Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

January 3rd

With the battle against Salmael over, and everything finally back to normal, the Phantom Thieves could enjoy the rest of their winter break. The group gathered in Leblanc to hang out as usual while Ren was still visiting. The only ones who couldn't make it for obvious reasons were Zenkichi and Toshiro. They were still busy with the aftermath of Toshiro's conference. But today wasn't just a normal hangout; today, Hifumi called the entire group over because she had something she wanted to tell them. In fact, as soon as Leblanc was open, she was the first one there. "Good morning!" She told Ren, Futaba, and Morgana.

"Yo." Ren waved as Hifumi stepped inside.

"It's early…" Futaba yawned.

"Is it early, or did you spend all night playing video games?" Ren asked with a quirked brow. Futaba's quiet laugh answered that question.

"I gotta get my gaming freedom in while I can! Otherwise all that homework when school starts is gonna totally take all my time." Futaba said while looking at Morgana, who was curled up on a seat. "It must be nice to be a cat. You don't have to do anything."

"I must say, it is pretty nice to get fed and sleep all day." Morgana spoke with a snicker. As much as he did still have ideas of being human from time to time, nothing beat his leisurely life. He then turned to Hifumi, who was taking a seat at one of the booths. "So, what did you want to talk about?"

"I can't say it just yet. Everyone has to be here." Hifumi said while raising a finger. "I would've come with Ann, but we had something to take care of separately.

"Oooh, I wish they'd get here already!" Futaba said. "Sojiro's out shopping again, so Ren's in charge until he gets back!"

"I think he goes shopping a lot more when I'm here." Ren scratched his cheek. It just meant that Boss trusted him, obviously. They wouldn't have to wait much longer, because everyone soon started to file into the cafe. Ann was first, who clung to Hifumi and greeted her with a kiss on the cheek.

"Hello!" Ann beamed towards Hifumi and then the others. "Sorry for the wait!"

Right after Ann, the others came in; Yusuke, Makoto, Haru, Sumire, and Akechi came in and took their seats. "I see we are all here." Yusuke stated. The doors opened once again, and Mika came in.

"I got the text." Mika wasn't sure why she was invited to Leblanc. But Hifumi did ask her to come, and she'd never say no!

"You aren't even in the group text!" Ann pointed at Mika. But she realized it was probably Hifumi who did it.

"Oh, no, I added her. Because it'd be funny.." Futaba explained. Sumire just sat with a sweat drop.

"We asked first." Sumire clarified.

The last person to arrive was Ichinose. She had Sophia within her phone as always. "Hello, my friends! Sophia told me that there was an interesting meeting going on! So I just had to drop in."

"I honestly didn't think you'd be able to make it." Ren admitted. Ichinose was doing who knows what these days. But it's not like he minded.

"I wanted to hear what Hifumi has to say!" Sophia said, her hands pressed against the screen of Ichinose's phone.

"I do as well." Haru tilted her head with a smile.

"SInce we have everyone here, there was something important I wanted to tell everyone." Hifumi cleared her throat. "I remembered a certain event in November not too long ago."

"November?" Makoto tilted her head.

"No, not the November that passed. November from the year before last." Hifumi clarified. As she did, she could see numerous question marks appearing over everyone's head.

"What do you mean?" Yusuke asked.

"It sounds like something we should know." Akechi commented.

"Mhm." Hifumi replied with a nod. "I've been meaning to share for a while now, but I've never had the opportunity until now. It's about a time we met another group of Persona users."

"Wait, huh?" Sumire blinked a few times. "I would've remembered something like that!"

"I feel the same way. Such a momentous occasion would be hard to forget." Yusuke furrowed his brows. He didn't doubt Hifumi, but something about this felt strange!

"I remember, too." Ren added. "Although it's still a little fuzzy, I remember most of it."

"So then what happened?!" Ryuji leaned forward, excited to hear about this story they'd all supposedly forgotten.

"Allow me to start." Hifumi cleared her throat. "This may seem bizarre. This was around the time we were waiting to infiltrate Sae-san's Palace…"

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The clock winds back.

November 10th

Are the Phantom Theives innocent? 4%

What an exhausting week it all was. Hifumi Togo aired out everything concerning her shogi matches. As such, people were taking to calling her the Phony Princess. It was a nickname that did sting, but she took the blows as they came. She was determined to ensure that name was nothing more than a passing, fleeting moment. The looks she got from others at Kosei were piercing, but she did her best to ignore them. "They're glaring at me even more intensely than before. I suppose being honest only made their ire stronger…."

"You mustn't let them get to you." Yusuke said while walking next to Hifumi. "You are walking a new path now."

"You are right." Hifumi gave a slow nod. "I do not intend to shy away from this path either. People may look at me however they wish, but I intend to earn their goodwill back someday, however long it takes."

"That's the right attitude." Yusuke smiled. He hardly thought much of what others thought of him. He would continue to express himself through his art. That would never change. With school being over for the day, they were making their way out of Kosei. Their phones both buzzed before they made it out of the building.

"Oh, it's the group chat. The one with Akechi." Hifumi remarked. Ryuji texted everyone to see if they were willing to head over to the hideout - Ren's room - today. "Hm…we have a little over a week until our operation. I suppose it would be worth going."

"I agree." Yusuke was typing on his phone.

"I feel a little bad that Kasumi is being left out, but we need her presence to be hidden if my prediction is correct." Hifumi also responded to the group text, confirming she would be present as well.

"She has been doing her best to aid us even with his presence. I do not think you need to worry." Yusuke smiled. Even though Kasumi had to remain out of Akechi's sight in the Metaverse, she was doing everything she could to help them. Be it directly or indirectly. "Now, we should head to Leblanc. We don't want to keep the others waiting."

"Yes, you're right." Hifumi nodded. With that, the pair made their way towards the hideout.

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Once the group made their way to the hideout, they came to a decision about their moves for today. "That makes it unanimous! We're infiltrating Mementos today!" Morgana exclaimed. "Sound good, Futaba?"

"Yup!" Futaba nodded with a grin. "Navigator at the ready! Just leave everything to me, as always."

"I'll do my best." Haru spoke with a smile. Compared to the others, she wasn't as experienced. But she had been through three Palaces with them at this point, so she quickly grew accustomed to the ways of the Phantom Thief.

"I don't think we'll have anything to worry about." Ann spoke while giving a grin. She brought some snacks with her, chewing on them after she spoke.

"We should be alright. It wouldn't hurt to hone our skills a little bit more in Mementos. My sister will be a strong opponent." Makoto spoke with a bit of a frown. As much as she preferred to avoid the incoming fight with her sister, she knew it was inevitable.

"I never have any issues exploring Mementos. I always find some strong inspiration in there." Yusuke was content with this decision.

"I don't want to grow complacent either." Hifumi balled her hands into fists. "I have new power that I want to unleash!"

"Someone's a little excited after upgrading their Persona." Futaba snickered. Although Hifumi's second awakening was extremely cool to witness.

"Do you think anything's changed since we changed Hifumi's mother's heart?" Morgana asked. Getting to the depths of Mementos was their goal.

"Combined with the few requests we've accepted, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to check if Mementos allow us deeper access.." Akechi stroked his chin with his gloved hand. While he would rather not actually be here, it would've been too suspicious if he declined. As such, he would follow them into Mementos and do these requests he found mundane and pointless. Especially since he planned for the Phantom Thieves to disband and suffer a terrible fate soon. "There is only one way to find out."

"You also don't have to come if you don't wanna." Ryuji quickly added. He made it no secret he was no fan of Akechi being on their team, since he was currently blackmailing them into compliance. "We'll happily ditch you."

"Ryuji." Ann rolled her eyes. She understood the sentiment, she really did. But there wasn't a time for pointless fights.

"I understand." Akechi was able to dismiss Ryuji's slight hostility. He completely understood that it was warranted. "For the time being, we are a team. So I would be happy to help you with your tasks until the 18th."

"Mhm…" Hifumi simply nodded. Akechi's words were mixing truth with lies. Although she didn't understand why she had the power to detect someone's lies, it did prove useful.

"Then we shouldn't waste much time." Ren told the team. "It's showtime!"

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Within a few of the earlier floors of Mementos, Violet just finished taking down a few Shadows of her own. With the tense situation surrounding the Phantom Thieves, she needed to do her best. She had to keep improving! Right now, she was at a rest station, taking a moment to sit down and catch her breath. "I don't want to slow them down. I don't know how I'm going to be able to help them going forward into the Palace, but I have to do something. Senpai and the others are working so hard…"

That's why she was down here training. She had to keep herself moving. Her gymnastics training was done, but she didn't have anything else to do. Prior to meeting Ren and the others, her days were fairly routine. But she found herself missing that sense of friendship she didn't have, since most of Shujin gave her dirty looks. "I didn't even tell anyone I'd be down here. I just needed something to do…" She sighed and stood up. It was probably about time for her to head home. As she stood up, she noticed…a spider skittering across the ground at her feet. Her eyes widened and she yelped in surprise, leaping back. "EEEEEK!?"

The spider was gone just as quickly as it appeared. But the fact it showed up in the first place startled her. Violet placed a hand on her chest, letting out a few heavy breaths. "I…think I need to go home now." She thought that, but then she heard a very familiar horn blaring not too far away. Were…were the others here!? With Akechi - or Crow - as they called him!? Uh oh. She didn't tell anyone about this! As such, before the Mona Bus could pull up, she found a place to hide. No doubt Oracle would pick up on the fact she was here…

They came to a halt at the rest station. They all broke off and Oracle was the one glancing around. Her gaze went to one of the pillars nearby, realizing that Violet was indeed right there. Yikes! She was going to have to find a way to avoid that. "We've been making good progress!"

"Yeah…" Mona nodded, eyes closed.

"Is something wrong, Mona-chan?" Noir asked. He looked so pensive.

"Oh! Sorry." Mona shook it off. "It's just that Mementos feels…different than usual somehow."

"Different?" Queen quirked a brow. "Different how?"

"Ain't this what it always feels like?" Skull didn't notice a thing. "Hey, Joker, what do you think?"

"Eh…." Joker shrugged. He wasn't really sure what Mona was feeling.

"EEEEEEEK!" Dragon was the one who squealed. She clung to Panther while pointing at the ground. "S-Spider!"

"SPIDER!?" Panther, Oracle, and Queen gasped. They did see something shifting past them on the ground.

"Where is it!?" Noir had her axe at the ready. She saw it too late. She swung her axe down, but the spider was already gone. "I just saw it…!"

"A spider in Mementos…?" Mona didn't think that sounded right.

Dragon proceeded to clear her throat. "I'm…very sorry for that unsightly display. I…just wasn't expecting to see that…"

"That was quite the shrill cry. Far from the usual roar of a dragon we are used to hearing from you." Fox said, completely without tact. Dragon blushed awkwardly.

"Classic Inari, always speaking without thinking!" Oracle rolled her eyes. Fox, however, didn't really see the issues what what he said.

"I think we should move on." Crow didn't want to idle for too long. "Although…was that really a spider?" This was bothering him a little bit. Shadows weren't supposed to be in these rest areas, and wandering into Mementos wasn't exactly the easiest thing in the world either…

"Yeah, Crow's right. We've still got work to do." Joker said. So, with that, Mona turned into a bus and everyone climbed inside once again. It was still a bit of a crowded fit with a group as large as theirs, but they made due.

Since they were about to leave, Violet took the silent signal from Oracle to slip away behind them. However, when Queen went to drive, Mona ended up going backwards at first. "...!?" With a yelp, she had no choice but to jump and land on the roof of the Mona car with a soft thud.

"What was that…?" Crow wondered.

"I don't know! Mona, why did we go backwards?" Queen asked. She was the one driving, but she was certain she had him in Drive, not reverse!

Mona felt the extra weight atop him, although he couldn't see it. More importantly, he wasn't sure why he went backwards. "I don't know! Let's just…try going forward again!" And so, Queen drove forward this time. All seemed normal, and Violet was just going to hop off gently…until Mona started picking up speed.

"Uh…" Panther looked at the road. "You don't have to drive this fast, you know. It's not like we're fleeing the pyramid again!"

"I-I know that…" Queen had a bit of a sweat drop. She was actually pumping the brakes, but Mona was just moving a bit faster.

"Is this some kinda Wild Max driving?" Skull asked, referencing a movie he knew Makoto has absolutely seen.

"Is it just me…or is Mona-chan only getting faster?" Noir blinked slowly.

"I…I think I'm losing control…!?" Mona admitted. He was going too fast! Far too fast for Violet to even think about jumping off now! She just had to hold on and hope for the best!

As they were picking up speed, Joker couldn't help but hear something faintly. A bell? It was hard to tell. The current situation held his attention far more than the fleeting sound of a bell! "Uh...!?"

"Did he eat something off the ground?" Fox questioned.

"Why is that your first question!?" Dragon cried out as Mona only continued to speed up.

"Mona! The brakes aren't working! What's going on!?" Queen demanded to know.

"I wish I knew!" Mona wailed in surprise. "I can't stop speeding up!"

"WAAAAAH! WE'RE GONNA DIIIIIE!" Oracle panicked. "I'm gonna puuuuuuke!" And as Mona wildly drove forward, some kind of white void appeared.

"What the…!?" Joker's eyes widened at the void as it drew near….

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"...ak…..up…." A hazy voice filled Ren's ears. He was drifting in and out of consciousness

"Ren, wake up…!" It was Morgana nudging him a bit. Ren's eyes opened slowly, only to see Morgana in his Metaverse form. Not only that, but when he looked at the ground, he was in the Velvet Room! Strangely enough, not in his prisoner wear, but not in his Phantom Thief attire either. He was just in his regular clothes for a change.

"Huh…?" Ren looked around, only to notice the others just waking up as well. Ryuji, Ann, Yusuke, Makoto, Hifumi, Futaba, Haru, Kasumi, and Akechi were all sitting up. "Is everyone alright!?"

"We're alive…?" Ryuji had a hard time believing that with what he was seeing. "What the hell is this place?! Are we in jail!?" Since this was his first time in the Velvet Room, a place he'd normally never be allowed access into, his surprise was reasonable.

"You've really gone and done it now, Inmate!" That voice came from a very unhappy Caroline. When Ren's head whipped around to the desk where Igor normally sat in, he did not find the long nosed man. Instead, just the two wardens who were equally confused at what was going on.

"Huh!? I recognize you…" Hifumi stared at Caroline and Justine.

"What's going on here!?" Ann demanded to know.

"Yoshizawa-san?" Akechi laid eyes on Kasumi. When he called her out, this was the first time the others actually realized she was here as well. "What are you doing here…?"

"That's what I want to know…!" Kasumi admitted. This was the last place she expected to be. "What's going on here? What is this place!?"

"This is the Velvet Room." Justine responded calmly, catching everyone's attention. "This is where our Inmate comes to strengthen and fuse Personas. The secret to his strength."

"The Velvet Room…?" Haru didn't quite get it.

"Huh….have I…been here before…?" Morgana looked around. His eyes went to Caroline and Justine. The three locked eyes for a moment, a strong sense of familiarity between them. But ultimately, nothing came to mind. "I just don't know."

"Unfortunately, our Master is away right now. But this is strange." Justine was flipping through her clipboard. "It shouldn't be possible for anyone other than the Inmate to be in this space…yet all of you are here."

"To be fair, I don't want to be in this prison." Hifumi lifted a finger. She still had so many questions…especially as a loud alarm started to blare, causing everyone to cover their ears. "Ahh, what is that!?"

"Just the red alarm!" Caroline responded with a shrug. The others didn't take too kindly to this noise, but they sure did. "But the Inmate hasn't been doing enough today for this to be happening. So what's the big deal!?"

"Wow, this girl is tough and militaristic? Why do I like this?" Futaba questioned to herself.

"I apologize, but I must ask all of you to vacate the premises for the time being." Justine said. Igor wasn't here, and they had no idea what was happening with the Velvet Room.

"You don't have to tell me twice!" Futaba was quick to bolt out of the Velvet Room. The others followed her immediately. They were hoping and expecting that they'd find themselves back in Mementos, but instead…they found themselves in the hallway of an unfamiliar school, currently undergoing some kind of culture festival.

"Uh…" Ann scratched her cheek.

"What is this place…? This ain't Shujin." Ryuji could tell immediately, mostly because this school already looked so much brighter than Shujin ever could! Even their school festival paled in comparison to the many things he saw around here.

"Did we wind back up in reality somehow?" Haru asked while looking around. But one look at Morgana and the answer was clear. He was still in his Metaverse form, and as such, they couldn't possibly be in reality anymore.

"Hey, look…" Kasumi pointed towards the window. There was the sound of a large bell in the distance, and the source of it was the clocktower outside.

"A clocktower…." Makoto took note of this. How strange.

"This place is so bright!" Caroline stepped outside and she had to squit with her eye a bit. "Is this what they call a school festival or something?"

"Oh, geez!" Ryuji jumped back a bit. Caroline was like, right behind him and he didn't even notice.

"Indeed!" Yusuke spread his arms apart, noticing all the students walking back. "There is a plethora of creativity oozing from every corner in these hallways! I feel much more inspired than when I stepped forth into Shujin's halls!"

"Tough, but fair." Ren couldn't really argue against that.

"I thought you two were staying in that…Velvet Room?" Kasumi titled her head at Caroline and Justine who soon joined her.

"We felt a disturbance and elected to check it out." Justine responded. As she thought, everything happening around here was strange. Yet, something within her felt like this was…destined to happen?

"Did you bring us here?" Akechi asked the twins.

"Of course we didn't!" Caroline snapped at Akechi. "You weren't even supposed to be IN the Velvet Room! The fact you all showed up at all is strange!"

"It was not us that brought you here." Justine said calmly in comparison. "It was likely the Velvet Room itself that brought you here. And…there is nothing that happens in the Velvet Room without meaning." Why did she know those words? They felt so natural…

"Are you saying that we were meant to come here?" Haru found that pretty hard to believe.

"Yeah! So just take it or leave it." Caroline huffed at Haru.

"You should be a little nicer with how you talk to people." Haru gave Caroline a sweet smile. For a moment, Caroline sensed the danger behind it, and decided to back off for now.

"Something smells good…" Ann's nose picked up a whiff of something sweet.

"Ann…" Hifumi knew that Ann was about to get distracted!

"I suppose…we should be begin by gathering information." Akechi took a look around. "Unfortunately, we are going to stand out, but it cannot be helped. If we are lucky, we won't draw much attention. But we can't do much about our situation without first figuring out where we are."

"You're suggesting we split up and search for clues, then?" Makoto turned to Akechi, who nodded. "That's as good a plan as any with what we have."

"Fumi! Let's grab some food! I'm sooooo hungry after all that!" Ann grabbed Hifumi by the wrist and started to pull her off.

"W-Wait! Ann…!?" Hifumi didn't really have a choice and off they went.

"I shouldn't drag my feet." Akechi did have questions about Kasumi's presence. As far as he knew, she wasn't anywhere near them or in Mementos. But those questions could wait. Off he went to figure out where they were.

"Ah…." Kasumi nervously glanced around. "I'm sorry…I was in Mementos to train. And before I knew it, you guys showed up. I tried to leave, but Morgana-senpai almost ran me over, and then…" She told the others.

"Don't worry about it." Ren told Kasumi while shaking his head. There was nothing they could do about it. There was no way to ever know this kind of situation could happen. "We'll deal with it."

"Okay…" Kasumi felt pretty bad about it. But she tried to keep a smile.

"Yo, Kasumi! Come with Yusuke 'n I! We're gonna check around." Ryuji wanted to get Kasumi's mind off things. She nodded and agreed to join the three of them. Futaba went with Haru and Makoto.

"You, cat!" Caroline pointed at Morgana. "You should go with those other people and investigate, too!"

