Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Time never waits.
It delivers all equally to the same end.

You, who wish to safeguard the future,
however limited it may be. . .

You will be given one year;

Go forth without falter,
with your  heart  as your guide.

———————————————————————

A beautiful blue butterfly flew in the cool dark of night, the full moon shining brilliantly in the sky. . .

The dark blues and indigos of the late hours became jades and greens with the thunderous shatter of glass.

The once beautiful moon was corrupted, emitting an emerald shine upon the Earth.

A dark red butterfly flew through the hazy light of the Dark Hour. . . .

———————————————————————

You were not to meddle in the affairs of their world.

I wouldn't say I'm. . . "meddling."

That beacon of yours says otherwise.

I wouldn't call it a "beacon." Even if it was, it's not mine.

That will not stop you from using this. . . opportunity.

No, it won't. I gave up everything to ensure their world could survive, I will not let it fall into ruin. . .

You cannot cross into their world.

I'm not. After all. . .

—

This is a place between dream and reality. Mind and matter. . . .

———————————————————————

Chapter Text

April 6th, Monday

A crimson butterfly flapped it's wings, flying across Japan. It ventured far and wide, soaring through Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Sapporo, Chiba, Saitama and so on, even visiting small towns such as Inaba.

But it's journey inevitably came to an end as it reached Iwatodai. It settled on a tower overlooking the Moonlight Bridge, and waited. . .

The stars in the night sky twinkled, their myriad of colors rivaling the beauty of the nearly complete full moon. For a brief moment, those stars all shined at once. . .

A young teen arrived at the end of the bridge, crossing onto Tatsumi Port Island. . .

The wind blowing at his vibrant orange hair ceased to exist, and the shining stars faded away, hidden by the dark, jade clouds in the sky.

The white moon had become an eerie green.
The blue oceans had become a bloody red.
The innocents had become steely coffins.

"So, it's started?" A smooth, slightly high pitched voice echoed across the silent night. The young man hummed as he began walking through the haunted world. . . .

———————————————————————

My name is  Angel Akeboshi .

And I. . . don't know who I am.

I don't know what my purpose is.
I don't know when I came to be.
I don't know where I come from.
I don't know why I'm here.

I was graced with extraordinary power.
I was graced with a brilliant mind.
I was graced with plentiful talents.

I was even graced with an amazing, beautiful, and precious friend.

Yet, the life I lead is empty.
Simply because. . .

I don't know why I'm alive.

———————————————————————

April 7th, Tuesday

On the path to Gekkoukan High School, Angel Akeboshi found himself daydreaming. His mind wandered often, and no one could quite pinpoint just what it was going on inside his head. . .

". . . Butterflies." He mused thoughtfully, aquamarine eyes opening to the sight of his new school.

The school year began today, and he would be attending Gekkoukan High as a First Year.

Angel! Wait up!

The orange haired child came to a stop, glancing over his shoulder to meet his childhood friend.

Tao Isonokami

"You certainly took your sweet time." Angel remarked with a sly smile, standing tall with a hand over his hip as his friend puffed out her cheeks and accusingly pointed at him.

"And that's because someone actually needs her sleep!" Tao pouted, adjusting her backpack and facing their new school. She let out a deep breath and nodded in affirmation. "You ready? This won't be anything like Junior High, you know."

"Don't worry about me. If anything, I should be worried about you." The boy decided as they trudged along.

"And why's that?" The girl wondered.

"Do you have any idea how many guys are going to be lining up to try and be your boyfriend?" A bright blush spread across her cheeks.

"It's a good thing I've got you around to scare away all the bad boys." She muttered with a nervous laugh, embarrassed by the implications of his words.

"Hm? Are you sick?" Akeboshi asked, noticing the red of her cheeks. He leaned into her to get a closer look, Tao's skin only reddening further!

"NO! I'm okay!" Isonokami shrieked as she jumped away! A few murmurs began circling through the bystanders as Angel observed her cluelessly.

"Okay then. . . ."

—

After a rather boring welcoming ceremony, classes began. Unfortunately, Angel and Tao were separated in homeroom. The first day went by fast, and as teachers came and went, so did time.

The day came to a close, the sun shining through the windows of the classroom. Angel stretched his arms as he rose from his seat, lifting his bag off the desk and hoisting the strap over his shoulder.

The class was already half empty, and Akeboshi wasted no time joining the leaving students. On his way out, he found himself spacing out once again.

Only this time, there was a consequence. The student was on a collision course with a teacher, who was reading a file labeled 'Minato Arisato' and wasn't looking ahead of her.

Isako Toriumi

And so, the two crashed together! While Angel barely stumbled, the teacher was completely knocked off balance, staggering backwards as her reading material flew into the air! After trying and failing to catch herself, an arm wrapped itself around Toriumi's waist.

Holding her up was Angel Akeboshi, his free hand reaching out and effortlessly catching the falling file. Every student in the hallway had completely fallen silent, eyes glued to the scene unfolding before them.

"I'm sorry, ma'am! I was not paying attention at all. . ." He chuckled as he pulled her so she could stand straight and held out her papers. . .

"I uh. . . Thank you." The second year's composition teacher simply said to get this embarrassment over with. She took the file from his hands and walked off as quickly as she could, her cheeks red all the way.

Angel's eyes trailed her for a moment before he shrugged and walked off himself.

"And you were all worried about me having to deal with dates." Tao Isonokami laughed, joining him as they exited the school.

"Huh? What do you mean?" The boy asked obliviously, his friend only sighing and shaking her head.

"Never change, Angel."

—

The Gekkoukan Dorms were close to being overpopulated, most rooms taken. At least that was the case for the boys' dorms, the girls' dorms had significantly less occupants.

That aside, the dormitories weren't anything special. The rooms were simply a bed, and a desk. Anything else was up to the students, and seeing as it was only Angel's first week there, his room had nothing of substance.

The walls were beige, and the ceiling was gray, as were the sheets to the bed. Everything was quite monotone. . .

"I really should try and liven up the place." Angel muttered as he set down his things and took a seat at the basic desk. He sharpened his pencil and opened up his notebook. "But, that can wait. Tao would kill me if I start falling behind. . ."

And so, a very long session of studying took place. . . and it ended long after the dorm fell silent.

Tick.
Tick.
Tick.
Tock.

The room darkened, the moon once again shifting from white to green as the night sky was poisoned. . . Angel rose to his feet and approached the window, undoing the lock and lifting the glass.

He climbed through to the other side and stood on the windowsill, aquamarine eyes looking down to the ground three stories below. . .

Without so much as a second thought, the orange haired student jumped.

———————————————————————

The Dark Hour was a phenomenon that occurred every single day at midnight, a literal, hidden 25th Hour that existed outside the laws of nature.

Ordinary humans transmogrify into sleek, black coffins, oblivious to the existence of such a time.

Though, there are outliers, those who do not become coffins. More often than not, these people are nothing but targets to the Shadows of the Dark Hour. . . .

———————————————————————

A man dressed in black shrieked as the world around him morphed into something unbelievable! The very person he was just talking to had become a coffin, and the sky had become horrifyingly dark! The malicious moon glowered over him as his breathing quickened, his heart overflowing with utter panic!

He shrieked again as black ooze began to deep out of his finger nails and eyes, out of the follicles that kept his hair stuck to his head! It was consuming him. . .

Then suddenly, in a flash of light, the substance was vanquished! In a moment of shock and relief, the man gasped and hugged himself! Five fingers then abruptly found their place on his face, and an instant later. . . he was a coffin.

Erupting from the ooze splattered across the street was a Shadow. . .

Maya

The masked figure howled as two more Shadows identical to itself rose from the puddle! The first pounced, reaching for the man's savior. . .

A powerful first plunged into its body, tearing it in two! The second one threw itself forward, a second strike sending it flying into the third Cowardly Maya with enough force to kill both of them!

Their bodies faded away into nothingness as Angel Akeboshi let out a sigh.

