Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Because the students could not return home, they would have to stay over for the night. The school had already prepared mattresses in the gymnasium. And while the others began preparing for bedtime, Naoya decided to visit the infirmary to check up on Aunt Setsuko one last time before he turns in.

"Hi, sensei." Naoya said.

Natsumi-sensei seemed to have been shuffling through some papers when she noticed him enter. "Hello, Toudou-kun. If you really wanted to see me that badly, you could have called me beforehand."

Naoya simply rolled his eyes at the nurse's blatant attempts at teasing him.

Upon seeing his response, the nurse giggled. "I'm only kidding. Here to see Mrs Sonomura, is it?"

Naoya nodded as he took a seat. "How's she doing so far?"

"Her condition's stable, but she's yet to wake up, unfortunately."

"I see…" Naoya muttered, sounding a bit more disappointed than he had intended. He glanced at the woman lying unconscious on the bed, a peaceful look on her face. It has already been a few hours…

But his thoughts were interrupted by Natsumi-sensei. "You call her Aunt Setsuko, right? Are you both family by any chance?" She asked.

Naoya chuckled, shaking his head. "Oh, it's nothing like that. She's actually Maki's mom."

Natsumi-sensei raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Maki? Isn't that your friend in the hospital?"

"Yeah… But Aunt Setsuko is like family to me. Me and Maki actually go way back; we've been neighbours back when we were kids, so we used to see each other quite often. Of course, that was until her illness…"

"I see," Natsumi-sensei said, offering him a look of sympathy. "No wonder you're so worried for her. To see someone close to you in danger…"

You have no idea… Naoya sardonically thought to himself, though he just simply gave a nod in response.

"Ugh…" came a groan.

Naoya turned in the direction of where the groaning was coming from, and he saw Aunt Setsuko, already starting to come round. The older woman was trying to prop herself up, visibly struggling in doing so.

Naoya quickly rushed to his aunt's side. "Take it easy there, Auntie..." he said, steadily easing the woman into a more comfortable position.

Aunt Setsuko stared at Naoya for a few seconds, her eyes still looking somewhat glazed over. "N-Naoya?" The woman asked groggily. She slowly turned her head to look at her surroundings. "Wh-What are you doing here? Where…where am I?"

"It's okay. Just relax." He adjusted her pillow so she could lean against it.

"You're in the school infirmary. Toudou-kun and his friends said they found you unconscious at the Alaya Shrine." Natsumi-sensei explained as she walked up to them.

"The Alaya Shrine?" For a moment, Aunt Setsuko looked confused. She then rubbed her temples with a wince. "I… I don't remember being there at all. I was at the office when—" she slurred.

Her hazel-brown eyes, which were devoid of life just a second ago, suddenly widened with terror. She jolted forward, grabbing Naoya by the arms.

"We have to get to the police, now!" She cried.

"Auntie, what are you talking about?" Naoya asked, taken aback at how firm his aunt's grip was, and even more so by the dread-filled expression on her face. He had never seen her so terrified before, not since the first time Maki was hospitalised.

Despite his efforts to try and calm her down, Aunt Setsuko was starting to breathe rapidly and heavily. It was at this point that Natsumi-sensei stepped in. "Mrs Sonomura," she said, leaning forward to help Naoya hold the terrified woman back. "Your body is still recovering from the effects of the sedative! If you start overexerting yourself, you're going to end up hyperventilating!"

But Aunt Setsuko shook her head. "You don't understand…! My well-being's not important right now! We need to stop him before it's too late!"

"Stop him? Who are you talking about?" Naoya asked.

She said two words, her expression turning grim. "Takahisa Kandori."

~.~

It took Naoya quite a while to find them, but he managed to gather his friends back at the infirmary. Natsumi-sensei had gone outside for a break, leaving the gang and Maki's mother some privacy.

While the others were standing around Aunt Setsuko, Naoya had chosen to sit by her bedside. He and Natsumi-sensei had finally gotten her to calm down, but it was better to be safe than sorry. Now that she had calmed down, Naoya could now get a closer look at the older woman. She looked haggard, with bags visible under her bloodshot eyes. He wasn't sure if it was just the side effects of the drugs or from overworking.

Aunt Setsuko gulped down water from the bottle Naoya had offered her. Taking a deep breath, she began to speak. "Just last year, after Maki had been hospitalised, Kandori had approached me with an offer for a promotion. He told me that he was working on some project, and he would like me to be part of it as its head engineer."

"And you accepted his offer, I presume?" Nanjo asked.

"With my husband gone and hospital bills mounting, how could I refuse?" Aunt Setusko sighed. She took another swig before continuing. "Back then, I couldn't believe it. It had been my one and only chance in years; not only could this project change the world, but it would guarantee Maki's future tens of times over."

"Aunt Setsuko…" Naoya said sympathetically. He couldn't blame her for accepting such a tempting offer, especially in her situation.

"But what is this project?" Nanjo asked.

"SEBEC… SEBEC was building something called the DEVA System."

"The…DEVA System?" Mark asked.

Aunt Setsuko nodded. "It's actually called the Dimensional Variable Accelerator System, or DVA… It's a machine specifically designed to shift any form of matter across space."

"Um…" Mark looked completely lost.

"A teleportation device…" Nanjo translated, narrowing his eyes into slits. "Kandori was building a teleportation device."

The entire room fell silent. No one was sure how to react to this bombshell.

"Imagine," she began, "you could just send something, or someone, as far as thousands of miles from where they were. With just a flip of a switch..."

"Oh my…" Elly held a hand to her mouth in shock.

It seemed outrageous to hear but given everything that he had seen over the course of today, Naoya was inclined to believe anything now.

But Nanjo was shaking his head. "But it doesn't make sense…How is it that Kandori could successfully achieve teleportation? It's just not possible, even with our current level of technology."

"A power source. He's using some kind of power source…" Aunt Setsuko answered.

Taking another swig of water, she continued. "I remember the first time I laid my eyes on it. I felt a mysterious power emanating from it… it sent a chill up my spine." Aunt Setsuko shuddered, hugging herself tightly. "I don't know how or why he came into possession of something like that, but it's unlike anything I've ever seen."

"Despite my doubts, however, I pressed on with my work. 'It will all be worth it. For my daughter's sake.' I kept thinking to myself…"

But the colour suddenly drained from her face, and Naoya was worried that she might just faint on the spot. "But one day," she said, "when we have yet to even begin the testing phase the power source began to exhibit abnormal energy readings. If it is mishandled, the results will be catastrophic!"