"But I was going to stay with Ren and..." Morgana looked at Caroline and Justine. They all stared at each other, and ultimately Morgana just felt the need to comply. "U-Understood! I'll look around, too!" And with that, he went after Hifumi and Ann.

Ren was surprised at how quickly Morgana caved to that request. "Guess it's just me then." Ren turned around, only to see the twins standing in front of him. "Oh, and you two. So…"

"Come with us back to the Velvet Room, if you please." Justine phrased it nicely, but it was more a demand than anything else. Ren knew that tone.

"Right." Ren turned to the Velvet Room, only to feel Caroline's boot press against his back. She kicked him inside as usual, and he staggered back into the Velvet Room. Things were very different when he stumbled inside. There were multiple gears turning and scattered about the prison. "What the…"

"This has never happened before." Justine was trying to search for any record of this in her clipboard, but nothing came up. "Something strange has happened to the Velvet Room. Furthermore…" She gestured to the four doors chained together. The tops of the doors all had four different colors; red, blue, yellow, and…pink.

"These doors showed up after you all left. There are a few chains on them as well. Eight…?" Caroline furrowed her brows. All of this was confusing and annoying. "Whatever it means, it's up to you to fix it, Inmate. I don't think we can get back home until you do."

"I guess I don't really have much of a choice." Ren had no idea what was going on. However, it was going to be up to him and his friends to fix it. He kinda wished Igor was here for answers, but at the same time, Igor not being here made the Velvet Room feel less stuffy and oppressive. Something he didn't really notice until Igor was actually gone.

"So figure out what's going on! Justine and I will take the time to observe this…culture festival." Caroline was pretty curious about it.

"...I don't like the idea of you two wandering around unsupervised." Ren spoke with a sweat drop. He was a little concerned about what the other students might think. "The others might be finished looking around…"

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Ren stepped out of the Velvet Room and found everyone gathered together. Ann grabbed some Takoyaki and was happily eating some. "Hey. How'd it go?" He asked the group. They all had various expressions.

"Something weird is goin' on here." Ryuji said flat out. That simple statement came with several nods of agreement for the others.

"From what I've gathered, this is Yasogami High. I know this as the place where the first Detective Prince went to school." Akechi decided to get that out the way first and foremost. "But that was the only thing I could get out of them."

"You too, Akechi-san?" Kasumi brought her hands together. "I asked a few of them where we were, and they answered Yasogami High. But when I asked where it was, they only said 'this culture festival is so much fun!'"

"That happened to me too!" Ann pointed at Kasumi with a nod. "It's like they weren't acknowledging anything else at all."

"So how'd you get that Takoyaki?" Ryuji asked.

"She swiped it as a joke to get their attention. But they didn't react." Hifumi explained. "I couldn't believe my eyes. They weren't even reacting to Morgana!"

"You'd think they'd notice a cat wandering the culture festival like this." Futaba tapped her chin.

"I'm not a cat!" Morgana had to remind everyone of this. "But you're right. As I stand right now, I'm the furthest thing from a human. They didn't even bat an eye at me."

Everyone was starting to look and feel uneasy. "Has anyone checked outside?" Ren asked.

"I did." Haru lifted a hand up. "I opened the door and got to the school gate. But when I went past it…..I ended up back inside."

"You…what?" Akechi found this to be absurd.

"Mhm," Haru responded to Akechi's shock with a nod. "I thought I could make my way past it, but the moment I did, I was inside again. I don't think we can leave. I…um…also tried the fence. It didn't work."

"Could we try returning the way we came?" Makoto suggested. But the more she thought about it, she didn't really know how they ended up in the Velvet Room or Yasogami high to begin with.

"Unfortunately, that won't work." Justine announced. "The only thing of note within the Velvet Room were the four doors with locks on them."

"Which means…we're not going anywhere." Caroline added.

"What about our phones?" Yusuke asked everyone. Something they hadn't thought of! Everyone pulled out their phone, but were met with the exact same result: nothing. "The Meta-Nav isn't working…"

"No signal either." Ann grunted. So nothing was working! "Don't tell me we're actually stuck here!"

"Only until we find a way to unlock those doors." Hifumi pursed her lips. This situation was unprecedented. What exactly were they supposed to do here… "If you two assist Ren, would you be willing to lend us a hand?"

"Nope." Caroline shook her head. "That's not our job."

"Our job is to only assist the Inmate and nothing more. We are tasked with his rehabilitation." Justine answered.

"Dude, are you good?" Ryuji wasn't sure what Ren was going through with the twins. The words they were using sounded extremely heavy.

"Yeah, I'm good." Ren replied with an awkward smile. He figured the twins would only be there to aid them. That was the most he could expect.

"There is something strange, though." Futaba spoke up, and all eyes turned to her. "I wasn't sure at first, but now I am. I've been picking up faint Shadow activity somewhere within this building. N-Not strong enough to where we're in danger!" She quickly added that last part, since she knew the others might freak out as they were currently not in fighting form.

"Sakura-san, do you know where?" Akechi asked, politely.

"Um…this way." The fact she could feel her Personas power without actually being in uniform felt strange in and of itself. But it allowed her to guide them towards a clue, and she wasn't mad about that! She led them down the hallway, towards the attraction that read 'You in Wonderland'. "It's around here. I think it's coming from inside."

"You in Wonderland…?" Kasumi read the name, and the flier. "Now you can walk in Alice's shoes? I wonder how that works."

"I'm more interested in the idea of Shadows being within this display to begin with." Akechi had no interest in walking in Alice's shoes.

"Aww….I kinda do." Ann said while slumping over.

"It's probably dangerous in there." Ren said. "We should get ready to fight."

"In that case, Yoshizawa-san should probably stay back." Akechi said.

"Um…." Kasumi felt like she was in a rock and a hard place. Would she really be able to hide the fact she could fight from Akechi? If Hifumi's hypothesis was right, then…

"It's alright." Hifumi looked to Kasumi with a firm nod. Hifumi always had a plan, or something to mitigate blowback. As such, Kasumi felt like she could trust those words. Plus, Kasumi did want to help.

"I can fight." Kasumi said to Akechi. "I do have a Persona. I haven't had it for very long, but I know how to fight. You do not need to worry about me, Akechi-san."

"I see…" Akechi replied. "So…is it only Persona users that were dragged into this place…?" He wondered to himself.

"Okay!" Futaba balled her hands into fists. "I'll back you guys up from here!"

"Wait…it's dangerous in there." A sudden voice caused everyone to go on high alert and turn around at the same time. The one who spoke was a young man wearing a Yasogami High uniform, equipped with a tattered cape and a spiked collar around his neck. He had dark skin, black hair, and blue eyes. .

Behind him was a girl with blonde hair with white flowers scattered within it, teal eyes, and a yellow Yasogami High uniform. She was a little shorter than her male companion. "Don't go inside." The girl said with a soft, terrified voice. The male beside her took a cautious glance with how scared she was. "There are monsters in there."

"Who…are you two?" Makoto asked tentatively. This was the first time since they arrived that someone actually acknowledged their presence.

"I am Zen, and this is Rei. That's what we call each other." The collared boy named Zen said. "And who are you? Where did you come from?"

"What you call each other? That doesn't entirely answer the question…" Akechi caught that. When he glanced at Hifumi, it looked like she did as well.

"So they can see us!" Ryuji was happy about that. And a little shocked.

"Where did we come from?" Haru placed her finger on her cheek. "Are you familiar with Shibuya?"

"Shib…." The girl named Rei repeated, but only halfway.

"Do you know where this is?" Morgana decided to ask. Zen looked down, weirdly calm about the fact there was a talking cat at his feet.

"It is what it is." Zen replied.

"That's not an answer!" Morgana groaned.

"Yasogami High." Akechi repeated, staring at Zen and Rei with a healthy skepticism. "You two are students here, are you not? You are wearing the same uniforms as everyone else."

"Yes." Rei said with a slow nod. So slow, it almost seemed apprehensive. "We're…students."

"...?" Hifumi furrowed her brow. Why did she detect a hint of a lie? She knew not to always take her abilities at face value, but this girl had no reason to lie about something so obvious! So then, why…

"Do you know what year?" Akechi decided to press a little further.

"What…year…?" Zen looked lost, which didn't really help.

"This place is strange, don't you think?" Ren asked. "A place that's filled with Shadows? Have you two ever been attacked by any?"

"S-Shadows? What are those?" Rei asked, flinching at the idea. Clearly, she didn't know.

"Something about her is…strange." Morgana couldn't quite put his finger on it. But Rei had this feeling about her.

"Do you know where the exit is? We'd like to return home." Yusuke was trying a question now.

The idea of an exit looked like a new one to Rei's eyes. "Exit? You can…leave from here? I want to go back, too."

"Rei…?" Zen looked to Rei.

"I want to go back, too!" Rei repeated, but her timid voice had a lot more gusto in it this time.

"Go back where, though?" Zen asked.

A good question. Because Rei suddenly looked lost. "Hmmm. Where…?"

"I don't think we're going to get a lot out of either of 'em." Ryuji was quickly losing hope in gaining new information.

"You wish to leave, but you haven't any idea where you want to return to?" Akechi found it a little ridiculous internally. But he made sure to speak as nicely as he could muster. Thankfully he was good at that front..

"We were here when we gained consciousness. We don't remember anything before that." Zen explained.

"Our memories were taken." Rei said firmly.

"T-Taken!?" Makoto's eyes went wide at this shocking news.

"Someone stole your memories?" Morgana knew how that felt. If there was anyone who could understand the pain of missing memories, it was him. "Who?"

"We don't know." Rei replied.

"Even though you remember someone taking them?" Morgana asked.

"Even though we remember someone taking them." Rei parroted.

"Then how did you get here?" Wait, you prolly don't remember that either." Ryuji realized that was a dumb question…

"We prolly don't remember either." Rei parroted, again. Futaba opened her mouth to acknowledge this, but she saw the signal from Ren not to.

"It's possible they got stuck like we did, somehow." Ren surmised. There was no way to tell, but it was likely.

"I wonder…it's possible the 'someone' that spirited away the memories of these two is somewhere here." Hifumi thought aloud. "Maybe it's the same person who trapped them, and us here. I have no evidence for this whatsoever, but…"

"You're so smart, Fumi!" And Ann was just happy to support her best friend. Hifumi gave a sheepish smile in response.

Rei looked to Zen with pleading eyes. "Let's leave together,Zen."

And Zen relented to Rei's request without any semblance of a fight. "All right. If that is what you wish. Ever since I heard that bell, I felt it was important for us to enter this labyrinth."

"We heard that bell, too…" Haru mumbled.

Zen then turned to the Phantom Thieves. "I have a favor to ask. If you are going to enter this labyrinth, I ask that you take us with you. We won't be any trouble. I will protect Rei, and I can fight the monsters in the labyrinth."

"So you have a Persona, then?" Akechi looked to Zen.

"Persona?" Zen's quizzical expression answered that question. So Akechi's previous hypothesis was completely useless.

"What do you think, Ren?" Morgana asked this question, and all eyes turned to Ren.

"If he can fight, it should be alright. We could use the help." Ren ultimately agreed to allow the mysterious pair to join them.

"Well then, let's do this! It's nice to meet you all!" Rei smiled and gave a polite bow. "It's nice to meet you all! Now that that's out of the way, I'm hungry!" She then pulled a donut with chocolate frosting and rainbow sprinkles out and proceeded to snack on it. "Donuts taste best around the hole, after all!"

"Oh my god, she gets it!" Ann's eyes sparkled at the donut. "Hey! Wait! Where did that come from!?"

Rei finished her donut record time, looking to Ann with a cute tilt to her head. "Huh? You mean where do donuts come from? They're born from love! Love meets dough, and…!"

"I know where donuts come from…!" That wasn't the problem that Ann had.

"Zen, was it?" Hifumi called out to the young man. "You said that place is a labyrinth?"

"Inside is a complex structure with many monsters. Most likely what you called Shadows." Zen replied.

"That sounds horrifying!" Haru gasped. "You two have been stuck here, alone, with no memories and Shadows on top of it!? How did you deal with it?"

"I was with Zen." Rei said simply.

"I…I don't think that's what she meant." Kasumi scratched her cheek.

Rei had her hands behind her back, and she started to sway happily. "I ate donuts, had takoyaki, and licked ice cream cones."

"I-...Is that all?" Futaba gulped.

Suddenly, Rei had corn dogs in her hands as she raised them up high. "Corn dogs are delicious, too!"

"...No, seriously, how is she doing that?" Ann loved junk food and snacks as much as the next girl, but Rei was literally pulling these foods out of thin air! She wanted to do that, too.

"I want to know, too..." Kasumi said quietly.

"Are we sure it's alright?" Ryuji looked to the others. "I mean, we are, y'know..." He was a little worried about telling Rei and Zen they were the Phantom Thieves.

"Allow me to try something." Akechi stepped forward to the mysterious pair. "We haven't introduced ourselves yet. My name is Goro Akechi. Perhaps you've heard of me? Or even the Phantom Thieves, perhaps?"

"Goro Akechi? Phantom Thieves...?" Rei looked to Akechi, looking him up and down. Ultimately she shook her head. "Sorry. Maybe I forgot if I had. Have you, Zen?"

Zen shook his head. "I don't think so."

"I thought as much." Akechi took that remark in stride. "They have no memories, so I doubt we have to worry about them knowing anything about the Phantom Thieves."

"Ain't using your own reputation a bit egotistical?" Ryuji had some problems with Akechi's methods.

"It provided results. If they don't know me then it is unlikely they've heard of the Phantom Thieves as well." Akechi replied with a shrug. Logically, it did make sense. Right now, one couldn't talk about Akechi or the Phantom Thieves without bringing the other into the subject. "Isn't it strange they haven't heard of them?"

"I see." Ren nodded. "My name is Ren Amamiya." Ren told Zen and Rei, while the others properly introduced themselves as well. Zen and Rei took note of everyone's names as well. The group had a bit more to explain when it came to codenames but that would come a little bit later.

"I'll back you guys up from here!" Futaba said confidently.

"We're going to take a small look inside." Ren said. "I'll take a few of you with me, on top of Zen and Rei. Hifumi, Haru, Akechi, and Kasumi You're all with me."

"Right." Those selected nodded. With that, they were going to step into the Labyrinth…

.

.

At the same time within the You in Wonderland Labrityth, there was a girl in a school uniform ducking around a corner to hide from some shadows. She was a little beat up, but she was fending off her attackers with her naginata and the special gun holstered at her hip. Her brown hair was tied back into a ponytail, and her red eyes quickly scanned around the area. No exit in sight. Great. Maybe she should just drop dead and save the Shadows the trouble of hunting her down.

"No…gotta find the others first. They could be in danger. Get your head in the game, Minako…" The girl told herself, snapping herself out of the dark thoughts that were eating away at her now that she was alone. Whatever she was going through could wait. Right now, she had to find her friends…

Chapter Text

Joker, Crow, Noir, Violet, Dragon, Zen and Rei stepped into the You and Wonderland Labyrinth. The atmosphere was surprisingly dreary with red skies and clouds. As one might expect, there were numerous Wonderland themed sightings. It was as if they stepped right into Alice in Wonderland!

"I'm not sure what I was expecting when we stepped inside." Violet admitted while taking a look around.

"Be careful! I sense Shadows in there!" Oracle reported. While she wasn't physically present, she appeared as a blue hologram whenever she communicated with the group. So the labyrinth's were dangerous after all!

"..." Rei was a little tense. She let out a shaky breath the moment they stepped inside.

"Rei, there's no need to be scared." Zen said calmly. Rei nodded slowly. It was at that moment that the pair realized the group's clothes changed! "Your clothes…what happened?"

"Oh! We didn't explain that part…" Noir admitted with a bashful smile. "We'll explain everything when we're done here."

"They do look cool…" Rei's eyes sparkled at the sight of the Phantom Thieves in uniform.

Akechi took a look at Violet's Phantom Thief attire. He had to mask the surprise he felt. "Yoshizawa-san…that is your, how do they say…rebel appearance? It's the first time I've seen you in this light." He couldn't help but notice the stark similarities between her and Joker now that he got a good look at them side by side.

"Mhm!" Violet nodded. She felt a little nervous about all of this, but one look at Dragon told her things would be alright. So she trusted that. Considering their circumstances, they wouldn't be able to hide this forever. "Like I said, I haven't had my Persona for very long. I'm not really a Phantom Thief right now either. But I was told they operate on codenames, so I decided on Violet. What's yours, Akechi-san?"

Akechi took that information in slowly. Ultimately he would have to think about it later and simply responded to Violet's question. "My codename is Crow."

"...Is it because of the mask?" Violet found herself trying not to snicker too hard. Crow saw this coming but elected to ignore it.

"..." Dragon didn't say anything. But Crow's words caught him within a lie and she knew it.

"..." Joker felt a little strange when they stepped into this strange place. Something was stilting his movement and his power? He wasn't entirely sure, but he didn't like it. "Let's move forward, slowly. Our goal isn't to get into a fight. We're just scouting a little bit."

"Okay. Let's go." Zen said with a careful nod.

With that, the small group carefully made their way through Wonderland. It truly was a labyrinth, with numerous twists and turns around every corner At the very least, the path they were taking was mostly straightforward. They didn't come across any shadows, but they did stop in front of a set of piano keys that functioned as a door. "Um…" Violet stared at the door. "I think this is a door?"

"It feels like there is a lot more to this place than meets the eye." Dragon surmised.

"I'm picking up even more beyond that door. I think this place is huge." Oracle reported. "You guys should probably turn back for now."

"Oracle's correct." Crow nodded. "It doesn't make sense for us to delve deep with such scant numbers."

"So we're going back?" Zen asked.

'Yeah." Joker replied. With that, the group exited You in Wonderland for the time being. It was the best course of action with the limited information they did possess. Of course, it wasn't going to be that easy. Because it was only the moment they decided to leave, did Shadows spawn upon them. "Of course."

"Here they come…!" Noir said while getting her axe ready. Rei hid behind Zen, as the group were attacked by two Laughing Tables and a Lying Hablerie. "W-What kind of Shadows are those!?" They were unlike anything the Phantom Thieves dealt with so far.

"The flying mouth is a little gross." Dragon admitted with a sweat drop. "And are those tables!? They might as well throw the kitchen sink at us at this point."

"Is that a joke?" Violet blinked. Dragon gave a bashful shrug. The time for jokes were gone, however. The Laughing Tables cast Mabufu, throwing numerous chunks of ice towards the Phantom Thieves.

"I got this! Venus!" Dragon called forth her Persona, but it wasn't what she expected. Instead of the proof of her resolve appearing, it was just Belle Star. She was confused, but her actions were still the same. "Aegis!?" Belle Star placed her shield in front of the group, which allowed her to soak up the damage. But merely summoning Belle Star felt like it took a large toll on her. "Ngh…?"

"Thanks, Dragon! Noir, with me!" Joker said and Noir followed Joker went to the right, while Noir went to the left. Joker pulled out his gun, while Noir pulled out her rocket launcher. The two pulled the triggers with their fingers, however…

Click.

Click.

Nothing happened.

"It doesn't work!?" Joker spoke with wide eyed surprised. In the next instant, the Lying Halblerie moved towards him, violently swinging its wet tongue at him. He brought his arms to block the attack. The tongue struck his arms, and he felt how wet his coat was after. Gross…!

"Watch out!" Zen revealed his weapon: a crossbow. He took aim at the Lying Hablerie and fired. The arrow he released turned into a small cyclone that swept the flying mouth away, towards Noir.

Noir took advantage of this and swung her axe at the Lying Hablerie, cleaving it in half with ease. "That still works, at least!" She smiled, although she would've been lying if she didn't feel like she was weaker than usual.