"It's always Mayas, give me something new. . ." He complained half heartedly, hearing bubbling behind him.

Drive

Beetle

A second sigh escaped the boy's lips.

"Just had to open my mouth."

The Shadows charged as Angel whirled to face them, dashing towards his opponents with his half undone school uniform wildly flowing with his momentum! As the Shadows neared, Akeboshi suddenly leaped into the air, soaring over the enemies as his aquamarine eyes shined!

Garu

Angel swung his arms, a powerful wave of force emerging from beneath the shadows and blowing them apart, sending them to opposite sides of the street! The boy flipped forward and landing on his feet, glaring back at the Drive Shadow as his eyes glared again.

Bufu

Frost spread up the Shadow, stretching from the ground to its torso and freezing it in place! Angel turned his attention the now charging Beetle, bracing himself and reeling his arm back!

Agi

Flames enveloped his arm as he sprung forward and uppercut the Shadow, releasing the gathered fire in an explosion of embers! The Beetle was lifted off the ground, it's underside exposed!

Zio

The teen aimed his hand at the airborne Beetle, electricity building up in the center of his palm, unleashing a powerful bolt of lightning! The Beetle was torn apart and vanquished by the strike!

A shattering sound filled Akeboshi's ears, the Drive Shadow breaking free of the ice and wildly spinning itself towards him from behind! It's powerful arms spun so violently the wind picked up, yet they weren't strong enough to break through the child.

Angel simply raised his arm, the being's appendage crashing against it only to be completely stopped in its tracks! The Shadow struggled, but the boy was not budging an inch. . . Aquamarine eyes gazed into the yellow mask of the shadow.

Hama

Holy white hieroglyphics began to materialize out of thin air, markings and fortunes spiraling around the Shadow. They flared, shining bright and consuming the Shadow, deleting it from existence. . .

"Hm. They're getting feisty again." Angel mumbled to himself as he began to wander as if he hadn't just battled five supernatural beings.

To him, this was nothing new. Going out during the Dark Hour, putting innocents back in their coffins, and defeating whatever Shadows he could find was a nightly occurrence. . .

He couldn't even remember the first time he experienced the Dark Hour. It was quite some time ago. . .

"It's almost the full moon. . ." Angel Akeboshi looked to the unnatural green of Earth's satellite, eyes following the small, speck of red traveling across it. . .

The Butterfly.

———————————————————————

April 9th, Thursday
Full Moon

Wednesday passed by without a hitch, an ordinary day of school and an ordinary night of hunting Shadows.

Thursday was something else entirely. . . and it all began early in the morning. As usual, Tao was running late and Angel was waiting for her by the school gate. . .

It was there where he crossed paths with him.

Minato Arisato

Their eyes met, gazing into one another's soul for a moment, just for a moment. Before Angel even knew it, Minato was gone. . .

Something about the second year intrigued him, in a way unlike any other.

The same could be said for Minato about Angel.

—

Velvet Path

Being the transfer student wasn't exactly new to Minato, but he never expected to be here, at Gekkoukan High, at Tatsumi Port Island. . .

It was here where his life spiraled out of control, and after being away for so long, it seemed fate had brought him back.

"It wouldn't harm anyone if I rest me eyes for a bit." The blue haired teen yawned and rested his head on his desk, the lecture of his teacher flowing through one ear and right out the other as he dozed off.

When he awoke, one of his door mates was patiently waiting for him.

Yukari Takeba

"Third day and already tired of it, Arisato-san?" The brunette sighed before laughing. Minato grunted as he awoke, rising to his feet.

"I guess you could say that." He kidded while rubbing his eyes. "What are you waiting for me for, Takeba-san? Is something important going on?"

"Nah, it's nothing big. Kirijo-senpai just asked that I escort you back to the dorm today." Yukari explained, to which her dorm-mate nodded after a moment to ponder the words.

"Then, let's get going."

On their way from 2-F to the exit, the two arrived at a rather. . . ridiculous event at the school's entrance. Three guys were on their knees begging for a girl to go on a date with one of them. . .

"Oh geez." Takeba sighed, adjusting her archery gear as she glared at the boys. "The first week hasn't even passed yet and they're already torturing that poor first year. . ."

The girl being hit on was none other than Tao Isonokami.

"Where's Angel when I need him?!" The younger girl gulped as they shamelessly threw compliment after compliment at her.

"Hey, Tao. Wanna go to Paulownia Mall?" The boy in question asked nonchalantly as he appeared, the three boys falling silent.

". . . Yeah, sure." Tao accepted after registering what he said, quickly jumping behind him and allowing him to escort her off campus. The single men observing all looked on jealousy, Minato excluded of course.

"Wonder who that was." Yukari commented as she started walking. The bluenette followed close behind, and with Angel and Tao gone, the attention flew to them. They'd already walked to school together on multiple occasions, so despite having just met, the rumor mill was up and running.

". . ." Minato didn't pay them much mind, but Yukari was more than a little annoyed as they left school.

"Looks like you and I got the short hand of the stick too. . ." The archer groaned as she rolled her eyes. "How are you handling all this?"

"I don't mind. Besides, if rumors become true, they aren't rumors anymore."

"Yeah, you've got a point- wait, WHAT?!?!?" Minato Arisato smirked mischievously, a half-hearted glare hitting him through Yukari's flushed cheeks! "Don't just say stuff like that!"

"You're pretty when you're flustered."

"STOP!"

Minato decided that Yukari was fun to tease. How cute she was when she blushed was just an added bonus. . . .

———————————————————————

Nothing could have prepared Minato for the events that would be set in motion that night. The dream he'd had the day prior was weird, but he didn't think it would allude to something. . . like this!

The Magician

Yukari Takeba was on the ground, blood dripping from her lips as she gazed up to the monster, the being standing over Minato. . .

It turned away from him, and then to her. Primal fear filled her from head to toe as it approached, the girl screaming as tears stung her eyes. . .

The boy's gray eyes landed on the pistol at his feet, Yukari's Evoker. The man with the long nose from the dream last night, and the boy dressed in black and white stripes from the night he arrived, flashed into his mind. . .

—

You must take responsibility for the choices you make. . .

Can you do what it takes?

—

Per. . . so. . . na. . .!

Ethereal blue flames emerged from the depths of Minato's soul, and with it, emerged his other self!

Thou art I.
And I am thou.

From the sea of thy soul, I cometh.
I am the Master of Strings.

ORPHEUS!

The Shadow raised its blades to face this new threat, the Persona drawing its Lyre and bringing it down upon the Magician! They clashed, a shockwave of force emitting from the collision as they pushed for dominance!

It was then that Minato felt a searing pain in his body, his heart stopping as he clutched his head and let out a deafening cry! Orpheus mimicked it's summoner, the Persona tearing itself apart. . . A new one, took its place.

With a resounding roar, the Persona'a power resonated across the night sky!

The Shadow barely comprehended that it was missing a limb, because not even a second after it was gone, the Persona was ripping it apart. . . piece by piece.

It held up its arm and violently crushed it before slicing the Magician in two, beginning the series of events that would define the next year. . .

Minato Arisato smiled as Orpheus returned. He'd protected Yukari, and right now, that's what mattered. . . Alas, everything went black.

———————————————————————

Scarlet Path

Two dozen shadows lay dead, slowly fading away as Angel Akeboshi took a moment to rest. It was rare to even see a single shadow, but to see twenty-four in one place was absurd. . .

And those weren't even the only shadows he'd faced tonight.

It was then that he felt it, heard it. The scream that sent ripples through his body, the scream that was brimming with absolute power.

"What. . . What's going on?!" Angel demanded as he staggered, gazing in the direction of the sound. Yet instead of finding the source. . . he saw it once again.

The Butterfly.

The questions in his mind about the scream, it's power, the Full Moon, the Shadows, all of it disappeared and was replaced by wonder. . .

Angel followed the red glow, letting it guide him through the darkness, the shadows, through the Dark Hour. . . .

—

The butterfly suddenly dissipated into red flakes, Angel reaching out for its pieces as they twinkled away.