"And that was when you decided to leave SEBEC…" Nanjo deduced.

Aunt Setsuko nodded. "I then started digging into SEBEC's records hoping to find anything else that SEBEC might be hiding. What I saw only reinforced my suspicions. There were no records – both public and private – that say anything about the DEVA System. It was like the project never existed in the first place."

"Very suspicious indeed." Nanjo mused darkly as he stroked his chin. "Seems like whatever Kandori's up to, it's definitely not intended for the public eye."

Naoya shuddered at the thought. He was no stranger to conspiracy theories surrounding SEBEC – a typical story of a corporation being up to some shady businesses behind the scenes – but he dismissed it as nothing more than sensationalist bullcrap. To think that there was actually some truth to these rumours… it was something that he's still trying to process in his head.

Come to think of it, he wasn't sure how the rumours even started to begin with. It had just appeared out of nowhere before they began to spread like wildfire.

Aunt Setsuko continued. "I hoped to take matters to the police, but I was soon discovered. Kandori…I tried to reason with him, convince him to stop this madness, but he refused! He doesn't care what happens to this city and its people!"

"I knew that Kandori had always been driven by ambition, but this…this is on a completely different level," Nanjo said, his voice dripping with disdain.

Aunt Setsuko had turned to Naoya, looking worried. "And Maki?" She asked. "Is Maki alright?"

Naoya chewed his lip. As much as he hated to break it to his aunt, she had every right to know about her daughter.

And so, he did. He explained everything that had happened at the hospital. The earthquake. Maki's relapse and her subsequent disappearance. The monsters and demons that are currently roaming around the city, which is now engulfed in some kind of barrier.

"Oh God…" she choked, hands covering her mouth. "This is all my fault! If I hadn't helped Kandori build that machine, none of this would have happened!"

Naoya placed a comforting hand on his aunt's shoulders. "Auntie…it's not your fault. You had no idea..."

She looked back at him; her hazel-brown eyes were already misty with tears. "Even so, I must have been causing Maki so much pain. I was so focused on my work, on making a name for myself, that I ended up neglecting her. I haven't paid her a single visit since then… And with all that is happening right now, the least I could do is to be at her side."

She laughed bitterly, arms dropping to her sides in defeat. "How ironic…I took this job in hopes that I could help my daughter, but I only end up putting her in danger."

"Bullshit," Mark spoke harshly, causing everyone to look at him in surprise. "Ma'am… To be honest, I'm still pissed off with what you put Maki-chan through. Maki-chan had always been waiting for you – her mother – who was never there when Maki-chan needed her the most."

"Mark…" Naoya wanted to intervene, but Mark ignored him and continued.

"But it ain't your fault that things turned out the way they did! You were just doing your job for Maki-chan's sake. If anyone's to blame, it's that bastard Kandori! So, stop beating yourself up for something you didn't do!" His expression soon softened into a reassuring smile. "Don't worry. We'll save Maki-chan and put an end to all this."

For a few seconds, Aunt Setsuko had a stunned expression on her face. "You're right… This isn't the time to be blaming myself. Not while my daughter is still in danger." She sniffled, wiping away the tears in her eyes.

She looked at the five of them, finally managing a smile. "Thank you…all of you."

"Colour me impressed, Mark," Yukino commented, smiling. "That was quite the inspirational speech."

"Looks to me that Maki's found herself a keeper." Naoya couldn't help but quip, giving Mark a coy look.

Mark immediately rounded on him, face turning as red as a beet. "Hey! What's that supposed to mean?"

"Indeed." Elly chimed in. "Almost like a knight in shining armour."

Mark's face became even redder. "Aw, shaddup! Just trying to do the right thing, y'know!" he sputtered.

Naoya and the girls quickly burst out laughing. A little levity was certainly needed in times like these.

All the while, poor Aunt Setsuko was staring at them looking completely befuddled, no doubt wondering if they had lost their marbles. Naoya wondered to himself whether he should tell her about Mark's…feelings for Maki.

Then again, where was the fun in that? Besides, this was something Naoya felt that Mark ought to settle himself. Maki was like a little sister to him, after all.

Sadly, everyone was brought back to the reality of the situation when Nanjo impatiently cleared his throat. "Going back to the matter at hand…" he began, "it seems that the pieces of the puzzle are starting to fall into place."

But Yukino had a doubtful look on her face. "But there are things we still unsure of, like the monsters wandering around the city or that strange barrier that's trapped us inside. Do they really have anything to do with whatever SEBEC's made?"

"Yet, there's no denying that these bizarre events, for them to occur concurrently, are far from coincidental. They have to be connected, one way or another." Nanjo countered.

"One answer at a time, I suppose…" Naoya sighed, absentmindedly fiddling with his earring. "And I'd doubt we'd get any more answers if we continue standing around and twiddle our thumbs."

Nanjo nodded. "Indeed. As much as I hate to agree with Inaba, our best course of action is to go straight to the source – Kandori himself. Make him put an end to all this, with extreme prejudice if necessary."

"Wait…so we're going with my plan?" Mark raised an eyebrow. "What happened to you saying that it's too dangerous and all?"

"Of course, it's dangerous, idiot." Nanjo rolled his eyes, making Mark glare at him for the insult. "I'm not saying that we should barge into the lion's den half-cocked. We need a subtler approach that won't have the whole of SEBEC's security forces bearing on us…but I'm not sure what."

"Y-You're going to SEBEC?" Aunt Setsuko asked, incredulous. "You don't understand, Kandori is a dangerous and powerful man. To cross him would be suicide!"

"All the more we should stop him. Before anyone else gets hurt…or worse." Naoya said.

"But surely the police—"

"I'm afraid the police won't be of much help, Mrs Sonomura…" Elly interjected. "The last I saw them, they have their hands full with all the demons running amok."

"Besides, we have no way of getting in touch with the outside world, meaning we're the only ones who can put an end to all this," Naoya added.

For a moment, Aunt Setsuko looked ready to argue again. But instead, she just slumped forward in resignation. "Alright," she said. "But please do take care of yourself. Especially you, Naoya. If something were to happen to you, I would never forgive myself. And your parents—"

Naoya held up a hand to stop her. "It's okay, auntie…" he smiled reassuringly. "We will be alright. But you should get some rest. Natsumi-sensei said you still haven't fully recovered from the effects of the sedative."