"Incoming!" Crow exclaimed. The Laughing Tables were still active, and they were flinging small bolts of lightning towards the group. They all found themselves dodging to the side as a result. Crow's mask burned away as he planned to go on the offensive. "Take them down, Robin Hood!" Robin Hood appeared in front of Crow, taking aim and firing off an arrow of light. It pierced a Laughing Table, but it wasn't quite enough to finish it off. "What?"

"I got it!" Violet jumped over Crow, swinging her rapier at the Laughing Table he attacked. The damage he dealt left it weak, and she was able to finish it off with a few precise swings. "One left!"

"Haaah!" Dragon swung her staff around, slamming it into the remaining Laughing Table. The force she used was enough for it to slide to the side, but not enough to end it. "Ah? A swing like that would normally do the trick on its own…"

"I'll finish it!" Joker's mask burned away, Arsene appearing beside him. "Eiga!" Is what he intended, but it was not what he had. Instead of a moderate blast of Curse magic, he instead used Eiha. The smaller blast of curse was still enough to take out the Laughing Table, but he wasn't happy about it.

"All enemies eliminated!" Oracle reported.

"Is everyone okay?" Rei approached the Phantom Thieves and held her hands together. A soft, curative glow appeared from her. Dragon and Joker's injuries were healed.

"Oh…thank you. Yes, we're fine now." Dragon replied. "Although…"

"Did anyone else feel…restricted?" Noir stared at her rocket launcher, a bit sad that it wasn't working in this world.

"For lack of a better term, yes." Crow gave a slightly annoyed nod.

"Looks like we have more to report." Joker's eyes wandered to a piece of the Laughing Table that was remaining after its defeat. Curious, he knelt down and picked it up. "I wonder what this is for…."

.

.

Ren and the others returned from the brief excursion into You in Wonderland. When he did, he informed them of the shortcomings they faced. Ryuji had wide eyed shock. "You mean our guns don't work in there!?"

"They are props at the end of the day. I suppose the Metaverse's logic doesn't apply here." Akechi said.

"Furthermore, the Shadows we encountered were…far different than what we have faced. And my Persona felt weaker. She reverted back to Belle Star…!" Which upset Hifumi a little bit, considering she just awakened to Venus only yesterday!

When they returned, Futaba had a small report to give them. "I used my powers the best I could. I felt a little weaker than usual and that explains it. Prometheus turned back into Necronomicon." She reported, but shook it off. "But I could still detect a pretty large presence deeper inside! I have no doubt it's a large Shadow."

"Isn't that lovely…" Ann let out a small sigh.

"If we intend to get out of here, I see we must do battle with that enemy." Yusuke said.

"It always comes down to a fight." Hifumi expected as much. "That means we'll need to prepare adequately…"

"Prepare how?" Zen questioned.

"It would be best if we could find a place that can provide us with weapons." Makoto answered. "We usually have a supplier when it comes to medicine and weaponry, but seeing how we're stranded here…" It was going to be difficult to procure those usual supplies.

"Oh, I know a place!" Rei spoke while holding a corndog in hand. "It has tons of stuff! We can even stop by the donut shop along the way!"

"This girl knows how to eat." Ann approved of this. So they all followed behind Rei, who did stop at the donut shop as promised. They soon entered a brightly colored room, with a mat that had strawberries all over were a few other things scattered about the room, like a few statues, clothes…

Noticing the sign, Haru decided to lean in and read it. "A hands on class on making small toys! It says…"

"Something doesn't seem right about all that." Ryuji took a look at the statue with a sword stabbed into it.

"Is this really a workshop of some kind?" Kasumi scratched her cheek. It didn't feel like one.

"Handcrafted Workshop…Was it always like this…?" Zen was trying to recall if the workshop was always like this.

"Zen! Zen!" Rei grabbed Zen's sleeve and gestured to the ground. "There are strawberries! They're like berries full of straw!"

"I don't think…" Makoto pressed her index finger to her forehead. It was better that she didn't correct Rei on this.

"Hey, wait a second!" Ryujo poked at the sword in the statue. "These are just toys!"

"Oh…are they no good?" Rei pouted. She thought she had a good idea!

"Don't worry. We can assist you with that." An unfamiliar female voice caught everyone's attention. The group whipped around, only to see a woman and a man standing in the room. They were wearing Velvet Room attire just like Justine and Caroline were. The woman had a donut in her hand.

"W-What the…?" Ren took a step back. The appearance of these two completely surprised him. "Velvet Rom…?"

"Did we startle you?" The man in blue asked, giving a curt bow afterwards. "My apologies. It was my sister's idea to wait for you in this room."

"That's not creepy at all." Futaba grumbled.

"They are dressed similarly to those two twins we encountered earlier. The blue is strong with them. It stands out quite a bit." Yusuke commented, looking over the new pair's clothing.

"Where did you guys come from?" Ryuji asked, a little wary of their sudden appearance.

"And how long have you been standing there?" Akechi asked, very skeptical of these two people who suddenly appeared.

The woman chuckled in response to his question. "We are always by your side, any time, anywhere. My name is Elizabeth. This here is my younger brother, Theodore."

"Pleased to meet you - my name is Theodore."Theodore said with another polite bow.

"I don't get what's going on here." And Morgana was giving up on trying to figure it out.

"This world is full of mysteries. My own comprehension cannot keep up in the least, either." And it took a lot for Yusuke of all people to say this. At this point, the Phantom Thieves, Rei, and Zen decided to introduce themselves.

"So this is where you were, Inmate." Justine opened the door and Caroline followed her inside. The two of them walked into the workshop, only to lock eyes with Theodore and Elizabeth. "Huh…"

"Elizabeth…those two…." Theodore whispered to his sister.

"...Hmm?" Elizabeth took one look at Caroline and Justine and knew something was wrong. The face the twins shared, and those eyes…they belonged to Lavenza. How strange. Whatever the case… "I see. Now listen here, Theo: it would be uncouth to meddle in things beyond necessity."

"But, Sister…" Theo realized it as well. Even though it was his job as Velvet Room attendant to remain on standby and assist, it felt wrong to leave things as they were.

"Nothing meaningless happens." Elizabeth said calmly. "There must be a reason for our summoning to this place. And searching for that reason may be another necessity."

"Who do you think they are…?" Caroline whispered to Justine. There was a strange feeling tugging at her chest when she looked at Elizabeth and Theodore.

"I feel as if they are connected to our own existence. Who knows what our master will have to say about this. Let's not delve any deeper for now." That was Justine's take on the matter.

"I suppose you're right. As long as they don't interfere with the Inmate's rehabilitation." Ultimately, Caroline could agree with this.

"Velvet Room attendants. Can you explain why you're here?" Ren was going to try and get this conversation back on track. They had a surprising amount of people to work with, so getting everyone on the same page was important. "Caroline and Justine are my attendants. Does this mean there are other people with…powers like mine? And that you work for Igor? The guy with the deep voice?"

"You are correct." Elizabeth replied with a nod. "My guest has been stranded within this strange world along with his companions. My brother and I were brought here by strange means within the Velvet Room. As for our master, his voice is rather soothing."

"Soothing...?" Ren blinked a few times. If she found that deep voice soothing, he wasn't going to correct her anything. Different strokes and all.

"Based on your response, you must be a Wild Card along with my sister's guest." Theodore surmised, and Ren nodded. "I don't have a guest of my own, but I will do my best to provide support in this strange endeavor. It is the job to aid those with ties to the Velvet Room. We siblings will lend you our assistance."

"Yes, Theo will be happy to do so." Elizabeth foisted all the work onto Theo without a second thought.

"Elizabeth…." Theo wanted to object. But as the youngest sibling, he…really didn't have a say in the matter. "Very well. Well then, everyone. Please allow me to create equipment and expendables for you here. I believe you will be able to obtain some from the Shadows within the Labyrinth."

"Like this…?" Ren held out a piece from the Laughing Table he took earlier.

"Precisely. I can show you." Theodore accepted the Shadow Piece. Within a few seconds, he crafted a new knife for Ren.

"Whoa…this actually looks pretty good…!" Ren accepted the knife, a little excited with how good it felt in his hands, too.

"She's totally forcing all the hard work on her brother…!" Futaba whispered to the others. They nodded.

"At least he's willing to help us for free!" Kasumi smiled.

"Oh. No. We will need payment for them." Elizabeth said and everyone's jaw dropped.

"We will?" Theodore looked to his sister, confused.

"What do you need money for?!" Ryuji asked. They were supposed to be helping them.

"That is how a contract works." Elizabeth nodded and turned to Theodore. "It's a means of compensation so that you don't slack off. Put simply, a give-and-take system is necessary."

"I see…!" Theodore nodded. Of course, Elizabeth was correct! He turned to the Phantom Thieves. "Well then, though it wounds me to do so, I will charge a suitable price for said items. I will do my utmost to be of assistance to you. So I hope we get along well.

"I think she just ripped us off…." Ann spoke with a sweat drop.

"Oh, Ren!" Theodore took a step closer. "What you hold there is a fascinating piece of a Shadow! It's very rare!" And on a second glance. "Oh, wait. Nevermind. It's just lint."

"...Is this guy for real?" Ryuji spoke with a deadpanned expression.

"I think he's doing his best…" Haru spoke with a gentle smile. Someone had to try and stick up for Theodore.

"At least we can properly equip ourselves here." Hifumi saw the silver lining. As absurd as this situation was, it was good for them.

"Well, Theo, you are now the master of this establishment. Do your duty well and try not to embarrass yourself." Elizabeth then held up a pink apron. "Here, a present for you. It is a uniform that I prepared for just such an occasion."

"Why…did she have that ready…?" Morgana could only question the events playing in front of him

Theodore accepted the apron with wide eyes. "Elizabeth…thank you! I will do my best not to disgrace our master and your name, and…." When he fully pulled the apron out, it was even more embarrassing than everyone thought. There was a big pink heart in the middle as well. "Er…surely you didn't mean…THIS is my present?"

"Does she really expect him to put that on?" Caroline had a hard time believing it. At the same time, she thought it suited him in a strange way. Not that she'd say that part out loud.

"Why not try it on?" Elizabeth said.

"Er…." Theodore wasn't exactly a fan of this. He had doubts and it was written all over his face.

"Why not try it on?" Elizabeth repeated. This time, her big sister tone came through. She was no longer asking. Even Justice and Caroline found themselves a little stiff at Elizabeth's words. If she asked something ridiculous of them with that tone, they felt like they wouldn't be able to say no either.

"Uh…." Theodore relented. He put on the apron in front of everyone. "Is this…the correct way to wear it…?"

"Oof…" That's about all anyone could say.

"It doesn't compliment his natural colors at all." Ann shook her head. The model in her was speaking.

"I agree. This is a very poor aesthetic choice." Yusuke nodded in agreement.

"Now that I look at it on you…" Elizabeth leaned closer.

"It's a strawberry!" Rei chimed in, holding a donut above her head. "Bears like to sip them from the straw!"

"Moving along now!" Elizabeth clapped her hands, motioning for the Phantom Thieves and company to follow her. "I have also found a suitable place for you to recuperate in the event you grow tired of labyrinth."

"Um. Elizabeth. Are you going to finish that sentence…?" Theodore asked. However, Elizabeth just ignored him. The answer was no.

"Good luck in your new duties going forward." Justine told Theodore. "I suspect your assistance will be a great aid to the Inmate and his rehabilitation."

"Those aren't exactly words you should be using to describe Velvet Room guests. While I know you are taking responsibility for his growth, he is more than just a prisoner..." Theodore corrected, but Caroline smacked her baton against Theodore's new work desk.

"Just stay here and sell your wares! We know what we're doing and what's best for him! We're doing exactly what our Master told us to do!" Caroline narrowed her eye at Theodore. It was a glare, but ultimately she relented for a reason she couldn't explain. Of course, they were supposed to aid Ren's growth and foster his strength. But why did it feel slightly wrong now their methods were being slightly challenged by someone just like them?

"Caroline. We have work to do." Justine said calmly. Theodore's words did shake something within her as well, but she just wasn't sure. She was...missing something. She wondered if Caroline felt the same way. With that, the twins made their exit, leaving Theodore alone.

"I wonder what happened to you..." Theodore mumbled. Their Master, Igor, treated a guest like this? Something felt strange. He wondered if they would find the reason why...

Elizabeth led the group to the Nurse's office. It was nothing exciting. "This is just a nurse's office?" Akechi noted.

"I was expecting a bit more…more." Ann admitted.

"With more time, I could have made some adjustments for comfort, but we'll have to make due." Elizabeth replied with a hint of disappointment. She was looking forward to it. "I will set things up so that your stamina will return here."

"We still appreciate the help." Makoto replied to Elizabeth's aid. While she was still trying to wrap her head around the whole Velvet room attendant thing, it was clear based on the attitudes of the twins, Theodore, and Elizabeth, they were really here to help.

"It is our duty to aid our guests. Though we may be busy or the work tiresome, we will carry it out." Elizabeth said curtly. "That's why I insist on asking for payment for my services."

"What do you mean this isn't free!?" Kasumi, Ryuji, and Hifumi all exclaimed at the same time.

"As I mentioned, this world mandates a give-and-take system. I cannot go against such laws, either." Elizabeth stated.

"I…I think you can afford to bend the rules a little bit here…" Ren stared at Elizabeth with a sweat drop. Elizabeth was really pushing the whole money issue.

"In any case, that should help you prepare for battle. You have a large group, but be mindful of the encounters you may face. And if possible, I ask that you find my guest who has been lost in the labyrinth as well." Elizabeth said while taking a seat. "He is a young man with blue hair and he wears headphones. He is currently wearing black attire as well, with a red armband. I do not think you can miss him."

"Sounds like he stands out. We'll keep an eye out for him." Ren promised.

.

.

With the help of the Velvet Attendants straightened out, the group gathered in front of You in Wonderland once again. "Those people in blue certainly are…something." That was the nicest way Hifumi could put it. The twins were a little forceful, Theodore naïve, and Elizabeth was the most eccentric of them all.

"At least they're willing to help us. It saves us some trouble." Ren was glad for that, at least.

"Does this mean we're prepared to go back inside?" Zen asked the group.

"Yes." Hifumi replied. "Now that we know what to expect, and we have the ability to return when needed. The expedition will be much easier."

"Oooh, I can't wait to see what everyone else's outfits look like!" Rei exclaimed with a donut in hand.

"Oh, right. We do have one more thing to explain." Ren looked to Zen and Rei. "When our outfits change, we take new names as well."

"New names?" Zen was a little confused.

"We're Phantom Thieves. So our names change to fit when we're in uniform." Ren said. Admitting this aloud almost felt risky, but Rei and Zen clearly had no idea who or what Phantom Thieves even were, so it was safe. "For example, my Codename is Joker."

"Joker…" Rei repeated with a few enthusiastic nods. "Oh! And Akechi was called Crow because of the big nose on his mask, right?!"

"Ah, well, that's not entirely…" Akechi let out a low grunt of disbelief. Rei was totally getting the wrong idea. "To me, that is the attire of one who sticks to their justice."

"Who sticks people with their long nose of justice." Rei nodded, completely missing the point. Akechi let out another groan. Clearly, this was not a fight he was going to win. It did make the others snicker. "So what are the rest of your codenames?"

"I'm Mona!" Morgana said proudly.

"Oh. I thought it'd be something like…Kitty." Rei admitted.

"I am NOT a cat!" Morgana huffed.

"But you meow. You have paw pads. Cat ears. A cat tail…." Rei could go on. Each catlike aspect she named of Morgana caused him to frown.

"A-Anyway." Ann decided to get back on track. "My Codename is Panther!"

"And you can call me Skull!" Ryuji pointed at himself with a grin.

"I'm Fox." Yusuke stated.

"My codename is Queen." Makoto said.

"Oooh! Does this mean you wear a crown and have royal garb!?" Rei looked to Makoto with sparkling eyes. Nobody could fault her for having this assumption.

"W-Well, no, not quite…" Makoto scratched her cheek.

"She's called Queen for…an entirely different reason." Hifumi cleared her throat. "My codename is Dragon."

"Because of your mask?" Zen asked, and Hifumi nodded. It made sense to him.

"Your Kimono was really pretty! But are you sure it won't fall off?" Rei tilted her head at Hifumi. Hifumi cleared her throat once again and looked off to the side.

"It's fine…." She spoke quietly. Another reminder her attire only looked like it was held up by her chest and nothing else.

"My codename is Oracle!" Futaba said happily.

"Mine is Noir." Haru gave a curt bow.

"And mine is Violet!" Kasumi added.

"I see. We'll be sure to remember that." Zen replied. It seemed like a lot to keep track of, but he and Rei have already seen the costume changes in question. It was just a matter of remembering.

"Now, I think we're ready to go in." Ren looked towards You in Wonderland. "I don't know what's waiting for us. Hopefully a way out of here. Is everyone ready?" He looked to the group and they all gave nods of affirmation. "Alright…it's showtime!"

.

.

Within the darkness of an unknown location, a silver spider crawled down someone's arm, all the way to their gloved palm. "Finally…finally, it will begin. 'Time' resumes…"

Chapter Text

The Phantom Thieves stepped into You in Wonderland once again. Now they were properly aware of the challenges they were going to face going forward. Weakened Personas and their guns didn't work. It was going to be a challenge, putting it lightly. Luckily they had some extra help with Zen and Rei by their sides. Now, Joker was leading the way forward.

Oracle was reporting from within the halls of Yasogami High. "It's pretty different from Mementos." Oracle said with a frown. "I can't even figure out what the floor looks like, or where the Shadows are going to come from. Sorry I can't figure out anything else…"

"If Oracle can't navigate, we'll need to find another way to avoid getting lost." Queen pursed her lips.

Zen stepped forward, holding a small notebook in hand. "Would this help? I made it by putting the student's date plans together. I made it to write down where Rei's favorite shops were, but I don't need it now that I've memorized them all."

"You really care for Rei-chan, don't you?" Panther said with a sweet smile. Zen glanced to the side, mildly flustered with how she was saying it.

"Yes." Zen answered quickly, before looking back to Joker. "Since you're our leader, you should handle marking our path from now on. It'll help keep us from getting lost."

"Thank you, Zen." Joker accepted the notebook. "I'll be sure to mark things as we go along."

"Oh! Uh. There's something else I need to tell you guys." Oracle said. "There's a really strong reading at the depths of this labyrinth, obviously. But there are also some really strong Shadows scattered about here as well. Like, they'll give us Game Over kind of strong!"

"So we should avoid these at all costs." Crow surmised. "Unnecessary conflict in this place could prove to be detrimental."

"We'll need something to call these new enemies of ours…" Dragon took a few steps forward, and then it hit her. "Ah! Of course. How about…!"

"Fysis Oiken Eidolon." Zen suddenly blurted out.

"Huh?" Dragon blinked and looked at Zen.

"What did he say?" Skull tilted his head. None of those words made sense to him.

"Fysis Oiken Eidolon." Zen repeated.

"T-That doesn't help!" Skull groaned. Saying it twice didn't matter if it didn't make any sense!

"I quite like the name." Fox saw no issues with it.

"Of course you do…." Oracle rolled her eyes. "Classic Inari. What does it even mean?"

"It's just as it sounds." Zen said calmly. Again, that didn't really help. But it was the best they were going to get.

"Can we shorten that somehow?" Noir asked with a bashful smile. She didn't have much faith in her ability to repeat that.

"Let's call them…F.O.E's for short." Mona said. That was far easier to digest.

"...I had a better name in mind." Dragon mumbled. Her shoulders slumped, feeling robbed at the opportunity to name something. Panther smiled a bit and just patted her on the shoulder.