It led him to Naganaki Shrine. . . In the walkway to the offering stand, to the center of the shrine, was a gateway.

A deep. . . red. . . gate. The boy steeled himself, and without an ounce of fear, ventured through it. . .

—

It was a maze, a mirror maze dyed and lit in scarlet. It didn't take Angel too long to traverse it, but the endless, infinite number of mirrors made him. . . uncomfortable.

At the end of the maze was small room, walls constructed by the very mirrors that made up the labyrinth.

A man sat behind a table. Angel Akeboshi could only stand in awe, trying to comprehend what was going on. . . Thankfully, the host was more than willing to elaborate.

Welcome. . . To the Scarlet Room.

———————————————————————

Chapter Text

Welcome, to the Scarlet Room.

Angel Akeboshi stood within the room of mirrors, the scarlet lights reflecting off every surface and spreading across the labyrinth just outside the chamber. . .

"I. . . This place I. . . Who are you?" The boy asked quietly, struggling to understand what exactly was happening.

". . . My name is Tatsuya Suou." The resident of the Scarlet Room spoke clearly and calmly, eyes analyzing every last detail of the teenager before him. . .

"I'm. . . Angel Akeboshi." The guest replied politely, though clearly unnerved by just about everything in this situation.

"I can tell you have a lot of questions, questions that I'm not sure I have the answers to." Tatsuya leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms and meeting Angel's gaze. "This place exists outside of your reality, between worlds. Why it looks like this? No idea. I'm just. . . occupying this room, if you will."

". . . Then, you aren't the butterfly?"

"No, I'm not. All I knew was that it was calling someone here. . . And so I took a gamble." At the snap of the host's fingers, the mirrors ceased to fulfill their purpose and became as black as night. The orange-haired student tensed, ready to defend himself when Tatsuya held out his hand. "Easy, I have no intentions of hurting you. I want to help you. . ."

". . . Help me?" That threw Akeboshi for a loop.

"I. . . can't enter your world. I can only influence your actions, warn you of what's coming." The resident of the maze closed his eyes, the mirrors fracturing, web-like cracks extending across the scarlet framed glass of each mirror.

"That. . . doesn't sound good." Angel let out a deep breath.

"It isn't. In all honesty, I don't know much more than you do. And that's saying a lot." The brunette sighed, the red lights of the room beginning to blink. "But what I do know. . ."

Is that Minato Arisato is at the heart of this.

. . .
. . .
. . .

"Why me. . .? Why entrust me with this. . .?" Akeboshi couldn't help but question. As much as he wanted to trust Tatsuya, he couldn't. Not yet.

". . . I told you before, this was a gamble. All I knew was that someone would be coming here. Not who. Not why. Not how. Nothing." Suou stood, leveling himself with his guest. "But none of that matters. . . What does is that you are here."

Angel Akeboshi.

You may be the one and only person I can trust with the fate of your world.

And I will do everything in my power to help you save it.

Tatsuya Suou held out his hand, eyes filled with desperation as he plead for his guest's trust. This was all he could do to help their world. He knew nothing about the boy, but he was his only option. . .

Without him, there was nothing Tatsuya could do. Everything, the World counted on this gamble.

Angel Akeboshi blinked, a cool breath escaping from between his lips before he placed his hand in Tatsuya's, his trust in the resident of the Scarlet Room. . . .

—

I am thou, thou art I. . .
Thou hast established a new bond.

This vow grants thee greater purpose as thou ventures forth.

Thou shalt have my blessing, as well as thy  Scarlet's .

—

Scarlet Arcana
The Man in Red [Tatsuya Suou]

Rank I

———————————————————————

April 10th, Friday

Tao Isonokami shut off the faucet to the girl's restroom within the dorm and began to brush her teeth. She was alone, up far earlier than normal just to upstage her dear friend for once.

As she finished her morning routine and rinsed her mouth, the dark haired girl gazed into the mirror. . . and saw nothing.

She jumped as her phone rang, quickly spitting out the water in her mouth into the sink and picking up the call.

"Angel? Yeah, what's up. . .? Paulownia Mall. . .? Okay, I'll see you there. . . Bye!" Tao  shut her phone after hanging up, glancing back to the mirror and staring at other self for a moment before calmly leaving the bathroom. . . .

—

Angel Akeboshi was determined to make contact with Minato Arisato as soon as possible, who he'd learned attended his school as a second year. Wasn't that convenient?

What was not convenient was that the older boy was in the hospital.

"Well, I guess saving the world can wait a week. . ." Angel sighed as he left Gekkoukan and began making his way towards Paulownia Mall.

The mall was nice, if it a bit small. There were a few luxurious fountains, a dance club, karaoke, a CD Store, arcade, a cafe, a pharmacy, antique store, grocery store, and last but not least, the Police Station.

"Odd collection." The 1st year mumbled as he began searching for the cafe. Tao had a head start on him, and had already had her fair share of coffee by the time he arrived.

"Someone's late!" Isonokami teased with a cheeky smile as her friend took a seat, huffing at her antics.

"I got. . . held up." He was still a bit miffed over being unable to find Minato, though he supposed he couldn't blame him for being in the hospital. . .

Following that line of thought, Angel found himself delving into the events of the previous night, leaving Tao to worry. She called out his name a few times, receiving not even a hum in response. She pouted and kicked his leg under the table.

"Angel!" The girl called a final time!

"Ah! Ow! Sorry!" He apologized as he cowered in his seat.

"Geez, you and your dozing off. . ." His childhood friend looked at him annoyed, but her gaze soon softened. Tao liked to believe she could read people well, and if she could read people, Angel was a picture book. "What's wrong. . .?" She asked gently.

". . ." Akeboshi rested his cheek on a hand and began stirring his coffee with a spoon. Unlike him, the voice that came out of his mouth was shaky, scared. . .

If someone placed the fate of the world in your hands. . . What would you do?

An eerie silence overtook their small table, Tao trying to understand what he'd just asked.

"Well. . . that's. . . certainly a loaded question." She managed to squeak out, grimacing as Angel sighed. After taking a sip of her own coffee, she gave the inquiry some deep thought. . .

What would she do if the fate of the world was in her hands? Obviously, she'd try to save it. She hoped that was the answer most people would have. . . but it was clear to her that the answer wasn't that simple. . .

But eventually, she found her answer. One she was happy with and was sure would help Angel with whatever this was about. . .

If the fate of world was in my hands, I'd fight fate with everything I have.

Even if I lose, even if there was no way to win, I would never give up. . . .

Angel Akeboshi couldn't help but smile. Even without the supernatural powers he himself had, she was easily the strongest person he knew. . .

And with her at his side, he felt confidant that he could do what it takes to fight fate.

—

I am thou, thou art I. . .
Thou hast established a new bond.

This vow grants thee greater purpose as thou ventures forth.

Thou shalt have my blessing, as well as thy  Light's .

—

Light Arcana
Childhood Friend [Tao Isonokami]

Rank I

———————————————————————

Velvet Path

The Velvet Room

The deep blue elevator endlessly rose, reaching for the top. The noise was often only interrupted by the ticking clock, but today. . .

It was Minato Arisato that broke the silence.

". . . I'm back here. . ." He whispered, gray eyes gazing to the two occupants of this realm, another that existed outside of reality.

Igor & Elizabeth

His hosts greeted him kindly.

"It is so nice to see you again." The long-nosed man chuckled, tilting his head to meet Minato's eyes. "You became unconscious after awakening to your 'power.' I see that it was Orpheus that heeded your calling."

"That, I have." The Persona itself spoke to its wielder, the boy's eyes widening in shock. Igor's attendant giggled at the reaction.

"That power is known as a Persona, a manifestation of your psyche," Elizabeth began, "in other words, your other self."

"You can think of it as a mask that protects you as you brave many hardships." Igor interjected, to which Minato nodded his head.

". . . I've always liked music, but I never thought I'd be a musician." The bluenette whispered to himself, his Persona grumbling in his mind.