The older woman nodded in understanding. "Then the very least I can do is help you. Your friend Nanjo said that you needed some way of getting into SEBEC's building undetected, correct?"

They nodded.

"Kandori needed the necessary equipment to be transported in secret. So he designed a hidden passageway at the abandoned factory that leads to the lab." She explained.

Naoya knew the abandoned factory. It was located in the southern district of the city. The place had always given him the creeps, but this was on a whole other level…

"A hidden passageway? It does feel like something a supervillain would do." Elly remarked.

"Seems like reality is closer to fiction than we thought." Nanjo agreed in bemusement.

Aunt Setsuko continued, "But the only way to get access is through a security pass, and Kandori had confiscated mine, as well as the files I intended to give to the police. But luckily, you should be able to get one from any of his guards. There should be some patrolling the factory, so be careful…"

The men in suits, the ones who had been harassing Naoya and his friends outside the SEBEC building, immediately came to mind.

"Even once you get inside, do be careful. The entire facility is structured like a labyrinth to confuse potential intruders. There will also be guards patrolling the facility as well."

Nanjo pursed his lips. "Kandori really doesn't leave much to chance."

"Anyways," Naoya said, "we'd better get some rest tonight. We'd best be prepared for tomorrow."

Everyone nodded in agreement. While everyone else headed out of the infirmary, Naoya turned to Aunt Setsuko. "Thanks for all your help, auntie. We'll get Maki back, we promise."

Aunt Setsuko nodded gratefully, her eyes starting to mist up with tears again. "Thank you, Naoya…"

~.~

Unbeknownst to anyone, someone had been standing outside the infirmary, listening in on the entire conversation. But by the time Naoya and his friends had left the infirmary, they were long gone.

~.~

Naoya let out a sigh of relief as he felt the cooling sensation of the ice-cold washing over his body, particularly over the bruise on his torso – a nasty reminder of his encounter with those monsters. Thank God the school still has running water…

As he stepped out of the shower, he noticed that he was now the only one inside the boy's locker room. The others must have already gone back to the gym. Just how long had he been in the shower?

Oh well…

Once he was done drying himself off, he quickly threw on his school jersey. His school uniform, meanwhile, was safely kept inside his locker.

As he walked past the bathroom mirrors on the way out, Naoya caught a glimpse of his own reflection. For a split second, he saw on the reflection the familiar figure of Seimen Kongou appear in his place. But when he blinked, Seimen Kongou was gone, and there stood Naoya Toudou once more.

Naoya let out a mirthful laugh, running a hand through his damp hair. He wondered if all that happened over the past few hours had finally caught up with him, and he was starting to see things.

Still… As he continued to stare back at his reflection, Philemon's words once again echoed in his head.

"Persona. It is the power to summon the selves within you…"

The selves within me… Naoya thought, fiddling with his earring. I wonder… just which one of them is the real me?

Yawning, Naoya shook the thoughts out of his head. What he really needed now is a good night's sleep. Tomorrow's going to be an eventful day, he was sure of it.

Speaking of which, it's time that he made his way back to the gym. He didn't want to risk getting caught by Vice-Principal Hanya. He would rather face a hundred demons than get on Hanya's bad side.

"Hey, you! What are you doing out this late!" Naoya hadn't walked far when a sharp voice called out from behind him, causing him to tense up.

He spun around, only to see Elly smiling at him, clad in her own school jersey. "Tee hee. Did I scare you, Naoya-kun?" Elly asked in a sing-song voice.

"Jesus, Elly. You could've given me a heart attack." Naoya said, trying his best to sound annoyed, only to fail miserably as he started laughing at his own embarrassment.

With Elly's hair now loosened, Naoya only noticed now just how long her hair was, cascading down to her waist. While Naoya cannot deny that Elly was an attractive girl, she looked especially glowing tonight.

"Apologies. I couldn't help myself…" She giggled.

"Apology accepted, I guess," Naoya said. "Having trouble sleeping?"

Elly brushed aside a loose strand of hair. "I'm afraid so. I thought a little walk would help."

Naoya chuckled. "Heh, I shouldn't be surprised, considering everything that's happened today."

"Then I suppose you wouldn't mind joining me? I could use some company." Elly offered.

"Sure. Why not?"

The two of them began to walk through the hallways, passing by the windows as they did. Even though it was already nighttime, it was impossible to tell with that haze blotting out the sky.

Elly was apparently thinking the same thing, for she commented as she glanced out the window. "It's a shame that we can't see anything. I'm sure that the sky would have looked beautiful tonight…" she said with a sigh. "Not to mention that we're trapped here, with demons attacking our city."

Turning to him, she suddenly exclaimed, "Isn't it exciting?"

Naoya stared at Elly as if she had grown a second head, before bursting out laughing.

Elly tilted her head quizzically. "Oh, was it something I said?" she asked.

Once he finally managed to regain his bearings, Naoya shook his head, wiping away a tear. "Nah… It's just that I'm surprised to see this side of you, taking all of this craziness in stride like it's nothing."

"That is true," Elly said thoughtfully as she put a finger to her chin. "Even when I was a child, I loved reading books on fantasy and the occult." She let out a dreamy sigh. "When I awakened Nike for the first time, I felt like I was in one of those stories where…"

Naoya chuckled to himself as he watched Elly continue to ramble on. To think that this girl was the same prim and proper model student he supposedly knew for over a year…

It's just as Philemon said, people do have different sides to them.

But he noticed that Elly had now wrapped her arms around herself. "You must be thinking how weird it is…" she began, a mirthful smile on her face, "for a girl to be interested in such things."

"And what's wrong with that?" he asked.

Elly blinked in surprise. "I…just assumed that that's what people would think if they were to know of my hobbies. They're not exactly what you could call ladylike."

Naoya shrugged. "I mean, people have different hobbies. As long as you're happy with what you're doing, then just keep doing it. If anyone's telling you otherwise, then they're just being a hypocrite."

Elly said nothing, a thoughtful look on her face. "I suppose you're right." She smiled. "Thank you, Naoya-kun. I really needed that."

"Don't mention it." He said before glancing at his watch. "Almost 10…" Much as he enjoyed their little conversation, it was best that they head back to the gym before Hanya catches them. Now that would be a big problem.

Elly nodded in agreement, and the two began heading back to the gym.

But they didn't walk very far when they heard a loud crash and glass shattering down the hallway.

"What was that?" Elly asked, alarmed.