"So, about those F.O.Es !" Oracle began. "Like Crow said, we should really just avoid them if possible. You'll know what one looks like the moment you see it! Joker, I'm trusting you not to lead us to an early grave. It's too early for me to die!"

"I don't intend on dragging any of us into danger…" Joker said.

"One last thing. I'm picking up a faint signal a little further in. It's not like a Shadow, though." Oracle reported. "And it's moving around a lot, too."

"Do you think it could be the person Elizabeth was looking for?" Violet looked to the others.

"There's only one way to find out. If they're alone and moving fast, they're probably in danger." Queen said with a sense of urgency. "We should hurry."

"I hope they're okay…" Rei mumbled.

"Let's go." Joker said. With that, the group began their trek deeper into You in Wonderland. They pushed past the door Joker and the preliminary team got to before.

"A door made of piano keys?" Skull poked at the door, almost jumping back when it opened. "Oh, geez."

"I see this world draws forth upon the drearier aspects of Alice in Wonderland." Fox commented. Everyone kept an eye out for Shadows. As they walked, Fox also noticed something else. "Oh, hold a moment. There's a clock here…"

"A clock?" Panther stared at the clock. She even poked it a few times, but nothing happened. "The hands are moving, but it's not really doing much else."

"I wonder if there's a use for this clock somewhere within this place." Crow wondered aloud. They didn't have a lot to go off of. "I suggest we move on until we find an answer."

A fair point. The group continued carefully, rounding a few corners. Soon enough, they spotted yet another clock after a few turns. It was Skull who pointed it out this time. "Oh, hey! It's another one of those clocks!"

"So there are two of them…" Dragon leaned in to carefully expect the clock. "I wonder…"

"Maybe it's connected to the other one!" Skull said while reaching forward.

"Wait, Skull-!" Queen tried to stop him, but it was too late. Skull vanished through the clock, much to everyone's surprise. Left with no choice, the others followed Skull through the clock, only for them all to wind up in a previous location.

"Huh…?" Noir looked around. "Weren't we just here…?"

"Whoa! That was…pretty trippy." Skull rubbed the back of his neck.

"You moron! Don't just go touching things!" Mona groaned.

"I agree. What if it was dangerous? You need to be mindful of the things you interact with!" Queen held a sharp tone while addressing Skull. He immediately flinched and bowed his head to her.

"Y-Yes, Queen." Skull mumbled.

"Ooooh. Is that why she's called Queen?" Rei looked to Zen. Zen was the last person who had a clue, so he gave a small shrug.

"We did learn something important." Dragon gestured. "I believe with these devices, we can even go through walls so long as they are both activated."

"That's a good point!" Violet said. She then stepped forward and touched the clock. Everyone followed her lead, and returned to their previous location. "That's a handy trick."

"That'll save us some time." Joker said. He made sure to note this down on the map and press forward with the others. They entered the next room, only to stop in their tracks as a gigantic card soldier was standing on the other end of the room, where there was a large pond in the center of it. "W-W-!?"

"Holy shit! That Shadow is HUGE!" Skull gasped.

"That is an FOE." Zen warned.

"Danger readings off the charts! Do NOT get anywhere near that thing!" Oracle crossed her arms in an X formation. "That thing is screaming danger!"

"I hope it doesn't charge at us…!" Rei hid behind Zen as she said this.

"Even with our numbers, I predict we'll struggle…" Dragon furrowed her brows, watching the FOE carefully. The longer she did, the more she realized it wasn't even paying them any mind. "Hold on. I don't think it even cares that we're here."

"I sense that as well." Crow said. He had a habit of noticing one's bloodlust, and so far, that FOE didn't have any towards them. They stared at the FOE moving, and it was simply hopping around the area. It was literally going in circles.

"I think it's on patrol?" Noir wasn't entirely sure. "There must be something around that pond."

"I believe that is the FOEs territory." Dragon made this assumption based on the enemy's movements. "If we step foot into its territory, I do doubt it would hesitate in unleashing hell upon all of us."

"Do you have to phrase it so violently…?" Skull shuddered.

"Luckily, that's not something we'll have to worry about!" Mona said confidently. "After all, we ARE Phantom Thieves. Sneaking around is our bread and butter!"

"I don't know how to sneak around very well…" Rei admitted.

"Heh." Mona gave Rei his usual arrogant grin. "Don't worry about that. Just follow my lead, and you'll be a master of stealth in no time!

"Oh! Because kitties are masters of stealth!" Rei's eyes sparkled. She missed the point in Mona's eyes, but he was just going to let it roll off his back this time.

"Just…follow me." Mona groaned softly. After watching the way the FOE circled around the pond, Mona made his move. Zen and Rei followed his swift movements as quickly as they could, easily slipping past the FOE without it even realizing they were there. "Nyahaha! Flawless execution by yours truly!"

"You're pretty quick." Zen said. He was barely able to keep up and so was Rei. But somehow, they managed. The others followed suit easily.

"That was kind of fun…!" Rei beamed. "I could use a donut after that, though…"

"I feel that way all the time." Panther nodded in agreement to Rei.

"Two peas in a pod, they are." Fox commented. At the mention of the vegetable, both Panther and Rei stuck their tongues out in disgust.

While they did make it past the FOE without issue, they were soon set upon by Shadows. This was the first time those that weren't apart of the initial scouting team got to witness them. They were attacked by Jupiter Eagles and Justice Swords. "Shadows attacking!" Oracle exclaimed.

"These are Shadows? But how…" Queen found this a little hard to believe, but the way the Shadows attacked did remind her that they were enemies. One of the Justice Swords did swing at her and she leapt back to avoid getting sliced. "They're different from what we're used to, but we shouldn't underestimate them…!" When the Justice Sword came to slash at her again, she countered it with a spinning kick. The two clashed, and while Queen felt like she would normally win such a clash, she could feel how weak she currently was. As such, the two of them slid back.

"Whoa!" Rei's eyes sparkled as she watched Queen engage with the enemy.

"Queen, are you okay?" Noir asked, running towards Queen's side.

"Yes, I'm alright." Queen nodded, furrowing her brows a bit. It was an instinct to want to pull out her revolver and start shooting with the distance they had, but knowing their guns didn't work stopped that idea. "I see now what you all were talking about. I feel like I should have been able to kick it back easily."

"Let's work together! Zen-kun, can you back us up?" Noir asked, and Zen nodded with his crossbow at the ready. Another Justice Sword slowly slithered over to the little fray. "Milady!" Noir's mask burned away, and Milady was summoned in front of her. Milady's dress opened up, revealing the numerous guns underneath.

"Whoa!" Rei's eyes went wide at the sight of Milady's artillery.

"Are you sure you need my help?" Even Zen's stoic expression broke a bit when he saw the firepower Noir was packing. Although appearances were slightly deceiving, because Noir could not release her usual bombardment of bullets. Instead, she could only release a few shots at once. "Oh…"

"They really are weaker…" Noir grit her teeth. Not only was Milady much weaker than usual, but she could feel that it was taking a toll on her. "Queen!"

"Leave it to me!" Queen took advantage of this opening, small though it was. She summoned Johanna with a great deal of difficulty, riding on the bike as fast as she could. The Justice Swords were somewhat pinned down by Noir's rate of fire, which allowed Queen to easily sideswipe them and knock them into the air. "Now, Zen!"

"On it…" Zen took aim with his crossbow, firing off two bolts at the Justice Swords once they were skyward. His impressive aim landed two direct shots, which took them out.

"Whoa! Zen! Makoto! You were so cool!" Rei said, before she quickly corrected herself. "I mean, Queen!"

While the grounded Justice Swords were easy to deal with, the Jupiter Eagles were a completely different story. They were agile birds, easily flying through the air. Normally, such enemies wouldn't be a problem, but the Phantom Thieves were lacking their guns. As such, they had to rely on exhaustive skills to attack such evasive enemies."Damn it! These things really just don't hold still!" Skull grunted in frustration. A good shotgun blast would've put these bastards down already!

"Remain calm!" Dragon said while glancing around. The Jupiter Eagles were definitely mocking the group with their movements, but she could spot a weakness. "They still have to get in close to attack. When they do, use that moment!"

"I see…" Crow nodded slowly. They needed to converse as much energy as possible. A simple spell felt like it took a lot out of them. "If we swing blindly, we'll just create more openings for them to mock us."

Fox slid into a stance, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. A Jupiter Eagle circled around before diving towards him. Fox timed his strike perfectly, parrying the Jupiter Eagle's attack and throwing it off balance. The moment he did this, he closed the distance and slashed his sword to cleave the Shadow in half. "Perish, you foul pheasant."

Panther really just wished she could start unloading bullets with her gun. That was her first instinct against such an annoying enemy. But she had to get smart instead! She cracked her whip up into the air. While it wasn't enough to reach the Jupiter Eagle's and their swift movements, they were dodging in the direction she wanted them to; straight towards Dragon and Violet. "There!"

"Take this!" Dragon jumped into the air, twirling her staff around before slamming it down on a Jupiter Eagle. At the same time, Violet used her gymnastic ability to leap off of a tree, and spin forward, landing a spinning slash on the other Jupiter Eagle to take it down. She and Dragon landed on the ground with soft exhales.

"Those were annoying." Joker said flat out. Not having a gun at their disposal was going to force them to get creative. He noticed a blank card at his feet and knelt down to pick it up. Did one of the Shadows drop it..? "Is everyone alright?"

"Fine. Just irritated." Skull stared at his useless shotgun. Part of him wanted to chuck it because it was just a prop at this point, but he decided against it. "I ain't used to fighting without a gun."

"Your guns look so real…." Rei stared at Skull's shotgun. "What do you mean you can't use them?"

"Where we operate, Cognition is everything." Mona crossed his arms and nodded. Both Rei and Zen looked towards Mona with noticeable confusion. As expected, they didn't get it. "So, basically, we fight in the Cognitive World; a world that's created by the cognition of the general people. We call it the Metaverse. In the Metaverse, there are certain rules that apply. One of them being if someone believes a gun is being pointed at them, they assume it's real. And then, it can shoot bullets!"

"That sounds incredibly useful." Zen nodded. He kind of got it. "But this world is different from this…Metaverse, yes?"

"Unfortunately, yes." Queen rubbed her arm. "We all carry fake firearms when we come into the Metaverse, because they serve as real guns for us. However, it seems that that doesn't work here."

"This world is riddling us with handicaps." Fox slid his sword back into its sheath.

"We simply have to adapt." Dragon said bluntly. She didn't like it as much as the others, but they couldn't afford to dwell on it. "We fight well as a team, so we'll have to use that to our advantage going forward. Even though these enemies are not what we are used to."

"Dragon's correct. We can figure this out." Joker had faith in the team to work through their current shortcomings.

"And while we work on that, look what I noticed!" Oracle pointed off to the side, where there was a set of stairs. "Those stairs will take us deeper into this place."

"Sounds like we're finally making progress." Joker looked to the stairs, and then the others. With a silent nod, he led the way down the stairs…

.

.

The second floor of You in Wonderland had a slightly different vibe than the previous. The sky was yellow this time and it looked even more ominous than the last. "Doesn't seem like this floor will be any kinder to us." Violet commented.

"Rei, are you alright?" Zen gave Rei a cautious glance. Even though the marvels of the Phantom Thieves did catch her attention, he did worry about her.

In response to Zen's concern, Rei gave a jovial nod. "Mm-hm! There's so many people with me, and you too, Zen. I'm scared, but I'll be okay."

"We've got your back!" Panther gave Rei a thumbs up and a wink. "We're all friends here. So if you need us for anything, we'll be there for you."

"Mhm! You can ask us for help whenever." Violet added.

"You certainly became fast friends." Crow couldn't help but comment. They'd only just met Rei and Zen. He still had his doubts; meanwhile the others were happily calling them friends already.

"We shared sweets together! So that makes us friends. Right, Violet?" Panther snickered.

"Violet ate so many donuts." Rei said in awe.

Violet rubbed the back of her neck with a sheepish grin. "Yes, we're friends after all of that…"

"You know, I've always been drawn to this place." Rei admitted, staring down at the ground. "But I was too scared to explore it. But with everyone helping, I'm okay coming in! It's a lot of fun exploring with friends! Thank you all very much!" She even gave an appreciative bow.

"You don't have to be so respectful to us! We're all equals here." Skull said, a little embarrassed at how earnest Rei was with her gratitude. "But like Panther n' Violet said, we got your back!"

"..." Zen said nothing.

Worried, Rei turned to her companion. "Zen, what's wrong? Does it hurt somewhere?"

"No," Zen mumbled. "I don't really understand…" And after a small pause, he looked to Rei. "Rei…will you…stay by my side?"

That was an out of the blue question. Not one Rei even had to think about. "Of course I will!"

"Sometimes it feels like we're not here." Noir said with a shy smile. "They're off in their own world when they talk."

"That reminds me of a certain other pair of ours." Joker looked to Panther and Dragon with a teasing grin. Dragon found herself blushing and turning around. It took Panther a second, and thankfully her red mask could hide her blown as well.

"I. I don't know what you're talking about….!" Dragon spoke so quickly she almost tripped over her words. "A-Anyway, I find it interesting that Zen and Rei can fight and even heal without Personas…"

"I didn't even think about that…" Skull scratched his head. There was so much going on, he was just happy to have support. "You sure you guys don't have Personas?"

"The "power of the heart" you guys use?" Zen shook his head. "No, we don't have anything like that."

"And they can fight Shadows no problem without it…" Oracle was intrigued! She had no idea what this meant, but Zen and Rei were proving to be reliable!

"Speaking of Personas…" Mona looked to Joker. "Have you been feeling alright? You've only been using Arsene so far."

"You can summon more than one?" Zen looked to Joker. Based on Mona's words, it sounded like Joker could summon plenty. "Why are you not summoning them now?"

"...Now that you mention it…" Joker had yet to switch off of Arsene. However, when he looked through his Persona stock, he realized something. "...I don't have any other Personas?"

"What!?" This came as a surprise to the Phantom Thieves.

"Now that he mentions it…I don't have Loki at my disposal here either…" Crow thought to himself. That was…a bit of a problem, admittedly. Did he even still have Loki's powers? That wasn't exactly something he could test either. Was he stuck with just Robin Hood?

"This could be…no, this is a problem." Dragon frowned. "Joker's versatility in battle is usually key in many of our strategies…"

"The only thing I have on me is this blank card." Joker held out the card that the Shadows dropped earlier. "I don't know what it is, but it gives me a weird feeling…"

"Maybe we should return to the twins?" Noir suggested. "They might know something about it."

"That's probably for the best…." Joker agreed. The earlier battle was a lot more difficult than he'd like to admit. With his WIldcard power gone, things looked as if they would only grow more difficult.

"Wait!" Oracle suddenly exclaimed. "I'm picking up a reading from this floor! It's moving around really fast, too!"

"Is someone else here?!" Panther looked to the nearby door.

"It could be Elizabeth's guest…" Crow surmised. "If they've been down here all this time, I can only imagine their struggle."

"We have to help them!" Rei exclaimed. That was something everyone could agree with. They didn't know how far in this reading was, but if they were moving, there was a high chance they'd run into each other.

"We can go back after we find this person." Joker told the group. They started to sprint ahead, rounding the corners they could.

"It's getting closer…!" Oracle told everyone. "I don't know where you're going to meet them, so be careful!" If she could read the lay of the land, it would make things so much easier. For now, all she could do was tell them how close they were.

The next piano door opened, the group immediately had to cover their eyes from an explosion. "What's going on?!" Queen asked while shielding her eyes. When the dust from the explosion slowly settled, they could see a few Jupiter Eagles, a Lying Hablerie, and a new enemy, two Enslaved Beasts.

"Where are they looking…?" Violet peered forward.

That's when she appeared suddenly. Minako dove down from a tree with her Naginata, using the element of surprise and height advantage to slash at the Lying Hablerie, taking it down in a single hit. The moment her feet hit the ground, she jumped back just in time to avoid a wide swipe from the Enslaved Beast. She slid backwards across the ground, reaching down for the gun at her hip, and spun it around a bit before pointing the barrel at her temple. "Orpheus!" She clicked the trigger and a blue pillar exploded behind her, calling forth her Persona, Orpheus. The female harp stringer threw her arm forward, fast balling a streak of flame towards an Enslaved Beast. It was a direct hit and the Shadow howled in pain before it was taken down.

"Holy shit! She's going crazy!" Skull said with wide eyes.

"Is she a Persona user!?" Panther gasped.

"But, wait…who is she?" Oracle tilted her head. "Elizabeth was looking for a blue haired male, right…? She doesn't match that description at all…!"

"We can ask that question later…! Look!" Violet pointed at Minako.

Even though Minako looked like she was handling herself…the truth was, she was starting to reach her limit. She was pretty badly hurt, panting heavily, sweating, while barely managing to keep both eyes open. All of this solo fighting in such a strict environment was taking its toll on her. "Almost done…" She told herself, staring at the enemies ahead. She could feel herself growing incredibly exhausted, but she had to keep fighting.

"Zen! She needs help!" Rei looked at Zen with pleading eyes.

"I know." Zen nodded.

"Let's go!" Joker shouted.

Minako found herself narrowly dodging a swipe from the other Enslaved Beast. She ended up staggering backwards a little, the rush of adrenaline being the only thing keeping her going. As soon as she landed on her feet, she saw the Jupiter Eagles flap their wings fiercely. They were combining Garu spells that turned into a fierce gale. Minako was unable to hold her ground and she was thrown off her feet, her back hitting a tree. "Ugh…!" She winced and looked up, now seeing the Enslaved Beast pounce on her. Her eyes widened as everything moved in slow motion…..

"Aegis!" Dragon appeared in front of Minako with Belle Star. Belle Star's Shield protected the two of them from the Enslaved Beast's attack, causing it to rebound as a result. "Worry not, you are safe now!"

"W-What…?" Minako's eyes were wide for a different reason now. Who was this girl in a kimono, and where did she come from!?

"Zorro!" Mona bounced forward as Zorro appeared, swinging his saber in a Z motion. This prompted a Garu spell; the whirlwind caught the Jupiter Eagles by surprise, throwing them off to the side.

"Captain Kidd!" Skull had his eyes trained on the Jupiter Eagles. Captain Kidd appeared in front of Skull, his arm cannon pointed forward. Skull pointed ahead and the Captain released a bolt of lightning from his cannon. The Zio flew forward at high speeds, striking the Jupiter Eagles down in a single shot. "Got ya!" It felt good, but boy was that exhausting as well!

"Other Persona users…?" Minako was surprised. It was then that Rei came over to her, using her healing powers to ease the girl's injuries. Noir, Zen, Queen, and Violet stood in front of her, just in case a Shadow attempted to attack in the chaos.

"Are you alright?" Rei asked Minako, who winced a little from the healing.

"I…I think so…" Minako replied with a small hiss of pain.

"Robin Hood!" Crow went on the offensive, using Robin Hood to fire an arrow of Curse Magic at the remaining Enslaved Beast. The Beast jumped to the side to avoid the arrow, but it was surrounded on all sides despite that.

"Carmen!" Panther called as Carmen appeared in front of her. She flung a fireball at the cornered Enslaved Beast, and the direct hit was enough to wound it severely. If it was Hectate, or even just a stronger spell, she could've handled it. "Not enough…!"

"Leave it to me!" Joker used his grappling hook to latch onto the nearby tree, pulling himself forward and into the air. Arsene appeared by his side, before the Persona flew forward, crashing into the Enslaved Beast to take it out. "There!" Joker landed on the ground afterwards. They cleared out the enemies.

"I'm not picking up anything nearby." Oracle reported. "I think it's safe now!"

"Whoa…" Minako let out a sigh of relief. "I'm saved. Thank you. Um…are you guys Persona-users too?"

