from me," he reprimanded the detective.

Naoto pulled her hat down in embarrassment. Teddie was immediately by her side and tried to heal her.

'_Please, let this work…'_ Souji summoned his card and it spun around in his palm for a while. The Musha was glaring at him, waiting for his next move.

"Alice, Mudoon!"

The little English girl/demon appeared, but instead of a single target spell, a bunch of red and black card soldiers fell from the sky and pierced the Musha without any mercy. However, some of Souji's friends were within its range and they almost got skewered if he hadn't been fast enough to dismiss Alice. The amount of spiritual energy needed for that spell wrung him dry, and he was teetering on the brink of consciousness. Yosuke ran to his side and gave him some Soul Drops to chew on, and he felt a bit better. The Magician's expression was a mix of worry and confusion, but he knew better than to question his best friend in this state.

Yukiko and Minako approached Souji, who was still trying to regain his breath, but kept their distance when Yosuke shook his head.

There was no time to rest however. _"I detect a few Fuzz-types heading towards the mansion. Nanako-chan and Ken-kun are in danger!"_ Rise said, panicking.

"_I sense…"_ Fuuka murmured, still within Juno's womb. _"I can sense that their weakness is thunder, and they're strong against wind and fire attacks."_

Akihiko stepped forward. "Leave those to me!" He dragged Teddie by his collar, surprising the bear. "You're coming with me as my backup. No excuses!"

For once, Teddie didn't argue. _'Nana-chan is in danger, so I must rescue her like the prince I am!'_ He waddled behind Akihiko, missing the evil smirk the boxer had on his lips.

"Aigis, Metis, you should go with them. Minako and I will take care of the rest," Minato ordered. The android sisters nodded and went after the two.

The four of them spotted three rotund looking Shadows wearing police uniforms heading for the mansion entrance from the beach. Akihiko wasted no time in pulling out his Evoker. "Maziodyne!"

All three Shadows were hit and they fell on their butts, struggling to get up but failing due to their roundness. Aigis and Metis took over.

"Athena, Akasha Arts!"

"Psyche, Herculean Strike!"

It didn't take long for the Fuzz Shadows to be eliminated. They were basking in their victory when all of a sudden, were showered with bullets. Taken by surprise, all four managed to duck just in time, but some of it grazed Metis' body. Aigis was quick enough to protect them with Athena's shield.

Another Fuzz, bigger this time, appeared from a coconut grove, holding up its gun, prepared to fire another round. They could only stare, wide-eyed as there wasn't enough time to dodge.

"Kala-Nemi, Ziodyne!"

The Shadow became paralyzed by the sudden thunder strike, and was destroyed by a Vile Assault courtesy of Kala-Nemi.

Ken appeared through the gate, armed with an scrubbing brush, Koromaru at his heels. "I saw the whole thing from my room. Are you guys alright?" he asked.

"We are now. Thank you for the help, Ken-san," Metis said, smiling at the young boy. Koromaru whined at the attention he wasn't getting, only to be comforted by Aigis.

Just then, the other Persona-users arrived, making a big commotion by the gate. Souji approached Ken, which the boy noticed that he was limping slightly. "Ken, is Nanako alright?" he asked, panting heavily.

Ken didn't like the silverette's pale complexion, and he was sweating so much that his shirt stuck to his skin, but answered him nonetheless. "Yeah, she transmogrified. We don't have to worry about her being targeted by Shadows." His curiosity got the best of him though; he had to point it out. "Are you feeling well, Souji-san? You don't look so good…"

The twins had worried expressions on their faces. They had noticed something went wrong when they saw Alice perform _Die For Me!_ earlier, but Souji wouldn't say anything about it. Yosuke gave them a look telling them that he would explain later. The others brushed it off however, stating that accidents like that has happened every once in a while.

When Rise assured them there were no more Shadows in the area, Akihiko grinned. _'It's now or never, while the Dark Hour is still active…'_ he thought. He took out a Lightning Ball from his pocket which he found in the TV World, and threw it at Teddie.

The Lightning Ball activated, a small stream of electricity zapping Teddie's backside, causing the bear to yelp loudly, echoing throughout the deathly silent beach. The smell of burnt fur permeated the air.

Teddie spun around, clutching his bum, trying to locate the culprit responsible for damaging his pride and joy. It couldn't have been more obvious; Akihiko was the only one standing behind him, hands behind his back and looking away, one corner of his lips twitching with mirth.

Shinjiro, who saw the entire exchange, smirked. He never would have thought that his childhood friend would pull off something like that; Akihiko was the good little boy, who rarely gets into trouble while he was the opposite. _'That idiot needs a better poker face…'_

"You!" Teddie scowled and pointed to the former boxing champ. "You almost killed me!" he cried.

"What are you talking about?" Akihiko spoke in a sugar-coated tone, smiling just as sweet. "I didn't do anything of the –"

Teddie cut him off. "Of course you did! My Bear-sona is weak to electricity…you want to kill me on purpose!" He threw his arms in the air, being all dramatic about it.

Akihiko kept smiling, which was starting to get creepy. "But I didn't do anything. Ask anybody."

"I don't believe you!" Teddie turned to look at the others. "You guys saw it, didn't you? How he almost killed me?!"

Everyone saw through Akihiko's lie, and were still angry about the King's Game. So they did the only thing they could at the moment – cover for him. "No, Ted. Akihiko-san wasn't the one who shocked you," Yosuke said, trying hard to hold back a grin. "Don't go around accusing him just because he uses thunder-based attacks. That's like blaming Kanji for everything gone wrong."

"That doesn't make sense, asshole!" Kanji roared from the background.

'_Nice save, Hanamura!'_ Akihiko silently applauded.

"That bear deserves a harsher punishment!" Chie growled, cracking her knuckles. "If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be wearing such a skimpy outfit!" The girls gasped at that and turned murderous in a second. Teddie was shaking in fear for his life.

"Now, now, I'm sure it was an accident, just a fluke of the Dark Hour," Minato reasoned, trying to break up the tension. It wasn't his style to hold a grudge, but after what Teddie did, he couldn't blame the others for wanting to see him suffer. "What do you think, Souji-kun?"

Just then, the Dark Hour disappeared, and they could all breathe easy. Some of them checked their watches and were surprised that it was very late at night.

Souji sighed tiredly. "You know what? Let's just all go inside and get some rest. I'm too tired to deliver Teddie's punishment right now. I'll think of something when we get back."

The Investigation Team members grinned evilly; Souji could come up with something really good if he wanted some time to think about it. The pissed-off SEES members groaned with disappointment, but there was nothing they could do.

Yukiko was by Souji's side in an instant, trying to hold up his exhausted form. "He's right guys," she said, pertaining the others. "Let's get back inside. We'll discuss this tomorrow." Minako went to his other side to help him walk, since Yukiko wasn't strong enough to do it herself.

They all headed back to their rooms to change out of their armors and head straight to bed. Just as they reached the floor of their sleeping quarters, they spotted Nanako. It seems like she was looking for something, or someone.

Souji's gaze softened as he approached her. "Nanako, what are you doing out of bed at this hour?" he asked softly, ruffling her head.

"I woke up to use the bathroom. But then Koro-chan wasn't by my side anymore and I got worried," she answered. "Umm…why are you all dressed in weird clothes?"

Everyone tensed, not really sure how to answer. Ken, who only just noticed, sent them a questioning look. "Oh yeah, why _are_ you wearing those?" he asked, recognizing their attire. "I thought you said you hated them. Well…except for Junpei-san."

Even though the three Wild Cards, who were exceptional with kids, didn't know to get out of this one; the truth was too much for a child to handle.

"Ah, Nana-chan. You see, we were playing this game – Mmphh!" Teddie was immediately smothered by Yosuke and Chie, and got dragged to the back of the crowd.

"You will shut up if you don't want to die tonight!" Yosuke hissed harshly. "I swear I'll do worse things to your bear suit if you ever mention _'that'_ again!"

Chie glared at Teddie, almost suffocating him with her grip. Not wanting to get injured any farther, he kept his mouth shut.

Nanako sent a questioning look to their direction, but ignored it before turning back to her cousin. "Are you playing dress up? I wanna play too!"

The Persona-users almost fell to the ground in shock. They had not expected the outcome to be like this!

"Sure ya can, Nanako-chan!" Junpei blurted. "We'll let you dress up if Ken and Koromaru here put on a costume as well."

"Really? Yay!" the little girl cheered, clapping her hands.

No sane person would deny Nanako when she smiled like that, so they agreed. Ken looked appalled at being involuntarily dragged in, but acquiesced because it was Nanako's request.

Mitsuru stroked her chin in thought. "I might have something suitable for her to wear. It's one of my dresses from when I was a child." She left the group and headed to her room.

"Let's get back to the karaoke lounge, guys. Ken here can get changed while we wait for Mitsuru-senpai," Junpei said, smiling like there was no tomorrow. The pre-teen glared at him, just like what the girls were doing.

As soon as Ken finished changing, Mitsuru returned with a pink silk dress. She and Minako helped Nanako put it on in their makeshift dressing room, and added the finishing touch by tying a red ribbon around her waist and removing her pigtails so that her hair was free. Minako placed Teddie's paper crown on her head and she was set.

"Give it up for Princess Nanako!" Minako announced, as the little girl strutted down the runway. She twirled around cutely as Teddie and Junpei cheered for her the loudest. Minato couldn't resist taking a picture. Teddie escorted her to his former 'throne', which was just a comfy armchair.

Koromaru pranced along the runway in his doggy tux, basking in the attention and praises, especially from the girls and Kanji. Teddie was slightly jealous that he didn't get the same reaction when he was the King.

Ken followed shortly after, embarrassed at having to wear the Shirt of Chivalry once again. He noticed that Nanako (the dress and hair style made her look a bit more mature, in his opinion) was staring at him intensely than usual, and blushed. He didn't understand why having Nanako's full attention to him made him all flustered.

Souji noticed this, but was too tired to do anything about it. The grandfather clock down the hallway chimed twelve times, indicating that if they didn't sleep soon, they couldn't enjoy their activities for tomorrow.

* * *

><p>After the particularly traumatizing King's Game and everything that came along with last night, the Persona-users decided that some physical activity might help them relax. The beautiful beach was beckoning to them; it's calm winds, soft receded tides and clear blue waters made the image too tantalizing to resist. After some light breakfast, they packed their bathing suits and sunblock, and were good to go.<p>

It didn't take the boys long to get ready. They were wearing either swimming trunks or swim shorts of various colors. As they waited for the girls, began to slather themselves with sunblock, chatting as they did so. Fortunately, there weren't many people coming to the beach today, so they had an entire section for themselves.

"Ah…the fresh air here feels so nice…" Yosuke said, inhaling a huge breath. Koromaru sniffed and barked in agreement. "You think so too, huh?"

"Too bad I didn't bring my special camera," Minato said, gazing at the horizon. The white sands and pristine waters of Yakushima haven't changed at all. "The view is stunning! It didn't look like that the last time we were here."

Souji looked around and noticed there were a few people missing. "Hey, where are Akihiko-san and Shinjiro-san? And Kanji's also late…"

As if on cue, Akihiko approached the male group, parading in a speedo. Thankfully, he was wearing a white shirt to cover his upper half. "Did someone call me?" he asked.

Yosuke turned around to greet him, and Kanji came along right after. His eyes burned at the sight. Just like Akihiko, Kanji was also wearing the same thing, only black. Not-so-thankfully, his top was bare for the world to see. "What the hell, man?!" he spluttered, turning away instantly. "Oh god, now I'm seeing more than I wanted to see in double version…"

"The hell's that supposed to mean, bastard?" Kanji growled. "This is the only pair I have, and it's black!"

"Uh…Akihiko-san? Why are you wearing that?" Ken looked at the silver-haired senior curiously. "It's even smaller than what you used to wear in the boxing ring."

"Oh, you mean this?" Akihiko gestured to his outfit. "It's for training. Did you know that it reduces water resistance and –"

Souji sweatdropped. He started to wonder if similar tastes in fashion were the only things that people of similar arcana shared.

"Yeah, yeah, we get it," Junpei interrupted, not interested at hearing the same speech for the second time. "What are you guys waiting for? The sun and sea awaits!" He was holding a rubber tube around his midriff, about to dash off to the ocean any second now. His excitement was infectious as Teddie were riled up for it too.

"Jeez…even after all these years, you still haven't matured." A female voice drawled somewhere behind them as Yukari appeared in all her pink glory. Fuuka and the rest of the girls followed behind her. Aigis and Metis didn't wear swimsuits; instead they covered their mechanical bodies with sundresses. Aigis was wearing sky blue and Metis wore pastel orange.

"Oh come on Yuka-tan, loosen up. Man, talk about a feast for the eyes!" Junpei leered at the girls, taking an eyeful of their attires. "And you girls from Inaba…I never would have thought that you'd look this good in bikinis." He waggled his eyebrows for emphasis.

Rise giggled, not bothered by his perverted stare. "Of course we do! We're not country bumpkins, ya know."

"Teddie thinks so too!" the blonde Shadow agreed gleefully. His happiness was short-lived when everyone present glared at him. It felt worse than being sunburned. He squeaked and ran for cover behind his only ally, Junpei.

Souji turned to Yukiko and smiled, his mood changing rapidly at the sight of her. Her blush almost rivaled her headband.

"Now I wish I really brought my camera," Minato commented, giving his girlfriend a sly grin. Yukari's face turned pink like her bikini top.

Chie blushed when Yosuke slung his arm around her shoulders. "I hope you won't push me in the water again when I say you're one fine lady!" he grinned playfully.

Kanji stopped playing with Koromaru to greet the girls, ignoring their gasps of shock and noticed there were another three people missing. "Where's Naoto, Nanako-chan and Minako-senpai?"

"Minako and Nanako are helping Shirogane with her outfit," Mitsuru answered. "Akihiko, why are you wearing that?" She narrowed her eyes dangerously at her boyfriend. "What happened to the swimming trunks I got you? What did I say about indecent exposure?"

"Huh? What are you mad at me for? Tatsumi's wearing the same thing!" Akihiko accused.

The others backed away and minded their own business, not wanting to get caught in a soon-to-be argument between silver and red, the former gulping in nervousness. Yosuke and Junpei raced with Aigis and Metis to the water. Yukiko and Chie, along with Fuuka and Yukari, went ahead to find the perfect spot for sunbathing. Kanji and Ken took turns playing fetch with Koromaru. Souji and Minato stayed to wait for the rest. Rise and Teddie, nosy as they were, wanted to watch.

Before the argument could go very far, Shinjiro showed up, not looking pleased. "Aki, you asshole! How dare you run off with my clothes!" he growled, striding menacingly towards them in a pair of swimming trunks that reached a few inches above his knees. It was black in color, with red and green flames on the sides.

"Hey, if I didn't do that, you wouldn't have put those on would you?" Akihiko pointed to the trunks, smirking. "Besides, I don't think it's that bad. You look decent."

Shinjiro snorted at his friend's irony. "Who the hell picked this out for me anyway?" He glared at the offending item. "They have poor taste."

A sniffle from somewhere behind them caught their attention. Minako, in her pink and white striped bikini, stood motionless, her red eyes watering and bottom lip trembling. Holding her hand was Nanako in a bright yellow one piece with frills on the waist. Behind the two, Naoto was trying to make herself appear smaller. She was looking down at her blue flip-flops, ears an unearthly shade of red. The cause for this was the metallic blue bikini, paired with a white sarong, that she was forced to wear by a certain idol.

Without warning, Minako let go of Nanako, turned around and ran off in the opposite direction.

"Minako?! Wha…" Shinjiro stared after her dumbly. Everything took a turn for the awkward.

It was lucky that Kanji defused the situation, having fainted from a nosebleed after his brain finished processing what Naoto was wearing. She, along with Ken, Akihiko and Mitsuru came running to his aid. Rise and Teddie pulled Nanako away and offered to help her build a sand castle with Koromaru. Nanako, being young, didn't understand the circumstances much and happily accepted the distraction.

Minato and Souji on the other hand, were furious. The wind around them seemed to have picked up speed, crackling with charges of electricity as they unconsciously summoned Beelzebub from their psyches and released his intimidating aura, slowly stomping towards Shinjiro. The senior felt as if his lifespan shortened a few decades, but managed to keep up his tough guy facade.

"You had to go and say that, didn't you?" Minato hissed, as he and Souji cornered the tall teen.

Shinjiro might be one fearless fighter, but that doesn't mean he was stupid enough to go against these two at the same time, with or without Personas. '_Damn it, of all the times to open my big mouth!'_

"Did you know how hard it was for Aneki to find a pair your size? That was the only one left!" Souji glowered, poking the older teen's chest with each syllable. Shinjiro could have sworn his grey eyes turned a blackish hue. "You better go apologize before we kick your ass."

Shinjiro didn't need to look back to see that the two were watching him as he hastily made his way to the direction Minako ran off to, hoping that she's okay. He got away far enough so that the oppressing air wasn't suffocating him.

Following a small footpath connecting the beach to a more secluded spot, Shinjiro found Minako leaning her palm against a giant boulder and hunched down, trying to catch her breath. He saw her back stiffened, meaning she was already aware of his presence.

"Look, I'm sorry about what happened. It just came out…" Shinjiro began. Minako didn't say anything, just gave a loud 'hmph!' and crossed her arms, her back to him, nose stuck in the air. He gave a huge sigh. Under normal circumstances, he would have found this cute. _'Is she always this bipolar? She should know by now I'm not good at this kind of thing…Damn it…'_ Unless he wanted to lose his love and his life, he better get this over with. He slowly approached her, and hugged her from behind. He didn't miss the surprised gasp which escaped her lips.

"Please don't turn away from me…" he whispered in her ear. "I know I can be inconsiderate and insensitive, but I can't stand to see you upset. I said it before, didn't I? You look best when you smile…" He tightened his hold, afraid he'll lose her again.

Minako's face softened. Hearing him talking like this, so sincere and intimate, was enough to turn her legs to jelly and her heart melted. She turned around slowly and pulled him into a hug, placing her forehead against his bare chest. "Sorry…I didn't mean to make you worried…" she mumbled.

"Why are you apologizing, idiot?" Shinjiro said gruffly, without meaning any of it. "I was the one who hurt your feelings, even after I promised I wouldn't do anything of the sort." He pulled her closer. "I'm sorry. If I'd known how much trouble you went through to get me this, then I would have just kept my freakin' mouth shut."

He felt a bit disappointed when Minako released him, but kept his fingers entwined around her waist. "Does it still hurt?" she asked timidly, touching the scars on his chest.

Shinjiro tried not to flinch at her question, but he couldn't blame her; he was topless after all. "Sometimes…when the bad memories come once in a while," he answered. "So, have I earned your forgiveness?"

"On two conditions…" Minako grinned cheekily. "The first one iiiiisss….to give me a kiss!"

Shinjiro couldn't say no to that. After all that's said and done, Minako was willing to forgive him, and that was all that mattered. He dipped his head and gave her what she wanted.

After pulling away, she looked proud of herself. "If I could get you to kiss me like that all the time, then I would have to sulk more often," she giggled, her cheeks turning pink.

He was about to snort and give her a small lecture until he looked down and saw, _really_ noticed, what she was actually wearing. He blushed. In all honesty, Shinjiro never saw his girlfriend in a bathing suit. It barely covered anything! Her skin was soft and smooth under his hands, the two-piece did a very good job of showing off her curves. The expectant but innocent puppy-eyes she gave him flooded his brain with impure thoughts. Memories from last night's King's Game only added fuel to the fire. _'Like hell I'm turning into a lightweight like Tatsumi!'_ he growled inwardly when his nose felt funny. _'And why does she have to be so damn cute…Shit, I better not be ogling her the entire day…Who knows what Minato or Souji might do to me…'_

"Shinji-kun, come on…" Minako whined, tugging his arm, pulling him to the direction where the others were. "Let's go for a swim. You can buy me ice cream after we're done playing."

At that (somewhat?) innocent statement, Shinjiro let his imagination get the better of him, and he had to mentally slap himself. _'I just hope that those two aren't mind readers…'_

They met Minato and Souji halfway to their destination, casually leaning against a large tree.

"Aniki! Souji-kun!" Minako waved at them, a huge smile on her face.

Shinjiro gritted his teeth, trying to contain his annoyance. "You didn't have to spy on me, you know…"

"I know…" Minato shrugged, grinning. "We just wanted to make sure you didn't screw it up."

Souji grabbed Minako's hand. "Come on, Aneki. Yosuke and Junpei-san just challenged Akihiko-san to a volleyball match and asked us to join."

"Then let's team up, the three of us!" Minako said excitedly. "We'll totally kick their asses! Go Team Wild Card!"

* * *

><p>Taking a break from the volleyball game after two rounds, Souji sat down next to Nanako. The little girl was busy filling a small glass bottle with sand and sea water. "Hey, Nanako, what are you doing with that?"<p>

"Oh, I told my friend Pharos-kun I'd bring him and his brother a bottle of sea water and beach sand."

Souji raised an eyebrow. His cousin had told him a while ago about her strange stripped-pajamas friend, but this was the first time she mentioned he had a brother. "His brother? When did you meet him?"

"When you were out with Aneki to help her find swimming shorts for Shinjiro-san."

_**…Flashback…  
><strong>__  
>"A trip to the beach?" Pharos asked curiously. He and Nanako were at the vegetable garden beside her house when the little girl brought up the topic.<em>

"Uh-huh. We're going tomorrow. One of Big Bro's friends has a house at a really beautiful place called Yakushima!" she explained. "We're gonna have a lot of fun there."

"That's really nice." Pharos smiled at Nanako's excitement. "What's a beach like?"

"It has really pretty white sand and the sea is so huge with sparkling blue water! The sky is always blue and the sun shines really brightly!" Nanako described, her enthusiasm growing with every word.

"Oooohhhh…. That sounds so beautiful! I wish I could see it!" Pharos' eyes began to sparkle.

Nanako had an idea, the proverbial light bulb shining. "I know! I'll bring you a bottle with water from the sea and sand from the beach. That way you can see what it's like!"

_"That's a great idea!" a voice interrupted them._

Surprised, the kids turned around. A black haired teen wearing a long yellow scarf walked up to them.

Pharos smiled. "Hello, big brother!" He went up to greet him and smiled at Nanako. "Nanako-chan, this is my older brother Ryoji."

"Hey, there. So you're the cute little girl my brother keeps talking about?" Ryoji smiled, bending down to Nanako's height. "Nice to meet you."

"Hi! Nice to meet you too, Ryoji-san!" Nanako returned the greeting, making a little bow.

Ryoji chuckled softly. "Wow, you sure take after Souji-kun."

"You know my big brother?"

"Yup! We met at the hospital some time ago. I also know Minato-kun and Minako-chan," Ryoji grinned. "They're close friends of mine, but I didn't have the chance to talk with them ever since Pharos and I arrived in Inaba." He looked around. "Speaking of which, they wouldn't be around here, would they?"

Nanako shook her head. "Big Bro and Aniki went to Junes with Aneki to buy a swimsuit for Shinjiro-san, but they'll be back soon. You can wait for them."

"Thanks for the offer, but I've got some work to do." Ryoji playfully ruffled Nanako's hair. "We'll probably bump into each other soon enough. In the meantime, have fun at the beach."

"Okay! I'll bring the bottle to you and Pharos-kun!" Nanako said.

"I know you will." Ryoji turned to Pharos. "Come on. Time to go." Seeing Pharos pouting, he smiled. "Wanna buy a Topsicle on the way home?"

"Sure!" Pharos brightened up and then proceeded to hold Nanako's hand and kissed it. "See you soon, my dearest Nanako-chan. Have fun!"

Nanako blushed at that, but quickly recovered. "Bye, Pharos-kun! Bye-bye, Ryoji-san!" She waved them off.

Ryoji chuckled and both 'brothers' walked away.

…_**End Flashback**_**…  
><strong>  
>Souji was silent after Nanako finished her story. <em>'That guy with the yellow scarf… It's gotta be Ryoji-san, but Aniki and Aneki never said he had a brother… And who is this Pharos kid? And why did he befriend Nanako? If he's with Ryoji-san then I can trust him, but still… there's a lot of things going on here…' <em>So many questions left unanswered.

Nanako gently poked his arm. "Big Bro?"

Souji snapped out of his thoughts. "Yes, Nanako?"

"Aneki and Aniki are calling you for another game." She pointed at the twins who were indeed, calling him.

"Oh, right. I'm coming!" Souji walked up to them. _'I'll have to ask them about Pharos later.'_

* * *

><p>After God knows how many rounds of beach volleyball, those who participated were completely worn out, except Chie, who was hassling Yosuke for another round. After cooling off in the sea, Yukiko called out, "Hey, isn't it about time to start breaking the watermelon?"<p>

"Watermelon! Watermelon!" Nanako cheered.

"Then we better get started!" Souji said. "I'll get the watermelons from the cooler. Yosuke, can you help me get the blindfolds and hitting stick from my bag?" Happy to have an excuse to get away from Chie for a while, Yosuke obliged.

Minato, Junpei and Akihiko left to get some snow cones from a vendor. "Damn, I'm gonna be sore for weeks. You could have toned it down, Senpai," Junpei complained as they walked.

"I was fired up. And I don't back away from a challenge!" Akihiko retorted.

"Come on you two. I'm tired and it's getting hot," Minato grumbled. "We should rest up. Mitsuru-senpai told me that we'll be heading to the village next. We didn't get a chance to visit back then."

The three of them chatted as they hung around the vending cart, gobbling a few snow cones for themselves before buying some for the others.

"My my _my_, what do we have here?" A seductive female voice echoed behind them. "I'm sure three good looking boys like you didn't come to the beach by yourselves. Do you want some company?"

Shivers ran up their spines. The hot weather suddenly turned ice-cold. And that voice…sounded oddly familiar. Too scared to look, Minato, Junpei and Akihiko slowly turned around.

A busty woman of questionable age wearing a rather revealing black swimsuit stood, hand on her hip, attempting to pull off a sultry pout. When she got a look at the three boys, recognition hit her. "Oh…if it isn't the three delicious cuties I've had the fortune to meet three years ago. My my, you haven't changed one bit!"

The three guys tensed when her voice lowered to a husky whisper. "What brings you here? Could it possibly be that you came all the way here because…you want me?" It was followed by a suggestive wink.

Memories flooded Minato's mind. Now he remembered who this woman was. _'Shit, she doesn't even remember the part where Junpei insulted her!'_ he realized, frantically looking around for an escape. Unfortunately, not many people came to the beach today, so he couldn't call for help and their friends were rather far away. He noticed the look of despair Junpei and Akihiko wore. _'Looks like they remembered too...'_

Meanwhile, Souji was walking back to the group, carrying four large watermelons in net sacks. Yosuke was walking beside him, blindfolds and a stick in one hand another watermelon in the other. "Man, I can't wait to give this thing a good whack!" Yosuke said, eyeing the melons.

"Easy there, partner." Souji grinned. "Nanako gets the first honors. You know that." They approached the girls and handed them the fruits. "By the way, where's Aniki? We shouldn't get started without him," he asked his cousin.

"Oh, Aniki said he's going to buy me some ice cream," Nanako beamed, but then she pouted. "But he has been gone a while…"

"Why don't you help the others set up? I'll go look for him."

"I'll come with you," Yosuke offered. "I kinda want some myself."

As the duo made their way to the vending stand, they spotted who they were looking for…and another who they weren't even expecting. "What the hell…?" Yosuke squinted to get a better look. His eyes widened a second later. "Dude, is that who I think it is? Holy crap, it's really Kashiwagi!"

There was no mistaking it. She was wearing the same swimsuit that burned retinas in the Beauty Pageant, and her flirty body language was unmistakable. "You're right…" Suddenly Souji wasn't feeling so well. "Wait, what the heck is she doing to Akihiko-san?!" The silver-haired boxing champ backed away when Kashiwagi attempted to feel up his biceps. She did the same with Minato, but it didn't look like they could avoid her for long.

Junpei spotted them immediately. "Dudes, over here!" he shouted. "Help us!"

'_Why does he have to be so loud?'_ Yosuke and Souji thought, sweatdropping. There was no turning back now. Kashiwagi was looking straight at them.

"If it isn't Seta and Hanamura…couldn't stay away, could you?" She winked at them again.

The two teens were instantly reminded of the room mix-up incident back home. _'It's nothing like that at all!'_ they screamed in their minds.

"Oh dear, so much eye candy and so little time…"

"H-h-hey there, Kashiwagi-sensei…" Souji greeted, feeling extremely uncomfortable already. It wasn't helping that they were all shirtless, and their former homeroom teacher was drinking it all in with her eyes.

"S-Sensei!?" Junpei gagged, close to freaking out even more.

"Hanamura, I never knew you had muscles under that uniform. And Seta…" Kashiwagi made her way towards them. "…yummy as ever, I see." She grabbed his arm. "Why don't we go have some fun?"

Minako dragged Shinjiro along to get some snow cones. He doesn't seem too keen on the idea, but complies anyway; a promise is a promise after all. Suddenly he felt her stop. "Hey, what's the matter?" he asked.

Her eyes were wide, staring out at something. Shinjiro followed the direction of her stare and saw what looked like a group of young men, whom he recognized as his friends, being sexually harassed by an older woman. Before he could swear, Minako ran towards them.

She got close enough to hear what the old hag was saying to her brothers and friends. "Come now, Seta. Surely you don't mind spending time with your dear teacher, do you?"

"I…I'd rather not…" Souji said brokenly.

"Don't be shy…" Kashiwagi tried again. "I rented a room at a chalet not far from here. You can even invite your friends." Her voice got huskier. "Nobody will interrupt us."

Souji tried to pull his arm away, but Kashiwagi had a tight grip. From the look on his face, he'd rather be skinned alive. Yosuke tried hard not to puke. The others gagged.

Minako had enough. "You old bag!" she shrieked. She stomped towards the older woman and snatched Souji away from her, who winced in pain at his arm almost being ripped out. "Go hit on someone your own age!"

Kashiwagi scowled. "Wh-who are you calling old bag?!"

"You! Stop hitting on my brother!"

While the two started arguing, the guys made their escape and took refuge behind Minako. That pissed Kashiwagi off. "Speak for yourself, you immature jailbait. You must be some kind of playgirl to have this many boys take your side. I wonder what kind of deceitful tricks you used…you're even worse that I am."

Before Minako could lash out, Shinjiro was already at her side. "Hey, what's going on here?"

"Oh, and who do we have here?" Kashiwagi's interest turned to Shinjiro. She eyed him from head to toe. "A delinquent, I see. I don't usually go for bad boy types, but I'll gladly make an exception for you~" she purred.

For once, Shinjiro was unable to defend himself. There was something about the way this woman stared that made him feel so…so _violated_. "Get the hell away from me!" he shouted, swatting the older woman's wondering hands away.

"You pedophile slut!" Minako seethed. Tendrils of hellish, black aura was emanating from her body, causing the Persona-users to gulp in fear. Minato and Souji recognized which Persona she had unconsciously summoned; Thanatos. Thank the heavens she wasn't able to use him right now, or else Kashiwagi would have died on the spot. "Bullshit! You say that I'm immature, but what about you? Preying on younger men, making them scarred for life…you're just compensating for your lack of confidence, thinking you can get an image boost by snagging a boy toy!"

"Hmph, a little bitch like you…You're a hundred years too young to be lecturing me!" Kashiwagi scoffed.

Souji noticed that his teacher was starting to lose her calm composure. _'Uh oh, this is gonna get bad…'_ he thought. Judging from Minato's face, he was thinking the same thing. "Kashiwagi-sensei, I think you should leave us alone now," he suggested, trying to defuse the situation.

Too bad she was too stubborn to listen.

Minako's deadly aura was getting heavier. Without warning, she lunged at the older woman, intending to claw her eyes out. "STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM MY MAN!" she screeched.

It was a good thing Shinjiro was standing beside her before any damage could be done. He wrapped his arms around his girlfriend's abdomen, trying to ignore the way she wriggled against his body. Minato and Souji also took action by restraining her arms.

Around the same time, Kanji and Teddie were heading their way. After Nanako informed them that the other guys were going to get some frozen treats, they wondered if the vendor sold any Topsicles. Arguing over which flavor was better, they stopped in their tracks when they saw what was going on. Topsicles forgotten, they ran back to the girls and hid under a pile of their belongings, unceremoniously interrupting their second sunbathing session.

"Hey, what's the matter with you two?" Rise questioned their odd behavior, lowering her sunglasses. The other girls were slightly miffed at the intrusion, but curious nonetheless.

Kanji and Teddie wrapped themselves in towels and tried to blend in with the pile. "I'm scared…" the blonde shivered.

"It's Kashiwagi-sensei. She's here," Kanji answered. "Apparently she said something that ticked Minako-senpai off. Damn, that girl's scary when she's mad."

"Really?" Rise said, her eyes gleaming.

"If Kanji's this scared of Senpai, then I wonder how Kashiwagi must fare?" Chie had an impish grin on her face. "Let's go and watch!"

The Inaba girls were all too eager to do so. Wondering what the fuss was all about, the SEES girls tagged along, leaving Nanako, Koromaru and Ken to comfort a whimpering Teddie.

It wasn't disappointing. Minako was restrained by her brothers and boyfriend, looking like a pissed hellcat than anything else, spewing out threats and curses. Kashiwagi's looked terrified, mostly because nobody had ever stood up to her like this before. The stall vendor was nowhere in sight.

"Akihiko, what's going on here?" Mitsuru questioned. "Why is Minako acting like that?"

The boxer sighed. He told his girlfriend everything that happened. By the time he finished, Mitsuru had a tight smile on her face, scaring the guys even more. The surrounding temperature dropped. Apparently, Minako felt it too and ceased her struggling.

"Excuse me, Miss." Mitsuru stepped up to the high school teacher. "I believe you should leave before I report your indecent behavior towards my friends."

Regaining her composure, Kashiwagi frowned. "And who are you to tell me what to do?!" she sniped back.

"My name is Mitsuru Kirijo, and I believe you were harassing my friends. Leave now before I personally execute you," Mitsuru said in her most authoritative tone.

Kashiwagi narrowed her eyes and turned to leave, cursing under her breath. There was no way she was going against a Kirijo.

After she was long gone, the guys could finally exhale a breath of relief. Rise was the first to break the silence and gave Minako a tackle-hug. "Senpai, that was amazing!" she squealed. "That old hag has been giving us nothing but trouble ever since Naoto-kun won the Beauty Pageant by a landslide. Serves her right!"

Soon Minako was surrounded by hugs and praises from Yukiko, Chie and Naoto. "You're our hero, Senpai!" they chorused.

'_Wow, who knew Aneki was the possessive type,'_ Souji thought, amused. Then he remembered Nanako. "Hey guys, aren't ya forgetting something? Let's get the watermelon party started!"

* * *

><p>The whole beach fiasco was forgotten after they cracked a few melons, and the mood returned to normal. They decided to take the scenic route back and rented scooters to go explore the villages and sample their specialties. They even stopped at a restaurant for a late lunch.<p>

When Chie suggested they go for a short hike, Mitsuru guided them to a small hill not far from the mansion. Chie openly challenged anyone to race her to the top of the hill. Akihiko took it a little too seriously, stating that the loser has to buy the winner beef bowls for the rest of the week. Everyone sweatdropped as they were left in the dust of the two muscle maniacs.

Souji and the twins were walking at the back of the group. Halfway through the trail, Izanagi started acting up again. This time, images were of black blobs and his parents' concerned faces. His headache became unbearable, causing him to stop in his tracks.

The twins noticed his pain and tried to comfort him. "It's happening again, isn't it Banchou-kun?" Minato asked, handing him a bottle of water.

"Yeah…" Souji groaned, still trying to calm his Persona down. When he finally did, he chugged down the entire bottle.

"Tell us what's wrong. Maybe we can help," Minako offered. Her little brother can be quite stubborn sometimes.

Souji sighed and told them everything. By the time he was done, the twins looked surprised. "That's weird. How come we don't feel that? We've been through the same thing…" Minato wondered aloud.

"Now it's your turn to talk. What are you guys hiding from me?" Souji demanded.

Minato and Minako sighed. They told him about Mitsuru's suspicion and the labs located on the island, including Aigis' theory about what took place here three years ago.

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" the silverette muttered, rubbing his temples. "But still, the biggest question is how Ikutsuki knew me and my parents. I just hope we find the answer to that soon."

"We hope so too, Banchou-kun. We hope so too…"

"Big Bro!"

Nanako's voice snapped the three out of their revelries. Having felt a bit better, Souji jogged to his cousin's side. It turns out the little girl had captured a kabuto beetle and was sharing her find with Yukiko. She was excitedly telling Souji all about it, flailing her arms about. Ken came to join them and she had to tell the story all over again.

Having seen the distraction, with Souji out of hearing distance, Yosuke approached the twins. "So how is it going with Souji, guys?"

"He's seems to be doing okay now, but I dunno…" Minako answered him with uncertainty.

"What exactly happened last night, Yosuke? When he performed that spell, something went wrong. I could sense it," Minato stated, his tone serious. "Knowing him, he wouldn't risk something like that over a single target."

"I thought it was unusual too. I could have sworn when he summoned that little girl Persona of his, he was commanding her for a Mudoon spell." Yosuke shrugged. "Maybe I heard it wrong…"

Minako shook her head. "His Personas have been giving him headaches recently. Did he ever tell you guys about any of that?"

"Knowing Souji, he wouldn't even speak about his problems unless withholding any info could put us in danger," Yosuke sighed. "This happened before you know…during our fight with Kubo…"

Minato raised an eyebrow. "The copycat murderer? What about him?"

"When he got trapped in one of Kubo's mind tricks, I saw him crushing card after card but couldn't summon even a single Persona. The weird thing was…those cards were blank. Usually, it would be glowing blue and has a picture of our Personas on it. I overheard Kubo saying something about Souji being empty like him. I managed to pull him out of there before that lunatic strangled him." Yosuke shuddered at that. "He was so angry at Kubo, we were afraid he would snap and lose control of his power. We didn't think much about it after that because thanks to his frenzy summoning, we were able to defeat that Shadow."

The twins looked at each other and then at the ground, biting their bottom lip. Yosuke found it funny how much they look alike at this point, despite their polar opposite appearances. Then a thought hit him. "Hey guys, I was wondering about your Shadows. Do you think –"

"Aneki, Aniki, Yosuke! If you don't hurry up, we're leaving without you!" Souji called them over in the distance. They were almost out of the small forest and the mansion was in sight.

Heading back together, they followed the rest of the group from the back. The twins' stomachs growled. "Oh yeah, it's almost dinner time," Minato grinned sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head.

"I wonder what Shinji-kun is gonna make tonight?" Minako thought aloud, and then turned her attention to their soon-to-be schoolmate. "Oh right, what was it you wanted to ask us, Yosuke-kun?"

He shook his head. "Never mind, it's probably nothing. I must be over-thinking things…" When the twins turned their backs to him, he frowned. _'I guess I have to ask them some other time."_

* * *

><p>Dinner was the most memorable event of the day. Souji and Shinjiro prepared the skewered meats, fish and vegetables for the barbeque while Junpei and Yosuke fired up the charcoal grill. The girls set up the area and made drinks. They were having a picnic under the open sky, at the mansion's deck facing the sea. Shinjiro didn't trust the girls to watch over the cooking food except for Minako. Kanji and Minato assisted him with the meats and fish while Souji took care of the vegetables. He even taught Nanako how to grill her own eggplants. For dessert, Minako treated everybody with homemade smores.<p>

After an amazing meal, the girls laid out straw mats on the deck, where everybody could sit or lie down. The sky was cloudless that night, making it perfect for stargazing.

"Damn, that was some good food…" Kanji commented as he lied down and propped his hands behind his head, staring at the sky. Everyone agreed as they did the same, some sitting down on the mats, enjoying the salty, soft breeze of the ocean.

"This is the best vacation ever!" Nanako beamed, hugging Koromaru who snuggled up beside her. "I wish my dad was here though…"

Sensing her loneliness, Minako brought up the topic of their next activity. "Hey, since we're outdoors, does anyone know any campfire songs? Ooohh, better yet, ghost stories!"

"No way!" Yukari and Chie shrieked as they buried their faces into their boyfriends' backs.

Minako giggled. "Relax, girls. I was only kidding."

Nanako tugged her cousin's shirt. "Big Bro, the stars are pretty. Do you see any constellations?"

Souji looked up to the sky. "Hmm…I think I see the Dipper over there. I'm not sure if it's the big one or the little one though. " He pointed to a group of stars slightly to the right. When he lied down to get a better view, Nanako nestled by his side to join him.

"My science teacher said that's part of a bear. Is that true?" she asked.

"Yeah, the big bear is called Ursa Major, and the little one is called Ursa Minor," he answered.

Yukiko elegantly sat by his other side, and pointed to three brightly shining stars in a row. "I think I see Orion's belt, although I could be wrong…"

Seeing how comfy those three were, everybody wasted no time in pairing off to partake in the activity. Teddie and Junpei were kicked away from Rise's group, which consisted of the two scanners, Koromaru and Ken. Feeling dejected, the two went off to one corner to sulk.

The Persona-users never knew that stargazing could be so relaxing, and helped calmed their minds from all that has happened during the summer vacation. They hoped that they skies were just as clear when they got home, so they could do it again.

After a few more hours of stargazing and chatting about trivial things, Nanako fell asleep. That was the cue to end their activities for the day. Souji carried Nanako to her room and Minako tucked her in while her twin handed her the Loveline doll Kanji had make to her.

* * *

><p>The next morning, everybody had full reign on their time and were free to do anything they wished. One thing's for sure, no one wanted to set foot on the beach again. They were content at just walking around the mansion's gardens or lounging about before they had to leave after lunch.<p>

Mitsuru took Fuuka, Aigis and Metis to the labs, the one where Aigis was sleeping in before she mysteriously reactivated and joined SEES. She wanted to find out if anything has been tampered with, or taken.

"Senpai, I found nothing in the database about Souji-kun or his parents," Fuuka said, looking away from a gigantic screen. "Even going through the past files, I got nothing."

Aigis came back with Metis. "We checked the inventories, every single one, but we found nothing out of place," Aigis reported.

"We even checked the abandoned basement where Sister had been sleeping before she reawakened, but there was nothing there," Metis added. "What are we looking for exactly?"

Mitsuru sighed. "I'm not entirely sure myself. So far, we found no evidence of anything being tampered here. Even if these laboratories no longer support Shadow research, I doubt that they've discarded everything after the explosion back in '99. We just have to look a bit harder." That said, she turned back to one of the computers and began typing.

"Senpai, if you would give me permission, I'd like to check something on the mainframe computer," Fuuka said. "There might be some sort of clue there that could point us to the right direction."

"Then take this with you." Mitsuru pulled out a shiny black card and handed it to Fuuka. "It's my master key. It will override all the security protocols and give you full access to anything you might need. Hack if you deem it necessary. I'll take full responsibility. We don't have much time left before the ferry arrives to take us back."

"I understand," Fuuka replied, taking the card and headed to another room.

A thought occurred to Aigis, when she suddenly remembered the time they fought the Justice and Chariot Shadows in an underground basement. "There are places we haven't thought of looking yet," she said. "Are there any blueprints of this place when it was first built? There might be a few nooks and crannies that others aren't aware of. Someone might just be smart enough to hide something there."

"You do have a point." Mitsuru stroked her chin in thought. "Yes, I can get those for you. Just be as thorough as you can." A few keystrokes later, she put the old blueprints on screen. Aigis memorized them and headed off, Metis following close behind.

Another two hours later, the four gathered in an empty office. Fuuka opened her laptop and typed furiously while Mitsuru shuffled some papers, sighing disappointedly. Aigis and Metis were sorting the contents of a rust-proof box they had found.

"I discovered nothing on my part, but I have blocked all access for Ikutsuki and changed all the passwords," Mitsuru declared. "If he does try anything, I will know of it."

The other three turned to Fuuka. "I haven't found much as I dug through the entire system, but I did find some anomalies in the data, and blanks that were not made recently. It's possible to reconstruct the erased information, but it'll take a while."

"Then I'll confiscate anything you need," Mitsuru told her. "Aigis, I hope you and Metis had more luck."

"It's not much," Metis answered. "Only this air-tight box hidden in an old air vent located in the basement's drywall."

Aigis looked at the box's contents displayed on the table: a few pieces of paper and a hard disc drive. "Whatever it is, someone took the time and thought to keep it hidden and preserved. Judging from the manufacturing date of the disc, I'd say this thing is more than 12 years old…"

"Around the time of the explosion," Mitsuru concluded. She looked at her wristwatch. "We should wrap this up. The ferry will be arriving in three hours and I haven't packed yet. There's still enough time for lunch with everyone before we head back."

Fuuka also asked if she could have all of the remaining gadgets developed for use in the Dark Hour. They left the labs carrying three big boxes.

* * *

><p>The long train journey back to Inaba lulled everyone to sleep, except the three Wild Cards. Souji was spacing out a lot and this worried his surrogate siblings.<p>

"Banchou-kun, is anything wrong?" Minato started. "I noticed that you haven't been yourself…"

"Is Izanagi giving you trouble again?" Minako asked, sounding worried.

"Huh…No, no, I was just thinking about what Nanako said to me at the beach." At this, Souji turned away from the window and stared at the twins. "Tell me, who is Pharos?"

The twins were silent at that.

"Apparently he's Nanako's new friend who often plays with her in the evenings. She told me that his brother, Ryoji-san, came to pick him up the other day when we were out shopping for swimwear."

Minako looked at Souji as if he'd grown two heads. "Pharos can manifest himself in this world like Ryoji can? And Nanako-chan can see him?"

Before Souji could question her any further, Minato quickly answered. "Pharos was…is…the Death Shadow in its incomplete form. He's like a six-year old version of Ryoji, only more cryptic and a lot less talkative. He would often come and visit us in our rooms during the Dark Hour before the full moon appears, and after an operation. We never saw him again after the twelve Arcana Shadows were defeated."

"What do you mean by Nanako could see him?"

"Well, Pharos-kun lived within our minds, since Aigis trapped him inside us, so it only makes sense that me and Aniki are the only ones who could see him," Minako said. "But still, he's not a bad person if that's what you're worried about."

Souji pressed his back further into his seat, arms crossed. "If Pharos and Ryoji-san are the same being, then how come both of them can exist at the same time?"

The twins mimicked Souji, crossing their arms in thought. "It must be the same case as Aigis and Metis. They're like two sides of the same coin. Despite being one and the same, they are two entirely different individuals with different personalities," Minato said. "Maybe that's why he calls Ryoji his brother, just like Metis claims Aigis is her sister."

"But why would he approach Nanako though? She's not involved in any of this." A pained look crossed Souji's face.

Minako tapped a finger on her chin. "This is only a theory, but… maybe Pharos is attracted to Nanako-chan because they're in the same age group, and she has a strong bond with you? He…he might be trying to look after her, just like what he did with us."

"I'm sure Ryoji is aware of how important Nanako-chan is to you, Banchou-kun. Unlike Yukiko, she can't defend herself using a Persona," her twin added. "Remember what Margaret said; the strength of our powers lies within our bonds and emotional stability. Nanako-chan is the key that hold yours together."

"I guess you're right," Souji sighed, calming down. "I just hope Ryoji-san can explain everything if we ever see him again." He stretched and yawned. "I dunno about you guys, but I'm gonna take a nap for a while."

"Sounds good," Minato yawned, followed by his sister. "We still have a lot of stuff to think about…" They fell asleep in a matter of minutes.

Unbeknownst to them, Shinjiro, who sat behind Souji facing the other way, was eavesdropping on their entire conversation. _'Tch, things are getting a lot more complicated…'_ he thought. _'First Aigis and Metis, now this Pharos kid and 'Ryoji'. Oh right, he must be the Mochizuki guy Aki was telling me about… But why didn't they tell anyone about this?'_

The gears were starting to click in his head. _'Wait just a damn minute…the guy who had the balls to ask Mitsuru out…the same Mochizuki who, according to Iori, was considered a playboy among playboys…?'_ He remembered Minato's explosive reaction towards Teddie during the King's Game, and could only come to one conclusion. _'The same bastard who got too touchy-feely with Minako… _MY_ Minako!?'_

A silent growl escaped his lips. _'If that playboy so much as looks at her inappropriately, I'll beat him up so bad he'll go crying back to Nyx!'_ With a satisfied grunt, Shinjiro closed his eyes drifted off in light slumber. There was only one _tiny_ problem though; he had _never_ even laid eyes on the guy.

'_Shit!'_

* * *

><p>Hahaha… This chapter was even funnier to write than the other one. Especially the part with Kashiwagi. God I hated her in the game, even more than King Moron. Anyway, hope ya guys like the battles, funny moments, romance cuteness and the mysteries arising from this chapter. ^w^ More to come soon!<p>

_Have fun and don't forget to Read and Review! _


	17. Chapter 17: New dorm New problems

_Sea of Soul here! How is everybody? I'm kinda tired but I'm good. Work's been going smoothly but it can be a bit handful sometimes. Anyway, time for an update!_

_Questions time!_

**KO**: No one likes Kashiwagi that's for sure. And yeah, Ryoji will be in a mess if he gets on Shinji's bad side XD;; Oh, and it was Minako who summoned Chernobog in the battle, not Souji. Since it's a persona of the moon arcana in P3 I decided to keep it that way. Hope that clears things up.

ReachingOutFES: Thank you. Hope this chapter pleases you =3

sketchman64: I didn't get to watch much scenes of it, but it does seem to be an awesome anime.

**13****The****Ace:** And yes, Teddie is so gonna get it. Souji's condition will develop in the upcoming chapters. It may show more on some than others.

_A few warnings: (Yes, I put those before every chapter to avoid issues)_

_-There will be spoilers for all games! You've been warned.  
>-The Main characters from each game in this fanfic are called Minato Arisato (P3:FES), Minako Arisato (P3P) and Souji Seta (P4)<br>-There'll be some cursing. (Anyone that played any persona games knows that some characters on it curse quite a bit.) as well as some heavy subjects.  
>-Main Pairings in this fanfic: MinatoxYukari, ShinjiroxMinako, SoujixYukiko, KanjixNaoto, AkihikoxMitsuru, YosukexChie.<br>-Hinted Pairings(in later chapters): JunpeixChidori. (Hinted because Chidori doesn't appear much on this story) KenxNanako (Ya know those little girl's crushes on older boys? It'll be along those lines) FuukaxKeisuke (Other than Minato and Junpei, Fuuka only displayed some sort of close relationship with Keisuke the club president. I found it kinda cute.) TeddiexRise (Just for giggles. They are after all the two hyperactive cuties of the team X3)_

_Have fun ya guys. On with the show!_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 17: New Dorm, New Problems<strong>

"Wow, it's even prettier than the photos," Minako said as the group arrived at SEES' new home. Today was the day they all gathered early in the morning to clean the new dorm that had just been renovated, which is why all of them were dressed in loose T-shirts and trousers or shorts, something which they were comfortable in and not afraid to get dirty. According to Mitsuru, the reason for this activity was to strengthen their teamwork off the battlefield. They hauled an artillery of cleaning equipment and supplies behind them, which had been purchased from Junes or borrowed from their homes.

The old manor was gorgeous. Behind the intricately carved iron gates was a cobblestone pathway leading straight to the house. According to the locals, the land was once owned by a wealthy traditional family much like the Ichijo clan, but after the last heir died it was sold to an English expatriate, who built the manor for his family. It has changed hands a few times, but abandoned after for years unknown. The building itself was made of sturdy stone of various shades of black, grey and brown, with a patio half-protected by an awning on the left side, surrounded by stone walls and iron fences. The front garden was simple; blanketed entirely by soft grass which had been mowed recently. A few large trees of various species, some in full bloom, stood tall and proud, scattered randomly across the bare garden. A swing was tied to a low branch of a willow tree at the right. It was very peaceful setting.

"Yeah… Hey, look at those flowers!" Yukari pointed to a small tree whose flowers have five white petals with a yellowish center. She stood on her tip-toes to pick one from a low branch and sniffed it. "Hmm… they smell so good," she hummed, and placed it behind her left ear.

"Those flowers are called 'frangipani', mostly found in tropical areas…typically in South East Asian countries," Aigis stated.

"They're so beautiful," Yukari smiled, caressing the flower.

"And they are commonly associated with death because those flowers are mostly planted at graveyards," Aigis continued, not caring for tact. "The locals there say that when you smell the scent of frangipanis when they're not around, the spirits of the dead is thought to be nearby."

Yukari barely held back a startled squeak before backing away from the tree. "Th-that's just some silly ghost folktale…" she said, trying not to sound scared.

Unlike Yukari, Metis looked at her sister with adoration, impressed by her wealth of knowledge.

"How strange…" Mitsuru said thoughtfully. "I don't recall seeing these plants here when I first came to this house to purchase it."

"That's not funny, Mitsuru-senpai!" Yukari half-yelled.

"I'm serious, Yukari. I don't remember those at all…" Mitsuru shook her head, seemingly disturbed by the strange appearance of those flowers.

Now that bothered some of the others. "Another supernatural sign?" Minato wondered out loud.

"Could be…" Souji crossed his arms. "Things remained peaceful here over the past days. The effects of the Dark Hour over this and the other world must be increasing."

"Oh great. Next thing you're gonna tell me is that this house is haunted," Yukari muttered unhappily.

"Well, if this place is as old as Kou-kun's family's estate that Kanji-kun mentioned… I can't rule out the possibility of those spirit lights appearing around the area," Minako stated nonchalantly.

"Minako-chan, you're not helping!" her pink-clad friend whined.

Junpei snickered. "Yuka-tan, you're really afraid of our spooky new house?" he teased, only to get stomped on the foot by his former classmate. "Ow?! What the hell, I was just joking!"

"You know how I hate those lame type of jokes, Stupei!"

Minato quickly stepped in before his girlfriend got physical with the class clown. "Calm down, Yukari. You don't have to worry about anything." He held her hand, squeezing lightly. "I'm here with you. I won't let anything bad happen to you."

Like magic, Yukari forgot her anger towards Junpei. "Thank you, Minato-kun. Unlike _somebody_," she glared at the culprit, "you know how to treat me right." She smiled with a little blush as they held hands.

Junpei rolled his eyes at the lovey-dovey pair, but thanked his stars for not getting any worse hits.

"Are we going in or what?" Shinjiro asked, growing impatient.

"Ah, yes…" Mitsuru walked up to the front doors, keys in hand. "Before we go in, I must warn you; this place has been closed for quite a while so it is rather dusty inside. The renovations were mostly for the exterior, bathrooms and kitchen, so the rest of the place is relatively untouched."

"That won't be a problem, Mitsuru-san," Souji said, eyeing Teddie who was donning his bear suit on for some reason. "In fact, it'll be just perfect."

Yosuke and Kanji snickered at that. The others seemed confused. "You'll find out real soon," Yosuke grinned mischievously.

"Whatever you guys say..." Minako shrugged. "C'mon, let's see what the inside looks like."

Mitsuru unlocked the door and pushed it wide open, letting the sunlight stream in. Slowly the group walked inside. Indeed there was dust all over the place: some old furniture, framed pictures, windows, doors, all covered by a thick layer of dust. Koromaru sniffed the floor, causing a small dust cloud to fly up. The pooch sneezed and the size of the cloud expanded.

"Bless you, Koro-chan," Fuuka said before sneezing as well. "Achoo…! Oh my… it is quite dusty here…"

"We have a lot of work to get this place cleaned up before moving our things in," Ken pointed out. "When is the truck coming again, Mitsuru-san?"

"The moving truck should arrive after lunch," she replied. "We should start immediately."

"So, which floors are our rooms?" Metis asked.

"The boys' rooms are on the second floor. The girls' are on the third one. The ground floor will double as a lounge and a meeting room," Mitsuru explained. "There are two extra rooms at the back which I intend to convert into a laundry room and a pantry. The washing machines, driers, stove, refrigerator and new furniture should arrive about the same time as the moving truck."

"Teddie will help!" the bear said eagerly. "I'll start cleaning up the girls' rooms!" He was about to make a dash for the stairs when Souji grabbed him by the collar of his suit.

"OH NO YOU DON'T!" the girls shouted in unison.

"Aww… Teddie can't help?" he pouted.

"Yes…you will be helping, Teddie," Souji said with a rather evil grin. "You can help by cleaning up the lounge and meeting room."

"Oh, sure Sensei. Just let me take my suit off and –"

Souji cut him off and shook his head. "No, Teddie. You'll clean up the entire first floor…_with_ your bear suit _on_."

Teddie's eyes widened. His teammates smirked devilishly. They knew how much Teddie treasured his bear outfit and now understood why Souji insisted he brought it along to the new dorm. "B-b-but this has gotta be the dustiest place in the house! My precious suit will be ruined!" he cried, flailing his arms in dismay.

"Consider this your punishment for your poor behavior during our trip at Yakushima," Souji declared, crossing his arms against his chest. "I'm sorry, but this time you deserve it."

Teddie stared at Souji with his biggest, teary eyes yet, but the silverette was unmoved. "Woe is me…"

"Senpai, aren't ya forgetting something?" Kanji asked, hiding something behind his back with a lopsided smirk.

"Oh, yeah. Thanks for reminding me, Kanji." Souji nodded to him. "You brought it, right?"

"Sure!" Kanji's grin got broader as he revealed what he was holding: the pinkest, frilliest, kitchen apron ever, adorned with red hearts and lace. "Here ya go! Tatsumi Textile's top selling item. Made it myself. Custom sized, just for Teddie!"

"That way you won't get too dirty while cleaning up here and doing overtime duty at Junes," Yosuke snickered.

Teddie was horror-struck. "WHAT?!"

"Yosuke and I agreed that you only cleaning up won't be enough punishment," Souji explained, forcing the apron on Teddie. "So for the next few weeks you'll be working extra night duties at Junes along with your normal shifts; three times a week _and_ on weekends."

That was the icing on the cake. Yukiko burst into laughing fits at the sight of Teddie wearing the apron. "O-Oho… S-Souji-kun…. Ahahaha…. that's… that's… Perfect!" she giggled, not able to catch her breath.

"Yeah, a fitting punishment for that rascal, alright!" Akihiko chuckled.

"This'll teach him from pulling something like that ever again," Chie grinned. Oh, she will be enjoying every second of this!

By now almost everybody was laughing at Teddie's predicament, some of them snapping a photo with their phones. Junpei was struggling not to guffaw at his buddy, his cheeks puffing up with glee, since he did have fun with the King's Game. But the sight of the bear in an apron – where the pink really clashed with his blue fur, and the look on his face – was simply priceless.

"While Teddie cleans up here, we'll assist our senpais with their rooms and hallways on the upper floors," Naoto said. She pulled out a little cubic-looking device from her pocket and placed it on a dusty end table. "This is a special security alarm. If Teddie dares to leave the house without permission, it'll go off."

"So I advise you to behave and do your chores as told Teddie, or your punishment _will_ be worse." Souji gave him a flat stare as he handed him a few rags, a broom, a mop, bucket and some cleaning solution. "I'll come down to check on you later." They walked away, leaving him to wallow in misery.

"I gotta hand it to you guys, you really planned this out," Shinjiro grinned, impressed.

Minako knelt down to face Koromaru. "Koro-chan, why don't you keep Teddie-kun company down here? If he starts to boss you around, come upstairs and tell me, okay?" She rubbed the dog's head, promising a treat for him later.

"Alright, so what are we waiting for? Let's get this cleaning started!" Chie announced vigorously.

As the group headed upstairs, Minato approached Naoto. "Did you really make an alarm to prevent Teddie from escaping his punishment?"

"Not really. It's just a camouflaged camera recording his every move," Naoto answered with a small grin. "Nothing like a little mind trick to help him focus. Rise made the suggestion and I must say, it was a brilliant idea."

Rise giggled. "Serves him right for taking advantage of us like that!"

The others couldn't agree more.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Second floor…<strong>_

When the boys reached the second floor, they were greeted by the same view as the one below; there was a small coffee table and a few moldy couches and carpets on the floor, which was once polished parquet, where everything was coated with years' worth of dust. The windows were grimy, giving the atmosphere a sense of gloom. The girls didn't bother to stop as they were more focused on getting ahead to the floor above.

Akihiko looked around. "Wow, looking at all of this is rather overwhelming. I wonder where we should start."

"Mitsuru-senpai said that the bathrooms were the only place that has been renovated, so I guess we can leave that place out," Junpei said. "But man, I'll be sooooo glad when this is over! At least I know I don't have to do it again…" he drawled lazily. Cleaning stuff up wasn't really his forte.

"Let's look around to see how much we have to work with, yeah?" Minato suggested. The others nodded and separated, half of them went to the left wing while the other half went to the right. There were two bathrooms, one at each end of the hallway. In the left wing, the guys noticed that there was a room larger than the rest, with its own private bathroom, which they guessed to be the master bedroom. The other five rooms were about the same size. They re-gathered in the middle to discuss their findings.

Souji observed the couches and carpet. "From the condition of the stuff in here, I don't think anything could be salvaged anymore. Kanji, Yosuke and I will throw them out while you guys decide your rooms."

"Good idea, Souji-san," Ken agreed. "By the way, the layout on this floor reminds me of the one in Iwatodai dorm. Convenient, huh?"

"Mitsuru told me that the big room is off limits," Shinjiro told them. "I'm guessing she has plans for it, not that I care."

"Okay, here's the game plan," Minato said. "Each of us will choose our own room to clean up. Souji-kun, Yosuke and Kanji will haul out the old stuff and clean the master bedroom. Once everyone is done, we'll gather back here and clear out the hallway. How does that sound?"

"Sounds good," Kanji grunted, followed by the rest voicing their agreement.

"Oh right, I almost forgot….Shinjiro-senpai, Mitsuru-senpai has put you in charge of the kitchen. After we're done here, you can head there and start cleaning while we do the other rooms," Minato told the tall teen.

Shinjiro nodded. He headed straight for the room at the end of the right wing, the one beside the bathroom. "I'll be taking this one. We should get started if we wanna finish early."

Junpei chose the room at the end of the left wing, opposite the master bedroom. Ken's room was between his and Akihiko's. Minato settled for the one opposite to Shinjiro's.

They cleaned in silence. The only noise that could be heard was Souji, Yosuke and Kanji breaking up the rotten furniture to make it easier to carry out. That wasn't the case for Junpei though; he kept whining about the amount of chores he had to do for his room without actually being productive, so much so that Shinjiro stormed out of his own room and threatened Junpei to "S_hut the hell up!"_ or else he'd stuff his mouth with moldy carpet and slap duct tape over it so he couldn't spit it out.

Kanji, who wasn't the most patient person in the world, groaned. "Damn, I never thought that someone more annoying than Yosuke-senpai actually exists."

"Hey, I take offense to that…but I have to agree with you," Yosuke muttered while washing the windows.

Souji silently chuckled. _'That's the Magician for ya…'_

* * *

><p>Unlike the silence below, the girls were multitasking by gossiping and cleaning. Just like the guys, they cleaned up their own rooms before starting on the hallways. Aigis and Metis took the rooms in the left wing while Fuuka and Yukari took the ones in the right. Minako took the room that was located above her brother's. Looks like some things will never change.<p>

It was with mutual agreement on the girls' part that Mitsuru should take the big bedroom, since she's the owner and technically the matron of the dorm. Yukiko and Rise assisted her as it was too much work for a single person to clean such a large room. Chie and Naoto hauled the old furniture, which wasn't much, to the second floor in hopes that the boys would dispose of it for them before helping the other girls.

Squeals and giggles were heard throughout, making the ones downstairs curious. Most of the SEES guys finished with their rooms and just started on the miniature lounge, paused in the middle of their tasks, wondering what the commotion was all about. They pricked their ears to listen better.

"_Minako-senpai ~ I bet that living with a bunch of guys in the same dorm, you'd have the privilege of going into their rooms, right? Being the Leader and all_…" came Rise's voice, using that sweet, sing-song tone which Shinjiro hated so much.

"_Well, I only had free access to Aniki's room, since he did give me a spare key to it,"_ Minako answered. _"But other than that, I've only been inside the other guys' room once when they invited me. Mitsuru-senpai imposes strict rules for that kind of thing."_

A collective of insinuating _Oooohhhh_'s followed. _"H-hey, don't get the wrong idea!"_ she cried. _"I was invited to play video games in Junpei-kun's room, but I couldn't stand being in there for more than 10 minutes because it smelled real bad!"_

The eavesdroppers downstairs lightly snickered at that. Junpei looked offended, but didn't say anything.

"_So what about those other rooms?"_ asked Chie.

"_I helped Ken-kun with his crafts project one time. He didn't want to take it out of his room because he thought it was embarrassing. Akihiko-senpai dragged me to his and requested for a private conversation. Turns out he wanted to ask for some girl advice, specifically on how to ask one out."_

Yukari spoke up next. _"Let me guess…Mitsuru-senpai, right?"_

"_Bingo!" _As the girls giggled at Mitsuru's likely red face for that revelation, Akihiko could feel his own cheeks heating up, earning a snort from his childhood friend.

"_And what abouuuuut...Shinjiro-senpaiiii~?!" _Rise sang, dragging the words out like a quiz show host. Her voice was dripping with mirth, clearly enjoying playing interrogator.

Minako started to stutter, incoherent sentences sputtering out of her mouth. Shinjiro almost choked on his spit, and started sweating when he felt Minato glaring at him.

"_What's that? I can't hear youuuuuuu~"_

"_Rise, enough!"_ Naoto's stern voice commanded, using the masculine tone during the murder investigations. _"If she doesn't want to talk about it, she has the right to remain silent."_

"_Don't tell me you've been in Kanji's room as –"_

Naoto cut her off, shrieking _"No I haven't! Stop making such ridiculous presumptions!"_

"_It's no secret that Yukiko had been in Souji-kun's room a few times. She even lied to her parents about spending Christmas Eve at my house when she was actually spending it with him,"_ Chie supplied, laughing at Yukiko's wails of _"Shut up, Chie!"_

Fuuka hummed thoughtfully before speaking her mind. _"You know…there were actually a few times where I could have sworn I saw Mitsuru-senpai exit Akihiko-senpai's room at night…"_

"What are you guys doing?" Souji asked, startling the eavesdropping guys who were gathered close to the stairs. He just emerged from the big room, holding a few rags and a bucket, looking at them with a puzzled expression. Yosuke and Kanji were behind him, raising an eyebrow at their conspicuous behavior.