"I don't know…" Naoya muttered, already starting to have an uneasy feeling in his gut. "But it sounded like it came from the cafeteria. Let's go check it out."

~.~

Yukino Mayuzumi stared at the sky through the window. It would have been such a nice view, if it weren't for the damned haze.

It was late, yet she found herself unable to get a wink of sleep. Everything that has happened over the past few hours: the mysterious girl and Philemon; her close brush with death; Yamaoka the butler's lifeless body in his master's arms; Nanjo's anguish. The images were all burned into her brain.

She had hoped a walk would clear her head, but the images wouldn't go away. Would a smoke have helped?

She quickly shook that thought out of her head. No, those days were behind her.

Unconsciously, she ran a hand across her short hair; it was a reminder of when she was at her lowest. To think that it had only been a few months since then…

Students and teachers alike see Yukino Mayuzimi as a model student: responsible, hardworking, level-headed. If a student were ever in trouble and there is no teacher around, Yukino is the person to go to for help.

However, one would be surprised to know that the old Yukino Mayuzumi was a completely different person from the model student she is now. She was a yankī, a troublemaker, regarded as a lost cause even by her mother.

But there was one person who didn't give up on her…

"Cup of cocoa for your thoughts?" Came a familiar voice.

Yukino turned around and, speak of the devil, saw Saeko-sensei standing there with two mugs of cocoa in her hands, aromatic steam wafting up from them.

"Don't mind if I do, sensei." Yukino smiled as she took one. She let out a sigh of content, savouring the sweetness of the drink. "How long have you been watching me?"

"Quite a while." Her homeroom teacher had a look of concern. "You've been looking troubled since you came back from the hospital, Yukino. Did something happen?"

Yukino sighed as she lowered her mug. "You could say that. Just before the earthquake happened, Maki had a panic attack."

She saw Saeko-sensei's eyes widen. "Is…is Maki-chan okay?"

Yukino bit her lip. "The doctors had to take her to the ICU. But…"

"But…?" Saeko-sensei slowly prompted.

"I don't know how to explain it, but she just…vanished…without a trace."

"Vanished?"

Yukino nodded.

"But that's not all, is it?"

"We were attacked by monsters… but Nanjo's butler protected us. Yamaoka is his name, or was…"

Saeko-sensei's eyes widened, apparently starting to get what Yukino was implying. "Was…? You mean…?"

"He died." Yukino's body trembled as she said the words. "And there was nothing we could do to save him. All we could do was watch as he died. Even now, I can still remember the blood."

"Yukino…" Saeko-sensei began, "this isn't your fault."

"Yes, it is!" Yukino snapped harshly. It took all the self-restraint she had to not shatter the cup in her grip. "If only we had been faster –"

Why? Why couldn't they have awakened their Personas sooner? Was…was his death necessary? To push them into awakening their Personas, was that it?

She felt a hand gently rest on her shoulder. "I know you want to help people, Yukino. But…" Saeko-sensei began to say, but she suddenly hesitated. "…there are times where you can't save everyone."

"But you saved me, didn't you? Even when everyone else had given up on me, you still chose to save me!" How could sensei, of all people, think that way?

Her sensei was taken aback by her sudden outburst, and Yukino's frustration quickly turned into guilt. "I'm sorry, sensei…" she said softly, shaking her head. "I'm just…"

Saeko-sensei just gave her a sombre smile. "It's alright, Yukino. I know just how you're feeling. You're a good girl, but you must understand that there are only save so many people you can save. I found that out the hard way—" she suddenly stopped herself, and her eyes darted away.

That caught Yukino by surprise. What did sensei mean by that?

"Are you okay, sensei?" she asked concernedly.

Her homeroom teacher shook her head. "Y-yeah. I'm just feeling a bit tired, that's all."

Before Yukino could inquire any further, however, they heard a loud crashing noise nearby, like furniture being thrown.

"What was that?" Saeko-sensei exclaimed, alarmed.

"No idea. But it doesn't sound good. I'll go and check it out, sensei. You stay here and make sure no one comes this way." Yukino hurriedly said, passing Saeko-sensei her cup before running off.

"Wh-what? Yukino, wait!" She heard Saeko-sensei calling out to her but just kept on running. She will apologise to her homeroom teacher later. If whatever's causing the noise is what she thinks it is, it is too dangerous for sensei to follow her.

"I know you want to help people, Yukino. But…there are times where you can't save everyone." Sensei's words rang in her head.

She shook the thoughts out of her head, hoping that it won't come to that.

~.~

Naoya and Elly ran as fast as their legs could carry them. The cafeteria wasn't too far from ahead, being just right around the corner. Just as they turned around the corner, however, they skidded to a halt, gaping in shock at the sight before them.

Shards of broken glass were strewn everywhere. The doors, heavily dented, were ripped out of their hinges.

"Naoya, Elly!" They saw Yukino rushing down the corridor from the opposite end, meeting up with them.

"Yukino?" Elly exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

"I was out for a walk when I heard the commotion, so I went to check it out." The ex-yanki answered before staring at the wreckage. "But I didn't expect anything like this."

"Think it might be a demon?" Naoya asked.

Yukino shrugged. "I doubt it'd be anything else but…"

"Well, only one way to find out."

As quiet as church mice, the three of them cautiously entered the cafeteria. The whole place now looked like a warzone; the tables and chairs were tossed all over the room, with some of them even snapped clean in half.

Well, whatever did this…it must've been something huge.

Taking care to avoid the broken glass strewn everywhere, they began searching the wreckage for clues.

Clang!

A loud but muffled noise quickly put the three of them on high alert.

"What was that?" Yukino looked around in alarm.

It sounded like something heavy and made of metal, like a pot of sorts, falling and hitting the floor.

"Seems like it came from over there," Naoya replied, pointing in the direction of the kitchen, which was just behind the serving counter.

He and the girls gave one another a nod before they made their way to the door leading to the kitchen. So slowly and cautiously that not even a creak could be heard, Naoya twisted the doorknob and pushed it open. But as soon as he stepped forward, there was a crunch sound that immediately put him and the others on edge. He looked down and saw, to his relief, that he had stepped on a potato chip. There were several more pieces nearby, strewn all over the floor.

But he then heard something else – someone, or something, eating noisily. Whatever it is, it seems to be helping itself to the food here.

And it sounded close. Very close. It almost felt nauseating just listening to it.

He turned in the direction of where the disgusting noise was coming from and saw a large figure hunched over at the refrigerator with its door wide open. Although the kitchen lights were off, the light emitting from the refrigerator made it easy for Naoya to recognise who it was.