"Indeed. It appears you are one as well." Crow said.

"To think there are additional Persona-users here. I sense a mysterious fate linking us." Fox stated.

"You sure surprised me! You have such elaborate masks, I thought you were enemies for a second." Minako admitted.

"The enemies we've encountered so far do have masks on them, don't they…?" Dragon thought back to the Jupiter Eagles…

"Ahahaha…Yeah, I guess we do look pretty weird from other people's perspective." Panther said with a sheepish laugh.

"Oh, no no! I think they're pretty stylish!" Minako smiled. "They show off a lot of personality! Ah, right. I haven't introduced myself yet! My name is Minako Yuki! It's nice to meet you all!"

"Nice to meet you, Minako!" Rei smiled.

"It's nice to meet you as well, Minako." Noir gave a polite smile.

"So, I have a question." Minako tilted her head, observing the the Phantom Thieves, and the stark contrast they had to Rei and Zen. "It's not just your masks, but all your outfits - they kinda make me think of phantom thieves."

Compared to Rei and Zen, who had no idea what Phantom Thieves were, this made the Phantom Thieves actually tense up for a moment. "Oh, shit…this is bad! We can't have her figuring out who we are-!"

"Uh…who you are…?" Minako had no idea what that meant. It only resulted in more questions…

"Skull, you moron! Stop digging our graves!" Mona said with a harsh whisper.

"How…do we explain this?" Queen looked at the others. Clearly, Minako was from their own reality, at least, as far as they knew. She could use a Persona after all!

"We're just…cosplaying as the Phantom Thieves." Joker lied.

"Smooth." Oracle face palmed. But it was the best he could come up with and she couldn't blame him.

"The…what?" Minako was even more lost than before.

"Wait." Dragon tilted her head. "Do you…not know about the Phantom Thieves of Heart?"

"Nope. Never heard of them." Minako shook her head.

"But…really?" Violet blinked a few times. The Phantom Thieves were branded as criminals in the eyes of the law and to all of Japan. "Everyone's talking about them online and on the news!"

"Is she really unaware of them?" Crow mumbled.

"Uh-uh." Minako shrugged her shoulders. "I watch the news pretty regularly, too."

"This is strange…" Noir shifted about. The Phantom Thieves were the most infamous criminals in Japan right now…

"We shouldn't complain for now." Crow said. Minako's cluelessness about the Phantom Thieves was a good thing.

"Yeah…I guess we should be grateful." Mona nodded.

"WHOA!" Minako suddenly exclaimed, staring at Mona. "A talking cat!?"

A bit slow on the reaction time there. Mona's jaw dropped. "What!? You're just NOW realizing this!? We were fighting together just a second ago!"

"Whoops, sorry!" Minako gave a smile. "I guess this cat is a Persona-user, too? It still surprises me that even animals can use Personas…!"

"I am NOT a cat!" Mona huffed. "Wait…animals?" What was she implying with that statement!

Before this riveting conversation could continue, Oracle popped in once again. "Uhh, guys! I think you need to hurry back right away!"

"What's wrong?" Violet asked. The sense of urgency in Oracle's voice was concerning.

"Elizabeth is in the background asking 'they're still not back yet' while throwing cards at random gears! And the twins are joining her in it!" Oracle wailed. This was too much for her!

"Elizabeth's here!?" Minako's eyes had newfound life in them.

"Do you know her?" Queen asked.

"Mhm!" Minako nodded. "She's my Velvet Room attendant! Er, wait. Do any of you know what that is…?" Just because they were Persona-users didn't mean they had the power of the Wildcard like she did! At least, that's what she thought.

"She has two attendants?" Crow asked aloud. "She asked us to look for a young man with blue hair and headphones. We found you, a girl with headphones in a similar outfit as she described…are you two related, perhaps?"

"...?" The light in Minako's eyes briefly flickered away. That…didn't make any sense. "Huh? N…No, I don't know anyone like that…" Although, before she could delve deeper into those questions, the soreness of her body and her injuries rapidly caught up to her. The adrenaline pumping through her veins flushed out a while ago. "O-Oh…there it is…." She started to tip over and lose consciousness, but she was caught by Dragon.

"Is she okay?!" Rei panicked. "I did my best to heal her…! Was it not enough!?"

"She's still breathing." Zen could tell by looking at Minako's chest. "I think she's just unconscious…"

"She was fighting for a while all by herself, under such debilitating conditions. It's no surprise." Joker stared at Minako. "It's good timing. We can take her to the Nurse's office and see what Elizabeth and the Twins want with us at the same time."

"Now is as good a time as any to head back." Queen agreed to that sentiment. "Um, Dragon. Are you going to be alright?"

Dragon was struggling to hold Minako. But she gave the team a somewhat strained smile. "D-Don't worry about me! I can…carry her! This is nothing!"

"I'm pretty worried." Panther said with a sweat drop.

The Phantom Thieves found a new ally within this strange labyrinth. The mysterious Minako…one can only wonder what her presence in this place means. For now, they have no choice but to return to Yasogami High and see what it is the Velvet Attendants require of them. Perhaps some answers await them. But with answers, only more questions tend to spring up right behind them….

Chapter Text

The Phantom Thieves brought Minako to the Nurse's Office after returning from You in Wonderland. After all of her fighting, she needed some proper rest. The others decided to wait until she woke up before visiting Elizabeth, Caroline, and Justine in the Velvet Room. Minako slowly stirred, blinking awake. "Ooogh…" She looked around, only to see Hifumi sitting nearby. "Whoa!"

"Oh, you're awake." Hifumi smiled as Minako woke up. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm alright!" Minako smiled. She then stared at Hifumi curiously. "What happened to your mask and your kimono? Did you change out of them that quickly? Well, with a Kimono like that…"

Hifumi's face turned a little red, since she knew what Minako was about to say. "D-Don't worry about that. That's just my combat uniform."

"You really fight in that? I've worn a kimono before…" Minako recalled that time fondly. That said, she knew how restrictive Kimonos actually were, so to see Hifumi fight in that so easily. "Oh! Right. Thanks for saving me earlier. You were the one that jumped in first, right? Your Persona had that huge shield!"

"Mhm." Hifumi lifted a finger as she spoke. "I take great pride in my defensive abilities. Even if they've been slightly nerfed due to the nature of this strange world."

"Nerfed, huh? That explains why summoning Orpheus took so much energy…" Minako let out a small sigh. "It feels good to lie down in a bed. I have no idea how long I was down there."

"You don't have to worry. You have allies now. Together we will forge a path through that unknown labyrinth and crush what lies at its depths!" Hifumi slipped into Shogi Mode for a bit there. When she realized this, she cleared her throat, white Minako snickered a bit. "Oh! Where are my manners? My name is Hifumi Togo."

"Hi, Hifumi." Minako smiled. "Why did you decide to wait for me? You didn't have to."

"I wanted to. I was the one who carried you back." Hifumi explained.

"You…carried me?" Minako looked a little surprised. Hifumi did not look like the type.

"It was no issue! You're not that heavy." Hifumi was…bending the truth just a little bit. She had no doubt that Minako wasn't heavy, but she wasn't exactly physically capable either.

"I see. Well, thank you." Minako smiled and swung her legs over the bed to stand up. She stretched her arms above her head. "Whew! I'm…actually pretty hungry. We have food around here, right? Er, actually, where is here…?"

"I'll explain on the way. But we do have food here." Hifumi nodded while also standing up. "Follow me." Even though she wasn't familiar with Yasogami High's layout at all, she was at least capable of retracing the path to the areas the group was using the most. There was a table where the rest of the Phantom Thieves were eating. Akechi was off to the side at his own table.

"Oh, she's awake!" Kasumi smiled as Minako and Hifumi approached. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling hungry." Minako admitted. She then glanced at the numerous empty bowls around Kasumi. "Wow, you guys have been tearing up the food, haven't you?"

"Huh? Oh, no. That was just me!" Kasumi said with a bright smile. Minako's jaw nearly dropped.

"W-Wh…?" Minako stuttered.

"I'm an athlete, so I'm used to eating a lot!" Kasumi replied. That didn't really explain much but Minako was just going to have to accept that.

"We've got some pretty heavy eaters in this group." Ryuji could put away some ramen, sure. But compared to Kasumi's massive appetite, Ann's blackhole of a stomach for sweets, and Rei's ability to literally spawn food whenever she wanted…he was pretty normal about it.

Speaking of Rei and Ann, they were two peas in a pod right now. They were both munching on donuts together. "I'm glad to see you awake!" Rei beamed.

Ren gestured to an open spot. There was an available bowl of ramen for Minako. "Saved you a spot. I bet you're hungry."

"Like you wouldn't believe." Minako happily took the seat and began to chow down. "Where did you get this food, anyway? And…how is there so much?"

"This place is weird and we're still trying to figure it out." Yusuke said.

"S-So this girl is the reading I detected…" Futaba was sitting on the far end of the table. She was a little bit nervous since Minako was a new person. Even though she was slowly improving when it came to dealing with new people, it was still something of a struggle for her.

"Oh! You're the one who was navigating for these guys, weren't you?" Minako aske. "Thank you for reducing me earlier!"

"I-I-I didn't do anything in p-particular!" Futaba stumbled her way through that sentence. How embarrassing…!

"Oh, um! Futaba-chan is a little shy when it comes to new people." Haru said with a soft smile.

"It's okay. Everyone's a bit nervous in the beginning." Minako waved that issue aside easily. "It's nice to meet you, Futaba-chan!"

"U-Um, right…." Futaba mumbled awkwardly. She was completely fumbling this interaction despite the fact she wanted to get better at this!

"Oh! Those headphones!" Minako leaned a bit closer to get a better look at them. Futaba was expecting something awful, but instead… "They're so cool! Are you a music lover, too?"

What?! This girl knew about headphone quality?! "W-Whoa! You can tell how good these are?! No one else has ever commented on them! Minako Yuki…could she be a fan of music, too!?" If that was the case, maybe they could get along…!

"Looks like you've made a new friend." Ren smiled.

"She's like a social butterfly…" Morgana commented.

"I don't recall meeting anyone who's been this outgoing." Zen said quietly. When together with Rei, even she wasn't this exuberant about things.

"I do sense a rare, outgoing vibe from her…" Yusuke nodded.

"We should introduce ourselves before we keep the conversation going." Makoto said quickly. Minako barely knew their names; so they had to take the opportunity to introduce themselves, share their circumstance, and their codenames.

"You know, all of those make sense…Rei-chan and Zen-kun have been here the longest, and you guys have just gotten here yourselves…" Minako slowly nodded. She finished her bowl of ramen and crossed her arms. "So, Akechi, does this mean you poke people with your mask?"

Again with that silly question! Akechi kept a pleasant smile despite the fact he was internally annoyed. Minako's outgoing nature only told him she did not mean it to tease him. She was genuinely asking, which made it a little worse. "No…not quite…" He refrained from answering more.

"Hmm…." Minako looked around a little bit. "Hifumi, you said this was Yasogami High, right? That means we're in Inaba right now…"

"You know this place?" Zen looked to Minako, who nodded.

"Kind of. I was here a few months ago." Minako explained. "I'm part of my volleyball team back in school. We took a trip to Inaba and stayed at the Amagi Inn! It was a pretty nice place. Although…" Her eyes drifted to the clocktower outside the window. "I don't remember seeing that clocktower at all." Which begged the question of what it was doing here.

"That tower gives me such a strange feeling…" Rei mumbled while munching on a donut.

"Same here. It's not a feeling I can accurately describe, however." Zen turned his gaze to the clocktower as well. Something about it stirred something inside of him, but he had no idea what it was.

"Do you remember how you wound up here?" Makoto asked Minako.

"Um…." Minako tapped her cheek a few times. "It's a little hazy at the moment. I was scaling Tartarus with my friends in SEES... I remember that we saw a spider along the ground, and we got separated shortly after that. In the next moment, there was a bright flash of light, and in the next moment, I'm in Wonderland!"

"You saw a spider, too?" Haru tilted her head. Was that a coincidence…?

"What does SEES stand for?" Makoto asked.

"It stands for Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad!" Minako answered with a smile. "It's technically a school club! For the sake of hunting Shadows and all."

"That's...a pretty heavy name for a school club." Ryuji had no words, really. Also, the fact she said it with a smile was a little unnerving.

"And...what's Tartarus?" Ann asked. They were all sort of dancing around terms that were natural for them, but foreign for the other.

"You guys don't know about it? But you're Persona users." Minako tapped her chin. "Okay. Let me start at the beginning with what I know. What if I told you there were more than 24 hours in a day?"

"Excuse me?" Akechi found that a little absurd. The others also gave Minako curious stares.

"I had the exact same reaction." Minako lifted a finger. "Every night at midnight, there is an extra hour of the night called the Dark Hour. During that hour, the large tower known as Tartarus spawns! During the Dark Hour, only certain individuals are even conscious. My friends and I have spent the last several months scaling that tower to get to the very top."

"And where does this tower spawn…?" Hifumi asked.

"Right at my school!" Minako said, which shocked everyone.

"Your school turns into a tower in the dark of the night?" Makoto didn't exactly find this hard to believe, but it was still a surprising fact to hear about all the same.

"Yeah, my friends and I are trying to figure it all out." Minako then realized something important. "I'm a second year at Gekkoukan high, in Tatsumi Port Island. Does that ring a bell to any of you?"

"You're a second year? That means you're my senpai...!" Kasumi gasped. "Minako-senpai."

"...Senpai, huh?" Minako was trying to figure out how much she liked that. The answer was surprisingly, a lot. Also, when she looked at Kasumi, they did kind of look a little similar in appearance. "I like it."

"I might've been there before when I was younger..." Kasumi pressed a finger to her cheek. "We're from Shibuya. It's a long ways away from there, though."

"Huh. You guys don't all go to the same school, do you?" Minako looked at the various student outfits. "Rei-chan and Zen look like students here at Yasogami...but I can't figure out where the rest of you go for the life of me."

"We go to the same school! It's Shujin Academy." Ann pointed at herself, Ren, Kasumi, Ryuji, Makoto, Haru, and Morgana.

"The cat goes to school?" Minako looked at Morgana, a quizzical brow raised.

"Well, he lives with me." Ren added. "And I just kind of hide him in my bag and desk. I'm pretty sure the guy who sits behind me is fully aware of it...but he doesn't say anything, which I appreciate."

"Yusuke and I also go to same school. Kosei High." Hifumi nodded. "...Akechi, where do you go to school?" A question she never thought to ask until now.

"Well..." Akechi was about to answer, but his response was broken by a sigh from Minako.

"I've never heard of any of those places." Minako said with a defeated shrug. "But I think it's pretty amazing you're all friends despite going to different schools! That said, I'm worried about my friends." Minako frowned for just a split second, but shook it off. "But you said Elizabeth was here, right? So maybe my friends are here, too!"

"That would be the logical conclusion…." Akechi said. Still, something about this didn't quite add up… "Your friends. Who are they, exactly? If we run into them..."

"Oh, right!" Minako quickly nodded. "My friends all mostly go to the same school as me, minus a few exceptions. There's Junpei Iori, Fuuka Yamagishi, Yukari Takeba..."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Futaba suddenly exclaimed, catching everyone by surprise. "You're FRIENDS with Yukari Takeba!?"

Somehow, that question didn't surprise her. Yukari always had that sort of reputation, although Minako didn't know that Futaba's surprise was for an entirely different reason. "Mhm. I know she can seem a little prickly at time, but as long as you're not weird she's a nice person!"

"Wait, but...she's an actor." Futaba just realized that strange discrepancy with Minako's words. "She's Feather Pink!"

"Feather...Pink...?" Minako recognized that term, but applying it to Yukari just didn't make any sense in her mind. "Is she hiding something from me? I never knew she was into that sort of stuff."

"Ain't Junpei Iori that one baseball player?" Ryuji whispered to Ren. He shrugged. Although it was confusing why Minako was speaking as if those two were in school...

"There's also Akihiko Sanada, Mitsuru Kirijo, and...they're my senpai." Minako went on. Although her voice did seem to trail off a little bit at the end...

"You're friends with the head of the Kirijo group...?" Haru blinked in surprise. Just how far did Minako's social circle go!

"She's not the head yet, but she is poised to take it over." Minako answered so quickly, that it only brought about more confusion. "Lastly are Ken Amada, Koromaru, and Aigis! Ken is a lot younger compared to the rest of us. Koromaru is a dog, and Aigis is...um." This got a little difficult to explain. Would they believe her if she said Aigis was a robot that could use a Persona? "She's not like other girls. You'll know it when you see her."

"...Did you imply a dog could use a Persona?!" Morgana was focused on that part.

"Right? Now imagine my surprise when I see a cat use one!" Minako laughed.

"I'm NOT a cat!" Morgana hissed at the insinuation.

"I don't think you'll be convincing any of our new friends of this, Mona-chan." Haru giggled.

"...By the way, Elizabeth is the one who suggested we use the Nursing Office to rest up. But she didn't allow the service to be free." Morgana groaned just thinking about it.

"She was extremely adamant that it cost money. Thank goodness these Shadows drop money." Said Yusuke, the man who had such poor spending habits.

Minako just gave a soft, somewhat nervous laugh. "Yeah, that…that sounds like her. But what are we waiting for! I want to go see her already!"

"Yeah! What ARE you waiting for?!" That voice came from Caroline, who was tapping her baton in her hand impatiently. "The new person is awake, so you are to report to the Velvet room ASAP, Inmate!" Ren gave a nervous smile when Caroline proceeded to grill him.

"...Wow. That kid is intense." Minako said with a sweat drop. She could tell based on her clothing that she was a Velvet Attendant. . "But I suppose we shouldn't keep them waiting!"

"Yeah. I guess we've kept them waiting long enough." Ren stood up from his seat. He was just going to walk to the Velvet Room, but Caroline was practically shoving him along. Considering this was in front of everyone else, it was a little embarrassing to be pushed around by this authoritative little girl…alas, this was his life.

.

.

The Velvet Room. Ren's Velvet Room. When stepping inside. Minako wasn't exactly sure what to expect, but a prison was the last thing. "Oh wow. This is your Velvet Room…?" Hers was an elevator, which felt normal. A prison was…extreme.

"It's a long story." Ren rubbed the back of his neck.

"I don't see Igor here…" Minako noted.

"Ah, you've finally arrived!" Elizabeth had her back turned to everyone, but she felt a familiar presence behind her. "I was growing impatient. Now that you are back, Mina…" She turned, and her eyes landed on Minako. For a moment, she thought her eyes were playing tricks on her, because she swore she saw and felt someone else. The feeling Minako gave her was identical to her guest. So identical, it actually surprised her for a moment. "My…what is this?"

"Elizabeth!" Minako gave a bright smile. "I was worried about you."

"That's very flattering." Elizabeth gave a polite smile. For all intents and purposes, this may as well have been her guest. But there was a question nagging at the back of her mind at the sight of Minako. "However, I do have one inquiry. Whatever should I call you? This is the first time we've met…"

"...Huh?" Minako blinked a few times. "I'm Minako, remember? Minako Yuki!"

"...This feels awkward." Ryuji tugged at the collar of his shirt. Minako sounded so excited when talking about Elizabeth. "Don't they know each other?"

"...Elizabeth doesn't appear to be lying…" Hifumi remarked. Elizabeth didn't have a reason to lie. But it still made no sense. How could Minako know Elizabeth, but the reverse seemingly wasn't true?

"Mina…ko? Yuki?" Elizabeth repeated. She turned away for a moment. "How strange. It's almost like looking in a mirror…and I sense the power of the Wildcard within you…"

"What's going on here…?" Ann whispered to the others. Nobody could answer.