"It is metaphorical." Orpheus corrected.

"Oh." Minato laughed.

"When you use your Persona ability, you must channel your inner strength." Igor went on, calling back the boy's attention. "The ability evolves as you develop your Social Links, your emotional ties with others."

"The greater and stronger these bonds, the more powerful your Persona becomes. But please note that superficial bonds will only hurt you." The attendant added gravely.

"I. . . I understand." Arisato began to glow, the blue light enveloping his body. "What's happening?!"

"Time marches on in your world. You're simply waking up. . ." Igor smiled as Minato vanished.

Next time we meet, you will come here of your own accord.

—

April 19th - Sunday

You're awake?!

Minato Arisato stirred, yawning loudly as he woke from his slumber. His refreshed eyes turned to see Yukari Takeba at his bedside. . .

"Um, how do you feel?" The brunette asked nervously, more than a little concerned considering he'd been out for ten days.

". . . Have you been here long? A bit suspicious don't you think?" The annoyed glare he received was worth the blush on her cheeks.

"Guess that answers that!" The archer grumbled with a sigh, shaking her head and puffing out her cheeks. "And here I was all worried about you."

"Aw, you do care!"

"STOP!"

The bluenette laughed in his hospital bed, rising to sit on the mattress. The bright lights of the room made him wince ever so slightly, drawing out another yawn.

"You just woke up and already wanna head back to sleep?" Yukari questioned curiously, cupping her chin as she recalled the doctor's statement. "He did say you were pretty exhausted. . ."

"How long was I out?"

"Ten days."

"TEN DAYS?!?!?" Minato exclaimed, eyes as wide as dinner plates. "That's so much school work!"

"THAT'S what you're worried about?" The girl facepalmed, muttering out an exasperated 'boys'. "Aren't you at least a little worried about what happened that night?" She asked in concern.

"Nah, I think I was able to piece together a decent bit of it." Minato replied as he stretched his arms to the ceiling. He cranked his neck, kicking eyes with his dorm-mate for a moment. "Speaking of, does your Persona talk to you too?"

"Huh?! They do that?" The other Persona-User shouted, creeped out.

"Yeah, at least mine does. . ." The wielder of Orpheus pursed his lips as his classmate fell silent, awkwardly hugging her arm.

"I uh. . . actually haven't summoned mine." Takeba confessed, shivering ever so slightly at the memory of that night. "I'm sorry I couldn't do anything. . ."

". . . I wouldn't stress about it, I mean. . . I am in a hospital." Arisato reminded, not too thrilled about that fact. The words didn't do much to put Yukari at ease, but it did remind her that she wasn't the only one having trouble. . .

And that reminded her about why she was even here in the first place.

"Before I go. . . I just wanted to say that you and I aren't so different." The brunette whispered, slowly gathering the courage to go on. "My dad died when I was little, and my mom and I aren't really on the best terms. . ."

You're all alone too. . . right?

She held her breath, hoping she hadn't overstepped any boundaries, but it seemed that nothing could really shake him. . .

Minato Arisato smiled, his eyes shining brighter than the sun.

Not anymore. . .

. . .
. . .
. . .

"Y-Y-You're so dang cheesy!" Yukari cried through her crimson cheeks, the bedridden boy cackling away!

—

Thou art I, and I am thou. . .
Thou hast established a new bond.

This vow aids thee in thy journey.

Thou shalt be blessed when creating Personas of the Lovers Arcana. . .

—

Lovers Arcana
The Lovely Archer [Yukari Takeba]

Rank I

———————————————————————

As day turned over to night, the Dark Hour began once again. The residents of the Iwatodai Dorm were gathered in the Command Room. . .

Needless to say, it was not an ordinary dorm. Seated before a collection of monitors was a young woman with crimson hair, typing away at the keyboard. 

Mitsuru Kirijo

And seated behind her at the main table was a young man with white hair, massaging an injured arm.

Akihiko Sanada

Things hadn't been the same since that night. It was rare for Shadows to appear outside Tartarus, The Tower or Demise. . .

But recently, ever since Minato Arisato awoke to his Persona, Shadows frequently vacated their hive to prey on the innocents of the outside world. . .

The two seniors would be out fighting, hunting, if it weren't for the Shadows' Signature vanishing as quickly as they appeared.

"So. . . it's happening again, huh?" Akihiko spoke up, irked by their lack of action and his own probation due to injury.

"So it would seem." Mitsuru stated, her map of Iwatodai and Tatsumi Port Island displaying over a dozen red dots signifying the presence of Shadows. . .

The radar wasn't exactly the most accurate, but she couldn't always rely on her own detection abilities.

What the radar could tell them was that there were large collections of shadows across the city, and that those groups were being wiped out one by one. Someone was out there, fighting.

"Any ideas as to who that could be?" The white haired teen wondered, eyes narrowing as the dots near the Moonlight bridge began to disappear. Mitsuru shut her eyes and prayed. . .

"Let's just hope they are on our side. . . ."

———————————————————————

Scarlet Path

Angel Akeboshi fell to one knee, breathing harshly as the residue of the Shadows began to dissipate.

"I just had to complain about wanting a challenge, didn't I?" He huffed, looking up to see more down the street, coming his way. "Alright, bring it on!"

Right now, with the Shadows on the rise, he was the only thing keeping the cases of Apathy Syndrome from skyrocketing. . .

But, at this rate? This many Shadows every night? Angel was not going to last. . . not without help.

It was time to pay the Scarlet Room a visit.

—

"Please, do not tell me I have to go through that maze every time I come here?!" Akeboshi yelled as he arrived at the small, boxlike chamber within the red mirror maze. A tick mark had taken its place beside his bruised forehead.

"I don't particularly enjoy having to do it either." Tatsuya Suou greeted, leaning forward in his chair and placing his hands together. "Anyways. . . I take it you're here for a reason."

". . . Yeah." Angel looked for a place to sit, the host snapping his fingers, a chair appearing out of thin air. . . Akeboshi awkwardly took a seat. "How did you?"

"A lot of practice. Now, to business."

"Oh right. . . The world is a bit hectic right now. You said you didn't know much, do I need to give you a rundown?" The teenager offered politely.

"Keep it short. . ." And so, Tatsuya was given a brief synopsis on the Dark Hour, the Shadows, Apathy Syndrome, etcetera.

". . . and that's the gist of all that. Right now, at my current level, there isn't much I can do." Akeboshi declared grimly, the man in red humming to himself.

". . . Explain your powers to me. I don't really understand them." He requested, to which Angel obliged and lifted a hand. His palm glowed before sparks of electricity burst to life, crackling across his hand.

"To put it simply, I can use my spiritual essence and psyche to create elements. . ." The boy then blanched. "And blessings and curses, those aren't really elements. . . You get the idea."

He did, but what Tatsuya didn't understand was how that was possible without a Persona. . .

"I. . . I'm not sure I can do much for you in that department." He admitted, only to smirk and snap his fingers. Angel braced himself as the mirrors darkened once again, the room shaking ever so slightly as an armory of medieval weapons began emerging from the reflections. . .

"Woah. . ."

"But I can at least provide with these. They worked just fine on the Shadows in my world, and should do the same for yours." The weapons glistening under the scarlet lights, Angel rising from his seat and reaching for a plain katana, toying with it in his hands. . .

"Where would I put these?" The guest asked, host sweatdropping.

"You can basically use magic, can't you summon it or something?" Suou murmured sarcastically as a smile spread across Angel's lips. "Don't tell me. . ."

"Thanks for the idea."

—

April 20th, Monday

Word around school was that Minato Arisato had just returned after skipping school for a week, despite most people knowing full well he was in the hospital.

It was then that our orange-haired first year realized though he knew Arisato attended Gekkoukan as a second year, he had no idea what the boy in question actually looked like.

"Well, let's hope asking around doesn't seem too suspicious. . ." And thus began a wild goose chase throughout campus that resulted in very, very little. . .