"N-Nothing! Nothing at all!" Akihiko quickly replied, thankful for Souji's well-timed intervention. _'If Junpei or Shinji finds out about our 'night dates'… I'll never hear the end of it…'_

Shinjiro was also relieved, as it distracted Minato from questioning about him and his sister. _'I'm dead meat if he finds out she slept on the same bed with me that one time…'_ He suppressed a shudder. _'It's not like we did anything naughty. Thank God he was out on one of his part-time jobs…he's too damn protective…'_

Souji shrugged it off, until they heard Minako's voice again. _"But it wasn't just me. Aniki has been into every SEES girl's room!"_ she blurted out.

Upon hearing that, the guys quieted down and listened with wide eyes. The blue-haired twin had an 'Oh crap!' look on his face.

_"Minako-chan!"_ Yukari shrieked. _"Don't you dare….!"_

_"Hey, let her talk Senpai!"_ Rise quickly interrupted. _"I'm curious now!"_

_"W-well… A-Aniki and I tell each other pretty much everything…"_ Minako's voice stammered. _"W-when he and Yukari-chan and became a c-couple, she snuck him into her room and they spent a really nice evening together talking and listening to music…th-that's what he told me anyway…"_

The other girls started giggling. Minato was blushing, and he could imagine Yukari's face turning pinker than her cardigan right now.

_"Tell us more! Tell us more!"_ Rise squealed, enjoying herself way too much with all the gossip.

_"Umm… there's nothing much really… Fuuka-chan invited both of us to eat some cake she baked during Cooking Club. And it was rather tasty."  
><em>  
><em>"Too bad I couldn't bake another one like that again…"<em> Fuuka sighed. _"Nobody wants to try out my cooking…"_

The SEES guys shivered. Last time any of them agreed to taste-test Fuuka's cooking, the outcome wasn't pretty. Yosuke and Kanji shivered too as they recalled their own similar mishaps.

_"What about Mitsuru-senpai?"_ Rise asked in a sickly sweet tone, sparing none of the SEES girls.

_"Mitsuru-senpai wanted to watch a DVD with us so we picked out a horror movie. We watched it in her room since she has the biggest TV screen,"_ Minako giggled. _"She was scared so badly, she kept holding our hands throughout the whole show."_

Akihiko threw Minato a dirty look, which he replied with a nonchalant shrug. _'Ain't my fault you and Senpai were in denial of your feelings for each other back then,'_ he thought.

_"Minato-san and Minako-san had also been to my room at my request,"_ Aigis said suddenly, surprising everybody. _"They've taught me so much about Life and what it means to be alive… I wanted to do something for them…something to prove that I would never forget and will always be with them."_

Everybody became awkwardly silent at that. As human as Aigis had become over the past two years, she still lacked a social tact when it came to sharing certain bits of information.

_"What? I just gave each of them a charred screw from my body as a token of my appreciation."_

_"That's really nice, Sister,"_ Metis said soothingly, trying to comfort her. _"When I get my own room ready, I'll ask them to come visit me. Maybe I should ask Souji-san too…"  
><em>  
><em>"Metis! It doesn't work like that!"<em> Mitsuru snapped, causing the other girls to laugh.

On the lower floor, the guys sweatdropped at how things turned out. Junpei gawked. "Man, do you and Souji have to be such a huge hit with the ladies?"

"Why? You jealous, Iori? Don't you already have Yoshino to worry about?" Shinjiro snorted at the class clown.

"Speaking of worries, Senpai, about you and my sister…" Minato started with a sinister tone. Shinjiro gulped.

"Hey guys, we still need to finish cleaning here," Souji interrupted, ignoring his psuedo brother glaring at Shinjiro. "We'll get scolded if we don't finish this soon."

"Yeah! What Souji said!" The tall brunette hastily turned and went back to cleaning.

Minato rolled his eyes and decided to get back to work, the others following his example.

While quiet the entire time, Ken heard everything and shook his head. "Grown-ups can be so immature…" he muttered, continuing his work.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Ground floor…<strong>_

Teddie jumped up and down trying to reach one of the several cobwebs adorning the walls with a feather duster, with very little success. "Oh…! This is not work for a bear of my quality!" he huffed in indignation before looking at the floor hopelessly. "But if I don't get this place spotless, Sensei and Yosuke will give me even worse punishment…"

Trying one last time, Teddie jumped as high as he could, trying to reach the spider web only to trip over the bucket and falling face first onto the dusty floor, causing a huge dust cloud to cover the room. "AAAAACCCCHHHHHOOOOOO!" he sneezed loudly, resulting in the airborne dust scattering everywhere. "It's no use… I'll never get this place cleaned on time!"

Panic gripped the bear's being as he imagined the angry look on Souji's face upon seeing that he had failed his task. To Teddie, failing his sensei was a thousand times worse than having all the girls mad at him at the same time.

Koromaru sneezed again. He started to whine, clearly unhappy about being attacked by an army of dust bunnies before making his way out through the front door which was left open.

"Even you're abandoning me, Koro-chan?" With a sigh, Teddie plopped on the floor, a depressed aura surrounding him. "Could this get any worse…?"

"_Teddie! I don't hear you doing any cleaning down there!" _Yosuke's voice boomed from upstairs. _"Move your lazy butt or Souji and I will be coming down!"_

Quickly Teddie got back to his feet again. "Everything is under control! This place will be super spotless in no time!" he shouted back, faking enthusiasm.

_"It better be, or I'll have Dad give you even more night shifts!"_

Once he was sure Yosuke wasn't listening, Teddie sulked. "How un-bear-able…" he whimpered. "What am I gonna do?"

The sound of shuffling and something being dropped next to him caught his attention. Looking to his right, Koromaru was staring at him with a rather long tree branch on the floor. "Huh? What's this, Koro-chan?" Teddie looked at the item and frowned. "Sorry, I can't play fetch now…"

Koromaru shook his head and pointed a paw to the feather duster. Teddie looked at the utensil before looking back at the branch. He repeated that movement several times before something finally clicked in his brain. "That's it! If I tie the feather duster to this branch with a rag, then I can get those webs off the walls!"

Koromaru barked in approval when Teddie hugged him. "Oh, Koro-chan, I knew you'd never abandon me! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" he cried in joy. "You're so loyal! Man's best friend indeed. And now I know you're a bear's best friend too. I promise to give you a nice bath after I'm done cleaning!"

Hearing that, Koromaru nuzzled against Teddie's face, making the human Shadow giggle. "Hehe, let's keep going!" he exclaimed with renewed resolve.

The ceiling and walls were cleared without much trouble. "Phew… This place is looking better already!" Teddie smiled as he adjusted his apron. "Remind me to thank Kanji for the apron later. Despite its garish design, it does a great job of protecting my suit from the evil dust!"

Koromaru barked in agreement, pointing his nose to the direction of a window. "You're right, Koro-chan! Time to wash those windows!"

Teddie grabbed the bucket, filled it with water from the kitchen sink and then mixed in some cleaning solution. Once it was ready, he started washing the windows one by one. Koromaru helped by keeping the rags at hand so Teddie could easily change them once one was too filthy to be used.

Once he was done wiping off dust and grime, Teddie panted. The job was tiring and he was frying inside his suit due to the summer heat. "It's so hot…" He wobbled a bit before steadying himself. "No, I can't stop now!"

Koromaru panted and wagged his tail as if encouraging him. "You're right Koro-chan. There's one more thing to do before this place is finally clean!" Teddie grabbed the mop and bucket. "Time to clean the floor!"

Teddie swept furiously before proceeding to mop the floor. He swung and twirled back and forth as if he was in a ballroom, and the mop was a pretty girl dancing with him. Koromaru, being a dog, didn't really understand this behavior, but as long as the job was done and the mood was happy he didn't mind.

Finally, when the floor was clean and dry, Teddie had completed his tasks. "Yay! This place is super clean now! Sensei will be so proud of me!" Teddie cheered. Without warning, he plopped on the floor, exhausted. "I'm so tired…" He unzipped his suit so his blonde head could pop out, placing the bear-head aside. "Sensei won't mind if I open my suit. I finished after all."

Seeing that, Koromaru walked up to Teddie and hopped inside. Teddie was surprised, but he was grateful for the Shiba Inu's company and too tired to mind. "You're fuzzy…like me, Koro-chan!" he smiled, hugging Koromaru. "Let's take a nap before Sensei comes back, okay?"

* * *

><p>After Teddie fell asleep in record time, the others were just about finished. It was hard work, so they decided to take a little break before resuming. They chatted while heading downstairs, only to be greeted by a cute scene: Teddie and Koromaru snuggled up together in the bear suit. Thankfully he wore clothes on the inside this time. The short blonde was snoring, audible enough for everyone to hear. Despite his flirtatious tendencies and sparkly 'charm', at that moment he looked like an innocent child hugging a favorite toy.<p>

"Oh my goodness, isn't that the sweetest thing!" Fuuka cooed softly, not wanting the pair to wake up.

Kanji blushed at the cuteness of it all. In his mind, a design for a new doll popped up and he made a mental note to sketch it at home later. The other girls took out their phones to capture a picture.

Souji looked around and was mildly surprised. _'Looks like I underestimated him. He did a pretty good job…' _he thought, pleased with the sparkling clean surfaces of the lounge, hallways and meeting room. The light scent of citrus was a pleasant change compared to the previous musty smell of dust and mould.

"Come on guys, let's get out of here and leave them be. They deserve it," he told his friends.

"But we're not telling that to his face. Remember the last time he got a compliment and it went straight to his head?" Yosuke smirked. The others got the hint and left the bear and the pooch to snooze away.

After a short break, Souji helped Shinjiro with the kitchen while the rest divided themselves between the pantry, laundry room, porch, and storage room. By the time they finished, it was almost lunch time.

"I'm too tired to go out, but I'm so hungry~" Chie whined in a very unlady-like manner, her stomach grumbling loudly. Everybody sweatdropped.

Kanji took out his cellphone. "I'm ordering some take-out from old man Aiya. You guys want anything?"

Taking advantage of that, the others gave him their order. Teddie woke up just in time to add in his. Too dizzy to remember everything, Kanji told the person on the other line that they'll be having the party special of Chinese fried rice, sweet and sour shrimp, vegetable tempura, and a special meat platter for Koromaru. Chie and Akihiko insisted on an extra side order of beef bowls, which they agreed to pay for themselves. After hanging up, he gave his friends a glare which meant 'You guys better pony up on the bill!'

An hour later, as they were waiting in the dining room, the tell-tale sounds of a delivery scooter was heard in the distance. Aika Nakamura had arrived with their lunch. She was greeted warmly by her schoolmates.

"Hey Aika. Long time no see," Souji said.

"Seta-kun, welcome back." Aika gave him a small smile. "I already heard from Ichijo-kun and Nagase-kun. Every time they came in, the only thing they could talk about was you. Are you really staying for good this time?"

"Yeah…" he said softly. Quickly enough, he changed the topic as he took the order from her hands and handed them to Minato. "Thanks for the food. Why don't you come in and meet my other friends? Some of them will be transferring to our school next week." He ushered her in and introduced her to the rest.

"Hey there, Aika-chan! I'm Minako, and this is my older twin brother Minato!" the red-eyed girl greeted boisterously. "Souji-kun told me a little about you. You're Inaba's legendary delivery girl who delivers any order, anytime, anywhere. That's so awesome!"

Aika blushed. "That's…I'm just doing my job…" she answered softly, looking at her shoes. Minako and Souji continued with the small talk, the latter asking her about any updates in her life.

Some were already digging in, sitting on the floor of the dining room while the girls sat at the porch. Mitsuru was appalled at the lack of manners the guys were showing, particularly Junpei and Teddie. Akihiko and Chie were no better, and she could have sworn those two were siblings if it weren't for the lack of family resemblance. However, there was still much to do and she wanted to conserve her energy.

Aika silently approached Kanji, tapping his shoulder and scaring him out of his skin. "Don't do that!" he scolded her, lightly punching his chest to calm his beating heart, simultaneously coughing up some rice he choked on.

"Have you thought about Mr. Aiya's offer, Tatsumi-kun?" she asked, brown eyes wide with anticipation that it was starting to creep him out.

"How many times do I have to tell the old man I ain't got the time for that?!" Kanji mumbled under his breath. "Sorry Nakamura-senpai, it's just not happening. I got too much going on at Ma's shop to be workin' for him."

"Okay, I'll tell the boss that. Sorry to bother you. That'll be 6,870 yen." She made a hand gesture to demand the payment. Everyone took out their wallets or purses and pooled their money in. Chie's mood turned sour when Akihiko reminded her of their little bet back in Yakushima, resulting her having to fork out another 500 yen for his beef bowl.

"It was nice meeting you, Aika-chan!" Minako waved the girl goodbye as she left on her scooter.

Souji sat down beside Kanji and opened his container of food. "What was that about?" he asked his tall kouhai.

"Mr. Aiya's been buggin' me about working part-time as a cook at his place," Kanji explained through mouthfuls of shrimp. "One of his cooks quit and moved to another town, so he's understaffed at the moment. Since I live just across the street, he figured I could give him a hand. The thing is, I'm already helping Ma with the shop, the dolls and classes so I ain't got the time. I feel sorry for the dude, but my hands are tied." He opened another container of rice and heaped more shrimp and crispy vegetables onto it.

Shinjiro's ears twitched, which didn't go unnoticed by Minato. "Shinjiro-senpai could do it," he supplied, politely eating his food. "It's the perfect job for him. He can handle working in the pressures of the kitchen better than anyone I know."

"Then I'll tell Mr. Aiya that after I get home. I'm pretty sure you'll be hired immediately," Kanji told Shinjiro, looking relieved. "Just come by the diner and tell him when you want to start."

"Speaking of part-time jobs, there should be new job postings on the bulletin board. I should check it out soon," Souji mused, munching on a tempura capsicum. "I hope the daycare is hiring again…"

"And Junes is looking for more part-timers if any of you are interested," Yosuke informed. "Although I think you guys should wait until after Teddie finishes his punishment. I don't want him slacking off thinking that more workers are willing to cover his hide." He smirked when Teddie muttered a quick curse before wolfing down his meal.

Yukiko and Minako made some tea to accompany their lunch. Teddie excused himself, mentioning Koromaru over. "Sorry guys. I promised to give Koro-chan a bath after we're done cleaning. See you in a bit." The white dog followed him out, wagging his tail excitedly. He loved baths!

"That was pretty sweet of Teddie-kun," Minako giggled.

"When it comes to a promise, Teddie always goes an extra mile to keep his," Souji said, smiling when a squeal from the blonde was heard.

The others cleared their mess and threw out the garbage once they ended eating. They continued to rest and chat with each other, talking about all sorts of trivial things. Outside in the front yard, Teddie's laughter and Koromaru's barks were heard.

"Those two are having a good time alright," Minato chuckled. "I wonder who is having more fun?"

Soon enough, Teddie and Koromaru came back, with the blonde soaking wet, but looking rather satisfied at his work and went to change into dry clothing. Good thing Yosuke had insisted that they brought a spare set. Koromaru on the other hand, looked like a puffed up cotton ball. Minako giggled, taking out a brush from her bag, and started to brush his soft, doggy fur. If the Shiba Inu was a cat, he would be purring loudly in pleasure right now. After everything had settled down, the Persona-users decided to wait for the moving trucks which should be arriving any minute now when something unusual happened; Koromaru started growling out of nowhere.

"Hey, what's the matter Koro-chan?" Teddie asked, confused at the dog's sudden change in mood.

"Uh-oh… I know that look." Minako stood up, looking defensive. "Koro-chan was just like that before the Shadows attacked me and Kanji-kun at Tatsuhime Shrine…"

Upon hearing that, the gang tensed up. "I swear if those Shadows mess up all the hard work to get this place clean, I'm whooping their asses!" Junpei exclaimed angrily.

"On guard, everybody!" Souji ordered, readying his fighting stance.

The group braced itself for the worst. The Wild Cards could barely repress a shiver, feeling as if several sets of eyes were watching them, although there was nothing and no one in sight other than their friends.

Then it happened. Out of nowhere _they_ emerged: several giant floating balls of fire, glowing in amber, pale blue and even yellow like the full moon, appeared all over the room. Some were even dragging long flickering tails behind them.

Surprised at the sight, no one was able to move or speak as the spirit lights harmlessly floated around the place, moving around almost in a playful manner, as if enjoying the shocked expressions stamped on the Persona-users' faces. They twirled in the air and danced around in glee.

Yukari clutched onto Minato's arm, trying really hard not to shriek at the freaky sight before her. _'Don't scream… don't scream… don't scream…!'_ she chanted to herself.

However, not even all of her willpower was enough as one of the floating balls appeared before her and touched her face. "EEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKK!" Yukari yelled as the ball left some sort of slimy residue on her cheek. Without thinking she latched onto Minato's neck, hugging him as if her life depended on it.

"Y-Yu…ka….ri….too… tight…C-can't…breathe…." Minato choked, his face turning blue like his hair.

Before anyone could help him, the spirit lights suddenly started flying around erratically in an aggressive manner. Apparently their frenzy was triggered by Yukari's scream.

"AAAAAHHHHHHHHH!" Another high pitched (and rather girly) yelp escaped Kanji's throat, scaring pretty much everybody else in the room.

All hell broke loose from there. Sobbing hysterically, Minako buried her face in Shinjiro's chest when a ball of ghost fire phased through her head. Mitsuru lost her cool and screamed when a fireball took shape of a flaming skull and chased her. She ended up in Akihiko's arms, who took her to a secluded corner to shield her from the sight. Chie was frightened in the same manner and hugged her boyfriend, who tried to calm her down while swatting the floating lights away with little success. In her panicked state, Chie wrapped her arms around Yosuke's middle and squeezed him like the Heimlich maneuver, causing him to choke breathlessly.

Souji stood in front of Yukiko, shielding her from the floating fireballs in case the really did cause harm. Unlike Chie, Yukiko bravely stared at the dancing lights, their hypnotizing rhythm putting her in a trance. Souji had to shake her a few times to snap her out of it.

Acting on instinct, Fuuka embraced Ken, trying to protect him from the rampaging ectoplasms. Ken on the other hand, didn't know how to react to the chaos before him. Koromaru tried to chase the ghost lights, but they either faded away or phased into the floor whenever the dog was close to catching them. At a last attempt, the Shiba Inu ended up crashing into Junpei, sending the capped jokester to the ground in an unceremonious heap.

Kanji wasn't as freaked out as his initial scream made him sound to be, but he hugged the closest person next to him, tightly. Said person was Naoto, who blushed a deep red while blankly staring at the ghost fire along with Aigis and Metis, the latter attempting to touch them. Her mouth hung open in awe, like a curious little baby as she jumped up and down to reach them.

Teddie and Rise were both frightened so badly they hugged each other out of fear. Teddie didn't even have the time to enjoy his situation when Rise glared at him, as if saying "_Do anything funny and I'll kill you!"_ Another spirit dashed by, causing her to shriek and hug/shake him so aggressively until swirlies appeared in his eyes.

It felt like forever until the ghost lights finally disappeared, leaving almost all of them in rather compromising positions: Minato, having passed out from the lack of oxygen, fell to the ground with Yukari on top of him. She ended up straddling him when she tried to get up.

In their corner, Akihiko tried to calm Mitsuru down by embracing her possessively. He thanked his lucky stars that Junpei was out cold (Koromaru tried to wake him up by licking his face) and Shinjiro was busy trying to calm Minako as both were on the ground, with the auburn-haired girl holding onto him tightly, hiding her face in the crook of his shoulder and too scared to realize the position they were in.

Chie, in her panicked state, accidentally head butted Yosuke, knocking him out and sending both sprawled on the floor. Once she regained her bearings, she started shaking her boyfriend in a rather violent manner, trying to wake him up. "C'mon, Yosuke! This is no time to be lazy!"

Kanji held on to Naoto like a frightened kid would hug a stuffed animal during a thunderstorm. The young detective tried in vain to get him to release her from his vice-like grip.

Teddie and Rise still cowered in another corner, their eyes tightly shut and holding onto each other too afraid to see if things were okay. The bear might have had a slight concussion after all that shaking since he didn't try to grope Rise despite his advantageous position.

Yukiko and Souji were the only couple still standing on their feet, the raven-haired girl looking rather dazed as Souji whispered soothing words, trying to get her back to normal.

After everyone regained consciousness, the loud sound of a horn could be heard honking at the front of the dorm, nearly giving them a heart attack.

"What, the trucks are here already?" Mitsuru gasped, gently pushing herself away from Akihiko. "How come nobody heard them coming?"

"Beats me, but they sound pretty pissed," Shinjiro grunted. "Great, more work…"

Minako giggled. "You're starting to sound like Junpei, Shinji-kun."

"How can you guys be so calm?!" Yukari shrilled. "Did you just not witness that? This house is haunted!" She was hyperventilating after her rant.

Minato pulled his girlfriend in a hug to calm her down. "I don't think they were actual ghosts, Yukari. Minako and Souji-kun felt it too. They were definitely connected to the Shadows."

"How come the Dark Hour didn't appear this time?" Yukiko wondered.

"Hmm…perhaps this supernatural phenomenon isn't an indicator of the arrival of the random Dark Hour," Souji answered, deep in thought. "It was…how can I put this…it felt like a playful type of warning."

Naoto spoke next. "So the next question remains: A warning from whom?"

Another loud honk broke them from their reverie. Mitsuru sighed. "At least we have some extra help this time. Come on, we have to finish loading everything in before sunset. We can arrange the furniture tomorrow. Worry about those ghost lights later."

The others nodded and headed off to the front door (although Yukari wasn't really pleased), where a moving truck carrying all their stuff from Iwatodai was parked in the driveway. Behind it was a giant Junes delivery truck with their new furniture. Mitsuru didn't waste any time giving out orders to the moving men and the placement of the new equipment inside the house. Shinjiro supervised the kitchen while the rest of the guys and Chie helped the moving men carry the heavier items and placed them in their respective areas. The girls on the other hand helped carry the lighter stuff such as clothes bags and boxes, mattresses and pillows for the rooms.

It soon got a little crowded and noisy, mostly due to the teenagers shouting at each other.

"Damn it Tatsumi, stop stepping on my foot!"

"Teddie, quit throwing your sparkles at Fuuka and help me carry this bed frame upstairs!"

"Watch where you're going, dumbass!"

"Get out of my way!"

"Rise-chan, don't you dare look into those boxes!"

"When the heck did we get a piano?! It sure looks old and expensive…Hey Mitsuru-senpai, where is this thing supposed to go?"

Despite the chaos, they managed to finish loading everything into the dorm in under three hours. The moving and delivery men were slightly traumatized, but other than that, nothing was broken. Mitsuru tipped them generously, causing the men to forget their troubles and left with smiles on their faces.

With the strength they had left, they arranged the furniture in the lounge and reception area. Rise dictated the guys around for a bit, only to be sent to a corner by a combination of Kanji's and Shinjiro's infamous death glares. After that was done, they plopped on the floor or sofas, exhausted and out of breath.

Yet another honking was heard outside. This time however, only the Arisato twins and Souji seemed excited about it. The three of them dashed out of there before anybody could comment on it.

"It's finally here!" Minato exclaimed when he and his siblings returned to the lounge. In his hands was a guitar case.

"Definitely worth the wait," Souji added, carrying in a rectangular one.

"And it was a buy-two-free-one deal too," Minako chirped, jingling a tambourine. "And good thing Mitsuru-senpai placed the piano between the reception area and the lounge. We can really relax here!"

Shinjiro took off his beanie and ruffled his hair. "Okay, I'm lost here. What the hell are you guys talking about?"

The trio grinned. "We ordered these musical instruments from Tanaka's Amazing Commodities last Sunday," Souji told them. "Since I knew they'd arrive today, I told them to deliver it to this address."

"So what did you buy, Sensei?" Teddie asked, unable to hide his curiosity.

Souji placed his case on the coffee table and opened it. Inside was a finely polished brass saxophone. "I've been meaning to get one of these for a while now, but we were too busy with Shadows and I couldn't afford to splurge since most of our money went to purchasing armors and weapons." He placed the strap over his shoulder. Taking a deep breath, he blew into the mouthpiece and started to play a short little jazz number.

Yosuke was impressed. "Dude, I didn't know you could play the sax as well."

"I've been practicing since I was away," Souji grinned. "You guys shouldn't be so surprised. It's not that different from the trumpet."

Minato took out his acoustic guitar and strummed a sweet little tune. "I don't think I ever told you guys this, but my dad was a middle-school music teacher. He was the one who taught us how to play and appreciate music."

"Aniki always had an affinity for stringed instruments. But he likes guitars the best since they're much more convenient to play," Minako said, and then pouted. "On the other hand, I could never graduate from the piano…"

"Maybe that's why your Persona is Eurydice, Minako-senpai," Rise said. "The piano has a wider range of melodies and sounds compared to any other instrument. It's quite versatile if you ask me."

"So you guys are gonna put up a little concert for us?" Junpei said, a wide grin on his face egging them on.

Minako blushed when she caught Shinjiro staring at her. "Umm…uh…I never played for a bunch of people before…" she stammered. "What do you think, Aniki? Souji-kun?"

Souji smirked. "I think we should go for it."

"Well, we do qualify for a jazz triplet," Minato said, stroking his chin. "Okay, why don't we play one song? I want to test how well we work together."

"Whoa, you guys are doing it? I was just kidding…" Junpei said, rubbing the back of his head.

Minako smiled at him assuringly. "Don't worry Junpei-kun. We want to play. It'll be fun!"

"Then what song will you guys be playing?" Ken asked. By now they had gained attention from all their friends.

Souji pondered for a while, before snapping his fingers. "Classics never go out of style. How about _Fly Me to the Moon_? That was your mother's favorite, wasn't it?"

"Just like old times," Minato whispered, a nostalgic look on his face. "Mom really loved that song…"

His sister took her place by the piano. "I haven't played that in a long time..." She pressed a few keys in a light rhythm, testing out the pitch and played _Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star_ before she was satisfied.

"Hold on…" Minato told them as he adjusted the tightness of the strings. "Okay guys, ready when you are. One…and a two…and a three…"

Not even half-way through their mini-concert, their audience was blown away. It felt like their leaders were trying to show a new side of themselves; the melodies of the individual instruments blending together to create perfect harmony, the combined sounds was like flowing water; relaxing and uplifting at the same time.

Koromaru was wagging his tail to the beat as the others were tapping their feet or drumming their fingers. Even the usually stiff Shinjiro started to smile.

When the Wild Cards finished playing, their friends gave the loudest encore they could muster, leaving them speechless. Seeing them so happy caused the trio to smile as well, and gave their audience a dramatic bow.

Yukari couldn't believe her eyes or ears. Even back when they were living in the dorm together, Minato never mentioned that he could play an instrument. Perhaps it was still a painful subject for him back then, having it to remind him of his parents. She knew the feeling all too well. Seeing him and Minako open up like this was a good sign.

Yukiko was blushing, imaginary steam blowing out of her ears. If Souji looked cool playing the trumpet before, playing the saxophone made him a hell of a lot sexier! "Better be careful, Yukiko," Chie said in a teasing tone, elbowing her friend. "I'm sure Souji-kun will be even more popular if the other students in school find out about this."

"I'm pretty sure Teddie already stole the hearts of most of his fans," Yosuke grinned, "although Naoto's fan girls are still going strong."

"Don't remind me of that…" Naoto muttered darkly.

Rise had hearts in her eyes. "Kyaaa~ you guys look so cool together! Encore, encore!"

Shinjiro could only roll his eyes at that, but silently admitted that he wouldn't mind listening to Minako playing the piano in the future, all the better if it was for him and him alone.

Mitsuru suddenly stood up. "Speaking of school…" she said. "I have yet to order your school uniforms." She looked at the twins, Metis, Ken and Shinjiro. "But aside from that, I have an important announcement. Would all of you please come join me in the meeting room?"

Confused yet curious, the group followed Mitsuru to the meeting room. Once there, the group sat around the huge table, most of them were still chatting and overall being noisy until Mitsuru gave a glare which got them to quiet down, and cleared her throat. "Thank you for coming," she started. "I apologize for calling you so suddenly, but there are some pressing matters we have not discussed in the previous meeting and it requires our attention."

Minato and Minako exchanged glances. "It's about the chairman, isn't it Senpai?" they asked in unison.

Everybody looked at the twins and then back at Mitsuru, who sighed. "Yes, Arisato. It is regarding that man…" She looked down for a minute before facing the Investigation Team.

"So, what can you tell us about that guy?" Yosuke asked. "From what you mentioned, he seems even worse of a manipulator than Adachi."

"As you must be aware by now, Shuji Ikutsuki, also known as the Chairman, had a pivotal role in the Port Island Incident and the threat of The Fall," Mitsuru began. She needed to come clean with the younger group even if the subject was rather painful for her. "He was among the highest ranked scientists in the Kirijo Group, which was run by my late grandfather Koetsu Kirijo at that time, and was involved in the research of Shadows and their power. Originally, they intended to harness the Shadows' power as a means of time manipulation."

Chie blinked, surprised. "Time manipulation? As in a time machine?"

"Correct, Satonaka. However, in his later years, my grandfather seemed to have only nihilism in his heart. And the Shadow research deviated from its original goal. Through the experiments with Shadows, the lead scientists came to know about The Fall and nearly all of them embraced it, gathering a large mass of Shadows in hopes of resurrecting Death and bringing forth The Fall. Only one of the head scientists opposed to that." Mitsuru took a deep breath and glanced at Yukari, who nodded in understanding. "That man was Eiichiro Takeba, Yukari's late father."

The Investigation Team gasped glances and turned to look at Yukari. "My father prevented Death from being completed and left a video warning about how to avoid The Fall from happening." She closed her eyes, shoulders shaking slightly in anger. Minato immediately held her hand to comfort her. "But the chairman… He altered the video and used it to trick us into doing the opposite of what my father wanted… and when we finally found out he'd been using us all along, he tried to kill us as sacrifices for Nyx."

"He reprogrammed me to do his bidding, but fortunately, my bond with Minato-san and Minako-san was stronger and released me from his control," Aigis continued with a bitter expression. Metis placed a hand on her shoulder. "But…"

"The damage caused by him was already done…" Mitsuru was trying her hardest to keep a neutral face. "He murdered my father and then committed suicide after being wounded in the stomach by a bullet. His mission to revive Death was long completed by the time he jumped to his death."

All that information shocked the younger teens, including Souji. He was aware of the story his surrogate siblings already told them, but had no idea of what sort of hell Ikutsuki had put not only the twins but all of their friends through. It also brought up another question.

"Assuming this 'chairman' that attacked our leaders using The Reaper is the same one that nearly brought the end of the world in the past, how could he know Souji-senpai or his parents for that matter?" Naoto questioned, earning murmurs of agreement from her teammates.

"I'm afraid I don't have an answer for that at the moment, Shirogane," Mitsuru said. "During our trip to Yakushima, I took the liberty of going to the Kirijo Group labs located on the island with Fuuka, Aigis and Metis to see if any of the equipment there had been tampered with, and to find any possible information regarding Seta's family."

"We did find some data, but it's heavily coded. Decoding it all will take some time. But as soon as I uncover something, I promise to let you all know," Fuuka said.

"Don't forget guys; the chairman's not above using others for his own goals," Minato said. "For all we know, he could simply be lying about knowing Souji-kun and his family to try and mess with our heads like he did with me and my sister to bring out our Shadows."

"Since he doesn't have a Persona, it'll be extremely difficult for Fuuka-chan and Rise-chan to track him down, not to mention he also has The Reaper to do the dirty work for him. So yes, he's even more dangerous than Adachi," Minako added. "This means we'll have to be extra careful during our expeditions to the other side."

"Which brings us to the other reason for this meeting," Mitsuru continued from where the twins left off. "This dorm will act as our official venue for discussing any Shadow-related findings while the 'Special Headquarters' at Junes will be our meeting place for training and investigations to the other side. Our activities cannot be openly discussed at school or workplaces so they must be addressed in a more confidential manner."

Souji had an idea what Mitsuru was proposing. "Mitsuru-san, are you suggesting that…"

The red-head nodded with a small smile. "Correct, Seta. While we have already joined forces, I'd like to make it official. Henceforth, a new team will be formed and for that, a new name is needed."

As soon as Mitsuru finished that sentence, the room became noisy again. Everybody was talking at the same time trying to voice out their opinions and suggestions, followed by Koromaru's incessant barking. Only Shinjiro remained silent, preferring to observe.

Junpei shot up from his seat and waved an arm in the air like an overexcited child. "Oh, oh, me, me, me! Let me make up a name for our new team!"

The former juniors of Gekkoukan rolled their eyes at this. It was expected of Junpei after all. Minako, being nice and decided to humor him, asked "So what do you have in mind, Junpei-kun? I bet it sounds awesome."

"Cuz it is!" Junpei gave her a flirtatious wink. "We'll call our team The Super Shadow Destroyers!" He made a superhero pose to add more effect.

Everyone sweatdropped. Honestly, how childish could he get?

"Junpei, that's the most ridiculous name I've ever heard," Yukari deadpanned.

"Since our former secret club was called S.E.E.S, how about P.E.E.P?" the capped teed suggested again, ignoring Yukari's comment. "Ya know, since the S stands for 'Shadow', then the P can be 'Persona'!"

The girls blushed at that. Was the idiot even aware of what he just said?

"Oh yeah, and what does the E's in between stand for?" Akihiko questioned, not impressed whatsoever.

"Uhhh…." was his intelligent reply.

Minato sighed. "You really didn't think about it, did you?"

"What a moron…" Shinjiro scoffed.

"Oh! Oh! I've got one!" Teddie exclaimed, flailing his arms. "Bear-sona Rangers Association!"

The girls, minus Yukiko, glared daggers at him for the suggestion while the guys face-palmed. Koromaru seemed indifferent about it, silently wagging his tail.

Teddie blinked owlishly, clueless as to why they were mad at him. "What? It does sound pretty cool…"

Yukiko cocked her head in confusion. "Huh? I don't get it. Bear-sona…Rangers…Association…? B…R…A…" Once she finally understood, her cheeks flushed red and glowered furiously at Teddie, who sat next to her and Souji. "Haven't you learned your lesson already!?" Without warning, she slapped him so hard that his eyes were spinning in their sockets.

"Ouch… that's gonna leave a mark…" Kanji winced. He knew firsthand how hard Yukiko could slap a guy; must be all those heavy trays she had to carry while working at the Inn.

"Wheee ~ I'm seeing stars all over the place ~ " Teddie sang dizzily.

"Any _other_ ideas?" Naoto exasperatedly asked. "And please, one _without_ an inappropriate meaning hidden within the acronym?"

"What's so hard about combining the two former names to make a new one?" Yosuke said, leaning back in his chair. He closed his eyes and thought really hard. "Hmm…Persona Investigation and Execution Squad…" His eyes opened and he looked pleased. "Hey, I like the sound of that!"

"Th-that does sound good…" Fuuka agreed softly.

"Are you kidding me?!" Chie got up from her seat and hit her boyfriend on the head. "Yosuke, you just called our new team P.I.E.S. Pies! That a food! People won't take us seriously when we sound like food!"

Yosuke rubbed his head and glared back in return. "Oh yeah, why don't you come up with something then?!" And from there the two went at it, arguing like a married couple.

Mitsuru grew impatient after hearing all of the ridiculous and immature ideas, and the couple's arguing didn't help on the matter. More than annoyed, she slammed the table with a fist. "You two! Stop that childish banter this instant!"

Everyone was surprised by her reaction, effectively shutting them up. _'Looks like Akihiko-senpai / Aki rubbed off on her…'_ the twins and Shinjiro thought.

The Kirijo heiress sighed and ran a hand through her hair to try and regain her composure. "I already thought of a name, though I admit Hanamura almost got it right."

"For real?" Yosuke blinked in surprise before he smirked at Chie, pointing to her face. "Ha!"

"Do you want a kick in the face or below the belt?" she growled warningly. Yosuke quickly shut up.

Mitsuru ignored the duo and continued. "For now on, our group will be known as Specialized Paranormal Investigation and Execution Squad or simply S.P.I.E.S for short."

"SPIES…" Rise smiled. "Sounds like something out of an action series, huh Naoto-kun?"

Naoto smiled. "I admit it's got a nice ring to it."

"Yeah, it sounds really cool without being silly," Ken supplied, trying to hide his enthusiasm about it.

Everybody else agreed, including Koromaru who barked happily. "Very well then. It's settled." Minato stood up, followed by Minako and Souji. "Today SPIES is officially formed."

"Together we'll find the culprit behind the Fog and the Dark Hour," Souji added.

"And kick the ass of whoever tries to stop us!" Minako concluded. "You guys with us?"

"YEAH!" The team joined in the cheer, determination shining brightly in their eyes.

The Wild Cards smiled at their friends when a card flashed in their minds. A card they knew very well, followed by the familiar voice saying:

_Thou art I… And I am thou…  
>Thou hast established a new bond…<em>

_It brings thee closer to the truth…  
>Thou shalt be blessed when creating Personas of the Fool Arcana…<br>_  
>They exchanged secret smiles.<p>

Souji checked his watch. "Oh wow, it's getting late. I promised Nanako I'd be home early to help with her homework."

"That's right! Summer break is just about over," Yukiko said. "Thank goodness I already finished more than half of my assignments."

"What?!" Chie gasped. "Oh crap, I totally forgot about that! Yukiko, please help me…I-I haven't even touched that thing!"

Kanji cursed. "Of all the things to remember, it had to be that…"

"Don't worry, Kanji-kun. If you ever need help, you can always call me," Naoto consoled her boyfriend, not able to hide her blush.

Yosuke looked like the world was about to end. "Noooo! Queen Tut will punish me even worse if I don't complete her assignments!" he wailed, but then perked up. "Wait a minute…Souji's here. Partner, let me copy yours!"

Yukiko sweatdropped. "Yosuke-kun, he just transferred here…have you forgotten already?"

"Yosuke is dimwitted as always," Teddie teased.

"Shut up, you stupid bear! You didn't even touch yours as far as I'm concerned!"

Yukari turned to Fuuka who was sitting beside her. "I'm glad we finished our assignments early, or else we'd be cramming just before the classes start."

"Yeah, I'd hate for that to happen. The first week is always the stressful part," Fuuka said.

Junpei had the same expression as Yosuke's. "You guys finished already?! B-but…that's not fair! You started without me!" he accused.

Red tick marks appeared all over Yukari's forehead. "What's not fair, Junpei? I lost count on how many times Fuuka and I had to remind you of that!"

Minato chuckled. "Jeez, you never change, do you?"

Souji laughed at their antics. "Come on guys…even if I just transferred, I'm pretty sure I'll be getting some extra credit assignments to make up for the summer homework, if that makes you feel any better. I guess I'll just be reviewing the materials while I'm helping Nanako."

"Looks like we're in the same boat, Senpai," Rise piped in earning glances from everybody. "I guess I forgot to tell you after all the excitement that's happened. I'll be taking an even longer hiatus to finish school like a normal student."

That information surprised her Inaba friends. "But what did your family say to that?" Souji asked. He knew how much she enjoyed showbiz, despite the harshness that comes with being a starlet. "What about your manager?"

Rise smiled a bit sadly. "Grandma and Inoue-san already approved of my decision. My parents already moved back here to help me with anything I need." She quickly changed her tone to a more cheerful one. "Sorry I didn't tell you guys earlier. Shouldn't you be heading home now, Senpai? Nanako-chan is gonna get worried."

"Does that mean I have to do extra-credit assignments too?" Metis asked, sounding anxious.

"Most likely," Minako answered. "And we also have to work extra hard to make up for classes before the summer break. I'm just curious how the teachers would grade us…"

"And we should be heading back to the Inn," Mitsuru interjected. "We'll be back here tomorrow to arrange all the furniture, and after that discuss any school-related issues that might come up. Akihiko and I understand how hard it is to balance school and Shadow activities, especially when you're a senior." She glared threateningly at Shinjiro. "I expect you to participate, or else…"

Shinjiro waved her off. "Yeah, yeah…college entry exams and all that shit."

"Then I better get going," Souji said, standing up. "And don't worry, if you guys need any help tomorrow, we'd be happy to stop by. I might even bring Nanako with me."

"I'll go with you," Minako offered. "I wanna help Nanako-chan with her homework!"

"Then I might as well come along to keep her company," her twin added, putting his blue earphones on and pumping up the volume.

"Very well. This meeting is adjourned," Mitsuru said with finality. "We'll see you tomorrow."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Shopping District…<strong>__  
><em>  
>Kanji walked Rise and Naoto back to their homes. Due to all the weird stuff happening, Souji had advised them to always walk together, especially after the sun was down.<p>

Rise was chattering as usual, commenting about all the gossip the girls had talked about while getting the rooms cleaned up. She was about to tease Kanji and question Naoto about her being on his room when she spotted a moving truck in front of one of the previously closed shops. "Hey, check that out. Never thought I'd see two moving trucks in one day…"

Kanji raised an eyebrow. "A shop? Didn't think any would open up here after Junes."

As they walked past it, they spotted a sign. "Shinshoudo Antiques. Grand Opening soon!" Naoto read it out loud. "An antiques shop…How peculiar…"

"Why would anyone open an antiques shop here?" Kanji wondered.

Rise shrugged. "Beats me, Kanji." Her attention was diverted to people coming out of the truck. "Hey, look!"

A middle-aged woman with tanned skin and black hair wearing casual beige clothing and glasses walked into the front door, carrying a box filled with terracotta vases. She was soon followed by a girl around their age, or perhaps a bit older. She had pale skin, blueish-gray hair and piercing red eyes, dressed in a long, grey summer dress. Both women stared at the trio with unreadable expressions before they entered the shop, not bothering to say hi.

Kanji was confused. "What the hell was that all about?"

"Judging from their body language, they must be mother and daughter," Naoto deduced. "That girl could be an adopted child, or maybe raised by a single mother."

"Alright, a new girl in town! Now I'll have someone else to talk to and hang out with while doing errands for Grandma!" Rise cheered.

"That won't stop you from pestering me time to time though…" the former delinquent muttered.

"Aw, c'mon Kanji, I know you enjoy my company." Rise winked at him, giggling as he groaned in return.

"Come on, you two, we should be going," Naoto reminded them. "It's getting late."

"Fine…" Rise pouted, and smiled again. "We'll probably meet her when school starts. I hope she attends Yasogami too. She looked like she could use some friends."

As they walked away, none of them noticed the girl sneaking a peek from the door. "Yasogami… School… Friends…" she murmured, smiling excitedly. "I can't wait!"

* * *

><p>Fly me to the moon was Ohta-chan's idea. I loved it so much x3 You can find it here: youtube-dot-comwatch?v=P0B4kyWtYkU Enjoy =3

I'm sure you all know who's the girl Kanji, Rise and Naoto met, but I'm not saying anything for now. Also, if you find an important clue on this chapter for future ones, you deserve a cookie. X3

_Have fun and don't forget to Read and Review! _


	18. Chapter 18: Bonds and Rivalries

_Hi guys! I'm truly sorry for the delay. I had some issues on the past month and kept me from working on the fic. Hope this update makes up for it._

_Questions time!_

**KO**: Yup. Hopefully this chapter will answer some of your questions. As for Labrys, I really find her a neat character so I really wanted to add her.

ReachingOutFES: Hopefully soon. Job and some other issues kept me from working as much as I wanted.

Snake King: Hopefully soon. Works keep piling up

**13****The****Ace:** Harsh as it was, Teddie clearly deserved it. ^^;;

_A few warnings: (Yes, I put those before every chapter to avoid issues)_

_-There will be spoilers for all games! You've been warned.  
>-The Main characters from each game in this fanfic are called Minato Arisato (P3:FES), Minako Arisato (P3P) and Souji Seta (P4)<br>-There'll be some cursing. (Anyone that played any persona games knows that some characters on it curse quite a bit.) as well as some heavy subjects.  
>-Main Pairings in this fanfic: MinatoxYukari, ShinjiroxMinako, SoujixYukiko, KanjixNaoto, AkihikoxMitsuru, YosukexChie.<br>-Hinted Pairings(in later chapters): JunpeixChidori. (Hinted because Chidori doesn't appear much on this story) KenxNanako (Ya know those little girl's crushes on older boys? It'll be along those lines) FuukaxKeisuke (Other than Minato and Junpei, Fuuka only displayed some sort of close relationship with Keisuke the club president. I found it kinda cute.) TeddiexRise (Just for giggles. They are after all the two hyperactive cuties of the team X3)_

_Have fun ya guys. On with the show!_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 18: Bonds and Rivalries<strong>

"Is everybody here?" Souji questioned as he scanned the faces of his teammates. They agreed last night to meet up at Dojima's house the next morning, and reminded them to bring their summer assignments. The only ones who didn't protest at this were Yukiko, Naoto, and surprisingly Yosuke. Satisfied that none were absent, he smiled to Nanako standing beside him. "Alright, everyone's here. Did you bring all your stuff?" He proceeded to lock the door.

The little girl smiled and nodded. "Yup! I brought all my homework I couldn't finish yesterday."

"Why did we have to bring our homework with us?" Kanji mumbled unhappily. "I thought we were just helping them arrange their furniture…"

"Yeah," Chie agreed. "Why are we having another study session like we did at Junes, or at your house? I mean, the last time we did that, all of us ended up _not_ studying. I blame the animal crackers."

"Hey!" Kanji and Rise protested in unison.

"Chie, I'm pretty sure you won't get everything done with the amount of time we have left. School starts in a week," Yukiko reminded her. She knew her best friend was rather slow when it came to academic matters, and with her pace she'll never finish her assignments by herself on time.

Souji walked ahead holding Nanako's hand. The others trailed behind him, chatting excitedly. Yasogami High would sure to become more colorful after this.

"So partner, what's the plan for today, anyway?" Yosuke asked.

"After I got home yesterday, I talked with Aneki and Aniki," Souji said. "Turns out those transferring to school with us also have a lot of homework to do…"

…_**Flashback…**_

"_I wonder what kind of homework Nanako-chan is given," Minato wondered aloud as he fiddled with his MP3 player. They were walking back to the Dojima Residence after the twins offered to help him with Nanako's summer homework._

_Souji blew out a warm breath against the cold night air, a small wisp of mist condensing in front of his face. "Last year she mostly had essays and reading assignments, along with a crafts project. Kanji helped her with that. But my favorite was the picture diary."_

"_Picture diary, huh?" Minako mused. "I remember helping Maiko-chan with that one. We had a lot of fun!"_

_Minato then proceeded to explain who Maiko was before Souji could even ask, including the Arcana of her social link. "And she moved away with her mother after her parents' divorce," he concluded. They already reached their destination without even realizing._

"_We're back!" Souji announced, taking off his shoes after opening the door. The twins followed, and were greeted by Dojima who was sitting at the dinner table, reading the newspaper._

_The older man grunted, and turned his gaze from the miniscule texts. "Oh, Souji. I was wondering when you were getting back." He bent down and placed four brown paper-wrapped packages on the table, that were previously beside his chair. One was rather thin, but the other three were thicker. "These came to my office while you were away. It's from your previous school."_

_Souji raised an eyebrow. "From Gekkoukan High?"_

"_It's not just for you. It's also for you two –" Dojima pointed to the twins, "– and Aragaki. I'm pretty sure they sent it to me all at once because they knew you lot were coming here."_

_Nanako came rushing down the stairs, excited when she heard the voices of her cousin and his surrogate siblings. "Aniki, Aneki!" she squealed, glomping them in record speed. Minako almost fell over from the force of the hug. "Easy there, Nanako-chan," she giggled, patting her hair. "We came today to help you with your homework. Souji-kun said it was a lot."_

"_Un," Nanako nodded. "We'll start after dinner. Dad just brought back some really delicious side dishes. I cooked enough rice for all of us!"_

_Dojima laughed light-heartedly. "You guys can stay for dinner. If I'm right about those," he nudged his chin towards the wrapped packages in their arms, "you'll need to be starting soon."_

"_Alright, I'll go put these in my room while you guys set the table," Souji said. Minato helped him carry half while his twin helped Nanako._

_After a wonderful family dinner, Dojima continued to read the paper as Souji, the twins and Nanako sat around the short table in the living room, their books and stationary strewn all over the surface. They had opened their packages earlier and found that the teachers from Gekkoukan had mailed them their homework, including those the twins had missed during their coma, plus some exam sheets and tests. Souji and Minato browsed through what they had to do in the next seven days, while Minako was happily helping Nanako with her essay._

_Minato grabbed a fistful of his hair and let out an exhausted sigh. "How are we gonna finish these in a matter of weeks?" he groaned. "I don't mind the extra work, but this is too much…"_

_Souji could understand his frustration, but he dared not complain since his workload was much, much lighter. "Don't worry, Aniki. I can tutor you with the lessons that you missed for the previous semester, and I'm pretty sure Yukiko could help too."_

_Minato nodded. Perhaps Yukari could also help him with his studies. He grinned at the thought. _'I'll be looking forward to that.'

"_It looks like Shinjiro-san's pile is the highest," Souji sweatdropped. "I'm guessing it's because he missed nearly two years of high school, and this is the teachers' punishment. He's not going to be happy…"_

"_Then why don't we have a group study session starting from tomorrow?" Minako interrupted as Nanako was distracted with her work. "I'm pretty sure there are more people who need help with their homework. After all, two heads are better than one, right?"_

_Souji sighed. "Tell that to my team. The last time we gathered for a group study, we didn't get any work done. All because Kanji and Rise were arguing over animal crackers, trying to find the elusive penguin."_

"_Yeah, I can totally see that happening with Junpei," Minato snorted._

"_Then it's a good thing Mitsuru-senpai will be there," Minako beamed. "She's a real discipline enforcer, so I'm sure all of us can finish on time. After all, she isn't the only one who wants to see Shinji-kun graduate."_

_Souji and Minato sweatdropped, but they couldn't refute what she said either. They took turns helping Nanako and discussing how to manage their time during the last stretch of the holidays._

_Dojima offered to send the twins back to the inn in his car along with their piles of assignments, after Souji had put Nanako to bed._

…_**End flashback…**_

"So, do you think the study session this time will work?" Naoto asked, looking a bit skeptical.

"Yes. From what Aneki and Aniki said, Mitsuru-san can be quite…_forceful_…when it comes to academics. And you already saw what happens when someone gets her annoyed." Souji received sweatdrops and shivers. "So guys, no fooling around this time. You got that?"

Everybody nodded. That's when Kanji noticed someone heading their way. "Huh? Ain't that Shinjiro-senpai and Koro-chan?"

The group looked up ahead and indeed Shinjiro was walking Koromaru. Judging from the look on the senior's face, anyone could tell he was in a foul mood. "Damn asshole teachers and their shitload of schoolwork!" he complained, loud enough for anyone to hear. "I oughta shove their assignments up into their asses and *$^#-+^%*!" He kept spewing obscenities until he bumped into Souji, who was covering Nanako's ears for obvious reasons. "Oh…hey," he greeted nonchalantly.

"Hello, Shinjiro-san…" Souji greeted back with a tight smile as he purposely summoned Lucifer from his psyche. The rest of his team and Koromaru instinctively backed off, feeling the murderous vibe radiating from the silverette. "I know you're upset about your workload, but I _must_ ask you to refrain from cursing, especially in front of Nanako." His left iris almost turned black as he released his cousin, who rushed up to the Shiba Inu. With long strides, he came face-to-face with Shinjiro, and whispered something in his ear. _"Do I make myself clear?!"_

Shinjiro gulped. He wasn't stupid and immediately knew that this guy wasn't kidding around. "Yeah, yeah… I get the point…" He looked at Nanako, who was busy playing with Koromaru, and then back at Souji. "My bad."

The youngest leader smiled with satisfaction. "I knew you'd understand." He dismissed Lucifer instantly, a huge smile on his face. "Then, shall we get going?"

No one dared to object as they moved on. Shinjiro was at the back of the group, trying to remain calm despite the fact his heart was racing. Although he wasn't wearing his coat for a change, he was sweating even more than usual for a summer's day. _'Damn Wild Card's ability… Another close call like that and I'm done for…'_

* * *

><p>Nanako was impressed with the size of the dorm building, especially the front yard where she played fetch and a few other games with Koromaru. SPIES got to work, arranging the furniture and putting everything in their proper places. After assisting with the new dorm, it was starting to look like a proper dwelling minus the personal touches, but that would be added with time. The former SEES members had already checked out of the Amagi Inn first thing in the morning and brought all their stuff in.<p>

A short break and an icy glare from Mitsuru later, SPIES gathered in the meeting room, seating themselves around the large meeting table and piling their books on it. They broke into small groups to assist each other with their homework.

"Okay, this is the part where you really need to be careful guys. No Chie, we're not taking a break until we finish this page! Now, as I was saying, you multiply it with this specific trigonometric identity and then it becomes easier to solve because…Yosuke, 'sec' is short for secant, and not pronounced as 'sex'!" He threw a book at his friend's face. "Get your brain out of the gutter!"

While Souji was having slight difficulty tutoring his friends, Yukiko wasn't having any problems with the Arisato twins. She went through snippets of the revision subjects, making sure to go slow. It was overwhelming at first, but the twins caught up and the lessons became much easier.

As expected, Shinjiro wasn't happy with the amount of work assigned by his former teachers. Since nobody but Minako and Koromaru could handle him in a bad mood, Akihiko bravely took up the challenge to prompt his best friend into studying. "Come on, Shinji. You can totally do this. Long division isn't that hard! You just have to hit the variable with the highest degree first, and knock them down by order until you obtain the smallest nominator. See?" Akihiko began scribbling onto a piece of paper, showing Shinjiro the steps to solve one math problem for his homework.

Shinjiro could only roll his eyes, bored out of his mind. _'Typical Aki. Always with the boxing jargons...' _Despite not wanting to, he sucked it up and listened. A huge part of him wanted to impress his girlfriend and make her proud. And if he didn't graduate, Mitsuru would murder him for sure.

On the other side of the table, Naoto was going through English with Kanji and Rise. Kanji seemed serious, but if one paid enough attention, they could see his eyes were starting to swirl while reading the literature text. Halfway, Rise got bored and started flipping through a teen magazine. It was only when Teddie, who sat beside her, made perverted comments about the models did she slap him with the magazine and continued to study. Yukari decided to step in and tutor her instead. The two Lovers soon found a comfortable rhythm. Rise didn't even complain once about the difficulties of the lessons; Yukari's perspective made it easier to understand. Teddie, who was ignored completely, wallowed in sorrow behind his textbooks. "The wind of society is a cold breeze…" he kept mumbling.

Aigis was going over everything with Metis, her patience knowing no bounds to quench her sister's insatiable curiosity. Fuuka was also patiently watching over Junpei doing math, correctly him gently whenever he made some missteps. The capped young man was sincerely trying his best, but everyone could see how much he was struggling. Yukari and Rise were making silent bets on when his brain would finally explode.

At the other end of the table, Ken was helping Nanako since he was the only one free and capable to do so. The little girl was trying hard not to squeal or blush at being so close to her crush, nodding furiously every time he asked her if she understood or had any questions. Souji was too busy with Yosuke and Chie to notice this though.

Watching over them was Mitsuru, who was sitting at one corner of the room with her laptop on a foldable desk, typing a report of some sort. Anyone who dared to complain or whine would answer to her. Fortunately, everybody behaved to avoid her wrath. Koromaru, being the only one who didn't have to study, snoozed contently at her feet.

It was early evening when the gang had enough and demanded a break. "Now would be a good time for tea," Minako said, stretching her back. "I think there are enough ingredients in the kitchen to bake some sugar cookies."

"Let me help you," Yukiko offered.

"And I'll make some sandwiches. I don't think cookies are enough," Fuuka said. As she followed the two to the kitchen, she failed to notice how everyone's faces turned pale aside from Nanako. Even Koromaru had woken up and started to whimper. He nuzzled against Nanako's leg, hoping she could save him from the impending doom. She could only pet him, puzzled by his behavior.

Akihiko nudged Shinjiro's ribs. "Shinji, go keep an eye on them!" he hissed. "Who knows what those two will come up with without you backing Minako up!" Shinjiro wasn't concerned at first, but when he remembered Yosuke's comment regarding Yukiko's cooking and Fuuka's destructive tendency with utensils, he worried for his pristine kitchen and made a dash towards it, leaving the others exhaling in relief.

"That was a close call…" Junpei said, slumped tiredly against the table surface. "If not, it would've had a double whammy of sore brains and an upset stomach."

"Do you even have a brain, Junpei?" Yukari teased.

"Hey, it's rude to call Sir Junpei brainless!" Teddie protested.

"You're still calling him that?" Kanji sweatdropped. Light teasing and laughter soon followed.

While the girls and Shinjiro worked on the snacks, Souji headed for the garden to get some fresh air. He was rubbing his temples and sighing, with light groans between intervals. Most assumed he was just tired from all the studying and tutoring, but Minato knew better and decided to follow him.

At the garden, Souji sat beneath one of the trees near the swing and sighed. Minato joined him. "Izanagi again?" he asked softly.

Souji nodded. "I don't know what's wrong with him …" he sighed. "In the middle of the tutoring, he started getting agitated again. It took a lot to keep my focus so it wouldn't interfere with the study session."

Minato crossed his arms. "I wonder why that keeps happening to you, but not to me or Minako…" he pondered.

"I'm not sure. It all started after we met that masked man…" Souji leaned back against the tree, closing his eyes. The two sat in silence for a long while before he spoke again. "I can't help but feeling there's a connection there."

"Maybe there is," Minako said as she approached them, balancing a tray with sandwiches, three cups of tea and a plateful of cookies. "It's strange, but after meeting that man, I felt something different with Eurydice and my other Personas." She placed the tray on the grass and sat next to her brothers. "I don't know how to put it, but they kinda feel like they're more in tune with myself, like… ya know, in complete _harmony_." She emphasized the last word by pressing her right palm above her heart.

"Now that you mentioned that, I do feel the same regarding Orpheus and the rest," Minato said thoughtfully as he took a bite of a sandwich. "At first I thought it was because our Shadows getting defeated, but I felt they became more…_complete_ after we met that man."

"So, he had a hand on your Persona's power becoming more stable?" Souji questioned, taking a sip of tea.

"That I can't be sure, but it seems like it." Minako munched on another cookie. "When Izanagi gets agitated, does anything come to your mind, Banchou-kun?"

Souji closed his eyes in thought. "Well, sometimes there are these images flashing through my mind and when that happens, he starts pounding inside my head like crazy." He massaged his temples. "They go too fast. I see men in white clothes, my parents, black blobs… I can't really make out anything else."

"Hmm…That's really odd," Minato said. "There's gotta be a connection between those images, Izanagi's behavior and your headache."

"Yes, but what is that connection?" Souji ran his fingers through his hair in frustration, pulling at the dark silver strands. "And why does this keeps happening? Is it connected to my parents? Or is it related to that chairman? Gah! I just don't know anymore!"

The twins frowned, not knowing what to say to comfort their surrogate younger brother, who continued eating their light meal and dealing with Izanagi's constant hammering. They knew that he was finally pain-free when his tense shoulders relaxed, and his eyebrows weren't scrunched up together. They continued to sit in silence, listening to the birds singing.

The silence was broken by the sound of footsteps. Chie and Akihiko were walking up to them. From the looks of it, they were in a good mood.

Akihiko smirked at her. "Alright, ready to go Satonaka?"

"You bet, Senpai!" Chie grinned back at him, overflowing with enthusiasm.

Whatever they were talking about, it got the trio curious. Forgetting their concerns, the Wild Cards stood up and approached to them. "Hey, what are you two up to?" Minako asked.

"We're gonna train!" Chie replied excitedly.

Souji raised an eyebrow. "First Yosuke, and now Akihiko-san?"

"What can I say? Satonaka is the best sparring partner I've had in a while." Akihiko punched the air before grinning back at Chie. "Besides, I need to get back at her for our first match."

"Your first match? Wait, so you sparred before and lost, Senpai?" Minato was rather surprised. Whatever challenge that involved physical strength, Akihiko never lost.

"Yeah…" he mumbled, rubbing the back of his head. "That was a little while before you guys arrived in Inaba."

"Oh yeah, we had just dropped off Nanako-chan home and were heading back," Chie said. "It wasn't dark yet so I wanted to train a bit since we didn't get any action after visiting the TV World."  
><em><br>__**…Flashback…  
><strong>__  
>Ever since his group reached Inaba and met the younger group of Persona users, even getting to know them a little, Akihiko often wondered how this group of youngsters fought and trained, despite living in a remote area far away from the proper training facilities in the city. He himself was lucky that he at least had a coach when he was in Gekkoukan High boxing club, and Officer Kurosawa supplied them with some of the best weapons available.<em>

Akihiko looked around. This small town didn't have anything he was accustomed to having back when he and SEES fought Shadows. Just hours ago, the Investigation Team introduced them to Old Man Daidara, the person responsible for crafting weapons the team used when they were venturing into the TV World. It wasn't a big shop, and the whole town knew what the old man did for a living. The shop had a mysterious air about it, nothing sinister of the sort but still he wondered. Even the general store where the younger group bought their supplies of medicinal and restorative items gave off the same, mystifying vibe. Not that Akihiko minded; dealing with Personas and Shadows tend to have that effect on you.

"Yosuke, how about you and me go and get some training done at our usual place?" Chie asked her companion-in-training when the entire group was walking home after leaving Nanako at the Dojima Residence.

Yosuke only shook his head. "Sorry Chie, not today. My dad asked me to come back early and pitch in restocking duty," he answered, followed by a groan. Out of all the chores he had to do, that was the one he hated most.

The word 'training' made Akihiko's ears twitch. Ever since he graduated from high school and started college, he hadn't been able to keep up with his regimen as much as he wanted to, thanks to various assignments and tight deadlines. He also wanted to see how well these younger teens could fight. It'll be killing two birds with one stone. His next words flew out of his mouth. "Instead of Hanamura, why don't you train with me, Satonaka?"

Every head around turned to the three. The conversation just got a tad interesting.

Chie was taken by surprise. Never in her lifetime had somebody volunteered to train with her. Even if Yosuke was her training buddy, she was the one who had to drag him along. "Are you alright with that, Sanada-san? I mean…an amateur like me…"

"All the better to start training, right?" Akihiko gave Chie a small smile. "Besides, ever since I entered college I think I've gotten soft. I couldn't keep up with my training as much as I would like to."

Yosuke let out a big chuckle. "Haha, good luck with that. There are two things in the entire world that our Chie is passionate about: meat and training."

"Why you little –"

"So it seems that Akihiko isn't the only one who has the same train of thought," Mitsuru cut her off. "And to think meeting such a person who happens to be a Persona user as well, I must say the odds of that are close to zero." She covered a delicate chuckle with her right hand. "Today is just full of surprises."

Akihiko's ears turned red. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"If you're serious about that, then you're gonna need safety pads," Kanji chipped in. "I still have some at my house if you wanna borrow 'em."

'Is that fear in his eyes?'_ Akihiko thought, noticing how the other Emperor, despite his size, seemed to shrink whenever Chie turned to look at him. _'What exactly happened between those two?'

_"Don't worry about that, dudes," Junpei interjected. "Akihiko-senpai used to be a boxing champion back in high school. But I would sure love to see his ass get kicked, especially by a girl."_

A nerve on Akihiko's forehead was throbbing. "Junpei…" he said in a warning tone.

Fuuka decided it was her time to speak up. "Um…I think it's a good idea to wear safety pads for protection, even if it is for training. What do you say, Senpai?"

Before Akihiko could speak, Chie cheered with renewed vigor. "Awesome, then let's start the training immediately!" She started to throw some jabs into the air, almost hitting Teddie square in the jaw.

"Watch it, Chie-chan! I can't let you hit my bear-ry beautiful face," Teddie said as he threw some of his sparkles at Yukari and Yukiko. They both felt disturbed.

Yosuke let out a sigh. "YOU are helping me since we both work there, Ted. No excuses this time."

"But that's not fair!" he complained.

Yosuke crossed his arms against his chest. "Then why don't you go train with Chie instead?"

Teddie started to sweat. He didn't like where this was going. "Uh…I change my mind. I'll help you!"

The blonde's swift change of behavior from whiny to compliant had the other SEES members bewildered. Yosuke and Teddie took their leave after bidding everyone goodbye.

"Yosh! Kanji, you go get those safety pads. Meet us at the riverside, where Yosuke and I often train!" Chie pointed to Kanji with a dictative tone.

"Good luck… Ya gonna need it…" Kanji mumbled under his breath and sauntered off to the direction of his house. His ramblings were loud enough for Akihiko to hear.

As they were walking towards the flood plain, everybody's curiosity was at its peak. Akihiko wondered time and time again just how strong this Satonaka girl really was. For someone like Kanji (who reminded him strongly of his foul-mouthed, punk-ass best friend) to be scared of training with her, she must be really strong indeed, and maybe a bit violent. He couldn't help but smile at this newly awaited challenge.

When they reached their destination, it was Ken who finally broke the silence. "How come Yosuke-san is the only one willing to train with Chie-san? Kanji-san looked more suitable if you ask me."

"Errr…he had a bad experience with Chie last year. I don't really think he'll like it if I told any of you," Yukiko chuckled.

"Aww…come on Yukiko-senpai. I always wanted to know about that. Kanji never tells me anything!" Rise whined.

"While it is true that Kanji-kun is strong, I do think that Chie-senpai has too much stamina for her own good," Naoto said. "She should cut back on the beef bowls and steaks."

Everyone laughed at that statement. Akihiko turned red again.

'Now why does that sound so familiar?'

"_Don't let Senpai hear that, Naoto. You know how she feels about that particular food group," Kanji warned her in a low whisper. Fortunately for them, Chie ran ahead and couldn't hear. He was panting, trying to catch his breath after making it back from his house. He carried two sets of safety equipment in his arms, and handed one to Akihiko._

"What kind weapon do you use, Chie-san?" Aigis asked.