Minako looked devastated for a moment. Only just a moment. Because whatever dejection crept onto her face was replaced with a smile. "I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation for all of this! This whole thing is pretty strange, after all!"

"She…bounced back fast." Yusuke was surprised at how quickly Minako was able to move on from this.

"So!" Minako changed the subject so quickly everyone got whiplash. "What are those doors? I don't remember seeing anything like these." Her eyes were glued to the door with the pink light on it.

"We don't know." Justine answered. It took her a moment, because she was also taken aback by Minako's positive demeanor. "They are chained tightly and prevent us from even opening them."

"But nothing meaningless happens in this room." Elizabeth stated. "Their role and our meeting should become apparent to us eventually." It was with that belief, that she knew there was a reason for her meeting with Minako in this place. The girl who felt identical to her guest.

"Zen-kun, Rei-chan, would you happen to know anything about these doors?" Haru asked their two new friends.

"Hmmmmm. No." Rei shook her head.

"I don't know." Zen also had a negative response. "But if I had to guess, they're probably connected to where you guys came from."

"I wonder if this means they're our way out." Makoto stared at the doors. "So many doors, with so many locks. I can only wonder what we'd need to do to unlock them all."

"This room didn't exist until you guys showed up." Zen clarified. If there was any bit of new information he could provide, it was this. "To me, this is your place, and those doors there are also yours. But that's just a feeling I have. There's no evidence to it." Feeling ridiculous about what he just said, he shook his head. "Never mind…"

"Let's try…" Kasumi walked to the red door and attempted to open it. As expected, nothing happened. "Yeah, I thought as much."

"Then we can move onto the main subject." Akechi looked to the twins and Elizabeth. "It appears that Ren is incapable of summoning other Personas…"

"Wait, you can do that too!?" Minako looked at Ren. He was a Wildcard.

"Too…?" Ren looked at Minako with a surprised expression. "You can do it as well?"

"Ah, why indeed…" Elizabeth said.

"That's…not an answer." Morgana's eyes had a dubious expression.

"Admittedly, we don't know why that would be the case." Justine admitted. "Nothing like this has happened before."

"Well then, though I am not too used to this, allow me to investigate the matter. Ren. Minako, take a seat." Elizabeth gestured to the couch that was suddenly nearby. Did she drag that inside? Questions for later. Ren and Minako took a seat as instructed. "Now…Hifumi, take your seat between them."

"Er. Okay." Hifumi simply nodded and took a seat between Ren and Minako.

Once the three of them sat down, Elizabeth placed a row of about twenty tarot cards on the desk in front of them. "These are tarot cards. They are used to peer into your fates." She then drew a card. The Tower Arcana. "Tower. Hmmm…."

"Did you figure anything out?" Caroline asked with an impatient tone.

"I do not know." Elizabeth said. "The picture on the cards. This Arcana has multiple interpretations. That I drew the Tower is unimportant. What is more meaningful is that I did not draw the Fool."

"Fool. Like, an idiot?" Ryuji asked.

"She probably would've drawn a card with your face on it!" Morgana smirked.

"You tryna start something?" Ryuji narrowed his eyes at Morgana. Even though things were better between them, the banter still remained.

"Quiet!" Caroline banged her baton on one of the cell bars. That caused the two of them to stiffen and straighten right up. "The Fool is the number zero! The Arcana that means a beginning and infinite possibilities! That is the same power the Inmate has!" She pointed at Ren. "That is the power of the wild card!"

"But it seems as if this place is affecting that power." Justine flipped through her clipboard. "As noted previously, it appears that Arsene is the only Persona the Inmate is capable of using."

"And you are only capable of using Orpheus, correct?" Elizabeth asked Minako. In truth, she didn't actually know Orpheus was Minako's Persona. But the feeling she got. Minako nodded.

"If he can't do that, then we might be in trouble in battle going forward." Makoto was a little stressed about that. Ren's ability to shift Personas mid combat was key.

"What does that mean for us?" Minako asked.

"Your power of the wild card hasn't been lost." Elizabeth corrected. "It truly represents infinite possibilities, but I never considered this among them."

"What do you mean?" Hifumi asked.

"Besides their fixed Personas, they can summon a secondary Persona at the same time." Elizabeth said. Caroline and Justine also seemed surprised by this. "However, the secondary, changeable Persona cannot display its true strength. It's best to think of it as an auxiliary role. If Arsene and Orpheus are their 'Mains', the changeable Persona would be considered the 'sub'. They can both be assumed at once."

"We shall call them Sub-Personas for the moment." Justine decided. "It will be easier to keep track of them this way."

"Ah, but could it be…" Elizabeth pondered something. She placed a number of tarot cards out on the table. She turned over a card in front of Hifumi, and it was the Fool. "The Fool! Oh my…!"

"E-Eh…?" Hifumi pointed at herself. "M-Me, gifted with the power of the Fool? I don't believe that's possible…!"

"It isn't just you, Hifumi. The boon of the fool is evident in all of you." Elizabeth stated. Although there was another that she sensed already had this ability to some extent. Her eyes turned to Akechi, who gave her a curious stare.

"I don't understand…" Hifumi scratched her cheek.

"You all are capable of using a secondary Persona." Elizabeth put it simply.

"Two at the same time? Is that really possible?" Yusuke stroked his chin. "The thought never even occurred to me before. Perhaps it could offset the weakness we've felt since we've stepped forth in this place."

"The presence of more Wild Cards may be the cause of this abnormality." Justine surmised. "We have the Inmate, and Minako…"

"So…Elizabeth's guest is quite obviously a Wild Card as well." Akechi stared at the four doors. "Three doors we have an answer for, but what of the fourth…?"

"Oh, oh! Can Zen and I summon these Personas, too?" Rei asked.

"That would never work!" Caroline shook her head. "You two don't have Personas! You can't summon what you don't have."

"But in that case, how are they able to aid us fighting the Shadows in the first place?" Haru asked.

"I suspect the answer to that is deeply intertwined with the mystery of this place. This is a haven in the rift. A floating island gently drifting deep within the sea of consciousness. One would normally not find living humans here." Elizabeth explained. "If there were one, then they may, in theory, have become one with an entity such as a Persona or Shadow."

"A…Are you saying they're Personas!?" Morgana asked. "But I don't think I've heard of a Persona or Shadow gaining an Ego…" Granted, the mystery of his identity still eluded him, along with some crucial memories.

"It's just a hypothesis." Elizabeth had no concrete evidence for it. Most of her answers were based off assumptions and guesswork, coupled with her own knowledge. In the end, she couldn't produce anything solid.

"I suppose it's something we'll just have to keep in the back pocket." Makoto sighed. All of this was still a little confusing, but they were at least getting somewhere.

"Now then, I have one more question for all of you." Elizabeth pulled out a blank card. "Have you encountered any of these in your travels thus far?"

"I have one, actually." Ren placed the blank card he found on the table.

"Oh!" Minako reached into her pocket and pulled out a blank card as well. "I found one of these while fighting Shadows. I don't know what it's for, though."

"Ah, excellent!" Elizabeth took the two cards Minako and Ren presented. "La…Caroline, Justice, would you come here for a moment?" The twins didn't exactly want to, but they also felt compelled by Elizabeth, so they agreed. "These cards are blank, as you can see. They appeared in a state which has not yet been guided to any sort of fate. Though you were only able to summon Personas unique to you, you can now summon other Personas as well."

"I get it now." Caroline nodded, and then gestured to the guillotine. This was the first time everyone actually noticed it. "And if you collect more Personas than you know what to do with, you can fuse them here!"

"What the-!?" The Phantom Thieves and Minako gasped at the sight of the guillotine.

"Is that an effin' guillotine!?" Ryuji gulped.

"...I'm a little worried about you." Minako looked to Ren. Again, he wasn't really able to defend himself here.

"It is simply the method used to fuse Personas. You needn't be concerned." Justine said calmly. "Unfortunately, the electric chair is out of service…"

"The WHAT!?" Futaba yelped. "Why is your Velvet Room a death trap!?"

"...I think I just want to do some fusion." Ren quickly said. He didn't have the answers his friends were looking for.

"Me too." Minako nodded.

"Alright. You! Cat!" Caroline pointed at Morgana, and he straightened up again." Escort these other people out of here!"

"She keeps referring to us as other people." Akechi shook his head.

"Yes! C'mon, guys! Let's go!" Morgana followed Caroline's orders. As such, they all left, leaving Minako and Ren in the Velvet Room with the attendants.

.

.

Before gathering with everyone at the You in Wonderland Labyrinth, Minako made a quick stop at the area where Theodore was. She heard about Elizabeth's brother and decided to look and see what kind of person he was for himself. She was surprised to see him wearing a pink apron. "Oh, hello! You must be…Theodore, right? I've heard a lot about you from Elizabeth."

"You must be Minako. I've heard your name while I've been here." Theodore gave Minako a slight bow for his greeting. "If I may ask, what sort of things have you heard from my sister?"

"...Forget I said anything." Minako scratched her cheek. The number of times she's heard foolish and the like was far too many to count. "The others said I should come here if I wanted some new equipment. At a price."

"Indeed. Elizabeth said the world revolves around a give-and-take system. She also said it would keep me motivated." Theodore stated. "While you were resting, the others used my services to buy some medicine and other useful items for the Labyrinth excursion. The moment the transaction was made, I did feel motivated, just as Elizabeth said I would be."

"Really now…?" Minako scratched her cheek. She had some thoughts on the matter, but she would leave it be. "In that case, can you make me a new Naginata? I have some Shadow material right here, too. And, uh, the payment?"

"Yes, of course." Theodore nodded. "Something about you feels familiar, even though this is the first time we've met. If there is anything you require of me, please do not hesitate to ask. It is my duty as Velvet Room Attendant to assist the guests that come through." As he spoke, he was fairly quick to make Minako her new Naginata and she did pay for it.

"Elizabeth is my attendant, but I think you'd be fairly helpful, too." Minako was trying to ignore or forget the fact Elizabeth said this was their first meeting. That simply didn't make any sense. "Thanks for the naginata! I'll be sure to put it to good use!" Minako took the new weapon and hurried off to meet with the others.

"But Elizabeth already has a guest…" Theodore said. However, Minako was already far and away by the time those words left his mouth.

.

.

Minako met up with the others in front of You in Wonderland. "Sorry for the wait! I hope you guys don't mind if I come with you."

"We expected that you would." Akechi crossed his arms. "You don't seem like the type to sit still for long."

"You figured that out already?" Minako's trademark smile appeared. "You're right. Plus, I can't sit around while my friends could be down there!" She honestly wasn't even sure if they were…but she couldn't take that chance. "So you'll let me come with you all?"

"Of course!" Ann gave a bright smile. "We're friends now. We're all in this together, and you're strong. If anything, we should be asking you to come with us!"

"You can rely on us going forward." Hifumi told Minako.

"And you can rely on me!" Minako nodded. "I'm used to being the leader of my team. But if I'm going to be joining you Phantom Thieves, I think I should fall back a little bit. Ren, you're the leader, aren't you? So I'll follow your lead! Hm…do I need a codename…?"

"A codename sounds so cool…" Rei and Minako wore similar, curious expressions.

"We'll figure something out." That was the most Futaba could promise. "I'll back you guys up from here!"

"Alright. This time, we head to the depths of Wonderland!" Hifumi pointed at You in Wonderland. "Is everyone prepared?"

"As ready as we'll be!" Kasumi said with a firm nod.

"Whatever waits for us at the depths, we'll be ready for it." Yusuke said. This time, they were going to dive fully into You in Wonderland. With a little more power at their disposal, and a new ally, they felt prepared to face what waited for them at its depths. Would they find the answers they seek…?

There was only one way to find out.

Chapter Text

The Phantom Thieves returned to You in Wonderland; with Minako and Sub Personas at their side, they had a larger repertoire so they could fight the Shadows with a bit more ease this time around. They were back on the second floor of You in Wonderland, standing in front of a new door. "Okay, guys. I sense Shadows right behind that door!" Oracle warned everyone.

"Getting into another fight already…" Fox had his hand on his sword.

"Can I take the charge on this one?" Minako asked while resting her hand on the gun at her hip. "It'll be a great chance to test out these Sub Personas that Elizabeth and those two twins were talking about."

"I don't see why not." Joker nodded. It was then that he realized an important question he had yet to ask. "By the way…how do you summon your Persona?" He barely got a look at it before.

"Oh! With this." Minako showed the gun in her hand. "This is my Evoker. It allows me to summon my Persona. My friends and I all use Evokers. Without it, I'd be pretty powerless…"

"You summon your Persona with a gun? That's pretty hardcore!" Skull grinned. "Made me wish our guns worked…"

"You have guns?" Minako blinked.

"They don't work here, unfortunately." Queen said with a sigh. It would make their lives easier if it did, but they'd just have to adjust.

"That's also why I was surprised to see you guys use Personas without one. The people I know that can do that were my enemies." Minako admitted, but she knew that wasn't the case here. "Anyway! I'm ready to go!" Without wasting anymore time, Minako was the first one to step through the door. There were a few Jupiter Eagles flying around, and they took note of her presence immediately.

"Go for it!" Oracle exclaimed.

"Right!" Minako pressed her Evoker to her temple and clicked the trigger. A blue pillar appeared behind her and she summoned Pixie to her side. "Pixie!" The fairy flew around before launching a bolt of lighting towards a Jupiter Eagle. The Zio was a direct hit and the Jupiter Eagle fell from the sky and to the ground, paralyzed. Minako took a small breath after.

"How did that feel?" Crow asked.

"I still feel weighed down, but with Pixie it was less of a problem!" Minako confirmed. Sub-Personas did lessen the strain of fighting after all! She then rushed forward with her new naginata, focusing on the Jupiter Eagle that was easy pickings. She slashed at it and slid to a halt after taking it out. "One down!"

"Guess I should try it for myself. Sandman!" Joker decided to strike next. Sandman appeared next to him and sprinted forward. The Jupiter Eagle he intended to attack tried to fly away from Sandman, but Sandman was too fast. It struck the Jupiter Eagle with its bag, knocking it into slumber with a single hit. "Nice!"

"I got it." Zen took aim with his crossbow, firing off a bolt that struck the sleeping Jupiter Eagle as it fell, taking it out instantly.

"One more left!" Oracle reported.

"Orpheus!" Minako summoned Orpheus to the field this time. Just like when they first saw her, Orpheus flicked a fierce stream of fire towards the final Jupiter Eagle. The bird attempted to flee, but it was unable to do so in time and was burnt to a crisp in the ensuing blast. "All done!"

"Not bad, Minako!" Skull gave Minako a thumbs up. She gave a grin in response. "Those Sub-Personas really do help out."

"If we can gather more of them, combat will be less taxing for all of us." Fox said. "I, for one, am looking forward to summoning a secondary Persona. I have always been envious of Joker's ability to do so."

"..." Crow said nothing on the matter. Instead, he directed attention elsewhere. "We should continue moving, don't you think? We still have plenty of fights ahead of us."

"Crow's right. We're only just getting started." Queen said. "We don't how how deep this place goes."

"Are you sure we can't take a little break first?" Panther did find herself groaning a little bit. "We've been walking for a while now…"

"Don't tell me you're worn out already?" Skull looked to Panther. "What happened to all that working out!"

"I'm not good at it…!" Panther whined. "Right, Rei-chan? This is hard work!"

"Oh, yes. I'm starving!" Rei nodded. Not exactly the backup Panther hoped for, but she made a good point.

"Actually, I'm hungry too." Violet said, as if she didn't just put away a few bowls of ramen.

"How many stomachs do you girls have…?" Minako whispered.

"Why don't we take a break in this area?" Fox glanced around at all the 'treats' scattered about along the walls. "There are a number of delicacies nearby…could it be…pulp?"

"They do look good, but I don't know if we can eat these…" Noir said with a smile. However, Rei was already biting into something without a second thought. "Rei-chan?!" And then she looked at Violet and Panther, who were doing the same thing.

"Panther?! Violet!?" Mona's eyes went wide.

"Why are you two-!?" Dragon already knew it was too late to ask.

"Mhmhm…." Rei held the 'pulp' in her hands. "This pulp is sweet, with a mysterious texture to it." And then she found herself spitting it out, eyes closing in disgust. That wasn't tasty at all!. "Bleh!"

"Bleh!" Panther and Violet groaned.

"I…I think that's just paper." Dragon said with a sweat drop. Unfortunately, the hungry trio realized this the hard way. She patted Panther on the shoulder.

"Despite how realistic things look around here, this is still the world of a child's story." Crow double checked everything around them. "I am hardly surprised that everything in this area is inorganic."

"That's probably for the best." Joker said. "I don't think we'd be able to leave if these sweets were real…"

"Do you not like sweets, R…Joker." Rei quickly corrected herself. She was still getting used to the codename aspect.

"Oh, I'm alright with them. Panther's a big fan of sweets, though." Joker said.

"I loooooove sweets!" Panther grinned just thinking about them. What she wouldn't do for a good crepe right about now… "I admit, I might eat them a little too much. It makes someone I know jealous since she said I can eat whatever I want and not get fat!"

"I'm kinda surprised Rei can do that, too…she eats a lot." Skull said, tactlessly.

"Skull! You have to be more mindful of the things you say about girls!" Panther groaned.

"What'd I say!?" Skull gasped.

"Fat…." Rei thought about it for a moment, after munching on a corndog. She immediately turned to Zen. "Zen, have I gotten fat?"

"You haven't changed." Zen said calmly.

"Aw…" Rei frowned.

"...I don't understand girls." Skull had no idea.

"Rei-chan, is there anything you don't like eating?" Minako decided to ask. She hadn't known Rei for very long, but she was always eating something!

"I don't like pulp." Rei said. Probably because of what just happened merely a moment ago.

"That isn't food." Mona said with a small sigh.

"As long as it has a flavor, I like every kind of food!" Rei said excitedly. Clearly, she wasn't exactly picky about what she ate, as long as it was edible.

"Ah, I see you and I are similar in that regard." Fox nodded in agreement with Rei's words.

"That's only because you struggle to get food in the first place." Joker commented.

.

.

Continuing on, the group pressed deeper into the labyrinth. Fights were a little easier with Minako and Joker utilizing Sub-Personas to ease the burden of this strange place. They continued to walk until they rounded another corner. When they did, there was a bright pink rabbit just a few yards ahead of them. Everyone stopped at the sight of it. "Whoa! That's a really pink bunny!" Minako exclaimed.

"Are you sure that's a bunny? It looks more like a gummi…" Panther licked her lips.

"If you're thinking about eating it, please don't." Queen felt like she would have to hold Panther back.

"But it's so cute…" Rei said. She didn't want to eat it!

"A rabbit…?" Zen stared at the pink rabbit. "Where have I…?"

"Did you remember something, Zen?" Crow asked. Zen couldn't give him an answer, but it was curious that this rabbit of all things was enough to garner a reaction.

"I…don't really know what this thing is." Oracle reported while fiddling with her goggles. "But it's not an FOE. I don't even think it's hostile! It looks like it's just waiting for you."

"Waiting for us? Oh!" Noir understood. "Because this is Alice in Wonderland, correct? Alice chases after a rabbit, falls down a hole, and ends up in Wonderland. Could this Rabbit be trying to do the same thing?"

"Then we should follow it! All rabbits are friends!" Rei exclaimed, munching on a corndog.

"Will it really be that easy, though?" Violet did have her doubts. The rabbit did look harmless enough.

"If it's truly harmless, it may benefit us to chase it down." Fox said.

"I wish to chase it as well." Zen said. "I have…memories of seeing it somewhere." It was hardly anything to go off of, but this was the first lead to his memories he'd gotten in a while. As such, he wanted to see where it led.

"Let's chase it." Joker told everyone. "If nothing else, we might be able to corner it. We've got the numbers."