"Oh, Arisato? He left early with Yuka-tan! Something's definitely up with those two, if you know what I mean!"

Junpei Iori

The manhunt brought him face to face with another second year who was in Minato's class.

"Thanks, I guess." Angel sighed tiredly, glad he at least got something out of this colossal waste of time.

"Hey, why do you need Arisato anyway?" The slightly older teen asked nosily, leaning over the first year.

"Hey, personal space." Akeboshi backed up, only for Junpei to step forward.

"Oh come on, gimme somethin'!" Iori begged shamelessly, the redhead rolling his eyes and turning away, ignoring Junpei's pleas.

"Kids these days. . ."

Thankfully, there were enough rumors circling about Minato and one Yukari Takeba for Angel to know who "Yuka-Tan" was. But once again, he was faced with another dilemma.

He had no idea what she looked like either.

"Jesus Mary?!"

———————————————————————

Velvet Path

In the evening, all residents of the Iwatodai Dorm and the Chairman of Gekkoukan High School were present in the Command Room, seated around the center table. . .

Shuji Ikutsuki

The well dressed man kindly welcomed Minato to the fold as the bluenette arrived.

"Before we begin, I mentioned him earlier, but this is Akihiko?" The chairman quickly introduced him to the one person Arisato was not familiar with.

"How ya doin'?" The whitette greeted, the newcomer nodding back.

"Anywho, let me start by asking you this. . ." Ikutsuki adjusted his glasses, the shine masking his eyes.

Would you believe me if I said that a day consists of more than twenty-four hours?

The young man blinked once, gazing down to his palm and releasing a short breath.

"After what happened, I'd be willing to believe anything." Minato decided, knowing that he was about to be formally introduced into a brand new world. . .

"I'm not surprised by that reaction." Mitsuru responses with a slight chuckle. "You've already experienced this truth firsthand." She elaborated. "You must remember your first night here, you have to have noticed the signs. The streetlights went out, nothing was working, and there were coffins everywhere. That's the Dark Hour, a time hidden between one day and the next." She exposited, trying to read the boy's reaction.

". . . So that's what interrupted my music." The bluenette mused puffed cheeks. Fortunately, no one could guess his line of thought.

"The Dark Hour occurred every night at midnight. It'll happen tonight, and every night to come." The chairman continued, handing the mic over to the second senior.

"Normal people don't realize it since they're sleeping inside their coffins. But, that's not what makes the Dark Hour so interesting. . ." Akihiko grinned excitedly, tightly clenching his fist. ". . . You saw those creatures. We call them Shadows."

"They only appear during the Dark Hour, and attack people not in their coffins. And that's what causes Apathy Syndrome. . . the Lost." Yukari made her presence known, shaking at the thought of those poor souls.

"It's our job to defeat them. Sounds exciting, huh?" The white-haired senior nudged, much to his classmate's chagrin.

"Akihiko, why are you always like that?! You just got hurt!" Mitsuru chided him with a harsh glare!

"Now, now, he does his work well." Ikutsuki broke the two apart and refocused their attention on their guest. "Long story short. . ."

We're the Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad.

"SEES for short." Yukari tapped her red armband, those very letters printed onto it in black.

". . . Why not 'Shadow Extermination & Execution Squad?' Your version is a bit of a mouthful." The entire room deadpanned at his takeaway from the whole lecture.

"That's not the point!" The archer yelled!

"On paper, we're a school club. Mitsuru's club President, and I am the advisor." The chairman chuckled. . . before steeling himself. "And the members of this club are the rare few that can function during the Dark Hour."

"We're the few that have the power to summon Personas." Akihiko picked up the lesson, reaching underneath the table and pulling up a briefcase. "Only those with a Persona stand a chance against the Shadows. And you're on that short list."

He unlatched the lock and opened the case, turning it to reveal a pistol, an Evoker.

"What he's trying to say is that we want you to join us in our mission to vanquish the Shadows. . ." The redheaded senior summarized, passing the case towards their recruit. . .

The members of SEES waited with baited breaths, none more nervous than Yukari.

"Choose wisely, even if I want you to say yes, I'll support you if you say no. . ." She found herself crossing her fingers, anxiously waiting for whatever words would come from Arisato's mouth.

Minato's gray eyes scanned the weapon, his fingers gliding across the sleek metal.

"Take up arms, grab hold of the strings of thy fate. . ." Orpheus whispered.

The Current Guest of the Velvet Room lifted the Evoker from the case and began twirling it around his finger.

I'd be glad to be of service.

—

Thou art I, and I am thou. . .
Thou hast established a new bond.

This vow aids thee in thy journey.

Thou shalt be blessed when creating Personas of the Fool Arcana. . .

—

Fool Arcana
Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad [SEES]

Rank I

———————————————————————

Hi, how are you?

Minato Arisato awoke in the dead of night, in the midst of the Dark Hour. . .

We've met before. . .

"You're. . . that boy." The teen realized, eyes narrowing. . . The child giggled.

Soon, the end will come.

I remembered, so I thought I should tell you.

The end of everything. . .

But to be honest, I don't really know what that means.

Minato had no words for whatever that was supposed to imply. . .

Oh, it looks like you've awakened to your power.

And an unusual power it is.

A power that takes many forms but is bound by none. . .

It may prove to be your salvation, depending on where you end up.

The student then realized Orpheus had fallen silent. . .

I expect you to honor your commitment.

I'll be watching you, even if you forget about me.

I'll see you soon. . . .

—

Oh. . . And watch out for  Angel Akeboshi.

———————————————————————

Chapter Text

April 21, Tuesday

The bell marking the end of the school day arrived much faster than Minato anticipated, and arriving even faster was Mitsuru Kirijo. She marched into the classroom, drawing plenty of stares from her underclassmen.

"Takeba, Arisato. Can I have a minute?" The Senior requested hastily, the Second-Years sharing an awkward glance before nodding. "Come to the lounge when you get back to the dorm, I have something to tell everyone. I'll save the details for later."

"Aye aye, Captain." Minato teased, drawing a strange stare out of Mitsuru.

"See you there." Without wasting anymore time, the Student Council President took her leave.

"Well, she certainly got to the point." The bluenette remarked as he began packing up, Yukari letting out a sigh.

"She's probably busy with things like the Student Council, unlike us." She grumbled, clearly irked, enough for their rather talkative classmate to but in.

"Whoa! Yuka-tan! Do I sense some hostility?" Junpei asked with a grin, eager for some drama.

"Yeah, you were quite sassy." Minato added with a smirk.

"Well, it's not like I don't like her. . . She's just. . . Never mind! Let's go, Arisato-san." The archer shook her head and grabbed the Wielder of the Fool Arcana by the arm, fingers brushing against the newly made 'SEES' armband.

"Wait, I'm not done packing up my- STUFF-" Arisato was pulled out of the classroom, and Takeba was marching out of school with a purpose.

"Geez, Stupei should try and mind his own business." Yukari huffed, grip on Minato tightening.

"This is going to be a long train ride. . . ."

—

Iwatodai Dorms

Enduring Yukari's heated rant about their classmate drained the poor boy of just about all his energy. The brunette arrived at the dorms practically dragging Minato's limp body. . .

"Girls. . . are scary."

Awaiting their arrival in the lounge were the Senior members of SEES. . . where they discovered that Minato's tenure as the newest resident of the dorms was cut short.

"JUNPEI?!?!?" Yukari exclaimed in shock and horror! Standing in the middle of the lounge was Junpei Iori. "Why are you here?!"

"Wassup?!" The newest member of SEES greeted, showing off a red armband of his very own!

"Hm. That was quick." Minato sighed.

"Oh, you already know him? I guess we don't need to waste time with introductions then." Akihiko muttered, standing beside the recruit with crossed arms. "He'll be staying here as of today. He has the potential."

"Him?! Seriously?!" Takeba was clearly less than thrilled.

"I ran into him the other night. He has the potential." Their injured member exposited. "I told him about us, and he agreed to join."