"My kicks of course," Chie said, eyes sparkling. "Hwa-taaaaa!" She doubled back and did a round-house kick like Bruce Lee.

"Then this fight is fair, to say the least." Mitsuru sweatdropped as she watched Chie begin to shadow-box. The red-head didn't know what to say. As far as she knew, Akihiko never fought with a girl before, let alone a kung-fu movie addict. Then she grinned mischievously.

'This will be good entertainment.'

"I suggest we let Aigis be the referee," Fuuka piped in. Koromaru voiced his agreement in barks.

"A sound suggestion, Fuuka. Do you have any objections, Akihiko?" Mitsuru asked the boxer.

"Nope, sounds good to me," Akihiko said as he donned on boxing gloves.

"Then I suggest that two out of three hits are necessary to determine the winner," Aigis stated. "What do you think?"

Chie didn't hesitate to agree. "No problem. That's what Souji-kun and I used to do all the time before he left."

"Yeah, I think that's fair," Akihiko said.

As both fighters prepped themselves for the training / fight, the other spectators kept their distance.

'Any fight with Chie/Akihiko in it is going to get messy,'_ they thought._

Aigis stepped forward. "Then let the battle commence!" Both Chie and Akihiko took their stances. The blonde robot took out a pink handkerchief from her pocket, held it above her head, and gave the starting signal. "Begin!"

Both Chie and Akihiko stepped forward, eager to start. Chie scanned the tall boxer, her brain doing some serious calculation, and decided to aim for Akihiko's ribs from the get-go because she was shorter than him. She wanted to get a feel of his fighting style before hitting any other targets on his body.

At first, Akihiko was nervous because he never fought a girl before. He wasn't thinking when he accepted Chie's challenge. But he realized from Chie's fighting stance that the girl wasn't just a martial arts enthusiast, merely copying fighting styles from movies. There was a spark in her eyes that told him she was out to prove something, and he immediately understood. He threw his nervousness away, and gave 100% focus to the fight before him, just like in the boxing ring.

Chie successfully dodged Akihiko's punches. She side-stepped to his left when he tried to give her a right hook, leaving his right side wide open. Chie stooped down and spun around, the momentum collected in her right leg hitting Akihiko's side with a good amount of force.

Wincing in pain, Akihiko retreated and put up a guarding stance.

'This girl is better than I thought.'

Junpei was filming the fight with his digital camera. "Ouch, that has gotta hurt. Haha, Senpai is getting owned!"

"It was a good thing you suggested the safety pads, Kanji-kun. Those are some dangerous legs," Yukari commented.

Rise shook her head. "You should see the special attack she uses on Shadows. Two words: NOT. PRETTY."

Seeing Akihiko's focus waver, Chie attacked him with a frenzy of kicks. He did his best to block them.

'What is with this girl? Her kicks are so hard my arms feel like they're gonna break!'_ Nonetheless, Akihiko continued to block her attacks, waiting for a chance to strike. It finally downed on him that Chie was aiming for his ribs, most probably because of her height. _'So she's playing it like that, huh? Guess it's time to show her I'm serious too.'  
><em><br>Akihiko's footwork set into motion. Instead of blocking Chie's attacks, this time he dodged them. After all, winning a fight doesn't consist of brute strength alone. However, side-stepping and ducking Chie's high kicks proved to be difficult because she was still shorter than he was. Any sloppy evasions would mean a direct hit to the head causing massive concussion. An opening presented itself when Chie aimed one of her kicks directly to Akihiko's left rib. He used his left hand to slap the leg away, and aimed his right punch toward her stomach. Fist made contact with gut, knocking the air out of her. The force was enough to get her stumbling backwards, but not enough to send her down. Chie stood her ground._

"One point for Chie-san, one point for Akihiko-san," Aigis announced.

"That was friggin' awesome!" Junpei half-squealed, half-shouted, still recording the fight. "Never thought Senpai had it in him to hit a girl though."

"Akihiko-san isn't holding back," Ken commented. "He usually holds back a bit when training with the freshman boxers back in school. I've seen him do so."

"Chie wouldn't be happy if he was either. That means he's taking her seriously," Yukiko smiled. After all, she knows Chie the best.

The martial-arts enthusiast couldn't help but feel excited. Adrenalin rushed to her head. She clutched her sore stomach and grinned at her now silver-haired rival.

'If he thinks that little punch was enough to take me down, he's got another thing coming!'

'The stubborn type, huh?'_ Akihiko thought, grinning back. '_Then it's a good thing I'm not holding back.'

This time, Chie decided to change tactics. Instead of just kicking, she used a mix of kicking and punching, something she learned while watching a Thai kick-boxing movie (which one of her classmates kindly lend to her). Although she hadn't practiced any of its moves, now was a good chance to start. She blocked and swiped Akihiko's fists with forceful palm thrusts, just like what he did to her kicks earlier. It was tough, because his punches were much stronger than her own, so she had to focus really hard in order to redirect them.

Akihiko became suspicious when Chie changed tactics.

'She's up to something…'_ He kept his jabs short but fast in order to thwart her into creating an opening, never taking his eyes off her._

Training with Yosuke had its advantages. Thanks to him, Chie's footwork improved and her evasion speed increased. Yosuke's specialty in battle was his high evasion and hit rate, compensating for his lack of strength. Chie used this to her advantage to dodge the boxer's swift jabs. Timing was important, her brain calculating furiously. In order to pull of this off successfully, she needed the full use of her lower body strength.

The boxer was starting to become impatient, seeing his opponent focusing solely on dodging.

'Time to finish this,'_ he thought. _'However, dropping my guard would mean I'll be open to her kicks,'_ his reason rationalized. Impatience was battling with reason, and impatience won. He drew his left arm back a bit further, intending to land a harder hit and making it much more difficult for her to swipe away his attacks._

Of course, Chie saw this, so it was now or never. As one of Akihiko's punches came flying her way, she side-stepped to her right as swiftly as possible. Quick as a flash, she used her Galactic Punt and aimed for Akihiko's stomach.

It surprised him, but he didn't have time to dodge or guard himself as the kick hit his abdomen. Akihiko cursed himself for being too brash as he was sent flying backwards and landed on his back, luckily missed hitting a tree. It took ten seconds for the adrenalin rush to go away before he started coughing and wincing in pain. Mitsuru was by his side in an instant.

"And the winner is Chie-san!" Aigis announced. "Congratulations."

"That was too awesome to describe in words!" Junpei jumped up and down in excitement. "Former boxing champion got his ass handed to him on a silver platter by a martial-arts wannabe, and I got it all on recording!"

"Stupei, keep your voice down!" Yukari scolded.

The Investigation Team were crowding Chie, patting her back and congratulating her.

"That was amazing, Chie-senpai!" Kanji and Rise exclaimed. The amount of respect (and fear) they had for their upperclassman shot up tremendously.

"I knew you could do it, Chie!" Yukiko beamed at her best friend.

"Souji-senpai would be proud!" Naoto added, smiling.

Junpei came to join them. "You totally kicked ass back there. I'm sure Yosuke and that Teddie dude would be happy to watch, since I got it all on video." He held up his digital camera for Chie to see.

Meanwhile Mitsuru, Ken and Koromaru surrounded Akihiko. They sat him up against a nearby tree, making sure he was comfortable.

"Here Akihiko, drink this." Mitsuru opened a bottle of medicine she purchased earlier at Shiroku Store and held it to his mouth. Akihiko drank without objection.

"You got impatient, Senpai," Ken said calmly. "She used that against you." Koromaru panted as if in agreement.

Akihiko coughed twice. "Yeah, I know. If Shinji was here he'd hit me and scold me about that," he chuckled.

Chie made her way to her new rival. "Are you okay? I'm really very sorry if I hit you too hard." She held out her hand to help him stand up.

"Don't worry about it". He took her hand, and with some help from Mitsuru managed to get back on his feet. "Where did you learn that, though? It hurt like hell."

"That's Chie-senpai's special attack, Galactic Punt," Naoto explained. "She made it up along the way during our fights with Shadows in the TV World. At least the full effect of that attack was toned way down since we're not able to use our Personas in the real world." Akihiko gulped. Now he was afraid to know what happened to the Shadows she used that move on.

"The way her face was screwing up during the entire fight, it looked just like the one during math class," Yukiko giggled.

Chie rolled her eyes. "If only my brain is that good for class though," she sighed.

"Looks like I need to double my training in order to keep up with you, Satonaka." Akihiko smiled painfully, his hand poised for a handshake. Not only was his body injured, but his pride was hurt as well.

Chie shook his hand and smiled. "You were pretty awesome yourself. I look forward to another training session with you."

"Then I suggest we all head back for some well deserved rest," Mitsuru said. "Akihiko will need some treatment for his injuries. It has been a long day after all." She turned around and faced Chie. "Congratulations, Satonaka. I believe this fight will be a lesson to him as well."

Chie blushed. "Ahahaha, no problem. So I guess we'll see you guys later."

And with that, the Investigation Team (save for Yukiko) and the former SEES parted ways back to their homes.

…_**End Flashback…**_

"And that's pretty much what happened," Akihiko explained. "Hurt my pride, but it also gave me back my drive to train."

"I take it Junpei didn't leave you alone for a while after that," Minato snickered.

"You don't know half of it… He bugged me all the way back to the Inn until I challenged him to a fight. That effectively shut him up."

Minako giggled. "That's Junpei-kun alright."

Akihiko suddenly remembered something. "Hey, do you guys mind not telling Shinji about this? Junpei was bad enough," he pleaded. "If he finds out, I'll never hear the end of it…"

"Too late." Shinjiro appeared from behind a nearby tree, walking up to them with a smirk on his face. "You've really gotten soft, Aki."

His childhood friend just groaned in response. "C'mon Shinji-kun, cut him some slack," Minako scolded him in Akihiko's defense.

"Meh, fine. Satonaka isn't a girl to be messed with anyway, so I'm not gonna tease Aki." Shinjiro shrugged, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "For now."

Akihiko ignored his best friend and turned his attention to Chie. "Let's get started. You know what they say, a strong mind and a strong body makes a strong soul." He looked at the Wild Cards. "Wanna join us? Some workout should do you guys some good."

The twins exchanged glances at each other and then at Souji. Both had trained with Akihiko before, and knew how hard it was to keep up with him – Minato was often asked to be his sparring partner, and picked up boxing skills along the way; his sister often jogged with their overzealous senpai. The silverette on the other hand, trained with Chie enough to know that she could give anyone a run for their money with her swift moves and nearly endless stamina.

"I'll pass. I get tired just watching you guys go over and over," Shinjiro said, picking up the empty tray and cups the three leaders had left. "Just a piece of advice: don't mess with the garden, or Mitsuru will have your heads for it." With that, he went back to the kitchen, smirking as he could tell his warning had left a strong impact.

"Shinjiro-senpai does have a point though," Minato stated, scratching his cheek. "Also, if the neighbors or any passers-by spot us training, it'll attract attention. Mostly unwanted for sure."

"Yeah, you're right." Chie pouted, but perked up instantly. "Oh! Maybe there's a more hidden place around here we could train…like a secret garden or forbidden training ground!"

"You watch too many movies, Chie-chan," Minako giggled. "But you do have a point. We haven't looked around the area that much when we moved in, so that's possible. Let's explore!"

The small group walked out of the compound, exploring the area around the nearby foothills. After a while, they stumbled across a rather secluded path which lead uphill, located at the back of the mansion. They climbed until they arrived at a rather flat plateau, surrounded by lush trees, bamboos and bushes. There was a tiny old shrine nearby – judging by the looks of it; it's been neglected for ages. They could see the entire neighboring area, but no one could see them.

Chie spoke up first. "Wow, it reminds me of those old training grounds the master would take their pupils for the final part of their training. So cool!"

"This place is perfect," Souji said. "We can make as much noise as we like without bothering people." He grinned at Akihiko. "Is your training offer still up, Akihiko-san?"

"Of course it is Souji. You guys are amazing in a fight with your weapons, but you should learn some basic hand-to-hand combat too. You never know what you may run into, after all. I said it earlier, a strong mind and a strong body makes a strong soul."

Souji mulled on Akihiko's words for a bit. _'Maybe he's right. By strengthening my body and my mind, my soul will get stronger… and that should keep Izanagi calm and my other Personas under control…'_ With a small nod to himself, he returned his attention to the former boxing champion. "If you and Chie agree, then I'd like to train with you two whenever possible."

Everybody blinked in surprise the request. "There's a lot going on right now…not only the case of the Dark Hour and the Fog, Shadows and that chairman…" Souji looked at the setting sun. "My parents' disappearance…the pressures of school life as a senior…as one of the field leaders. Anything I can do to help me handle all this stress and grow stronger to protect what's important to me…can only be a good thing, right?"

Akihiko couldn't help but admire the youngest leader's words. His reasons for fighting and to get stronger were truly selfless, because he was putting others before himself above all things. But in order to do that, he was aware that he also needed to improve himself without going overboard. "No wonder Satonaka looks up to you. You're a true fighter, Souji." He gave him a sincere smile, holding out a hand. "It's a deal. Don't expect me to take you lightly just because you're younger. As one of the leaders, you always gotta do your best!"

"Deal." Souji smiled back. They shook hands, feeling a bond forming with Akihiko when a familiar card flashed as the familiar voice echoed.

_Thou art I… And I am thou…  
>Thou hast established a new bond…<br>It brings thee closer to the truth…  
>Thou shalt be blessed when creating Personas of the Emperor Arcana…<em>

As that happened, Souji felt Izanagi calming down, gently buzzing off to the back of his mind. _'Phew… That feels a lot better!'_

As the two talked about planning a training regiment, Chie and the twins smiled. "I think this will be really good for Souji-kun," Minako chirped.

"Yeah…" Chie then turned to the twins. "Why don't you two join us?" She looked down, scratching one foot on the ground. "W-well, ya know… Just to make sure you guys don't overdo it either. It's a bad habit of you three…" She paused, trying to find the words. "When I saw your memories in your dungeons, I realized how tough being a leader was… Not just for you two, but for Souji-kun as well. Always putting others before yourself, pushing your limits to make sure everybody is safe, often hiding things trying not to worry them. It is kinda noble, but really reckless too..." She looked at them straight in the eyes. "As team mates… No, as _friends_," she corrected, "we gotta trust each other and stick together during the good times and the bad ones too, right?"

The twins were surprised. Chie had barely known them and yet here she was, concerned about their well-being as if they had been friends forever. "You've got a point there, Chie," Minato smiled. "I see why Souji-kun, Yosuke and Yukiko rely on you so much."

"Yeah! Thanks for looking out for us, Chie-chan!" Minako beamed warmly. "You're a great friend!"

Chie blushed, a goofy smile on her face. "No problem, guys! You can count on me!"

The twins nodded, forming a bond with the kung-fu fan. A familiar card flashed and the otherworldly voice echoed:

_Thou art I… And I am thou…  
>Thou hast established a new bond…<br>Thou shalt be blessed when creating Personas of the Chariot Arcana…_

The Arisato twins smiled at each other.

Soon enough, Akihiko and Chie started their training, while the three Wild Cards watched. It was amusing to see how much fun they were having muscling it out.

"Feeling better now, Banchou-kun?" Minako asked, seeing her surrogate brother wearing a calmer expression.

The silverette nodded. "Yeah. Strange…after I formed a social link with Akihiko-san, Izanagi calmed down. I wonder why…"

"Bonds are people's true power," Minato stated. "By bonding with different people, our resolve becomes stronger and we gain a new power and understanding towards our Personas."

"So, if Banchou-kun forms new bonds with our other friends, he'll get stronger and Izanagi will become more stable?" Minako wondered.

"Hm… That might work," Souji said. "I see you have also become stronger by forming new bonds. That might help prevent you guys from going through the same problems I'm facing, and makes sure your Shadows don't come back."

"That'd probably be for the best," Minato agreed.

"Let's do this!" Minako cheered, holding out her hand. "You guys with me?"

Her brothers smiled back and placed their hands over hers. "Yeah!"

* * *

><p>For the next few days, gatherings at the SPIES dorm were becoming more frequent. While most of them were for study and homework session, they only went training inside the TV World<p>

once. During that time, the twins discovered they could summon their Personas much easier and keep them out for longer periods of time, thus relied less on their Evokers. They spent the entire day exploring Mayonaka Tartarus, as Rise would like to call it.

Souji on the other hand, was struggling to keep his headaches under control. Izanagi still refused to communicate with him, and a few of his higher leveled Personas were showing signs of rebellion as well, such as casting the wrong spells or attacking the wrong targets. Luckily, it didn't cause any major damage and none of his friends were suspicious. They only noticed the difference in his fighting style and never questioned it. The Arisato twins kept a close eye on him to make sure he doesn't overdo it.

It turns out that Mayonaka Tartarus wasn't much different from the actual Tartarus three years ago: the items or money that were commonly scattered around were found in silver briefcases, and the golden treasure chests didn't need any golden keys to be opened (much to the surprise of the Inaba SPIES). It was worrying however, because the effects of the Dark Hour were also seeping into the TV realm, and Teddie commented that the fog inside there was starting to become denser than usual.

Overall, the final week of their summer break went off without a hitch. The only minor inconvenience was that those who went to college had to order their books and study materials in advance from the local bookstore or obtain them from Okina, since it was hard to find them in a rural area. On the final day of the break, the new uniforms had finally arrived for the transfer students. The delivery man came with five packages as they gang was gathered for yet another study session.

When Minako opened her package, she squealed and immediately dashed to her room to try it on. Metis was excited too, and asked her sister for assistance. Shinjiro held up his uniform top and scowled at it. A glare from Mitsuru got him off his chair and heading upstairs, followed by Akihiko's snickers. Ken didn't say much as he followed Shinjiro with his own uniform.

"So we're finally senior students, huh?" Minato said as he held up his own Yasogami High uniform, eyeing the third-year insignia. "At least we get to experience some of what we missed during our coma. I'm glad we were given a second chance." He then headed off to his own room.

"While I'm here, might as well make some needed adjustments," Kanji declared. "I need a break from studying anyway."

Those from Port Island looked at him with skeptical expressions. "How are ya gonna do that?" Junpei asked incredulously. "Don't tell me you brought your sewing kit with ya."

Kanji pulled out a clutch from his bag. It was constructed from brightly colored felt and had flaps that resembled bunny or fox ears which no one could be sure of. It was incredibly well-made. The girls commented how cute it was, earning a blush from the maker. Junpei was about to make a sexist joke when he was kicked hard in the knee by Yosuke. The capped teen glared at his fellow Magician, but was placated when he shook his head furiously, the panic in his eyes warning him _"If you don't want to get beaten black and blue, DON'T SAY ANYTHING!"_

"A wonderful idea, Tatsumi," Mitsuru praised. "At least that way, they won't be panicking about their uniforms on their first day of school."

A little while later, the new transfer students descended the stairs. Their friends were already waiting at the lounge, as if waiting for a fashion show to start. No one dared mention the disastrous event from Yakushima unless they had a death wish.

Minato was first. The dark colors went well with his hair, and the visible stitches on the uniform made him seem taller. He left the blazer open like he did with his Gekkoukan uniform, but he tucked in the collared shirt underneath unlike Souji, who preferred to leave it out. The blue MP3 player around his neck complemented his look.

His twin came next. She wore the Yasogami girl's uniform properly, along with knee-high white socks. The trademark XXII hairpins and red MP3 player remained unchanged.

Metis soon followed, accompanied by Aigis. It was surprising how well the uniform looked on her. Aigis had to remove her visor so that she wouldn't garner too much attention. Overall, the female Hierophant looked like a normal teenage girl. A blush made its way to her cheeks when she was told of this. She felt awkward not having something on her head though, and substituted a red ribbon to hold back her hair.

Ken came down soon after. The middle school uniform was different than the high school ones. The slacks were black, and the blazer was dark blue. A red tie completed the uniform, and Ken attached a pocket chain to his pants, which made a huge difference to his look. The girls whispered their complements to each other regarding this. Nanako's face was burning when Ken smirked her way.

Lastly came Shinjiro. Anyone could tell he was just anxious to get this fitting session over with, and didn't even bother to tidy up his uniform. He just wore the blazer over his black turtleneck sweater and that was it. The beanie still remained on his head. The thought of going to school wasn't making him agitated though; he choked on his spit when he saw Minako twirling around, her pleated skirt fluttering around her thighs. From a young man's point of view, the outfit looked stunning on her. It fit her nicely and emphasized her curves, especially the hips. The yellow neckerchief looked good too, though he preferred the red ribbon of the Gekkoukan uniform. However, from a protective boyfriend's point of view… "That skirt is too short, dammit!" he yelled, and turned to Kanji. "Tatsumi, I don't care what you do to that thing, just make it longer!"

The auburn-haired girl turned to smile at him. "Shinji-kun, this is the standard skirt length. It's the same as the one back in Gekkoukan, and you didn't have a problem with that," she said sweetly. It was on purpose of course. Minako knew first-hand how to get what she wanted from Shinjiro, and she happened to like the uniform just the way it is. Her boyfriend on the other hand, was having an inner conflict of protectiveness versus desire.

Teddie couldn't hold a perverted compliment from escaping his mouth any longer. "The skirt makes your really nice legs look super long, Mina-chan. Oh, you should see how Rise-chan wears hers. It's shorter than that!"

Souji beat Shinjiro to it and pulled the blonde's ear. "Teddie, what was it you promised me that you would never, ever do?" he asked in a menacing tone. Teddie shook in fear, cursing at himself for not having learned his lesson yet.

'_That bear is so dead later…'_ the others thought.

Kanji took out a measuring tape, some pins from his clutch and approached the five, checking for any rips on their uniforms or asking them if they felt uncomfortable, whether it was too tight, too loose, or somewhere along those lines.

"Man, just look at the lovely ladies here," Junpei said good-naturally, winking at Minako and Metis. "I'm pretty sure these two will be a huge hit in school."

"Actually, there will be three new girls going to Yasogami, making it five transfer students in total," Rise chirped. "Oh, including Souji-senpai, there's gonna be six!"

"Six transfer students?!" Yosuke exclaimed. "That's a whole new record, even for schools in the city!"

"You don't know for sure if that new girl at the shopping district will be coming to our school," Kanji shot back. "It's not like Yasogami High is the only school around here."

"I agree with Kanji-kun," Naoto said. "But the new shop was very interesting. An antique store, to be precise."

The others gave her confused looks. "Well, I guess that makes sense. The shopping district is a perfect place to open up a specialty store like that," Yukiko said. "It should be a hit with the flea market crowd. Oddities in a place like Inaba attract all sorts of people."

"But I forgot what it was called…" Rise touched her forehead, trying to remember. Giving up, she turned to Kanji. "What was it called again, Kanji?"

"Uh…Sunso…No, it was…hmm…Shinsou…Shou…Arghh! I forgot!"

"Anyway, the owner has a daughter around our age!" Rise added, ignoring Kanji's futile attempts to remember the shop's name and pricking his fingers in the process. "She looked a bit withdrawn and gloomy, but I hope she goes to our school and make a lot of friends. At least I won't be the only girl living there!"

"Ohoooo! Then Teddie must try his best too!" Nobody wanted to know what he meant by that.

Mitsuru decided to steer the topic another way before the others lose focus. "Speaking of school, the ones who are attending college must also follow a strict schedule. I don't want anyone wasting their time and creating suspicion regarding our secret activities. Remember, we're suspicious enough as it is if we don't make up a believable excuse to be here, instead of studying in a proper learning facility."

Junpei grimaced slightly. "But what sort of excuse should we make? Isn't it better to hang out and relax? We can just tell people we're on a long break."

"Are you stupid, Junpei?" Yukari said. "This isn't the time of year for college students to take a break. We're supposed to be studying our butts off, plus we're already creating suspicion because we came here as a group and staying long after summer is over."

"Yukari-senpai is right," Rise said. "In a small town like Inaba, false rumors spread fast and stick in people's minds regardless of efforts trying to correct them."

"May I offer a suggestion?" Naoto piped in. By now, Kanji had finished the alterations and everyone took their seats. "How about working on something that has to do with your college majors? For example, Akihiko-san majors in criminal law, so I would recommend him to spend some time with me and Grampa solving a few cases on the pretense of completing his college thesis."

Akihiko raised an eyebrow. "Is that a job offer, Shirogane?"

The young detective smiled. "Yes, it is. Our extensive archive has more than enough material to help you with your case studies. As for the rest, it all depends on your creativity to make use of your time here. There are quite a lot of opportunities and part-time jobs if you know where to look for it, except for Ken-kun, since he's not at a legal age to be working."

"The job offer at Junes is still open," Yosuke reminded. "Just tell me about it if you're interested and I'll find a way to fit you guys in."

"The billboard at the Northern Shopping District just beside Aiya's Diner, advertises all sorts of jobs. We should check it out sometime. I'm in need of one myself," Souji said.

Kanji broke off from his little daze, a few seconds away from falling asleep. "That reminds me…Oi! Shinjiro-senpai," he called gruffly. "The old man decided to take you in as his cook starting from tomorrow. Whatever it was you made for him, he was so impressed he wouldn't shut up about it. Came all the way Ma's shop all giddy and happy, it was creepy."

"Man, you guys are always so busy. How the hell am I gonna spend my time here?" Junpei whined.

"I dunno…studying?" Yukari muttered sarcastically.

Nanako raised a timid hand, which took a while for the others to notice. Chie quickly told everyone to shut up and listen to what she has to say. "Umm…" the little girl began shyly. "I heard the teachers in my elementary school speaking about needing an assistant coach for the baseball club. Um, you're funny…" she trailed off, and hid behind Souji's chair.

Everyone laughed at the last part. "Well, that solves one problem," Mitsuru said. "But I expect all of you to try your best and fit in."

"But what about you, Mitsuru-senpai?" Fuuka questioned.

"That's a surprise. You'll know about it after the school session resumes."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Later that night…<strong>_

Standing by the fishing dock was a young woman with dark hair, her sharp spectacles shining under the scarce moonlight. The black suit she wore made her almost invisible in the backdrop of the night. Judging from her foot tapping on the ground, she was waiting for someone.

A little boy with shining blue eyes appeared from behind a tree. He walked soundlessly towards the lady, hands behind his back. His loose, stripy pajamas fluttered around his little body as the wind blew against him, the rustling of fabric giving away his presence.

"Pharos, where have you been?" the woman asked sharply, not turning around to face him.

"At Nanako-chan's place. She just returned from her study session at the new dorm. Where's Ryoji?"

"He's investigating something. That playboy doesn't know how to stand still." Her eyes softened as she looked at the little boy. "How is Souji?"

Pharos looked to the ground. "Nanako-chan said that he's fine and healthy. It looks like he's hiding it better than I thought. So that means it's still under control."

"He won't be able to keep that up, no matter how strong he is. I just hope Ryoji finds something useful so that we can actually help him."

"Have faith in them, Marie. With the Arisato twins and his friends by his side, they can overcome anything." Pharos gave her a little smile. "Just you watch."

* * *

><p>Bet ya didn't see that one coming huh? This is getting interesting. 3<p>

_Have fun and don't forget to Read and Review! _


	19. Chapter 19: Back to School

_Hi guys! Sorry I've been so slow. Work's been intense and me and otha-chan decided it would be better if we focusing on catching up with DA before working on new chapters._

_Questions time!_

**KO**: The one talking to Pharos? Nah, it's Marie. Now if ya mean the one with Labrys… I can't say it yet 3 And Teddie is no masochist or sadist. He's just Teddie. He never knows when to keep his mouth shut. XD;;;

Snake King: Soon. I promise.

**Blitzshine:** Aww, thanks. Comments like that are what really pays off all the hard work me and my friend Ohta-chan have with this. =3 Hope ya keep reading. =3  
><em><br>A few warnings: (Yes, I put those before every chapter to avoid issues)_

_-There will be spoilers for all games! You've been warned.  
>-The Main characters from each game in this fanfic are called Minato Arisato (P3:FES), Minako Arisato (P3P) and Souji Seta (P4)<br>-There'll be some cursing. (Anyone that played any persona games knows that some characters on it curse quite a bit.) as well as some heavy subjects.  
>-Main Pairings in this fanfic: MinatoxYukari, ShinjiroxMinako, SoujixYukiko, KanjixNaoto, AkihikoxMitsuru, YosukexChie.<br>-Hinted Pairings(in later chapters): JunpeixChidori. (Hinted because Chidori doesn't appear much on this story) KenxNanako (Ya know those little girl's crushes on older boys? It'll be along those lines) FuukaxKeisuke (Other than Minato and Junpei, Fuuka only displayed some sort of close relationship with Keisuke the club president. I found it kinda cute.) TeddiexRise (Just for giggles. They are after all the two hyperactive cuties of the team X3)_

_Have fun ya guys. On with the show!_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 19: Back to School<strong>

The next day had finally arrived much to both Arisato's and Metis' excitement, and Shinjiro's annoyance. Their first day of school in years (in Metis' case ever) had finally come. Souji and Nanako decided to meet up with them at their dorm to walk them and Ken to their new schools together.

Ken seemed a little nervous about attending a new school, but with some encouragement from the others, put him a bit more at ease. With waves of goodbyes and wishes of good luck from the college-going SEES, the group headed off.

They had to split up at the Samegawa flood plain. Ken and Nanako parted ways with the older groups, and continued to chat about TV shows, manga and books, smiling and laughing together. It was so adorable that even Souji couldn't resist the cuteness.

The morning was nice out; the sun shining with light wisps of clouds in the sky as the transfer students walked along the path to Yasogami High. As they got closer to school, more and more students appeared, heading to the same destination, but each in their own world as they passed by or dawdled, complaining about how the vacation was too short. The twins smiled, remembering the last time they'd walked amongst peers, almost three years ago, and looked around for familiar faces.

Souji quickly spotted Rise and Kanji walking together ahead of them, the bleached blond towering over the pop star, so he picked up his pace and jogged over. "Rise! Kanji!"

When he got close enough, the teen idol turned around and pounced, latching onto his arm with glee. "Senpai, I'm so glad you're back! You have no idea!"

"I know, Rise. No need to knock me down." Souji chuckled as the others caught up with them.

She giggled at that and looked at the other four. "And you guys? Excited?"

"Yeah!" Minako cheered. giggling at Shinjiro's scowl.

"We're seniors this year...big year for us. Of course we're excited," Minato replied.

"You guys've got nothin' to worry about, Senpai." Kanji lightly punched Minato on his unoccupied shoulder. "Souji-senpai swears that you guys're geniuses."

Minato grinned at his tall, future underclassman. "Thanks, Kanji. Hopefully, this year will end well."

Soon enough they could see Yasogami High from afar. "It's… It's so big!" was all Metis could say in a mix of awe and excitement.

"Not as big as Gekkou, but ain't really shabby either…" Shinjiro said, unimpressed at enthusiasm surrounding him while the twins looked at their new school with curiosity and joy.

"Oh, by the way, I noticed something." Metis said. "Why do the students keep staring at us?"

Yukiko and Chie walked up to them. "I guess they're all curious since they don't know you guys. Or because Souji-kun is back," the raven-haired said. "I just hope they don't start any rumors. With a town as small as Inaba, it's quite hard to keep a secret for long as the information travels so quickly."

"You make it sound like you don't want me here," Souji fake-whined, making a little pout.

"Wha-! No, no! That's not what I meant, and you know it!" Yukiko squeaked, her face a deep shade of pink.

"Hey, I'm just messing with you." He grinned and gave Yukiko a playful kiss on the cheek. She glared at him for a while, but then smiled at his teasing.

Five minutes later, the group had reached the front gates of the school, where the rest of their group were waiting for them.

"Hey, partner!" Yosuke waved as he walked up to them, his easy-going grin in place. Naoto and Teddie were also with him. "It's gonna be great having you back in school!"

Souji tried to repress a snicker. "Do you miss me giving you all the answers in class?"

He got a playful punch in the arm for his comment. "Damn straight! All of the teachers keep picking on me now, so I actually have to pay attention in class!"

"You make that sound like such a hardship…"

Yosuke sniffed at him. "Well, not everyone's a genius like you are, you know. You make everything look easy."

"I do not! I just crack open a book every now and then," Souji protested, rolling his eyes at Yosuke's drama. "Besides, I might not be in the same class as you guys are, so you still have to pay attention in class."

Minako giggled. "Déjà vu, huh Aniki?"

Minato chuckled himself. "Yeah, just like with Junpei. I'm starting to think it's a Magician thing."

"Hey, I ain't the only one that asks Souji for answers!" Yosuke rebutted. "Even Chie and Yukiko do that from time to time!"

"Well, it's not our fault some of the teachers explain things in a way that makes no sense at all!" Chie defended.

"By the way, do you guys have a normal homeroom teacher this time?" Souji asked as he recalled something. "It's not Kashiwagi again, is it?"

Upon hearing that name, Minako's usual smile was replaced by a scowl. Obviously, she hadn't forgotten how…_that woman_…harassed him, her twin, friends AND boyfriend!

Everybody sensed her mood changing. Thinking fast, Shinjiro held her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. She was startled out of her anger, and smiled at him for his thoughtful gesture.

Chie pulled a face in disgust, sharing the same opinion as Minako's towards the Biology teacher. "Nah, Kashiwagi got moved to reach freshman year classes, but we'll still have her teaching some of our classes. I just hope none of the freshies have their minds soiled by her."

"Our homeroom teacher now is Sofue-sensei, who teaches history," Yukiko added. "Which is definitely more pleasant than Kashiwagi."

"Yeah! Queen Tut-sensei is so nice in classes even though she always scares me with her Egyptian hat and rod thing!" Teddie piped in.

"Is that so? That sounds a lot like Ono-sensei, our history teacher with his Sengoku era fetish." Minato turned to the juniors. "What about you guys? Who's your homeroom teacher?"

"That'd be Hosoi-sensei, our literature teacher," Rise said. "He's kinda eccentric with that hand puppet of his, but way better than Kashiwagi for sure."

"Jeez, and I thought Gekkou was full of freaks for teachers…" Shinjiro muttered.

"You don't know half of it," Yosuke said gloomily.

"While it is true that our school's faculty members are…_peculiar_ to say the least, most of them are rather competent teachers, Kashiwagi-sensei included," Naoto spoke up from beside Yukiko.

Souji was somewhat surprised to see the young detective in the girl's uniform, rather than the boy's uniform she'd donned the previous year. "Naoto, you look good. Embracing your femininity?"

She blushed, but smiled at him. "Yes, it's actually somewhat of a relief, to be honest. It reduced the amount of female attention and love confessions I have received."

"Nao-chan looks so pretty in that uniform!" Teddie said with a dreamy expression.

"Yeah, she made quite an impact on the first day of the school year." Yosuke snickered at the memory. "The moment Kanji laid eyes on her wearing a skirt, he blacked out. I was lucky enough that Nagase and Ichijo were passing by or else I'd have to drag his sorry ass to school alone."

"You wanna pick a fight or somethin'!?" Kanji growled, his voice turning high-pitched from embarrassment.

Minako patted him on the back. "It's okay, Kanji-kun. Yosuke-kun just likes to tease you."

"And he does a damn good job at that…" the tall teen muttered. It took him forever to be around Naoto wearing that uniform without passing out or having a nosebleed. _'That was a giant achievement for me, dammit!'_

"Hehe, Kanji can't take the beauty that is a girl in a school uniform~!" Teddie sang.

"Shut up, ya damn furball!"

With a startled squeak, Teddie hid behind Souji for protection. That was when Souji and the twins noticed that he too was also wearing Yasogami's uniform. Even then he still hadn't lost his sparkling appeal. The rose he usually wore on his white shirt was stuck onto the uniform jacket to add to that charming feeling of his.

"Whoa, Teddie-kun, you look so cute in that uniform!" Minako praised.

"Thank you, Mina-chan!" he beamed at her, but quickly backed away when he felt Shinjiro and Minato glaring at him

"How the hell did he manage to enter school anyway?" Shinjiro questioned.

"My folks enrolled him after he kept whining about how bored he was at home and that all he did was work at Junes," Yosuke explained. "How he passed the admission exams and entered the second year…I'm not sure myself."

"That's easy! I studied and studied hard, just like Sensei does!" the bear stated proudly. "Sensei always does his best, so I should too!"

Minato felt some admiration for the human Shadow. "That's actually pretty mature of you."

"And besides, I can't score with the ladies with only my good looks. I gotta show them my smarts too!" This earned him face-palms from the entire group, minus Metis.

"So much for praising him…" Souji sighed in defeat. Teddie was Teddie after all. "As long as he focuses on his studies as much as he does on his flirting, he should survive through the school year."

"He did make it this far, didn't he? I don't think school will be problem for him. He's able to handle situations quite well with that personality of his." Minako laced her fingers together behind her back and smiled.

"Since we're all in the same class, we've been checking on Teddie periodically," Naoto said, gesturing to herself and Kanji. She readjusted her hair band, the same one she wore to the summer festival. She held her chin in a pensive way. "While he had spent an awfully lot of time having 'fun', he also paid close attention to the lessons and I found him studying in the library quite a few times. Overall, he has done a fine job as a student."

"Studying, paying attention to lessons…" Metis wondered out loud. While excited, she also felt nervous. "I hope I'll do fine here…"

Chie contemplated on the android's situation, but ended up giving her an encouraging smile. "Everything's gonna be okay, Metis." She looked to the others. "Right,guys?"

A chuckle escaped from Minako and she waved a hand. "It's no big deal! Metis will fit in nicely and the teachers were okay with this whole thing from what Mitsuru-senpai said. They didn't even ask many questions about her past. And even if they did we can come up with something."

"Aigis' first days at school were kinda awkward I admit, but I don't think there'll be a problem seeing as Metis is more human now than ever," Minato said, expressing his opinion on the matter.

"Going to high school is a good step into making her acknowledge the variety of cultures and general views there are in this world," Souji added. "Plus, you'll get to meet other people."

Rise gave Metis a hug. "Welcome to Yasogami, Metis! I'm sure you'll have a great time here with us! We'll guide you with everything you need."

The warmth Metis felt from the young Lover's embrace was more than enough to melt her doubts away. "You guys are so friendly…Thank you so much!"

Further conversation was cut off as the first bell rang, and they rushed into the school building to change their shoes before heading for their respective classrooms. The new transfer students broke away from the group, with the silverette telling Yukiko they'd hopefully see them soon as they finished up with some last minute administrative paperwork. She promised to pass the message along to the others for him, and he thanked her with a light kiss.

* * *

><p>The bell rang again as Souji knocked on the faculty office door. Upon seeing the group, one of the school secretaries immediately ushered them over to an out-of-the-way table where some last minute forms awaited them.<p>

As they finished filling the forms, another knock on the door was heard. Another student walked in and was guided to an empty teacher's desk near the group to fill her forms. Minako took a peek and noticed the girl's long ocean blue hair held back by a peculiar metallic headband, piercing red eyes and the beautiful dark grey cardigan sweater she wore over her Yasogami uniform instead of the usual winter blazer.

Wasting no time, Minako walked up to her with a warm smile on her face. "Hi! I'm Minako! Are you a new student?"

The girl blinked, startled at the sudden greeting. "Y-yes…" she said shyly.

"Hey, it's okay. I don't bite! What's your name?"

Slowly the girl eased up. Minako's smile and friendly nature was really contagious. "L-Labrys…" she answered. "My name is Labrys."

"Labrys…what a unique name." Minato approached the two girls. "And really beautiful, too."

Labrys blushed. "T-Thanks…"

"Nice to meet you, Labrys-chan! Oh, this is my twin brother Minato." Minako pointed to the others. "And those are our friends Souji-kun, Shinjiro-kun and Metis-chan. We're all new students too!"

"Hello there. Pleased to meet you, Labrys." Souji bowed his head politely.

"Hey," Shinjiro said flatly.

"Greetings, Labrys-san." Metis got off her chair, bowing deeply.

Labrys smiled at each one of them, but stared a bit longer at Metis. For a second, her gaze turned into a hard glare at the mechanical maiden, who in turn just blinked in confusion. Her smiled returned. "Pleased to meet you. I hope we can be good friends."

"Sounds great to me. Which classroom are you in?" Minato asked.

"Hm…" Labrys read her class schedule. "That'd be 3-3."

"Oh, that's the same class as Daisuke if memory serves me," Souji said. "He's good friends with Kou, Ai and Yumi from class 3-1. They're a little on the goofy side, but really nice people. You'll likely to meet them soon."

"That does sound nice." Labrys said. The school bell rang again. "Oh, I should get going. I'm supposed to meet my homeroom teacher in the classroom. It wouldn't be nice if I was late for my first day."

"Yeah, you're right. It was nice to meet you Labrys," Souji said. "We'll see you later, okay?"

"Of course. See you later." Labrys bowed and headed for the door. She took one last glance at Metis, and left.

"Rise-chan was right. She is kinda shy, but she's also pretty nice," Minako commented.

"Yeah, she could use some friends," her brother said. "It is tough being the new kid, especially when you don't know anybody around here."

"Just like us when we started attending Gekkoukan." she added. "Junpei-kun was the first person to greet us in class. He even stood up against that peeping tom who was taking secret photos of me and spreading them around school."

"He helped me find the perv and we taught him a thing or two…" Minato smirked evilly. The lecher managed to give Junpei a bruise, but Minato gave him an even worse one in return.

Shinjiro turned speechless. He had a new-found respect for the capped jokester, and also made a mental note to keep any strange men away from his girl.

The office doors opened and a woman wearing an Egyptian headdress walked in. "Ah, if it isn't my favorite student." The ever-passionate historian pointed her dowsing rod at Souji. "Welcome back, Seta."

"Thank you. It's nice to see you too, Sofue-sensei." He smiled and gave a respectful bow.

"And you four must be the new transfer students," she greeted, referring to the others. "Minato and Minako Arisato, Shinjiro Aragaki and Metis Papillion, correct?"

"Yes ma'am," Minato answered. The others just nodded.

"I'm Kimiko Sofue, your homeroom teacher." The historian nodded back at them before turning to the twins. "My brother spoke very highly of you two. I see that he's correct…for once."

"Excuse me, Sofue-sensei, but who is your brother?" Minako asked curiously.

"A history teacher at Gekkoukan High. You'd probably remember him by his foolish samurai helmet."

The twins' eyes widened. "Ono-sensei?!"

"Correct," Sofue laughed. "I also talked with one of his co-workers regarding you two on the phone. Isako Toriumi mentioned how wonderful students you were. She sent you her regards."

"Toriumi-sensei…" Minako smiled. "That's so sweet of her."

Ms. Sofue turned to Shinjiro. "Aragaki, right? Your previous school records are far from perfect, so I must insist that you take classes seriously otherwise there will be dire consequences."

"Yes, sensei…" Shinjiro drawled. _'Now what? Mitsuru told the teachers to keep me on a leash or something?!'_

"As for you…" Ms. Sofue looked at Metis from head to toe. "Ah, a foreign exchange student…You shall fit in nicely here."

Metis smiled shyly. "Thank you, Sensei."

"Very well, class is about to start," the teacher announced. "Let us head to class 3-2."

"Alright! We're in the same class as Yosuke-kun, Yukiko-chan and Chie-chan!" Minako cheered. They followed their teacher to their classroom.

Souji grinned. "Just like old times."

* * *

><p>Class 3-2 was noisy as ever, excited chatter could be heard between some of the students – news and interesting happenings from their holidays and, most probably, rumors as well. Some were bragging about where they've been to for the summer, some complaining about chores, some whining about not having gone anywhere, etc. The classroom somehow felt emptier because quite a few students transferred out of Inaba after the fog incident, but that didn't cut down the noise level.<p>

Yukiko, Chie and Yosuke talked among themselves, anxious to know which class Souji and the others would end up in.

All conversation ceased when Ms. Sofue walked into the classroom. She stood at her podium. "Class, I have an important announcement to make. From this day forth, we'll have new companions joining our journey of learning. I know it is a rather sudden and unusual transfer, so I hope that none of you dare to pry into their personal lives." She headed to the door and opened it for those outside. "You may come in."

As the newcomers walked in, Yosuke, Chie and Yukiko held back surprised gasps when they saw five new students walking in.

"Now, I'm sure you all remember our former student Souji Seta," Ms. Sofue said, not hiding the pride in her voice. "Please greet your fellow classmates, Souji."

"It's wonderful to study with you all again." Souji gave them a quick bow, winking at Yukiko and the others.

She just smiled back at him, her cheeks turning light pink. Yosuke and Chie could barely contain their happiness to have him back as their classmate.

Ms. Sofue then turned to the other four. "Please, introduce yourselves."

Minako was first. "Hehe, hi there! I'm Minako Arisato! From now on I'm a senior student in this high school!" Her smile was overflowing with energy as she waved to the class. "It's great to meet you!"

"Hello. I'm Minato Arisato, her twin brother." Minato bowed with a calm smile. "Pleased to meet you."

Shinjiro grunted, but a nudge from Minato convinced him to open his mouth. "Hey. Name's Shinjiro Aragaki."

Metis shyly hid between Minako and Souji, so they had to step aside to make her visible. "I'm M-Metis… Metis Papillion… P-Please, go easy on me…"

"Very well. You may sit now and we'll start today's lesson." Ms Sofue said, placing her materials on the podium.

The five students picked their seats. Souji sat at his usual spot, next to Chie and in front of Yosuke, the twins picked an empty pair of seats next to Souji's at the middle rows, Metis sat behind them and Shinjiro walked over to a desk by the window located way back, flopping down on a seat. He preferred sitting by the window, they were much more relaxing than the ones in the middle of the class where the teachers often pick someone to answer the board.

As soon as they sat down, they could hear the other students whispering. While the students already knew Souji, they were curious about the other four.

The girls were unsubtly squealing in delight. _"Ohmigosh! Ohmigosh! Souji-kun's as handsome as ever!"_

"_Minato-kun is so hot too! There's something mysterious about him…but it makes him even cooler!"_

The guys were commenting on the new the girls as well.

"_Man, that Arisato girl is so cheerful and cute!"_

"_The black-haired girl is really pretty too. That shy blush is completely adorable!"_

However, it was Shinjiro who was drawing the most comments, some students not doing a good job of keeping them below the range of hearing.

"Dude, isn't he like...a little old to be attending high school?"

"Oh crap, he's totally giving off Tatsumi's vibe here…Better keep away from him or he'll hurt ya, just like he did with those biker gangs!"

"But he is kinda good-looking if he doesn't scowl so much...and perhaps get a trim too. That long hair looks too wild."

"What is it with girls and bad boys? I don't get it..."

"Tatsumi-kun has the leather thing going on, but this guy wears a beanie. It's creepy how they're almost similar..."

"Maybe they're relatives?"

Yosuke honestly tried withholding his laughter after hearing that last comment, but he wasn't successful. His shoulders were shaking as he pounded his desk, muffling his laughter while trying to control himself. Shinjiro glared at him, silently promising payback. The others couldn't help but laugh too, although not as exaggerated.

The rest of the morning was a bit of a blur, as the group quickly settled in a familiar routine. Throughout the rest of class, the teachers were ecstatic to have Souji back, and continued to call out him and the twins (apparently Sofue-sensei had told them about their impressive academics) for correct answers. Metis and Shinjiro were called as well, but overall they did fine with some help from the Wild Cards. By then, the silverette was already hearing whispers about weird lights at night and at the now-popular shrine in the shopping district, along with a few other locations. He made a mental note to check them out sometime.

It was actually a relief when the bell signaling the lunch hour rang and the group was able to head for the school's rooftop to meet up with their juniors.

* * *

><p>The twelve of them were all seated at the rooftop, preparing to eat lunch. It wasn't long before the others started drooling over Souji's and Shinjiro's lunchboxes.<p>

Souji had already anticipated his friends' reaction. "It's okay, guys. I've made plenty of extras." He pulled out a large container from his bag and opened the lid, presenting the food to his friends. Inside were some tempura, potato salad and handmade onigiri with different fillings.

Soon enough the container was passed around. The Inaba girls munched quietly with the exception of Rise, who made approving sounds as she chewed. The twins happily ate, thoroughly enjoying their little brother's cooking. Metis was also enjoying the meal even though she couldn't eat too much due to being a machine. Shinjiro also tried some and was surprised with the silverette's skills. Teddie, Yosuke and Kanji were eating noisily; the manager's son and former delinquent literally shedding tears of joy at the meal.

"Hm? Are you two feeling well?" Metis questioned, looking confused. "Aren't people supposed to be happy when eating food instead of crying over them?"

"Better than ever now!" Yosuke exclaimed after he swallowed a mouthful. "You have no idea how much I missed having a decent lunch at school!"

"Hell yeah! Senpai's lunches are number one!" Kanji concurred, throwing a fist in the air. "No more guinea pig job for me!"

His statement roused some curiosity among those from Iwatodai. "Guinea pig job?" Minato asked.

Yukiko, Chie and Rise giggled nervously while Naoto looked at the ground, eliciting inquiring stares from the others around them.

"So, girls…" Souji began, a smirk already in place. "Something I should know about?"

Chie blushed bright red, Yukiko dissolved into further giggles. Yosuke and Kanji whimpered quietly. "Uh, not that it's really any of your business, but Yosuke, Kanji and Teddie have been our taste-testers while you were away, so we could practice our cooking," Chie said.

"And they're still alive? Glad to see you're improving, then."

The kung-fu maniac shot him a dirty look and slapped his shoulder. "Of course they're still alive, you idiot!"

"Can't blame him for thinking that. We've had unfortunate experiences with you girls' cooking, Chie. Remember Mystery Food X? We went hungry for the entire camping trip!" Yosuke said, grimacing as the memories that followed resurfaced.

"Or the omelet rice fiasco…" Kanji shuddered. "Thank heavens Nanako-chan didn't get food poisoning that day. Damn, those 'dishes' could be used as weapons of mass destruction."

Yukiko's giggling faded and she pouted. "You're never going to let that go, are you?"

"Only when I can start singing praises about anything you cook," Yosuke said through a mouthful of onigiri.

Rise stuck out her tongue at the guys. "You meanies!"

"Aw, don't be sad Rise-chan. Your cooking is great!" Teddie said, trying to cheer her up. "Sure, it looks weird and tastes funny, but still is great!"

Rise shot him a glare. "Thanks a lot!" she huffed sarcastically.

"Easy there, girls. I'm sure your cooking can't taste that bad," Minako said.

"Well, the bentos still need more work…" Yukiko said. "But the Christmas cake we baked for Nanako-chan turned out really good."

"Although it took us three attempts to get it right..." Naoto sighed.

"But it was thanks to you that they got that cake right, Naoto," Kanji praised, a tiny blush on his cheeks.

Chie narrowed her eyes at him. "Well yeah, since Naoto-kun kept telling us to focus on the cook book and keep trying until we got it right. She's the one who taught us how to use the measurement utensils correctly."

"Practice makes perfect as they say," Minato said, trying to placate the atmosphere. _'Although some may need more practice then others…Way more practice…'_ he added in his mind.

"Aniki is right. If you try hard enough, I'm sure you all will become great cooks!" Minako said as she opened her bento she made that morning.

The Inaba girls stared in awe at Minako's lunchbox. It was neatly arranged with a wide variety of items and the aroma was completely irresistible. They couldn't help but feel a tinge of jealousy at the female leader's skills.

"Mmm-mmm! Mina-chan, that looks so tasty!" Teddie complimented as he threw some sparkles at her. "It looks like something out of a five star restaurant!"

"Oh this? It's just some sweet tamagoyaki and steamed veggies." She held out her bento to him. "Wanna try some, Teddie-kun?"

The bear nodded frantically, taking a piece from Minako's bento. Stars sparkled in his eyes as he enjoyed the first bite. "Holy…! This is the best lunchbox ever! Any girl's cooking is just plain awful in comparison to Mina-chan's!"

Hearing that only pissed off the other girls, angry tick marks throbbing on their foreheads. The guys sweatdropped. Teddie's tact plummeted to zero when Nanako wasn't around, the blonde blissfully unaware of the death glares the girls were shooting at him as he kept gushing over and over about how delicious Minako's cooking was.

It wasn't long before Shinjiro saw through Teddie's attempt to flirt with his girlfriend and, being the possessive and protective guy that he is, scooted closer to her, glaring at the human Shadow. "You still hungry? Here, you can have this." He offered the blonde some of his own food to steer him off, while holding Minako's waist for good measure.

"Yay! More yummy food! Thank you bear-y much!" Teddie dug in, all flirting plans forgotten.

Shinjiro grunted in satisfaction while Minako giggled, resting her head on his shoulder.

"So, you guys heard anything unusual in class?" Souji asked, deciding it was time to change the topic.

"Other than people talking about your return as well as the five new students, not much, Senpai," Rise informed. "By the way, is the fifth student who I think it is?"

"Yep!. It's the girl you told us about. We met her at the faculty office." Minako smiled. "Her name is Labrys. She's in the same class as Daisuke-kun."

Rise then turned to the others with an 'I-told-you-so' smirk. "I knew it! Never doubt my powers of preservation!"

"It's 'observation', Rise-chan," Yukiko corrected.

"Great, now she's gonna ramble about that all day..." Kanji grumbled.

Rise paid no mind to him. "So, what's she like?"

"We didn't get to talk to her much, but overall she seems pretty nice," Minato said.

Before the talk could go any further, the rooftop door slammed open, revealing the grinning faces of Kou and Daisuke.

"Told ya he'd be here!" Kou said, his full attention to Souji. "Hey, man. Talk about making a comeback! You're the talk of the school."

"Him, Labrys and you guys," Daisuke completed Kou's sentence. "It's probably the most exciting thing that happened in school for a long time. And I mean a _really_ long time."

"Is that supposed to be a compliment?" Minato asked in a jokingly manner.

"Uh… Yeah… I guess?" Daisuke rubbed the back of his head, earning a chuckle from the blunette.

"Speaking of Labrys-chan, what is she like in class?" Minako asked curiously.

"My first impression was the quiet, passive type. But when Yumi and I were recruiting volunteers to help the student council with the planning of the school festival, she was the first one to step up," Kou said. "I really didn't expect that she was outgoing, enthusiastic even. I guess first impressions can fool you at times."

"That's a good way to help others and meet more people," Minato said, recalling his and Minako's experience in Gekkoukan's Student Council.

Kou leaned over, placing one hand on Souji's shoulder. "So Souji, you made up your mind about basketball?"

"Sure thing. I'll stop by the gym after classes are over," the silverette said. "Just need to get some things settled first."

Kou nodded. "Sounds good. I'll see ya later then."

The two athletes didn't stay long and went back to their own classrooms as school bell rang, signaling lunchtime was over.

* * *

><p>The bell rang, and class was finished for the day. Most of the students were packing, either to go home, their part-time jobs or club activities. In Souji's case, it was the latter. He had promised Kou he'd stop by in order to confirm his decision about joining the basketball team and becoming one of the front-line players.<p>

"Souji-kun, you going somewhere?" Minato questioned, packing his books inside his bag.

"I'm heading off to the gym. Kou should be waiting for me there," the silverette answered.

"Do you mind if we come with you?" Minako asked. "I wanted to ask around about any clubs we could join."

"Sure. If that's the case, we should stop by the faculty office and get the permission slip from Sofue-sensei."

Minako turned to her boyfriend. "Shinji-kun, do you want to come along?"

Shinjiro shook his head. "No thanks. I'm heading off to work. I'll see you at the dorm later."

Yosuke was already heading out the door. "Sorry guys, can't talk. I gotta go get Ted and supervise his punishment. See ya!"

Yukiko, Chie and Metis approached next. "We'll see you guys around. Yukiko and I are gonna take Metis on a tour of the school," Chie informed them.

"I can't wait to see what this establishment has to offer," Metis said with shining eyes. The three of them left the classroom, talking excitedly.

"Not much…" Shinjiro scoffed. "Oh well, I'm off." He gave Minako's hand a reassuring squeeze before heading out.

"Wow, everyone's so busy!" Minako commented.

"Well, since we're not training today, they've all made their own plans," her twin said. "Come on, let's get those permission slips and see which clubs we can join."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Yasogami High Gym…<strong>_

"Souji, you came!" Kou Ichijo ran as fast as he could from one end of the gym to where the trio just entered.

"Well, I couldn't just leave you to be running the team by yourself now. You're pretty much hopeless without me. Right…Captain?" the silverette smirked.

Kou laughed at the title. "Don't you mean the one-man-show? The club still lacks motivation, but a few recruits have joined since you left." He gestured to three guys practicing their footwork. "If we're lucky, we might be able to snag a place in the district championship and bring back the drive to move Yasogami High forward." He turned to the twins and noticed the permission slips in their hands. "Looking to join a club I see…Any interests in basketball?"

"I never played basketball before. In my previous school I was in Kendo club," Minato said. "But we'll observe for a bit before making our decision."

"That's cool, no pressure," Kou said. "After Souji warms up, we'll be having a friendly one-on-one match to see the level of skill the new guys are currently at. You're more than welcomed to stay."

"Thank you, Kou-kun. We're more than happy to do so!" Minako chirped. She wanted to see just how good Souji was at sports.

Out of the blue, Daisuke appeared at Kou's side and gave Minato a hearty pat on the back, nearly giving the latter a heart attack.

Kou raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be training the rookies for the upcoming tournament?"

"Nah, those guys can handle themselves," Daisuke grinned. "I had them running laps and practice passing the ball. Nothing too heavy for the start of the semester."

"Yeah right, you're only here to stare at Ebihara," his friend scoffed. "Instead of drooling over my team manager, why don't you take care of yours?"

"Didn't you hear? He quit just before summer break started. Something about focusing on exams and mock tests." Daisuke's usually smiley disposition turned into a frown. "Kondo-sensei gave him the okay, despite his workload having doubled with all the paperwork that's been swamping him lately. I think he'll fall sick at some point if he doesn't get any assistance."

"Kondo-sensei is still teaching two subjects AND coaching?" Souji interjected, having finished changing into a muscle shirt and three-quarter bottoms.

Kou sighed. "Sadly, yes. From what I heard from Yumi, the school is low on funds so they couldn't hire more teachers for classes or coaches for the sport clubs. Rumors started floating around that some of them were voting to lay off one or two clubs from the school program to cut corners. The school newspaper has been raving about it since April."

The twins looked at each other, silently communicating with their eyes. Souji picked up on this and wondered what they were talking about. He was snapped out of it by Kou.

The captain picked up a basketball and spun it on the tip of his finger, a challenging smirk on his lips. "Souji, care to demonstrate at how much you improved the last time you were here? Loser has to polish balls for a week."

The silverette returned a cocky grin. "I'm confident enough to kick your ass. Bring it on!"

Instead of breaking off into pairs and playing against each other, the team members scattered around the edge of the basketball court to watch two of their best players battle it out, waiting for a while as they warmed up first. Ai agreed to be the referee cum scorekeeper. She held the ball between the two, a silver whistle between her lips. She tossed the ball into the air and backed away. When the ball reached zero velocity mid-air, she blew the whistle to start the match.

The battle was on. Everybody cheered as the adrenaline level started picking up. Both teens had skill and technique – dribbling, dodging, and feinting their way to score a point. Kou used his shorter stature to elude Souji and sped his way towards the hoop, but Souji took advantage of his height to knock the ball out of its trajectory and jumped again to snatch it away when it rebounded. He used his shoulder to block Kou as he tried to make a grab for the ball. It was an intense battle as the ball kept switching from one player's hands to another, neither willing to give up. The crowd went wild whenever a point was scored, the noise attracting more people from outside to stop what they were doing to come and watch. The twins noticed how much fun their brother was having, and couldn't help but cheer him on.

After 20 minutes, Ai blew the whistle, indicating the friendly match was over. "Alright, that's enough you guys!" she shouted, her voice barely making it through the crowd. "Ichijo – 3, Seta – 3. It's a tie!"

The crowd soon dissipated. Souji and Kou shook hands. Looks like both of them would have to polish balls for the time being.

"Dudes, that was awesome!" Daisuke exclaimed, giving Kou a surprise noogie.

"Get off!" the Ichijo heir choked, shoving his childhood friend away from him.

"That was so cool, Souji-kun!" Minako squealed as she grabbed his arm.

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised," Minato said, a proud smile on his face. "You really did enjoy throwing balls around when we were kids. You used to run off every time you caught it though."

Everyone laughed, including Souji albeit a bit embarrassed. Kou then turned his attention to the twins. "So, any interest in joining yet?"

"Yo, not so fast!" Daisuke exclaimed. "I got dibs on Minato here. We're going to the soccer field to shoot some goals. You're not the only one who wants new members."

Minato had a huge question mark above his head. "We are?" Daisuke dragged him away before he could blink.

"I used to be in tennis club before this. I think I'll go and check them out," Minako said. She put on her MP3 and cranked up the volume before leaving the basketball court.

"So, you fired up for practice now?" Kou asked Souji, who gave him an enthusiastic grin. "Alright! Time to train some freshmen!"

* * *

><p>Minako wondered around the school grounds, reminiscing the time she came here previously with the Gekkoukan tennis team. She giggled at the memory of her fellow teammates teasing Kanou-sensei behind her back. <em>'I hope she's doing well in Kyushu…I wonder if she married her fiancé yet? Maybe she did, since Kenji-kun lost interest in her to finally date Rio-chan! I'm so happy for them!'<em>

Heading towards the tennis court which she remembered where it was located, Minako watched them practice. Of course, the members who hosted the fellowship have all graduated, so it was awkward trying to approach them now, as there were no familiar faces…except one. "Yumi-chan!"

Yumi Ozawa turned to look for the voice who called her. The girl who was talking to her earlier walked off, leaving Yumi by herself. "Oh, it's just you Arisato-san."

"No need to be so formal with me, Yumi-chan. You're a friend of Souji-kun, so I also consider you one. Please call me Minako."

Feeling rather flustered at Minako's display of friendliness, she relented. "A-alright…Minako-san…"

Minako beamed. "What are you doing here? If I recall correctly, Kou-kun said you were in student council. Do you play tennis by any chance?"

"No, I was just checking up on something with the team captain. They'll be participating in a fellowship with another school in the neighboring prefecture instead of hosting it this time." Yumi then noticed the pink slip in her hand. "Are you looking to join the tennis team?"

"Yeah, I am." At Yumi's slight frown, Minako's enthusiasm lowered a bit. "Is something wrong?"

"The team captain told me they aren't accepting any more members. I'm afraid you'll have to join elsewhere."

The auburn-head's smile turned upside-down, shoulders slumped in disappointment. "Oh…"

Yumi suddenly felt guilty. "B-but…I heard the soccer team is in dire need of a manager. Perhaps we could look over there? Ever done any management duties?"

"Actually…I have. I used to be a member of the student council in my previous school, so I'm familiar with the paperwork." Minako's spirits were going back up. "My brother should be there with Daisuke-kun Come on, Yumi-chan. Ler's go and watch them play!"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Yasogami High field…<br>**_  
>"Alright guys, listen up! We've got a new teammate!" Daisuke slapped Minato's back. "You guys heard about Minato Arisato, one of the new students, right? He's from the city and I'm sure this guy's got some great moves just waiting to show off!"<p>

The other members exchanged groans, whispering among themselves.

"A skinny guy like him playing soccer?"

"Poor sap won't last five minutes here."

"Really? We are not that desperate for new members…are we?"

Minato sweatdropped. _'Far from a friendly reception, huh?'_

"Hey, man. Don't let 'em get to you. Just play hard and have fun." Daisuke tossed him a spare jersey. "Here, put that on and show 'em what you can do."

With a nod, Minato went to the lockers and five minutes later came back wearing the full soccer uniform with cleats.

"Looking good!" Daisuke grinned, placing the soccer ball on the ground and motioned to the other players to take their positions. "Alright, you guys know what to do. Get to it!"

The moment Minato kicked the ball, the other players closed in, trying to disarm him. Smirking, he made a swift dash to the left and bypassed the first player. Without wasting time, he dribbled around two more who charged at him. At the right moment, he curled a shot from 30 meters into the top-right corner of the goal.

Daisuke was in awe. "Whoa! Nice shot!"

The other players were amazed as well. "That was crazy!" One shouted. "I've never seen someone hustle like that!"

"With those moves…we might actually have a shot at this year's tournament!"

"I'm glad you came along!" Another member praised. The others were starting to change their tune as well.

Minato smiled bashfully as the team finally acknowledged him. "Heh. Thanks a lot, guys."

Daisuke slung an arm around Minato's shoulder. "What'd I tell ya? I know a good player when I see one. But man, how did you get so good? You played soccer before?"

"Not really, but when I was in kendo, you need to have good footwork," Minato explained. '_Plus, fighting killer Shadows on an almost daily basis you're bound to get faster or else you're dead meat.'  
><em>  
>Soon enough they heard clapping and squeals. "That was so awesome, Aniki!" Minako shouted as she ran up to him, Yumi calmly following her.<p>

"Thanks Minako." Minato smiled at his twin.

"Yo." Daisuke greeted the girls. "What's up?"

"Minako-san is interested in becoming the manager for the Soccer Club," Yumi said.

"Yeah. Tennis Club aren't accepting members anymore so I figured helping out in another team would be the next best thing to do."

Daisuke's face lit up. "Are you serious?! That'd be awesome! We could really use someone reliable like you to help around."

That got the rest of the team excited.

"For real?!"

"That's awesome!"

"Alright! Finally, a girl on the team!"

Minako turned to her twin. "This'll give me more chances to hang out with my big brother!" She couldn't help but giggle as their expressions fell.

Her twin smiled back at her. He turned to the club members with a dangerous look in his eyes. "And before any of you guys get any ideas, my sister's already got a boyfriend and trust me, you don't want to see the both of us angry."

The guys backed off, gulping at Minato's silent threat. Daisuke laughed heartily. "Okay, enough fooling around!" His expression turned serious. "Let's run a few more laps! Get moving!"

The players grunted, but complied. Minato shrugged and followed them.

"That's gonna keep them busy for a while." Daisuke turned to Minako. "I'll fetch the papers you're gonna need for manager duty. Thanks again for helping us out, Minako-san."

"Don't mention it, Daisuke-kun!" Minako beamed.

"Well, if things are all set here, I should be going. I need to check a few things with the other clubs," Yumi said. "I'll see you guys some other time."

"Okay. Thanks again, Yumi-chan! See you later!" Minako waved at Yumi who smiled back at her before walking way.