"Toro?" he asked warily.

Toro's head snapped back instinctively like a dog being called by its owner, looking at the three of them. Naoya noticed that Toro's eyes, normally chocolate-brown, were now an unnatural gold colour. But it wasn't his eyes that caught Naoya off guard. Rather, it was whatever that was protruding out of Toro's belly, a bulging mass of puke-green slime in the shape of a…a penis. What's even worse was that that…thing…had what appeared to be a mouth below the tip. Several tendrils were also jutting out from his stomach, wriggling about like giant worms.

Naoya almost felt sick just from looking at it. Yukino was just as repulsed as he was, a hand over her mouth to prevent her from puking. As for Elly… well, she seemed to be taking it well in comparison, only appearing somewhat shocked. Naoya wondered it had anything to do with her experiences with horror novels that she's read.

Fighting his queasiness, Naoya stepped forward. "Toro?" He called out again. Toro did not say a word, still staring at him with a dead expression.

"What the hell happened to you?" Naoya tried to press for answers as gently as he could. Hopefully, they could settle this without having to fight.

"It's none of your business." Toro snapped. "If it's food you want, I'm not giving you a single crumb. It's all mine!"

Seriously? How could he still think of food when a giant penis monster is currently protruding out of his stomach? "Toro, nobody's going to take your food," Naoya said.

"Liar!" Toro roared back, his face already turning purple with rage. "Don't take me for an idiot! I know how you guys always look down on me like I'm some kind of joke! And now that I got this power, I can crush anyone who has ever made fun of me!"

He quickly stopped himself, taking a moment to calm down. "But I'm not like them. I'm a nice guy. Isn't that right, Yuka-chan?"

One of the tendrils pulled out from the shadows to reveal Yuka Ayase, all bound and gagged in its grip, and a terrified expression on her face.

"Yuka-chan!" Elly cried out in horror.

"Kenta-san, please!" Yukino pleaded. "Let her go!"

Toro sneered. "Oh, I will on one condition…" he then turned his attention to his squirming captive. "Yuka-chan!" He exclaimed. "You had trampled all over my pure, innocent heart earlier. But I am willing to forgive you if you agree to be my girlfriend!"

"MMMPH!? MMM MMM!" Yuka shot Toro a nasty glare as she started kicking at the air.

Unfortunately, that only seemed to piss him off even more. "YOU DARE REJECT ME, EVEN AFTER I OFFERED YOU MERCY?! FINE!" The tendril tightened its grip on Yuka, causing her to start writhing in pain.

"Oh no, you don't!" Yukino had already summoned Vesta who, with a single swipe, sliced through the tendril holding Yuka like a hot knife cutting through butter.

At the same time, Naoya called Seimen Kongou, catching Yuka in its arms as she fell. As his Persona lowered her safely to the floor, it tore away at the disgusting bindings with its clawed fingers.

"Wh-What the hell are those?" Yuka could only gape in awe at the mysterious being holding her in its arms.

Toro looked just as shocked, his rage having briefly subsided. "No-No way! You guys can do it too?"

But his bewilderment was cut short as a beam of golden light struck him right in his belly, causing him to stumble back.

Elly already had Nike hovering by her side, poised for battle. "Now then," she proclaimed, "shall we put our powers to the test? Let us see which of our Personas is stronger!"

"Hold on, Elly!" Yukino exclaimed, holding up a hand in front of Elly.

"What's wrong, Yukino?" Elly looked confused but nevertheless halted her attack.

"What the hell are you doing, Yukino! She almost had 'im!" Yuka protested, just as confused.

"Demon or not, that's still our classmate!" Yukino said. "We can't risk putting his life in danger!"

Great…Naoya frowned. Just how are they going to subdue Toro without risking killing him? But he knew that Yukino had a point…Toro is still a kid. And who knows just to what extent is he acting on his own free will, or has the power gotten to his head?

Either way, it doesn't seem like Toro is down for the count. He was already back on his feet, though he was struggling to hold back the tears in his eyes. "Goddammit…" he growled through gritted teeth.

"Now you've done it!" He roared. The other tendrils began thrashing about like whips, knocking over any kitchen equipment that was unfortunate to be in their way.

"Shit!" Yukino cursed out, calling Vesta back to shield herself from the blows. Naoya and Elly likewise did the same with their Personas. Yuka, meanwhile, ducked behind a nearby covered, her screams loud enough to be heard over the chaos.

"IF I CAN'T HAVE HER, NO ONE CAN! AGI!" Toro screamed. The thing on his belly shuddered, before shooting out a fireball the size of a beachball from its tip. Naoya would have been grossed out at the sight, had it not been for the fact that said fireball was now hurtling towards Yuka. The girl looked like a deer in the headlights.

"Yuka! Get out of the way!" Without thinking, he grabbed Yuka roughly by the shoulders. She let out a shriek the moment he held her, no doubt startled by him. But he just ignored her and pushed her to safety, just as the fireball exploded near his feet.

Shit.

Acting on instinct, Naoya summoned Seimen Kongou to shield him from the explosion of intense heat. But the shockwave was still powerful enough to slam into him like a freight train, throwing his body off the ground.

From there, everything went black.

~.~

When the ball of fire was about to come crashing down on her, Yuka had felt a pair of firm hands seize her by the shoulders.

She was roughly thrown to the floor, and an explosion soon followed, and Yuka saw Naoya's body crash into a nearby table, the wooden structure collapsing under the impact.

"Naoya-kun!" She heard Yukino and Elly cry out. But Yuka didn't have time to think. Her instinct now was to get out of here. Scrambling back up to her feet, she ran towards the door as fast as she could.

But she didn't get far. Something slimy had coiled around her right ankle, and the momentum caused her to fall back to the ground with a startled scream.

"Ow…" Letting out a groan, she rolled over and saw one of those disgusting tendrils holding her by her ankle. She tried to yank herself free, even kicking at it with her free foot, but the disgusting thing stubbornly held on.

But when she looked up to see several more tendrils hovering above her like snakes sizing up their cornered prey, her frustration was quickly overshadowed by complete fear.

Yuka's heart was pounding in her chest, her breaths were in ragged gasps. In spite of the overwhelming fear she was feeling right now, she unconsciously tried to reach out for something, anything, that she could use to defend herself.

She felt something with her left hand. She glanced to the side and saw a frying pan lying on the floor.