"Oh, this is ridiculous!" The Archer let out a frustrated sigh.

"He found me cryin' like a baby at the convenience store, surrounded by a bunch of coffins. . ." Junpei admitted reluctantly, laughing nervously to keep up some bravado. "I don't remember much, but man. . . It was embarrassing. Akihiko-senpai said it's, ya know, completely normal. . . in the beginning." There was a slight pause, and Yukari tried to recall when she discovered her own potential. "Like being confused, and not remembering anything. Did ya guys know that?"

"I don't remember that being how-" Yukari was cut off.

In his usual Minato fashion, he pointed out the most obscure piece of the story.

"Why were you at a convenience store so late?" He wondered cluelessly, SEES staring at him blankly whilst he felt Orpheus facepalm.

"Wow man, you're on a whole other page." Junpei let out a hearty laugh. "Well, aren't you guys stoked? Havin' me join?"

"Uh. . . Yeah." Yukari sweatdropped, Minato flashing his classmates a thumbs up.

"Don't slow us down." The bluenette remarked.

"Don't worry about me! If anything, you guys'll be struggling to keep up!" Iori fired back passionately!

"Seeing as you're all so pumped, let us depart." Mitsuru interjected with a sly smile, the Second-Years sending her confused glances.

"We're going. . . somewhere. . .?"

—

Scraping the sky was the twisted labyrinth, The Tower of Demise. . . 

Tartarus.

"WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED TO OUR SCHOOL?!" Junpei screamed as the Dark Hour began, the tower emerging from beyond the gates to Gekkoukan High. . .

"I. . . I don't know what to say. . ." Minato mumbled, eyes trying to register just what it was he was looking at.

"Yeah. . . That was my reaction when Senpai showed me." Yukari whispered, just as shocked as she was the first time she'd seen it.

It was the Shadows' Nest, filled with endless floors of winding corridors.

"Wh-Why- How is this possible?!" Their new recruit asked, only to receive uncertainty from their upperclassmen.

"Maybe now, we'll find out." Akihiko unlocked the gate with a key and pushed it open, the entrance to the tower gleaming ominously. . . "Mitsuru and I have only gone in to take a peek; This will be our first time exploring it."

"As much as I admire your enthusiasm, you are not accompanying us, Akihiko." Mitsuru stressed with a mild glare, the whitette gritting his teeth and sighing.

"You don't have to remind me. . ."

The party of five ventured forth, and entered Tartarus. Majestic silver architecture made up the walls, pillars creating a ring around the central area. . . a stairway lying in the room's center. Stop it was a gateway, embedded within a golden clock. . .

"This is only the entrance. The labyrinth lies beyond the doorway at the top of the stairs." The redhead explained as she found a comfortable place on the floor and opened up a laptop, lines of code running down the screen as it flowed blue.

"First, we'll have you three get a feel for this place." Akihiko notified, not exactly expecting the scared expression on each of their faces.

"B-By ourselves. . .?" Yukari meekly questioned.

"We aren't asking you to go very far, and as you can see. . . I can feed you information from here." The Student Council President assured them, leaning aside and letting them see her monitor.

"We're also appoint a leader to make any necessary decisions. Arisato, that's you." Sanada declared, all eyes shifting to Minato. He suddenly shrunk into a chibi. . .

"Wha?! Why him?!" Junpei yelled, the only one objecting to the decision.

"Well, he has fought them before." Yukari rushed to the bluenette's defense.

"There is another reason." Kirijo stood, unlatching the strap on her hip and grasping her own Evoker, twirling it around her hand before holding the barrel to the side of her head.

Can you summon your Persona without hesitation?

Takeba didn't need to be reminded of her own fear, the girl dejectedly averting her senpai's gaze and staring at her feet. Junpei tried to say something, but held his tongue.

"These are Shadows we're talking about here. Without your Persona, you're screwed." Akihiko warned grimly, eyes locking with the assigned Leader's. . . "Are you ready?"

Minato Arisato took a deep breath and steeled his nerves, Orpheus readying himself for whenever his summoner called.

"Of course. Let's get started. . .!"

Weapons were handed out, supplies were prepared, and soon. . . Junpei, Yukari, and Minato were ready to explore Tartarus. . .

But before they could begin, a blue butterfly hovering in the air, twinkling lights illuminating its path. Minato Arisato reached out and let it rest in his finger, the butterfly shining. When the light dimmed, the spirit had become a key. . . And before the Persona-User was a Velvet Door. . . .

—

The residents of the Velvet Room patiently waited for their guest to arrive, meeting the boy's blue eyes as he flashed into being. . . 

"Welcome to the Velvet Room. . . We've been waiting." Igor chuckled, "the time has come for you wield your power. The tower that you are about to venture into. . . How did it come to be? For what purpose does it exist?" The long-nosed man gave a soft hum of thought. "Regrettably, you are not yet capable of answering these questions. . ."

That is why you must be made aware of the nature of your power.

Minato blinked once and twice, looking down to his palm. It began to sparkle ever so slightly, a tune playing in his mind, Orpheus plucking at the strings to his Lyre. . .

"Your ability is like the number Zero. It's empty, but at the same time holds infinite possibilities." Elizabeth smiled and lifted a velvet book from the table, opening it to a seemingly random page.

"Zero. . ." The boy whispered.

"You are able to possess multiple Personas and summon them at will. And through the power of your bonds. . . Even greater power can be awakened." The Attendant was hit by the blue glow of the card rising from the pages. . .

The Lovers Arcana

"Yukari. . ." Minato realized.

"There will be times when it will be difficult to grasp the depths of your ability. . . But do not fear. Seize what you have earned, and your power will grow accordingly." Elizabeth went on.

"Our spare time will soon become scare." Igor began to conclude their discussion. "Please, come again of your own accord. . . I'll tell you then about my true role. . . The manner in which I can best assist you."

"Until then, farewell. . ." The two recited together, Minato's body rising and beginning to fade away. . .

"Thank you. . . ." He murmured before returning to his own twisted reality. . . .

———————————————————————

Scarlet Path

Angel Akeboshi sprinted across a rooftop, stepping onto the ledge and leaping into the air! An explosion detonated atop the building as he soared, the First-Year rolling over his shoulder as he landed on the next building! Tiara, Book, and Eagle Shadows chased him down, unleashing over a dozen flame blasts to try and burn away their target!

Makarakarn!

A transparent silver shield materialized out of thin air, the flames crashing against it and bouncing back at the shadows! They each steered clear of the fires, flying over the rooftop and preparing to descend upon Angel. . .

An arrow suddenly pierced an Eagle's head, it's body dispersing into black and red particles. . . On the rooftop, the Magic-User wielded a crossbow.

"I really like this thing." The boy commented, body abruptly dashing aside to avoid the dive of the other Shadows!

He tossed the weapon away and held out his hand, a white shine encompassing his hand and morphing into the shape of a blade. With a katana in hand, Angel whirled and hacked a Tiara in two! He raised the blade and sliced a Book apart, then ducking beneath an Eagle's talons and kicking off the roof, stabbing through the Shadow from below! With a swift spin, the boy summoned a shield while airborne and blocked a second Tiara's charge! Angel was pushed back onto the roof, where he threw both of his weapons with enough force to evaporate two more Shadows!

For his final weapon, the redhead summoned a chain mace! He grasped the handle and began to twirl the links, the mace at the end becoming a blur before Angel launched it forward! The chain extended as the mace burst through an Eagle! Reaching its max extension, Akeboshi reeled the mace in and swung it Book, obliterating it as the momentum carried the weapon into another Eagle!

"I do not think this is how I'm supposed to use this thing!" The mace flew in every direction possible, the Shadows trying and failing to avoid it until there was none left to battle. . . The mace settled at its summoner's side, and the boy let out a relieved sigh.

His aqua eyes glanced to the dark waning crescent and the Tower trying to reach it. . . Angel had seen Tartarus ever since he and Tao transferred to attend Gekkoukan, yet he hadn't dared to try and approach it.