After that, soccer practice went on like usual with the guys training passes and running laps. Minako filled some papers at the side, occasionally checking up on her brother.

When practice was over, most of the members took off, leaving Daisuke and the twins to tear off the goals nets and clean up.

"Not bad for a first day, you guys." Daisuke praised the two. "With you guys around, looks like the team finally got some motivation."

A voice from around the corner interrupted him. "Good, 'cause they need all the help they can get." Kou appeared with a teasing grin as he walked up to them with Souji and Ai. "Pretty weak team, know what I'm saying?"

Daisuke frowned at him, a big red tick mark above his head. "Shut up! Your team is just as lame!"

"Come on guys, don't start with this again," Souji sighed.

"Fine..." Kou rolled his eyes. "Seriously though, it's gonna be good for the team to have you guys around." He then glanced at Ai. "A woman's touch is just what these guys needed."

Daisuke raised an eyebrow. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh nothing big. You'll figure it out soon enough."

The twins smiled, feeling a faint bond forming with the athletic duo as they kept talking back and teasing each other. Suddenly time stopped, a familiar card flashed:

_Thou art I… And I am thou…  
>Thou hast established a new bond…<br>Thou shalt be blessed when creating Personas of the Strength Arcana…  
><em>  
>The twins smiled at each other and then at Souji, who simply grinned in understanding.<p>

"What do you say we help you guys clean up so we can grab a snack?" Kou suggested.

"Good idea!" Daisuke cheered and Souji nodded. "I'm starving."

"Boys will be boys…" Ai said with a small smile as she stood next to Daisuke, intending to hold his arm.

The soccer captain looked at her with a mix of happiness and confusion before he left to clean up with Kou and Souji, leaving her behind. Ai in turn frowned, but moved to the side waiting for them to finish.

Minako approached her. "Hey Ai-chan, how was basketball practice today?"

"Actually, pretty good." She forced a smile as she watched the guys. "Kou-kun and Souji-kun's match really got the others motivated. I haven't seen them like that in quite a while."

"That's great to know." Minako smiled back. "So, as a team manager, what do you do?"

"Mostly paperwork, like registration of members, booking venues depending on the occasion, such as the culture festival, sports carnival or competitions. And you're also the secretary whenever there are meetings with the club members, student council or with clubs from other schools. To tell you the truth, I was forced into this job in order to pass last year because I was skipping too many classes, but I didn't think I'd end up sticking to it on my own will. It's hard work, but I met some great people because of it."

"I take it you catch a lot of attention from the guys, huh?"

"I guess…"

"Like Daisuke-kun's?" Minako asked with a mischievous smile.

Ai blushed at that, and nodded. "Y-yeah…"

"You two started dating recently, right? How's that going?"

"I wish I knew…" Ai sighed. "I like him… I really do, but I don't know. At first I thought he was just a little dense when it comes to girls, but there are times I really don't know what he's thinking when we're together. Kou-kun convinced me that he's still getting the hang of handling girls, but that doesn't make me feel any better…"

"Perhaps he's shy?" Minato interjected, joining their conversation. "From what Souji-kun told me, this is his and your first serious relationship, isn't it?"

"So, maybe I'm rushing things?" Ai looked at Daisuke who was chasing Kou around the field, most probably caused by bad joke from the basketball captain while Souji just laughed at them. "I just wish I could understand him better…"

"Maybe we can help with that," Minako said. "Since we joined the soccer team, we'll hang out with Daisuke-kun. That way, we'll be able to get more info about him."

Ai's sharp eyes flickered between blue and auburn in disbelief. "You guys… You would really do that for me?"

"Why not? That's what friends are for," Minato smiled gently at her. "By seeing things from different perspectives you'll understand yourself and others better."

Ai cocked her head. She was still a bit confused but smiled nonetheless. "I'm not really sure I understand what you two mean, but I really appreciate it."

"No rush. Soon enough you'll understand," Minako grinned cryptically. She noticed the three friends coming closer. "Ah, speak of the devil."

"We'll talk more about that some other time, okay?" Minato said, wearing the same grin as his sister.

Ai immediately cheered up. She gave them a wink. "Okay!"

After they finished, the group of friends left the school for a quick snack at Souzai Daigaku.

* * *

><p>The following day started out without any major incidents. The school-going SPIES had no trouble setting into the normal routine to the eyes of the public. However, not all was okay with Souji.<p>

A sigh escaped his lips as he tried his best to listen to Hosoi-sensei's lecture. Souji felt he should have stayed home today when he woke up feeling tired, no wait scratch that, he felt EXHAUSTED after not getting any sleep on the previous night, caused by Izanagi's pounding and the ominous images plaguing his dreams. But still he pushed himself forward, as the last thing he wanted was to trouble the twins and his friends with things that not even he himself understood at the moment.

Luckily, he was able to get through classes unnoticed. Since everybody had their own things to do after school, Souji decided to attend basketball practice again hoping that would help him unwind.

On his way to the gym, Souji stopped by the bathroom and looked at himself in the mirror. He looked rather pale and forming dark circles under his eyes from lack of sleep. Nothing serious. He just hoped his main Persona would give him a break and let him enjoy practice. With a deep breath, he washed his face trying his best to look healthy and headed out.

Halfway through practice, Souji's headache came back with full force. He had a hard time focusing, but managed to avoid suspicion from the rest of the team. Kou and Ai seemed to notice that something was off, but didn't say anything.

After they finished up, Souji, Kou and Ai headed for the soccer field. Minato and Daisuke were practicing shooting goals, while Minako and Yumi were chatting nearby.

"Alright, one more shot and I'm done!" Daisuke shouted, getting ready for another kick.

"Dude, you said that five times already," Minato shot back. "The rest of the team already took off, so let's wrap this practice up."

"Sorry, man, I got too fired up," the buff teen smiled sheepishly. "Alright, this one will be the REAL final one. Here goes!" Daisuke took a few steps back, broke into a sprint and kicked the ball with all his strength. The ball flew over the goal, ricocheted off one of the building walls, its trajectory flying full speed towards an unsuspecting Souji.

Minato saw that and tried to warn him. "SOUJI-KUN! LOOK OUT!"

Because of his headache, Souji didn't hear Minato's warning nor had the focus to dodge in time. The ball hit him square on the side of his head, knocking him off his feet and onto the ground.

"SOUJI!" his friends shouted as they all rushed to his side.

Souji groaned as he found himself surrounded by his friends. His sight was getting blurry.

"Oh my god, man! Are you okay?!" Daisuke was in a panicked state. "I'm sorry! I'm really sorry!"

"Hey, say something!" Yumi called. "Souji!"

Kou looked scared. "Dude, talk to us!"

"Hey, come on! Don't scare us like that!" Ai said nervously.

"Souji-kun! Souji-kun!" the twins cried, clearly concerned.

Next thing he knew, everything faded to black.

* * *

><p>Darkness everywhere... Souji could hardly see a thing before him. Izanagi started acting up again, which didn't help on the matter.<p>

"Where am I?" he asked himself. "How did I get here? I was leaving school and then…" He groaned and held his head. It hurt too much. "Damn, I can't even think straight…"

_"Souji…"_ A female voice called out to him, almost like a whisper.

He looked around "Who's there?.

_"Souji…"_ Another voice, a male one, called.

He gasped as Izanagi immediately stilled, seemingly calming down. Wait a minute…he knew those voices! "M-Mother?! Father?! Is that you guys?!"

_"Souji, my baby… It is you…"_ his mother said. There was a mix of relief and sadness in her voice.

His father sighed with relief. _"You're safe… Thank God…"  
><em>  
>"Where are you? What happened?" Souji asked, frantically looking around, hoping to see them. "Are you okay?!"<p>

_"Son… No, we can't tell you… Not yet…"_ his father said. _"It's not safe…"_

_"That man… He's still on the loose,"_ his mother said. _"If he finds you… He'll take you away from us…"_

"That man? Who are you talking about?" The silverette was getting more and more confused.

_"Please, stay safe…"_ Mr. Seta's voice started fading away.

_"We love you…"_ his wife's faded as well.

"Wait! Don't go!" their son screamed. "Mom! Dad!"

_"FOOLISH CHILD!"_ Another voice boomed out from the darkness. This one was cold and evil. It sounded to be a distorted version of the chairman's. _"THEY MAY TRY TO PROTECT YOU, BUT YOU WON'T BE SAFE FOREVER! I WILL FIND YOU!"  
><em>  
>"Who are you?! What did you do with my parents?!" Anger overrode his fear, until Izanagi started getting agitated again. "Gah… Damnit! Izanagi! Calm down!"<p>

_"DO NOT WORRY ABOUT THEM. WHERE YOU'RE GOING… YOU'LL NEVER SEE THEM AGAIN!"_

Souji felt himself sinking into a pool of darkness. He tried to move, but was held in place. The shadows surrounding him started to solidify, taking form of hands and arms, pulling him down even further. No matter how much he struggled, the darkness' grip was viciously strong and suffocating. _'D-Damnit…' _He felt devoid of strength, already chest deep. _'Am I…. gonna die here…?'_

Just when Souji was drowning up to his eyeballs, he felt someone grab his hands.

_"Don't give up!"_ A male voice said. It sounded younger than his father's.

_"You're not alone!"_ Another young female voice said.

Souji felt himself being lifted, the pressure around his chest loosening up as warm light wrapped his body. He tried to open his eyes, but all he could see were two bright silhouettes. "You two…? I know you…"

_"You should really stop talking…"_ the female figure said. There was something familiar and comforting about her. _"You're safe now."_

_"Everything's gonna be okay,"_ the male one said. Souji couldn't see his face, but he could tell he was smiling. _"We're here to help, so don't worry."  
><em>  
>As the light covered Souji's body, he felt his eyelids become heavy, a peaceful feeling enveloping him. He smiled and closed his eyes. "Thank you… Marie… Ryoji-san…"<p>

* * *

><p>Souji's eyes fluttered open. He felt his body lying on a bed, and soon recognized where he was – the school infirmary.<p>

"Souji-san, you came to…" A soft male voice said. "Thank goodness…"

"Huh?" Souji looked to his side. "Naoki? How…"

"Minako-san pretty much crashed into me when she was heading here," Naoki explained. "When she told me you had been hit by a soccer ball, I called the nurse, while Ichijo-senpai and Nagase-senpai helped Minato-san bring you here. The nurse said you got a nasty hit, but luckily, not bad enough to get a concussion."

"I… guess?" The silverette took a better look around the room. Indeed, Kou, Daisuke and the Arisato twins were there, staring at him with relieved smiles on their faces.

"Dude, you're alive!" Daisuke shouted. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to hit THAT hard! Hell, I didn't mean to hit you at all! I know I'm strong and all, but… I don't wanna give you a cracked skull or anything like that!"

His friends sweatdropped. "I'm fine now, Daisuke…" Souji grinned weakly at the soccer player. "Don't worry."

"Man, 'bout time you woke up," Kou said. "Daisuke here was so panicked while you were out cold, I had to ask Yumi and the girls to go get him tea or something to calm him down. Hell, I would've forced him drink alcohol from the chemistry lab if none of that worked."

Daisuke blushed. "Hey! You didn't have to bring that up!" The others laughed lightly at that.

"How ya feeling, Souji-kun?" Minako asked as she sat on the edge of his bed, gently stroking his arm.

"I'm fine. I could use some water, though…" Souji rubbed his forehead. He winced when he touched a bump. _'Ouch…that's gonna hurt for a while. At least Izanagi's calmed down. But what was that dream about?'_

"Just to be safe, you take it easy for now okay?" Minato said with a gentle smile, but there was concern in his eyes.

'_Did something else happen while I was knocked out?'_

Moments later, Ayane, Ai and Yumi walked in, chatting about girl stuff as they brought in a few cans of cold drinks, but automatically turned silent upon seeing Kou frown, eyes hardened. "Souji…" he started, sounding serious. "While you were unconscious…you were calling out for your parents."

Souji flinched while the twins looked away. The others were surprised, and became concerned. "You came back from the city without warning and resumed studying at our school," Kou continued. "I was really happy about that, but couldn't help but wonder the reason for your sudden return." He looked at his friend directly in the eye. "It has to do with your folks, am I right?"

The silverette avoided his friends' gazes. He didn't want to hide things from them, but at the same time, he wasn't ready to disclose to them about the subject. Even though the twins and his teammates had helped him through his grief, the wound was still fresh, especially after the run-in with Ikutsuki, which he still didn't know why that affected him so strongly.

"Man, if you don't wanna tell us what's going on, we understand…" Daisuke said, forcing a small grin, but it was clearly visible that both he and Kou were disappointed that their close friend wasn't willing to talk with them about his problems.

Minako came closer to Souji, her twin doing the same. They bent down slightly, closer to his ear. "Souji-kun…" she whispered softly. "Don't keep your feelings bottled up inside you. It's not healthy… Aniki and I learned that the hard way."

"Your Personas' power lies in your bonds with your social links," Minato added. "If you reaffirm those bonds, it might help you calm your powers down and stop your headaches."

Souji was silent at first, but he finally nodded. The twins were right; when he faced Kubo's Shadow, it was his doubts over the bonds he created with his friends that had caused his Personas to fail him, almost falling victim to the psychotic teen's illusion. Only when he realized that his friends and family would never abandon him, that they truly cared for him, was he able to unleash that power to defeat the Shadow.

"Alright…" he finally said. "You guys better sit down then. It's a long story…"

The six friends approached closer, some sitting down while the two athletes preferred standing up. The silver-haired Wild Card took a deep breath before he once again recited the events of that fateful night. The twins, already knowing the full details, helped him fill out the blanks, not mentioning anything about Shadows or Personas for obvious reasons.

"Senpai… I'm… I'm sorry!" Ayane sniffed quietly, eyes brimming with tears.

And she wasn't alone. Yumi and Ai were already shedding tears while Kou and Daisuke both had stunned expressions, but it was Naoki's reaction which surprised everybody. He put a hand on Souji's shoulder. "Souji-san…I think I can understand…the pain you must be feeling now…"

"Naoki…" he whispered. Everybody, including the twins whom Souji had told them the tragic tale of the Konishi family, knew that deep down, the junior still grieved over the death of his sister Saki, from time to time.

"I know you probably can't grieve in front of everyone, but don't push yourself so hard… If you need a friend, I'm here for you," Naoki said with a gentle smile. "So please… I may not be that reliable, but I'll be here for you."

"Yes…I understand how you feel too." Yumi said. "Just like with my father..."

"Yumi…" Souji frowned as he recalled the days when Yumi's father was in the hospital, and all her mixed feelings she poured out about her mother, herself and him.

"Don't stop thinking about your parents, but don't stop thinking about yourself too," Yumi continued. "Don't run away from it all. Otherwise it'll just hurt you more."

"When you're going through tough times, you can't carry all the weight in your shoulders, Senpai," Ayane said softly. "It's selfish, and hurtful to the ones who care about you."

"That's right, knucklehead. You gotta take care of yourself too!" Ai said. "I know it's tough, but your parents will worry about you instead when they come back, right?"

"Ai… Ayane…"

"You've got the guts to pull through this!" Daisuke grinned "You gotta be brave, man!"

Kou grinned as well. "And if there's anything we can do for you, let us know. You know, I…no, _we're_ here for you. After all, we're best of friends, right?"

"Daisuke... Kou..." Small tears pooled in Souji's eyes. "Thank you, guys... All of you..."

The twins couldn't help but smile. Their little brother had found truly wonderful friends.

A few minutes later, the nurse came back and shooed the group of students out of the room so she could give Souji some medicine, check his temperature and evaluate if he could go home or if he needed to be checked by a doctor.

While waiting outside, the twins approached Naoki while the others chatted among themselves. "Naoki-kun… Thank you." Minako smiled gently.

"Huh? For what?" the junior blinked, looking confused.

"For what you said to Souji-kun," Minato answered. "Even though my sister and I also understand his pain, for we lost our own parents when we were young, your words and actions really had an impact on him."

Naoki was silent at first. "I… I'm just doing the right thing…" he finally said, feeling embarrassed. "My sister Saki…she passed away not too long ago…" He looked back at the door. "When I saw Souji-san like that… I couldn't stand it… I think… I think he reminded me of myself…"

Minato nodded in understanding. "You are still going through a lot yourself, huh?"

"I guess you can say that…" Naoki felt Ayane holding his hand. He smiled at her before he looked back at the twins. "Do you…do you still miss them?"

"Every day," Minako said.

Naoki looked at the floor. "I see… I guess that feeling never goes away, huh?"

"Time heals all wounds, even if some scars may never completely fade," Minato said. "I believe…no, I'm _certain_ that things will be okay, given time."

"Because in the end, that's what we all need, right? Time to grieve, to experience each of its stages and then come out knowing we're just that little bit stronger."

"I've never thought about things that way…" Naoki mumbled. "That does lift a weight from my shoulders. Thank you."

They smiled back at him, feeling a bond forming with the junior when they felt time stop. A card flashed and the familiar voice spoke:

_Thou art I… And I am thou…  
>Thou hast established a new bond…<br>Thou shalt be blessed when creating Personas of the Hanged Man Arcana…_

Souji finally walked out of the room. He was greeted with a bombardment of questions and words of relief that were immediately quieted by his raising hand. "I'm okay now, guys." he said with a small smile. "The nurse said I'm good enough to go home. Some rest and painkillers, I should be 100% in a few days, though I'm not allowed not play sports for at least two days."

Upon hearing that, Kou smacked Daisuke upside his head. "Thanks a lot, numbskull!" he said, faking anger. "Now who else is gonna help me get the freshmen motivated to train?"

"Ow! C'mon man, could've been worse." Daisuke whined, rubbing his head. "At least they still got the captain to make them work their butts off. Besides, Souji here can still watch you guys practicing and stuff."

"Oh sure, leave it to me to do the dirty work!"

Souji chuckled at the comedic scene while the others laughed at the duo's banter. "You two are a real piece of work," Ai grumbled, grinning amusedly as she grabbed Daisuke's arm. "Hey, it's getting late. You're supposed to be walking me home, you know."

"Oh, yeah. You're right." He smiled at his girlfriend before turning to Souji. "You gonna be okay, man?"

Souji smirked. "Yeah, I think I'll manage to get home in one piece."

"We'll make sure that happens," Minato said. His sister just giggled. Souji rolled his eyes, knowing that there was no arguing this time.

"I guess you're in good hands then," Yumi smiled. "Just don't get careless, okay?"

"See you tomorrow, Senpai." Ayane bowed politely. "Please rest well."

"Take it easy, dude." Kou patted his shoulder. "I'll handle the rookies."

"I'll help too, so don't worry okay?" Ai assured. "See you later."

Daisuke grinned again. "Later, dude."

"Take care, Souji-san," Naoki waved.

Souji nodded with a small smile as the trio saw the six friends off.

* * *

><p>The twin Wild Cards accompanied Souji home despite the silverette insisting that he was well enough to walk on his own.<p>

As the trio walked in silence, Souji reflected about his dream, his parents and the two figures he saw. He knew Marie and Ryoji had a hand in pulling him out of that unknown, malevolent entity's grasp before it was too late, but he couldn't help but wonder. _'How could they have known about that? Now that I think about it, why hadn't I run into Marie ever since I've arrived in Inaba? I'm certain she's not avoiding me, but… Ugh! Why do I have a knack of befriending the unknown, mysterious types?'_ He sighed in frustration.

Hearing that, both twins turned their concerned gazes to him. "You okay, Banchou-kun?" Minako asked.

"Your head's still hurting?" Minato added.

"No… Well, not that bad… At least Izanagi's calmed down." Souji stopped in his tracks. "Just thinking about that dream I had while I was out cold… No, that wasn't a dream. It was a vision."

"What was it about?" Minako asked. "I mean, aside from you calling out for Uncle and Aunty…"

Souji closed his eyes in recollection and explained the dream to them. Needless to say, they were surprised at the part regarding Ryoji and Marie.

"Okay… I might understand how Ryoji could've interfered with your vision, since that part of his power came from Pharos," Minato started. "But, Marie? How could she do that?"

"I never told you guys before, have I? Marie isn't a real denizen of the Velvet Room. After we met, she became an assistant there trying to find herself."

"Find herself?" Minako repeated.

"I first met Marie on the day I arrived in Inaba. At first she was rather cold and antisocial. But it turned out that her apparent lack of emotion was basically just her way to deal with her own shyness, insecurity and naïveté," Souji explained as they continued walking again. "She was questioning her own existence in life, having no memories of her past and that's why she wanted me to show her Inaba, to learn about the world and who she really is. Kind of like Teddie when Yosuke and I met him for the second time."

"All those who reach the Velvet Room are destined to go on a journey in search for identity," Minato pondered. "Maybe that's how Marie ended up there."

Souji continued. "I think so too. Anyway, after my friends and I defeated Ameno-Sagiri and cleared the fog from the real world, Margaret told me about Marie's sudden disappearance. I had no idea where she had gone to or why she left that way. It was only during a trip to a ski resort during winter break did we find out she had trapped herself inside the TV World after regaining her memories and remembered who she really was."

The twins looked at each other. That story sounded too familiar…

"We fought our way through the Hollow Forest, the reality she had created within the Midnight Channel, and when we finally found her, we discovered the truth – she was actually Kusumi-no-Okami, one part of a greater power like Ameno and Kunino-Sagiri, and her role was to spy on our world." Souji took a deep breath before continuing. "While Ameno-Sagiri's purpose was to cloud the world with fog, it was Kusumi-no-Okami's role to absorb it, and to die after. She tried to push us away because of that and make us forget about her…trapped in a dilemma between self-sacrifice, or to lose all we had worked for by returning to the real world."

Minako frowned. "Just like Ryoji-kun…"

"I suppose you can say that. Unable to reason with her, we had no choice but to fight. After her first defeat however, the remnants of both Ameno and Kunino-Sagiri used the fog she had absorbed to take control over her, turning her into her Kusumi-no-Okami's form. It was a difficult battle, but we managed to free her because she sealed away her consciousness, thus protecting herself from death and allowing her to return to the real world with us. After the defeat of Izanami-no-Okami, I learned that Marie was also the other half of her…Izanami-no-Mikoto."

"The other half of Izanami?" the twins chorused.

"Izanami-no-Okami was the half that granted people's wishes. Izanami-no-Mikoto was the half that actually believed in the good of people. Over time, Izanami-no-Mikoto lost all of her powers and memories, and became a shard while Izanami-no-Okami's increased and her views on mankind grew twisted. When she was defeated, Marie vanished along with her." Souji rubbed his eyes in mild frustration. "I was hoping to meet her after returning to Inaba, but so far no luck. And now, her appearance alongside Ryoji-san looking out for me…it makes me wonder… what's really going on here?"

Both twins put a reassuring hand on his shoulders. "Marie-chan cares a lot for you, Banchou-kun. Just like Ryoji cares for me and Aniki," Minako said. "If we find her, Ryoji-kun or even Pharos-kun, we'll find the others. And when we do, I'm sure they'll be able to tell us what they know."

"Minako is right. They must have a reason to act like that. We just need to trust them," Minato added. "When the time is right, they'll show themselves to us."

Souji nodded, a small smile on his lips. "You're right. They know what they're doing," he said. "Let's go home. It's getting late."

As they trio walked away, two people watched them from afar, a girl and a guy, who were none other than Ryoji and Marie themselves.

"Looks like we acted at the right moment..." Marie said with a small frown. "But we're running out of time… I don't know for how long Souji will be able to keep his powers in check under these circumstances…"

"C'mon, Marie-chan, don't be so pessimistic," Ryoji said, trying to cheer her up. "You're underestimating Souji-kun."

"Maybe I am…" Marie turned her attention to the setting sun. "But he has no idea what he's dealing with here…then again, neither do we."

Ryoji was silent at first, fiddling with his scarf. "Look, trust me when I say this – as long as Minako-chan and Minato-kun are there for him, Souji-kun will be fine. We'll also be there for him when he needs it, right?"

Marie smiled at that, her eyes closed. "You're right. I'll help him just like he did for me." She opened her eyes to look at Ryoji. "You know Mochizuki, you're quite a nice guy after all."

"Really?" His face lit up. "Then would you like to have dinner with me at Aiya's tonight, Marie-chan? Or maybe that nice restaurant in Okina? My treat."

Marie rolled her eyes. "Don't push your luck, Casanova. You still need to pick up Pharos at Nanako-chan's place while I need to get ready for my new job. And stop calling me Marie-chan. I have to keep a low profile here for now, you know."

"Can't blame me for trying," Ryoji chuckled. "Very well, shall we be on our way…Mariko-chan?"

Marie simply shook her head with an amused grin as they walked away.

* * *

><p>Souji wasn't feeling so well the following day. He knew the nurse ordered him to take it easy for a few days after the soccer incident, and that meant heading straight home after school. But a stubborn part of him wanted to attend music practice today. The twins already went ahead. Ayane wouldn't be pleased, but if he didn't go, then neither would he. As he made his way to the end of the hallway, the disturbing visions hit him full force, instantaneously triggering the pounding in his head. It was more intense, and Souji couldn't be sure if the headache was more painful because of the slight head injury or that Izanagi was getting worse.<p>

He shakily made it to the washroom. The nausea came and Souji emptied his stomach contents into a toilet bowl. _'There goes my lunch…'_ he inwardly groaned. He felt terrible.

A large, warm hand on his back eased his discomfort. "Are you okay?" a rough voice asked him.

Heaving the last remnants of his lunch, Souji flushed the toilet and wiped his mouth with some toilet paper. "Yeah…thanks for asking, Shinjiro-san."

"You look like shit. And what are you still doing here, anyway?"

Souji sighed. "I'm guessing Aneki told you about that, huh?"

"Yeah, she did. You're supposed to be at home, resting!" The tall teen gave him a mild glare, warning him not to push himself too hard.

"I thought I felt better enough to attend music club. Obviously, my stomach doesn't agree with me…"

Shinjiro slung Souji's left arm around his shoulders. He pulled out his cellphone with a free hand and dialed a number. A few seconds later, someone on the other line picked up. "Nakamura, it's me. Tell your dad I'll be coming in late today. Got some business to take care of first…No, I'll deal with that later. He'll understand after I explain. Okay…later." He hung up and pocketed his phone. "Go wash your face. I'll take you back to the dorm. You probably don't want Nanako-chan seeing you like this."

The silverette mumbled a quiet thanks as his tall friend practically dragged him off the school grounds.

When they reached the dorm, Shinjiro pulled out a stool and sat him at the kitchen's island counter. "Stay put," he ordered. "I'll whip up something to ease that stomach of yours."

Souji groaned lightly, but complied nonetheless. He rested his elbow on the counter surface, and supported his head on his hand, watching his classmate quickly get to work. He measured some rice in a pot and washed the grains at the sink, filling half of it with water. While waiting for that to cook, he boiled some water in an electric kettle. He took a ginger root out of the fridge, peeled it, sliced it thinly, and put it in a mug along with a regular tea bag. The boiling water was poured, and left to steep. In the meantime, he rummaged the fridge for more ingredients.

"Here." Shinjiro pushed the slightly cooled cup to Souji, who had dozed off slightly. "Some ginger tea should help ease the nausea."

The Wild Card sipped the spicy tea, the soothing aroma calming his queasy stomach, simultaneously relieving his headache. The two of them chatted about mundane things as Shinjiro worked, chopping and putting various ingredients in the pot and stirring. The silverette wasn't really paying attention, and fell into light slumber once more.

Shinjiro sighed affectionately, his brown-grey eyes softening at the sight of the sleeping Fool. He was pulled into memory lane, back when Miki was still alive. That protective, nurturing feeling he had back then resurfaced once more. Thinking that calling out to Souji would be rude, he opted to pat his head instead. "Oi…wake up, will ya?"

Souji snorted lightly, rubbing his sleepy eyes. The aroma of something warm provoked his senses. A bowl was placed in front of his face.

"Eat up. After puking your guts out, you need to regain your energy."

Souji looked at the bowl's contents – rice congee. It smelled wonderful. He swirled the soft porridge around with a spoon. There were Chinese red dates, mushrooms, a piece of ginseng, sliced ginger and shredded chicken. "Thanks for the food," he said, and scooped a spoonful into his mouth. The temperature was just right; slightly on the hot side but not enough to burn his tongue. As soon as he swallowed, he felt energized, and ate some more. Pleased, Shinjiro started to clean up.

"This is delicious!" Souji complimented. "It must have taken a lot of practice to get this recipe right…"

"Yeah," Shinjiro said without looking, washing the dishes. "I made it quite often when Aki and I were kids. That dumbass always got sick easily, mostly from jogging in the rain. I made it for the twins once, as you already saw."

"Hmm…" While eating, Souji observed the tall teen. A small smile made its way to his lips; Shinjiro was tough, stubborn, and intimidating…but that was just a cover-up. He knew behind all that was a tender-hearted soul. That sounded a lot like Kanji, but comparing those two together felt wrong. There was something about Shinjiro that felt more…mature. _'I can actually picture him settling down with Aneki in the future. He's not fooling anyone with that scowl of his…he'll probably be busy spoiling their kids, especially if they have a daughter.'_ A soft chuckle made it out, but was covered quickly by a cough.

"Hey," Shinjiro started, wiping his hands with a dishcloth after cleaning. He gave the silverette a lopsided grin. "Feeling better?"

Souji felt at ease, not just because of the wonderful meal, but being in Shinjiro's presence as well. He felt a brotherly bond forming between them, the trust they shared strengthening. That's when he heard the familiar echoing voice.

_Thou art I and I am thou,_

_Thou hast established a new bond,_

_It brings thee closer to the truth,_

_Thou shalt be blessed when creating Personas of the Hierophant Arcana._

'_Ah, now I see the similarities between Uncle and Shinjiro-san. Despite their bad manners, they're just protecting what's important to them.' _After finishing his meal,Souji got off the stool, steadier on his feet this time. "I'll walk myself home if you don't mind. You still have to get to work, so don't worry about me."

As they were about to separate their own ways at the front gate, Shinjiro reminded Souji once more about getting some rest.

"Hey," Souji called out when they were some distance away. "Teach me that recipe sometime."

Shinjiro grinned and waved back.

* * *

><p>Souji calmly walked home. His head wasn't pounding like before and his stomach was at ease, thanks to Shinjiro's delicious meal.<p>

He was closing in on the Dojima residence when he saw an unknown figure squatting by the driveway, talking with a stray cat. His eyes squinted to get a better look; it was a young boy in stripped pajamas.

"Hello there, little one. Are you waiting for someone too?" asked Pharos, his tone curious. The cat rubbed its head against his leg, meowing cutely. His bright blue eyes widened with happiness at the gesture, and gently patted its head.

'_Black hair, stripped pajamas…no doubt about it, it's Pharos. He must be waiting for Nanako,' _Souji thought. He took a deep breath. _'There's no need to worry. Aniki and Aneki said he's a good person…he's probably looking out for Nanako, just like he did for them.'_

Souji quietly walked towards the young boy, hoping not to startle him. However his presence was given away by his feline friend who spotted him and pranced up to him. "Hey, little guy." Souji smiled, petting it. The cat purred happily.

"So, we were waiting for the same person after all…"

"No need to be shy." Souji gave him a gentle smile as the cat walked back to Pharos. "You're Pharos, right? I'm Souji."

"Yes…that is my name," Pharos said as he picked the cat up. "It's great to finally meet you, Souji."

"I could say the same. Nanako spoke a lot about you and your brother."

"She did?"

"Yeah, she did. She said you're a great playmate." Souji gestured for Pharos to join him sitting at the doorstep.

The young boy blushed at the praise. "Nanako-chan is just so much fun to be with…" he continued. "When I'm with her… I feel... happy. Like… Like…"

"Like the time you spent Aniki and Aneki?"

"Yeah! Just like those days!" Pharos said with a sincere smile, as the cat rested on his lap. "The times we talked are the best memories I have! Whenever I play with Nanako-chan or I meet with this little cat, I feel the same joy."

"That's understandable," Souji said. "Be it having fun with someone, or just enjoying the warmth of someone else's presence…Having a companion you can trust and feel safe with is a wonderful feeling."

Pharos nodded in agreement, amazed at the likeness between Souji and the twins' warm nature towards him. A frown appeared on his face when he noticed that Souji's face was rather pale. "Um… Souji?"

"Yes?"

Pharos looked at the cat, fidgeting with his words. "I… I didn't expect to see you home so early… Nanako-chan says you're usually busy after school…" He looked at Souji with intense, blue eyes. "Something's…_wrong_."

The silverette was taken aback, not knowing what to say.

"A Persona is like a mirror, so you can never escape yourself. But…if that mirror shatters, you'll lose yourself…And with that, all that's dear to you..."

Souji blinked, surprised at Pharos' choice of words. Despite the cryptic message, the silverette detected concern; not only towards Nanako, but to him as well. He felt a faint bond forming with the mysterious boy when…

_Thou art I and I am thou,_

_Thou hast established a new bond,_

_It brings thee closer to the truth,_

_Thou shalt be blessed when creating Personas of the Death Arcana._

Souji looked at sky at the distance. _'He's right. If things go unchanged… All that we have worked for will be lost… I can't let that happen…'_

"Thanks, Pharos. You're a good friend – " he turned his head to where the boy sat, only to realize he had mysteriously disappeared. "Huh? Where did he go?"

The cat meowed repeatedly, confused as it circled the spot the young boy previously sat. "He is mysterious alright…" Souji chuckled. "Aniki and Aneki will be happy to hear from him." He turned to address the cat. "You hungry? I think I got some fish for you."

The cat purred and rubbed against his leg. Souji smiled as he picked the cat up and went back into his house, failing to notice Pharos watching him from afar. "You're a great friend too, Souji." He gave on last smile, and was gone.

* * *

><p>The plot thickens… This is getting so much fun! 3<p>

_Have fun and don't forget to Read and Review! _


	20. Chapter 20: The Occult Club

_About time for a update! I'm so happy that we finally caught up with DA. This will mean that updates will take a longer time, but at least there'll be new things coming our way =3 Hope ya all enjoy._

_Questions time!_

**KO**: I can't confirm nor deny your claim, but I can say you're on the right track. About the Jester/Pierrot Social Link, Souji and the Twins will make that link but with someone else. Really, the idea of a Social link with Adachi in my mind sounds as wrong as the twins forging a link with the chairman. *shudders*

Snake King: More Social links, new mysteries and some surprises along the way.

**Blitzshine:** Labrys' hair is kinda light blue. Yeah, Izanagi's hammering on Souji's head will come and go, but I can tell ya that things will get ominous as time pass. I'm glad ya like it so far. It's really fun adding these characters. :3

****Wolf-IV** : **Aww, thank you so much w Yes SoujixYukiko is such an underappreciated pairing and they click so well together if ya ask me. Expect more fluffiness with them soon.  
><em><br>A few warnings: (Yes, I put those before every chapter to avoid issues)_

_-There will be spoilers for all games! You've been warned.  
>-The Main characters from each game in this fanfic are called Minato Arisato (P3:FES), Minako Arisato (P3P) and Souji Seta (P4)<br>-There'll be some cursing. (Anyone that played any persona games knows that some characters on it curse quite a bit.) as well as some heavy subjects.  
>-Main Pairings in this fanfic: MinatoxYukari, ShinjiroxMinako, SoujixYukiko, KanjixNaoto, AkihikoxMitsuru, YosukexChie.<br>-Hinted Pairings(in later chapters): JunpeixChidori. (Hinted because Chidori doesn't appear much on this story) KenxNanako (Ya know those little girl's crushes on older boys? It'll be along those lines) FuukaxKeisuke (Other than Minato and Junpei, Fuuka only displayed some sort of close relationship with Keisuke the club president. I found it kinda cute.) TeddiexRise (Just for giggles. They are after all the two hyperactive cuties of the team X3)_

_Have fun ya guys. On with the show!_

**OhtaSuzuke's A/N: To make it easier for the readers, I have placed a few different types of page breaks that indicate the time-skips for various scenarios in the chapter. For days, it is indicated using the normal line break. The page breaks with double line breaks occur within the same day. Hope you all understood that. Please continue to support us by giving your reviews. Those who haven't reviewed yet can start now (yes, I'm talking to YOU!). You guys have no idea how much that motivates us to write faster and better. Constructive criticism is welcomed of course. Now, please enjoy.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 20: The Occult Club.<strong>

_**Yasogami High…**_

For once, Izanagi hadn't been bugging Souji the entire day, making him extremely grateful. It was a relief to finally be able to focus on his lessons for once without much effort. Feeling lucky, he decided to try again for music practice right after school was over. _'Finally! I can hand over my permission slip to Ayane. I can't wait to see the band's progress. I bet Aniki and Aneki made a huge impact on the performances.'_ He smiled to himself, humming a catchy tune as he walked along.

His happiness didn't last long as two pairs of arms pulled him into a dark corner and under the staircase. Guided by instinct and weeks of physical training, Souji elbowed one perpetrator in the ribs, and swiftly caught the other one in an arm-lock, tightening his hold until they whined for mercy.

"Ow! Seta, what the hell?!"

Ears perking, Souji loosened his hold and pushed his captive to his friend, who held his ribs, wheezing in pain. They collided with each other, almost falling down. "Blame yourselves for that. Next time, don't try to grab people out of the blue," he huffed, straightening his blazer.

Quickly regaining their composure, the two approached Souji with more manners this time. "Yes, we apologize for that," one of them said. "But we prefer not to be seen in public." He was of medium height and skinny, his bedraggled black hair all over the place. He reminded Souji of an underfed kitten. His friend didn't look any better, with prominent dark circles under his eyes, contrasting his bright brown hair.

Souji squinted at them, trying to remember their faces from somewhere. He got a blank, but their jittery postures hit him. "So, care to tell me why the Occult Club needs as to unconventionally grab my attention?"

Unfazed, they continued to give Souji their eerie stares. "Yes, but first off we would like to thank you for the Darkness Idol that you got for us last year. It has been very…useful…in our endeavors to understand the paranormal," Black Hair said.

"Our research has been…very fruitful…" Brown hair said, rubbing his hands in glee. Souji observed that this guy hadn't cut his nails in a while. "We have called upon you to require your services once again."

Having been used to hearing cryptic sentences, the silverette raised an eyebrow. Whatever these guys were working on, it had 'BAD IDEA' written all over it. But before he could flat-out refuse, Black Hair spoke up.

"Of course, we will reward you for your efforts. In our possession is a rather rare item. Let's just say that if Sofue hears about it, she'll probably…No, she _will_ fight tooth and nail to add it into her impressive collection of ancient artifacts."

Intrigued, Souji listened on. "We are in dire need of the dolls that you got for us last year. If it's not an inconvenience, we would like another 20."

"Why so many?"

The Occult Club members smiled creepily. "Let's just say that all this supernatural phenomenon sightings around town has gotten people excited, and began to take more interest in our little club. We need the dolls for a mass initiation ceremony for the new members," Black Hair explained.

One of Brown Hair's eyes twitched suddenly, raising Souji's suspicion. "Help us, and we'll gladly hand you the artifact," he said.

Souji thought about it for a while. _'Well, I am looking for new accessories to bring into battle. I have no reason to doubt the authenticity…these guys take that kind of stuff too seriously for it to be a fake. It might even help me with my problem here…'_

"Alright then. We have a deal." He shook hands with both. "So, 20 dolls. Any particular deadline that you need it by?"

"We would like to have it in the next 13 days, to coincide with the phases of the moon," Black Hair said, nervously playing with his fingers. "But this time, we require more…variety…regarding the dolls. All shapes and sizes are acceptable as long as they fit the descriptions we're looking for."

"Just hand it over, and we'll give you your reward by then. I believe you know where to find us," his partner finished ominously. He gave Souji a creepy grin, and both boys turned around and left. Not even bothering to at least mention their names.

Souji blew out the breath he'd been holding. _'What have I gotten myself into?'_

* * *

><p><em><strong>TV World…<strong>_

After much discussion the night before (along with some mathematical probability calculations and what-not by Aigis, with Fuuka doing the explanations; it wasn't fun for those who hated math) SPIES decided to try out a few strategies that would optimize the use of their many team members and limited time. They would still follow their previous strategy of dispatching two teams into the dungeons, but a third team is optional with Mitsuru or Teddie as the scanner. However, one of them must remain behind to keep a lookout for The Reaper.

"This is just a precautionary measure," Souji reasoned. "Call it paranoia or whatever, but I think it's better to be safe than sorry in this kind of situation."

Everyone agreed. After Souji was given the clear by a doctor, they continued their investigation inside the TV World. Minako insisted that if Souji wanted to train, he'd best take it easy and fight in the lower dungeons. He argued that wasn't feasible, so they compromised; Souji would form a tag-team with her. That way, she could watch his back and he could get proper training in return. Teddie insisted on being his scanner, so Mitsuru had no choice but to remain behind.

_A few hours later…_

Souji got back from the dungeon of his choice, carrying a bag full of dolls (obtained from slaying various Magus Shadows) the people from the Occult Club requested. Thankfully, the Shadows in there weren't difficult so he didn't need to rely on his more powerful Personas. Minako and her team had already gone on ahead. As he reached the Entrance Hall with Yosuke, Naoto and Koromaru, there seemed to be a shouting match going on.

Akihiko looked pissed. "Shut up, Shinji! No one asked for your opinion!"

"Hey, everyone's entitled to their own, Aki. You and Satonaka have the same obsession about protein, so I have a completely valid point," Shinjiro retaliated coolly, a teasing smirk on his lips.

"That's such a lame name! My idea was way cooler. Who doesn't like 'Game of Death'?!" Chie shouted back, stomping her foot. "That movie was a classic! The manliest of all kung-fu movies out there!"

"More like 'Meat Lover's Combo'…"

As they were having their three-way verbal fight (which Souji had a slight idea of the theme) he approached Minato, who was rubbing his temples in exhaustion. "Aniki, what's that all about?"

"Akihiko-senpai and Chie made up a new combo attack while we were fighting some really strong Shadows." He sighed lethargically. "It was so damn destructive that I pray they wouldn't have to use it outside if the Dark Hour hits. The topic of steak bowls popped out of nowhere, and Shinjiro-senpai started to laugh his ass off. I swear if they don't stop soon…I might get lucky with _Midsummer's Night Dream_…"

Souji sweatdropped. By now he knew all the possible Fusion Raids that the twins were able to perform. "That's taking it too far…" He looked around, feeling the energy of seriousness that everyone had going on. Some of them were practicing their moves, sparring with each other and making up new attacks. _'Now that's what I call group effort!'_ he thought, highly impressed.

"That looks fun," Minako commented. Even after training, she still had an impressive amount of energy. "Hey Yukiko-chan, want to spar with me? Haven't you mentioned about that new attack using two fans you always wanted to try out?"

"Oh, that's right. Thanks for bringing that up," Yukiko said. "Let's go over there, where there's more space." She pointed towards an empty area heading to her dungeon, but not too far from the Entrance Hall.

Far left from where the girls were practicing, Yosuke was training Ken on how to handle agile opponents. The youngest member was a quick study, but more often than not was just as quick to fall prey to any ailment spell Yosuke dished out.

Junpei and Kanji were napping beside the TV exit, snoring loudly. Koromaru decided to join them and snuggled between the two males.

Since everyone was back, Fuuka and Rise were relieved of their scanning duties, and thought it would be fun to combine their powers and see if they could refine their search radius to an even wider area. Mitsuru decided to join them since she wished, even back in high school, to improve on her scanning abilities.

The only ones who weren't in the vicinity were Aigis and Metis. The android sisters were scouting around the perimeter, looking for any clues that they might have missed. Their leaders weren't particularly worried about them going off alone since they were stronger than your average human.

"My my, this place is so lively, almost like a party," Teddie remarked. "I've never seen it this noisy in all of my existence. We should do this more often! All it needs is some food and entertainment. Bring out the party girls!" Out of nowhere, an arrow whooshed past his left ear, narrowly snagging it off.

Yukari appeared, holding her bow in one hand and an arrow in the other, smiling evilly. She nocked the arrow into the bow, ready to pull the string. "What was that, you overgrown doll? Did you suggest something that we might _not like_?" she hissed, stressing the last two words. Naoto was beside her, replacing bullets inside her pistol as she glared at Teddie.

The bear gave a sharp "Eeeep!" and ran for cover.

The girls grinned in satisfaction. "Nice technique you have there, Yukari-senpai," Naoto praised. "Using your wind powers to manipulate the direction of the arrow trajectory and improve its accuracy. We should team up sometime."

"Thank you, Naoto-kun. It took me quite a while to refine my aiming skills before I figured out how to manipulate it in battle. Your marksmanship is impressive as Aigis'."

Naoto gave her gun a flamboyant twirl before placing it in a leather holster at her hip. Just like the rest, they headed out somewhere nearby to train.

Souji felt some of the tension draining away. He agreed with Teddie on this one – he could get used to such rowdy and lively atmosphere.

* * *

><p><em><strong>The Velvet Room…<strong>_

"Ah, if it isn't my dear guests…it has been a while," Igor greeted, a cryptic smile on his face. The three assistants bowed respectively.

The Wild Cards had decided to pay a visit to the Velvet Room once more. They hadn't been there for more than a week, so most likely the residents there might be worried.

"Thank you Igor," Minako returned the smile with her own sweet one. "We came by to check on any updates regarding the threat."

"And maybe fuse some new Personas as well." Souji added.

The long-nosed man tapped his fingers together, his gaze piercing. The three teenagers tensed. Souji suddenly remembered Pharos' message. "I sense further disturbance in the balance of the realms. It may not be strong enough to be seen or felt from your world, but it is there nonetheless. How it will manifest itself…only time will tell."

"What about the Great Seal?" Minato asked.

"Nothing there is out of the ordinary from what we observed," Theodore informed. "It is still doing a wonderful job of holding Erebus back as far as we're concerned."

"Then I guess we have no choice but to wait for our next clue," the blunette sighed. "In the meantime, we would like to check up on our Compendiums please."

The assistants approached their charges. "Of course. We're always happy to serve," Margaret said, smiling politely. They placed the books on the pedestals before the Wild Cards.

Quietly, the trio browsed through the pages. Each had two additional chapters for the Arcana which they had gained.

"Hmm…this one looks interesting," Minato said, stopping at the Strength Arcana. "Berserker…seems strong. He'll be a great asset in a fight that needs some muscle power." And by _some_, he meant _a lot_.

"Oh, look at this, Aniki…Her name is Lorelei." Minako pointed to a Persona in the Hanged Man chapter. "This one has multiple ailment spells, including one I never seen before. I wonder what it does."

Souji read through both the Hierophant and Emperor. The ones available to fuse were Futotama and Osiris respectively. He started to feel worry. _'I wonder if I can control them…they seem to be pretty strong. I just hope they won't be as stubborn as the other ones I have…'_

* * *

><p>The weekend had finally arrived and it was time for some rest and relaxation for SPIES; one day to take a break from school and whatever Shadow business if they could help it. They needed this, or else would go stark crazy from all the stress and responsibilities.<p>

Souji was in bed, sleeping in since everyone had agreed not to bother each other for the day. Nanako had a school project with her friends and Dojima was working, so he was all alone. It was perfect; Izanagi had been bothering him the entire night so he wasn't able to any decent sleep. The headaches had been going on and off for the past week. Deciding to skip Tanaka's Amazing Commodities, Souji curled himself under the blankets, enjoying the soft warmth as he drifted off into dreamland.

The incessant ringing of the doorbell woke him up. He groaned and ignored it, hoping whoever it was to go away soon.

*Ring* *Ding* *Rrrrrrriiiiiiiinnnnnggggg*

No such luck. When the annoying ringing was followed by the pounding of fist on wood, Souji had no choice but to drag his sorry ass out of bed and answer the door. Yawning widely and mumbling a few incoherent curses, he unhooked the safety lock and glared at the intruder who dared mess with his slumber.

"Hey," Shinjiro greeted lamely.

"What do you want?" Souji groaned, rubbing his face. At least his head wasn't feeling like it was about to split open, but that does_ not_ mean he wasn't allowed to be cranky on an early weekend morning.

Shinjiro snorted, but he wasn't angry or anything. He cut straight to the chase. "Look, I got a favor to ask of you. It's time for Koro's medical checkup, so can you take him to the vet? The others are pretty busy with their college workloads, the twins got a study date with Amagi and Satonaka, and Ken's occupied with homework. Metis has no social skills with this kind of stuff. I'd dump it on Iori, but I don't trust that idiot with something this important. I ain't comfortable asking Hanamura, Tatsumi or the other girls either." He rubbed the back of his head. "I was called in to work extra shift today, and you're the only one I know who I can actually trust with this kind of stuff…so…"

Looking up, Koromaru began to wag his fluffy tail, staring at Souji with his own version of Minako's puppy-dog eyes. He sweatdropped. _'Aneki should really stop influencing the people she hangs out with.'_

After Shinjiro left and Souji got dressed, he hooked a leash on the Shinba Inu's collar and they were off. He had to text Chie earlier for an address, because she's the only person he knew who actually owns a pet.

Koromaru panted happily as he walked side-by-side with Souji, whose mood seemed to be shifting from cranky to pleasant. It wasn't too far, as the vet opened up his practice inside his very own house. The white Shiba Inu even made some fast friends with the neighborhood dogs.

The vet did a physical exam, took a few blood samples and gave the standard worm medication before signing Koromaru off with a clean bill of health. The good weather only made Souji sleepier, so he decided to head straight home. He stopped by Shiroku store to get a few cans of dog food before heading back.

They headed straight for the back yard as soon on arrival. "I guess you can crash at my place while waiting for the others to pick you up," the silverette said, rubbing Koromaru's back. He picked up the empty water bowl for the fox cubs and refilled it, and filled another one with the wet dog food. The mischievous cubs sniffed the delicious smell and came out of their hiding spot, eagerly waiting for a meal. "I hope you don't mind sharing. I bought extras anyways." A huge yawn made it out of his mouth, so he lied down on the couch. "I'll just take a nap. It's been a tiring week after all…" The last thing he heard was the scarfing down of food by four hungry canines as his eyes closed.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Amagi Inn, the Amagis' private study…<strong>_

"Oh no, look at the time! I'll be late to walk my dog and Dad will scold me again," Chie whined, silently cursing the yellow smiley face decorating her wristwatch. She threw her books and notes into her back-pack.

"We're just about finished, Chie," Yukiko said, closing up her note book. "I'm surprised we made this much progress in half a day."

Minako beamed. "That was fun! You're an awesome tutor, Yukiko-chan."

"Thanks to you, we now understood most of the basics so we can catch up with the others in class," Minato praised, giving her an easy-going smile.

"Too bad Shinji-kun had to work today. He would have benefited from this study session." A worried look crossed her pretty face, plump lips tugged down in a frown.

"Don't fret, Minako. That guy goes at his own pace and makes his way out of sticky situations through pure grit and perseverance. He's not gonna fail you. Not this time."

Minako blushed, a warm smile forming on her lips at her brother's reassurance. Her little daydream was interrupted when Chie almost knocked over a lamp as she hastily left, bidding them a hurried goodbye before heading out the door.

"That Chie…" Yukiko tutted affectionately, turning her attention to the twins. "All that studying made me hungry. How about we go and make ourselves some snacks? I did some shopping yesterday so we can make whatever we want."

Two tummies growled loudly and simultaneously. Yukiko giggled. "That's a yes, then. Come on, the kitchen is this way."

Said kitchen was just some paces away, solely built for the family's personal use. It was neat and tidy, relatively small compared to the inn's gigantic one, but cozy with enough space for three people to maneuver in. Yukiko opened the fridge and took out a container of cold sushi rice. "The chefs made too much of this for the breakfast courses, so they gave me some of the leftovers. I was thinking we make onigiri together."

"You read my mind, Yukiko-chan!" Minako said. "What flavors shall we make?"

"Hmm…I bought a lot of salmon and sardines since they were on sale yesterday. There are some pickled vegetables as well if you'd like."

"That's plenty enough. We don't want to ruin our appetites for dinner," Minato said. "Shinjiro-senpai is cooking today, and I absolutely don't want to be on his bad side for not cleaning off my plate." His sister giggled at that.

The small island was soon piled with ingredients. The three of them merrily made their own batches, not really paying attention to the others and focusing on their own work. After rolling out the rice, filling them, and compressing the balls into triangle shapes with the finishing touches of seaweed, Yukiko made some tea as they gathered at the family dining room to eat.

"Those look as good as Souji-kun's," Yukiko praised the twins' dishes. "They even smell great!"

"Here, have some, Yukiko-chan." Minako passed her plate over so she could grab some. "Aniki, I'll trade you this salmon roe filling for your pickled veggie ones."

Shyly, Yukiko offered some of hers. "I…I know I'm not the best chef around, but I've been practicing a lot. Could you please taste some and see how it is?"

Now, Souji never actually told them the details of the horrors of Mystery Food X concocted by his girlfriend and her best friend. Even so, they had an idea of how bad the situation was; after all, Yukiko and Fuuka share the Priestess arcana and that was enough to keep their guards up. Declining would be rude, so they grabbed one onigiri each from her plate and took a cautious bite.

Just one tiny nibble, hadn't even started chewing yet, the twins knew something was wrong. No, it wasn't the rice…in fact, the rice acted as a tight seal to whatever unpleasant odor that wafted from the filling. It smelled like decayed fish, the sharp sourness of rotting fruit, and burnt toast…which also described the taste.

Not wanting to hurt the girl's feelings, Minato forced his throat to swallow whatever content was in his mouth. He watched Minako's face turn green before she swallowed as well. Thanks to previous experience with Fuuka's cooking, they managed to control their gag reflexes and gave Yukiko a pleasant smile at the end.

"That was, uhh…an interesting flavor, Yukiko-chan…" Minako started, ignoring the horrid after-taste on her tongue. "Out of curiosity, what did you put in there?"

Yukiko beamed. "I was thinking of adding some sweetness to the sardines since it has an oily flavor, so I put in some chocolate powder. And I never tried using mustard in cooking so I was curious how it will taste. And I read in a cooking magazine that sour cream is sometimes used for fish dishes. Pretty neat, huh?"

'_Does she even know the difference between chocolate and cocoa?!'_ Minato wondered, feeling sick to his stomach. _'This is like Fuuka's all over again…only this time, I might not survive…'_

Not able to take it any longer, the twins downed an entire mug of steaming hot tea each, not minding getting their tongues burned. Once they were certain the awful flavor was burned off by the beverage, they took a moment to sort out what to say to Yukiko.

Minato began first. "Yukiko-san, allow me to be brutally honest. That was one of worst flavor combinations I have ever tasted," he deadpanned.

"I agree with Aniki, Yukiko-chan. I appreciate your creativity, but some things are just not meant to be mixed together," Minako said.

Light tears began to form in the raven head's dark eyes. "It's hopeless…no matter how hard I try, I can never make anything right..." A sob escaped her throat. "At this rate, I'll never be able to cook Souji-kun a meal he can enjoy."

Minako pulled her into a side-hug. "That's not true, Yukiko-chan. I've always been an avid believer that anyone can cook, as long as they get their basics right."

"I lost how many times Shinjiro-senpai drilled that into Fuuka's head," Minato muttered. "She started out rather horribly. Not only was she lacking in skill, but she was also putting the wrong kind of effort into correcting it."

Yukiko tilted her head. "Wrong kind of effort…?"

Minako nodded. "Fuuka-chan is smart, and meticulous to a fault. That's why she's so good at what she does, but when it comes to cooking she over-thinks things. Did you know she almost dumped salt instead of sugar when we were making muffins, just because she was distracted trying to remember what she saw on TV about baking? She focuses so much on the details that she couldn't keep up with the actual basics of cooking a recipe. You on the other hand, focus too much on flavor that you forget the real purpose of cooking."

"The real purpose…of cooking…?" Realization was slowly downing on Yukiko.

"Both you and Fuuka treat cooking like a science experiment. While that is true at some point, you can never reach that stage until you mastered how to make proper, edible food. What's the point of cooking for people if they can't eat it?" Minato said.

"You…you're both right…"

Seeing that Yukiko was about to cry, Minako gently grasped her hand and tugged her back into the kitchen. "Come on. Let me teach you how to make a basic onigiri filling. If it goes well, you can make Souji-kun a proper bento next time." The younger girl blushed at that.

"It doesn't have to be something fancy, you know. Love makes the simplest food taste even better," the blunette added, smirking when Yukiko's face bloomed a darker shade.

"Please teach me again, if you don't mind." She gave them a smile filled with gratitude. The twins felt a bond forming between them and the young manager-to-be.

_Thou art I and I am thou,_

_Thou hast created a new bond,_

_Thou shalt be blessed when creating Personas of the Priestess Arcana._

* * *

><p><em>Just as Souji slipped into unconsciousness, an image of Izanagi drifted in his mind's eye. The God of Creation's back was facing him – he was tall, radiating authority and power. <em>

_Souji's heart began to beat out of rhythm. He never felt this way before; it was almost as if he was…_afraid_…of his own Persona. Unsure of the situation, he reached out to him slowly._

_Sensing the hesitance, Izanagi turned around, swinging his naginata at the same time. Souji jumped back just in time to avoid getting sliced, gasping in shock when his Persona's helmet began to crack. Red and black filth splattered the front of his jacket, emitting an awful smell of rotting corpses. His movements were twitchy and violent._

"_You…you're not Izanagi…" Just as he uttered those words, Souji's head started to pound. It was so painful he fell on his knees, hardly able to breathe. Izanagi, or whatever it was, approached him menacingly, ready to strike again…_

A strong tug in his gut woke him up, returning him to reality. Souji gasped loudly, coughing when he tried to gulp in as much air as he could to his deprived lungs. He was sweltering profusely, head hurting as vague images of his nightmare passed through his mind.

Sensing his distress, Koromaru ran back into the house, leaving the fox cubs to play in the garden. He saw Souji curled up on the couch while holding his head, eyes closed, shaking like a leaf. Whining softly, the white dog approached apprehensively, nudging the silverette's cheek with his cold, wet nose.

The difference of temperature on his cheek snapped Souji out of it. Koromaru licked his face to cheer him up. "Koromaru…" he whispered, reaching out to pat his head. "Thanks, boy. You're a life saver."

Feeling that affectionate licks weren't enough, Koromaru jumped on the couch and snuggled beside Souji, placing his head on his stomach. The warmth radiating from the canine was a comfort like nothing else. The cold sweat was gone, replaced by a feeling of security. Souji hugged him, his fears slowly dissipating. He wasn't much of a dog person and mostly hung out with cats, but at that moment, he felt closer to Koromaru.

_Thou art I and I am thou,_

_Thou hast created a new bond,_

_It brings thee closer to the truth,_

_Thou shalt be blessed when creating Personas of the Strength Arcana._

His head no longer hurt. "Thank you, Koromaru. You really are a man's best friend." Both fell into a peaceful slumber.

And that was how Dojima, Nanako, and the Arisato twins who came take Koromaru home, found the two. The chibi foxes were sleeping in a doggy pile under the coffee table. The picture of Souji sleeping Minako took with her phone became her new favorite wallpaper.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Yasogami High, after school...<em>  
><strong>

Teddie escaped his clutches yet again. As Yosuke was power-walking along the corridors, looking for his idiotic and lazy foster brother-slash-Junes mascot all over school to drag his sorry ass to work and supervise his punishment, the music playing from the practice building caught his attention. Forgetting about the annoying bear for a second, Yosuke decided to go and check it out; since it was unusual that the music club would be meeting on the days they were off.

As he got closer, the sweet music grew louder. It wasn't playing any song that he knew, but he liked the upbeat rhythm nonetheless. Opening the door carefully, Yosuke took a peek inside the room, curious to find out who was diligent enough to practice at school without the other music club members.

"Yosuke-senpai? What are you doing over there?"

Said senpai gave a startled squeak, almost falling to the ground because the shock messed with his footing. Quickly regaining his composure, he turned around to find Rise looking at him with a scowl on her face, hands on her hips. _'Uh-oh, it seems like she's in a bad mood.'_

"Have you seen Teddie anywhere?" Rise demanded. "He stole some of my magazines from my desk, which happens to have a limited edition poster of my idol. Do you know how hard it is to get one of those?!"

"I'm looking for him myself. I was actually going to take it easy on him today, but after pulling off this stunt, he just dug his own grave," Yosuke said sourly.

"Anyway, if you see him, give him a good smack! I'll personally deal with him in tomorrow's class!" The pop-star turned away and walked off in a huff.

The door to the music room opened, revealing Minato Arisato, holding up a violin. "Yosuke? What are you doing here?"

He sighed again. "Have you guys seen Teddie? It's his punishment day, but I can't seem to find him anywhere." He rubbed his temples in frustration. "Urrgghh…screw that bear! I need a break. Dad's been on my case since the semester started and…" The sounds of piano-playing snapped him out of his rambling trance. "Hey, is that Minako-san?"

Minato opened the door wider to invite him in. "Yeah, that's her. We stopped by the music room to take a short break, and we'll be heading off to the shopping district for some food before tackling that project Yamada-sensei handed out."

"Oh, it's Yosuke-kun," Minako greeted, standing up from her piano seat to wave at him.

Yosuke waved back. "Hey, I couldn't help but notice you guys playing when I walked past here. Where's Souji?"

"He said something about leaving early to rest at home. Shinjiro-senpai even gave him the evil eye before leaving for work," Minato said. He gently placed the violin back in its casing before picking up a cello, plucking the thick strings and producing the weirdest vibrations Yosuke has ever heard, fascinated by the way his nimble fingers manipulated the strings.

"Hey, that's a cool trick there. I didn't know you could play one of those without the stick thing," he said.

"That's called a fiddlestick, Yosuke-kun. All stringed instruments work on the same principle. It's the size and the craftsmanship that influences how it'll sound," Minako answered. "Souji-kun told me you taught him how to play the guitar. That's really neat."

Yosuke's cheeks heated up. "He told you that, huh? Well, it was a bass. And I'm not that good anyway…"

"You sell yourself short, Yosuke," Minato reprimanded, slapping the cello strings lightly to silence it. "What about that concert you guys did with Rise? If it hadn't been for your quick thinking, your dad would've been fired, isn't that correct? You handle yourself pretty well as one of the brains of the team if I say so myself."

The heated cheeks turned into a dark blush. "Th-thanks, guys. It's always nice to hear that…"

Minako smiled at him. "Aniki's right, you should give yourself more credit. If it wasn't for you, the Investigation Team wouldn't have existed, you know? Souji-kun told us all about it…it was you who initially brought up the connection between the murders and the Midnight Channel, and prompted the investigation. I'm pretty sure Souji-kun would have figured it out in due time, but by then Yukiko-chan would have been dead."

Minato approached the manager's son, a gentle smile on his face as he held out a hand for a handshake. "I never got the chance before, so I want to thank you, from the bottom of my heart. You've always had his back, in battle and in life. Thank you for protecting him."

"Souji-kun is who he is now, because of you guys." Minako clasped her hands around her brother's and Yosuke's handshake. "Thank you Yosuke-kun, for starting everything. Call it 'fate' or 'the bigger picture' but…if Souji-kun wasn't involved in the murders, we might never get to see him again."

Yosuke was stunned. He never thought of it like that before. His heart swelled with emotion, knowing that he was a part of something that could change the universe, surrounded by people who genuinely cared. Suddenly, all the hardships caused by his Junes connection felt like nothing. "Souji…he's my best friend. He understands me more than I do. Of course I'll protect him in any way I can."

The mutual understanding they shared triggered the mysterious voice only the twins could hear.

_Thou art I and I am thou,  
>Thou hast created a new bond,<br>Thou shalt be blessed when creating Personas of the Magician Arcana._

"So, you guys need a drummer?" Yosuke asked, breaking them from their slight trance. He took a seat at the drums. "After seeing Kanji play it last year, I started learning by myself. It has more attitude compared to an electric guitar, if you get what I mean," he grinned. "Just…don't tell him that…"

The three spent the next hour talking about music and testing out some tunes before leaving the school.

* * *

><p>"<em>Honestly, Miss Kirijo, I can't see what benefit will come from this."<em>

Mitsuru held back a frustrated sigh. Videoconference business meetings were never a pleasant duty for the Kirijo heiress, but this time, it was worse than usual. A majority of whom joined the meeting were her father's business partners, but the ones that gave her the most trouble were her late grandfather's.

"Gentlemen, I've already explained it to you. Sponsoring a school is highly beneficial to any company," Mitsuru explained again, slowly as not to lose her already thinning temper. "Not only does it improve our image, it is also a tremendous help for future generations."

"_That much I agree with you, Miss Kirijo, but sponsoring a school in Yasoinaba? Why chose such a backwater place like that?"_

"It is true that Inaba is a small town, but I can assure you its people hold incredible amounts of potential, _especially_ the students from Yasogami High. Our duty is to help them fully reach it."

"_What potential could a bunch of hillbillies like them possibly have? I mean, sponsoring Port Island's Gekkoukan High like your late father did is one thing, but this? This is a waste of our resources and time!"_

"_If we really must sponsor a school, why don't we choose a private one, like the one my grandchild attends to? Clearly that'll attract more attention from possible investors and future partners than any third class public school."_

The red-head was losing her patience. "That kind of stuck-up attitude won't help our companies' images, sirs. It never worked and never will!"

"_So stubborn… Just like your foolish father…"_

That was one thing Mitsuru never tolerated. "What did you say?!"

"_Why care so much about second rate people when you can surround yourself with the best society has to offer? And yet you prefer to spend time with lowlifes from your high school days. If it wasn't for inheritance, you'd never be the head of such an important company!"_

That was the last straw. Ice crystals formed at the edge of the giant screen Mitsuru was facing. "Now listen here! You may question my decisions, or any actions that I take on behalf of the company, but if you _ever_ dare to disrespect my father's memory or my friends in my presence, I can guarantee that your ties with the Kirijo Group will be permanently severed and that none of your companies will have an easy life!"

The executives shuddered at her display of anger and quickly logged off.

"Ugh, why must some people be so aggravating?!" Mitsuru fumed as she turned off her computer. A knock on the door was heard. "What is it?!" she snapped.