"We should observe its movements first and foremost!" Dragon said.

"A catch like this should be easy for us!" Mona was more than confident in this! Everyone attempted to slowly creep forward to catch the rabbit by surprise. Just when Mona thought he was close enough, he dove forward. The rabbit was seemingly aware of his presence the whole time, and easily hopped right over him. "Gah!"

"My turn!" Minako lunged at the rabbit after Mona. She tried to catch it right as it landed, but she also missed. Her dive was a complete whiff and she slid across the ground on her stomach. "Oof!"

"Damn, this thing is quick!" Skull watched the rabbit move around. He wasn't exactly reading its movements, but he thought he could outwit it. Fox made a grab for it, but missed. Skull used this chance to follow up, aiming to pounce on the rabbit from above. "Gotcha!" But he missed as well. Not only that, but the rabbit ended up using him as a footstool to leap to the side. "Damn it!"

"Cornering this thing is proving to be more difficult than expected." Crow wasn't going to debase himself with a silly dive; he felt above that. So he instead positioned himself in such a way that the rabbit would be forced down a certain path. "But I think we can manage. There is a dead-end down that way!"

"Oh, nice job, Crow! You're right. It just turned a corner that leads nowhere! Now's your chance!" Oracle nodded.

Those that tried quickly stood back up and rushed around the corner. It was true, the rabbit had nowhere to go. The wall ahead just had a picture in front of it. "It's slipped away from us before, but it's got nowhere to go now." Queen said.

"This is our chance to catch it!" Violet balled her fists together.

"Come along, little rabbit. We mean you no harm!" Dragon said with a gentle tone. However, before anyone could take a step forward, the rabbit just jumped through the picture, the wall, and onto the other side. "W-Wha…!?"

"Holy shit!" Skull was not expecting that!

"It…jumped through the wall…?" Even Crow was taken aback by that course of action.

"That's one strong bunny." Minako dusted her skirt off. "Should we keep chasing it?"

"I ain't gonna lose to a rabbit!" Skull was fired up for this.

"I feel the same way! We can totally outrun that thing!" Panther didn't like the feeling of losing either.

"Do you think we can fit through that hole?" Noir peered into the hole the rabbit made. She ended up tumbling right through it. "Eeep!"

"Noir!" The others followed suit. Noir was on the ground on her knees, rubbing the back of her neck sheepishly.

"Are you alright?" Zen asked.

"I'm okay. That was a bigger hole than I was expecting." Noir giggled while standing back up. There was another door on front of them.

"I bet the rabbit went through here!" Rei motioned.

"Picking up two Shadows behind the door! Get ready for a fight!" Oracle warned everyone.

Joker opened the door, prepared to strike something down the moment it did. Instead, two golden hands skittered past him, throwing him off for a second. "Huh!?"

"What the hell-!?" Skull staggered around a little bit as the Golden Hands ran past him. "What are these things!?"

"OH!" Minako's eyes lit up. She started stabbing down at the ground with her Naginata, attempting to skewer the rare Shadows. "These are Rare Shadows! They're tricky to defeat, but it's always worth it! They give so much!"

"I see…" Zen realized it would be beneficial to take these things down. Because of this, he pulled his crossbow out and started firing. The Rare Shadows were slippery, because nothing anyone did actually managed to land on them!

"Robin Hood!" Crow decided to play along in this case. Robin Hood appeared by his side, and he fired a few arrows of light to test the waters. Crow trusted his accuracy, but he immediately realized that these Rare Shadows were more elusive than he gave them credit for. Not a single arrow hit! It actually irritated him a little bit, but he didn't let it show. "They are fast…"

"Milady!" Noir decided to attack next. As much as she missed being able to shoot things with a rocket, she had the next best thing! Milady's dress opened up, and all of the heavy artillery within was revealed.

This was the first time Minako witnessed this particular event, because her face paled at the heat Noir was packing. "W-WHOA!?" And then, Milady began to open fire with a flurry of bullets. Minako and the others made sure to steer clear of Noir's range. Even with her impressive rate of fire, she wasn't able to land a direct hit on one of the Golden Hands.

"They're so fast…!" Noir eventually had to stop much earlier than she was used to. While she wasn't able to land a direct hit against a Golden Hand, she did manage to nick one of them, which slowed it down. "I got one…!"

The other Golden hand managed to escape. The one that Noir shot was limping a bit, but it was still far away. "I got this!" Minako pressed her Evoker to her temple and pulled the trigger, summoning Orpheus. Orpheus threw her hand forward to release a streak of flame towards the Golden Hand. Much to her dismay, she missed. "Agh!"

Dragon was keeping an eye on the Golden Hand's movements. She twirled her staff around and held it forward. The staff extended forward, smashing into the back of Golden Hand. She caught it and slammed it straight into a wall, killing it instantly. "I got it!" Dragon's green eyes lit up in excitement. She wasn't sure that would work admittedly.

"Whoa! Nice one, Dragon!" Skull gave Dragon a thumbs up.

"You really nailed it there! Those guys are so hard to pin down!" Minako smiled at Dragon. "

"You did it!" Panther practically leapt at Dragon for a hug. It was a little embarrassing for Dragon, but she was happy about her victory.

"That rush…it was much more exciting than a Treasure Shadow…" Dragon beamed.

"To the victor go the spoils." Joker walked over to the golden clump the Rare Shadow left behind. "We can have Theodore make something nice for you when we get back."

"Heh…" Dragon wasn't going to object to that notion. The thrill is pumping through her veins strongly.

"Whoa, wait. Hold on! I just noticed. Your staff extends!?" Minako was a little late with that reaction, but it was a worthwhile observation. "That's so cool…."

"Indeed! It's useful." Dragon said with a grin.

"What about that sword on your back? Do you use that too?" Minako gestured to the greatsword on Dragon's back. She had yet to see her use it for anything.

"Oh, this?" Dragon glanced over her shoulder. "This is a special weapon. I use it with Panther for our Showtime attack! It is a symbol of our bond!"

"Showtime…?" Minako was intrigued.

"It's an awesome attack!" Panther grinned. "When the moment is right, we'll show you what we can do! Assuming we can still use it in this place…" That was one worry. There wasn't a need to use a Showtime just yet…

"You guys really know how to take on Shadows." Minako turned to the Phantom Thieves. "I'm seriously impressed!"

"It seems like these Shadows don't communicate…" Queen did take note of this. Most Shadows they encountered were capable of communication of some kind. But thus far, the Shadows said nothing.

"It's kind of a shame. I miss hearing them beg for their lives…" Noir said absentmindedly. Everyone's blood ran cold at Noir's words. Minako's face paled in horror.

"..." Minako's voice caught in her throat. She thought Noir was nice and sweet! But that display of sadism made her think differently.

"...You're one of us now if Noir scares you." Joker patted Minako on the shoulder.

"I think I need to sit down for a moment." Minako needed a second to process that. She looked at the wall, and it even had a sign that read 'Rest Area'. "That's convenient!"

"We could use a break. We have been chasing that rabbit for quite a while." Fox agreed to the notion. "We do need to keep our strength up going forward as well."

"Yeah, let's take a moment to rest here. " Mona said while sitting down.

"This actually feels pretty nice…" Panther took a seat next to Dragon.

Zen was the only one who didn't sit down. He watched everyone take a seat to rest for a moment. "I worry you people have no sense of danger."

"Oh, come on, Zen. You should take a break, too." Joker said. No sooner did the words leave his lips did he find himself facing the other end of Zen's crossbow, and he ended up reaching for his knife on instinct.

"You don't care if Rei faces danger. Is that what you're saying?" Zen said while glaring towards Joker. What was supposed to be a peaceful moment of reprieve turned tense as the two stared each other down.

"Whoa! Dude, chill out!" Skull shouted.

"What do you think you're doing with that thing!?" Mona was prepared to jump in for Joker.

"Z-Zen-san, please put that down!" Violet waved her hands worriedly. There was no way he'd actually shoot, right!?

"We're all allies here. There is no need to be pointing weapons at each other." Crow attempted to be a voice of reason here. The others were ready to strike if Zen actually went through with it.

"Zen! No! Stop! That's dangerous!" Rei exclaimed. "These people are with us now and they're our friends. Let's take a break, please?"

"..." Zen remained silent for a long time. Ultimately, he relented and put his crossbow away. "If that's what you wish, Rei." And so, he finally sat down. There was no apology that followed his actions, so the air was still a little bit tense. The break wasn't as relaxing as it could've been…

"Wow…" Oracle was glad she wasn't physically there. The tension of the moment would've made her freak out….

.

.

A short rest later and everyone was back on their feet. They continued on the path and soon encountered the bunny once again. "There it is!" Violet pointed at the bunny. The moment she took a step forward, the rabbit leapt down the stairs, leading deeper into the Labyrinth. "...And there it goes."

"Damn, that thing is quick…" Skull had no idea how they were actually going to catch the damned thing!

"Oh well. Let's pursue it." Zen's solution was simple. Just catch it. Left with no options, the group dove into the third floor of You in Wonderland. The atmosphere changed once again, with darker colors such as red and black along the floor and ceiling. "Are you feeling alright, Rei?" And once again, Rei was more or less the only thing Zen was concerned about.

"I-I'm okay!" Rei affirmed.

"Are you frightened?" Violet asked while looking towards Rei.

"I'm not scared!" Rei shook her head, denying that claim.

"But your hands are shaking…" Violet pointed out.

"Shaking with EXCITEMENT!" Rei placed her hands on her hips to hide the way they trembled. She even puffed her chest out as a show of false bravado. "So my body temperature rises and my digestion improves and I can eat even more!"

"That's…not how a stomach works." Violet said with a sweat drop. "Or shaking with excitement…"

"I'll do my best!" Rei said with a sweet smile. "I want to go back with you all. Let's keep working together, Ka-chan! Er, I mean. Violet-chan!" She corrected herself before munching on some takoyaki.

"Ka-chan?" Violet thought that one over. It did sound cute…

"..." Zen said nothing, but his expression didn't appear to be a happy one.

"Is it just me, or does Zen look a little jelly here…?" Skull whispered to the others. That said, he wasn't so quiet that he couldn't be heard.

"Jelly?" Rei gasped, looking towards Zen. Jelly? Food!? "Zen, are you all jelly!?" She sounded far too excited about this.

"Jelly? What do you mean…?" Zen looked to Rei, confused.

"Aww…so you're not all jelly….?" Rei pouted.

"As I said, what do you mean? Does it look like I am made of this 'jelly' you speak of?" Zen asked once again.

"No…." Rei sighed.

"What…is happening?" Minako scratched her cheek. "I didn't think Zen would be this dense…"

"No kidding…" Panther nodded to Minako's words.

To Zen, it felt like these people were just saying words without any meaning. "Dense? What is this all about?"

Despite the fact Zen pointed his weapon at him not too long ago, Joker decided to try and do something about this. "They're just talking about how cute Rei-chan is. You agree she is, don't you?"

"And Joker strikes with a bold move!" Oracle snickered.

Rei, not expecting to be dragged into it in this fashion, proceeded to blush. "Huh!? Um, um, um, um…! Thank you very much!" She even bowed her head a little from the compliment.

"..." Again, Zen said nothing. But his expression said it all. Joker was not in his good graces at all right now.

"Yikes…" Mona proceeded to sweat a little bit. "That's one heck of a glare."

"It appears his protectiveness of Rei is stronger than we anticipated." Fox commented.

"We should probably leave it at that before he actually decides to shoot at Joker." Crow said. It felt like Joker was on two strikes and the third one wasn't going to be pretty.

"I think we should start actually moving forward." Queen was going to be the voice of reason and get back on track. She had a bit of an authoritative tone as well. That meant the time for messing around was over.

Joker kept marking their path on the notebook as they traversed through this new floor. They opened a door, went through a passage in the wall, and then…

"HOLD!" Fox raising his voice caused everyone to stop. Perhaps it was just in the nick of time, because they entered a room full of FOEs. The card soldiers were carrying buckets of red paint, walking around the room while on duty. "We've entered a workspace."

"Are those soldiers painting?" Minako peered around the corner.

"The roses on those bushes are being painted a wonderful shade of red." Fox said while observing the FOEs carefully. "They are dutifully coloring the roses before moving on as well. Clearly, this job in particular is of great importance. Perhaps so it can match the aesthetics of the surrounding area…"

"But they don't seem to be moving very far, though." Violet observed. "Isn't that going to be a problem if we can't get past it?"

"This reminds me of another scene from Alice in Wonderland." Noir rocked her head back and forth as she recalled the story. "The card soldiers were painting the roses red. They worked hard out of fear, because the Queen would punish them if they failed."

"Does that mean there's a Queen of Hearts waiting for us at the depths?" Dragon thought aloud. It was something the others had yet to consider until this very moment. "If we are following the story of Alice in Wonderland, it stands to reason…"

"Something to watch out for, then." Crow agreed to Dragon's thoughts. But it was something they'd have to worry about when they got there. "For now, we need to focus on getting past these soldiers.

"Hey, check this out!" Panther's voice caught everyone's attention. She was standing in front of a small pond, holding a bucket which she filled with water. "I bet we can wash the roses with this! If they turn white again, the FOEs will have to come back and do their job!"

"Brilliant idea!" Mona was the first one to speak up about it. "You're so smart, Panther. I would expect nothing less from you!"

Being called smart did make Panther giggle. "Hehe! I have good ideas sometimes!"

"...Is it just me, or is the cat-monster fawning over the human girl?" Minako whispered to Skull. This was weird and she knew it.

"No. It's not just you." Skull shook his head.

"Interrupting someone's creative process does leave a sour taste in my mouth. Especially when they are so devoted to their cause. I'm almost envious of them. But I suppose it cannot be helped in this instance." Fox was a little beside himself. These soldiers were dedicating themselves wholeheartedly to their tasks! To wash away their hard work did upset his artistic side, but ultimately he knew this was for the best.

"Dude. They're just Shadows. I don't really think they care." Skull let out a sigh. Fox was putting too much thought into this!

"Anyway…are you guys ready?" Panther held the bucket of water while the others got into position. "1…2…3!" She splashed painted roses with the bucket, washing away their color to turn it white. Panther quickly scooped up some more water with the bucket, and dashed out of sight. The nearby FOE noticed this chance scurried to the roses, hurriedly dipping their paintbrush into the can, to paint the roses red once again. Because of this, it was completely distracted and unaware of the Phantom Thieves slipping past it.

"Excellent maneuver, Panther!" Dragon gave her a warm smile. "And we might need the bucket for the future. Bringing it along was good thinking."

Now, Panther had a slight blush and she laughed a little quietly. "Hehe…I was just thinking about what you would do in that situation." Feeling a major confidence boost, Panther led the way with the bucket.

"There's another FOE coming up!" Oracle warned.

"I see more roses over there." Queen pointed Panther off to the left. There were some roses nearly tucked away in the corner of the room. Panther got into position, waiting for the FOE to turn around before splashing the next bundle of roses. They were turned white as the color washed away from them, and much like the one before, the FOE hurried to repaint them once it noticed they weren't colored. This allowed the group to slip past it with ease once again.

"I hope we don't need more water." Panther said with a nervous smile. At this point, going back would be dangerous and right in the path of the FOEs.

"Let's focus on going forward for now." The only path was forward. Joker was keeping track of the map as they walked. But he came to a halt when he spotted a familiar creature on the road forward. "Look!"

"It's that rabbit again!" Rei gasped. "Do you think we can catch it this time!?"

"I see a few different paths." Queen staked the area ahead. "We'll never corner it if we try to catch it head on. We have to split up and force it into a corner."

"Excellent idea, Queen." Dragon took the left with Panther, Noir, and Violet joining her. Joker, Minako, Zen, and Rei took the center path, leaving Skull, Fox, and Mona on the right. On Joker's signal, everyone advanced forward. The rabbit took notice of them and started to hop away again, seemingly just out of reach of them once more.

"We've got you this time!" Skull had a menacing grin on his lips. This time, the rabbit wasn't going to escape them! They were able to force it into another dead end, but just like before….it completely leapt through the picture with such an odd shape, blasting another hole in the wall. "Oh come on!"

"It got away again!?" Mona felt this wound his pride. He couldn't lose to this stupid rabbit! He was way cooler than that!

"Are we ever going to catch that thing?" Violet was starting to lose hope. Even though all of them found a way to corner it, it still managed to slip away from them at the very last moment!

"I'm not giving up on that thing!" Mona was determined to catch it. His pride was on the line! "It opened up another hole in the wall, so it's not getting away from us that easily!"

"That's the spirit! We ain't done with the chase yet!" This was one of those rare times Skull and Mona agreed on something. They were the most fired up as they went through the path the rabbit created.

"They really don't want to lose to that thing, do they?" Minako asked.

"...To be honest, I understand exactly how they feel." Dragon clenched her hand into a fist. "I utterly despise losing!" A fire was in her eyes and a metaphorical blaze was around her. She then followed suit after Mona and Skull.

"W-What the…? Her too!?" Minako was realizing she had no idea what to expect from these people.

"I didn't think a rabbit of all things would ignite her competitive spirit." Crow shook his head. The others were getting a little too into this hunt. A mere rabbit as a hunt wasn't enough to excite him, far from it. Besides, he had to actively keep that thrill seeking part of him hidden. The others followed through the hole, and the rabbit was across a small pond, just standing there.

"There it is! Was it waiting for us?" Noir asked.

"It's mocking us. Little bastard…" Skull narrowed his eyes. He could feel the smug aura coming off of the faceless rabbit.

"This time we shall catch it without fail!" Dragon exclaimed. Mona and Skull quickly nodded. All three of them were on the same page.

"Should we just let them take care of it?" Minako asked the others.

"We should give them a helping hand, just in case. I too find myself wanting to catch this rabbit. I wonder what sort of prize awaits us for doing so." Fox said.

"I honestly think they can manage if they put their heads together." Joker grinned a bit. Even though he was certain Dragon would do most of the heavy lifting in terms of a plan.

"You aren't escaping this time!" Dragon exclaimed. The rabbit did look at her as she shouted at it, but it didn't really move either. It was impossible to tell if she managed to intimidate it at all. "The first part of the plan is to scout the area."

"So we see where we lead it to, and then we corner it once again!" Minako gently smacked her fist against her palm. "If it isn't broken, don't fix it!"

"So we're just going with the same plan again?" Zen felt it was a little redundant, but Minako was also correct. He was just confused why Dragon, Skull, and Mona were so motivated.

"Sssh!" Panther shushed Zen, and he just blinked. "She's in the zone. Watch her work."

"I wanna watch her work!" Rei told Zen. It's not like he had any objections, but Rei just wanted to see how this turned out.

"Okay…" Zen simply nodded.

Dragon, Skull, and Mona all circled around the rabbit from different paths once they had the lay of the land. They pursued it with the others following behind. Just before they could truly corner it, it once again blasted through another picture in the wall. "Ack-!" Dragon gasped. "How dare you-!?"

"This slippery little…!" Skull growled a little. They would get their hands on that damned bunny one way or another!

"It punched through the wall again. How does it keep doing that!?" Mona wasn't finished with that thing yet!

"I don't have anything to actually add here…but do rabbits always jump like that? I've seen rabbits jump in videos before, but never like that." Oracle, the shut in, asked. "It looks like some kinda weird star…"

"That's how bunnies jump!" Rei said confidently. "My friend's bunny spreads its arms and legs like this when it sleeps and jumps too!"

"Really? That's…one heck of a bunny…" Oracle really just had no words for it.

"The hunt is still on!" Mona said. Skull and Dragon weren't done either! So they hopped through the hole in the wall, with the others following. Unfortunately, this time, there was no sign of the bunny.

"Where did it go…?" Dragon was looking around frantically. "Don't tell me it actually slipped away!"