Shutting her eyes, shrieking at the top of her lungs, she grabbed the frying pan and swung it with all her might at the tendrils. She swung it again. And again. And again.

But the tendrils all effortlessly dodged her attacks until one of them grabbed and yanked it out of her grip. Yuka's heart sank as the tentacled creature chucked her only means of defending herself aside.

"Ha…haha…" Upon seeing Toro's creepy yellow eyes piercing into her very soul, Yuka laughed nervously. "K-Kenta-kun? Is it, uh, is it too late to apologise?" She asked, giving the sweetest voice she could possibly muster.

But Toro just giggled maniacally. "Oh, it's too late for that, my dear Yuka-chan! Attack!"

On his command, the tentacles all lunged at her. Shrieking, Yuka could only throw out her arms in a futile attempt to protect herself. Is this it? Is she really going to die like this?

But her body was suddenly enveloped in a brilliant, blue aura. The tentacles had all halted the attack. Toro, meanwhile, started back in shock at the unexpected burst of light.

"It's about time, isn't it?" Came a shrill voice.

"Huh?" Yuka turned around and saw a svelte woman hovering behind her. She wore a skirt made up of red feathers, which was complimented with similarly coloured leggings and a tank top that left her midriff exposed. Her face was obscured by a comedy mask with a red plumage.

"Wha-What are you!?" Yuka stammered in shock.

The ghost only giggled at Yuka's question. "I am thou, thou art I. I am the one who guides believers to Paradise. Houri is my name."

Yuka still had no idea what the hell was going on. But as she struggled to regain her bearings, that girl's playful voice rang in her head, urging her to say a particular word.

She looked at her…Persona who was staring at her expectantly. "H-Houri, is it? Umm…Agi?"

As soon as she said the word, Houri stretched out her hand, revealing a fireball. She tossed it straight at the tendril that attacked Yuka earlier, causing it to explode in a burst of flames.

"Yuka, you…" Yukino was staring at her, completely at a loss for words.

"Unbelievable." Elly murmured in awe.

Toro's shocked expression, on the other hand, turned into outrage. "You too?!" he bellowed, stomping his feet like a kid who had his toy taken away. "This ain't fair! I was supposed to be the only one! Agi!"

On Toro's command, the monster shot another fireball at Yuka. But Houri quickly darted forward in front of Yuka. With a wave of her hand, she swiftly dissipated the flames into nothingness.

"Alright," Yuka smirked, giddy with excitement at the power she now wielded. "Payback time! Maragi!"

On her command, Houri sent several more fireballs straight at the tendrils, engulfing them in flames until they were reduced to a bunch of singed stumps. Toro, meanwhile, let out an anguished cry. Whether it was in frustration or pain, Yuka wasn't sure, but that makes things a lot easier.

"Now's our chance!" Yukino said, apparently thinking the same thing.

"Agreed!" Elly nodded.

Both girls summoned those things again. Personas, Yuka remembered Elly calling them that. Yukino's one fired off a sphere of blue energy from its palms, while Elly's shot another golden beam of light from its eyes. Both attacks landed just in front of Toro, who was still busy reeling in pain to dodge. While the attacks did not hit him directly, the resulting explosion nevertheless sent him flying a few feet in the air.

"Gah!" Toro cried out as he crashed to the floor.

To everyone's surprise, however, Toro proceeded to get back up on his feet again. He was all battered from the combined attack and was breathing heavily, but he continued to glare defiantly at three girls.

"You have got to be kidding me! Why won't he go down?" Yuka exclaimed in exasperation.

"D-Don't think…huff…that…this is over…" Toro panted. "I can still fight! I can–"

CLANG!

Toro suddenly toppled to the floor. Naoya was standing behind him, holding up a dented frying pan in his hands. Aside from a bit of soot on his clothes, he otherwise looked unhurt.

For a moment, no one said a word, just letting it all sink in until Yuka decided to break the silence.

"I-Is it over?" she asked.

"Seems like it." Naoya said as he crouched down beside Toro's motionless body. With a great heave, he rolled the boy over onto his back. The monster, to Yuka's relief, was gone, and all that was left was Toro's exposed beer gut (which, in Yuka's opinion, didn't look any less gross). Naoya placed a hand over Toro's neck.

"Don't worry, I can feel a pulse."

Both Yukino and Elly let out a collective sigh of relief. The latter then walked up to Naoya to check on him. "What about you, Naoya-kun? You're not too injured, I hope."

"I'm alright. Seimen Kongou managed to protect me from most of the blast." He said before staring down at his clothes. "Great… and I just took a shower too." He grumbled, dusting some soot off.

"But how the hell could this have happened?" Yukino wondered.

"Beats me…" Yuka mumbled, suddenly finding the urge to inspect her nails. Hopefully none of them got chipped.

She felt everyone's eyes on her, looking at her sceptically.

"What were you two doing in the cafeteria this late, anyway?" Yukino asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Um…"

~.~

"Hurry the hell up, Toro!" Yuka hissed, shining the flashlight into the cupboard. Inside, there were stacks of candy bars and packets of bread rolls.

"I-I'm trying, Yuka-chan!" Toro meekly said as he took a handful of candy bars into the gym bag they brought along.

"Not fast enough! If Hanya catches us, we're, like, dead meat!"

Yuka can't believe this. She was gonna get screwed all because Toro was such a slowpoke who couldn't move fast if his life depended on it.

Having been disappointed with dinner, Yuka wanted to help herself to some snacks. But that old fart Hanya had all of them stashed away in the pantry, saying that it's not good for one's health to eat too many snacks.

Well, she's certainly not going to take that lying down! She needed her snacks or else she'll get cranky.

Shortly after dinner, Yuka managed to tail the old fart and found where he hid the snacks. But she's sure as hell that she's not going to do it alone, which is why she got Toro to help her out. With that lovesick fool already wrapped around her finger, and the temptation of having a share of the food, Yuka could trust him to keep his mouth shut.

All they needed to do is sneak into the cafeteria while nobody else was around, swipe as many snacks as they could before hightailing out of here. Yuka was sure that Hanya wouldn't miss a handful or two of candy bars.

It would've been the perfect crime too, if not for Toro being as slow as he is.

With her patience now running thin, Yuka roughly shoved Toro aside and he fell flat on his butt. "Screw it. I'll do it myself."

"B-But Yuka-chan, what about me?" Toro sputtered.