"Mitsuru-san? It's me, Metis." The android slowly opened the door, having sensed Mitsuru's sour mood shown by her vital signs. She came with some papers. "My sister asked me to deliver the papers you had required earlier…"

Mitsuru took a deep breath. She had forgotten she had asked Metis and Aigis to be her assistants. "Thank you, Metis, I'll go over them later." She took the papers, placed them on her desk. "Tell the others I'll be leaving for a while, and I do not want to be disturbed."

"Of course, Mitsuru-san." Metis bowed her head slightly and left the room.

Once she was gone, Mitsuru sighed again. "I need some fresh air…"

* * *

><p>Rise stomped her way to the shopping district, her mood darkening even after she left school. A bunch of different ideas swarmed her thoughts on how to punish Teddie for stealing her precious magazines, each one more painful than the last. <em>'It'll make Senpai's punishment a piece of cake compared to what I'm gonna do to him…'<em> she thought darkly.

When she got to the tofu shop, her grandmother was already at the front, arranging the items to sell out on display. "Had a good day at school, Rise dear?" she asked sweetly.

"You can say that," Rise huffed, careful to watch her language and mannerisms.

Her grandmother didn't miss the anger in her puffed-up cheeks. "Why don't you take the day off, dear? You don't seem to be in the best of moods. Besides, business is rather slow today so I think I can handle things by myself."

"Are you sure, Grandma? Don't we still have that huge order from the Amagi Inn to take of?"

"I can get everything prepared before we work on it tomorrow. They insisted that it must be freshly-made this time," the old woman assured.

"Okay, if that's what you think is best."

"Oh, before you go off and play with your friends, please take some of this stuffed tofu for our new neighbors." She handed her granddaughter a container wrapped in one of her best furoshiki.

'_Wow, Grandma must really want to impress them,'_ Rise thought, stroking the soft, silky-textured cotton. It had soft blue background, intricate weaves of green bamboo and their leaves with splashes of yellow, brown and silver as the patterns. An imaginary light bulb flashed above her head. _'I wonder if Labrys-senpai is there? I haven't had a chance to meet her because that idiot bear keeps getting me in trouble.'_ Putting on her shoes again, Rise waved to her grandmother before taking her leave.

The new antique store was located just two shops to the right from the Konishi's, a strategic place to catch the eyes of people in cars going to and fro on the main road, or people waiting at the bus stop. _'Kanji never mentioned running into her or stopping by the shop to get a closer look. His house is even closer to it than mine. I know…he probably didn't tell me anything on purpose to throw me off or something. He can be so selfish…!'_ She continued her monologue grumbling until she reached the front door of the antique shop.

As Rise pushed the door open, the smell of coffee and cinnamon with a light whiff of incense hit her nose. The sound of ornate wind chimes placed above the door greeted her ears. In the back of her mind, Kanzeon started to hum, tingling her senses. The tinkle of the chimes rang softly through the air. "Hello…?" she called, eyes scanning around. Finding no one, Rise decided to look around.

The place was filled to the brim with stuff that interested her and a few which creeped her out – particularly a scroll painting of an old man whose eyes seemed to follow her wherever she went. The shuffling of stringed beads acting as a curtain and barrier to the back room alerted the scanner of another presence. Turning around, she saw the girl who just transferred to her school carrying a saber encrusted with semi-precious stones and intricate carvings, and gently placed it in a glass display, the polished silver seeming to entice people who would look at it to contemplate its purchase. The girl with light sea-blue hair and red eyes noticed Rise's reflection on the glass and looked up, an easy-going smiled readily on her lips. "Welcome to Shinshudo Antiques. How can I help ya?"

Rise couldn't help but notice that her dialect was different from the rest of the townsfolk. "Wow, nice Kansai accent. I didn't know you were from way over there, Labrys-senpai."

"Huh?" Labrys blinked. "Oh…I guess you can say that." She turned her gaze to Rise's uniform. "So we go to the same school, huh? What's your name?"

"Oh, where are my manners. My name's Rise Kujikawa and I'm a junior. My family runs the tofu shop just down the street. So we're neighbors from now on!"

Labrys smiled, wider this time. "Glad to know. There ain't girls my age around here. It gets lonely, y'know?"

"I know, right?!" And from there onward, the girls started to chat excitedly, ranging topics from other neighbors to school. So distracted they were, none of them noticed the owner of the shop just came back with bags of groceries.

"Aren't you the girl from the other day, along with another girl and a tall boy?" the older woman asked sharply, startling the teenagers.

"Momma, you're back!" Labrys greeted.

'Momma' raised an eyebrow at Rise. "Who's this, Labrys?"

"This is Rise-san. Her family runs the tofu joint down the street. She was just comin' in for a look-see." Labrys took the groceries and lifted them in one go, which Rise noticed, was a lot.

'_She's really strong…'_ Rise noted. Turning back to the woman, she introduced herself again. "Hi, I'm Rise Kujikawa. It's a pleasure to meet you." She gave a small bow. "Oh, I almost forgot about this. Here!" She handed over the cloth-wrapped container. "My grandma made this for you as a welcoming gift. It's her famous stuffed fried tofu, a family recipe."

"That's very nice of her. My daughter and I will most definitely enjoy this for dinner."

"Enjoy what, Momma?" Labrys asked as she returned from the back. She still wore her grey cardigan.

'_Isn't she hot in that?'_ Rise wondered. Her phone suddenly vibrated, indicating a text just came in. Her smile turned upside-down after reading the screen. "Aww man, how did Naoto know that I'm off from work early? Now she wants to advance our study session. Grandma must have told her ~ " she whined.

"That does sound important. I guess I'll be seeing ya at school tomorrow then," Labrys said, extending a handshake.

"Yeah. If I'm late, I'll never hear the end of it," Rise sighed, and shook hands. A cold jolt ran across her skin, causing goosebumps. _'Her hand…it's hard. And cold too…'_ She ignored the humming from her Persona as she made her way out of the shop, waving and smiling at her new friend.

The woman narrowed her eyes at Rise as her daughter waved back, the girl unaware of what was going through her mother's mind.

* * *

><p>Mitsuru tore down the streets on her motorcycle, the engine roaring loudly, as if providing an outlet for her frustrations. <em>'Those arrogant miscreants…the nerve of them! Badmouthing Father and my friends like that!'<em> she all but screamed. _'Who do they think they are? All they care for their social status and company profits…'_ Her professional and high-class upbringing prevented her from swearing. "If they ever dare to repeat those words again, I'll – !"

Her thoughts were cut short by a startled shout. "Look out!"

Mitsuru gasped and made a sharp turn to the left, barely avoiding running over a passerby crossing the street. The motorcycle skidded and stopped, the rider trying to balance herself and the vehicle from toppling over. "My goodness… that was a close call!" she murmured, trying to calm her racing heart.

"Mitsuru-san?" A familiar voice called out to her. "Are you okay?"

Blinking the shock out of her system, the heiress turned her gaze to find out she had almost run over Souji. "S-Seta? I'm so sorry! I wasn't paying attention and I…!"

"Hey, calm down. It's okay!" Souji raised his hands as if surrendering, trying to ease the situation.

Having regained the right state of mind, Mitsuru turned off the engine and balanced the motorcycle on its stand. "You should be more worried about yourself. I almost run you over and you're asking _me_ if I'm alright." She gave him a small smile for his concern.

Souji picked up the plastic bag containing milk and bread he bought earlier. He just returned from school, deciding to take Shinjiro's advice a bit seriously this time. "I wasn't paying attention when I crossed the street either, so I'm to blame as well." Souji observed how her forehead creased, dark brown eyes tense. She looked like she was thinking too hard about something. "Did something happen?"

Mitsuru hesitated before answering "It's… It's just some business issues. Nothing that concerns you…"

The silverette crossed his arms, raising an unconvinced eyebrow. Instead of bugging her for an answer, he decided to change the subject. "Nice bike…" He took a good look at the motorcycle, impressed by the shape and design; most probably custom-made. "Would you like to go for a ride with me? I find that a familiar and calming scenery is often needed when I'm stressed out."

"A ride? But…"

"Don't worry. I have a scooter license and my uncle's old scooter should still be good to go. So, what kind of place do you find familiar and calming, Mitsuru-san?"

"Well, I suppose a ride to somewhere else would be a nice change of pace…" Although a bit hesitant since she never had a partner to partake such activities with, Mitsuru's smile widened as she closed her eyes. "The ocean… I always found it to be soothing…"

"Then I know just the place. My house is not that far from here. Let's go."

Curious about Souji's intentions, Mitsuru followed him to his house. She was surprised to see Souji's scooter; a rather old but classic model which isn't manufactured anymore, still in wonderful condition despite its age. She had to admit, both Dojima and his nephew had good taste in motorbikes.

In no time, both were on the road. Mitsuru was amazed; the roads and the sights were so beautiful. The lush forest and fresh air were working its magic on her already.

After maneuvering the twisty roads, Souji and Mitsuru arrived at Shichiri beach. The sun shone brightly, the sea glistening in its entire splendor. A gentle breeze blew by, toning down the heat.

"What a beautiful view…" Mitsuru and Souji stood at the pier watching the sea. "I had no idea such a place existed so close to Inaba."

"This is Shichiri beach. My friends and I came here last year during summer vacation," Souji started. "It was really fun…until Teddie decided to pull off his 'wardrobe malfunction' plan…" His enthusiasm withered at that.

Mitsuru raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. "Wardrobe malfunction?"

"You see, Teddie thought it would be a good idea to 'accidentally' untie and remove the girls' swimsuits…"

Mitsuru facepalmed. "Why am I not surprised at such behavior coming from that bear?"

"Yeah, but the worst was yet to come. While he was underwater, Teddie confused Kanji with a girl. How? I think it was because he was wearing a speedo… Anyway, Kanji caught him red-handed and dragged him to the beach only for Yosuke and me to realize he had lost his swimsuit in the confusion."

She blushed at that piece of information. "And Akihiko still complains why I'm so adamant on him wearing decent swimwear…"

"The girls were coming out of the water and we knew we'd be in trouble if they saw Kanji like that, so we had to think fast. Luckily, Yosuke was quick to find some seaweed and we used that to cover him up, though barely..." Souji could no longer contain his laughter as he recalled the memory. "They totally freaked out! Luckily, we managed to recover Kanji's swimsuit, so the whole outing turned out okay."

As he finished telling his tale, the Kirijo heiress was laughing so hard, she was having trouble keeping her composure. Out of the blue, her expression turned serious, faint blush on her cheeks. "What if that happens to Akihiko one day?" she mused out loud.

Souji sweatdropped, but smiled when he sensed that she has calmed down. "Glad to see you're not so tense anymore," he told her lightly. "Now, care to tell me what's bothering you?"

Mitsuru sighed, knowing that tone. It was the same one the twins used whenever they wanted her or anyone else in SEES to open up to them. "There are some… people… making things difficult for me and the Kirijo Group…. I'll convince them that it is a wise decision, though… eventually…" she finished, not sounding confident at all.

Knowing better than prying over such a topic, the silverette nodded. They remained silent for a few minutes, the tension slowly creeping back. It was up to him to defuse it. "Mitsuru-san would you like to see a magic trick?"

She blinked at the sudden question that was out of topic. "A magic trick?"

He pulled out a medium-sized coin. "See this coin?" At Mitsuru's nod, Souji twirled it between his fingers to show the coin was there. With a flick of a hand, he opened up his palm and it suddenly vanished. "Now you don't."

"What on earth..!? Where did it go?"

"I'll show you." He reached out to her, and pulled something from behind her ear. "Ta-da!"

"What? How? Where?" The red-head was at a loss of words. "How did you do that?"

"A magician never reveals his tricks. That would ruin the magic." Souji pocketed the coin, a smirk on his face.

"Magic, you say?" Mitsuru smiled. Her sheltered upbringing didn't allow her to experience the joys of watching magic tricks. "Well, I'm sure there is a logic explanation for this. Please Seta, repeat that trick again."

Souji did so, but no matter how carefully Mitsuru watched his moves, she couldn't figure out how he did that. The silverette didn't mind repeating the trick a few times so she could try and solve it, but remained clueless about its workings. Despite that, she was enjoying his company so much neither noticed time passing by.

Only when the sky turned a reddish hue did they finally take notice. "Look at the time," Souji said, glancing at his wristwatch.

Mitsuru gasped when she suddenly recalled something. "We should return. I left in such haste I forgot my cellphone. The others might be wondering where I am…"

"Don't worry. I'm sure they know you can take care of yourself pretty well." He pocketed the coin for the last time. "Shall we head back?"

It was late evening when they finally made it back to the dorm. As they stood by the front gates, Mitsuru let out a tired but satisfying sigh, a small smile on her lips. "Thank you so much for showing me the beach, Seta. I really needed that." She held out her hand for a handshake.

"It was a pleasure, Mitsuru-san." Souji returned the gesture. "Whenever you want to ride together again, give me a call. I know some other great spots, and it's always more fun with some company."

"That would be wonderful." Mitsuru's face brightened up. "I didn't expect to find a fellow motorcycle enthusiast here. It's wonderful to share the feeling with someone else."

As he shook hands with Mitsuru, Souji felt a familiar sensation as the mysterious voice echoed in his head.

_Thou art I and I am thou,  
>Thou hast created a new bond,<br>It brings thee closer to the truth,  
>Thou shalt be blessed when creating Personas of the Empress Arcana.<em>

Souji bid Mitsuru farewell and headed back home, humming an upbeat tune as the sun began to set.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Shopping District...<strong>_

The Arisato twins were just wandering around after school. They stopped in front of the billboard, where certain jobs caught their attention.

"So this is the billboard Banchou-kun was talking about." Minato said, eyes browsing the fliers. "Hmm… Let's see…"

_Newspaper delivery boy needed…_

_Looking for gas station attendants…_

_Help wanted! Daycare centre looking for assistants with the ability and patience to care for and handle children between 3-11 years of age…_

"Aniki, check this out. They're hiring people to work at the day care on the hill Banchou-kun took us to that day," Minako said excitedly, ripping off the ad. "They need help with kindergarten and elementary school kids. This is perfect for us!"

"I agree. Remind me to tell Banchou-kun about this when we get the chance. He'll be happy to know about it."

Minako nodded. The siblings decided to explore more, and made a stop in front of Tatsumi Textiles. "Why don't we check out Kanji-kun's family shop? It's gonna be fun!"

"I don't see why not. We didn't get a chance to look at more of the stuff in there last time."

As they took off their shoes to enter, Kanji appeared and began to arrange dolls on the display shelf. All of them were stuffed animals wearing various types of costumes; from Victorian era dresses to modern uniforms.

"Oh my gosh, Kanji-kun! Those are the cutest thing ever!" Minako squealed, rushing over to the display with hearts in her eyes.

"Whoaaaah!" Kanji all but threw the remaining dolls in the air, startled out of his skin. "Damnit, Senpai…don't scare me like that! Rise's squeals are bad enough!"

"Sorry ~ " Minako giggled and turned to her brother. "Rise-chan _is_ right. Messing with him is so much fun!"

Minato sweatdropped. "Excuse my sister. But, I must agree with her." He picked up a stuffed tiger dressed as a samurai. "These dolls are fantastic, Kanji. You made them all?"

"Huh? Those? Yup, just finished the last batch," Kanji grinned. "These dolls sell so fast that I need to make loads of 'em. It's really fun, though."

"Man, I wish I could sew like that…" Minako sighed, petting a bunny angel. "I could make Shinji-kun a new set of oven mitts and maybe a new apron."

"I know what you mean…" her twin said. "I'd love to give Yukari a handmade present… The hard part would be deciding what to give her. Something like this is pretty neat though."

"You can always learn, y'know," Kanji interjected. "I-I mean, you guys already know basic sewing, so learning how to make dolls and other stuff wouldn't be that hard. Didn't you tell me you worked on a kimono once? Making stuff like this should be a piece of cake."

Minako smiled mischievously at him. "Kanji-kun, are you inviting us to your sewing classes? Because if you are…I'd love to learn from the best!"

The former delinquent blushed at her praise, but quickly got over it. "Hell yeah! After all, if ya gotta do something, might as well give it all ya've got!" He slammed a fist against his palm.

"Can't argue with that," Minato chuckled. "Our schedules are a bit crazy, but I'm sure we can find some time for your sewing lessons."

"Alright! When I'm done with you two, you'll be pros!"

"Yosh!" Minako cheered, catching his enthusiasm.

As Minako and Kanji talked about when the classes will be held, Minato browsed more of the doll displays. At the top of the shelf, his eyes were glued to something he recognized – a pink alligator. "This…"

Minako heard her twin's gasp. When she turned her attention to him and noticed the doll in his arms, her eyes widened. "That… That looks just like…"

"What's with you guys?" Kanji was confused at their sudden speechlessness. "Huh? The Pink Alligator? That's one of the most popular dolls in the shop with kids and housewives, probably because of that storybook."

"Storybook?" The twin echoed in unison. "Can we see it?"

Not sure what to think of it, Kanji simply nodded and disappeared up to his room to fetch the book. He came back with a colorful hardcover with the picture of a pink alligator and a bird. "Here ya go. Dunno what got you guys so worked up… I mean, it's a neat story and all, but it's just a kid's book…"

They quickly browsed through the pages. Halfway through, tears welled up in their eyes.

"It _IS_ his work…" Minato whispered.

"Akinari-kun…" His sister closed her eyes, twin streak of tears running down her cheeks.

"S-Senpai?" Kanji began to panic when Minato shed a tear as well. "I-I… I'm so-sorry! I didn't mean it… I…!" He started blubbering apologies and nonsense.

Minako interrupted him. "Kanji-kun… It's not your fault…" She gave him a watery smile. "It's just that…this book brought us memories…"

"This story's author…" Minato said quietly. "He was our friend…"

"Say what?"

"His name was Akinari Kamiki." Minako started. "He was really intelligent and loved books, but Akinari-kun was a rather depressed guy when we met him."

"You see, he was born with a rare, incurable and life-threatening genetic disease. And because of that he wasn't expected to live much longer," Minato continued.

"Under such circumstances, you can't blame him for having a rather bleak outlook on life…" Minako sighed. "And it was no surprise he had a bit of trouble relating to normal, healthy people."

"But that story… It started happy, then got sad but it had a happy ending…" Kanji muttered. He remembered crying for days after reading the story for the first time. His mother even cried with him after he read it to her.

"To lose a precious friend, yet at the same time to learn that our existence in this world is never for naught," the blunette said. "That's what the story he wrote before passing away was about."

"Even if his time was short, he learned that life is always worth living to its fullest, and he was grateful to his mother for giving birth to him and taking care of him. His mother expressed the same thing." Minako smiled at that. "And it was that understanding that ultimately drove him to write that story and ended it on a happy note."

"Mother…" Kanji frowned in contemplation as Akinari's last thoughts resonating through his being. "Ma always took care of me, especially after Dad passed away. I took it really hard. She was always bailing me out whenever I got in trouble…I worry her so much she's got way more white hairs than she should…"

"Kanji?"

"Kanji-kun?"

The former delinquent paid no attention to them as he continued his musings. "Ma's getting old and her health ain't that good anymore. I gotta take care of her… If I don't, then who will?"

Minako touched his arm, breaking him from his thoughts. "You don't have to do it all on your own, you know."

Kanji turned to the twins, surprised. They were smiling warmly at him. "Losing a parent when you were young is always hard, because you're suddenly thrusted with more responsibilities than you should," Minato said.

"It's not easy and it's painful, but you're never alone. There will always be someone who understands the same pain you went through," Minako added. "Me and Aniki, Souji-kun, Yukari-chan, Ken-kun, Mitsuru-senpai…" A tiny mischievous grin formed on her lips. "Naoto-chan…"

At Kanji's faint blush, Minato smiled. "We all need a helping hand every now and then, Kanji. There's nothing to be ashamed about asking for help."

"When you're ready, come talk to us. We'll be more than happy to hear you out."

"Senpai… Thanks. You guys are the best," Kanji sniffed, a few tears forming at the corners of his eyes. Once again, he was reminded of how similar the twins were to Souji. He hugged the book closely to his chest.

The twins smiled at the younger teen, the bond they shared being forged through the related understanding of lost.

_Thou art I and I am thou,_

_Thou hast created a new bond,_

_Thou shalt be blessed when creating Personas of the Emperor Arcana._

Yukari drummed her fingers on her desk, having been staring at the email on her laptop screen for almost half an hour. Her delicate brows furrowed in stress, thinking about the email's contents. According to her teacher, her assignment was for her to design and create an autumn collection, along with a mock proposal on marketing said collection. It was easy enough, the only problem being that she needed to have it completed in a short period of time, and the finished product must be delivered to the teacher's doorstep two weeks after submitting the proposal. Thanks to her secret Shadow-fighting activities, Yukari was having designer's block.

Deciding that asking for help would save time than trying to solve the problem herself, she marched out of the dorm with her handbag and plastic folder in tow. _'I should probably ask Rise-chan. I can't ask for Minako-chan's help this time, or Minato-kun's. They're busy with their own thing. Maybe Rise-chan might have some ideas…I mean, she was a pop idol. Or maybe Kanji-kun…his needlework is something else. This should be fun!'_

When she got to the shopping district, the first detour Yukari made was to Tatsuhime Shrine, having remembered that she wanted (or rather, _needed_) to get herself a protective charm. The amount of stress it was causing her thanks to the ghost apparitions that appeared the day they cleaned their dorm, was enough to give her a nervous breakdown. It wasn't that she didn't trust her friends to help her out; but having something physical that can help ward them away will give her peace of mind. As she climbed the stairs, her thoughts took her back to when she and her mother lived in Kyoto. The ancient city capital was filled with superstitious beliefs, having heard most of them while she grew up, could be the main reason for her phobia.

She bought a protective charm from the priest on duty there. Deciding that her luck might improve if she was more generous, the healer threw some money into the offertory box, rang the shrine bell, put her hands together, and prayed. _'Dear Kami-sama, please protect me and my friends from ghosts and spirits wishing to harm us.'_ She ended it with _'Let me ace this assignment and make it through college in one piece!'_ Nothing prepared her heart when someone tapped her shoulder.

"KYAAAAA!"

"Whoa! Yukari-san, calm down! It's me."

"Souji-kun…" she gasped, still holding her chest. All of a sudden, her eyes narrowed dangerously and she slapped his shoulder. "Don't ever do that again!"

Souji sheepishly rubbed the back of his head, a small light of amusement in his eyes. "I'm sorry! I didn't know you'd react that way." He saw the protective charm in her hand and pointed to it. "You're here for that?"

Embarrassed, Yukari blushed. "Y-yeah…what's it to you?"

"I just don't believe in that stuff, to be honest. Well, they do make pretty effective accessories with the armors when fighting Shadows," Souji said the last part as an afterthought.

The healer huffed, but her anger seemed to have simmered down. "I used to live in Kyoto, if you must know. Charms were pretty much a part of daily life. I guess it never left me."

"Did those ghost lights appear at the dorm again?"

"N-no, not since that day we cleaned it up, but it still scared me. Junpei thought I was being silly and teased me about it. Thank goodness Minato-kun shut him up for me. I even slept in Minako-chan's room for a week and – " She blushed crimson yet again. "F-forget I said the last part!"

Souji found it strange for someone who dealt with Shadows on a constant basis to be scared of the supernatural. But then again, Chie was the same, only she believed in physical force instead of trinkets. "Don't worry, I won't tell a soul. Your secret is safe with me."

"Thank you." Yukari sighed in relief. She couldn't believe that she blurted her secret out so easily to a guy other than Minato. Perhaps that was another trait of the Wild Cards; they can make people tell them anything just by staring at you. A bird tweeting in the distance reminded the two that they were alone. "Hey, can I ask you something?"

"Hmm…?"

"What was your dad like?"

Souji's eyes widened in surprise. He could tell that his friends avoided that question as to not open the proverbial can of worms so to speak. Even Dojima dodged that topic until he had more conclusive evidence that they were still out there. But still, he wasn't the least offended. _'Perhaps talking about it will help ease my mind,'_ he thought. _'After all, Yukari-san grew up most of her life without one. Must be tough…'_

"I remember he wasn't always around when I was a kid, because of his job. Even so, my parents always made it up to me by celebrating important events with the twins, or even something simple like a bedtime story. Well, my mom did. Dad often played music for me. His favorite is slow jazz. I guess I admired him for that, which is why I took up playing the trumpet as my first instrument. Sometimes we would watch samurai or yakuza movies together. Mom often got mad at him because of that, especially whenever I tried to imitate the moves from TV." Souji held an imaginary sword in his hand and slashed the air. "After Aniki and Aneki's parents died, they took it hard. We moved around a lot after that, because my parents were taking up projects all over Japan. I felt ignored, because they weren't around anymore. Even when they were distant, I always felt their warm presence. After the accident, I couldn't sense anything at all. Dad even stopped playing music…"

Yukari remained silent. _'So he's not that different from me…'_

"It was after I got back from Inaba, that I noticed a change in them. They seemed more…_happy_. I thought I was the one who had changed," Souji continued, a small smile on his face. "They seemed more open…warm. It wasn't awkward talking to them anymore. I felt like…I could be myself around them. Dad started playing jazz again. He was the one who taught me how to play the saxophone."

"I can sort of relate to that," Yukari said. "After we lost my dad, my mom was in depression for a long time. It didn't help that the public ridiculed us, thinking that the explosion in Port Island was his fault. We even moved around, too. It put a strain on our relationship. When she started dating again, I got so angry at her because I thought she wanted to forget about Dad. After enduring her many failed relationships, I couldn't live with her anymore and moved back to Iwatodai. I've been living in dorms since then. Meeting Minato-kun and Minako-chan made me realize that I'm not the only one who's sad. My mom must have been terribly lonely, because she loved Dad too. That's why I decided to reconcile with her. We're still working on it though, but we're improving."

"That's good to hear," Souji said. "I still haven't given up hope that my parents are still alive, but it's a relief to talk about them. Avoiding the subject will only make the pain worse, and I never want to forget about them. Thank you, Yukari-san."

"Same here. If you ever need to talk again, you know where to find me." The brunette and silverette exchanged smiles, a bond of trust forming between them.

_Thou art I and I am thou,  
>Thou hast created a new bond,<br>It brings thee closer to the truth,  
>Thou shalt be blessed when creating Personas of the Lovers Arcana.<em>

"Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go and see Rise-chan or Kanji-kun to see if they can help me with my assignment."

"Out of curiosity, what major are you taking?" Souji asked.

"Fashion design. I hope to be a designer one day and create my own line."

"Does it have anything to do with Aniki's photography skills, now that you guys can work hand-in-hand as a couple?" the silverette teased.

Yukari squeaked and headed for the stairs. "I'm not answering that!"

Souji chuckled a bit before catching up with her.

* * *

><p><em>Yeah, not much action in this chapter I know, but hey gotta have some character interaction and development every now and then for the plot to go on. Plus interactions between such different characters are so much fun to write<em>.

_Have fun and don't forget to Read and Review! _


	21. Chapter 21: Clash of Anti-Shadow Weapons

_Happy Holidays everyone! I apologize for not finishing this sooner. As you know, the Medical Residency I'm attending to and Ohta-chan's work can be quite demanding, but we are always doing our best when it comes to this story. So enjoy this little Christmas gift and have fun! _

_Questions time!_

**FoolsSin:** This chapter shall answer some of your questions. And bring up a few more.

**ObsidianNoir: **I understand your point. It was a little tricky to pull off since when I started this fic P3P wasn't released yet, but when it was, I had to add Minako to the plot. Since the butterfly effect theory was a major theme of the game I decided to make use of it. Anyway, I'm glad you like the plot so far.

**KO**: Those are some interesting persona choices. Such wicked designs! I might have some room for them. Regarding Souji's shadow, I do have plans regarding him and the anime did give me some ideas, but I'm not telling anything else for now. As for Arena 2, yeah I heard about it. Helped me finish this chapter big time.

**Kitanalao**: Are you kidding me? I love reviews! And reviews like yours make things as worthwhile. I'd like to hear more from you. :3

**Blitzshine:** I'm glad you liked it. Yes, I have some trouble fitting all the cast sometimes. That's why I have to focus some chapters on part of the cast, but I try to fit as much people as I can on most scenes.

** **Wolf . IV** : **It's a possibility. I can't say much regarding his family's past as it is a major part of the plot. But I'm glad you like it. :3  
><em><br>A few warnings: (Yes, I put those before every chapter to avoid issues)_

_-There will be spoilers for all games! You've been warned.  
>-The Main characters from each game in this fanfic are called Minato Arisato (P3:FES), Minako Arisato (P3P) and Souji Seta (P4)<br>-There'll be some cursing. (Anyone that played any persona games knows that some characters on it curse quite a bit.) as well as some heavy subjects.  
>-Main Pairings in this fanfic: MinatoxYukari, ShinjiroxMinako, SoujixYukiko, KanjixNaoto, AkihikoxMitsuru, YosukexChie.<br>-Hinted Pairings(in later chapters): JunpeixChidori. (Hinted because Chidori doesn't appear much on this story) KenxNanako (Ya know those little girl's crushes on older boys? It'll be along those lines) FuukaxKeisuke (Other than Minato and Junpei, Fuuka only displayed some sort of close relationship with Keisuke the club president. I found it kinda cute.) TeddiexRise (Just for giggles. They are after all the two hyperactive cuties of the team X3)_

_Have fun ya guys. On with the show!_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 21: Clash of Anti-Shadow Weapons. <strong>

It wasn't every year that a school out in the boonies received transfer students; but six in a single semester was next to zero. They stood out amongst the rest of the student body, just like Souji did when he first arrived in April 2011. Three weeks had passed, but they were still garnering a lot of attention from the other students.

The relationship between Souji and the twins was obvious enough, although rumors did tend to fly when either brother was alone with Minako, mostly caused by the confusion that both males didn't resemble the auburn cutie whatsoever. Heck, they even thought that Minato and Kou were long-lost brothers having been separated since childhood, given Kou's history of being adopted from an orphanage. Having dealt with this type of situation before, the siblings just left the rumors alone to let it die a natural death. The rest of Souji's friends did a pretty good job of spreading the word that he and Yukiko were dating, just so that creepy guys would leave her alone.

Shinjiro had better luck of keeping people away from him. A death glare here and a threatening growl there, were enough to warn others that he wasn't one to be trifled with. There was one downside to this, and that was the spreading of rumors about him being a relative of Kanji Tatsumi, which annoyed the two of them to no end.

Labrys on the other hand, was no longer the shy girl the transfer students met in the office. Having joined the student council, her confidence seemed to have blossomed, making friends with others instantly. She could be seen all over the school grounds, scolding boys who were breaking the rules or greeting girls during her 'patrols'. She reminded them of Mitsuru, only less scary.

In a nutshell, school life was normal; Homework was a pain and tests even more so. The teachers talked too much and whined occasionally about their lives, namely Kashiwagi, often taking it out on the class. The gang always looked forward to having lunch together. And it was nice to have someplace else to escape to after school, even if it was a part-time job or fighting Shadows.

Rumors didn't just spread in schools. Even in town, people's tongues wagged; the focal point being the supernatural sightings, strange occurrences and rumors, and the new addition of town, the dorm. It just so happened that Yukari and Fuuka were returning from Okina one day, passing by Souzai Daigoku as housewives gossiped amongst themselves. The two girls caught some of their conversation.

"My son told me about the new transfer students in his school. City kids by the looks of it, just like Detective Dojima's boy," one of them said. She was wearing a yellow apron.

"That's old news. According to my daughter, they're staying at that so-called dorm. And get this…it's co-ed. And they're sharing it with a few college kids," another woman in a red apron chipped in.

Her friends gasped, scandalized. "Why would they build such a thing…doesn't the mayor know about this?!"

"Haven't you heard? The building that dorm is occupying used to be the haunted mansion on the side of the hill."

"Maybe that's why the real estate office was so eager to do something about it. I heard my husband mentioning about that house being unable to sell for decades!"

"I remember back in my high-school days where the boys would go to that awful place and test their courage during the summer. Why, one of my husband's friends…"

And from there the topic steered another way. Fuuka had to drag Yukari away before she could barge in on their conversation demanding to know more about the ghosts. As they got further away, sure enough, Yukari was shaking. "Now now Yukari-chan, don't listen to them. It's just a silly little rumor being passed down for a long time. You know how it is with the countryside," the petite scanner consoled her friend. "Besides, after you got that talisman, we haven't experienced something like that since it happened."

"Fuuka, you don't understand. It's happening all over town now. It's only a matter of time before whatever the hell's going on out there reaches us!"

"You don't know that. If anything weird is going on, don't you think I'd have been able to sense it by now? Besides, Kanji-kun, Yukiko-chan and Chie-chan never mentioned anything like that to us, and they've been living here their whole lives."

Yukari went silent. Never had she doubted Fuuka's scanning abilities, but all this talk about ghosts was spooking her out. "You're…y-you're right. It's just a s-silly urban legend being p-passed down from one person to another. Some of the facts got twisted along the way."

"That's right," Fuuka said. "Remember what happened to me back in school? People just assumed I died because they didn't know what was _really _going on behind the scenes."

"Thanks Fuuka. I feel a little better," Yukari sighed. "Mind coming with me to Junes? Minako-chan needed some groceries to make dinner. I'd hate to run into Teddie and he starts following me all over the place."

"Sure, let's go."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Meanwhile at the Dorm…<strong>_

Mitsuru was walking along the halls of the boy's floor, and knocked on a door. She heard a grunt, indicating the occupant was inside. "Akihiko, may I have a word with you?" She waited patiently for him to come out.

The handsome boxer opened the door. His thin cotton shirt was drenched in sweat, a towel thrown over his neck. He must have been training.

Mitsuru resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "I need to talk to you about something. I'll be waiting in the meeting room." And she walked off, just like that.

Akihiko raised an eyebrow. She hadn't used that crisp tone on him since they graduated high school. Whatever it was, it sounded important. He quickly changed into dry clothes and made his way downstairs. He found his girlfriend already seated, in front of her on the table was a laptop and some papers. "You wanted to see me, Mitsuru?"

"Ah, yes. Please have a seat." She gestured to the chair opposite to her.

'_I wonder what this is about…'_ Akihiko thought, since it was only him and Mitsuru in the dorm today.

"How is your schedule? Everything to your preference?" Mitsuru started the conversation.

"Yeah, pretty much. Thanks to Shirogane's personal archives, I have enough reference for my studies so I don't have to travel to Okina's public library. The rugged terrains here are more than enough for my training regimen."

"I see. Have you ever considered taking a part-time job while we're staying here?"

"I did, just haven't found one that caught my interest yet."

Mitsuru gave him a smile. "Then today is your lucky day." She slid a piece of paper towards him across the table.

Akihiko read it. His eyes opened wide. "Assistant coach? At Yasogami High?!"

"The twins came to me one day and told me about one of the teachers there desperately needing an assistant. Sadly, they're low on funds to hire extra help. I plan to do something about that. I have also spoken to the headmaster on the phone regarding this, and he agrees wholeheartedly."

"You're gonna ask The Group to sponsor Yasogami?" he asked in a sarcastic tone, having heard enough from her about the pompous stuck-ups that were currently governing the board.

Mitsuru smirked. "You don't need to worry about them. I _will_ make it happen, no matter what it takes." The firmness in her voice caused goosebumps to run along his arms, but in a good way. "So, are you taking it or not?"

"Count me in!" Akihiko gave her a devilish grin. "Besides, I can't wait to see the look on Shinji's face when I start my first day."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Yasogami High, track field...<strong>_

It was the time of the week for Physical Education again, everybody donned in their Yasogami jerseys. Those who sincerely loved sports welcomed it. A majority of the class liked it, because it gave them a chance to mingle around outside the classroom. Some hated it, because they would prefer to be in class, catching a snooze.

Souji learned from past experience that these were the best times to catch up on some school gossip before the teacher showed up. He ordered his friends to spread out among their fellow classmates and try to catch on some of their conversations. Currently, he was standing in front of a group consisting of three girls whom he recognized were always seated near the class entrance, pretending to ignore them but listening intently.

"Hey guys, I discovered something neat while I was browsing my favorite fashion blog last night – " one of the girls started talking.

"Oh come on, not that again. You haven't shut up about that stupid trend going on in the city right now. Trust me, that look never does anybody any favors," her friend rudely cut in.

"But, it's different this time, I swear!"

"Come on, let's hear her out. This might actually be interesting," the other friend said, trying to avoid an argument.

There was a small hush before the fashion-obsessed girl from earlier continued. "Okay, as I was looking through the various forum threads there, a weird link suddenly popped up. I clicked on it out of curiosity and my computer went blank for a second…"

"Oh, for goodness sake – !"

"Wait, I didn't finish yet! Suddenly a text came in my cell. I didn't realize that it was already so late when I looked at the time the text came in, precisely at twelve midnight. I thought it was spam at first, but I opened it to see what it was about. It said 'If you want to see the life of the person you hate totally destroyed, just reply to this message and send the name of that person.' It completely creeped me out and I shoved my phone into my desk drawer. I was going to show it to you guys this morning, but it totally disappeared from my inbox!"

'_Now this is new…'_ Souji mused, sharpening his ears even further. He felt a familiar presence standing beside him.

"Are you for real?!" the rude friend asked incredulously. "Are you absolutely positive you weren't dreaming?"

"Hey, if you don't believe me, try it out for yourself!"

Souji felt the person beside him grab his arm. It was Shinjiro.

"That sounds awfully familiar," he growled softly. Souji could see the muscles of his jaw tightening, and his right hand was slightly rubbing his chest.

The silverette knew what that meant. "We definitely need to meet up after school."

As soon as Souji finished his sentence, Mr. Kondo stepped out into the field and headed for the soccer goalpost, a broad grin on his face. It wasn't uncharacteristic for the teacher to display his cheerfulness, but his panda eyes did make him look rather creepy. "Alright guys, gather around before I announce what sport the guys and the girls will be playing for today!"

The students immediately obeyed. For some reason, the PE/English teacher's grin broadened even further. "We won't be having our usual pop quiz today. Instead, I have an important announcement. Those of you who have read the school paper most probably know that we're a bit understaffed lately. Which is why today is such a special occasion!"

The students stared at him blankly as crickets chirped in the background.

"Uhhh…okay, that was awkward. Without wasting any more time, I'd like to introduce you guys to my new assistant. He was made so because he doesn't have the qualifications to be a teacher, but given his track record from his school days and his passion for sports, he'll be helping me train you lot. Hey, come on out here already!"

Anticipation thrummed as footsteps were heard from around the corner. His bright silver hair, red shirt and white jacket gave away his identity to the senior SPIES. "Hi guys. My name is Akihiko Sanada. I'll be Kondo-sensei's assistant from today onwards. Pleased to meet you," the former boxer greeted politely. Before any of his teammates could return the greeting, a majority of the females began to emit high-pitched squeals.

"_Kyaaaaaa! He's gorgeous!"_

"_Oh my God, he's so HOT!"_

"_That body. That face…he's so perfect!"_

Shinjiro face-palmed, and pulled his beanie down to cover his ears, trying to block out the noise. He wasn't successful. _'I should have expected this…I knew something was up when he couldn't stop smiling last night. Damn you, Aki!'_

The twins only shook their heads, grinning in amusement at Akihiko's annoyed reaction to the screaming. _'Poor Senpai…even after all these years, he still can't catch a break.'_

Souji and his friends were dumbfounded, not sure how to react. Neither did the rest of the male population in their class.

After much effort from the teacher and the class representative, the screeching girls managed to calm down somewhat. "As I was saying before…" Mr. Kondo cleared his throat before continuing. "Sanada-san here will be my assistant. His duties include assisting me with some of the PE classes, and he will also be working with the basketball and soccer teams with their training. I was made to understand that his stay in Inaba won't be a long one, so I hope you guys can get along with him!" The girls started to make noise again, most of them pouting in disappointment. "Alright, now that that's settled, I'm gonna announce what you guys will be doing today. The girls will head off to the indoor gym and get started on volleyball. The guys will remain out here practicing soccer under Sanada-san's supervision. Now go on and scatter, all of you!"

Souji caught Akihiko giving a superior smirk to Shinjiro's direction. _'School is definitely becoming more interesting…'_

* * *

><p><em><strong>School rooftop…<strong>_

As usual, the gang gathered at the roof top during lunch period. They chatted, but not as lively this time.

The door slammed open and immediately closed again, revealing a flustered Akihiko. "Tch...I finally lost them. To think the boonies has this much of a crowd…" Then he went to join his friends as if nothing happened. "So, what's up guys?"

"Had a rough day, Aki?" Shinjiro sneered, polishing off his bento. "Seriously, things never change around you."

"Tell me about it. I thought it'll quiet down, y'know. But the girls here are just as loud and annoying as the ones in the city. No offense to you guys," the former boxer apologized quickly.

"None taken," Naoto sighed. "I understand your current predicament. Unfortunately, they're also just as relentless, so you're going to have to bear with it for a while."

"If you ask me, the solution's obvious," Rise chipped in.

A question mark appeared above Chie's head. "Solution? What solution?"

"Could you guys be any more clueless? Make out with Mitsuru-senpai in front of the entire school, of course!"

Everyone did a spit-take of their lunches except for Shinjiro, who continued to chew on his food properly.

"Rise-chan, how can you suggest such a shameless thing?!" Yukiko scolded.

"Doesn't surprise me. I've been telling him to do that since middle school, way before they even started dating," Shinjiro said, ignoring his best friend's blush. "Of course, she'd flat out refuse back then. And execute him for good measure. But I've never seen any girl messing with her."

"That's right. A woman of high class, intelligence and beauty like Mitsuru-senpai…there's no way those girls will ever stand a chance in the short amount of time that he's staying here," Rise boasted, happy that at least one person was backing her up.

Everyone stopped shoving food in their mouths and gave it some thought. To the boys, that was a surefire way of ensuring that people got the message all throughout town in the shortest amount of time. To the girls, it was embarrassing, but even they got to admit that it might just work.

"Yeah, Shinji-kun's right. Any girl would be foolish to mess with Mitsuru-senpai. I was lucky enough not to get harassed too much by Akihiko-senpai's fans back in Gekkoukan, mostly because they knew that I was living in the same dorm with her," Minako said. "Girls can be pretty cruel that way."

"I actually overheard one girl telling her friends she was going to put her name up in that sick website Strega was handling," Minato said, almost breaking his chopsticks in half. His eyes darkened with anger. "I threatened that girl somewhat, but she got the message and avoided Minako after that."

"Aniki…"

Yosuke perked up. "Hey, that kinda rings a bell. I actually heard about something like that before I transferred here from the city. Remember that ghost story I told you guys at the ski resort, about one of my friend's sister? He told me something about a website that can help you get rid of the person you hate. Just type in that person's name, and bam! The next day something bad happens to them."

"That was Strega's M.O. They track the person down and take 'em out during the Dark Hour, leaving no evidence that they committed the crime," Shinjiro said.

Souji gasped. "So, those girls weren't making things up…"

"Making what up, Sensei?" Teddie asked.

The silverette told them about the conversation he overheard in PE class. It was the others' turn to gasp.

"What does this mean?" Chie wondered. "Will more people get hurt because of this?"

"I don't know. But just as we said before, things will get worse. I'll have Fuuka look into that, but we still don't have a solid lead on whose behind all this, so we'll just have to keep our eyes and ears peeled for anything," Minato said. "Speaking of, have any of you guys seen anymore spirit sightings? The dorm has been quiet after the cleanup event."

"Nope, I haven't heard anything new from the Housewives Network. Unless you want to count the amount of people into horror movies these days," Yosuke pointed out. "I just found it unusual after doing inventory for the video section the other day. Apparently it's selling like hot cakes."

"I noticed that too. A lot of the guests staying at the inn kept asking the staff about any local ghost stories. Mother was worried that might attract unwanted attention from shady reporters again so she ordered them not to say anything," Yukiko said.

"Shady reporters?" Akihiko repeated while munching on a yakisoba roll.

"The Amagi Inn received a lot of unsavory media attention after word got out that the late Mayumi Yamano was staying there before her death," Naoto explained. "But the ghost story angle is worth looking into. There might just be a pattern there."

They pooled in all the info they collected from people around town. So far no luck…

"Another dead end," Kanji sighed. "I haven't seen any spirits floating around either, seeing that I live next to the shrine. Good thing too…I'd hate for them to scare Ma in the middle of the night."

"We'll have to gather more information," Metis concluded.

The bell signaling recess was over rang throughout the school. The Persona-users quickly cleaned up their mess and headed to class.

* * *

><p><em><strong>After school, 2nd floor…<strong>_

Standing beside a shady corner near the stairway leading to the 3rd floor, Souji waited for the members of the Occult Club to pick up the requested idols after class. Luckily, no one paid any attention to the large sack he was carrying. They simply passed him by, or glanced at the out-of-place object and disregarded it.

As if emerging from the shadows, the two creepy students walked up to him. "Ah, Seta. Perfect timing as ever," Black Hair praised, anxiously eyeing the sack. "I see we were right in trusting you with such an important request."

Souji passed said item to them. "Always glad to help. Feel free to check them and make sure they're suitable for your needs."

Brown Hair wasted no time pouncing on the sack, his hands greedily disappearing into the opening, inspecting the contents. "Perfect!" His creepy eyes glinted and his voice was filled with rather disturbing glee. "These will certainly provide us with enough spiritual energy for all our members' initiation!"

"Once again, Seta, you never fail to impress." Black Hair grinned toothily, in such an ominous way that Souji felt shivers running down his spine. The other student failed to notice this as he pulled out a small velveteen box from his jacket pocket. "And of course, such a feat cannot go unrewarded. I'm sure you'll find this artifact to be more than worth your trouble."

Souji hastily picked the box out of his bony hands, wanting this to be over as soon as possible. He pried it open and took a quick glance at his reward, blinking in surprise. _'This…this is definitely better than I expected..."_

He shifted his gaze to face the two. "Thank…you…?" Surprised to find both gone, and so was the sack containing the dolls. "…Were they this mysterious last year?" He looked at the upper part of the stairs. "You two can come out now. Coast is clear."

The twins ran downstairs to meet up with the silverette. "That was weird alright," Minako said. "Not as weird as most requests Elizabeth and Theo-kun asked of us, but close enough."

"Can't argue with you on that one." Minato was more interested in the small box Souji was holding. "So, what kind of item did they give to you for the trouble?"

Souji showed them the artifact: a small, silver dragonfly pendant decorated with tiny precious stones of different colors. The way it glinted under the hallway lights was mesmerizing, the smooth metal soothing to the touch. The silverette gripped it tighter, the cool temperature of the silver sending delightful tingles across his warm skin. Smiling softly to himself, he felt at ease in a way that he hadn't felt in a while as he placed it around his neck.

"Woah, that's so pretty…" Minako cooed, snapping Souji out of his trance. "You're so lucky, Banchou-kun. I've never seen a piece of jewelry like this. It's pretty old, so it must have been a family heirloom."

"I agree. There's something special about this artifact. I can sense it," Minato said. "It's certainly fits you."

"Really? How so?"

"Dragonflies are positive cultural symbolisms for **maturity and depth of character. It also represents the sharpness of one's inner mind, **looking beyond the surface and into the deeper implications and aspects of life, **opening one's eyes and defeating self-created illusions,**" the blunette explained as he smiled. "Actually, that explains a lot about you and what you've been through. It's a perfect match."

Minako nodded enthusiastically in agreement. Souji rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. "They're also a symbol of **power and poise, especially in here in Japan, representing **summer and autumn. It's a creature that's admired and respected, so much so that the samurai use it as a symbol of power, agility and victory. A lot of the imperial crests are represented by dragonflies," she said, before sticking out her tongue. "Ono-sensei made sure to remind us of that on a daily basis. Sofue-sensei is clearly fascinated by Egyptian and world history, but not to the point of unhealthy obsession like he has with the Sengoku era."

Souji chuckled at that. "I know. Kanji mentioned his enthusiasm during the school trip last year. He and the first-years got stuck in a special lecture given by him. Not to mention he even cried in the middle of a lesson about the tale of Masamune Date when I attended Gekkoukan. I swear I've never seen anyone get so emotional over a historical figure."

The trio sweatdropped, before bursting into laughter for a few minutes.

"Anyway, those guys from the Occult Club seem to take this paranormal subject way too seriously," Minato said, turning solemn. "Such fascination can't be a good thing."

"Aniki, don't be so paranoid…" Minako scolded lightly. "But then again, we've had our share of problems with cults and occult fanatics in the past…" She caressed the leather strap of her wristwatch, trying to shake off the bad memories of Strega and the Cult of Nyx.

Souji tried to ease their concerns. "Easy, you guys. From what I know of them, their curiosity is mostly harmless. Besides, discretion is the key element to their club, so I doubt they'd do anything drastic that could expose them to the whole school."

"It makes sense… But still, I think we shouldn't approach them for the time being," Minato decided. "Let's go get food before we head for the daycare. I'm starving for some Chinese."

* * *

><p><em><strong>After school, the 1<strong>__**st**__** floor…**_

"Get back here, ya damn bear!" Yosuke shouted as he chased Teddie down the hallway. "You're not getting away this time!"

"But Yosuke, Sensei said I already made up for what happened at Yakushima!" Teddie whined, trying to keep himself at a safe distance from his foster brother.

"That was before you bailed on me last time! Do you have any idea of the freaking, ear bleeding lecture I've got from Dad for that?!" Yosuke fumed. "You're coming with me even if I have to rip your bear suit and use it as a cleaning rag!"

The blonde panicked as Yosuke closed in on him. Even without his suit, he wasn't fast enough to outrun the wielder of the Storm God. He could only pray for someone or something to save him.

"HALT! BOTH OF YOU!" A female voice commanded. The owner of the voice came into their field of vision, holding up a hand as a stop sign.

Startled, Teddie screeched to a halt, causing Yosuke to crash into him and sending both of them face first to the ground, only a few inches from her feet.

"Why does this always happen to me?" the senior muttered.

"Yosuke…get off…you're squishing me…" Teddie moaned, feeling very unpleased in their current position.

"Are you two alright?" the same voice asked, now filled with some concern.

The boys quickly got back to their feet. "L-Labrys-san!? I'm sorry! I didn't mean to! Are you okay? We didn't hurt you, did we?!"

"Whoa, calm down, Yosuke-san. I'm okay, but what about you and Teddie-san?"

Teddie beamed, always loving the attention. ""Even better now that you're with us, Labby-chan!"

"Now, care to explain why you two were running in the hallway?" The self-proclaimed prefect crossed her arms, expression stern. "You know that's against the school rules."

"It was this little runt's fault!" Yosuke was quick to point a finger at Teddie. "He was trying to ditch work!"

"What!? That's a lie! I was just heading out to Junes!" Teddie protested in self-defense. "I'd never run away from my responsibilities!"

"Is that so?" Labrys' expression softened. "Since it was for a good reason, I'll let it slide this time then. But you two must promise me that you won't do it again, okay?"

"Of course, Labby-chan! You're so understanding~ And too sweet~" Teddie tried buttering her up, eyes gleaming with happiness, throwing in some sparkles for good measure. The girl couldn't help but giggle, not minding the flirting attempt.

Yosuke raised an eyebrow at how quick he suddenly changed his mind, knowing the bear was only doing it to impress Labrys. A sneaky grin made its way to his lips, deciding to use it to his advantage. "Alright, Teddie, let's get going. We don't want to be late for work now, do we?" He gripped his shoulder and clenched it very tightly, to make sure the sneaky little bugger wouldn't escape again.

Teddie let out a small 'eeep' of pain, knowing that his flirting tendencies have backfired on him once again. "S-Sure thing!" he stuttered, trying to act brave in a girl's presence.

"You two are funny," she giggled at them. "Well, I must be going too. Momma's waiting for me. See ya tomorrow."

"See ya!"

As Labrys was about to turn a corner, she almost bumped into someone. "Oh, I'm sorry about – " Her sentence stopped there when saw it was Metis. Immediately her eyes narrowed. "Metis…" she hissed.

"It's okay, Labrys-san." The other girl smiled at her, her eyes glowing with innocence,

Labrys snorted arrogantly. She walked past her, not bothering to look back.

The black-haired android cocked her head in confusion. "Was it something I said?" she mumbled to herself as Yosuke and Teddie walked up to her.

"What's up, Metis-san?" Yosuke greeted.

"I don't know…Labrys-san's mood always seems to change whenever I'm around."

"What do you mean?" Teddie asked.

"Remember when Chie-san and Yukiko-san gave me a tour during the first day of school? Along the way, we met her. She was really happy when they offered to show her around, but when she saw I was with them, she turned serious and glared at me several times. She's been showing signs of hostility towards me ever since."

"I think you're just imagining things," Yosuke waved it off. "Labrys-san can be strict, I'll give ya that, but only when she's sure she's right. Discipline seems to be her thing."

"Maybe…I'm not really good at reading human emotions compared to vital signs," she sighed. "Labrys-san is hard for me to understand. I just don't want make her upset."

"You? Never, Metty-chan!" Teddie said. "You try your best to help everybody! Why would anyone be upset at you?"

Metis felt slightly better. "Thank you, Teddie-san."

Before he could open his mouth to use some pick-up lines on her, Yosuke grabbed him by the collar of his shirt. "C'mon you little troublemaker, you're coming with me to Junes and that's final!" He turned to Metis, ignoring Teddie pouting. "Sorry, but we need to get going. Want us to accompany you to the school gates?"

"I appreciate that, Yosuke-san. Thank you."

* * *

><p>The school building was empty, except for a young couple walking through the hallways of the main school building, making their way to the shoes lockers. It was already late, and they were anxious to get home.<p>

"Hey…" The boy suddenly inched closer to his girlfriend. "Did you hear something?"

"Oh please, if you're trying to flirt with me, you're gonna need a better line," she huffed in annoyance, pulling her normal shoes out to replace her school issued ones.

"No! I'm serious! I heard something." He cupped a hand to his ear. "Listen."

The girl complied and became silent. At first she heard nothing, but then it started – a chanting, monotone chorus that started faint, almost a whisper that it was barely audible. But then it grew louder and louder, as if was alive and stomping towards them. "W-What was that?!"

"I-I dunno…" her boyfriend stuttered.

"C-Could it be those ghost lights thingies that people keep talking about?!"

"_Hear us__…" _the eerie voice echoed. _ "As the pale golden moon rises in the sky and the crimson fog covers the land, the spirits of the damned will rise to plunge the world into chaos once again!"_

Shrieking loudly, the couple broke into a mad dash for the exit as moans and wails erupted from everywhere and nowhere at the same time.

* * *

><p><em><strong>In a secluded classroom…<strong>_

A group of students, all of them wearing masks, were chanting around a rune circle drawn on the center of the floor, occasionally interrupted by moans and wails. Posters of arcane symbols and characters were all over the walls. The curtains were closed so that the only light source was coming from the five candles surrounding the drawn circle.

The leader of the group suddenly raised a hand, and everyone was silenced. "Very well, that'll do for today." He took off his mask and stood up. It was Black Hair. "Well done, my fellows in the practice of the Dark Arts. These idols are most certainly filled with spiritual power."

"Once we tap into that power, we shall be able to delve further into the forces of paranormal," Brown Hair rubbed his bony hands together. "And then… we'll find the truth behind all mysteries!"

The members of the eccentric club stood up and cheered.

"Remember, remain secretive," Black Hair ordered. "No one shall interfere with our plans!"

They cleaned and split up, leaving no traces of their presence of having ever used that classroom.

_**Daycare, on top of the hill…**_

The Wild Cards were surrounded by children, most of them kindergartners tugging them from all directions, trying to get the new assistants to focus their attention to any sort of trouble their young minds could conjure up, while making as much noise as humanly possible.

"_Mister, Mister, Kaoru pooped in his pants again!"_

"_I did not! Stop lying, you big fat liar!"_

"_I'm thirsty. I want juice!"_

"_No! He's gonna get me takoyaki!"_

"_Toki-kun is bullying Haruhi-chan again. Please save her, Yuuta-kun!"_

"_Featherman Ultra Chop!"_

"_Onee-chan, do you have a boyfriend?" _

Luckily for Minako, she was pulled aside to attend to a fussy little girl no older than three years old, because she didn't like being near boys. And lucky for the kid, he was still a kid, so Minato and Souji couldn't do anything to him for using a pick-up line on their sister.

When work time was almost over, the trio sighed in relief as the number of children dwindled down after their parents picked them up. The only ones left were Yuuta and the girl Minako was taking care of earlier, Reiko-chan. She was an adorable child, a bit small in size compared to average children her age, with chestnut brown hair and big, cocoa eyes. Having taken a strong liking to Minako, she stuck to her like glue.

Yuuta was playing Featherman with Minato and Souji when Eri showed up. "Yuuta, are you ready to go home?"

The little boy's face lit up. "Yup, I'm ready!" he announced boisterously, running to her side and gripping her hand.

"Oh, I remember you two," the young mother said. "You're from the summer festival, with Souji-kun's other friends. Thank you for taking good care of Yuuta for me."

"It's not a problem. We love kids," Minato said. "It was really fun playing Featherman with him. He really knows his stuff."

Souji was staring at Eri the entire time. Despite not knowing her for long, he noticed there was something different about her. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but the young mother's smile was brighter, her skin and hair more radiant. Overall, she was _glowing_. He decided to ask the most obvious question in mind. "Eri-san, out of curiosity, why did you send Yuuta back to daycare again?"

"Oh that. You see, he missed some of the friends he made when he was here last year. So my husband and I talked about it and we decided to send him here twice a week so he could play with them."

"That's very considerate of you. At least that way, you'll have some time to yourself." Minako smiled as little Reiko's hold around her tightened. The auburn-haired girl swayed her body gently, rocking the fussy girl in her arms to sleep, rubbing soothing circles on her back.

"You're such a natural. You'll make a wonderful mother someday," Eri praised, rubbing her stomach gently. "That tall, scowling young man you were always with at the festival…I'm positive he'll make a great father too."

Minako cheeks turned as red as her eyes. "Eeeehhh!? Eri-san, that's…!"

The silverette noticed the gesture Eri was making and finally put two and two together. "Eri-san, could it be…that you're…pregnant?"

The glowing woman's smile widened even more. "Yes, I am. I just found out yesterday. Only Yuuta knows, and we're planning on how to surprise his dad with the news."

"I'm going to be the bestest big brother ever, just like you, Mister!" Yuuta boasted, puffing his chest out proudly.

"Congratulations. Wow, that's quite the news. Why didn't you break it to your husband first before telling us?" Minato asked.

"To be honest, I was going to tell him the minute I found out, but I got nervous. I needed to tell someone though, and if you haven't noticed, the people in this town aren't that good at keeping secrets. I trust Souji-kun as much as I trust Yuuta. He honors you two very much, so I know I can keep this between us until the time is right."

The twins felt flattered that Eri had entrusted them with her precious secret without any doubt. They felt a familiar connection with the expecting mother.

_Thou art I, and I am thou,  
><em>_Thou hast created a new bond,__  
><em>_Thou shalt be blessed when creating Personas of the Temperance Arcana._

They were interrupted when the head caretaker came by with their paychecks. "Here you are." She handed them a brown envelope each. "With all the chaos today, you deserved every single yen. Oh, and Reiko-chan's parents just called. They'll be here in another half an hour. I'll watch over her until then so you can go home."

"Ah, that's alright. She's sleeping right now, and I don't mind waiting until they arrive," Minako said.

"I should be getting home too. I'm making Yuuta's favorite croquettes today," Eri said, her son cheering beside her. They left the daycare holding hands.

Minako turned to her brothers. "You two can go back first. I promise to be home before dark."

Her twin looked at his watch. "Yeah, you better. In the meantime, Souji-kun and I will stop by Junes to pick up some stuff."

"See you tomorrow, Aneki."

* * *

><p>Minato texted something on his phone and smoothly put it back in his pocket. He and Souji were walking back from Junes, deciding to take the route crossing Samegawa flood plains.<p>

"Who did you text, Aniki?"

"Shinjiro-senpai," Minato answered simply. "I figured he just finished his shift and is available to walk Minako back home. I asked him to pick up some tofu as well since he was in the area."

Just as they were about the reach the floodplains, they bumped into Daisuke, not surprised to see him in his Yasogami jersey and breathing heavily, no doubt back from jogging. He was sweating all over, his hair plastered on his head like a strange skullcap.

"Daisuke, fancy seeing you here," Souji greeted him with a wave.

"Souji, Minato. Yo!" He stopped, but continued with his stationary paces. "Training as well?"

"Nah, we're just heading back after our part-time job at the daycare, and Junes obviously."

"Whoa, pretty hardworking aren't ya? No rest for the wicked, as they say. I never knew what that meant, anyway…" Daisuke admitted shamelessly. Souji and Minato sweatdropped. As they were about to continue their conversation, a loud grunt interrupted them, followed the sound of something being whipped.

"What was that?" Souji wondered. They walked further to the wide open space by the gazebo, and saw a young man dressed in the traditional kendo clothing, practicing with a bokutō (wooden sword). His back was facing them, so they couldn't see his face.

"He looks familiar…" Minato mused. "Almost like…"

"Oh, him? That's Hayase-san. He moved here about 4 months ago with his mom and brothers," Daisuke told them. "Around the same time that new factory opened up near Okina, where he works at. He's always training here after his day shifts are over."

"Hayase?!"

"You know him, Aniki?"

The young man stopped what he was doing and turned around, distracted by someone calling his name. His gaze immediately zoomed onto the blunette. "Minato?!"

"I knew I recognized you, Mamoru. Wow, you haven't changed a bit!"

The two friends embraced each other. They then exchanged pleasantries, almost forgetting the other two on the side, until Minato introduced them. "Mamoru, meet my friends. This is Souji Seta, a childhood friend, and Daisuke Nagase, captain of Yasogami High soccer club."

"I've seen you around," Mamoru told Daisuke. "Always gotta admire a fellow athlete. You remind me of myself from my high school days. I should get my little brother to join your club when he starts high school next year."

"Speaking of high school, are you still continuing your pursuit for kendo?" Minato asked.

Mamoru's grin widened even more. "Heck yeah! I'll never give up kendo!" Then he frowned. "To tell you the truth, I'm having a bit of difficulty adjusting here. It's not that I hate this place…"

"Then what is it?" Souji queried.

"I like this place, I really do! Ever since my mom's health deteriorated, the doctor suggested we move to the countryside because the city air was bad for her. A colleague told me about a job opening at the factory, and we made a unanimous decision to move. My brothers love it here, and so does my mom. Her health is improving ever since she started gardening and stopped working so hard. It's just that – "

"Oh, I see. You miss your kendo buddies from your old place, right?" Minato finished the sentence for him. "Haven't found that perfect 'rival' you've been looking for?"

"That's what I like and hate about you, Minato. You always could read my mind." Mamoru rubbed the back of his head, frustrated. "You know I always like a challenge, but this place isn't giving it to me. Honestly, the only worthy rival I ever had was…well…you."

Minato chuckled. "You flatter me."

"Now that you're here, care to have a go? You can even use by back-up shinai." Mamoru looked at him imploringly. "Come on, dude. Don't make me beg."

The blunette thought about it for a while. "Alright, you'll get your challenge, but it won't just be coming from me." The others were confused when he said that, until he pushed Souji forward. "Why don't you try it out against him too? He hasn't had many swordsmen to spar against lately."

The fire in Mamoru's eyes burned brighter. "Really now?" He eyed Souji from top to bottom. All of a sudden, he threw his bokutō towards the silverette. "Here! Show me your stance."

Souji caught it with ease, and did what Mamoru asked.

"Wow…you look so natural, like you were born to hold a sword. Have you ever even taken kendo lessons before?"

"No…to tell you the truth, I've never touched a sword until I moved here last year."

Mamoru's surprised grin turned into a smirk. "That does it! You're going to spar with me whether you like it or not. You might even be more of challenge than Minato here."

"Hey watch it," Minato protested lightly. "I gave you a run for your money in the regionals. Don't think I can't do it again."

Souji couldn't help but feel excited. There was something about this Hayase character that stoked the spark of competition in him.

_Thou art I, and I am thou,  
><em>_Thou hast created a new bond,__  
><em>_It brings thee closer to the truth,__  
><em>_Thou shalt be blessed when creating Personas of the Star Arcana._

The three of them made plans on when to meet and start their training, Daisuke watching them on. Somewhere along the line, the subject of Aiya Diner's new menu item came up. They roped in Kou into their plans without his knowledge, and decided to show what Mamoru had been missing these past months. Since it was getting dark fast, they parted ways, eager to test their strength against each other in the upcoming days.

* * *

><p><em><strong>A few days later…<strong>_

Souji crossed paths with his classmates from the dorm as he walked to school. It was when they were approaching the school gate that they heard the whispers, causing a feeling of uneasiness. The Wild Cards, who were more sensitive, felt it even stronger, but hid it from their friends until they had a better notion of what's going on.

"Why's everybody so worked up?" Shinjiro asked, not amused.

"Not sure. I don't think it's good, though," Souji replied.

"Let's check it out," Minato said.

As they made it to the front gate, they were greeted by the worried faces of the rest of their friends, which only intensified their sense of dread.

"Hey guys!" Minako waved, but not as her usual cheerful self, despite the effort. "Something wrong?"

"You guys read the school paper?" Chie asked nervously.

At their negative, Naoto handed them her copy. They huddled around to read together.

On the front page in big, bold letters, the headline said:

_**Yasogami High Is Haunted!**_

"Students claim to hear unearthly chanting along with moans and wails after class," Metis read the accompanying article aloud. "Could it be related to the ghost lights surrounding Inaba? Or the ghosts of those murdered last year have returned to punish society for their demise? The Principal, the teaching staff and the Student Council refuse to comment on the subject."

A heavy silence fell over them. "What does all of this mean?" Yukiko asked after what felt like forever.

"The stakes are getting higher," Minato said, his eyes never leaving the paper. "This is one of the things Igor warned us about."

"We might be running out of time," his sister added, sounding worried.

As the Persona-users chatted about it, the two members from the Occult Club were eavesdropping from the shadows. "Our prayers were answered! The spirits have manifested themselves!" Brown Hair whispered to his partner excitedly.

"You know what that means. We must double our efforts!" Black Hair said. "We'll hold club meetings daily! We must not let our otherworldly comrades wait any longer."

They left, and not a single person felt their presence.