Ever fiber of his being screamed at him to stay away from whatever the Tower was supposed to be. . . .

———————————————————————

Velvet Path

The Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad was in the midst of a battle of their very own!

"I won't miss!" Yukari Takeba tugged on the string of her bow and released, the arrow splitting the air and jetting into a Tiara!

A Maya approached her from behind, only to be sliced in two by a jagged slash from Junpei Iori, wielding a two-handed longsword!

"Alright! Who's next?!" His call was answered by a Beetle, the Shadow galloping towards them! "Oh, that's a big one!"

"Run!" Yukari pulled him and the step ran down the dark corridor of the maze! "Arisato-" the bluenette sprinted passed them, heading right towards the massive shadow! Arisato drew his pistol and aimed it to his head, pulling the trigger. . .

"ORPHEUS!" The God of Strings emerged from the depths of Minato's soul and rammed into the Shadow, the impact lifting the Beetle from the ground! With its underbelly exposed, the bluenette dashed forth and plunged his sword into its gut! The Shadow exploded into a storm of darkness, fading away into nothingness!

"Woah. . ." The Archer uttered in awe of the display.

"I can do do that too!" The Swordsman decided, glancing behind them as two Twin Shadows approached! Taking a deep breath, Junpei grabbed hold of his Evoker and placed the barrel at his temple. . . He punched himself in the gut, stopping the trembling in his bones. "Come on already. . . PERSONA!"

Hermès!

The Mystical Creature soared ahead, blitzing passed the Shadows! Just moments later, they burst into ash!

"Oh, yeah! Who's the man?!" Junpei cheered, his Persona beating away any Shadows that even tried to get close!

Takeba couldn't help but feel a little useless compared to him and Arisato. Orpheus and Hermès had both ends of the hall covered, both flanks under control.

"It seems you're holding up well." Mitsuru Kirijo spoke to them through the small communicators built into their armbands. "We don't wish to overstay our welcome. Begin making your way to the teleporter."

"Teleporter?" Minato questioned, recalling the strange green device they'd wandered by without much thought.

"Yes. It's green, quite hard to miss. It'll bring you back to the entrance." Their senpai notified.

"Well, let's go then." The Leader decided, his teammates reacting very differently to the exchange.

"What? Why?! We're doing just fine!" Iori argued, Hermès pouting behind him.

"Hey, not the time to argue about this. Arisato-san's in charge anyway." The Archer reminded, to which her classmate just groaned.

"Yeah, yeah. . . I-"

Move!

A bolt of lightning crackled through the halls of Tartarus, Minato pushing his teammates aside and letting the electricity strike him in the chest, the collision carrying him away!

"MINATO!" Yukari and Junpei cried! They faced the Drive Shadow as it rumbled towards them!

"Hermès!" Iori roared, firing his Evoker and summoning his Persona! It rushed the Shadow, but the enemy began to rapidly spin, it's sturdy arms repelling his Persona and knocking it into a wall! The pain felt by the Persona was reflected onto its User, Junpei gritting his teeth as he fell to his knees. . .

The Drive Shadow began to close in, but the unique glass shattering echo of an Evoker made it halt. . .

"I won't let anyone get hurt because of me, not again!" Yukari Takeba's eyes glowed, Evoker held against her forehead as she called upon her potential! "PERSONA!"

Io!

The Persona hovered above Yukari, staring down the Shadow!

"Here goes! GARU!" The Archer chanted, Io's eyes shining green before a massive gust of wind propelled through the corridor! The green force slammed into the Drive, knocking it off its feet and pushing it against a wall! "I-It's down!"

"Not yet!" Minato returned, rubbing his chest as Junpei rose to his feet. The three stood together as the Shadow began to recover. . .

"Way to go, Yuka-Tan! Let's finish it off!" Junpei summoned Hermès and Minato willed Orpheus forth!

All Out Attack!

The members of SEES charged, their Persona following their lead! Together as one, the trio struck the Drive Shadow, tearing it to pieces! Yukari and Io knocked it down once again, Junpei and Hermès cut off its arms, and Minato and Orpheus severed its head!

The Shadow dispersed into nothing, the trio taking a moment to collect themselves.

". . . Now can we go?" Their Leader wondered, huffing harshly from the hit he took.

"Y-Yeah, let's get out of here!" Iori rushed over and supported his side.

"Are you okay?!" Takeba asked worriedly, eyes widening as Minato reached for his Evoker. "Hey, wait! Don't push yourself-"

"Don't worry." At the pull of the trigger, the bluenette was enveloped in a blue gleam, only this time. . . it wasn't Orpheus that arose.

Pixie.

The Persona descended towards her summoner, hovering ahead of his chest and making a heart with her hands. A viridian aura surrounded Pixie before the energy transferred to Minato, his pain vanishing and wounds healing. . .

Dia.

"See, good as new!" The boy grinned, Pixie flying onto his shoulder and taking a seat. She smiled as her summoner's friends registered what just happened. . .

ANOTHER PERSONA?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

—

The first exploration of Tartarus soon came to an end, and despite a few hiccups, it was classified as a resounding success. By combining their powers together, SEES was able to stand against the Shadows. . . .

—

Fool Arcana
Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad [SEES]

Rank II

———————————————————————

Scarlet Path
April 23nd, Thursday

As I begin my term as Student Council President, I'd like to share with you my vision for this coming year. It is my firm belief that each of us must accept the responsibility of bettering our school. However, change cannot occur without sustained effort and an unprecedented level of commitment. That is why we must restructure our daily lives to accommodate this lofty goal.

I'd like each of you to dig deeply into your well of motivation, and re-evaluate your convictions. . . To imagine a bold new future without losing sight of the realities around you. I am certain that each of you have your own visions of the future. For us to reap the full benefits of our education, your participation, ideas, and enthusiasm are essential.

Thank you.

Mitsuru Kirijo bowed and walked off stage, satisfied with her speech. The morning assembly soon came to an end and the students began headings towards their classrooms. . .

"Kirijo. . . That name sounds familiar. Aren't they people who own the school?" Angel Akeboshi mused aloud. He had to admit, Ms. Student Council President had a way with words. "Dig deeply into my well of motivations, huh. . .?"

It made him ponder why exactly he went out at night to fight shadows. Of course, he had to, to save the world. . . but beyond the fact that it was the right thing to do, why was he doing it?

It was soon becoming one of the many questions he had asked about his life. . . .

—

After School

"You want to what?" Angel inquired as he and his beautiful friend met at the gates to Gekkoukan High.

"I want to join the volleyball team!" Tao announced, smiling happily with her arms raised to the sky!

"Um. . . I'm going to be blunt. You're awful at volleyball."

"Which is why I'm joining the team! I'll be a pro in no time!" Isonokami declared, hopping back and forth to show off her energy.

"Well, I'll start praying for the team. Only a higher power will save them from your skills." Akeboshi stated, receiving a playful punch to the arm, Tao pursing her lips in thought.

"I'm not that bad. . . Am I. . .?"

—

April 27th, Monday

"Wow. . . You're. . certainly trying." Tao had failed to hit the ball once in the span of an hour. The poor ravennette fell to her knees and sighed. . .

"I'm awful. . ." She mumbled despairingly. A hand pat her on the head, silvery blue eyes wandering up to meet the onyx blue eyes of her Senpai.

Rio Iwasaki

"Now now, cheer up. We need First-Years anyway, so the spots yours." The Second-Year flashed her a small smile.

"I got in on a technicality. . ." Tao sighed, the upperclassman giggling.

"Yeah, and now that you're here. . . We can work on getting you up to speed." Rio's kind smile became an excited grin. "You better not give up, not until you've done your best!" Her words came off as a bit pushy, but they were encouraging nonetheless. . .

"Okay. . .! Please teach me!" Isonokami bowed before the Captain of the Volleyball Team, her fellow ravennette just laughing.

"I like your spirit!" Iwasaki pulled her up from the ground and started running in place. "We'll start with the basics. Try to keep up!"