"What about you? I thought you might be, like, useful for once, but I guess I was wrong." Yuka snapped as she began swiping some bread rolls from the cupboard.

Toro had gone white. "How can you do this? After all I've done for you?"

"Puh-leeze. You couldn't even tell the difference between an apple juice and an orange juice. Like, who does that?"

"…I thought you said you would let it go."

"I'll let it go once you choose to get off your lazy ass and do something useful with your life besides eating and reading manga all day long! I have no idea anyone can live the way you do."

"…Then how is that different from the way you live, Yuka-chan?" he sniffed.

Yuka immediately dropped what she was carrying and rounded on Toro, glaring at him. "Excuse you? What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"I-It's just that…all I see you do is go shopping and partying. You hang out with people you barely know, but it's never the same group of people…"

"Th-That's enough out of you!"

Yuka's hands began to clench into fists, her manicured nails digging into the skin of her palms. Why? Why is she getting angry with the opinions of a slob who meant nothing to her? What would he know about her?

"And even when you're smiling and laughing, you don't seem to be happy at all."

"Shut up!"

"A-Are you even sure of what you're doing?"

"I said shut up!" Yuka flared. "Stop acting like you've got me figured out!"

Toro recoiled back from Yuka's words, but she didn't care. She wasn't done giving this fatass a piece of her mind.

"Do you know why nobody likes you? It's because you're a good-for-nothing tub of lard! A literal waste of space! Everything about you sucks!"

She began panting heavily after her outburst. She saw Toro just standing there, his eyes downcast. Well, that got him to shut up, at least.

"You're wrong…" Toro mumbled.

"What?" Yuka raised an eyebrow. What was he mumbling about now?

But she was taken aback when Toro glared back at her, revealing a pair of yellow-coloured eyes. Yuka wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, but she swore that Toro's eyes weren't yellow before.

"You're wrong!" Toro screamed. His face had now turned red like an oversized tomato. "You're all wrong about me – ARGH!"

Suddenly, he collapsed to his knees, clutching his belly. He let out a low groan as his body began to convulse.

"H-Hey! Are you okay?" Yuka stammered, her anger now giving way to panic. Don't tell me that he's got stomach problems now!

But his body began to emit a dark, purple aura, like some noxious gas. Toro gave a blood-curdling scream as he threw his body back, his belly now an even bigger, bulging mass than before.

What came next caused Yuka to let out a terrified shriek.

~.~

"…and that's about what happened." Yuka said with nervous laughter, rubbing the back of her head.

Everyone was staring at her with baffled expressions, before Yukino suddenly smacked her in the back of her head.

"Ow! What was that for?" Yuka remarked irritably as she rubbed her head.

"I can't believe you!" Yukino chastised.

"Oh, come on! He, like, was trying to kill us all just now!"

Yukino responded with another smack to the head. "That's not the point. You not only broke poor Kenta-san's heart, but you also hurt his feelings!"

"Fine, fine… I get it…"

Yukino sighed in exasperation. Hands on her hips, she said, "Once Toro wakes up, the first thing you're going to do is apologise to him."

"Whaaaat? Do I have to?" Yuka whined.

"Yuka…" Yukino narrowed her eyes, causing Yuka to flinch away from her piercing gaze.

"Okay, okay, mom…sheesh…"

"Still, to think that Yuka-chan was able to awaken a Persona of her own…" Elly mused.

Yuka, eager to change the subject, asked. "You mean, like, the Persona game? That's what those ghosts are?"

"I guess that supports Nanjo's theory…" Naoya said before clearing his throat. "A Persona is, in a way, a part of yourself." he explained.

"Now that you have a Persona of your own, you are capable of fighting the demons that are attacking the city! Isn't it great?" Elly exclaimed giddily.

"Woah, woah, woah…" Yuka quickly interrupted, feeling her head is ready to explode from the sudden influx of information. "I, like, don't remember signing up to fight monsters! I almost got killed by Toro. Toro, for fuck's sake!"

"And whose fault was that?" Naoya deadpanned.

"But Yuka-chan," Elly protested, "this is important! With our powers, we are the only ones who can put a stop to all this chaos."

"Besides, it's not like you have much of a choice." Yukino said, folding her arms. "You can either sit on your ass and do nothing, or you can help us get rid of these monsters so we can all go back to having a normal life."

Outnumbered three to one, Yuka couldn't find any possible way to weasel her way out of this. Damn it. She hated when Yukino's right.

"Fine. I'll, like, join you guys." She relented.

"See? Was that so hard?" Yukino remarked. Oh, shut up. Like you said, I don't have much choice.

"Wh-What on earth happened here?!" They heard a woman's voice cry out.

They saw Saeko-sensei standing at the doorway, a horrified look on her face.

"Saeko-sensei! What are you doing here?" Yukino exclaimed in surprise.

"What do you think?" Their homeroom teacher cried out hysterically. "You just ran off on your own. Do you have any idea how worried I was?"

"Sorry…" Yukino could only respond weakly as Saeko-sensei started giving her 'the look'. Unlike, say, Yukino, who would give the stink eye to any misbehaving student, Saeko-sensei's was different. She would give that 'I am so disappointed in you' look that you can't help but feel guilty.

So for Yuka, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of satisfaction to see Yukino, of all people, acting like a child being scolded by their parent.

Saeko-sensei now turned to the others. "And what are you all doing here?"

"We also heard a commotion coming from the cafeteria. When we went to investigate, we found a monster and Yokouchi-kun unconscious." Elly explained.

"A monster?" Their teacher looked alarmed. "And what about Yokouchi-kun? Is he okay?"

"He'll be fine, sensei." Naoya said. "Looks like he just got a knock on the head, that's all. As for the monster, we managed to chase it off."

"That's good to hear …" Saeko-sensei let out a sigh of relief.

"Hang on a minute. Aren't Toro and the monster the sa– ow!" Yuka was about to chime in when she felt someone pinch her in the arm. She found Yukino shooting her an annoyed glare.

"Hm? You were about to say something, Ayase-chan?" Saeko-sensei was looking at them.

Before Yuka could say anything, Yukino spoke up. "O-Oh…Yuka was saying that the monster must've gone after the food." She motioned to the empty wrappers and scraps of food all over the food. "Kenta-san must've the same idea. Isn't that right, Yuka?"

Finally getting the message, Yuka only grumbled in response and settled for massaging her arm.

"Still," Saeko-sensei sighed deeply before giving them all a stern look. "You all shouldn't just go off on your own like that. You could've gotten yourself hurt, or worse…"

"Yes, sensei…" The four of them said.