* * *

><p>Metis stood next the school gates after school. The students learned not to pay any mind to her, though occasionally some guy would walk up to her, asking if she'd like to hang out together or offer to walk her home, but she'd always refuse, claiming she's waiting for someone.<p>

Soon enough, the person she was waiting for arrived. And she wasn't alone. "Hello Metis," Aigis greeted her warmly, Koromaru barking twice. "How was school today?"

"Oh Sister, today was wonderful! School life is so exciting!" Metis' eyes gleamed as she knelt down to pet Koromaru. "And how are you, Koromaru-san?"

He licked her face in response, making her smile. "I see."

"Ready to go home? Everybody's waiting at the dorm to discuss the spike in supernatural activity," Aigis said.

"Yes! Let's go!"

As the two sisters and white dog headed back, they failed to notice another pair of crimson eyes watching their every move.

"Unit #024…. Snowy…" Labrys started shaking her head. "No! Don't be ridiculous… Those are not them. They…they're long gone…"

"Spying on people this time?" a voice snickered. "Tsk tsk, Miss President. You're not setting a very good example, are you?"

Startled, Labrys spun around, coming face to face with a young man: Short and bright red hair, dark grey eyes, a very pale complexion. An X-shaped scar cut right across his face. He wore the blazer of the Yasogami High uniform around his waist, paired with a dark green collared shirt and a yellow armband with a black star on his left arm, and yellow sneakers.

"Minazuki-kun…" Sho Minazuki from class 3-1 is what people would call a genuine troublemaker – always cracking bad jokes or breaking the school rules to get people's attention. Labrys would often run into him during her patrols, so they were acquainted with each other to say the least.

"Skip the formalities, will ya? I already told ya to call me Sho," he berated. "Anyway, what's with spying those two?"

"I wasn't spying on them! It's just... I mean…" Labrys groaned in frustration. "Fine! Metis reminds me of someone I once knew…satisfied?!"

"Plenty." Sho smirked. "I'll be honest with ya, she's cute. But I wouldn't bother getting to know her better. She hangs out with a huge and weird crowd anyway. Not a fan of those."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Since you just moved to this town rather recently you probably don't know, but let me tell ya that things were pretty dull around here when I've moved in seven months ago. Man, this place really is out in the sticks. But then, the ghost lights started. Around the same time Metis and her friends from the city settled in." He gave a shrug, like all of this was normal. "Probably a coincidence, but I gotta admit it made things around here way more exciting."

"Way more _concerning_ you mean," Labrys corrected him. "The whole school is worried about it. No one knows if those things are real or not, and if they are, whether or not it could do any harm to the students."

"You think way too much. If they were dangerous, wouldn't they have showed it already?" Sho smirked that annoying smirk of his. "Or maybe…you're just jealous of her."

"E-Excuse me?!"

"She may not be as sociable as you are, but she's considered to be pretty smart and cute by many of the guys and even the girls here." He crossed his arms, looking at her lazily. "You two are alike in that way."

"I'M NOT JEALOUS!" she shouted, and blushed faintly when people looked in their direction. "That's completely and utterly ridiculous!"

"Whatever. I gotta go before the old man gets on my back for not helping at the shop…again." He picked up his school bag with one hand and slung it over his shoulder. "Want me to get in trouble so you can scold me tomorrow? That always seems to cheer you up."

"Hmph! You wish!" Her blush intensified.

"Heh, you do look cute when ya blush," Sho teased, walking away. "See ya around."

'_Ugh…! Why are boys so aggravating?!'_ Once he was out of sight, Labrys took a deep breath. "Me? Jealous of Metis…as if!" she huffed. "Why would I be jealous of _her_? Just because she has friends, goes to school, and everything else #024 deserved to have. And that was denied to her because…because…" She paused for a while. "Because there can be only one…"

Labrys turned her gaze to their direction but Metis and Aigis had already gone home. Her expression became dark. "There can be only one…" Even her voice turned raspy. "I'm settling this…once and for all!"

* * *

><p><em><strong>The next day…<strong>_

Metis walked out of the school building and headed towards the gates. Aigis always instructed her to walk home together with someone, be it the twins, Souji, or any of their friends to avoid trouble whenever she was unable to pick her up, but a classmate had requested her help with math homework earlier and she really couldn't refuse.

"You're not supposed to be here," a cold voice echoed out.

"Huh? Who's there?" Metis clutched her schoolbag, looking around. "I…I know students are not supposed to stay on school grounds after school activities are over, but I'm just leaving."

"You really don't get the picture, do you?" The voice sounded more annoyed as its owner approached her. It was Labrys. She was more hostile than usual. "You're not supposed to be in this school, or any other for that matter!"

"Labrys-san? Why do you say that?" Metis asked. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You're not a normal student…you're not even a human being!" Labrys said, breathing hard. "You're a machine! An Anti-Shadow weapon!"

Metis froze. _'How could she see through my disguise?! Even Sister and Yukari-san said my camouflage was flawless!'_

"If you keep attending school, my dream will be ruined!"

"Huh? Your dream?"

"A normal life… to live a normal life. That's what I've always wanted. And here in Inaba I've finally achieved that…" Labrys glared again. "But then _you_ had to show up and bring along all these weird things goin' on around here! All my hard work to fit in as a normal student will go down the drain!"

"To act as a normal student…" Metis suddenly realized something. "So that's why you're always hostile towards me…You're not a human yourself!"

Labrys gritted her teeth. "That's right. I was created to destroy Shadows…a weapon. But when I fully awoke, they were no longer a threat, so I had no other purpose for existing before Momma took me in…"

"Momma…?"

"She didn't treat me like a machine and taught me how to behave like a normal girl. For her…for myself…I won't let anyone take that dream away from me!" The angry girl pointed her finger at Metis. "Anti-Shadow weapons like you….have no right to be a high school student!"

"Labrys-san, how can you say that when you're an Anti-Shadow weapon yourself? Isn't that denying your own dream, denying who you are? That makes no sense at all!"

"J-j-just… Just shut up, okay!? If you don't plan on leaving school by your own volition…" Something leaped from behind her back and a huge axe materialized before her, accompanied by mechanical sounds. Labrys grabbed it with a single hand and pointed it to the other girl. "I'll just have to force you!"

Metis tensed. _'If Labrys-san is as strong as Sister…I'm confident I can take her down…'_ she thought. _'But… fighting on school grounds is not allowed… I'll cause problems for others if I break the rules…'  
><em>  
>"Well, what's your decision?" Labrys asked, tentatively swinging her giant axe.<p>

"Labrys-san, I have no intention to stop coming to school, but I won't fight you here," Metis said firmly. "Not only is it against the rules, but it'll also cause trouble for my friends."

"Hm… I suppose you have a point…" Labrys said thoughtfully. "Then we'll just have to take this fight somewhere else!"

Without warning, the long-haired mechanical maiden threw her axe in the air and it morphed into some sort of jetpack. While it was still mid-air, she jumped up and the jetpack attached itself on her back, allowing her to hover above Metis.

The black-haired android was impressed by the sight before her, but she had no time to gawk as Labrys dive-bombed and rammed into her, sending her flying towards the direction of the floodplains.

"You give me no choice… I'm sorry…" She flew off, to where Metis will crash land.

Down below, there were others who had witnessed her actions.

"What the…! That was….?" Yosuke stuttered, before finding his voice again. "What the hell was THAT?!"

Chie, Yosuke and Teddie were just leaving (no thanks to the latter, as usual) when they heard arguing. They decided to investigate, and were shocked to learn the existence of another android in their school, and even more so when they saw her turn violent and attacked Metis.

"L-Labrys just s-sent Metis flying!" Chie choked on her sentence, barely believing what she had just seen.

"I-I know!"

"We should help Metty-chan!" Teddie announced, snapping them out of their stupor. "Labby-chan looked mad as heck!"

"You're right, Ted. Metis could be in serious trouble. I'm calling Souji." Yosuke took out his cellphone. "Let's follow her. Chances are she already calculated where Metis will end up at."

* * *

><p>After a short hand-to-hand sparring session, Souji and Akihiko walked to the shopping district. They bumped into Shinjiro as he was leaving his part-time job at Aiya's. He said goodbye to Aika, who silently nodded and waved passively.<p>

"Hey Shinji," Akihiko greeted him. "How's the job coming along?"

"Tch…" Shinjiro shrugged, still not used to telling other people what he was up to. "Fine." The fact that he answered at all showed he was in a good mood.

"Looks like you and Aika are becoming good friends," Souji said.

"The girl's quiet, only asks what she needs and doesn't fool around when it comes to delivering the orders. She's pretty easy to work with."

"Better be careful, or Minako might get jealous," Akihiko teased.

"You wish. It was her idea in the first place." Shinjiro smirked darkly at his best friend. "If I were you, I'd be careful about getting too friendly with those new fangirls of yours. You wouldn't want to face Mitsuru's execution, do you?" He snickered when Akihiko flinched.

Souji laughed silently at the duo, until he spotted the newly opened antique shop. "Hey, that's the new shop Rise and Kanji mentioned."

"Shinshoudo Antiques…" Shinjiro read the name out loud. "Hey, doesn't that name ring a bell?"

"Yeah, I do know that name from somewhere…" Akihiko scratched his chin. "That's right! It's the name of that store at – "

The ringtone from Souji's cellphone cut him off. He saw it was Yosuke's ID and answered. "Yosuke? What's up?" The other two beside him heard panicked shouting and even something squealing in the background. "What?! Say that again…Labrys is a what?! Okay…okay, I get the picture! Listen, head over there and try to find her before Labrys attacks her again. I'll be there soon."

He quickly hung up. Akihiko and Shinjiro could see that news wasn't good.

"What happened?" Akihiko questioned.

"Metis was attacked….by Labrys."

"That school president wannabe?!" Shinjiro was surprised. "She's never been friendly towards Metis, but…"

"According to Yosuke, Labrys is an Anti-Shadow weapon too," Souji explained. "Apparently that's was the reason she was so hostile towards her."

"No way! Aigis and Metis were supposed to be the only ones left!" Akihiko said.

"That's not the point right now. If Labrys is serious about not allowing Metis to attend school as Yosuke said, I fear she might be in big trouble. I'll head to the flood plain to find her before Labrys does. I need you guys to let the others know about this."

"Got it. I'll call Minako and her brother," Shinjiro said. Akihiko took out his own phone and started dialing. "Watch your back."

"I will." Souji ran off, making a quick stop at Daidara's.

Quickly, they began splitting up, failing to notice the owner of the antique shop walking out the door, a frown etched on her face. "My child…What have you done this time?"

* * *

><p>Aigis was smiling all the way as she headed to Yasogami High. She couldn't help but feel happy for her sister, experiencing the joys of school life and how much she has matured in the past weeks. It was amazing to witness her growth and be a part of it, just like what her friends had done for herself.<p>

Something whizzed past her above her head, catching her attention. At first glance, it looked like a humanoid figure with mechanical wings. "What was that?" she wondered out loud. "And why…why does it look familiar… somehow?"

She didn't have to dwell on that as she saw Chie, Yosuke and Teddie franticly running towards her. Judging from their faces, something was wrong.

"A-Aigis-san!" Yosuke halted suddenly, causing those behind him to crash into his back.

"Yosuke-san, what's the matter? You all look agitated."

The three of them looked at each other and back. Despite the emergency, they had no idea how she would react to what they just found out.

"What is wrong?" Aigis insisted, her concern growing. "Maybe I can help if you tell me."

"Metty…" Teddie panted. He took a deep breath before blurting out "Metty-chan is hurt!"

"What?!"

"W-we saw the whole thing…" Chie began to explain what it was they saw just now in full speed. Yosuke and Teddie never heard her talk so fast.

Aigis turned around and ran to where the flying thing was headed. Turmoil of emotions built up inside her – concern for Metis' well-being, and anger, because someone attacked her for no apparent reason. She didn't know how to feel about this 'Labrys'. Who is she? Where did she come from? What was she doing in Inaba? And why did she attack Metis?

* * *

><p>Metis groaned as she opened her eyes, finding herself on the bank of Samegawa River. "She is strong…" She tried to stand up, albeit slowly.<p>

Labrys landed before her, her jetpack turning back into her axe. "Now, we can fight without interruption." She pointed her weapon at Metis. "Draw your weapon!"

Metis looked around and found her school bag. She took out a cylindrical object, and it expanded into her Cross Rod after pressing a tiny button. "Labrys-san, it doesn't have to be this way…"

"I have to do this!" Labrys took aim and swung her axe, lunging towards her opponent. "Ready or not, here I come!"

Rod and Axe collided, both mechanical maidens equally matched in strength. Labrys swung her weapon violently, trying with all her might to break through Metis' defense. She was hesitant to fighting at full power, trying to break away from the other.

"Fight back! Fight back!" Labrys shouted, her frustration growing as she strike harder and harder, Metis successfully blocking each one. "Why…Won't…You…Fight…BACK?!"

As she parried the blows, Metis' mind wandered back to when she first arrived at the dorm in March, 2010. She had injured Ken, Mitsuru, Junpei, Koromaru and her own sister. Even if they all had forgiven her, Metis still felt guilty about it. _"If I fight at full power, I'll just bring problems for them…"_

"Are you mocking me?! Do you think I'm JOKING?!"

"Huh?! No! That's not it…!"

"Enough fooling around!" Labrys twisted her axe at an angle, the striking force so hard it was enough to knock the rod out of Metis' hands and shoved her back, barely falling down.

"I've had it with you!" The long-haired girl raised her axe above her head.

Metis closed her eyes and waited for the blow. She could hear the axe coming down.

That's when the Wild Cards arrived. "Labrys, don't!" Minato shouted.

"STOP IT!" Minako shrieked.

Their pleas went unheard. Surprised by their arrival, Labrys jumped back, but she wasn't done yet. She rocket-punched the air in front of her, her hands which were connected to a chain from her arm extending far beyond her normal reach, and grabbed Metis by her blazer collar. She pulled the defenseless android towards her, using the other hand to swing down her axe. "You're finished."

The three could only watch in horror. Time seemed to slow as their friend got beaten up badly by the vicious attack. But Labrys didn't stop there; using the momentum from the previous swing, she redirected it to slash Metis again, and again and again. By the time she was done, Metis slumped to the ground, defeated. Her uniform was completely ripped to shreds; the mechanical parts exposed leaking motor oil and sparks from the massive damage taken. Her white arm was literally broken in half, her hair was a mess, and a huge gash marred her left cheek.

"Hmph!" Labrys sniffed with disdain and walked away, her back facing them.

In no time, the trio was by her side. "Metis! Metis!" Souji called to her as he held her in his arms. "C'mon, say something!"

Metis looked at them sadly. "S-Sorry…"

"Why are you apologizing?"

"I didn't…want…to cause…trouble…" She was struggling to even speak. "Fighting…without reason…only hurts…others…"

Minako gently brushed a few stray hairs aside. "Metis, hang in there."

Labrys turned back around, rage in her deep, red eyes. "If you can't stand up for yourself, how are you suppose'ta accomplish anything?!"

Souji and Minato stood up, while Minako held their injured friend. "What's the meaning of this, Labrys? It's not like you to attack people out of the blue!" the eldest Wild Card scolded.

"I've already told her my reason. There can't be Anti-Shadow weapons attending school. It's dangerous for the students!" She pointed at Metis. "And all the strange incidents that's been happenin' started after SHE came along just confirms it."

"How can you put the blame of that phenomenon on Metis without any evidence to back it up? That makes no sense!" Minako protested.

"But you're an Anti-Shadow weapon yourself, aren't you?" Souji said. "You understand better than anyone how beings such as yourselves can mingle among humans and befriend them. Isn't saying Metis is dangerous and cannot attend school saying the same thing about yourself?"

A pained look crossed Labrys' face, before the anger returned once more. "S-SHUT UP!" she shouted, eyes glazed with tears. "I know what I'm doing! It's the only way!"

She lifted her axe and made her way towards Metis, but the Wild Cards blocked her path. "Move it! I'm finishing what I started!"

"Sorry, but we cannot allow that," Minato said, pointing a titanium baseball bat at her. Souji armed himself with a golf club and Minako did the same with a composite hockey stick. These were the only weapons the silverette could borrow from Old Man Daidara on such short notice. "Metis is our friend. And if you mess with her, you mess with us too."

"It doesn't have to come down to this, Labrys. You're not a bad person. I know it," Minako said.

"I can't back down now. If I do…all my efforts will be for naught!" Labrys swung her axe down at them, missing on purpose. "Get back! This is your last warning!"

"Please… don't…" Metis coughed, using the last of her energy reserves to stay conscious.

"It'll be okay, Metis," Minako told her. "Don't overdo it."

"You just rest for a bit, okay?" Minato added. "Fuuka and Aigis will be able to heal you. They should be on their way."

"We've got this one. Don't worry," Souji assured her.

Metis gave them a brief nod before closing her eyes, her systems shutting down to save energy.

Labrys was growing impatient. "I'm not repeating myself. If you insist on siding with her, you'll be punished as well!"

"Must you be so stubborn?" Souji sighed. "If we can't talk some sense into you, then we'll just have beat it in."

"Fine! Have it your way!" Immediately, Labrys lunged forward, swinging her axe horizontally. Despite the size and weight of the weapon, she had full control over every attack.

"Yikes… and I thought Shinji-kun was good at handling axes!" Minako dodged the blow, and countered another one with a good swing of her hockey stick. The hit did no damage whatsoever. "Jeez…"

"Her resolve is as hard as her steel body," Minato said, ducking another blow. "Without our Personas, we're in for a tough fight."

Souji parried a blow that almost sliced his head off, his golf club ending with a dent. "No kidding. It'll be hard subduing her. Our best chance is to attack all at once."

"You're right. You two ready for it?" They kept dodging and blocking, waiting for the right opportunity. Minako finally spotted a good one. "On the count of three!"

"THREE!"

They ran up to their opponent all at once, and aimed their attack from different sides. To their shock, Labrys easily blocked them all with her axe and arm. "Too slow!" She spun around the same time her axe glowed red, slicing cleanly through their weapons. A shock wave knocked them off their feet.

"Dang… She packs a punch harder than Akihiko-senpai on training day…" Minato groaned, rubbing his head. "You guys okay?"

"Just a bit dizzy…" Minako shook her head.

Souji got up suddenly, senses on high alert. "Wait, where did she go?"

Labrys slowly made her way towards the fallen Metis. Her eyes were hidden by a metallic visor. Paired with her gigantic axe, it made her look like an executor ready to carry out a death sentence.

"Stop this madness, Labrys!" Souji commanded, standing in her way. The twins backed him up and shielded Metis. They were bleeding and bruised in certain areas, but they weren't about to give up just yet.

"I told you already, I can't! Once I'm given a duty, I must finish it! I don't wanna hurt you guys, but I will if I must!"

"Get away from them!" Another voice shouted, followed by what sounded like a shooting machine gun.

"?!" Thinking fast, Labrys jumped backwards, narrowly missing getting pierced by a volley of bullets.

With a somersault, Aigis landed in front of the leaders, smoking coming out of her fingers that were aimed at the ocean-haired girl. "Come any closer to my sister and friends, I'll show no mercy!" she warned, her tone ice cold.

"_Another_ Anti-Shadow weapon? Where are they coming from?!"

Yosuke, Chie and Teddie finally caught up. "Sorry *pant* we didn't *pant* get here any sooner *pant* Dang, she's fast!" Yosuke said, catching his breath with every word.

Chie froze upon seeing Metis' condition. "Oh no, Metis…"

"Labby-chan, please stop! This….this isn't you!" Teddie pleaded.

"Teddie…" Labrys shook her head. She always had a soft spot for him, despite the blonde always flirting with her every chance he got, not minding the rejection time and time again. This time, that wasn't the case. "No…this is for the best. I'm takin' you all down!"

Within a fraction of a second, she attacked again, the thrusters in her axe fired up, giving her a boost of speed.

Aigis narrowed her eyes, the processors in her brain calculating that the next strike would be harder and faster. While she knew Labrys had activated her Orgia Mode and removed her limiters, her anger and determination preventing her from backing down. "Two can play that game! Activating: Orgia Mode!"

Both androids vanished in thin air and reappeared on the wide grass field near the gazebo. They were exchanging blows at such amazing speed, it was impossible for the humans to keep track of their movements. They could only see blurry figures moving at incredible speeds, and the sounds of gunfire and metal colliding echoing through the air.

"They're evenly matched," Minato observed. "If they keep fighting at this pace…"

"None of them is gonna win," his sister said. "It's a losing battle for both sides."

"B-b-but Sensei! We can't let Ai-chan and Labby-chan fight like that forever! They'll just get hurt like Metty-chan!"

"I know Teddie, but as we are now, we're powerless to stop them," Souji said, feeling frustrated.

After what felt like an eternity, the battling mechanical maidens stopped, smoke evaporating from their metallic bodies in order to cool down due to overheating of their systems. Despite that, they kept an offensive pose, a clear sign that neither was willingly to give in.

"I'm *pant* I ain't done *pant* yet!" Labrys used her axe to support herself. "I'm ending this!"

"Not *pant* Not if I end it first!" Aigis said. She was running out of ammo, given the amount of bullet shells scattered across the ground, yet she was adamant on winning.

The rest could only watch, unsure of how to stop them since intervening would only get them killed. Before the fight took a turn for the worst, that's when…

"LABRYS!" A voice yelled from across the plains. "STOP THIS IMMEDIATELY!"

Said girl froze, dropping her axe.

Aigis and the others were confused at her actions, until another presence made its way towards them. It was Labrys' mother, the owner of the antique shop.

"M-Momma!?"

The older woman grabbed Labrys' hand. "Explain to me why you're acting in such a barbaric manner, young lady!" Anger and disappointment oozed out of every syllable.

Her daughter said nothing as she looked at the ground, her expression a mix of pain, sadness, shame and guilt as her body trembled from the strain of the battle and emotional turmoil she was currently feeling. Her bottom lip quivered, eyes becoming glassy.

"What am I going to do with you?" Ms Shinshoudo sighed softly, pulling the girl into her embrace. "There, there…"

While Labrys was being comforted by her mother, Aigis deactivated her weapons and turned her attention to Metis, being held by Chie. Without saying a word she lifted her up gently. "It's okay, Sister… I'm here now…"

"If only I could use my healing powers on her…" Yosuke said, feeling guilty over something he had no control of. Chie held his arm, trying to comfort him.

However, the twins were surprised at the sight of the older woman. "Her mom is Ms Shinshoudo?!"

Aigis' ears perked up at the familiar name. She took a better look, recognizing her as well. "You?"

"You guys know her?" Souji asked his surrogate siblings.

"She helped SEES in the past," Minato said. "But I had no idea she's the owner of the new antique shop at the shopping district, because whenever we passed by, only Labrys was there. Even though shop's name was familiar, I never made the connection until now."

"I've always found her ability to fuse Personas into weapons quite unusual, but…" Minako said hesitantly.

"F-fusing Personas into w-weapons?!" Yosuke sputtered. "How is that even possible?"

Further discussion was interrupted by Ms Shinshoudo. "You two… I've heard about you and your SEES friends living here, though I didn't expect us to meet under such circumstances…" she sighed. "I suppose I owe you all an explanation."

"You can start by telling us who Labrys really is," a cold voice demanded, owned by none other than Mitsuru. The rest of SPIES were right behind her.

Ms Shinshoudo sighed again, looking away from Mitsuru. "I should've seen that coming…" she muttered sarcastically. She turned to face them after Labrys let go of her. "My daughter, Labrys…is the Fifth Generation Anti-Shadow Suppression Weapon."

Such revelation left the Persona-users speechless for two different reasons: confusion (SEES) and cluelessness (Investigation Team). Before anyone could say anything, Ms Shinsoudo held up a hand. "I intend to answer all your questions, but I suggest we discuss this at a more proper place." She took a glance at Metis. "She needs expert care immediately. I can help with that, but I don't have any equipment."

Everybody agreed. Despite the situation, a team mate's condition was far more important. "On one condition. You can use our equipment, but Yamagishi and Aigis will be the ones to assist you while the rest will keep your 'daughter' under careful watch," Mitsuru said, her tone held no hint of negotiation.

Ms. Shinshoudo gripped Labrys' hand. "Very well."

In silence, they all headed back to the dorm, various questions lingering in the air. The thick cloud of tension surrounded them, unlikely to disperse soon.

No one noticed a certain red-headed young man watching them from behind the gazebo. "Will you look at that? Things keep getting more and more interesting around here," Sho smirked devilishly, tossing one of two short-bladed katanas in the air and catching it back, repeating his little game as he followed them from a safe distance. "I wonder what'll happen next."

* * *

><p><em>This chapter was rather fun to write, despite having some difficulty writing the battle scenes. Hope you liked the new character introduced. We'll be seeing him quite a few more times. ;3<em>

_Have fun and don't forget to Read and Review! _


	22. Chapter 22: Hearts and Plumes

_Hello everyvody! I must apologise for the delay and semi-hiatus. Between hectic work and damaged laptops, I had my hands full on the past months and same with my partner Ohta-chan. On the bright side, we managed to finish another chapter. Action paced with some fluffy scenes and some new mysteries. Enjoy ;3_

_And now, Questions time!_

_**ZERO: **__Nothing good, That's for sure. Let's find out now._

_**Wren Truesong: **__Why thank you. =3 That means a lot to us. _

_**dayabr: **__Glad you like it =3 _

_**Blitzshine:**__ No we don't work at Atlus, but yeah we thought about introducing Sho now since we needed someone to interact with Labrys that wasn't part of the main cast. We'll be seeing him again soon and more questions will arise that's for sure._

_**Confuzed-Anime-Fan:**__ The other two members of Strega appeared on Chidori's dungeon a few chapters ago. I don't think they'll make a second appearance, but if they do, rest assured they'll get another beating XD_

_**KO:**__ There's much we don't know about Sho or his Plume of Dusk for that matter, but that leaves us open for speculation and theories while the game doesn't come out. Hopefully we'll get to learn more about him soon._

_**Yoshikunitsu:**__ Aww, thanks for the kind words. We'll do our best =3_

_**Raidou The 16th: **__Thanks a lot =3_

_**Code-Emperor07:**__ Sho's quite fun to write about even though we don't know much about him yet so ya might see more of him for a while._

_**FoolsSin:**__ Regarding the Occult club, ya might be onto something there. ;3 *winks*  
><em>

_A few other warnings:  
>-There will be spoilers for all games! You've been warned.<br>-The Main characters from each game in this fanfic are called Minato Arisato (P3:FES), Minako Arisato (P3P) and Souji Seta (P4)  
>-There'll be some cursing. (Anyone that played any persona games knows that some characters on it curse quite a bit.) as well as some heavy subjects.<br>-Main Pairings in this fanfic: MinatoxYukari, ShinjiroxMinako, SoujixYukiko, KanjixNaoto, AkihikoxMitsuru, YosukexChie.  
>-Hinted Pairings: JunpeixChidori. (Hinted because Chidori doesn't appear much on this story) KenxNanako (Ya know those little girl's crushes on older boys? It'll be along those lines) FuukaxKeisuke (Other than Minato and Junpei, Fuuka only displayed some sort of close relationship with Keisuke the club president. I found it kinda cute.) TeddiexRise (Just for giggles. They are afterall the two hyperactive cuties of the team X3)<em>

Have fun ya guys.

Persona series and all its characters (c) Atlus

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 22: Papillion Hearts and Plumes of Dusk.<strong>

_**SPIES' Dorm...**_

Metis was hurried into the meeting room. Aigis laid her on the large table, while Fuuka and Mitsuru scrambled around the room, gathering equipment and activating whatever program there was on the computer. Shinshudo began her inspection on Metis, taking mental notes about the damage that was caused by her daughter. _'Goodness, I know that Labrys is strong. But I never thought she had this much raw rage pent up inside her…there must be something my predecessors missed when they were working on her.'_

Labrys was sent outside to wait in the lounge with the others, where they could hear her mother giving out orders to Aigis and Fuuka. She sat by the window, staring outside while remaining perfectly still, like a porcelain doll on display. She didn't even flinch at the discontent stares the others were giving her. At first Akihiko and Shinjiro were assigned to keep an eye on her, but then walked away when Teddie attempted to cheer her up by telling her jokes, and flirting with her at the same time. She ignored him, not even batting an eyelid.

The blonde finally gave up, running back to Yosuke. "Yosuke ~ Labby-chan hates me!" he whined.

"Will you shut up?" Yosuke groaned, shoving Teddie away from him."I'd hate you too if you were making passes at me non-stop. And sit down, no one's in the mood to hear your bitching!"

Teddie went to an empty corner to sulk. The tension was so thick it could be sliced with a knife.

Mitsuru finally came out. "Senpai, how is she?" Yukari was the first to ask.

"Fuuka and Shinshudo managed to stabilize her core systems, but she's not out of danger yet. A lot of her mechanical parts are broken beyond repair, so I ordered spare parts to be shipped here and arriving first thing tomorrow." Just as she finished her sentence, out stepped Fuuka and Shinshudo.

"She's charging up and resting. Aigis is taking her up to her room," Fuuka told them, wiping off the grease from her hands with a paper towel. "We did all we could for now. Once the spare parts arrive and placed inside her, I should be able to access her processors and continue on her bio-systems. The modulations need some work, but I'm positive we can get her back to normal in no time."

"Uh…did you get any of that?" Kanji asked Naoto.

"It means that Metis will have a few days of recovery ahead of her," she told him simply. His eyes widened in understanding.

"She's lucky to be alive," Yukiko said. "If Shinshudo-san wasn't there, Metis would have been in even more danger."

"Yeah, and she might not have made the trip to the Kirijo Labs at Yakushima in one piece," Ken added. "The strain from the transportation alone might cost her her life."

Yosuke suddenly punched the wall, surprising his teammates. "I should have taken her worries more seriously…" he growled weakly.

"Yosuke, what's that matter?" Chie asked.

"She told me yesterday that Labrys was always unfriendly towards her, and something about not being able to read her. I brushed it off thinking that it was just Labrys being a strict prefect, and she treats everyone else the same way. But…"

Souji grabbed his shoulder and forced him to look into his eyes. "Yosuke, stop it. She put up a flawless façade. None of us would have suspected her to snap like that…we didn't even know she's a Suppression Weapon until now."

Mitsuru narrowed her eyes at the older woman. "I think it's due time that you explain yourself."

Minako excused herself and went to the kitchen to make some tea. Labrys got up and offered her mother her seat, and stood on guard beside her. The Persona-users gathered around, some took a seat on the sofas while the rest leaned on the wall or stood behind their seated friends. The female leader soon came back with a teapot of Earl Grey, and offered a cup to the older lady. Whatever that's left was remained untouched; nobody was in the mood for refreshments.

"Thank you dear," Shinshudo said, and took a delicate sip. Minako smiled at her before taking her place beside Shinjiro.

Labrys stared at them with a blank expression. Mitsuru tapped her foot impatiently. As soon as Shinshudo finished her tea, the staring contest between the two women kept on going, unwilling to lose. That was, until the dark-haired woman relented and let out a long sigh.

"I must be losing my touch," she said, closing her eyes slowly. "I don't take orders easily, even from you, little Miss Kirijo. You were a naïve girl back then. But even so, you're as sharp as your father in understanding what goes on behind the scenes." Shinshudo lifted her gaze to look at each and every one of SPIES. "You all must be wondering who I really am. I knew you had your suspicions about me, especially you two – " she turned to the Arisato twins, "whenever you came to visit me at my shop back in Port Island. A woman who can fuse Personas into weapons, but cannot summon one herself – a huge contrast indeed."

"Just cut to the chase," Mitsuru ordered curtly. "What business did you come here for, and why do you have a 5th Generation Anti-Shadow Suppression Weapon with you? I thought they were all but destroyed when they began construction of the 6th and 7th Generations."

"Let us start at the beginning, shall we?" Shinsoudo retorted coolly, polishing her glasses. Mitsuru bristled at that. "Aigis, do you remember who gave you the red ribbon that you always wear?"

"Pardon me?" Aigis reached for the ribbon around her neck, touching it gently. "I…"

"It's only natural you don't remember. After your accident with the 13th Arcana Shadow, the fragments of your memory circuits from before that were destroyed, which I was made to understand. Because your memories are beginning to function more like a human's, it's expected that after such a trauma, you would all but forget."

Labrys looked at the floor, clenching her fists tightly. She bit her lip in order to remain quiet.

"My name is…was…Yuu Kimijima. I was head scientist of the Kirijo Weapons Research Lab over thirteen years ago, responsible for the creation of the 7th Generation Anti-Shadow Suppression Weapon. Aigis was specifically under my care. I was the one who gave her that ribbon."

The gasps and murmurs got louder. "But, that was the past," she cut them off, successfully making them quiet. "And I prefer it to stay that way. I'm just happy that Aigis is taken good care of by you all, and is now more human than ever. I couldn't be more proud."

"How did you acquire Labrys?" Mitsuru asked. "I never received any report of a break in or authorization to take anything out of those labs for the past 3 years."

Shinshudo sent her a sharp glare. "You seem to be forgetting who I was. Just because I haven't been to that place for over ten years, doesn't mean that I've forgotten every nook and cranny."

"But the security codes have been changed. How did you get past them?"

"I didn't do anything of the sort. It was just about four or five years ago, and your father was still alive. Although I didn't work for him anymore then, we still remained in touch. One day, he contacted me to take in some of the lab's inventory, mostly past research material, to make room for new ones. I didn't want to at first, but Takeharu talked me into it, despite knowing full well I wanted to leave that life behind me. I kept them in the shop's basement, because I didn't want to be reminded of the past."

"But you got curious," Naoto said, prompting the woman into talking.

"Yes. After what happened with The Fall, I contemplated moving out of Port Island, but I couldn't just leave all that stuff without properly disposing them. That's where I found Labrys, in a compact storage unit underneath everything."

"You activated her, but you didn't know what she was capable of, did you?" Fuuka asked.

"That's right. I hacked the lab servers a few months ago for the sole intention of finding more data on Labrys. Since Aigis was based on her, the information wasn't difficult to find."

Aigis gulped. "And…and what did you find?" she asked.

"Plenty, I can assure you. How they treated Labrys and her sisters in that lab was barbaric, nothing short of inhumane!" Shinshudo spat. "All for the sake of collecting data, they forced her to battle her sisters. They wanted to awaken her Persona, but they didn't treat her like human at all!"

Labrys snapped out of her reverie. "Momma, please...Calm down!" she pleaded. "Breathe!"

Doing as told, Shinshudo sat down, taking deep breaths, her daughter giving her a worried look. When she regained her composure, she continued her story. "After activating her, I noticed that there was still something wrong. Using the data I hacked from my past research with Aigis, I was able to regulate her internal functions, and taught her how to summon her Persona, despite not having a much more stable processor like the Papillion Heart. I raised her to be normal girl, sent her to school, and taught her how to socialize. I never realized there were still some malicious thoughts deep within her subconscious that still contained past orders for her to attack her own kind. Why she specifically targeted Metis, I'm not sure…"

"I remembered back in Yakushima Island, Aigis recognized me and Minako without any doubts, despite her scrambled memories," Minato said thoughtfully. "It all has to do with the subconscious. What is it about her past that made her so aggressive towards Metis despite not having met before?"

"Perhaps showing you should help you understand better." Shinshudo went back into the meeting room and took a seat in front of Fuuka's laptop, and began to type with amazing speed. The SPIES quickly rushed in. Mitsuru looked on warily, but decided to let the illegal activity slide for now. The screen monitor showed nothing except code language at first, but after a few minutes of more typing from the former scientist, a blurry image began to appear. "This is what I managed to pull out from some of the old archives. They managed to erase a large portion of data, but as with every research, a backup copy must be stored somewhere. I figured since Labrys was one of their successful prototypes, there should more data on her than any of her sisters at the time."

At first the sound that could only be heard from the blurry video was static, but as the picture cleared, so did the audio. The soft sounds of crashing waves and subtle winds reached their ears.

"The beach?" Rise wondered. "That makes sense. They were in Yakushima when this happened, right?"

"Correct. The research facility was there." Shinshudo continued to type. "There…that should do it."

The screen gave an even clearer picture now. They heard a dog barking in the distance, and the soft voices of two people talking. The beach could be clearly seen, but it wasn't in any part that they recognized.

"There is an open area just beside the lab, which is a secluded part of the beach. That's where they must be," Mitsuru said, mostly talking to herself.

The camera slowly started moving to the right. Another girl came into view, and everyone gasped.

"She…she looks just like Metis…" Yukari murmured.

"Her hair color is different, but they do look so much alike…" Minako said. "This video must be a first person point of view from Labrys, is that correct?"

"Yes, that's correct. The scientists recorded their memories to see how well they interact with each other and monitor their emotional development. But that wasn't their goal," Shinshudo said. "Ultimately, it boils down to how well the Plume of Dusk develops in order for them to summon a Persona. As I said before, Labrys was the most successful thus far of the 5th Generation. However, the only method they could think of to draw them out was for them to battle each other, as self-preservation kicks in and eventually their Personas will manifest."

"Plume of Dusk?" Souji asked. "What exactly is that?"

"You are familiar with Aigis' Papillion Heart, correct?" The older woman looked at Mitsuru and Fuuka, then the rest. "It originated from the Plume of Dusk, a type of crystalline substance that resonates strongly to the human subconscious. Because in order for a robot to summon a Persona, they need to have the appearance, to think and feel like a human. However…"

Another footage popped on the screen, showing an intense battle between mechanical maidens inside an arena. Labrys swung her axe around with deadly precision, totally annihilating her opponents. Her jetpack gave her the greatest advantage, as she maneuvered herself through the air and out of next few videos showed the same thing, until the last one came up. In the end, only Labrys and the robot girl from earlier were the last ones standing. They could hear Labrys begging and crying for the scientists to spare them, but fell on deaf ears. _"No…please…NO!" _The contrast between her voice and the fight made the Persona-users conclude that she wasn't in control of her body. After a brutal battle, Labrys was the winner.

Said girl held her head, trying to block out the sounds. Small whimpers could be heard amongst the noise from the screen's speakers.

Kanji nearly broke the table by pounding on it so hard. "That's how they were treated?! By forcing them to kill each other in hopes that they awaken to a Persona!? Bullshit!"

Shinshudo rubbed her eyes, suddenly feeling tired. "I got into conflicts with a few of my colleagues when I was promoted, because I wanted to try another method that deviates from their normal practices. After I discovered this, I wish I got there a lot sooner."

Labrys hugged her mother. "I tried to escape, but I was surrounded and outnumbered. They shut me down and deemed me a failure, locking me away forever."

Shinshudo returned her daughter's embrace, gently running her fingers through her sea-blue hair. "I know, my dear. I wish I could have changed things, but no one has the power to undo the past. Just know that whatever happened to your friends was not your fault."

The next thing Labrys did surprised the others. She started to shed tears.

"I don't know why they deemed her as a failure," Minako said, almost crying at the touching scene. "She's capable of feeling and expressing emotions. And so did that other android in the video."

"They made me kill her…forced me to destroy everyone. The first time I saw Metis, I thought that she was resurrected somehow, but then all those bad memories came back to me," Labrys wept. "Every time I see her, I get conflicting feelings. Her very presence…felt so familiar, just like #024's, but she's gone. That's why I treated Metis badly. I wanted her to hate me, because if we became friends I'll forget everything about #024 and Snowy. I keep telling myself that all those ghost sightings were entirely her fault, until I eventually believed it, even though deep down I knew it wasn't the truth."

"So that's her name...#024," Yukiko whispered.

"The way she thinks is quite childish…" Naoto observed. "But then again, she experienced much trauma in such a short lifespan."

"Could it be that Labrys also attacked Metis because she looked so much like her friend?" Chie wondered out loud. "Did you guys see those robot girls she was fighting before? They all looked almost the same. It was creepy, yet kind of cool." Every head turned to her direction. "Huh? Did I say something weird? Why are you guys looking at me like that?!"

"Hmm…you have a point. Then it confirms my suspicions that there must be some sort of malicious program that affects her thinking process," Shinshudo said. "It overrides her emotions and logic as it forces her to think that her sisters were Shadows, and to eliminate them at all costs. Once I get home, I assure you that I will rid of those codes from her memory once and for all."

"#024 left me a message, a small file transferred to my hard drive, before we were forced to fight. They tried to make me forget her, delete all my memories. One of the researchers said that emotional weapons who shed tears are useless."

"That's just too cruel," Rise said, choking back her sobs. Kanji looked more furious than before, and the others clenched their fists.

"May we see it?" Fuuka asked. "I'll just connect you to the screen, so we can all see or hear what she left you with. Maybe we can figure out something from there."

Labrys gave her permission, and Fuuka connected some wires to an inlet behind her neck. There was no video, only audio. A young girl's voice.

"_I know the world is a big place. And I know there's a lotta people in it. But I won't be able to meet many of 'em...I know that too. I'm too weak for that. Thinking about it made me sad more than once. But I didn't wanna do nothing and be left with regrets. That was when my mom and dad looked into some options, and we decided to go with this experiments. If even a sick girl like me could make herself useful to others in this world... I thought I oughtta go for it. At first I kept wonderin' how much I could really contribute... But after hearing more and more about the program, I started to wonder about the others more'n myself... And yeah, my big wish is to make myself useful to this world... But the ones born from me... is 'born' the right word for it? Haha, kinda embarrassing. My other wish is that the ones born from me are happy... I doubt I'll be able to talk to 'em in person or stay with 'em... But I still wish from the bottom 'a my heart that they all have happy lives... _"

What they heard was heart-wrenching, and most of the girls in the room burst into tears. Mitsuru tried her hardest to keep her composure but her shoulders were shaking so badly, as the guilt over the atrocities committed by the Kirijo Group was overwhelming her once again, Akihiko had to hold her hand to comfort her even if only a little bit.

"So all of them had a 'template' of the same girl as a base personality," Souji mumbled thoughtfully. "Could it be…I see…that must be it…"

"What are you talking about, Banchou-kun?" Minato asked, cocking his head in confusion.

"I just thought…perhaps that Metis really is the embodiment of the girl that #024 was talking about."

Now it was others' turns to look confused. "Come again?" Akihiko vocalized their confusion.

"Think about it for a sec…Aigis-san has a Papillion Heart, which is based off the Plume of Dusk, and everything in general about the 7th Generation is based on the previous Generations, right? And essentially, Metis was born from Aigis-san's heart. So the basis of her heart is also from that girl #024 mentioned, it explains why her appearance doesn't resemble Aigis-san at all. However, only Metis-san was in close proximity with Labrys-san. I'm sure if it was Aigis-san in Metis' place, she'd have the same confusing and mixed feelings…because their wavelengths resonate…maybe…?" Souji ended his explanation hesitantly. Not everyone understood what he tried to say.

"Yes, I see your point. That also strengthens my suspicion about the malicious software I was talking about earlier. It looks like I have my work cut out for me. Labrys, let's go home and take a look at whatever those wretched people put inside your head," Shinshudo said with finality. "I'll be back tomorrow to help you with your friend, so – "

"Please, wait!" another voice interrupted. Metis stood at the entrance archway, supported by Aigis. The condition of her body had seen better days, and her broken arm was reconnected with duct tape as a temporary cast. Despite that, she was clean from the dirt and debris of the floodplains.

"I'm sorry, but she said she wanted to see Labrys, despite your orders for her to rest," Aigis apologized. "She insisted on coming down, even after I warned her that Labrys might attack her again."

"Don't worry about me, Sister," Metis assured her. "I'll be fine. Now that we have pinpointed why she was so hostile to me, I'm positive she gained better control of herself. After all, we're still sisters, despite being created of different timelines and origins."

Labrys was dumbfounded. "What are you sayin'?"

"After hearing what you said, I hold no grudge against you." Metis stepped closer, limping a little, and took both of her hands. "I forgive you, so please don't feel guilty. #024 would also not want you to burden yourself over something that you have no control of."

"You…how can you put your trust in me like that after what I did to you?"

"Why? Because just like me and Sister, your feelings have longed developed like a human's." Metis lightly touched the left side of Labrys' chest. "I can…feel it…your heart. I feel it in mine, too. She…lives within us. You refused to give up your memories, to protect something so precious regardless of the cost. Doesn't that mean you have been following your heart all this while? The heart never lies."

"But…I hurt you!"

"None of us are perfect. At times, we hurt other people without meaning to. But now that you have better control of yourself, and you finally trust your heart, I forgive you."

"That's right, Labrys," Minato said as he and the other two Wild Cards approached her. "Regardless of whether you did it unconsciously or intentionally, after hearing what you had to say, we won't think any less of you."

"Aniki is right. I did say during our fight that you weren't a bad person, right?" Minako smiled. "You were just upset and sad. Grief and anger can turn us irrational sometimes, but it doesn't mean that we'll turn you away because of it."

Souji turned to Mitsuru. "Now that we know all this, you won't let the labs confiscate her, would you?" he asked.

Mitsuru sighed, and smiled. "It can't be helped. My late father willingly released her into Shinshudo's custody, and seeing that she wasn't working under Kirijo Labs even back then, I suppose Labrys belongs to her now."

"Isn't that great, Labrys-san? You can remain here without any fear of those people trying to erase your memories!" the silverette cheered, and a few of his friends whooped in joy behind him.

Labrys looked like she was about to cry. "You guys are willing…to be my friends?"

Everyone, even Shinjiro, smiled and nodded at her. Koromaru rubbed his head against Labrys' legs. She knelt down to hug him. "Thank you…" More tears fell.

Time seemed to stop as the Wild Cards heard that mysterious voice again…

_Thou art I, and I am thou,  
>Thou hast created a new bond,<em>

_It brings thee closer to the truth,  
>Thou shalt be blessed when creating Personas of the Moon Arcana.<em>

Shinshudo's was staring intently at Souji for some reason. "You, the tall one with silver hair…"

He blinked, confused at being called in such a manner. "Yes, what is it?"

"You look…familiar. Have we met somewhere before?"

"Umm…I don't think so. Why?"

"You…look like someone I knew a long time ago, especially the color of your hair. Your eyes too. Tell me, what is your surname?"

"It's – " Before he could answer, a shiver tingled down his spine. Immediately, he turned to his surrogate siblings and they had the same reaction too. "Damn it, this isn't good."

The Dark Hour hit.

Labrys stood up and kicked Koromaru away from her. Her front bangs covered her eyes, but it didn't stop the rest from seeing that they were glowing menacingly red.

"Koro!" Shinjiro shouted, rushing ahead to tend to the dog, who was whining in pain. "Oi! What's the big deal?!"

"Labby-chan?" Teddie called hesitantly.

The gears in Aigis' headband were increasing speed, making a loud whirring noise. Her eyes were glowing red too.

"Aigis? What's going on here?!" Mitsuru demanded.

"Watch out!" Kanji was quick enough to shove Naoto and Yukiko aside as Metis pulled out her Cross Rod and took a swipe at them. Just like her sisters, her eyes were glowing, expression empty.

Aigis aimed her fingers at them, the tips open and ready to fire. Everyone immediately ducked, just as she released a round of bullets. Luckily, no one was hit, but the furniture and windows needed replacing.

"What the hell's got into them?!" Junpei yelled.

"Aigis…could it be…" Minato remembered after SEES finally defeated the 12th Arcana Shadow. On top of the observation tower, Ikutsuki had controlled her in order to sacrifice them to Nyx. "It's happening again! They're being controlled!"

"Everybody, get outside now!" Mitsuru ordered. Those who were close enough to the patio door made their way out the door, while the rest who were not so fortunate made do with jumping out the window or in Shinjiro and Akihiko's case, smashing through the french windows near the kitchen.

As soon as everyone congregated in the middle of the open garden, Rise summoned Kanzeon. "There's an evil presence in the area...there's no doubt that it's doing this to them!"

The mechanical maidens walked slowly towards the human Persona-users, their menacing strides screaming danger as they got closer. The teenagers immediately got into their battle stance, those with concealed weapons already taken out. Eerie blue smoke eminated from their feet, ready to summon the physical manifestation of their psyche.

Souji stood in front of Shinshudo, shielding her. "You best stay behind us. We'll try to bring them back to their senses. Whoever is controlling them will likely take you out, too."

A cold, maniacal laughter echoed throughout the oppressing atmosphere. The silverette and his SEES friends paled. They knew that voice!

"So, you troublesome kids figured things out faster this time?" The evil ex-chairman's voice echoed from somewhere on the roof. "That's quite the progress in this early stage." He stepped out from the shadow, his skinny form finally visible under the pale moonlight.

"IKUTSUKI!" Shinshudo shouted angrily. Her expression was enought to scare a Shadow. "SO THIS IS YOUR DOING?!"

"Why so surprised, Kimijima?" he sneered. "Controling machines like these is mere child's play."

"RELEASE THEM RIGHT NOW! THEY ARE NOT YOUR PLAYTHINGS!"

"Oh dear, you really don't have to shout like that. You'll increase the amount of wrinkles that way, with the face you're making right now." Ikutsuki chuckled some more. "I have and always will be superior than you, in rank and in knowledge. Did you really think that I never had a backup plan on how to control these puppets? Your goal of making them behave like humans means having free will, and free will leads to rebellion. I found a way to remove that, and control them to my exact demand, despite that little mishap three years ago." He pushed his glasses up lightly with the tip of his middle finger. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have an experiment to conduct."

Souji's headache came back, but he suppressed it as best as he could. He grunted, trying to keep the pain from showing.

"Ah, that's right. I have yet to see if the fruits of my labor have finally ripened. Isn't that right, Souji-chan?" The former chairman snapped his fingers. "Aigis, Metis, Labrys...get rid of those meddling pests."

The three of them seperated, surrounding the group from different corners.

The Wild Cards immediately split up, quickly assessing their opponents and suitable team members that could counter their attacks.

Minato took on Metis. "Yukari, Yosuke, Mitsuru-senpai, and Teddie. With me!"

His sister went with Aigis. "Ken-kun, Akihiko-senpai, Koro-chan and Yukiko-chan. Let's go! Fuuka-chan, Rise-chan, take care of Shinshudo-san."

That left Souji with Labrys. "Heavy hitters, with me! Shinjiro-san, Kanji, Chie, Naoto and Junpei-san!"

"ROGER!"

* * *

><p><em><strong>With Minato...<strong>_

Yosuke began to panic. "What do we do?! If we don't fight back back, they'll terminate us! And if we do – " His sentence was cut short when Metis aimed a Bufudyne spell at him. He swiftly dodged it. It was painful to watch her body twitch and tremble as she summoned Psyche once more, preparing to strike again.

Yukari summoned Isis to shield the rest of her group members from a Garudyne "She's quite banged up from her fight with Labrys. I'm not sure she can take the strain of multiple summoning for too long."

"Labrys and Aigis are in no better shape themselves." Minato summoned Beserker to counter her physical attacks. "Damn, we're stuck between a rock and a hard place."

Mitsuru elegantly dodged Metis as she tried to hit the red-head with her rod, holding it with her good arm. Luckily, that halved the damage potential caused by her weapon."It's as you say. Who knows what kind of permanent damage they'll suffer if they continue on like this?"

"Can't we subdue her...like put Metty-chan to sleep or something?" Teddie asked. "She can't fight back if she's asleep."

"You got a point there, Teddie. Might as well give it a try." Minato pointed the Evoker to his head. "Lorelei, Dormina!"

The harp-wielding siren appeared, and began to play her harp. An enchanting sound emanated from the instrument, and for a moment Metis stopped moving, entranced by the tune. That is until Lorelei opened her mouth and began to sing. The air around Metis began to shimmer as the sleeping spell weaved around her. It appeared to be working, but the artificial maiden was putting up a strong resistance.

"Why isn't it working?" Yukari asked, her voice high-pitched as she started to panic.

"_The chairman must have thought of this and added resistance to ailment attacks in his control,"_ Fuuka said. They could hear Shinshudo cursing in the background.

"Then she'll need to lose her focus first," Yosuke suggested. "Minato-san, hit her with Stagnant Air. I'll take care of the rest." He twirled his kunais, in stance ready to attack.

The blunette nodded. "Lorelei, you heard him." The siren's fingers plucked the strings of her harp faster and faster, until the air around Metis shimmered a greenish glow. "Now, Yosuke!"

"Susano-O..." The god of storms was summoned, as Yosuke kicked the ground and leaped towards the android with superhuman speed, creating a V movement mid-air. Caught by surprise, Metis was unable to defend herself as he kicked her down. While still in the air, Susano-O made a ninja seal jesture and casted Tentarafoo.

With her mental defenses significantly lowered, the Confusion spell hit right on the mark. Metis was disoriented, and everything didn't make sense to her. Before she could go berserk and attack anything in her path, Lorelei casted Dormina once more and she fell asleep instantly.

Mitsuru summoned Artemesia and used her whip to restrain their sleeping friend. "I'll keep and eye on her."

"I'll stay with Mitsu-chan just in case," Teddie volunteered. "You guys go and help the others."

* * *

><p><em><strong>With Minako and Souji...<strong>_

Since Aigis wasn't as physically damaged as Metis was, she put up a stronger fight. Despite that, her friends were having the same dilemma of whether to hurt her or not in order to subdue her. Unfortunately, their fight crossed with the team battling Labrys, which made it difficult to coordinate their movements and strategy. With everyone trying to attack and/or defend, it was a mess. The chaos was temporarily subsided when Souji summoned Odin and blew Labrys away with Panta Rhei.

Akihiko and Ken jumped just in time to get out of the way of Athena's Akasha Arts. Akihiko's sharp eyes caught the slight twitchiness of Aigis' movements. "They're still damaged from the previous fight. If we go all out, she'll break to pieces."

Minako bit her trembling, bottom lip. "You're right, Senpai. I wanted to paralyze her with Ziodyne, but the strain might kill her."

"With that man's control over them, it looks like they will attack relentesly until their target is destroyed, or unable to fight," Yukiko said, twirling her fan. "Unfortunately, the latter is the only way to go if we want to make it out of here alive." Koromaru growled, not liking the options either.

"How can we get her to stop fighting without hurting her?" Ken asked, not expecting an answer.

Minako made her decision. "I'll try to immobilze with her with any ailment I can, but if she's still not down, we have no choice but to take out her arms and legs." She pointed her Evoker to her head, ready to take action. "You guys distract her. Yukiko-chan, Ken-kun, try not to use too much SP...we might need it soon."

Shinjiro blocked any axe attacks using Pegasus, with Junpei using Hermes for cover fire. Once there was an opening, Chie would swoop in to land a few kicks. One of Rokuten Maoh's lightning strikes missed her, and she easily avoided Yamato Takeru's Hamaon and Mudoon. So far, she hasn't summoned her Persona yet, so Souji couldn't come up with an effective strategy after Rise told him that Labrys didn't have any magic-based weaknesses.

Labrys shielded herself with her giant axe to create a small time window and finally summon her Persona. A silver, female humanoid with deep, red eyes clad in a white toga manifested, her hair the same color and length as her wielder's flowing behind her like ocean waves. Adornments which looked like Labrys' headpiece were on her head and parts of her body. Entwined around her right wrist was a red string, which glowed and formed intricate patterns.

"He can even control Ariadne, her Persona…" Shinshudo mumbled. "This is not good."

"If she's similar to Aigis, then – " Souji didn't get to finish his sentance when the glowing red string took form of a bull's head, and Labrys gave the signal to attack."Weaver's Art: Beast!" The beast rammed whatever was in its way with remarkable force, the momentum unstoppable. Junpei almost got hit, luckily Yosuke rushed just in time to push him out of the way. Minato raced to his twin's side to lend her his assistance with Aigis.

Seizing an opportunity, Chie summoned Suzuka Gongen to stop Ariandne's attack despite not having physical resistance. Luckily, her Persona's Counterstrike ability activated just as she was about to pierced by the bull's horns and deflected the damage, injuring Labrys in the process. "Ugh…Not my smartest move..." the martial artist panted, heart racing at her extraordinary luck.

"Satonaka! That was extremely reckless!" Shinjiro scolded.

Despite the injury she sustained, Labrys was unfazed and prepared to fight again. Some oil leaked out of her wound, had the Persona-users questioning whether to attack her again or not.

"What's the matter, kids? Hesitating?" Ikutsuki mocked. "Deafeating three mindless dolls shouldn't pose a problem to the ones who fought gods and won, right?"

"There are not dolls! They're our friends!" Chie retorted, clearly pissed.

"Please, treating mere machines like they are humans...what's the point?" Ikutsuki shrugged nonchalantly. "Even if they look, think and express emotions like a human, all of that are the results of computer programming and machinery control. None of it is real."

"So you're saying just because they're not real humans,that they don't have real feelings!? That's a big fat lie!" Teddie screamed, flailing his arms up and down in indignation. Despite the comical sight, his heart was filled with anger and sorrow.

"Know your place, you freak of nature! Don't pretend to show human emotions when you're not even one to begining with. And you'll never be one!"

Teddie stopped flailing, his body stooping down, big eyes widening in sadness and shock. That was the last straw for Souji. Fighting through his headache, he mustered all the anger in his gut. "SHUT UP, YOU ASSHOLE!" He pointed a finger at the evil man. "You…you have no right to talk to Teddie or anyone here like that! What do you know about humanity?! What do you know about emotions when all you did your whole life was using others for your own petty goals?! You're just a pathetic, selfish bastard!"

Ikutsuki raised an eyebrow in amusement. "Hmmm? Interesting…your emotional control is far better than I foresaw." An evil sneer revealed his teeth. "Let's see how you handle things under a different level of pressure." He snapped his fingers. "Girls, change of target."

Aigis and Labrys turned their attention to Souji. They rushed towards him with inhuman speed, pushing and punching away those who stood in their path. He barely dodged Aigis' bullets, but unfortuntely took a blow to the stomach from Labrys' rocket punch. He was thrown back and could barely get back up, standing on one knee. Before they could tear him a new one, the two mehanical maidens were intercepted by the twins and their friends. The Persona-users distracted them long enough for Naoto and Yukiko to check on him.

"You okay, Senpai?" Naoto asked as Yukiko healed him.

"Yeah…" Souji panted, suppressing another growing headache. _'Dammit… he knows of my struggle with Izanagi… Is he trying to force me to lose control of my power…?'_

Meanwhile, Fuuka and Rise were cracking their brains on how to stop the androids from rampaging any further. They tried combining their scanning powers to find more data on any hidden abilities that the three girls possessed, but so far came up with nothing useful. They weren't the tacticians of the teams; that job usually fell on their leaders.

"I can feel something blocking my access to Labrys' Persona," Rise groaned in frustration. "I'm pretty sure that glasses bastard thought of it in advance."

"Same here. It looks like he doesn't want us to know any more about her," Fuuka said. "However, I detect a strange frequency radiating from Aigis, Metis and Labrys. I think that's what's messing with our readings."

"That must be it! He's using some kind of signal to control the girls. If only we could block it..." Shinshudo whipped out something from her pocket. It was a tad bigger than the palm of her hand, rectangular in shape and black in color, with three antenaes sticking out of it.

Fuuka's eyes widened in alarm. "Shinshudo-san, that's a signal jammer! And it belongs to Mitsuru-senpai! Where did you get it?!"

"No time, girl. Just tell me the exact frequency ranges that asshole is using to control my daughter so I can stop it!"

"It'll be difficult to pinpoint. Juno can scan a lot of things, but she specializes in images, not sound!"

"Juno can't, but Kanzeon can!" Rise tugged on her pigtails. "Ugh, I should hit myself for not thinking about this earlier! It'll take some time, but if there's anything I learned in physics, is that every sound has it's own frequency, just like music notes!"

"Rise-chan, you can actually do that?" Fuuka asked in awe.

"I just need to focus. Fuuka-senpai, continue giving the team analytical support. I'll help Shinshudo-san find those frequencies!"

Back to the ongoing fight, both sides were still going strong. "This is going on for much too long," Ikutsuki yawned. "Labrys, cut to the chase and show these mortals what you can really do."

"As you wish," Labrys said in monotone. "Ariadne…"

The red string wrapped around the princess of Crete's wrists retracted and became a ball of glowing red yarn.

"Shit, what is she up to…?" Akihiko hissed. The Persona-users' attention was diverted when they heard a high-pitched scream. He recognized it immediately. "Mitsuru!"

Metis was conscious again, and broke out of her restraints. She flung Mitsuru and her Evoker away after knocking Teddie out by surprise. While their attention was diverted for that fraction of a second, Ariadne aimed the ball at them, which shot strings that then split into multiple teenagers barely felt the impact as it hit them; the red strings expanded, binding them mid-air in a web of intricate, undecipherable patterns.

"The hell is this?!" Kanji growled, shaking his arms and feet in an attempt to free himself. The others tried to wriggle their way out, unsuccessfully.

"Nghhh! It's like a spider's web. The more we struggle, the more we become stuck to it!" Ken groaned.

"My my, some situation you all are in," the bespectacled man snickered. "It looks like we'll be cutting our ties here, seeing that you're all in quite a bind." He chuckled at his little joke.

"Oh no…" Fuuka covered her mouth, frightened to the core. "They're about to…Rise-chan, HURRY!"

"Weaver's Art: Inquisition!"

Labrys swung her axe in fast circles and figure 8's, quickly gaining momentum and destructive power. She extended her weapon's reach by releasing the chain connecting her arm and wrist. The trapped Persona-users were sitting ducks, unable to defend themselves. She aimed her axe for Souji first. He could only close his eyes and pray for a miracle.

"Not so fast!"

The clash of metal-on-metal vibrated through the thick silence. Souji slowly cracked his eyes open, and saw a young man with red hair in the Yasogami uniform, stopping the gigantic axe (in which the sharp blade was only inches from his neck) with twin short katanas. _'What the…'_

Sho turned his head and gave him a lopsided grin. "Yo, you guys aren't allowed to kick the bucket yet!"

Sensing that this boy was a danger to their mission, Aigis and Metis joined in the fight to eliminate him. He effortlessly blocked Metis when she tried to hit him with her rod, then deflected a few punches from Aigis, like flicking lint of a suit. He defended a few more of Souji's friends, before he got impatient and went for the offensive. The robot girls immediately activated Orgia Mode again to outmatch him. If anything, the young man's smile became wider and he even laughed, enjoying himself.

Souji breathed heavily, the shock from almost being sliced slowly ebbing away. _'Who…what the hell is he? He blocked an attack of that magnitude without the help of a Persona? Such immense strength…what's going on here?'_

Because Labrys and Ariadne were distracted, the immobilizing red webs dissipated. The Persona-user dropped to the ground, trying to catch their breaths. Minato quickly turned his gaze to the evil man, massive hatred welling up within. Ikutsuki was smirking, but his eyes narrowed thoughtfully as he looked at Sho's direction, caressing his chin as a small smirk quirked the corner of his lips. _'It's now or never. Time to end this!'_ His sister quickly caught onto his thoughts, nodding at him to give the signal. They readied their Evokers.

'_Lugh…'_

'_Ouroboros…'_

While the bastard was still distracted, they launched their Personas simultaneously in the direction of the dorm's roof. An explosion followed.

At the same time, Rise and Shinshudo finally obtained the elusive frequencies that were controlling the androids. The older woman keyed in the range and pressed the button, Rise crossing her fingers and praying that it will work.

Despite the fun that he was having, Sho looked around using his peripheral vision and saw that things were about to end quickly enough. "Tch, looks like I have to take my leave early…what a bummer."

The Shadow Suppression weapons' eyes turned to their normal colors. Labrys blinked at the guy who was blocking her axe, her eyes widening in surprise. "Minazuki-kun?!" she managed to say before she and her sisters froze, and collapsed.

"Sorry, Miss Prez…I gotta go." He took out something from his pants pocket at threw it to the ground. Thick gray smoke covered the area, leaving the humans coughing and teary-eyed. Once the smoke was clear, the red-headed young man was no longer to be seen.

At the same time, the smoke from the rooftop explosion where the twins attacked the ex-chairman cleared and he was no longer to be seen.

"Where did he go!?" Minato demanded, gripping his Evoker tighter. "I was sure Ouroboros hit him dead on!"

"Same with Lugh…" Minako fell on her knees, tears collecting at the corner of her eyes as she tightened her fists in frustration. "We almost had him…"

Souji coughed out the remaining smoke from his lungs. "Is everyone alright? Yukiko, Yosuke…"

"We're fine, Senpai. The girls don't seem to be controlled anymore," Rise reported. "Anyway, you guys don't look so good. You should probably heal up just in case."

"To hell with that!" Kanji boomed, suddenly full of energy. "Where's that four-eyed asshole so I can tear him a new one?!"

"He's gone…" Minato took a deep breath to calm himself down. "Disappeared like the coward he is. We won't be seeing the last of him. Meanwhile, just as Rise-chan says, we should heal up while we're still able. Those with healing skills, help out as many as you can," he ordered.

Minako went to assist Yukiko trying to heal up Souji. "Are you alright?" she asked her surrogate brother.

"Yeah…I'll be fine." A groan escaped his lips as he cradled his head.

Yukiko shifted and lifted Souji's head to lie on her lap. "It's alright, Minako-san. I'll take care of him. You should go and help with the others." She looked around to see that Yukari, Ken, Mitsuru and Yosuke were already attending to the rest of their friends.

"_Leave me the hell alone, Aki! Go and help your girlfriend if you need something to do!"_ Shinjiro's voice snapped from the end of the garden.

"_But Shinji, your leg is bleeding. Sit still so Cesar can heal you," Akihiko reasoned, trying not to lose his temper._

"_I told you I'm fine! Go be somewhere else!"_

"_Shut up! Between you and me, I'm the one with the healing skills!"_

Minako sighed. "I better go and break them up before they start another fight."

Rise, Fuuka and Shinshudo congregated around the three robot girls, who were lying on the ground unmoving. The junior idol suspected the worst. "Are they…?"

"No, I don't think so," Shinshudo said as she kneeled down to hold her daughter. "They just exhausted their batteries, including their backup power supply. Being forced into another fight after getting damaged from earlier, and using Orgia Mode more than once drains them pretty fast."

"I'm just worried that the overheating will cause damage to some of their more sensitive systems," Fuuka said worriedly. "It looks like Shinshudo-san and I will have a long weekend ahead of us."

"Speak for yourself. Who the hell is gonna be cleaning up this whole place?" Junpei whined childishly, pointing around at the scattered glass shards and organic debris.