"The basics again. . .?" Another girl whined.

"I keep telling you all the fundamentals are important. Now let's move it!" The other girls started running at their captain's behest, Rio facing the Volleyball Team's newest member. "If you get worn out, just keep your mind focused and you'll be able to pull through."

"Okay, I'll do my best!" Tao declared with renewed vigor!

"Aha, you sound promising. Let's go!"

And so began Tao's first day of volleyball.

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Evening

Rio Iwasaki was in high spirits, largely because of the breath of fresh air that was the team's only First-Year. Tao may have been the worst player on the team. . . but unlike the rest of the team, she was dedicated.

Tao Isonokami actually wanted to be there and that alone made the Captain unbelievably happy.

What annoyed her to no end was that she was the only one left for clean up. The team bailed and she'd given Tao the go ahead to head home, the poor girl looked half dead after practice officially ended.

"Geez, it's like we aren't even a team." Rio acknowledged that she wasn't perfect, that she could be really bossy at worst, and a little pushy at best, but this was ridiculous.

The current team was hadn't changed since last year and yet they'd left her behind without a second thought. The very least they could've done was help their Captain clean up. Iwasaki just sighed as she finished up and looked up at the sky. . .

It was quite dark. Cleaning up alone certainly ate up a lot of her time, but she could definitely make it home before too much longer. . .

At least, that's what she believed. Rio Iwasaki's understanding of the world was about to undergo a paradigm shift, and her life would never be the same. . . .

—

Every eye at the station lingered on the man walking towards the tracks, the light from the next training brightening as it neared. . .

"Hey, are you alright?" Rio couldn't help but ask, only to not receive a response. She reached to tap his shoulder only for him to tip forward. . . and collapse onto the tracks.

The train passed and the High School Student saw nothing but nasty reds. . .

An older woman took the girl's hand and led her to a bench, gently setting down Iwasaki. Her eyes were wide and empty, reliving the experience over and over again. . . .

When Rio finally came to, Police were all over the place, as well as men bearing the mark of the Kirijo Group. It was another case of Apathy Syndrome, one of the many incidents that had become commonplace as of late. . .

"Can you tell me what you witnessed, young lady?" One of the men in suits asked quietly, doing his best to not rattle the traumatized girl.

". . . I-"

Shatter

Time came to a screeching halt as the world fell into the grasps of the Dark Hour, the world hidden behind reality coming to life in the dead of night. . .

"Wh-What. . . What is this?!" Rio jumped from the bench, screaming as the man in front of her became a coffin himself! The girl rushed out of the station, passing by red puddles and countless coffins. . .

The teenager stopped on the street to catch her breath, eyes brimming with fear and desperation. She looked around and realized that she was utterly and completely alone. . .

"Wh-Where is everyone. . .? What is this place?!" Rio fell to her knees, gazing into her red tinted reflection within the crimson waters on the street. . .

It was through the mirror of herself in those waters that she realized all this panicking wouldn't get her anywhere. Her other self smiled and imbued her with courage, Rio breathing slowly as she rose to her feet.

". . . Breathe, breathe, just breathe Rio." She stood idly, taking as much time as she needed to simply calm down. . .

The Second-Year let out a shaky breath and soon began to wander aimlessly, hoping to find anything that would make her feel safe in this darker world. . . .

—

The sight of the Tower of Demise relayed the grim reality that Rio found herself in. For a brief moment she considered that all of this may just be a dream, that this was all in her head. . .

But Tartarus was the deciding factor. As unreal and unbelievable as the tower seemed, the aura emanating off it, the dread Iwasaki felt deep in her heart, was real. . .

". . . Who's there?" The girl turned quickly, calling out to the shadows as the sound of distant footsteps reached her ears. . .

So you're why the Shadows are going insane tonight.

"Sh-Shadows. . .?" A nightlight shined through the darkness, and Rio Iwasaki crossed paths with Angel Akeboshi. "Who. . . I've seen you before. You're a student at Gekkoukan."

"And, based off that uniform, I'm willing to bet you are too." The First-Year replied, eyes carefully analyzing the Junior. "Follow me, it's not safe here."

". . . Yeah, yeah okay."

The redhead held out his hand, the raven-haired girl hesitating to take it, but inevitably holding on tight. . .

The two ran down the streets, Angel telling Rio everything he knew about the Dark Hour. . .

"So this place shows up every night. . . Th-That's insane!" The young woman yelled, struggling to digest the wealth of information.

The Dark Hour.
The Tower.
The Shadows.

Apathy Syndrome.

"How do you know all this. . .?" Rio asked, almost falling as her escort came to an abrupt stop. . .

"I. . ." A soft murmur left his mouth, but nothing more followed. Adding to the plethora of questions she had for him, to the plethora of questions he had for himself, Angel Akeboshi gave her an answer.

I don't know.

"I just. . . woke up one night and I was here." The young man chuckled, realizing how that out everything he'd just explained into question too. "I'm guessing that's not too different from how you ended up here. . ."

"Well, I was conscious when it happened, but that's about right." The Volleyball Player mumbled, hugging herself tight as the incident just before her arrival replayed in her mind. . .

If what Angel said was true, then that man must've woken up in this place, in the Dark Hour. That man must've died in this here, too. . .

"Let's keep going. The longer we stay here the easier it'll be for Shadows to-"

"What do you do down here. . .? If people die in this place, if they become The Lost, how come you're okay. . .?" Rio asked quietly, volume barely above a whisper. "If these 'Shadows' hunt people down when they aren't in coffins, how come you're safe. . .?"

How come  I'm  safe?

". . . I can fight them, and I put anyone outside their coffins back into them. It's how I protect them. . ." Angel's aquamarine eyes met her deep onyx, the boy meeting her gaze over his shoulder. "As for you. . . When your hand touched mine, I tried to do the same. . . But it didn't work. You're different. . ."

"I'm. . . different?" It was clear he didn't know what that meant either.

Their discussion was cut short as a howl echoed into the night. In the blink of an eye, Rio wasn't on the ground anymore, instead in Akeboshi's arms. . .

The ground where they once stood was frozen solid, a small iceberg erected atop the street.

"Stay behind me, that's a Shadow!" Angel ordered as he set her down, the enemy breaking through the icy construct. . .

Knight

Angel and the Shadow eyed one another, daring the other to make the first move. . . Yet, it was neither who did so.

Rio Iwasaki stepped forward, the dark world brightening ever so slightly.

"Iwasaki!" The Magic-User reached for her, only for his to fall short of her arm. Wide aqua eyes stares at the Shadow in awe. . .

The Knight hadn't moved even once since Rio began her march, and didn't move when that march came to an end. . . The Seventeen-Year-Old Girl raised her hand to the Shadow and placed her hand onto the snout of his chariot.

A majestic white shine emitted from the point of contact, Angel shielding himself from the brightness as light flooded the dark being. . .

The Shadow, no. . . The Ray of Light kneeled, bowing before Rio Iwasaki. . .

"She. . . She just purified a Shadow. . .!" Angel couldn't help but smile at the beautiful sight, Rio caressing the Chariot's horn as the golden glow of her irises faded away, returning to their natural onyx. . .

"You said you fought these Shadows, that you protected people. . ." She turned to him, the Knight Ray ascending into the air, hovering above the human who'd rid it of darkness.

I want to protect people too!

—

Shadows were being born from the worst facets of humanity, their darkness manifesting into monsters that consumed anything in their path. . .

But there was nothing they could do against someone devoid of true evil, devoid of a hidden other self. Against a being of light, the Shadows cowered in fear. . .

Rays were the product of that Light fighting back against the night, a spirit free from the shadows of humanity. . . .

—

I am thou, thou art I. . .
Thou hast established a new bond.

This vow grants thee greater purpose as thou ventures forth.

Thou shalt have my blessing, as well as thy  Angel's .

—

Angel Arcana
The Constellation [Rio Iwasaki, _____, _____]

Rank I

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