Already, more footsteps and panicked shouts could be heard in the distance. They sounded like they're getting closer, no doubt drawn by all the commotion and fighting.

Saeko-sensei continued. "Anyways, you all better take Yokouchi-kun to the infirmary and get some rest. I'll explain what happened to the staff and see if we can get this mess cleaned up tomorrow."

~.~

With their homeroom teacher's help, the four were able to slip out of the cafeteria with Toro in tow unnoticed before dropping him off at the infirmary.

When they returned to the gym, everyone was still awake and nervously murmuring among themselves. Passed by a group of students, Naoya overheard one of them whispering about how there was a demon in the cafeteria. Another one instead said that it was a student who had turned into a demon.

They had only just arrived and already people are talking about what happened. Rumours spread fast indeed. He thought to himself.

They managed to find Mark and Nanjo waiting for them at the second years' area.

"Where the hell have you guys been? And what's Yuka-chan doing here?" Mark asked.

"Better get yourselves comfortable, then." Naoya replied with an annoyed sigh. "It's a long story, and we'll also need to get Yuka up to speed."

It took some time to explain everything in layman's terms, from the events at the hospital to the incident with Toro at the cafeteria.

By the end of it, Yuka was clutching at the sides of her head. "Oh man… This is, like, way too much for my brain to handle."

"Given your grades, I wouldn't be surprised." Mark snarked.

"Stuff it, Mark." Yuka snapped.

"That's enough, you two." Yukino sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

Naoya saw that Nanjo had that troubled look again. "What's wrong, Nanjo?" he asked.

"About Yokouchi… You said that demon came out from his stomach, and that got me thinking…" Nanjo paused for a moment, before continuing. "Call me insane, but I believe that that 'demon' may actually be Toro's Persona."

"What?" Everyone exclaimed at the same time.

"But what makes you so sure?" Naoya asked, sceptical.

"He is correct." Came a voice. "What you encountered earlier is another side of Personas."

"Who's that?" Naoya asked. The others were just as confused as to where the voice came from.

The next thing he knew, Naoya was once again standing on the platform with the others. Philemon, as per usual, was there waiting for them.

"Wh-Wha? Where the hell am I?! Who the hell are you?" Yuka exclaimed as she looked at her surroundings, looking about ready to go into hysterics.

Then again, he shouldn't be surprised by Yuka's reaction. This is, after all, her first time here.

"Yuka, calm down." Yukino grabbed the girl by the shoulders before she did something stupid or dangerous.

Philemon simply chuckled at Yuka's outburst. "I am not surprised that you fail to recognise me, Yuka Ayase. It has been a while since we last met – when you first played the Persona game."

"H-Huh?" Yuka looked confused.

Nanjo, meanwhile, remarked, "So, it is true. Those who played the game awaken their Personas."

Philemon nodded. "Correct. I created the Persona game for this very purpose: to draw out the potential of those capable of stopping Kandori before his ambitions bring ruin upon your world."

"Of course," he continued, "my experiment had mixed results. Only a select few such as yourselves have managed to fully awaken their Personas. There are also those who have the potential yet are inhibited by their weak hearts. As you have seen for yourselves, that boy was unable to restrain his Persona, and the result was that it overrode his consciousness."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Yuka snapped irritably.

"Yuka!" Yukino scolded, though as usual, Philemon remained unfazed by her outburst.

"Only those with a strong will can control their Persona." He continued. "So, do not blame the boy for his rampage. Personas are moulded by the shape of your inner nature. By itself, it is neither a good nor an evil power."

"Wait," Yuka said, a fair bit of smugness in her tone, "so you're saying, like, I have a strong will?"

Mark rolled his eyes. "Somehow, I find that hard to believe."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" She replied with indignation.

"But what about Kenta-san? Will he be okay?" Yukino asked concernedly.

"You may rest assured that the boy will be fine. His Persona has not fully matured, so the side effects of it controlling him will not be severe. Of course, I doubt he will have any memory of awakening his Persona, nor the circumstances that led to it."

Huh, isn't that convenient? Naoya thought to himself.

"But before I take my leave, there is something that I must give you." Philemon said, stretching out his hand. Out from his palm was a glowing orb, which floated its way towards Naoya.

The moment he touched the orb, it immediately materialised into a key that was about as large as his own hand. As Naoya held it out in the light to examine it, it seemed to shine a deep blue. A mask, its face half-black and half-white, was designed on the bow.

"That key allows you to enter a place called the Velvet Room. You will find it at both Joy Street and Sun Mall. There you will meet someone, a servant of mine, who will assist you on your journey."

"The Velvet Room?" Naoya frowned. He was familiar with Joy Street and Sun Mall, but he never recalled there ever being a place called the Velvet Room.

"Hold on a moment," Nanjo sharply demanded, "you said earlier on that your intention is to stop Kandori and whatever he is planning. Then why go the roundabout way of getting us to do your work? It is clear you possess a great deal of power."

"I have made a vow not to directly interfere in the affairs of your world." Philemon explained. "Even beings such as myself are bound by certain rules."

Nanjo did not appear to be satisfied with Philemon's answer, but whatever complaints he had, he kept it to himself.

"Now, I shall take my leave once more. Until we meet again, my friends." Philemon took a bow, before a flash of light occurred.

When Naoya opened his eyes, he found himself back in the gym.

"This will take some getting used to…" he muttered, fiddling with his earring. Glancing down, he noticed that he was holding the key that Philemon gave him.

"Well, I think it is something I will never tire of…" Elly sighed contentedly.

Nanjo mused. "I wonder who Philemon's acquaintance could be… Could they be a Persona-user such as us? Are they even human to begin with?"

But before the group could ponder about it any further, it seemed like the chatter was starting to die down as the teachers began to restore order, and everyone began preparing for bed.

"Anyhow, we can think about that tomorrow. We should get some sleep." Naoya said, stifling a yawn, completely worn out from the day's events.

"You got that right." Mark said. "I'm gonna be sleeping like a log after all that's happened. G'night guys."

"Good night."

Naoya laid down on his mattress. He held up the key that Philemon gave him, pondering on everything that had happened today. Yet, he was certain that tomorrow was bound to be even more bizarre, if that was possible.

But all of that can wait. What he needed now is some much-needed sleep.

Tucking the key into his pocket before closing his eyes, Naoya felt himself slowly but surely drift off into a peaceful slumber.