"Junpei-san, be thankful that none of us are injured that badly," Ken berated him, healing a few shallow lacerations on his arm. He managed to close the last cut just as the Dark Hour ended.

Mitsuru stepped forward to Shinshudo. "I will order extra parts from the labs for Labrys. You are welcomed to stay and help Fuuka with the rest."

"Then I accept. Here," she handed Mitsuru the frequency jammer. "I grabbed it out of instinct when Yamagishi wasn't looking, but rest assured I won't be stealing from you again."

"I appreciate your honesty," Mitsuru said. "I'll let it slide since you did use it to save our lives. In the meantime, I'll make arrangements for Labrys' accommodations, and anything regarding school should she need any."

"But what about that other guy?" Rise questioned. "He wore our school uniform, and Labrys-senpai seemed to know him."

Minato sighed, feeling a headache coming on. "We'll save those questions for another time. But for now…" He had his hands on his hips as he stared at the condition of the dorm. "It doesn't look too bad, but the windows and broken furniture need replacing. I think the rest could be easily fixed by hand. Luckily the roof isn't damaged."

"Speaking of hands, we'll lend you guys some of ours," Yosuke chipped in. "The heavy stuff can wait until tomorrow, but for now, we'll do our best to make it comfortable for you guys."

A small groan from Souji stopped the conversation. He is supported by Yukiko on his right. "I'll take him home," she volunteered. "I don't think he's in the condition to do any work."

"I'll help you with him, Yukiko-chan," Minako said, draping his left arm around her shoulders to support the other half of his weight.

"It's best you go with them, Minato," Shinjiro said. "We can handle things from here. Say hi to Dojima-san for me."

The blue haired leader nodded and left with Souji and the two other girls while the others focused on cleaning up the mess. No one noticed a certain redhead watching the Wild Cards from afar. "Is that the power I heard so much about?" A grin. "Maybe this place won't be so boring at all..."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Dojima Residence, early evening...<strong>_

"Goodness, I think you're running a fever," Yukiko said as she felt her boyfriend's forehead. She helped him lie down on the living room couch and bustled to the kitchen to make some tea.

Minako touched Souji's forehead with her palm and compared his body temperature with hers. "She's right. You are a bit warm, but I don't think it's serious."

"Now that you're home, you should rest up, Banchou-kun. Leave the rest to us," Minato told him.

Souji took subtle deep breaths, trying not to show how exhausted he actually was. "I don't feel that bad. In fact, I should get some chores done before Uncle and Nanako return." As soon as he said that, a sharp stab of pain shot through his brain. "Ugh!"

"No!" Minako pushed him back on the couch before he could get up. "At least lie down. You'll feel worse if you stand."

Souji submitted, the nausea returning as Izanagi acted up again. It was driving him nuts.

"It's not only Izanagi this time, is it, Banchou-kun?" Minato asked, keeping his voice low so Yukiko couldn't hear.

"Yeah…It's like he's causing the rest of my Personas to misbehave. My head feels like it's gonna split open…" The silverette groaned, grabbing his head and curling up into a fetal position on the couch. "It hasn't been that bad lately. After forming a few new social links, Izanagi calmed down considerably, but it didn't last after that man – " He was interrupted when Yukiko approached them with a mug of hot tea. Elegantly, she kneeled down on the floor, crossing her ankles gracefully.

"Here you go, Souji-kun." She handed him the beverage as he sat up. While he drank, she checked a few messages on her phone, and sighed. "Kasai-san texted me. I'm needed at the inn." Her dark eyes looked at her boyfriend with worry. "I wish I could stay..."

"Don't worry about it. I understand." Souji gently grasped her chin, placing a lingering kiss on her forehead. "You should get going. It'll be dark in a few hours."

"We'll stay with him until he's better, Yukiko-chan," Minako assured her. "You don't need to worry."

After she left, Minato finally voiced out his growing concern. "Your headache started after Ikutsuki first appeared, and its intensity increased when he struck again. It's happened twice in a row already, so that suspicion is confirmed."

"Yeah, and those images also came back. Stronger…more vivid too."

Minako grasped fistfuls of her skirt, gnawing on her bottom lip. "There's a connection to all this, but what could it be?"

They fell silent, the only sound that could be heard were the crows returning to their nests.

"My parents…" Souji finally said. "This all started after they disappeared. I can't help but think they're connected to this – Argh!" He clutched his head again, collapsing on the couch. "Nghh…."

"Banchou-kun..." Minako stroked his face gently. "Enough...try not to think about it for now."

"But…"

"No buts," Minato commanded. "We'll find the answers in due time, but if you collapse from exhaustion now, it'll do us no good."

Souji sighed. "I guess you're right…" He looked at the clock. "Shoot, Uncle and Nanako will be home soon! I completely forgot that I'm supposed make dinner!" He made an effort to stand up but the twins pushed him back down.

"What did I just say?" Minato warned sternly. "You are gonna rest whether you like it or not."

"Don't worry. We'll handle the rest," Minako said, covering him with a thin blanket.

_**Fourty five minutes later...**_

The door slid open and closed again as Dojima and Nanako walked in. They were greeted by the delicious aroma of home-cooked food.

"Big bro! I'm home!" Nanako announced as she ran into the living room, but suddenly stopped in her tracks.

Dojima took off his shoes, confused at his daughter's silence. "What's wrong, Nanako...?" He approached the living room and found out why. His nephew was passed out on the couch, his left leg bent to accomodate his height, and the right one dangling a bit from the edge. A blanket covered his top half. He looked worn-out. "Huh? Then who – "

"Oh, Dojima-san, Nanako-chan! Welcome home!" The twins greeted in unison from the small kitchen.

"Aniki! Aneki!" Nanako immediatly glomped them. They chuckled softly and hugged her back.

"Oh, it's you two..."

"I hope you don't mind, but Souji-kun isn't feeling well, so we decided to finish up his chores," Minato said.

"That's... That's okay..." Dojima's eyes scanned the room. True enough, items were in order, the laundry was done, and the entire house smelled wonderful.

"Is Big bro okay?" Nanako asked, staring at her sleeping cousin.

"He is, Nanako-chan... He just worked a lot today." Minako continued to stir the pot. "Dinner will be ready in a while, so let's just let him nap a little bit more, okay?"

"Okay!"

Dojima ruffled his daughter's hair. "Go wash up," he told her gently. The little girl obliged and headed upstairs. He approached the stove and inspected the contents of the pot. "So..." He cleared his throat, awkwardly trying to start a conversation. "What's for dinner?"

"Chicken soup with rice, with Green Tea and sweet potato pudding for dessert!" Minako replied.

"There was a limited time sale on sweet potatoes at Junes," Minato said. "Since autumn is starting, I though we should get into the spirit of the season."

"You kids are really something." Dojima laughed weakly, rubbing the back of the head. "This place is spotless. I'm not really good at doing housework...that's mostly Souji and Nanako's thing. So much for the man of the house, huh?"

To his surprise, the twins laughed. "It's cool, Dojima-san. We're used to it," Minato said. "Akihiko-senpai and Junpei are just the same."

"Yeah, I lost count of the times Mitsuru-senpai had to scold them to get their act together," Minako giggled. "They often came to us for help to avoid her wrath."

The older man laughed heartily. "Why do you have to compare me to those two?" His eyes then softened. "No wonder Chisato took a strong liking to you three. Guess she already knew how you guys would turn out."

The twins blinked, surprised to hear that. From what they heard from Souji, the topic of Dojima's late wife was still a delicate one.

The detective sighed and took out a few mugs from the cupboard. "Let's discuss this over some coffee outside, eh? Don't wanna wake up Souji anyway." He put some water in the electric kettle and pressed the ON button. "How do you like yours?"

"Black with a little sugar for me, please," Minato said.

"Cream and lots of sugar, please!" Minako said.

Amused at how the twins could be alike and different at the same time, Dojima couldn't help but chuckle. "Okay, wait outside then. I promise you kids I make damn good coffee."

A few minutes later, they sat on the back porch, enjoying the cool evening with a hot cup of coffee each. The twins had to admit, Dojima made a mean cup of coffee.

The silence felt a bit awkward, mostly coming from the detective, so after pondering over his choice of words he started first. "You guys probably don't remember Chisato since you were pretty much babies the only time you met her, right?" The twins nodded. "No surprise there. Back then, we traveled all the way to Port Island in the spring to meet Souji after my sister invited us over for Hanami. I think he was only a few months old or something. Chisato wanted to meet him so badly, since we weren't present during his birth. Man, I remember your folks and his were radiant. Even the two of you were ecstatic."

"Yeah, I remember being so happy about having a baby brother," Minako said. "Aniki and I practically pushed Souji-kun in his baby carriage everywhere."

"It was fun even though it took the two of us to actually move that thing," Minato chuckled. "Mom and Aunty didn't find it funny whenever we wander off with him though."

"Try locating two toddlers and a baby in a huge park with a crowd of people there to watch cherry blossoms. Panicking mothers and nervous fathers make a horrible combo." He sweatdropped at the memory. "I swear your mothers were about to lose it if Chisato hadn't found the three of you napping behind a bush a few feet from where we were having our picnic. She even managed to calm your folks down so they wouldn't wake you up."

"Aunty Chisato was the one who found us? How did she do that?" Minako asked.

"She said it was just a lucky guess. But if you ask me, she's a natural when it comes to kids. After all, she was a teacher. A piano one. I think that's why she got along swimmingly with your parents. They were also into music, right?" He gave them a fond smile. "She was amazing. Taking care of the housework, looking after Nanako, making sure work didn't get the best of me..."

"You miss her a lot, don't you, Dojima-san?"

The detective nodded and sighed. "The day she died in that hit-and-run... I didn't know what to do with my life. I was on my own raising a little girl. The thought of it scared me, so I buried myself with work, especially on her case. I investigated during my free time, when I was supposed to be spending it with Nanako, trying to run away from my responsabilities as a dad. I didn't even realize how I let my family fall apart. I was such a coward..." He glanced inside and smiled softly at Souji. "Having him around changed that. He brought me and Nanako together, and showed me what family is all about. And he did that while fighting those things, leading his team and saving people. Just like you're doing now..."

"Look, Dojima-san – " Minato started.

"I have faith that you kids are more than capable of handling those Shadows or whatever it is they're called, but knowing you risk your lives on a daily basis out there, and the fact that I'm helpless to do anything about it makes me a terrible caretaker."

The twins looked at each other, finally understanding what was troubling this man so.

"I don't think that way. The fact that you're worried about us and Souji's welfare shows how much you care. Even if we're not related by blood, you treat us like family," Minato said. "That takes a lot."

"Nanako-chan and Souji-kun matured a lot under your care, so despite your faults, you're a great dad," Minako assured him. "You endured a lot...went through so much to protect them both without losing sight of what truly matters. That's really an inspiration."

Dojima was surprised at such honesty and admiration. "Heh, you kids are a real piece of work. So young and so determinated to protect. You're the real inspiration here." He sipped more of his coffee. "So...if you need anything, don't hesitate to ask me for help, okay? Even if I can't do anything, I can promise you that I'll listen."

"Thank you, Dojima-san." The desire to protect those who are dear to them, mutually shared with the seasoned detective led to a better understanding of each other. Time seemed to freeze, as the otherwordly voice echoed:

_Thou art I and I am thou,  
>Thou hast created a new bond,<br>Thou shalt be blessed when creating Personas of the Hierophant Arcana.  
><em>  
>Secret smiles were exchanged between the twin Fools, happy to have a parental figure to look up to again.<p>

"Isn't dinner ready about now? I'm starving." Dojima stood up. "Time to check on those two and – "

Nanako's ever so familiar 'Big bro!' greeting, followed by a weak groan and Souji's laughter, let them know that he was awake.

"This is gonna be a great family dinner, huh?" Minato said.

"You bet, Aniki!" Minako cheered.

The evening was lively, filled with iddle chatter and laughter as the family connected not only by blood, but by the heart, enjoying each other's company.

* * *

><p><em><strong>A few days later...<strong>_

It was a crisp, autumn evening. The Wild Cards were walking home together after school.

"So Labrys is doing fine after she left the dorm?" Minako asked.

"Yes. I visited her at the antique shop with Yosuke and Teddie yesterday, and she's recoverying fast," the silverette said. "Shinshudo-san said she will let Labrys return to school once the anti-hacking software she's developing is completed and properly installed. Should everything go well, Aigis-san and Metis-san will be receiving the same software too."

"That's good to know," Minato said.

"Speaking of which, how are they doing?"

"Metis is still quarantined because her motor functions still need a little more work, but she's conscious and well. Mitsuru-senpai forbade her from leaving the dorm until she's given the okay by Shinshudo-san and Fuuka."

"Aigis on the other hand…" Minako sighed. "Her physical injuries have healed, but her emotional wounds were reopened."

"She's been avoiding us and hasn't spoken a word for days," her twin added. "She's still feeling guilty about it."

"But it wasn't her fault. Ikutsuki is responsible for that!" Souji protested.

Minako looked away. "We know, but it's the second time he took advantage of her physical condition as a machine and force her to turn against us. And you know how much Aigis cares about us."

"Forcing one to fight against the people they care about the most… That's cruel…"

"If I find that son of a bitch again…" Minato growled, eyes darkening.

"We will make him pay for all the suffering he caused, Aniki." His sister hugged his arm, determination set on her red eyes. "But we need to take one step at a time. Rushing in will only get us killed."

"Aneki is right. For now, the best we can do is make sure everybody is safe, find more info about his intentions and put a stop it."

"Yeah. You're both right. Together, not even that bastard can stop us." Minato's heart felt a little lighter as they reached the dorm gates.

Smiling at each other, the three walked into the lounge and were greeted by Fuuka, Yukari and Junpei. "S'up, dudes!"

"Welcome home," Fuuka smiled.

Yukari made her way to Minato and gave him a hug, pecking him lightly on the cheek. "Welcome back."

"Hey, guys!" Minako cheered, waving her arms in enthusiasm. "What's up? Any progress?"

"Nothing major. Ai-chan is still down in the dumps…" Junpei sighed.

"She'll only talk to Metis, but still refuses to tell her what's wrong," Fuuka said. "She took it really hard…"

"No one's blaming her for it, but she blames herself," Yukari said. "At least no one was killed, unlike back then..."

Minako pouted. "We have to snap her out of it! If this goes on, team morale will start to slide."

"Good luck with that. She's upstairs in Metis' room," Junpei told them.

They made their way to the third floor. As they were about to reach the door, it swung open, revealing Aigis with a blank expression. Before any of them could say anything, she slipped pass and hurried downstairs without looking back.

"Aigis, wait!" Minato called in vain. "Damn, her sensors must've picked up our presence…"

"She didn't use to be this stubborn," Minako sighed.

"Sister? Sister, what happened?"

They looked into the room and saw Metis lying in her recharging pod, wires slithering around everywhere. "Oh, hello everyone."

"Hey," Souji returned her greeting. "How are you doing?"

"According to Fuuka-san, my internal functions have finally stabled, and my arm is slowly regaining movement."

"That's wonderful! You'll be able to come back to school in no time!" Minako cheered.

Metis smiled, but her eyes held concern and sadness which didn't go unnoticed. "You're worried about Aigis too, huh?" Minato asked.

"I know she's upset because that man hijacked our systems and forced us to fight you and our friends, but her behavior is really disconcerting. I feel there's something deeper behind it, but she won't tell me what it is."

"This is seriously getting out of hand…" Minato said, a frown on his face. "How do we approach her when she keeps avoiding us ahead of time?"

"Maybe it's time to look at this from another point of view," Souji suddenly suggested. "I know I'm not as close to Aigis-san like the rest of you are, but I think I have an idea to get her to open up."

The twins and Metis exchanged worried glances, but since nothing else had worked so far, they decided to give it a shot. "An approach from another perspective by someone who wasn't involved in the past incident might help," Minato said. "Go for it."

"We'll keep Metis company in the meantime," Minako said.

"Sister's been going to the back garden a lot lately. Maybe you'll find her there," Metis suggested. "Please Souji-san, help her."

"I'll try my best. That much I can promise," Souji said, and left for the garden.

Once outside, it wasn't hard to locate her. She stood beneath one of the largest trees, her back facing him, staring at the hills surrounding Inaba forlornly.

He cautiously approached her, and in no time she suddenly stiffened, aware of his presence. Instead of starting it off with caution, Souji decided to get straight to the point. "Aigis-san, I know you're upset about what happened and that's understandable." She remained motionless. He sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "Everybody's worried sick about you, especially Metis. You beating yourself up like this isn't helping anyone."

Aigis slowly turned around, looking like she was about to cry. "No! You don't understand..."

Souji took a spot under the tree, smiling softly at her, patting the ground as an offer to sit beside him. "It's okay. I know you're going through a lot after what happened. You know you can talk to me, right?"

Aigis took a seat, immediately hugging her knees. "Back in 2009….after he used me to hurt my friends, I felt ashamed, guilty…like I've betrayed them…" She stared at her kneecaps, too ashamed to face him. "They forgave me and allowed me to remain in the team, even after my actions cost Mitsuru-san's father his life and nearly theirs. I thought I got past it after becaming more human, but then he had to return and do it again. Not only to myself, but to my sisters as well…" Souji said nothing, just listening. "What hurts the most is that I was aware of my actions, but I couldn't do a thing about it...I couldn't stop myself…I heard everybody trying to bring me out of his control…I heard his evil voice mocking you and our friends, befriending machines and how 'fabricated' our emotions and feelings are." She closed her eyes tightly, trying to block out the memories. "No matter how human-like I've become, I'll never _be_ one. My body will remain a machine, and because of that someone will try to use me against the people I care about..."

Souji remained silent at first. What he said next opened up a memory he could only hope to forget. "Machines aren't the only ones who can be controlled, you know."

Aigis remained still, but her lifted a little to show she was paying attention. "My friends must have told you about Nanako's kidnapping, and how we confronted the culprit behind that, right?" He paused for five seconds. "I suppose they didn't tell you how Kunino-Sagiri almost succeeded in forcing me to kill them."

That caught her attention, as the blond android lifted her head completely, staring at Souji in disbelief. When she saw that he was completely serious, her tense shoulders laxed a little. "Nanako was just recovering from a bad cold, so the TV World's oppressing atmosphere was my main concern. It took us a few days to get to her, because the Shadows were strong. When we finally reached Namatame, he had Nanako tightly in his grasp. We tried reasoning with him, but his mind was so warped up in denial and delusion it was impossible to talk him out of it. He went berserk when we refused to give Nanako back to him, and that created Kunino-Sagiri." Souji clenched his fists tightly. "Nanako was suffering so much...to the point I wanted revenge. I lost my head for a moment and rushed head on, ignoring my friends' warnings. I suddenly felt strange, because I couldn't move my body, like something was controlling my movements. It then hit me that I was reckless and fell victim to the enemy's spell."

Souji's shoulders shook slightly in anger. "I couldn't stop myself, as I watched my own body turn against the people I swore to protect, the people who mean the world to me… I… I almost killed them with Megidoloaon…" The guilt of that day returned, as his mind replayed the fateful event. "Thanks to Rise, she helped them figure things out just in the nick of the time. Yosuke and Naoto teamed up with Yukiko and Teddie, attacking Kunino-Sagiri directly to try and break the trance. Chie and Kanji kept Beelzebub at bay." He flexed his right hand, the same one he used to crush the card which summoned the Lord of Flies. "If Nanako hadn't woken up and reminded me of who I am, of what's really important…I… I would have…"

"Souji-san…"

Shaking his head, the silverette continued. "Naoto managed to release Nanako from Kunino-Sagiri's grip, but she fell from a great height. Scared for her life, I gathered all of my willpower to finally break free and catch her before she hit the ground. I remember everybody gathering around us to make sure we were okay, but we didn't have time to dwell on that because Kunino-Sagiri was very determinated to 'save' her and took advantage of our distraction, and tried the control thing again. I wasn't sure whether he was aiming it at me, but my friends around me were affected instead. All of them were under his control. Even Rise, despite her not having a battle-type Persona. Talk about irony…" He let out a bitter laugh, recalling the difficulty of dodging spells and physical attacks, made more difficult by Rise buffering the team stats. "I let myself purposly get hit to protect Nanako several times. Even with my Wild Card ability, I had a hell of a hard time. Kohryu's Salvation snapped them out of it just in time, and together we managed to defeat that monster once and for all."

Aigis' eyes widened, stunned.

"Only after rushing Nanako and Namatame to the hospital, we took in everything that happened. We were all feeling guilty, blaming ourselves because of what if's. We always knew deep down, that in battle something like that could happen, but we weren't prepared for the feeling of helplessness at being forced into harming the people we trust with our lives. I can only say it was overwhelming. But we talked things out and everything was forgiven." He looked at her in the eye. "What I'm trying to say is, I understand how painful that can be, even if no one is blaming you for it. But you gotta forgive yourself and move on. Don't beat yourself up over past mistakes, because it'll only hinder you."

"But I…"

"And about you being human or not, that doesn't matter. Everybody likes you just the way you are. After all, if you weren't you, Aniki and Aneki probably would have not survived the car accident, SEES wouldn't come to be, Metis may never have come to life, and none of us would've found the truth behind Nyx, Erebus and the Great Seal. In fact…" Souji gave her a warm smile. "I have to thank you."

"Thank me? For what?"

"Because if it wasn't for you, I never would've gotten the chance to meet up with two of the most important people of my life again." He placed a hand on her shoulder, a sign of gratitude. "So, I thank you. From the bottom of my heart. For everything."

Aigis was overcome with emotion, misty-eyed. She never thought of it like that before. To know she had made such an impact on several lives, surrounded by people who genuinely cared for her and would support her no matter what, was enough to melt her concerns, insecurities and fears away. "Minato-san and Minako-san…They mean the world to me. My reason to live. They shaped me into the person that I am. I'm...I'm so grateful to be alive...to be cherished by such wonderful people."

"I feel the same way, Aigis-san." The images of his friends and family crossed his mind one by one. "They make life worth living."

They smiled at each other, sharing warm feelings which needed no words. The familiar voice echoed again in Souji's head.

_Thou art I and I am thou,  
>Thou hast created a new bond,<br>It brings thee closer to the truth,  
>Thou shalt be blessed when creating Personas of the Chariot Arcana.<br>_  
>Aigis wiped away her tears, the tone of her voice filled with determination. "I must apologize to everyone. They must be very worried." A small blush colored her cheeks. "Would...would you like to accompany me, Souji-san?"<p>

"It will be my pleasure, Aigis-san." He got up and held out his hand for her. "Let's go."

Her blush darkened a little, and got up with his help. "Thank you..."

And so they headed back inside, their steps in sync. From the window of Metis' room, a red-eyed Hierophant and twin Fools smiled.

* * *

><p>Bet that was unexpected huh? Regarding Sho, don't worry we'll be seeing more of him soon. Stay tuned and don't forget to read and review. ;3<p> 


	23. Chapter 23: Justice For All

_Howdy folks! How ya been? Work's still crazy for me and my partner Ohta-chan, but we've been doing our best to keep on the fic. Don't fret, it may take us a while, but we won't give up. And to celebrate the launching of Persona Q, here we bring chapter 23!_

_Questions and Answers time!_

_Kanjilearner3309: I really didn't know that. Thanks for the info!_

_KO: I know right. That dude is insane! and I'm really hyped about PQ That will definetely be awesome._

_Yoshikunitsu:Thanks for the kind words. I know it takes a while to update this, but at least we hope it's worth the wait. ^^_

_Blitzshine: He'll appear when ya least expect it D Thanks for the kind words._

_Darklight of the 0 arcana: Yep, I saw it. That was unexpected, but awesome. Gotta find a way to include that though._

_kitanalao: Thank you. ^^ Don't be shy about reviewing. i love those._

_R U Out Lavos: Thanks. We'll keep doing our best =3_

_A few other warnings:_  
><em>-There will be spoilers for all games! You've been warned.<em>  
><em>-The Main characters from each game in this fanfic are called Minato Arisato (P3:FES), Minako Arisato (P3P) and Souji Seta (P4)<em>  
><em>-There'll be some cursing. (Anyone that played any persona games knows that some characters on it curse quite a bit.) as well as some heavy subjects.<em>  
><em>-Main Pairings in this fanfic: MinatoxYukari, ShinjiroxMinako, SoujixYukiko, KanjixNaoto, AkihikoxMitsuru, YosukexChie.<em>  
><em>-Hinted Pairings: JunpeixChidori. (Hinted because Chidori doesn't appear much on this story) KenxNanako (Ya know those little girl's crushes on older boys? It'll be along those lines) FuukaxKeisuke (Other than Minato and Junpei, Fuuka only displayed some sort of close relationship with Keisuke the club president. I found it kinda cute.) TeddiexRise (Just for giggles. They are afterall the two hyperactive cuties of the team X3)<em>

_Have fun ya guys. Read and Review :3_

_Persona series and all its characters (c) Atlus_  
><em>Pegasus Persona design (c) ladystarwing<em>

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 23: Justice For All.<strong>

School days went and passed, and October was looming near. For the Persona-users, it was filled with studying, fighting Shadows, and part-time jobs. For those in the senior year, the studying got more intense as exam week closed in.

Yosuke was the first to bellow out a victorious cry on the final day of mid-terms after the teacher shuffled away with their answered exam papers to be marked. "Whew, what a relief!" He stood up and stretched his sore muscles from sitting still for hours, yawning wide and long. "You know, this day would have been better if it wasn't raining, but I guess beggars can't be choosers."

"You got that right, Partner." Souji said as he cracked his neck. He only had minor headaches during the exam week, so he thanked his lucky stars for being able to focus on his lessons.

Chie was discussing the exam questions with Yukiko. It wasn't long before she started wailing. "What? That's your answer to #25?!" She banged her head on her desk. "I'm doomed!"

"Now now, Chie. Calm down. I'm sure there has to be some of the questions you answered right," her best friend tried to console her.

"That doesn't make me feel any better!"

Minako continued to watch the amusing antics of her friends from her desk. She put her books away in her bag and proceeded to stare out the window, daydreaming about a post-school snack. Her brother already had his MP3 player on full volume, face down supported by his arms as he took a brief nap. At the back of the row, Shinjiro took an example from Minato and pulled down his beanie almost covering his eyes, crossing his arms making him look like he was thinking, when he's actually getting some shut eye.

About 10 minutes later, Kanji, Rise, Naoto and Teddie entered their class. "Hi senpais!" Rise greeted, a little too loudly. Shinjiro let out a snort and recollected himself before he could fall down. The teen idol smirked, probably patting herself on the back for catching him off guard. He narrowed his eyes at her dangerously.

Naoto cleared her throat. "Sorry for intruding you all at such a time. I would like to call an emergency meeting at the special headquarters. There's something that we need to discuss."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Junes food court...<strong>_

Labrys squeezed between Rise and Naoto, as the rest of the school-going SPIES sat around a shaded long table. Rain splashed on the waterproof canvas, but not too hard that it made hearing impossible.

The android twisted her fingers after she finished shredding a napkin. "Umm...what did you guys want to talk about?"

"Firstly, we would like to congratulate you for your swift recovery," Naoto said, giving her a sincere smile. "How are you enjoying Inaba so far?"

"Thanks. Nobody ever congratulated me for getting back up on my feet before. Inaba's starting to grow on me...and I made such wonderful friends!"

"You should come by my place sometime," Rise offered. "We can go shopping together."

"Anyway, we're not here to talk about all that," Yukiko interjected. "A lot of us noticed during the fight yesterday that you seem to know that mysterious boy. We want to ask you about him."

"Oh yeah. He wore our school uniform, but I've never seen him around before," Yosuke said. The rest vocalized their agreement.

Labrys rolled her eyes. "Oh, _him_. Name's Sho Minazuki, a senior like us. I'm not sure what's his deal, but he's always ditching class. I try to catch him in the act, but he slips away from me every time. He's slick, I'll give ya that. He's always mentioning about gettin' in trouble with some 'old man' if he doesn't show up for work."

"Where does he work anyway?" Kanji asked. He slammed a fist into his palm. "We might be able to beat some answers out of him if we can find the guy."

"Beats me." Labrys shrugged her shoulders. "He's a complete mystery. But now I know how he managed to get away from me all the time. That guy...he may be human, but he's dangerous."

"Another thing to add into our growing bucket of mysteries," Minato sighed. "I agree with you, though. He was able to hold back three of the best Anti-Shadow Suppression Weapons in Orgia Mode all at once. I'm worried that he'll be a hindrance to our investigation."

"I'm grateful that he saved Souji-kun, but..." Minako fidgeted in her seat, trying to find the right words. "He told him that we're 'not allowed to kick the bucket yet'...I get the feeling that he wants something from us."

"He's shady, that's for sure," Shinjiro said. "He reminds me of someone, though I can't put my finger on it."

"Umm...!" Labrys squirmed, cheeks turning pink. "Can I...may I know how the rest...I mean m-my...my..." She lowered her head, bangs covering her eyes. "May I know how my sisters are doing?!" she asked, a little high-pitched.

Everyone chuckled, amused at her eagerness. "They're doing fine. Aigis is fully recovered, but Metis will need some time before she's fit to come to school. Fuuka-san has been tutoring her, and Mitsuru-san pulled some strings that allowed her to take the exam at the dorm," Souji answered. "Why don't you come and visit? She'd love the company."

"There is one more thing..." Minato said. He seemed a little hesitant to continue. "Please don't take what I'm about to say the wrong way. I'd rather you hear it from us first before Mitsuru-senpai gets the chance to ask you."

"Take what the wrong way?" Labrys asked.

"I was wondering about your thoughts on joining our team. We're investigating the cause behind this weird phenomenon, which we have confirmed involves Shadows. However, we haven't discovered why they returned or who or what is behind it all."

"Why are you telling me all this?"

"Mitsuru-senpai kinda has a way of..._coercing_ people into her plans," Minako said, scratching her right cheek. Shinjiro snorted. "Your reasons for fighting may be different from ours. That's why we'd rather have you go home and think about it before she extends the invitation officially."

"I see." Labrys took a deep breath. Everyone held theirs, waiting for her answer. After about a minute, she finally replied. "You're right. My original purpose of existence was to defeat Shadows. But now, my duty is to protect my Momma. I don't think she'll approve anyway. Thanks for the offer, but I got other things to worry about. Besides, just because I won't join you, doesn't mean I won't back you up."

"That's understandable," Minato said. "Besides, we'll still be able to see you at school. I just hope Mitsuru-senpai won't be too disappointed."

"Ooohh...I can see it now! Labby-chan the Lone Ranger, fighting for peace and justice. Alone, but undeterred, she slashes through her enemies with her gigantic axe of righteousness!" Teddie exclaimed, pulled in a daydream of his own fantasies. "Oh my savior, please protect me under your soft, downy wings!"

Everyone sweatdropped. Yosuke facepalmed. "And now he's imagining what kind of costume she'll wear." He slapped the blonde's back. "Hey, snap out of it! Your shift is about to start. Go get dressed!"

Labrys giggled. "You never change, do you?" She stood up and gathered her things. "If you'll excuse me, I need to get some shopping done for Momma. Oh, I almost forgot..." She fished a card out of her pocket and handed it to Minato. "This here's our official business card. You can contact us if there's any emergency."

"Will do."

* * *

><p><em><strong>A few days later...<strong>_

Souji headed up to the dorm for a team meeting first, since he finished up earlier than anyone else. They were going to discuss the latest rumors in town before heading for a training run in the TV World.

He reached the main gate when an agitated Koromaru approached him. "Hey Koro." Souji rubbed his head, frowning when the canine whimpered in response. "What's the matter, boy?"

Koromaru pointed his nose towards the house. Black smoke poured out the windows on the ground floor. "Oh crap!" Without thinking twice, Souji rushed into the house, Koromaru following close behind. Smoke was everywhere, along with an awful burning smell. "Hey! *cough cough* Anyone in here?!" No answer. "Damn… *cough* It's so hard to breath *cough* I should call the fire brigade…"

"Souji-kun...?"

The silverette's ears perked up; the same moment a figure emerged from the smoke. It took some time for his brain to make the connections as vision was still hazy. "Fuuka-san? *cough* Is that you?"

Indeed it was. When the smoke finally cleared, he saw her balancing a rather large fruit cake on a tray. "Oh, I'm so sorry about that. *cough* I was so distracted cooking *cough cough* I didn't hear… *pants* you coming in…"

_'How can she be so absorbed cooking with the whole house almost set on fire?!' _Souji thought, but said nothing. He noticed that she was struggling to carry the cake, breathing hard. "Here, let me help you with that." He took the tray from her and set it aside. "Let's open the windows."

Fuuka didn't object. "Thank you…" Once they opened all the windows, the smoke and awful smell dissipated, allowing lush, fresh air to blow inside.

"Phew… That's much better…" Souji took a deep breath before looking at Fuuka. "Are you okay?"

"Oh yes. Sorry about worrying you." Fuuka said with a faint blush. She wore an apron stained with milk, cake batter and other things Souji couldn't identify. She also had a bit of flour on her face.

"So, what were you doing again?" Souji asked. He had an idea of what happened, but wanted to be sure.

"Well… I thought that we could all use another group meal," she answered nervously, twiddling her thumbs. "Everybody's been so edgy lately with everything that's happened, and exams to boot. Whenever we're together eating home-made food, we feel closer and more at ease. I couldn't ask the twins or Shinjiro-senpai for help since they've been very busy, so I decided to do it myself."

"That's very thoughtful of you, Fuuka-san." Souji smiled. The cake reminded him of the one his female teammates baked for Nanako last Christmas, though he wasn't sure the taste of this one is as appealing as its appearance.

Fuuka looked like she had an idea. "Oh, I know! You could try out some of the snacks I made before everybody gets here!"

Souji's stomach did a somersault. Based on experience, nothing ended well whenever he was subdued as a test-taster. He wanted to refuse, but Fuuka's shining eyes watching him with so much expectation...there was no way he could say no. _'I'm too nice for my own good.'_ Koromaru whined beside him, covering his eyes and ears. "Okay. I guess…a bite...won't hurt..."

"Oh thank you, Souji-kun! I'll be right back." She disappeared into the kitchen, returning a minute later with a plate of chocolate truffles. "Here you go. Please try one!"

He inspected the truffles – they looked harmless enough, but experience taught him not to be deceived by appearances. Picking out the smallest one, he took a deep breath, closed his eyes and stuffed it in his mouth. Munching on the sweet for show, he anticipated the worst. Instead, a rather unique flavor hit his taste buds. It started bitter at first, but as the chocolate melted, it became sweet with a slight hint of saltiness. He found himself craving more! "Whoa, this is amazing! I've never tasted anything like it. How did you make it?"

"After I mixed in black coffee and heavy cream into the melted chocolate, I was worried it'll taste too bitter, so I added some more sugar and chocolate. I rolled them in cocoa powder mixed with a little salt." Fuuka's eyes were wide in surprise. "They…they really turned out good?"

"Yeah! I would've added some chopped nuts in here for extra texture, but you did a pretty good job." The silverette ate another truffle. Koromaru barked happily. "Aneki and Aneki are gonna love these. They have quite the sweet tooth."

Fuuka giggled at the last part. "Funny you mentioned that. The first time I made chocolate truffles was with Minako-chan in cooking club back when we were in school." She sighed lightly. "I still can't believe I mixed up sake with rice vinegar back then…"

Souji sweatdropped. _'Is this a Priestess Arcana thing?'_

"But I've improved since then." Fuuka beamed, sounding confident. "Minato-kun said I'm really good with technology, so I figured that if I took advantage of what I'm good at, I could improve in other areas as well."

"That's an interesting way to look at things. How did you do it?"

"To tell you the truth, cook books and magazines confuse me, so I decided to use my laptop to learn more. I found several cooking tutorials online. Having visual input made it much easier to understand the science behind sorting, mixing and preparing ingredients. Although…."

"What is it?"

"I've made quite a mess in the kitchen…" Her shoulders slumped. "Shinjiro-senpai is going to be so furious when he comes home."

Souji headed into the kitchen. "Oh come on, I bet it's not that… bad…?" He became lost for words at what he saw: blackened pots and pans in the sink; a frying pan was still in the oven, something still charring in it; flour, sugar, milk, batter and unidentifiable stains on the floor and counters. It was like a warzone area. _'He's totally gonna flip out!'_

Even Koromaru agreed that the kitchen was in terrible condition, refusing to step a paw in it.

"It's horrible, isn't it?" Fuuka sighed. "The problem is really not what I cook anymore, but rather the mess I make whenever I try. It looks so terrible that everybody assumes my food is just as bad…"

"Fuuka-san…" Souji placed a hand on her shoulders, picking his words carefully. "Your problem here is focus."

"Focus?"

"You focus so much on getting the dish right, that you forget to plan ahead," he explained, being honest and polite as possible. "You're very good at observing and analyzing things, so cooking for you is like an experiment. But while you're able to keep up with machines and how things work, you have quite the difficulty wrapping your head around the process itself, if you get what I mean. That's why being organized and working _with_ the kitchen is essential so you can create delicious dishes and make people happy."

"I… I see…" Fuuka was surprised at this. "I took all sorts of notes to make sure I get everything right, but I still forget the basics. No wonder Shinjiro-senpai scolds me all the time."

"You just need to work on a system that helps you," Souji said trying to reassure her. "How about this; while we discuss the best way for you to work, I'll help you clean up and get the table set before everybody arrives."

Fuuka smiled brightly at his suggestion. "Really? Oh, Souji-kun, you're so sweet! Thank you!"

Souji was happy to have helped. He felt closer to her, and time seemed to stop.

_Thou art I and I am thou,  
>Thou hast established a new bond,<br>It brings thee closer to the truth,  
>Thou shalt be blessed when creating Personas of the Priestess Arcana.<br>_  
>They started immediately. Souji cleaned the burned utensils and the oven with strong vinegar, seeing as the black residue was especially hard to get rid of, and Fuuka washed and dried the other utensils, putting them back into their place before proceeding to clean the floor. Koromaru kept them company, even if he was still weary of entering the kitchen.<p>

While working, they came up with a plan so Fuuka wouldn't get flustered in the kitchen. The plan was to make a detailed to-do list with everything she needed for each dish she'd like to make; that should help her gather her thoughts before sorting out the ingredients and preparing utensils beforehand. Souji also suggested that she study her tutorial videos before any new attempts so she could get an overall idea of planning, even volunteering to share a few recipes he knew to help her practice. Fuuka of course, was very grateful for all the help.

Thirty minutes later, the front door swung open. "We're home!" Minako announced as she and her brother walked in, followed by the rest, including their college-going friends.

Koromaru pranced up to them, tail wagging in excitement. "Hey Koro." Shinjiro grinned, giving him a back rub. "You look happy today."

The white dog ran around the twins three times before bouncing off into the dining room. "I wonder what got him so excited," Minato wondered.

"I think he wants to show us something." Ken said curiously.

They followed Koromaru into the dining room, and gasped. The table was filled with several plates of sweets and delicacies: chocolate truffles, sugar cookies, sweet fries, banana cupcakes, rice balls and sandwiches, and the main attraction – a decorated fruit cake! Everything looked and smelled delicious.

"Holy crap!" Kanji exclaimed, wide eyed.

Teddie was already drooling. "It's a sweet gold mine!"

"Where did all of this come from?" Mitsuru questioned.

"Hey guys," Souji greeted, stepping out the kitchen carrying teapots of fragrant strawberry tea in each hand. Fuuka followed with the teacups. "You're just in time."

Yosuke was in disbelief. "Dude, you did ALL of this?!" He knew Souji was a great cook, but coming up with a banquet in such a short time was unbelievable.

"Nah, I just helped set the table. Fuuka-san here made everything."

Some of the boys, who greedily reached out to grab the food, stopped halfway. A feeling of dread filled the air. Fuuka tried not to show it, but she was upset at their reaction.

A moment of awkward silence later, Souji decided to speak up. "Look, I know we had bad experiences in the past, but I can assure you won't be regretting this one." Seeing that words weren't convincing enough, he decided to take action and picked a rice ball. "Here, I'll show you."

His courage, or insanity, and/or both, had his friends worried. "Uh, do we have anti-acids or other meds in the house?" Junpei whispered to Minato. "I seriously think he's gonna need those."

Souji took a bite of the rice ball and started chewing. "Yum! The rice is nice and moist, and the tuna filling is delicious." He swallowed the last bit, and licked his fingers.

The others watched with a mix of fear and anticipation. The silence was cut short by a girlish squeal of approval. Everyone turned around to see the twins already helping themselves to cupcakes and fries. "This is so good!" Minato said.

"You put raisins in the cupcake batter? Genius, Fuuka-chan!" Minako praised.

Hesitation forgotten, they decided to join in. Sure enough, the Wild Cards were right: everything was delicious. Even Koromaru got a little treat – his favorite doggie biscuits!

"Wow, Fuuka, I had no idea you've gotten so good at cooking," Yukari praised. "These are amazing!"

"Hell yeah! Sweet dimension time!" Junpei chimed through mouthfuls.

"These are way better than the ones sold in Junes!" Yosuke said as he and Teddie stuffed themselves with cookies.

"Thank you, everyone." Fuuka's face turned a deep shade of pink. "I spent the whole day in the kitchen. I'm just so happy it paid off."

Shinjiro eyes widened in alarm and made a dash for his precious kitchen, concerned about its state. To his surprise, it's just the way he had left it that morning. In fact, it looked even cleaner than he remembered. "Well, I'll be damned…" He gave Fuuka a satisfied smirk. "Yamagishi, I gotta hand it to you. I'm not exactly fond of your menu choice, but you've done well."

"I agree," Mitsuru said, smiling warmly. "Fuuka, this meeting was set with the purpose of discussing the latest supernatural phenomenon related incidents, I believe I speak on behalf of the entire team when I say this surprise you've prepared for us is something we all needed, and we appreciate it. Thank you."

"Senpai… Everybody…"

"Hey, Senpai!" Rise cut in. "I wanna cook like you! Can you teach me? Please please _pleeeeaaase_?!"

"Me too! I wanna learn too!" Chie said.

"W-what?! B-but I only know how to bake sweets," Fuuka said, becoming flustered at the attention. "I…I haven't tried cooking a decent meal on my own yet!"

"Neither have we!" Yukiko said nonchalantly. "But if you manage to improve so much on your own, then I'm sure all of us could learn a lot from you."

"As long as they don't treat us like guinea pigs again…" Kanji muttered. Naoto nudged him in the sides. "Ow! I wasn't talking about you, y'know…"

Seeing the younger girls looking at her with admiration and respect, Fuuka grew more confident and nodded. "O-okay then. During our free time, we'll hold cooking lessons here." She giggled. "It'll be even better than Cooking Club."

"Thank you, Senpai!" the three girls chorused.

And so the team spent the afternoon enjoying each other's company and eating sweets. If only for a short while, they left their concerns aside to enjoy some of life's little pleasures.

* * *

><p>The former Investigation Team started to notice some changes in their city friends. Some of the signs were subtle: they looked a lot more withdrawn, but it was more pronounced in Ken and Shinjiro. Minako's change was a lot more noticeable: her smile wasn't as bright, and normally she'd be playfully pouncing on her boyfriend to get his attention, but she wasn't. She'd shrug off anyone who asked her if she's alright.<p>

But the Inaba Persona-users had more important things in mind: Nanako's birthday was approaching. And that's why they're at Junes food court after school – to discuss the details of her surprise birthday party.

In the middle of the discussion, the topic that's been bothering them came up.

"I wonder why Shinjiro-san just stormed out of class after the bell rang," Yukiko mused to herself.

"They're not the only ones acting like that. Minato-san has been really edgy lately, but he won't spill," Chie sighed. "I tried asking him about it, but he changed the topic so suddenly."

"We gotta respect their privacy, I guess..." Kanji said, scratching his head. "Until they come to us and want to talk about it, it's best we just leave them alone."

"You're right. Hey Partner, do you know what's wrong with them?" Yosuke asked his best friend. "It's like they're hiding something."

"I may have an idea. But I'm not going to ask them. Just like Kanji said, it's best to leave it alone until they're ready to open up about it. For now, let's just get into perspective and plan this out, okay?" Souji told them. Rise pouted, unable to get any gossip.

Naoto exhaled loudly through her nose. "You're right, Senpai. About the venue, has Dojima-san decided where the party is going to be held?"

"Uncle wants to hold it at our house, no question about that. The party will be a simple one, just family and close friends so it won't be too big. Nanako's friends are planning a separate party for her at school, so we don't need to worry about anyone being left out. He's just worried because he's working that day. No supervision."

"Just hold it at the dorm then, Sensei." Teddie suggested. "That place is huge. And it'll be just us so Pops won't need to worry about supervision. Metty-chan will love the company!"

"That's...actually not a bad idea. Let's go there right now and get Mitsuru-san's permission."

Back at the dorm, the mood was in stark contrast. Everyone was treading on eggshells and avoided talking to each other. Junpei, unable to take the hostile environment much longer, locked himself in his room and played video games. Koromaru had more luck getting attention from Metis and spent the whole day with her in her room. The rest made it a point to avoid Shinjiro, Ken and Minako.

In the lounge, Minako distracted herself on the piano, playing nothing but low key melodies. The rest were in the meeting room or dining room, finishing up their homework. Shinjiro isolated himself in the kitchen, staring at the back garden.

"Honey, we're home!" Teddie announced their arrival in his flamboyant fashion. "I can't wait for October 4th!"

The piano stopped playing, the final notes tapped rather harshly. Minako turned around and glared, her eyes turning redder (if possible) at the mention of the accursed date. "WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?!"

Teddie's voice died in his throat. "Umm...October 4th?" he squeaked, scared to see this other side of the usually smiley female leader.

Those in the meeting room flocked into the lounge. "Minako, what's the matter?" Minato asked, concerned at seeing his sister's facial expression.

"Don't you EVER mention that date again, you hear me?!" she snapped, approaching Teddie to grab his shirt collar.

"Eeeekk! Sensei, help!" The blonde squealed and hid behind Souji. His hometown friends followed his example and shielded themselves behind their leader as well.

Souji held his surrogate sister's shoulders, preventing her from moving forward. "Aneki, what's gotten into you?"

Chie's temper was getting the best of her. "What's your problem?!"

"Chie..." Yosuke warned, too scared of getting kicked to hold her back.

"What the hell is so wrong with October 4th?" She continued, blunt as ever. "And it's not just you. All of you..." She stepped forward, pointing a finger at the former SEES. "You guys have some serious issues. You've been acting very weird lately, as if everything's fine and dandy when it's so obvious that it's not!"

"That's none of your concern. What I decide to keep secret is my own business!" Minako argued back, pushing Souji aside.

"That's exactly the problem!"

Minato ran forward and put himself between them before further argument could ensue. "That's enough. Both of you calm down!" he ordered.

Shinjiro, Junpei, Koromaru and Metis, having heard the commotion, rushed into the lounge to see what it was about. Minako and Chie continued to growl at each other.

Mitsuru stepped up to control the situation. "What are you all doing here?" she asked the Inaba team. "We're not due for another meeting or training run."

"That's not what we're here about," Souji said, holding Chie back with an extended arm. "I'm here to request permission so we can use this dorm as a venue for a birthday party. _Nanako's_ birthday party."

The ex-SEES were taken aback, some of them flinching. "You mean...Nanako-chan's birthday is on October the 4th?" Yukari asked.

"That's right," Naoto answered. "But you seem apprehensive about it. Clearly something traumatic happened on that day." Her dark blue eyes shifted to each of their city-born friends, and took notice of Ken's, Akihiko's and Shinjiro's expressions. She raised an eyebrow at them. "Care to share?"

Mitsuru sighed. "I guess it couldn't be helped. We skipped that part of the story because the memories were too painful for us." She gestured to the meeting room. "Sit yourselves down. This might take a while."

Mitsuru started from the beginning – the time she recruited Akihiko back in middle school, how Shinjiro forced them to take him in, and the accident with Ken's mother. She also told them about the Full Moon operation which ended in Takaya shooting Shinjiro, causing him to end up in a coma.

Akihiko clenched his fists on the table. "His wounds were so severe that our powers and healing items didn't work."

Yukiko looked at Minako, who was on the verge of tears. _'I can't imagine how she must have felt back then. To see the man she loves dying right before her eyes, powerless to do anything. I...I don't think I can ever be that strong...' _she thought, tightening her hold on Souji's hand.

The happiness that the former Investigation Team felt before arriving at the dorm was slowly diminishing. They looked at the floor instead of each other.

Souji had about enough. He wouldn't let the past ruin one of the most important occasions for his family. However, he had to do it subtly in order not to offend anyone, and get punched in the face for it. He remembered what Igor told him about the Fates at work. "So you think that this is all just a weird coincidence?" Everyone raised their bowed heads. "About Nanako's birthday being on October 4th, perhaps...it's a blessing in disguise," he told them.

Minato got what Souji was hinting at, and smiled. "Souji-kun's right. I understand that we went through some tough times because of what happened, but we shouldn't let that stop us from moving forward." He stood up, blue-grey eyes shining with mirth. "Alright, we'll make that birthday party happen! Ken, I'm appointing you to keep Nanako-chan distracted while we make last minute preparations. And then you're gonna bring her here so we can surprise her."

Ken nearly fell off his chair. "EHHH?!" he shouted. "Why me?"

Souji smiled softly at him. "I agree with him. Ken, of all people who understands the sudden loss of a mother, it's Nanako. Not only will you make her happy, but it'll lessen your loneliness as well."

"Nanako-chan..." Minako muttered, wiping her eyes. "You're right, Banchou-kun. We should look at this as a blessing. Maybe it's what we needed all along, to make someone else happy instead of dwelling in our sadness." Her bright smile returned. "I'll bake the best cake Nanako-chan has ever tasted!"

"I'll work on the other sweet treats!" Fuuka volunteered. "Yukari-chan, will you help me?"

"We'll help too!" Chie, Rise and Yukiko offered simultaneously.

"Hell no!" Kanji interjected. "Just because the Christmas cake was fine doesn't mean – Mppphh!"

Yosuke clamped his underclassman's mouth shut. "What he means to say is you guys should focus on the decorations instead. You know the saying 'Too many cooks spoil the broth', right?"

"What an unusual proverb..." Metis commented. "Koromaru-san, do you know what it means?" Koromaru barked his answer. "I see..."

Mitsuru chuckled lightly. "Of course I'll let you have the party here. It is for Nanako-chan after all."

The gloomy mood lifted, and everyone happily chose their assignments – Souji and Shinjiro will work on the food; Minako was in charge of desserts, with Fuuka, Yukari and Metis as her assistants; Yosuke, Junpei and Teddie were in charge of entertainment, with Kanji working on the banners; so that left the rest working on layout and decorations, supervised by Minato.

"We must start planning immediately," Aigis suggested. "We only have about 67 hours, 23 minutes and 18 seconds left until Nanako-chan's birthday."

Junpei sweatdropped. "Ai-chan, you didn't have to include the seconds..."

* * *

><p>Despite their heavy school work, the Persona-users managed to make time for Nanako's party preparations. Souji and Shinjiro have already decided what to cook for the main course and finished up their grocery shopping. The same goes for Minako and her small team, where the female leader will bake the cake the night before and finish the final touches at the last minute. As far as entertainment was concerned, Yosuke and Junpei had a huge argument over the appropriateness of Teddie's choices. Luckily, Minato had it resolved by a simple solution – scrap all of the bear's ideas and replace it with something more child-friendly. In short, the dorm was noisier than usual. They made sure to cancel any plans they had on the tragic-turned-special day.<p>

* * *

><p><em><strong>On the big day...<strong>_

Ken made his way to Yasoinaba Elementary School. He was told by Souji that Nanako would be late because it was her turn on the duty roster today.

"Why me of all people? I know what Souji-san said, but couldn't he send Minako-san or any of the girls instead?" the pre-teen grumbled as he made his way to the front school gate. "I hope it's not the 'adult stuff' crap that grown-ups keep spouting..."

Just then, the school bell rang, and the courtyard became filled with a mass of noisy children. Some of them had their parents pick them up, while the rest walked home, most of them in groups. Ken waited patiently, but began feeling uncomfortable as girls from his school who were passing by, giggled and pointed at him. He tried turning his back to them, but it only made him look weird and suspicious. Even from afar, he could hear them whispering his name, fawning over him with hearts in their eyes (not that he noticed). Some of them swooned when he accidentally made eye contact. He sighed. _'So this is what Akihiko-san goes through every day. Junpei-san says that he's lucky to have girls pay attention to him all the time...it's nothing but a huge headache...'_

A girl wearing his school's uniform, whom he didn't recognize, approached him. "You're Amada-kun, right?" she asked.

"Yes. What of it?"

"I saw you during soccer practice the other day. You're so cool and awesome!" she squealed.

"It was nothing special..." Ken mumbled. As she started to shower him with praise, more girls surrounded him. He felt extremely uncomfortable that tuning out their high-pitched voices became more and more difficult.

"Ah! It's Ken-kun!"

Recognizing the voice, the young brunette pushed his way out of the crowd, coming face-to-face with the girl he was waiting for. "Nanako-chan!"

"What are you doing here?" Nanako asked curiously. She noticed the group of middle school girls. "Are they your friends?" she asked, oblivious to the jealousy building up inside them.

"I don't know their names, but never mind them," he said, brushing them off. "Anyway, your brother asked me to pick you up today. Want to stop by somewhere?"

"Amada-kun, who's this?!" one of the fangirls demanded.

"Hi, I'm Nanako Dojima! Nice to meet you!" The little girl held out her hand for a handshake. She deflated when it wasn't returned, only to be met with audible whispers.

"_Dojima...isn't that the detective's daughter?"_ a girl from the back sneered.

"_That's right. Her dad worked on the mysterious serial killings last year..."_

"_So this is the brat who got the award from that visiting politician..."_ another girl sniffed.

"_Haven't you heard? She's the one who infected everyone in the hospital with that nasty fog disease..."_

Ken clenched his fists, especially at the last part. _'Even though these people don't know the real story behind Nanako-chan's sickness, it doesn't give them the right to spread rumors like that!'_ he thought angrily.

Nanako pulled on his jacket sleeve. "Ken-kun, let's go..." she whimpered softly.

"You're right. We have better things to do than spread _false rumors_," he said the final part a little too sharply, clearly aiming at the gossiping girls. He gave them one last glare before heading off.

They made a quick stop at Madam Shiroku's shop for before Ken suggested they stop by the shrine, to buy more time for the others at the dorm. They sat together in front of the offertory box to enjoy their snacks.

Ken scratched the back of his head apologetically, still feeling guilty. "I'm really sorry about those girls back there..."

Nanako shook her head. "It's okay. People say mean things all the time. I try to not let it get to me." She handed him half of her sweet bun. "The shrine is so peaceful today. Usually it's filled with boys trying to catch bugs."

"Bugs? Aren't girls usually afraid of bugs?"

"I think they're cute! Don't you?"

"Yeah...if you say so..." was all he could say. _'This is so awkward...why must talking with girls be so difficult?'_

It finally hit Nanako that she was alone...with her crush. She quickly turned away so Ken couldn't see her red face. Awkward indeed. "Umm... Ken-kun?"

"Yes, Nanako-chan?"

"Ah...umm...how...h-how did you get so t-tall?" she blurted out of the blue. She turned a little so she could see his reaction.

Ken stared at her. _'Cute...'_ He blinked, cheeks heating up._ 'Huh? Where did that come from?!'_ He looked in another direction, scratching the back of his head. "W-Well...I did drink a lot of milk when I was in elementary school..."

Nanako's expression brightened up. "Really? So, if I drink milk every day I'll be big and strong like you and Big Bro?"

"Just don't drink too much at once. Trust me, it can give you one bad tummy ache." He forced out a small laugh, recalling the upset stomachs just so he could (what he believed back then) grow taller in a short time span. Nanako giggled, her laughter echoing through the empty shrine. However, it didn't last long when the awkward silence befell them once again. Ken groaned inwardly. _'Ugh...why didn't I bring Koromaru with me? He's always helped me with this kind of situation.'_ The Shiba Inu always knew what to do to liven up conversations. _'Talking to a girl younger than me...feels really weird...'_

A soft thug on his sleeve snapped him out of his thoughts. "Ken-kun? You okay?" Nanako asked, confused. "You've been really quiet..."

"I-I'm okay! Really!" Ken flustered. "It's just..." He then let out a huge sigh. "I'm sorry, Nanako-chan. I just got a lot on my mind lately."

"Do you wanna talk about it?" she asked softly. "Sometimes it helps."

"Can I...can I tell you something?" The older brunette twiddled his thumbs. "The guys at the dorm already know this, but...can you keep it a secret from everyone else?"

At Nanako's nod. Ken continued. "Today...is my mom's death anniversary. I just found out from Souji-san that today is also your birthday. I feel confused...on how to feel about it."

"Oh...umm..." Not knowing what to say, Nanako munched on her bun.

"I was eight when my mom was killed. The police reports said that it was an accident, but I witnessed the whole thing. They didn't believe my story. By luck, two years later I found out who the culprit was...I was so mad...mad enough that I wanted to kill him just as he killed her. I wanted justice for Mom, so she could finally rest in peace." He clenched his fists. "But it didn't go as planned. Shinjiro-san ended up in a coma because of my mistake...I made Minako-san cry...Minato-san looked like he wanted to kick me off the team...I screwed up big time." He covered his face, arms on his knees.

"You...you sounded a lot like my dad," Nanako said sadly.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

A downcast frown formed on her lips. "When my mom died, I thought that it was my fault because she got hit by a car while picking me up from school. Dad really wanted to catch the guy who did it. Even when he got home, he would work. He never spent any time with me, always coming back late. I felt that he cared more about his work than me, and he never talked about her. Big Bro said that he's just protecting me, but it didn't feel that way. They even fought about it. If it wasn't for Big Bro, I think I might have hated my dad forever."

"I see. You're very lucky to have a brother like Souji-san, Nanako-chan."

"Mhm! Even if I'm sad that my mom is gone, I still have Dad. And I'm not lonely anymore because I got a big brother and lots of friends." She looked up at Ken with shining eyes. "I think you're lucky, too. You still have a family, even if they're not related by blood. Big Bro taught me that even if you're not related by blood doesn't mean that you can't become a 'real' family. Isn't that a reason not to be sad anymore?"

"You're right..." For the first time in a while, Ken smiled. "I think...I think my mom can finally rest in peace, knowing that I finally realized her death was just an accident, and it was no one's fault. I feel happy as well, knowing that there are still people who care about me, supporting me no matter what. They're my family now." He thought about the twin leaders, Yukari, Junpei and Fuuka, the siblings he never had; Mitsuru, the matronly sister who worries about everything; Shinjiro and Akihiko, who will always have his back and interests at heart; Aigis and Metis, the girls he could confide in; and Koromaru, his partner and companion. Not to forget the friends he made here in Inaba, the new additions to his family.

"Dad is still trying to catch the bad guy that hit my mom. Not just because that's his job, it's also because he's my dad. Someday, he's gonna catch them. And when he does, we'll be able to gain more peace than what we already have," Nanako concluded.

Just then, Ken realized something. _'Souji-san, I understand now. It's not just about remembering our losses. It's also about cherishing what we have, and what we gained. I can still be sad that Mom isn't with me anymore, because if it wasn't for her I'd have never awoken to my Persona.'_ A ruby red dragonfly flew past them got Nanako excited and gave chase. _'But I can't grieve forever. I have things to do, and people I want to protect.'_ He looked up to the sky. _'Mom, don't worry. I'll definitely be a man that you can be proud of. Just you watch.'_ His heart felt light, as if the emotional burden leftover from his past has been lifted off his shoulders, and smiled as he watched Nanako run around the shrine, trying to catch the flying insect. _'And maybe...take some time to be happy in the process.'_

Suddenly, he remembered what he was supposed to do and glanced at his watch. _'Oh no! The party is supposed to start soon. I should bring her to the dorm ASAP!'_

* * *

><p>Meanwhile back at the dorm, everyone scrambled to finish wrapping their presents at the last minute. Koromaru hid under the dining table to prevent his tail from getting stepped on as the others piled their gifts on the coffee table.<p>

Teddie was assigned as lookout, vigilantly watching the horizon for any signs of brown hair. When he finally sees them, he ran to the dining room, flailing his arms. "They're here! They're here!"

"Quick, everyone hide!" Minato ordered. Some dived under the tables, hid in the utility closet, under the stairs, and any nook and cranny they could fit themselves into.

Everything was silent until the door creaked open, revealing their youngest member and the birthday girl.

"SURPRISE!"

Party whistles blew and poppers exploded, showering the two with confetti and streamers. Nanako was shocked at first, but then squealed with laughter.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NANAKO-CHAN!" everyone chorused.

The little girl's eyes shined as she took in her surroundings. Her cousin, his surrogate siblings and friends were all wearing party hats and huge smiles. The walls and ceiling were decorated with streamers, balloons and bright-colored paper cut into various shapes, and a banner hung from the lounge ceiling that read: "HAPPY BIRTHDAY NANAKO!" in glitter and gold. The table was laden with onigiri, dumplings, all sorts of sweets, a three-tiered decorated chocolate cake and her favourite – omelette fried rice! Each platter had everyone's name written in ketchup.

"Wow, everything looks so good!" Nanako exclaimed, clapping her hands. She looked up at Souji. "Big Bro, you remembered!"

He knelt down to her level. "How could I forget?" he said, ruffling her hair. "I wanted to make it extra special, since we didn't celebrate last year."

Nanako made a beeline to the table. "Cake, cake!" she exclaimed, admiring the rainbow frosting.

"For a special occasion such as this, I'd say it's fair to start with desserts, don'tcha think?" Yosuke said, pulling out small, pink candles from his pocket. He handed them to Souji, who stuck the candles on top of the cake and lit them. Minato lifted Nanako onto a chair, so she was high enough to reach the candles.

"Take your time and make a wish, Nanako-chan," Minako told her after they finished singing her the birthday song.

Nanako closed her eyes, her face scrunching adorably. When she finally made up her mind, she opened her eyes and blew out the candles in one go.

The sounds of cheers, poppers and plastic whistles filled the air once more.

"Let's eat!" Junpei exclaimed.

After the meal, it was time for fun. They played word games given weird twists by Junpei and Teddie, and Nanako's favourite quiz game complete with electronic buzzers, courtesy of Naoto. They had a blast with the three-legged race combined with egg-in-a-spoon. Minato didn't miss any embarrassing moments to be caught on photo.

When it was time to open presents, Nanako got even more excited. She humored Koromaru by letting him sniff the packages and envelopes she was about to open. Story books, board games, a flashing detective badge, Junes shopping vouchers, fashion accessories, a bottle of perfume, a few dresses and a fairy princess doll. She read through every card attached with the gift (a few of them were joint presents) and had trouble choosing a favourite. "I love them all!"

"The best is yet to come," Minako said, hiding something behind her back. "Aniki, Souji-kun and I had a real tough time choosing your present, Nanako-chan. But we finally came up with a good one." She handed her a pink envelope. "Go on, open it."

Nanako carefully opened the envelope, and pulled out an invitation card. She opened it and read its content. "Supplementary piano lessons by Minako Arisato. Instrumental coaching by Minato Arisato and Souji Seta. Classes will be held during Nanako Dojima's free time. Membership: For life." At the bottom left were the Wild Cards' signatures. Her eyes shined with excitement. "How did you know?"

"Souji-kun told us. It was his idea," Minato said, pleased with her reaction. "Your dad also said your mom was a piano teacher, and you're taking lessons so you can be just like her."

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Nanako glomped all three of them. At that moment, the front door opened, revealing Dojima with a gift box in his hand. "Dad?!"

"Sorry I'm late. Damn rookies made me run around in circles finding files when it's right under their damn noses..." the older man grumbled as Nanako hugged him tightly. "I hope I didn't miss anything."

"Not a lot," Souji chuckled. "Just the embarrassing parts. We're about to get to the good stuff."

"Nanako-chan's mini-concert is just starting. It's only fair we play something for you before lessons can start, right?" Minako grinned. She took the little girl's hand and headed for the piano. "Aniki and I will play a song just for you."

"YAY!"

* * *

><p>The party was finally over. Dojima took a sleeping Nanako (full of happiness and satisfaction) home. Everyone helped with the cleaning before the Inaba team left for their own houses.<p>

After the dorm residents went to their rooms, Minako crept downstairs in her pyjamas and turned on the lounge lights. After getting herself a glass of water, she waited patiently at the piano, fingers gently tapping on the keys without pressing them.

Her patience paid off as she heard the shuffling of footsteps descending the stairs.

"The heck did you want me to come down at this hour anyway?" the gruff voice of Shinjiro grumbled.

"Sorry, Shinji. I know there's school tomorrow, but I have something I wanted to give you before I forget again." She patted the seat beside her, silently asking him to join her at the piano.

He complied. "So, what is it?" Minako only gave him a sweet smile. His heart beat picked up the pace. _'Damn...she's looks so cute right now...'_ he thought.

She leaned her head on his shoulder. "I just wanted some time alone with you," she said, lacing their fingers together, "and to give you a present."

"A present? What for?"

"Celebrating Nanako-chan's birthday today reminded me that we didn't celebrate yours yet."

Shinjiro snorted. "It's already passed."

"I know," Minako said, snuggling closer to him. "We didn't celebrate it back then too, before..." A few stray tears escaped her eyelids, soaking his t-shirt sleeve.

"Hey..." He gently held her chin, tilting her face upwards. "What did I say about crying?"

"Sorry. You're here now..." But the tears still fell. "It's not easy to forget something like that."

Shinjiro tightened his grip on her hand. "I know. I still have the proof." He touched his chest with the other hand, feeling the bumps of scar tissue under his thin shirt. "Ken may have forgiven me...doesn't mean I forgive myself yet..."

"Then I want to make a promise."

"What kind of promise?"

"Every year, on this day, I'll play a song just for you."

He shyly scratched his beanie-less head. "I'd...love that."

"Oh, and Shinji..." Minako lurched upwards, and gave him a kiss. "Happy belated birthday."

Shinjiro blushed. He may have gotten used to her pouncing on him and showing public displays of affection, but random kissing was still something new.

She giggled at his embarrassment. "I've been practicing this one for a while now. I hope you like it." She started to play, pressing the piano keys in rhythmic succession.

The tall brunette watched her slim fingers dance gracefully on the keys. As she played, the soft light reflecting in her eyes mesmerized him. Despite not being partial to music, it was a lovely song. His heart overflowed with love for her.

When she was done, he pulled her into a hug, tucking her head under his chin. "Thank you," he whispered. He finally found the answer to his earlier dilemma. "I love you."

Minako inhaled his natural scent, which she loved very much; a masculine woodsy smell, mixed with warm spices and smoke. "I love you too."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Yasogami High...<strong>_

Early Monday morning, the headmaster announced through the P.A. system that all students were to gather in the gym for an assembly. The reason wasn't mentioned. After a brief reminder of the final exam and culture festival dates by the secretary, the headmaster took the stage for one final announcement. "I'm afraid that due to unprecedented circumstances, the school trip will be postponed to the following week of the original date. Further details will be provided by your homeroom teachers by the end of the month. That is all. Assembly dismissed."

"All rise!" Sofue commanded from the stage. "And bow. Thank you very much!"

"THANK YOU VERY MUCH!" the students chorused and bowed to the headmaster.

There was a mix of excited chatter and dissatisfied grunts from the students as they exited, heading to class. The transfer students however, had something else in mind.

The senior SPIES were hanging out in their class during self-study period, gathering around Souji and Chie's desks. It was supposed to be English period, but Kondo-sensei had a fever that day and was not available to teach.

"So, you guys are going back to Port Island next week?" Yosuke asked, a pocky stick hanging out of his mouth. "What for?"

"It's Mitsuru-senpai's dad's death anniversary," Minato answered solemnly, looking out the window. "We kinda owe him big time, so we're going to pay our respects and give her our support."

Minako looked at the ground, the cheerfulness not in her eyes today. "I'm sure Ken-kun will want to visit his mother's grave as well. It's been ages since we visited ours."

"And I want to visit Miki," Shinjiro said. When the Inaba Persona-users looked at him with a questioning stare, he sighed. "She's Aki's little sister. During the night of the explosion, the orphanage we were living in got destroyed. She was the only casualty of the fire."

That only worsened the depressing mood. The rain made the temperature colder, and the sun was sure not to come out on such a gloomy day.

"And I'll be going with them," Souji told his friends. "I want to collect some of my belongings at my parents' apartment. Besides…" he trailed off with some hesitance, "I want to see for myself the place where we had our accident. That whole thing started this chain of events, and I want to find any clues there, something which was overlooked by the police."

"We can help," Chie offered. "I'm sure Mitsuru-san can write a perfectly good excuse letter for all of us to go. I mean, twenty heads are better than one…right?" She looked around nervously, hoping her little joke would lighten up the mood.

Souji shook his head. "As much as I'd like to take you guys with us, you need to stay here and keep an eye on the town and the TV World. If we all go, there won't be anyone left to fight Shadows when the Dark Hour hits."

Yukiko looked at her boyfriend uneasily, but she agreed to what he said. _'He needs this,'_ she thought to herself. _'If he could stop blaming himself for the accident, then he should go.'_

"We'll be leaving tomorrow morning, so I'm putting Yosuke in charge of the team for a while," Souji said. "Don't hesitate to contact me if you guys notice something amiss. If Rise has any trouble with Shadow analysis, she can contact Fuuka-san. We'll be returning the day after tomorrow."

They continued to talk about trivialities after Chie changed the topic. When Nakamura-sensei, their math teacher, entered the class, the students went back to their seats and the lessons continued.

Rain continued to pour outside.

* * *

><p>It was still raining and a bit misty when they boarded the train at Yasoinaba Station the next morning. It was so cold that anyone who needed to head outside had to bundle up.<p>

The Inaba Persona-users, Dojima and Nanako waved them goodbye from the platform. They couldn't help but feel worried that something bad will happen to Souji when he's there, but comforted knowing that he was in good hands. Unknown to seven of them, they were being watched.

The trip to Port Island was uneventful, and they reached their destination at noon. Despite the reason of their return, all of them were happy to be home. They stopped by Iwatodai dorm to drop off their stuff and take a short break. They took some time to wonder around Iwatodai and Port Island, revisiting old memories.

* * *

><p>For Souji and the twins, they stopped by the apartment that the silverette lived with his parents before their disappearance.<p>

"Ever since we started moving around, we only owned a minimum amount of stuff," Souji told them as they entered the apartment. Everything was neatly organized and proper, except for a thin layer of dust that settled.

Minako was surprised at the lack of personal touches, such as family photos and mementos. _'Perhaps they never had time to properly settle in?'_ she thought.

"Do you think your parents would mind if we went through some of this stuff?" Minato asked, pointing at the storage closet.

"Since they're not here, I don't think it'll matter," Souji said. "Besides, we're looking for clues so we're gonna have to do it anyway."

After Souji put aside the stuff he wanted to take back to Inaba, the trio went through every nook and cranny inside the small apartment, looking for anything out of the ordinary. They were surprised to find boxes that looked like it hadn't been opened for a very long time, containing items which held a lot of memories.

"I had no idea they still kept these..." Souji said as he flipped the old photo books open; their parents in their youth, baby pictures and holiday photos spent together being the most prominent.

"Look, they even kept their old music collection in here!" Minako said, taking out tape casings and vinyl discs. "Even Mom's piano recordings and composition sheets...I thought I'd never see them again..."

Minato dug deep into the closet, and took out another box. What he found inside wrapped in a bunch of newspapers caused him to tear up. "I can't believe it..." He opened the casing. "Dad's violin..."

They decided they would take the boxes back to Inaba after the service tomorrow, and made their way to the Moonlight Bridge while there was still daylight. A short bus ride later, they finally made it. Luckily, there wasn't a lot of foot traffic around with exception of a few cyclists, so they could look around without being bothered.

"It looks different in the day..." Minako commented. "It's weird that we also had an accident here so many years ago..."

Souji led them to the area where he and his parents had their accident. "This is it..." he told them. "The police told me this is where I was found, and our car hit that barricade over there." He pointed to a concrete border five feet away. "They concluded that my parents were thrown into the sea, but found no evidence."

They poked around every crevice, even any sidewalk cracks they could find, but got nothing. They searched until it was dark, and finally gave up for the day. Feeling parched, they rested and ordered drinks at a nearby cafe.

"I'm beat..." Minako whined, pressing her cheek against her glass of iced lemon tea.

Souji stared at his reflection in his cup of coffee. "And we still got nothing. I called Officer Kurosawa earlier, and he said there wasn't any progress."

Minato said nothing, staring out at the sky, his juice untouched. "Hmmm..."

"What is it, Aniki?" Souji asked.

"Perhaps we're looking at this from the wrong angle. It's not what the police found...it's what they don't see that we should be focusing on."

"Like what?" Minako wondered. They discussed a little more before calling it a night. They needed to get back or face Mitsuru-senpai's punishment.

The Wild Cards looked at the bridge one last time. The night was still early, but the sky was darker and cloudier than usual. It wasn't until some of the clouds dispersed, that had them gasping.

Hanging in the sky like an ominous orb, was the moon. But it was glowing a murderous red, tainting the clouds like red dye seeping through cotton.

_A Blood Moon_...

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><p>Oh, so many mysterious, so little answers XD I know we're evil. Stay tuned folks!<p>

**A few author's notes from Ohta-chan:**

**The quiz game in Nanako's party: think of it Midnight Trivia Miracle Quiz style from Persona 4 The Golden.**

**The music Minako is playing for Shinjiro was inspired by John Legend's "All of Me" in piano instrumental. You can find it on Youtube.**

Read and Review. :3


	24. Chapter 24: Blood Moon

Hello everybody! Man, how long has it been since I've last posted here? Anyway, I owe ya guys some explanations.

Final months of Residency were a bit of drag: had some problems with a boss who didn't like my performance at the hospital cycle back in september so I had to repeat the module during my vacations in december. Luckily january and february were much better than that. Due the above mentioned event, I had a really bad emotional breakdown: crying almost every day, doubting myself and wanting to quit residency. I had to go back to the psychiatric and resume taking medicine for my anxiety disorder. I'm much better now and I owe to all my friends.

I also was working on a Thesis paper. It was hard work, but I managed to complete it just in time. And the presentation day was a huge hit! I was praised by coworkers and teachers alike saying that my work could actually have impact on how healthcare caretakers handle nursing mothers and human milk donation. Residency ended on February 28th. At first I was thinking on doing an specialization course in allergy, but I didn't pass on the test and i started having second thoughts if that was what i really wanted. Also, I want to support mom better so I'm gonna work hard this year, make some money and then decide on how to further improve as a doctor. I already got a job at a health care unity not too far from home and I'm starting there this month so things should get a little more comfortable in the next months. Please bear with me and Ohta-chan as we get our act together. Once again sorry this took so long.

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><p><strong>Ohta-Suzuke's AN: **We're so so sorry this was late! *On hands and knees, bows* I'm so glad to have readers as loyal as you, I can't thank you enough! I was laid off my job April last year (I really loved that job, with its flexible hours and awesome, crazy colleagues) but alas, they've moved their operations to another country. Until now, I have not been able to get over it because I still miss my friends. Now I have a new job which takes up most of my energy, and the commute home takes up lots of writing time. Ideas run around in my head, but due to the normal working hours of day-dwellers, it gets lost somewhere as I keep getting called to meetings and thinking of stuff other than Persona. Sorry for the rant, but this is what I have been going through in the past year. Please don't hesitate to PM us if you have questions. Some of the stuff here may not make sense at first, but we'll do our best to clarify things in the coming chapters. Don't forget to drop a review!

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><p><strong>Questions Time!<strong>

kitanalao: Thank you so much for so many comments.

R U Out Lavos: Sorry about the delay. Hope ya like this chapter.

Kanjilearner1988: I hope you'll like this chapter. Sorry for the delay.

Cloud4012 Thank you =3 Hope you like it =3

gleamfang Well, it may not be the last time we see Adachi in this story so he might show more of his lovely personality soon.

Yusei Narukami Thank you. Regarding Souji. That's yet to be seen.

Originaljuan92: He shall appear soon. ;3

The Worldwalker: Thanks. Hopefully this chapter will be shed some light on it x3

Guest: Sorry about the long cliffhanger. that wasn't intentional XD;;; Hope ya enjoy the chapter

Yoshikunitsu: Thanks x3

BlackTyrantValvatorez: Those are some good suggestions. I'll give it some thought. Thanks =3

Darklight of the 0 arcana Yup. I saw it. I'm thinking on some ways to implement that on future chapters.

KO: I know right. That's creepy yet exciting.

**Read and Review!**

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><p><strong>Chapter 24: Blood Moon. <strong>

The three wild cards stared wide-eyed and mouth opened at the freaky scenario before them.

"What the hell…"

"…is going on…"

"…here?"

As if noticing that it was being stared at, the red moon grew brighter. The inky black sky made it look more ominous. It released a flash so blinding, they were forced to shield their eyes.

But just as soon as it appeared, the red moon was gone. In the blink of an eye, back in its place was an ordinary crescent moon emitting a dull light.

"What was that?" Minako gasped.

"It wasn't the Dark Hour, that's for sure," her twin stated.

"I can't tell if that was a Dark Hour phenomenon or not," said Souji. "But it could be related. I think a visit to the Velvet Room is warranted."

Minato shook his head. "No, it's getting late. We should regroup with the rest. My instincts tell me that we don't want to get caught off guard after something weird like that happened, especially at night."

"We can go visit Igor after the service tomorrow," Minako suggested. "Besides, I don't want to make the others worry."

Reluctantly, Souji agreed. They quickly made it back to the dorm.

* * *

><p><em><strong>The next day…<strong>_

The Persona-users were dressed in mourning garbs, preparing for the third death anniversary of Takeharu Kirijo. The service was only exclusive for family members, but Mitsuru pulled some strings to allow them to be there, hence the additional limousine hired to pick them up. The occasion was enough to put a damper on everyone's mood, even Junpei's, who would usually make up a stupid joke and get hit by Minako and Yukari later.

"Huh, it's not like what I experienced a limo ride should be…" Souji mused to himself. He laid back with ease, looking completely normal amongst the rest of the awkward youngsters (except Mitsuru, of course).

"You look like you're used to this, Banchou-kun," Minato whispered to him.

"Last time, the Velvet Room appeared to me as the inside of a limousine. The color scheme is what you'd expect, but it was more luxurious, to be honest."

Just like the Yakushima mansion, the Kirijo mansion was huge. So huge in fact, that they couldn't make out where the property began and where it ended.

The red-headed heiress began to address the itinerary to her friends. "Everyone will gather at the dining hall for breakfast while waiting for the rest to arrive. Once the priest arrives, we will hold prayers in the altar room. After paying our respects, lunch will be served and hopefully we can go home while the rest get back to their businesses."

"You don't look too pleased to mingle with your relatives, Mitsuru-san," commented Ken.

"Yes, I'd rather not do so for it will always steer back towards business talk, and other things which I'd rather not discuss at this point." She gave the twins a pointed look, which they understood. Having met her older and pompous prick of an ex-fiancé left a bitter taste in their mouths. Minato didn't regret punching the asshole for insulting his sister and friend. Akihiko extended the crook of his arm to Mitsuru, which she took with gratitude.

An elderly butler and a row of maids were waiting for them at the entrance. "Ojou-sama, welcome back," the butler greeted as the maids bowed. "Please let me take your coats. Kikuno-san is already awaiting your presence at the dining table."

"Have they arrived yet?" Mitsuru asked, trying to hide her nervousness.

"No. You and your friends are the first ones to arrive."

"Thank you. Please, lead the way."

In the dining room, Mitsuru made small talk with the staff as the rest ate silently. When the first wave of the Kirijo clan started to shuffle in, the Persona-users quickly finished their food, and ushered to the back garden by Kikuno. Her formalness immediately dropped after she closed the door. She was a woman of medium height, slightly taller than Yukari, with short, dark purple hair and brown eyes that would seem red at certain lighting. "Please don't take offense to this. Ojou-sama wanted you to steer clear of the family drama which will ensue." Her facial features softened at the mention of her mistress. "She will be joining you shortly, and I will be back to call you when the ceremony is starting." With a final bow, the trusted maid disappeared into the kitchens.

"What was that about?" Junpei questioned.

"Beats me, but she has the right idea," Shinjiro said, taking a seat on a bench by the vegetable plots. "I'd rather be here than getting tangled up in there. From what I can tell, they're a bunch of rich snobs and hypocrites. Aki might just lose his temper and start punching people."

"Isn't that what _**you **_would do?" Akihiko sighed. "But you're right. We're not equipped to deal with them. The sooner we get to pay our respects, the faster we can go visit Miki's grave."

"It must be hard…being a Kirijo," said Fuuka sadly. "All that expectation on her shoulders, yet the people she deals with look down on her all the time."

"Well, I refuse to be one of those people," Yukari said. "I believe in her, and will continue to support her as a friend. Those relatives of hers can't hold a candle against us," she finished confidently.

Everyone smiled, feeling the same way. They continued their small talk for about 20 minutes before Kikuno called for them. She led them to join Mitsuru at the family altar, and the lengthy ceremony began. The priest read prayers from the sutras, a few speeches were given, which droned on and on. Some of the younger generation had their heads bowed, snoring lightly at the back. And finally, the offerings and burning of incense which signified the closing of the ceremony had ended.

After lunch, Mitsuru bid goodbye to her family members and left with her friends. She ordered the limo driver to stop by the gravesite where a majority of Iwatodai's deceased residents were buried. They made a quick stop at the shrine, before splitting up to visit their own deceased relatives. Fuuka left them to go home and visit her parents, and Junpei left to check up on his dad.

The Wild Cards placed their joss sticks and offerings in front of two gravestones, located side-by-side, which they haven't visited in a long time. Engraved on them were the names of the people they lost 13 years ago: _Kazuki Arisato_ and _Miyuki Arisato_.

"Mom…Dad…sorry we haven't visited in a while," Minato began, placing some water in a glass vase which held a bunch of geraniums. "Look who we brought with us. It's Banchou-kun."

"You wouldn't believe how much he's grown! He outgrew the both of us, even if are older than him," Minako said, arranging her sunflowers in another vase.

"A lot has happened since then…" Souji took out a photo from his pocket; a copy of the one on his study desk, and placed them between the two gravestones. "I miss you guys…"

They stayed there and talked to the gravestones and each other, as if their conversations would reach the Underworld and back. When they had nothing else to say, they put their palms together once more and prayed.

* * *

><p><em><strong>The third day…<strong>_

The Velvet siblings were perplexed after their guests told them about what they had witnessed last night. It wasn't just them; Belladonna, Nameless and the Demon Artist stopped what they were doing. For some reason, they looked frightened.

Igor wasn't smiling. His eyes closed, deep in thought. When he reopened them, he still wasn't smiling. "The phenomenon you have witnessed is called 'Blood Moon.' In terms of astronomy, it is a natural occurrence also known as a lunar eclipse, which only happens during a full moon. Some call it 'Harvest Moon' or 'Hunter's Moon', an old term used for the full moon during or closest to the autumnal equinox. However, what puzzles me is the description you gave me does not resemble the normal appearance of a Harvest Moon."

"But…it wasn't even supposed to be a full moon last night," Minato retorted.

"Indeed. According to ancient beliefs, it also signifies a bad omen. Some believe that it has associations with black magic and witchcraft. Whatever the case, the situation is much, much more complicated than I had initially thought."

Souji let out an exhausted exhale of breath, pushing his bangs back. "First the Dark Hour returning, then the Fog, ghost apparitions appearing out of nowhere…now _this_? Just what is it that we're not seeing here?"

"I'm tired of waiting for clues to appear," Minako groaned in frustration. Her brows furrowed, a sign of a headache coming on.

Theodore stepped forward, bowing gentlemanly and took her hand in his gloved one to ease her discomfort. "Please do not overburden your thoughts, Master Minako," he said in a smooth voice. "Whenever you think too much, it clouds your judgment. Rest assured that my sisters and I are doing our best to gather information."

"I suggest you three do the same," said Elizabeth. "Try to observe your surroundings, sharpen your senses to any occurrences that happen around you, and try to pick up on small details. They might seem insignificant at first, but remember that in pursuit of truth, the eyes are often the first to be deceived."

"The three of you were chosen as Wild Cards for a reason. You are unlike your friends, whose abilities are limited to a certain degree," Margaret reminded them. "Take Elizabeth's and Theodore's advice to heart. The clues may have already appeared…you are just limiting yourselves." An enigmatic smile curved on her red lips, as if teasing The Fools of something they should have known by now.

Despite somewhat understanding what she's implying, the guests were still confused.

Belladonna continued to sing to Nameless' overture, and the Demon Artist busied himself with his painting. Igor took this as a sign to end their session. "Before you take your leave, I too, would like to leave some food for thought," said Igor. "Opportunities are not all equal. When facing an impasse, sometimes the best course of action is to create an opportunity instead of waiting for one. That is a choice you will have to make, which requires wisdom and timing." The Velvet Room was starting to blur, the edges a fuzzy white. "There is still more to explore, so I hope you use your time wisely before things get…chaotic..." the old man finished ambiguously.

Their vision turned completely white, and before they knew it, the Wild Cards were standing on solid pavement in the alley beside Paulawnia's police box.

Souji cocked his head, frowning in slight annoyance. "Is just me, or did we just get kicked out?"

"We were definitely kicked out," Minato deadpanned.

"Why would they do that?!" Minako pouted, restraining the need to stomp her foot like an angered child. "And what's up with them anyway…it's like they're hiding something from us."

"At least they left us with something, even if it isn't much," Souji said. He held his chin, re-playing what Theodore, Elizabeth, Margaret and Igor said to them a few times from his memory. "We haven't been doing much on our part, to be honest. I wonder what Igor meant by 'creating opportunities'."

"Perhaps there's still more to learn about our situation, particularly the patterns of these ghost sightings and Shadow attacks. And the rumors as well...we haven't really been observing the human element as a factor," the eldest said. He gripped his grey coat tighter to his body as a sudden gust of chill blew past them. Souji and Minako did the same. "We better get back. It feels like autumn is ending sooner than we thought."

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, back in the room suspended between the conscious and subconscious, another visitor just arrived.<p>

"Welcome back to the Velvet Room."

* * *

><p><em><strong>The same day, back in Inaba…<strong>_

_**Evening...**__**  
><strong>_

The Inaba team were walking Nanako home after a shopping trip at Junes. With Dojima working late hours and Souji out of town, the girls decided to take the little girl shopping so they could buy some ingredients for their cooking club once their Port Island counterparts returned and to surprise their leader with a nice, home-cooked meal when he got back. That being said, Yosuke and Kanji refused stubbornly to become taste-testers…except for Teddie, on one of his feeble, single-track minded attempts to 'score' with the girls.

"Big Bro is gonna love the lunch we'll make for him when he comes home!" Nanako cheered, carrying a grocery bag filled with tangerines and autumn vegetables.

"Of course he will, Nanako-chan!" Yukiko said, smiling with her. "Souji-kun will love whatever you make for him."

Nanako's smile dimmed, and then she pouted. "I hope it's better than the Valentine's Day chocolate... he passed out right after the first bite..."

Kanji and Yosuke's eyes widened. Horror-struck, the latter turned to the girls. "P-please tell me you didn't help her make that chocolate..."

Rise, Chie and Yukiko exchanged nervous glances. Naoto sighed and facepalmed, having put together what had obviously happened. "No wonder Senpai came to school rather pale the next day. I thought his fever had returned," she muttered.

"What the hell are you trying to do?! Make Nanako-chan as bad at cooking as you guys are, and poison Senpai too?!" Kanji nearly screamed.

"Wh-what was that?! It's not our fault he got sick from eating too much chocolate!" Chie protested rudely. "He got some from Yukiko, me, Rise-chan, Naoto-kun, almost every other girl at school, and Marie-chan too!"

"But Sensei couldn't eat all that chocolate by himself. He gave some of it to me!" Teddie said, happy at having gotten his share of 'love' during Valentine's. "But... it didn't do me good..."

"Good?! Pigging out on all that chocolate gave you a bad stomach ache for three days! My closet still has whiffs of vomit, dammit!" Yosuke yelled. "I'm surprised Souji didn't end up in the hospital due to another culinary screw-up from you guys. Seriously!"

"What?! We're just trying to be good role models for Nanako-chan!" Rise pouted.

"Role models of what? Cooking of Mass Destruction?" Kanji shook his head. "If Fuuka-senpai and Minako-senpai can't help you guys, you're a lost cause. Period."

Before her boyfriend could draw out the fury of three girls, Naoto decided to step in. "Now, now... I'm sure if we just follow the recipe book more closely this time, we'll get it done correctly."

"But where's the fun in that?" Rise whined.

"Big Bro said it's important to learn the basics before doing complex things," Nanako said. "He told me that he had to practice lots and lots before he could make such tasty food."

Yukiko frowned. She agreed with Rise, but on the other hand wanted the food she made to turn out as good as the chefs' at the inn. "Actually...the twins told me the same thing. If Souji-kun says so too, then let's try something simple first. Perhaps an omelet…or egg over rice?"

"I'm sure if it's made with love, then he'll absolutely love it!" An unfamiliar voice rang vigorously somewhere behind them. "I mean, who wouldn't love something so lovely made by equally lovely ladies?"

The Persona-users were caught by surprise, quickly looking around for the source of the voice, until he came around the corner, appearance visible to all. It was a teenage boy around their age, dressed smartly in a crisp, buttoned-down white shirt, black slacks held up by black suspenders and polished shoes. His hair was inky black, neatly slicked back. Wrapped around his neck was a long, yellow scarf. But what made him stand out was the color of his eyes…a mysterious shade of blue sparkling with mischief.

Nanako ran over to greet him. "Ryoji-san!" she exclaimed, giving him one of her beaming grins. He approached them with a bright smile.

"Why, good evening, dearest Nanako-chan. Are these are your friends?" At her nod, his smile broadened. "Talk about a sweet bunch of people. So many lovely ladies and cool guys."

Teddie sniffed him warily. "Hey, who are you? How do you know Nana-chan?" he asked, trying to make his voice sound threatening…which obviously didn't work.

"Oh, please forgive my manners. I am Ryoji Mochizuki." He bowed before running a hand through his dark, spiky locks. "Nanako-chan here is best friends with my little brother. He never stops talking about how much fun they have after school."

"How is Pharos-kun?" Nanako asked.

"He's doing great. He told me to say hi if I happen to run into you." Ryoji scanned the group of people, and frowned when he couldn't find who he was looking for. "Hmm, where's Souji?"

Yosuke raised an eyebrow. "You know Souji?" He knew his partner would have told him about it if he had met someone this... _mysterious_. That was the vibe that he felt this guy was giving off.

"Yup! I ran into him and the twins when I went to the hospital for a check-up. The demands of work can be quite taxing." Ryoji adjusted his scarf and flipped his hair once more. "They're really nice people, but I haven't gotten the chance to chat with any of them again afterwards. Guess they just got really busy since I see them about town doing all sort of things."

"I guess you can say that…" Yosuke mumbled, still not feeling so sure about the guy. "You're out of luck. Souji's out of town for a few days. Had to solve some things over at Port Island."

"I see... A few days off should do him some good." The dark-haired young man nodded sagely and crossed his arms. "The last time I saw him, he looked kinda worn out. I hope he takes better care of himself." He then gave them his most charming smile. "But I'm sure he'll do much better when he comes back. I mean, with so many loving, cute girls and brave, supportive friends by his side, a guy can do anything!"

Hearts appeared in Rise's eyes. "He's so~ dreamy~!" She swooned. Kanji had to catch her. "He's so handsome and perfect…nothing he says is annoying or indecent!"

"I gotta admit, he _**is**_ cute," Chie complimented, a light blush dusting her cheeks. "He's quite the charmer."

"I agree. He's the type of guy you can enjoy talking to without sounding awkward or feel shameful to be seen with," Yukiko said.

"I must say his charisma is quite remarkable," Naoto stated, adjusting her cap to hide her own reddening cheeks.

In no time at all, Ryoji was surrounded by five girls, enjoy their attention as he cracked small jokes and made them giggle and laugh, much to Yosuke and Kanji's annoyance, but not to point of wanting to punch him. Teddie on the other hand, was starting to fall under Ryoji's spell.

"The hell…? He's worse than Teddie!" Kanji complained. Not that he was heard. "He can flirt with our girls AND get away with it!?"

"Tell me about it. It pisses me off that he's openly flirting with them, in front of us no less, but I can't really bring myself to hate the guy. I mean, he doesn't seem that bad…" Yosuke shook his head. "And his pick-up lines are a million times way better than Teddie's." He looked at the human Shadow, expecting the little guy to whine about his misfortune or something equally pitiful, but that wasn't the case. "Huh?"

Said blonde had sparkles in his eyes, as if he had seen the most amazing thing in the entirety of his human existence. "I knew it... I knew it there was another one with the same destiny as me in this great big world!" He sounded ecstatic. "Someone with dashing looks just like me, and hiding beneath it is a dangerous ladykiller who scores with all the girls! Can I call you 'brother'?"

The other two sweatdropped. "Damn, that dude is really something..." Kanji said.

Yosuke sighed. "If somehow Ryoji-san does end up teaching him, Teddie could actually score with a real girl one day…" He thought it over. "Huh, he might actually shut up for once."

Ryoji turned to them, noticing that they were carrying several groceries bags. "Allow me to help you with those." He took a few bags off the girls, since Yosuke and Kanji already were already carrying some of the stuff. "After all, delicate girls such as yourselves shouldn't be carrying such heavy things."

Rise swooned once more, metaphorical pink hearts floating around her, and the other girls blushed harder at such a rare display of chivalry. It prompted Teddie to take action. "Then_**I**_ will carry the rest of the bags!" he declared.

"Are you sure you can handle it?" Ryoji asked out of concern.

"Don't let my gentle, delicate frame fool you! Underneath this hunk of gorgeousness, beats the heart of a wild bear!" Teddie proudly huffed, and picked the remaining bags, struggling to hold all of that weight in his skinny arms all at once. "I...ngghh…can take this…No….problem!" Despite his bold declarations, his knees were slightly wobbling, but he put up a strong front.

"Wow, Teddie, you're so strong!" Nanako cheered him on.

Ryoji was no less encouraging. "Nanako-chan is right, You are as strong as a bear!"

"Thank. You!" he grunted. They were inflating his ego and that gave him the drive he needed to keep it up.

The girls were actually impressed at Teddie's change of attitude. "Y'know, if he looks up to Ryoji-kun like this, he might actually do something right," Chie whispered to them.

"Indeed, but I don't think we should tell him about it," Naoto pointed out.

Rise giggled. "Totally! We don't want his ego to get bigger than it already is."

"I agree," Yukiko added.

The other two guys were baffled. "Did he just…did that guy just trick Teddie into carrying all the groceries AND impress the girls all in one?" Yosuke gasped, stunned. "Damn, he's a pro!"

"I guess... I guess even I could learn something from him," Kanji muttered.

"Come on guys!" Ryoji called them. "It's getting late. We should get going."

They couldn't help but smile. Ryoji's cheerful personality and laughter was infectious. He walked with the Persona-users to their homes, cracking jokes and flirting with the girls all the way.

A certain distance away, a black haired young lady and a boy in stripped pajamas watched them from afar. "So, Souji-kun did go back to his old place," Marie stated. "I guess he's trying to find his own answers too..."

"And judging from the reactions of Nanako-chan and his friends, they know not of his inner struggle," Pharos added. "He's really good at hiding it."

"That stupididiotjerk! Hiding something like that won't do him any good," Marie berated no one in particular. "And that moron Ryoji is supposed to warn them about it, not chase after skirts."

"I think Ryoji did deliver the message…in his own way," Pharos said, giving her a cryptic smile. "What they'll do about it, it's yet to be seen."

Marie's ire spiked a little, before sighing and walked away. "Whatever. Come on, when that playboy is done fooling around, I gotta report this to The Nose and the Blues."

* * *

><p><em><strong>S.P.I.E.S Dorm…<strong>_

To say Souji wasn't exhausted would be an utter lie. The same applied to the rest of the Port Island Persona-users. They just arrived back in Inaba, and the weather wasn't helping with its light drizzle, dark clouds and chilling winds. The group dragged their feet along with their luggage as they entered the dorm, trying to mentally stave off the cold and hunger by thinking about hot chocolate, warm soup or thick, soft blankets to snuggle in all night. Of course, Souji called his uncle earlier and informed him that he would be crashing at the dorm for the night.

Mitsuru unlocked the front door, and pushed it open. They were so tired that none of them noticed one of the dim lights were on, which Aigis was vigilant enough to turn off before they left for Iwatodai.

"SURPRISE!"

They nearly jumped out of their skins. Koromaru barked three times before whining and hiding behind Ken, covering his eyes with this ears and paws. Mitsuru froze in her tracks. Junpei was the first to freak out and threw his bag at a random direction.

"Ouch!" a deep voice grunted. "Hey, watch where you throw that thing!"

The lights came on, and some of the girls (Yukari and Fuuka in particular) screamed. In front of them stood a tall figure in ripped clothing, half of its face a grotesque green with bolts sticking out of its head, scowling at them.

Akihiko's fighting instincts took over, but before he could punch the stranger, Souji recognized it immediately. "Kanji? What are you doing in last year's Halloween costume?"

Sure enough, it was Kanji in all his tall and muscled glory, dressed as Frankenstein's Monster. The others behind him were dressed up as well – Yosuke as a werewolf, Yukiko as a cute witch, Chie in a Bruce Lee jumpsuit and matching gloves, Naoto (blushing in embarrassment) as a black cat, Rise as a succubus, and Teddie as a Jack-O lantern.

"Wow, Partner. You must really be really out of if you can't even tell this is a party," Yosuke jested, shaking his maracas for emphasis. "From the way you guys left for Port Island, we decided to hold a party and cheer you up!"

"I appreciate the thought, Hanamura, but we're exhausted and in need of rest," Mitsuru interrupted him. "We've all just returned from an emotionally draining ordeal, and want nothing more than –" Her sentence was cut off by stomachs growling.

Chie blushed. "Aheheh…pardon me. I kinda skipped dinner at home because I was promised gyuudon at this party."

Akihiko sported an unabashed grin as well. "Yeah…come to think of it, we also skipped dinner because we were afraid we'd miss the train back here…"

"Senpai is right," Fuuka said, holding on to her own stomach. "I didn't feel hungry on the way because I was so tired. Now that we're actually here, I'm hungry again."

"Lucky for you guys we ordered some Aiya's in advance," Kanji grinned, jerking a thumb in the direction of the dining room. "You won't hafta worry about Myst- I mean, anybody screwin' around in the kitchen." Souji and Yosuke sweatdropped. Luckily, Kanji caught himself from using the dreaded code word aptly describing the girls' horrendous cooking.

"Yeah, we kinda got that…" Yukari trailed off skeptically. "What I don't get is the costumes. Halloween ended days ago."

"Did the Halloween display at Junes get cancelled again?" Souji asked.

Yosuke sighed. "No, they decided not to do it this year…which totally sucks. The weather wasn't cooperating either."

"I was pumped about handing the kids balloons and treats this year, too," Teddie said in a defeated tone.

"So long story short, we decided to bring the celebration here. Thanks to the spare key you gave us, we let ourselves in," Naoto finished Yosuke's sentence for him.

"But that's not all," Yukiko interjected, sounding excited for some reason. "Yosuke-kun and Teddie managed to find some costumes for you all, and Kanji-kun made some adjustments so that they'll fit. The clothes are inside your rooms."

"So go on and get dressed already! I'm hungry!" Chie urged, making shooing motions with her hands.

"_Teddie_ found our costumes?! I don't like the sound of that…" Yukari mumbled.

"Ugh, I knew something smelled fishy the moment we arrived at the train station," Shinjiro grumbled.

Souji gave him a sympathetic smile. "Just go with it, guys. Once they get like this, anything short of a freight train won't be able to stop them."

"That hyperbole is laying it too thick…" Minato sighed.

His sister however, looked positively elated. "You chose me a costume?! I can't wait to see what it is!" Minako all but squealed, and rushed to her room.

The blue haired twin sighed again. "And then there's her…"

"Minako-senpai has the right idea!" Rise cheered. "Oh, Akihiko-san…" she continued as-a-matter-of-factly, "you might want to go and change right about now. Once Chie-senpai, Yosuke-senpai and Kanji start fighting over the meat, there won't be anything left."

"Senpai, your costume is in Minato-senpai's room," Kanji told Souji. "I patched up some of the tears, too. We even prepared something special for Koro-chan in there. I'm sure you'll love it!" He gave them an enthusiastic thumbs up.

The enthusiasm was not shared by everyone. Shinjiro mumbled curses all the way to his room (because he knew there was no way in hell out of this), Akihiko was torn between going upstairs and dinner, and the girls were a mix of skeptical, moody and curious. But they _were_ hungry, so they proceeded to change as to not hurt their friends' feelings.

About 20 minutes later, the Port Island Persona-users came down one by one. There was no commentary like the Yakushima trip. First up was Minako in a pink princess dress with a golden crown, Yukari came next in a red Qi Pao and a Chinese hat ("Hey, isn't this skirt a bit on the short side?" she complained), followed by Akihiko as a Japanese general ("Why do I suspiciously feel like a gang leader in this?" he asked), and Fuuka was dressed in what seems to be a cross between a Victorian dress and a detective's tweed coat with a fashionable deerskin hat ("Is this costume…steampunk?" she wondered). Following them was a smug Junpei in a blue baseball player's uniform with a traditional, Japanese twist where the top resembled a kimono, the kanji character for 'Victory' emblazoned on the back. Up next was Ken, as Feather Hawk (though he would never admit it, he was smiling non-stop from behind the helmet), Minato as a male cheerleader, and Koromaru wore a red bandana around his neck with a loose necklace of colorful glass balls. Souji came next dressed as a vampire, his own costume from last year. Shinjiro followed, in a complete bodyguard's tuxedo and dark shades, his head beanie-less ("Wow, you look so different when you're dressed up for once. Doesn't he look dashing, Minako-senpai?" Rise praised him. She got a scowl in return). The android sisters both had minimalist costumes, much like Naoto's – Aigis as a black dog and Metis as a white cat ("Sister, who is this 'Mewlie-san' that you keep referring me to?" Metis asked). Mitsuru appeared last in an armor decorated with some leopard prints, beads and feathers, and a golden headband around her head.

"What am I supposed to be?" Mitsuru questioned, tugging on the fabric of the armor and running her fingers across the beads.

"Isn't it obvious? You're an Amazon queen," Rise answered for her. "A pretty badass one, too. I was the one who suggested Kanji to make it for you."

Kanji grinned. "It took a while for me to get it adjusted. It used to be worn by Chie-senpai in the TV World but it needed fixing. Rise added the finishing touches of beads and feathers to make it look authentic. Do you like it?"

"All of these were the armors we used during our murder investigations in the TV," Naoto told them. "Kanji-kun had repurposed or resized them so that they could fit the wearer. As you can see, he's quite talented."

"C'est magnifique! Repurposed, you say? I'm impressed how it can fit so well on me when Satonaka and I have different body types. The craftsmanship and beadings are exquisite."

"Kanji-kun, this dress is so cute!" Minako twirled, causing the puffy skirt to swirl around her legs.

"Uh…yeah. That dress was kinda inspired by the one worn by Yukiko-senpai's Shadow. I made it from her tsukesage," Kanji said, shyly looking away. "I decided to have you wear it since you guys are about the same size. I made that crown from some scrap metal I salvaged at Daidara's."

Minako twirled some more, and pulled Shinjiro in an awkward waltz. He stumbled on his feet, finding it difficult to keep up with the hyper girl and controlling his blush. "Oi, slow down, would you? It's not like I'm going anywhere…" Ah, so he wasn't resisting. The female leader's laughter signaled that the party has started. Everyone loosened up and started to tease about each others' costumes, though it was all in good fun. Conversation flowed easily.

Yukari grabbed Fuuka's shoulder and whispered in her ear. "Hey Fuuka, Minako is a princess and Shinjiro-senpai is a bodyguard. You think they might elope one day and live happily ever after?"

"Oh, you're referring to that Western drama we used to watch back in high school," Fuuka whispered back. "You're right. But unlike in the drama, I can imagine Minako-chan dragging Shinjiro-senpai to get married instead of the other way around. She's stubborn like that, and he can't resist her anyway." They giggled at that.

Koromaru wagged his tail, pleased at being able to participate in the festivities. "And what are you supposed to be, Koromaru?" Ken asked the Shiba Inu. He barked his answer.

Before Aigis or Metis could translate, Souji told Ken the answer. "He's dressed as Yatsufusa, one of my Personas. According to legend, he was the messenger dog of the emperor who was promised his daughter after defeating his enemy, but the emperor broke that promise. Do you know that story?"

As usual, Teddie began flirting. "Oh, Mitsu-chan. That armor brings out your adult charms even more! Will I be able to score with you after my punishment ~ ?" Nobody batted an eyelid at what happened to him next.

Their hunger finally prompted the Persona-users to head to the dining hall where dinner was being served. It was a relief for everyone that the food came from Aiya's, so that way there would be no nasty surprises hiding underneath something seemingly innocent.

But the peace wasn't meant to last. Chie and Akihiko smelled meat and started to race each other to the table.

"Hey, hands off the protein!" Akihiko commanded. Yosuke was trying to hold Chie back from devouring the beef bowls by herself, especially the 'Rainy Day Beef Bowl' which was meant to be shared. The insane amount of beef crammed into that bowl almost gave Shinjiro a heart attack.

The table was already set and the food divided equally, but the elegance of it all was ruined by bickering teammates. Mitsuru took a stand. "Knock it off! I'm tired, hungry and I want to enjoy some time with my companions. So help me, or I'll execute anyone who tries to ruin this evening!"

The threat worked. Everyone behaved. Souji and Yosuke forced Teddie to sit in between them, making sure he stays out of trouble. As they ate, the topic of their short trip back to Port Island came up. It began with the usual stuff like the weather and new items available in Paulawnia Mall, until the topic of the Velvet Room popped up. The Wild Cards reiterated any information they got from the Velvet Room, which caused the others to groan.

"Can't that old man come up with something better?" Shinjiro grumbled. "And those blue guys…they've been repeating the same thing over and over again. It's getting on my nerves!"

"I second that!" Kanji said. "They should be telling us something we _**don't**_ know."

Minako stood up and made a hand gesture for everyone to calm down. "I know how frustrating it is because we haven't made much progress, and it's the policy of the Velvet Room not to give direct answers. They can only assist, not interfere," she said. "But I agree with Margaret that we're limiting ourselves. We just have to find new ways of looking for information."

"Our usual method of talking with the townspeople isn't going to work this time," Souji told them. "I don't think they are involved with this crisis, and seeing as these spirit sightings are becoming a norm, they're not likely to remember anything useful. Given time, perhaps…but I don't think we have that luxury."

Everyone murmured their agreement, and the dining table turned silent, the Persona-users thinking on finding another method for intel-gathering. Mitsuru was especially thinking hard.

Not Chie though. She was pumped up. Despite the disappointing news, she had been looking forward to another round of training after Akihiko got back. She looked to her left only to see her boyfriend with his face on the table, looking down in the dumps. "Yosuke, what's the matter with you?"

"Pipe down…" he grumbled, his voice muffled by the table. "I just remembered that I'm not looking forward to work tomorrow. Ugh…so many numbers…my eyes hurt…" Whatever he was mumbling after that didn't make any sense.

"Oooohhh…I think I know why Yosuke's like that," Teddie cooed, an impish giggle escaping. "A bear-y pretty lady was looking for his dad when we clocked in for work. Later Yosuke got called to his office. Teehee ~ I bet that buxom babe reject- OW!"

"That's not what happened, you little twerp!" Yosuke gripped the blonde's ears before he could utter another word, and before Chie kicked him for thinking he cheated on her. "She's the auditor from Junes HQ going through our accounts. And since I'm your supervisor, I got yelled at for any discrepancies caused by _you_ sneaking out snacks!"

"But Yosuke, it was only some candy and potato chips. I told the pretty cashier lady I'd pay for them later…"

The huge, red tick mark throbbed even more on Yosuke's forehead. "You…you little _liar_! _Five_ bottles of soda, packed lunches from the sample food section and _ten_ boxes of candy?! And don't get me started on the ones you took last week! Do you know how torturing it was going through that many numbers?! I have to do it all over again tomorrow!"

Teddie flailed his arms, attempting to escape from his foster-brother's hold. He grabbed onto Kanji in hopes that his fellow junior would help him, only to get yelled at. Everyone sweatdropped. Leave it up to these three to kill a serious moment.

"That's it!"

To everyone's surprise, it was Mitsuru. She wasn't angry at such display of frivolousness. Her eyes lighted with…_inspiration_? "I must look into this lead at once!" she said, and whipped out her phone. "Kikuno, is that you? I need you to do me a favor…" She stepped out of the room, her voice becoming soft whispers in the hallway.

Yukari blinked. "What…what that all about?"

"She was calling Kikuno-san…I think it has something to do with the family business?" speculated Fuuka.

"If it's important, she'll keep us updated," Akihiko assured the others.

"Senpai, you know how she is. Even if it was important, she'll keep it to herself if she feels that it'll endanger us," Yukari reminded him, her face grimacing in disapproval.

"Look around us, Takeba. Isn't it too late for that?" Shinjiro pointed out.

She held up her hands in surrender, too tired to be arguing about this right now. Junpei and the twins wisely remained quiet. Mitsuru has yet to return, but even she wouldn't miss dinner after such a long journey back. The atmosphere around the room mellowed somewhat, despite the arguing boys in the background.

Shinjiro sighed heavily, heaving himself off his seat and headed into the kitchen. "I think I just wasted my time. I'm gonna go make some drinks." Koromaru loyally followed him, wagging his tail and panting happily. "Souji, mind giving me a hand?"

The others snapped out of their trances. Some tried to take control of the situation by trying to separate Yosuke, Kanji and Teddie, which wasn't going successfully thus far.

It was Rise who finally had enough and announced that the games were about to start, and had to assure the Port Island boys that, no, there wasn't going to be a King's Game this time. Instead there would be apple bobbing, silly quizzes, a photograph contest and a few unmentioned ones in which she told them, "That's for me to know, and you to find out!"

Truth be told, it wasn't all that bad. They had immense fun during the photograph contest where they took pictures of themselves in various poses (and if it wasn't for Minako, Shinjiro wouldn't have participated at all) with a Polaroid camera belonging to Rise, pasted them on the wall, and made up ridiculous stories about princesses and witches, ghosts and heroes, bodyguards and monsters, a forbidden love between a queen and a rival country's army general, and so forth depending on the sequence of the photos.

After they were sated with full bellies and laughter, the Inaba residents decided that they too should crash at the dorm and leave for their own homes the next morning.

It was a night where pleasant memories were made; to compensate for the ones that SEES had to go through back then.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Yasogami High, Class 3-2...<strong>_

School was dull (as if that's surprising), but at this time of year Yasogami High buzzed with excitement. The cultural festival was just around the corner, one of the few annual events that got the town riled up. It was particularly important for Yasogami High, because not only was it an opportunity to increase enrollment of new students. It was also one of the best events to make some extra cash.

In a certain class however, the mood wasn't exactly matching up…

"Alright, let's get this brainstorming session over and done with. It's not like you guys give a damn…" the class rep mumbled the last part.

Soon enough a few people were scribbling onto strips of paper, some of them taking a long time to come up with an idea, except Yosuke. He finished writing down his idea before Chie could yell "Steak!"

"Done!" he exclaimed. His classmates turned to him, eyebrows raised. None of them forgot what he suggested last year. Though most of them slacked off, those who actually participated (Souji, Yukiko, Chie and the class rep) shot him venomous glares.

Yosuke winked at them. "Hey, don't look at me like that! I promise this time it will be good."

"I swear if your idea gets chosen and it's embarrassing, I'll murder you myself," hissed Chie. The Iwatodai transfer students wondered what the whole fuss was about – they'll have to ask the rest of their teammates later during lunch break.

Souji didn't say anything, but crossed his fingers and hoped for the best. _'I just hope it isn't some sort of play…I'm stressed enough as it is trying to keep up with lessons to memorize any lines.'_

Anyone who had suggestions passed their strips of paper to the class rep assistant. Yosuke grinned like a fool as he handed his.

The class rep cleared his throat to get his classmates' attention. "Well, after last year's fiasco, I just hope all of you learned your lesson and not put in anything ridiculous. I'll be reading the suggestions now. Let's see; Library café, normal enough…movie theatre…haunted house, but class 2-1 is already doing that so it's rejected. What the – maid café?! Rejected!"

"That was quick!" a guy from the left side of the classroom complained. The girls gave him dirty looks, to which he curled into a ball in fear.

The class rep continued. "Ugh, people never learn. On with the rest…karaoke club…and…" He flipped the last piece of paper, "Jazz bar." A vein popped on his forehead. "Who the hell wrote this? Do you want to get arrested?!"

Immediately all heads turned to Yosuke. "Hey, I didn't mean it has to serve alcohol!" he defended. Now everyone knew where that idea came from. "I meant like a lounge setting where people listen to music and drink stuff that's _not_ booze. Geez, I'm not stupid!"

"W-well…" the class rep was taken aback, anger forgotten. "If that's the case, then I guess it's up to the votes. So there we have it. Write down your choice on another piece of paper and we'll pass around the ballot box shortly."

After all was said and done, the class rep and his assistant began counting the votes. "Jazz bar…library café…jazz bar…jazz bar…karaoke club…"

Minato looked to his right to see Yosuke smirking. _'What is he planning? I just hope it isn't anything like Junpei's perverted ideas…Kenji wasn't any help either.'_ He sweatdropped as he recalled some of Tomochika's lewd suggestions back when they were in Gekkoukan.

"Looks like the jazz bar wins the votes," the class assistant announced. She pushed her spectacles up her nose. "As usual, I just hope all of you pitch in and take responsibility to make this a success. We'll be leaving for the faculty office and student council for approval and later discuss any ideas with you all." With a bow, both left the classroom.

The Persona-users gathered around Yosuke's desk, since the teachers announced a self-study session for an impromptu meeting earlier. "Alright Hanamura, what's the big idea? It seems way out of your league to think of something as cool as this after what happened last year," Chie said, narrowing her eyes at her boyfriend.

Again with the smirk. "Don't get all riled up. Just so you know, I happen to like jazz. I just thought it would be cool to do something relaxing after the exams. You know, chill out with friends and family, listening to music, and eat some tasty snacks..." He turned to the Wild Cards. "Besides, I thought we could combine our musical talents once more like that awesome Junes concert we did with Rise. And jazz seems to be right up you guys' alley."

They thought about this for a moment. It did sound like fun.

"As for Shinjiro-san, we can use his culinary talents on the bar side of this event," Yosuke added. "And Yukiko has solid experience in waitressing. Metis is cute, so she'll be our promoter. Chie can help her out with that."

"Hey, I never agreed to this in the first place!" Shinjiro retorted.

"I do like the idea," Souji said, ignoring him. "It's appropriate for all ages, as long as people are aware we won't be serving alcohol."

Yosuke looked pleased. "That's what the promoters are for. A live concert will attract the crowds for sure!"

"One problem though," interjected Yukiko, sounding worried. "Aside from the four of you, everyone else can't play an instrument as well. Remember how long it took us to practice just _one_ of Rise-chan's songs?"

That got the rest thinking. There was silence for a few moments until Minako spoke up. "Then why don't we do a live performance, say….every one to two hours? That way, we'll have enough time to take a break in between or take over for the others in case we're short on staff, and we don't need to play as many songs."

"And we don't want to steal the spotlight from the music club. Ayane-chan told me they'll be having their own concert to promote their club," Minato added. "We'll be doing something completely different from hers so I guess it won't be stealing their thunder."

"Great!" Yosuke cheered. His enthusiasm perplexed his friends. He wasn't like this last year. "I'll get started on a playlist right after school!"

Minako was too steeped in excitement to give much thought about the possibility of failure. "Yosuke-kun, wanna borrow some of mine? I think there are some classy numbers in here which are people-friendly!" she offered, waving her brother's MP3 player to his face, almost choking the blunette simultaneously.

Shinjiro groaned, returned to his desk and tried to sleep. It wasn't working, since his girlfriend's excited voice kept him up. Every so often he would lift his head slightly and took a peek at her smiling face.

* * *

><p><em><strong>A few days later...<strong>_

The entire school was abuzz with activity. A few classes were postponed to make way for the culture festival preparations. Most of the males were doing carpentry work and heavy lifting, while the girls dealt with the decorations and management side of things. The teachers supervised their students, making sure that nobody got injured or started a fight.

The day before, Yosuke, Souji and the twins have finalized their music list and decided which ones they were going to play live, and also their practice schedules before the actual performance. The bigger question was asked by Yosuke after their first practice session. "So, what do you guys want to call the jazz bar? It has to have a cool name, but it can't just be 'Jazz Bar' if you get what I'm saying."

"It'll attract the wrong crowd and get us penalized for sure," Minato agreed. "The name can't be too long, but it has to be catchy."

"And according to the playlist we have, it's not just jazz I'm seeing here, but also blues music as well. Those two go hand-in-hand together that you sometimes can't tell the difference," Minako added, her eyes flitting through their music list.

"Blues…jazz…" Souji muttered, hands on his chin. A mental picture of Margaret, Theodore and Elizabeth popped into his head all of a sudden. Nameless' piano and Belladonna's serenading voice followed along. He smiled. "Yosuke, remember those blue uniforms I made you guys wear while we were exploring Adachi's dungeon?"

"Oh, you mean that shade of mysterious blue? I think Kanji's holding onto those now…said something about having a hell of a time replicating the color for his dyed fabrics. What about 'em?

"Aneki, Aniki…are you guys thinking what I'm thinking?"

The Wild Cards smiled at each other. "Velvet Blues!" they chorused together.

Yosuke's face contorted between awe and a grimace. "Whoa…even though it shouldn't be a surprise anymore, that mind-reading thing is still creepy..."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Samegawa Floodplain…<strong>_

That evening, the sky was turning a little grey, with no indication of rain. All the after-school clubs were busy with their own activities and promotion was on full swing. Souji decided a little walk would do him good. A lot of progress was made for Velvet Blues, which would explain his good mood. He was relieved that Izanagi cut him some slack this time, and the intensity of his nightmares were put at bay. He wondered if it was because of the dragonfly pendant he now wore every day, or due to physical exhaustion thanks to the additional combat training with Akihiko, Chie, and now Mamoru. Despite the temporary tranquility, Souji still worried, because the Original God still wasn't behaving normally. As he passed through the floodplain to admire the riverside scenery, his thoughts were cut off with the sudden urge to look up, only to spot a round, flying object... heading straight towards him!

Luckily, he stepped aside just in time, and avoided getting hit by the baseball in the face. He sweated in panic and relief. _'Close one…! Last thing I need is another head injury.'_ He sighed, picked up the ball and looked around. "Now where did this come from...?"

"Yo! Duuuuuude!" Junpei's voice yelled from the grass field by the gazebo. He was wearing a complete set of a baseball player's uniform. "You okay?!"

"Oh, hi Junpei-san," Souji greeted. The capped young man panted, resting his hands on his knees after running so fast. Souji caught the smell of sweat, dirt and grass clinging onto him, the smell of sweat being the most prominent. "To answer your question, yes, no harm done."

"Phew… *pants* That's good to know, man *pants* Minato would kick my butt, and Mina-tan would finish me off *pants* if ya got hurt in the head again because of me…"

Souji let out a light chuckle. Junpei really had a way with words. "No need to worry. I'm okay," he assured. "What are you doing here anyway? Practicing?"

Before Junpei could reply, a young familiar face ran up to them. It was Shu Nakajima. "Coach! Coach!" The boy was dressed in the junior baseball uniform set, a bat balanced on his shoulder. He noticed Souji and bowed in respect, his large glasses escew thanks to gravity. "Sensei, it's great to see you!"

"Hey, Shu." Souji smiled at him, patting his shoulder. "How are you?"

"I'm fine, thank you. I was practicing with Coach Junpei."

"Coach Junpei?" Souji turned to said coach, who wore a wide grin. "So you took up the assistant coach job after all."

"Ah well, you know me. And if I didn't, Mitsuru-senpai would've found something else for me to do." Junpei sweatdropped at the last part. "Anyway, teaching the kids how to play is actually pretty fun!" He thumped Shu's back, knocking the breath out of the boy. "Shu here has what it takes to be one of the best players in the school team. He scored a homerun during practice today!" His face glowed with pride.

"That's amazing!"

Shu looked away, smiling bashfully. "Please, I'm not that good..." He noticed the baseball in Souji's hand, and his eyes became wide. "Sensei, I didn't hit you, did I? I didn't mean for it to go that far..."

"I'm fine, Shu. No harm done." Souji smiled softly. He couldn't help but compare this boy to the prideful pupil he tutored a year ago in his mind; such a contrast. "This was the home run, I take it?"

Junpei sniffed and wiped his nose. "Easy, Shu, don't worry about it! Souji isn't only smart, he's pretty quick on his feet too." He took the baseball from Souji's hand and tossed it, catching it again with one hand. "You just don't know your strength. We'll have to work on that."

"How can you make so light of this, Coach?!" Shu protested, glaring at Junpei angrily. He almost threw his bat to the ground. "I calculated the angle of the swing earlier on, and according to the weather report, the wind speed and air pressure are optimal for the next perfect home run! But because I couldn't control where the wind shifted and the strength of that hit, I almost hurt Sensei!"

Junpei took off his cap and scratched his head. "Baseball ain't about overthinking things, kid..." he sighed. Souji got the feeling that Junpei had told the boy this more than once. "It's more of a gut feeling than anything, and lots of practice."

"A gut feeling?" Shu repeated and blinked, confusion overtaking his self-loathing. "How could my 'guts' feel anything? You always say that but never explain."

Junpei didn't know what else to say. "Eh...? Well..." He scratched his chin, unable to come up with answer.

Luckily, Souji stepped in. "What Junpei-san means is that you don't have to rely only on your head to come up with the best game strategy, Shu. Sometimes when things don't go according to plan, you'll need to rely on your intuition as well." He held Shu's shoulders, grip firm, and looked at him straight in the eyes, and pointed to his chest, right above his heart. "Try to remember your real reason for joining the team. Baseball is about trying your best and having fun with it, always trying to improve yourself along the way. Right, Junpei-san?"

The grin on Junpei's face grew twice as big. "Couldn't have said it better, buddy."

"Intuition..." Shu slowly understood what Souji was telling him. "And having fun..." He remembered the lessons Souji had taught him while he was his tutor; life wasn't just about studying, but also following your heart. "I think I get it now. Thank you, Coach, Sensei!"

"Don't mention it."

Junpei crossed his arms and nodded, a proud smile on his face.

The phone in Shu's pocket rang. "Oh, I must be going. Mom's waiting for me. We're going out for dinner." He bowed at the two young men. "Thanks for taking your time to train me, Coach Junpei, and for the advice, Sensei."

"No problem-o, Shu. Anytime ya want to train after school, just let me know." Junpei gave him a thumbs-up.

"Give your mother my regards," Souji said.

"Of course! See you soon!" Shu ran off.

Once Shu was out of sight, Junpei turned to Souji. "Thanks for the words of wisdom back there, man. I don't think I would've been able to encourage him without your help." He scratched his cheek. "Pep talk's never been my forte..."

"Just because you may not know what words to use, doesn't mean you're bad at encouraging others, Junpei-san," Souji told him. "Action speaks louder than words."

"Why do you say that?"

"The fact that you took your time to help Shu get better at swinging the bat when you didn't have to go that extra mile, encouraged him much more than any words of advice I could have given him," Souji said. "Your heart is in the right place and that's what counts the most."

No one, other than Chidori or the twins perhaps, had ever said anything like that to him. Junpei's eyes widened in surprise, before letting out a weak smile. "All this time of being the team's goofball, getting praised and looked up to is a first for me..." He closed his eyes, trying to hold back the forming tears from escaping. "I can't remember the last time my old man said something like that to me. I can see why Yosuke couldn't stop admiring you even if he tried. You're just...special."

Souji smiled. "Everybody got something special that only they can do. Your ability to bring a smile to others even if it's at the expense of your pride is something commendable," he said.

The Magician took a seat under the gazebo, inviting Souji over to sit beside him. "Did I ever tell you that my dad was an alcoholic? He'd get these violent episodes sometimes after coming back from the bar, and he'd hit my mom and me." He let out a sigh as he stared at the colorful sky. "My mom couldn't take it anymore and left, leaving me with that monster. As I grew stronger, he just got...weak, y'know? My only escape was acting like an idiot, surrounding myself with a lot of people...who didn't even know what I was going through. Talk about superficial, huh?"

"Everyone has their own demons to face. It was your way coping," Souji said softly._ 'The Magician, using immaturity and humor as a mask to face this cruel world.'_ He thought of Yosuke, always the comic relief despite being ridiculed for something he couldn't control. "And I also think that's why Chidori, Aniki and Aneki care a great deal about you."

The Wild Cards' ability to say just the right things never ceased to amaze Junpei. "Thanks, Souji. You're one heck of a dude." But still, he just couldn't let Souji take the spotlight to himself. "How about we make a deal?"

The silverette raised an eyebrow. "A deal?"

"You keep on rocking your role as team leader, and I'll keep being the goofball who lifts the mood. Let's put our strengths to good use!"

Souji chuckled, holding out his hand. "Deal. Just don't try and make this some kind of rivalry with Yosuke and Teddie, though. We rely on you guys to keep up team morale, not a gag performance."

Junpei's grin got wider as they shook hands. Souji felt like he became closer to him, after witnessing some depth underneath Junpei's deceivingly shallow layer...

_Thou art I and I am thou,  
>Thou hast established a new bond,<br>It brings thee closer to the truth,  
>Thou shalt be blessed when creating Personas of the Magician Arcana.<em>

"So…you still got some time for a baseball game?"

"Sure." Souji widened his stance, imagining himself holding a bat instead of a bamboo shinai, expression completely aloof. "I might be able to improve my sword swings in battle."

Junpei sweatdropped. He didn't know if the dude was being serious or not. _'And I thought Shu over thinks things.'_ But then again, he shouldn't be surprised considering the youngest team leader had been training with Akihiko of all people.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Yasogami High…<strong>_

In class 3-2, things were going surprisingly well. The jazz bar concept had been approved by the Student Council and their homeroom teacher without much fuss. Yosuke was shouldering responsibility for once by taking lead with the layout of the classroom to be turned into a small stage and eating area. The Wild Cards and Shinjiro took their discussion of the menu and drinks to the roof, as not to disturb their working classmates. The rest of the girls went shopping at Junes for the decorations.

Nearly at the end of the week, everyone was exhausted. Despite that, they were cheerful and hopeful that their culture festival goes well. Their classroom looked awesome; the walls were decorated with drapes of blue fabric, various shades of blue crepe paper, and glow-in-the-dark ornaments. The bar side where the food and drinks were prepared, was cleverly displayed with bottles of different kinds of sodas and juice. The lighting was dimmed down to give a relaxing atmosphere. Despite the size, it really did look like an exclusive and trendy music bar. The final touches were the uniforms, in which Souji had to request from Margaret for extra sets.

All that's left was to wait for the opening ceremony, and the school gates would be welcoming new guests.

The night before the opening ceremony, the Wild Cards had a dream. As soon as they closed their eyes, they felt the familiar pull in their subconscious as they were called back to the Velvet Room. When they opened their eyes, they were surprised to find themselves somewhere they have never been to before.

At first glance, it was a normal, empty classroom. The place was messy and unorganized. Judging by the banners hanging on the ceiling and opened boxes scattered around, there was a preparation for a celebration of sorts, much like their own cultural festival. A group of people were working on banners, painting signage and arranging stuff for whatever class project they were doing.

The Wild Cards felt strange; they were organizing a box of fixtures which would be hung at some point, but they felt like they had no control over their actions. It was like they were in someone else's body, but they could only watch through a screen and experience whatever the host body was experiencing.

_A commotion was heard somewhere nearby, so the natural course of action was to turn around and find out the source of the conflict, and that's what the host body did. Through the host's eyes, they recognized none of the people in the classroom, even the school uniforms they were wearing. The main theme of their formal wear was grey, and it had the design style of a private institution. The school emblem sewn on the uniforms had a picture of an animal of some sorts, which looked like an otter or a ferret, with a few other symbolic graphics such as elm leaves, and a six-pointed star. They couldn't make out the school's name, but they saw enough to know that it wasn't Japanese. However, not everyone followed the regulated dress code._

"_It's cuz you did something pointless!" shouted a boy wearing in a strange and funky yellow beanie. One of his ears were pierced, a miniature figuring hanging from it. He wore a white turtleneck with some sort of graffiti design on it underneath his standard blazer, and had dark marks on his face which the Wild Cards couldn't be sure if it was a tattoo or face paint. "That pisses me off!" He was shaking a can of spray paint as he worked on a banner._

_An arrogant sniff was heard from another boy who the former was yelling at. He looked arrogant too; he had the air and breeding of family money that reminded them of Mitsuru. His black hair was slicked back, a pair of full-rimmed glasses neatly perched on his face. His wore an additional turquoise scarf which had a big number '1' on it with his uniform. "All I did was speak the truth. The one at fault wasn't me."_

_They continued to banter until another person cut in. "Hey, stop it you two!" They looked up to see a scowling girl, her hand resting on a hip. She looked like a tomboy with her short dark hair and single clip. School skirts were usually at knee-level, but she wore hers long, reaching a little above her ankles. "You're being annoying! Let's hurry up and get the work done!"_

"_Come to think of it, it's pretty rare isn't it?" asked a brown-headed boy with orange sunglasses over his head. He buttoned down his school blazer to reveal a purple shirt with a red spade design on it, his air boots equally red. "You usually leave right away."_

_Another girl behind a desk shuffling papers giggled. She had long, dark hair tied back in a ponytail. She wore a red neckerchief around her neck. "You did it because you 'like the teacher', don't you?" Her way of speaking was very elegant and lady-like, matching her equally pretty face. She mixed English into her speech, indicating a foreign-educated background. The tomboy flustered at her remark._

"_I'm so tired…" yawned another girl. Her appearance was that of a fashion statement of the past decade, the kogal. She tied her obviously dyed blonde hair in twin pigtails._

"_For that sort of thing, leave it to Brown-sama!" yelled the boy with orange sunglasses. "Let's play the Persona-sama game!"_

"_What's that?" The Wild Cards finally heard their host body speak. Now they could confirm it's a guy._

_Brown began to explain what the game was about. Apparently, it's a game that's all the rage now thanks to exaggerated rumors of it being able to tell the future. What caught the trio's attention was that strange things happening were a part of this 'game'. _

_There were mixed reactions within the group, but the one who strongly vocalized his skeptical views about the outcome of this game was the guy in the yellow beanie. "Are you sure you don't have brain-rot, Brown?"_

"_I'm willing to put my money where my mouth is if you are, Masao!"_

_Mark had a very competitive look on his face. "Alright, you're on! I'll bet you an all-you-can-eat dinner at Peace Diner on Joy Street." They shook hands._

_The kogal girl, who sounded like a bit of an air-head, whooped for joy. "Woohoo! I'm with Brown!"_

_Everyone went with Brown except the tomboy and arrogant rich boy, who didn't want anything to do with this ridiculousness. The only one who didn't bet on Brown was their host. "I'll bet on Masao," he said._

_Mark looked a little tearful, touched that someone took his side. "Toudou…" he whispered._

_Their host showed them a 5000 yen note. "One-sided bets are boring, after all."_

The vision ended there. The Wild Cards felt same familiar feeling of floating back towards the real world as the scenery faded into white, exactly the same as leaving the Velvet Room. Slowly, they opened their eyes only to find that they were on their own beds, in their own individual rooms.

'_That couldn't have been just a normal dream,'_ they thought at the same time. The clock on their bedsides read 1:00 AM. _'We definitely need to have a discussion, just the three of us.'_ They let out simultaneous yawns before slumping back into bed, mere seconds before sleep took over again.

* * *

><p>Ominous, isn't it? Enjoy D<p> 


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Persona Series, Adventure, Friendship