"The elusive rabbit…" Even Joker was starting to feel like catching that thing was impossible. He turned his head, noticing another door, but this one had a lock on it. "Eh? Hold on…" Joker approached the door and dug into his coat pockets, pulling out a lockpick.

"What is that?" Minako asked.

"One of my Thieves' Tools. I had a few of these on hand when we entered here. I wonder if I can…" Joker attempted to pick the lock open, but of course it wasn't going to be that easy. He grunted and pulled back.

"No dice?" Skull asked, and Joker nodded.

"There's a path up ahead. I'm picking something up." Oracle said. They only had one path to go to, so they decided to check things out. Only they were met with a dead end and not even a little rabbit. "Huh…that's weird. There's a reading of a door right in front of us…"

"Um…." Noir tried to find something. A faint blue caught her gaze and she looked down, only to see an extremely tiny door. "Is…Is that it?"

"What the hell!?" Skull noticed it when Noir pointed it out. "That door is way too effin' tiny! How in the world is anyone supposed'a fit in there!?"

"But there's something beyond that door!" Oracle said.

"Yeah, but how are we going to get in there? I don't even think Mona-senpai could make it inside…" Violet tapped her chin.

"I'm not that small…!" Mona objected. Still, they did need to find a way to open the door if there was something behind it.

"Hey, guys! I think I found something." Minako's voice caught everyone's attention. She was standing next to a table, which had a few bottled drinks on the top. "I'm not exactly sure what this is…"

"It says, 'drink me'." Crow took a look at the label, which wasn't really helpful. "It looks to be a drink of some kind, but that doesn't exactly explain what's inside of it."

"If it's a drink from Alice in Wonderland…it could be the one that makes you small." Noir surmised.

"Is it really safe to drink something like that?" Queen had her rightful doubts.

"Huh!?" Meanwhile, Rei heard something completely different. "A drink from Licorice and Walnutland that makes you smell like delicious food!? I want some!"

"How did you hear any of that?!" Skull was shocked at how Rei completely misheard that! "That ain't even possible either!"

"I agree with Skull. I don't think you should drink it." Fox said.

"I don't mind giving it a try." Joker would take one for the team. "If there's a potion to make us smaller, there's one to make us big again, yeah?"

"But we don't know if it's safe." That was Queen's worry. And when she looked over, Fox was already drinking from one of the other bottles. "FOX!?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. I was feeling rather thirsty and couldn't help myself. They all say 'drink me' after all!" Fox responded, drinking about half of the bottle.

"Drink first, ask questions later…" Oracle rolled her eyes.

"How was it?" Panther asked.

"There was a faint twinge of fruit in its flavor." Fox admitted. "I thought it was quite delicious. I don't feel any different, however."

"...Oh. Wait." Minako realized something. "I'm wearing a skirt, and Dragon is in a kimono. Should we have let him drink that first?"

"I'm not that uncouth!" Fox scoffed at the accusation. To be fair, Minako's concern was valid. It just wasn't something that crossed his mind. Especially when it didn't concern any artistic purpose.

"I…didn't think about that." Dragon stared at the drink. "Perhaps I should shrink down as well…"

"I'm kinda curious to see how it tastes. And I'm thirsty…" Panther took the other half of the bottle from Fox and proceeded to drink the rest of it. Minako and Dragon took two bottles and drank some. "Wow, that is good!"

"Refreshing." Minako grinned.

"There's one bottle left." Noir said.

"I want some!" Rei said excitedly.

"It's too dangerous." Zen shook his head.

"I want to-!"

"No."

"I-!"

"No."

"GEEZ!" Rei huffed. Zen was no fun!

"I should probably go with them." Joker wasn't going to let them go alone! So he took the final bottle and drank some for himself. It took a few seconds, but the five of them did slowly begin to shrink down. "Whoa…!"

"We're actually shrinking!" Panther didn't think they'd get so tiny! Her voice was high and squeaky as a result.

"I hope we're not stuck like this." Dragon felt so small. She was, but everyone else was gigantic!

"I'm having second thoughts about this." Minako started to regret this decision. Maybe being normal size would've been worth the risk of perversion. That said, such thoughts didn't persist for long…because the sound of a soft mewl caught everyone's attention. "Eh?"

"What was that?" Fox looked around.

Something within Mona stirred at the sight of such tiny people. As much as he claimed he wasn't a cat, those cat instincts were screaming at him to pounce! And he did. "Meow…!"

"M-Mona!?" Dragon yelped and ran to the side as Mona almost pounced on the group.

"W-What's his problem!? I thought he said he wasn't a cat!" Minako squeaked as Mona kept trying to use his paws to catch everyone.

"Morgana! Knock it off!" Panther yelped.

"His animalistic urges have finally overcome him! The hunt of that rabbit has turned into the hunt of US!" Fox said with a bit of a panicked voice.

"I…I can't help it! I see small things running in front of me and I just have the urge to chase them…!" Mona tried to explain himself, but it wasn't doing him any favors.

"If this ain't the most convincing thing I've ever seen…" Skull knew Mona had to be a cat after this!

"It's kind of cute…" Noir admitted. Someone would've tried to stop this, but Mona was just moving around too much to get a good grab on him.

The tiny Persona users were fleeing for their lives from the feral Mona. "This way!" Joker opened the tiny door. Fox, Dragon, Minako, and Panther hurried through the door. Joker was the last one to go inside and he closed it behind him. Mona ended up hitting his head against the wall as a result. "Whew….."

"That. Was awful….." Panther pressed her hand against the wall, panting heavily.

"Ugh….I haven't…had to run that much…in a while…" Dragon took a moment to sit down. She just needed the time off her feet.

"That was an experience I will not forget…" Fox exhaled softly.

"No kidding…" Joker was hoping they wouldn't have to experience that again…

"Look…there's the key." Minako pointed ahead. In the back of the small room was the key they needed. She slowly walked over to it and attempted to lift it. "Hooooooogh. Nope. Need some help here."

"Right, right…" Dragon brought herself back to her feet. No rest for them yet…

.

It took a few minutes, but the five tiny people managed to bring the key out from the small door. When they exited the room, they slowly began to return to normal size. "There they are!" Rei pointed. "And they have the key!"

"Nice work." Crow said.

"Thanks…." Joker let out a small, relieved sigh.

Noticing the somewhat negative disposition, Rei held a small container of takoyaki forward. "Are you okay? Do you want some yakitori?"

"...I'd love some. I'm famished as well." Fox wasn't going to say no to that.

"You're not using Rei-chan for free food, are you, Inari?!" Oracle had to ask.

"I mean, she has so much at all times…is it really a bad thing?" Violet didn't see much of a problem with it. In fact, she currently had some takoyaki in hand that Rei gave her while they were waiting for the others. "And it is really good…"

Meanwhile, Mona had his head tilted down towards the ground in shame. "I'm. so sorry. That was not my proudest or coolest moment. I don't know what happened!"

"You're a cat. I think we should've expected this." Minako was going to try and be nice about it, despite the fact it was probably the most harrowing thing she'd experienced in a while.

"We're not mad at you! But that was…a lot." Panther scratched her cheek. "But did you have to focus on me so much!?" She could be a little upset about that one.

"You stood out the most…!" Mona defended himself.

"I don't think that's helping your case." Dragon exhaled through her nose. "But it is fine. We have the key…we can progress now." She was willing to move on from the incident as long as everyone else was….

.

.

Meanwhile, in the Velvet Room, Elizabeth was staring at the four doors. Caroline and Justine were as well. "Hmmmm…."

"Is something the matter?" Theodore was concerned, so he decided to check in on the four of them.

"Four doors, and the power of the wild card affecting even its surroundings…" Elizabeth mused to herself. "And there are three Wild Cards in play thus far…"

"The Inmate, that girl, your guest…but that only leaves one left." Justine made a list. While Elizabeth's guest had yet to be found, she was practically confirming his presence. As for the final one, they had yet to be seen or mentioned…

"That girl is an abnormality as well." That puzzled Elizabeth the most. "She knows who I am, and feels fundamentally similar to my own guest. But we have not met before this moment…"

"Are you sure you just didn't forget her or anything?" Caroline asked while tapping her baton against her shoulder. "It's pretty hard to forget people like us!" And she did raise a valid point. She then turned to Theodore. "Hey, you. What do you think about it?"

"What do I think?" Theodore took a moment to reflect on the situation. "Honestly, I'm unsure. I would feel much more confident in my answers if our Master was present. He is very rarely absent from the Velvet Room…"

"..." Elizabeth fell silent. She was still in deep thought…

.

.

The Phantom Thieves and company encountered the rabbit once again. They chased it down to another floor, where it completely stopped for once. "This time we've got it!" Skull grinned. "It stopped runnin' so it's not going anywhere this time!"

"Victory is ours!" Dragon wore such a big grin. This was it, the chase was finally over!

"GOTCHA!" Mona leapt at the rabbit, and just before he could actually make contact with it, it vanished in a flash of light. "Huh-!?" And Mona comically tumbled along the ground, but managed to save the landing.

"W-Where did it go!?" Dragon gasped. This was different from it blasting a hole through a wall! It just vanished!

"I'm not picking anything up…I think it's just gone for real." Oracle said. She wasn't getting a single trace.

"I suppose that marks the end of the hunt. Or, perhaps, the end of our guide." Crow had the sneaking suspicion the rabbit was trying to lead them somewhere.

"Where have I…" Zen was still trying to recall where he'd seen a rabbit before. It was something tugging at the corner of his memory, but he just couldn't remember. It was unfortunate and it kind of irritated him a little bit… "It's no use. I don't think I can remember."

"It'll come back to you, I'm sure." Queen tried to reassure Zen, but his expression didn't really shift. She couldn't tell if her words reached him or not.

"Is it just me, or is this area starting to get a little creepy?" Minako looked around. Sure, the area itself was still the same, but something about the atmosphere made her skin crawl.

"Rei, are you alright?" Zen turned his attention to Rei.

Rei was shaking just a little bit. The deeper they pushed into You in Wonderland, the more a strange feeling of anxiety began to clutch her heart. She was a little afraid, but she didn't want to admit that. "M-Mhm! I made my choice, after all…to leave here…"

"Yes, you're right. Let's continue." Zen wouldn't let any harm come to Rei either.

"There's a gate up ahead." Violet walked forward. This door looked far more imposing than any they'd encountered so far.

"Whoa! Whoa! Hold up!" Oracle suddenly exclaimed. "This is crazy. There's a strong reading beyond that door! Not an FOE but something still strong!"

"Perhaps the Queen is waiting for us." Dragon said confidently. "We've gone through this entire story and haven't seen her yet."

"I was thinking the same thing." Noir said firmly. "I wouldn't be surprised if that's what we encounter."

"No point in speculation. We can see for ourselves." Joker looked to the group. Everyone was ready to fight, so he was the one who led the way through the door. They entered a large room, where a gigantic female shadow in red royal garb was caressing a locked treasure chest. She sensed her space being invaded and turned around, revealing a fan as she towered over the Phantom Thieves.

"It is the Queen of Hearts!" Dragon pointed at the Shadow.

"That's the strongest thing I've seen in this place so far! Be careful!" Oracle's warning was loud and clear.

"Looks like we found our prime target!" Mona had his sword at the ready.

"Danger…! I sense danger! Oh no you don't! I won't let you have this!" The Queen of Hearts exclaimed.

"This Shadow talks…!?" Minako gasped.

"How strange…the others didn't…" Queen took note of this. What made the Queen of Hearts different from all the enemies here so far? This was normal for her and the Phantom Thieves, but this abnormality stuck out.

"You're going to stay here forever! I'll never let you out of this world!" The Queen of Hearts fanned herself.

"You should know it's hard to contain the Phantom Thieves. We'll find a way out of here one way or another!" Joker said confidently.

"That's right. We will leave this place." Zen and Joker were on the same page for a change. "That's what we've decided."

"We will leave this place and topple your Kingdom!" Dragon pointed towards the Queen of Hearts.

There was a moment of silence from the Queen of Hearts…. "Hehe…hahahaha…hahahahahahahahahaha!" And then she broke out into a mocking laugh. "Ahhh, how hilarious, how very interesting! You're going to let us out, is it? Oh, how kind of you!"

"What the hell is this thing talkin' about?" Skull didn't exactly understand the royal talk going on. "This asshole is responsible for keepin' us in this world, right?"

"It also appears to be guarding that treasure chest." Fox gestured to the locked box behind the Queen of Hearts. "It seems intent on not allowing us near it."

"Big mistake on your part!" Mona chuckled. "Don't you know it's impossible to keep a treasure away from a Phantom Thief? We'll get our hands on it one way or another!"

"We are here to steal your Treasure!" Noir pointed dramatically at the Queen of Hearts.

"Whatever the case, I don't think we'll be getting around this without a fight!" And Violet was prepared to fight. "Joker-senpai, are you ready!?"

"Of course I am!" Joker nodded.

"I won't let you have it!" The Queen of Hearts scoffed. "Attend to me, my minions!" She waved her hand into the air, a gigantic pink heart appearing beside her. "Deploy the royal straight flush!" And then, with a literal wave of her hand, an army of card soldiers appeared in front of her, staring down the Phantom Thieves.

"She's going all out..!" Minako held a tight grip on her naginata.

"Then we shall as well!" Dragon pointed forward with her hand. When faced against the might of a ruler, Dragon's shogi mode activated on a dime, and she was ready to match the Queen of Hearts forces with her friends and allies. "Phantom Thieves! It's time for all out war against the Queen of Hearts! We shall topple Wonderland and escape to freedom!"

"What the…" Minako blinked, staring at the usually soft spoken Dragon with her jaw hanging open. Where did this come from….!?

"She does this." Panther nodded. Minako had been hearing that phrase a lot lately!

"You heard the lady!" Joker smirked while staring down the Queen of Hearts and her army. "It's showtime!"

Chapter Text

Within the depths of You in Wonderland was the Queen of Hearts. While the Phantom Thieves and company were not aware of the meaning of her presence, she was in their way. As such, they needed to defeat her to escape this place. The Queen of Hearts, however, sent her many card soldiers to attack them in her stead. Minako rushed forward, swinging the bladed edge of her naginata forward, cleaving through a card soldier with ease. She then jumped back to avoid the spear strike of another, while pulling her Evoker out. "Orpheus!" With a click of the trigger, Orpheus appeared in front of her. The Persona flew forward while grabbing her harp, spinning around to knock back a number of card soldiers. "Got em!"

And despite the fact Minako was able to take out a few of them in just a few attacks, even more appeared! Red eyes widened for a moment and she let out a low groan. Of course it wasn't going to be that easy! "Okay, that's fine! I knew it wasn't going to be a cakewalk!" A card soldier pointed a spear at Minako, releasing a Zio in her direction. The bolt of lightning was about to strike her, but Skull was the one who jumped in front of her, arms crossed. "Skull!?"

Skull took the hit pretty easily. While it had been a while since a lightning attack hit him, he was able to shrug off the resisted hit with ease. "Don't worry about me, that barely tickled!" Skull replied with a smirk. His mask burned away and he pointed ahead at the group of card soldiers. "Blast 'em away, Captain!" Skull returned fire with a Zio of his own. The bolt of lightning struck a few card soldiers due to how grouped up they were, and it was an effective hit! They weren't quite defeated, but they did slump over. "Alright!"

Skull then saw Panther nearby and sprinted to her, holding his hand out. A silent signal as the baton was passed the moment their hands made contact. Panther followed up on Skull's opening by summoning Carmen. "Let's go, Carmen!" Carmen spun around before flicking a fireball at the paralyzed group of card soldiers, putting them down.

"What…whoa!" Minako gasped at such an effective display of teamwork. "What was that!?"

"That's our Baton Pass, a Phantom Thief speciality!" Mona said proudly. "After exploiting an enemy's weakness, we pass the momentum to another and keep the train going!"

"Could I do something like that…?" Such a thing hadn't occurred to Minako.

"Of course you can!" Oracle smirked, her hologram appearing next to Minako. "All it takes is a little practice! And what better time to practice than right now! Zen, Rei, this applies to you, too!"

"A baton pass?" Zen was too busy shooting down card soldiers with his crossbow. Zen was also ensuring that Rei wasn't in the conflict, standing in front of her to shield her from any attacks.

"That sounds like a lot of fun…!" Rei was shaking, but she was doing her best to be brave. She wished she could throw an attack out to help everyone, but her healing powers were going to be pivotal in keeping the team off their feet. "But how do you know what they're weak to?"

"Mwhehehehe!" Oracle's lips curled up into a mischievous grin. "I've been scanning the enemy the whole time! I'm proud to report that these card soldiers are weak to every single type of elemental magic!"

"Really? I'll give it a try!" Minako pressed her Evoker to her temple once again. "Pixie!" And she used Pixie to cast Zio, zapping a card soldier and weakening it greatly. With this opening, she ran to Rei, who extended her hand. "Your turn!"

Rei and Minako's hands collided together, and Rei could feel the momentum. She pressed her hands to Zen's back, to spread that motivation and momentum to him. "Go, Zen!"

Zen wasn't really sure what this feeling was, but he did feel…stronger for a moment. He pointed his crossbow at the weakened card soldier and fired off a spear of ice from it. This ice flew through the sky, piercing through not just one card soldier, but a few more behind it as well. "I see…"

"Don't stop there! Raise your hand!" Mona said while sprinting forward. Zen was still confused, but he did just that. He raised his hand, and Mona leapt up, his paw colliding against it. The baton was passed once again, and he slid to a halt in front of a group of cards. "Zorro!" Zorro appeared before Mona, swinging his saber in a Z shape to release a strong Garu that swept the card soldiers up in a single motion. They were defeated, and Mona patted himself on the back. "As expected!" But then, even more card soldiers just appeared. "Wha-!?"

"There are a lot of them!" Queen narrowed her eyes while riding forward on Johanna. The card soldiers were a threat in large numbers, so she did her best to cull them as quickly as she could. Running over the card soldiers with Johanna was a simple task, since they were vulnerable to nuke magic. She stopped on a dime, providing to sideswipe as many as she could. "But surely it has to end…"

"Robin Hood!" Crow stuck to mid range, using Robin Hood to rain down arrows of light and curse down upon the enemies. Unfortunately, he couldn't keep up such a bombardment forever due to the rules of this world weighing him down. So, whenever a card soldier attempted to strike him with a spear, he dodged and used his beam sword to run them through. "If we were all full strength, this encounter wouldn't be an issue…"

"He's right…" Noir used the wide swing of her axe to cleave through some soldiers. They were all much weaker than normal, and everyone could feel it. Still, Noir was going to strike. She spun around with her axe, becoming a mini tornado of destruction that sliced through card soldiers like paper. The final swing was a homerun swing, which knocked away an incredible number of soldiers…..only for an equal amount to spawn into the battle. "H-Huh!? Is there really no end to this!?"

"They have to run out of numbers at some point!" Fox was quick on the draw with his sword. Any soldier attempting to strike him with a weapon lost that race before it began. His mask burned away, and Goemon appeared by his side. "Goemon, strike!" Goemon exhaled a breath of frost to freeze over a number of soldiers.

Violet used this chance to glide across the ice, using her rapier to slash at the frozen soldiers one after another. She cut them down with ease, and then looked up, where Dragon was. She pushed off the ground, passing the baton to Dragon. "Dragon-senpai!"

"Excalibur!" Dragon flipped around as Belle Star appeared beside her. Belle Star charged head first towards a group of card soldiers, her mighty sword slicing right through them with no effort. She landed on the ground and twirled her staff around, only to see Joker blast a few more with Eiha. But again, even more card soldiers just appeared to replace the ones that were defeated. "It's nearly endless…!"

"Tch…" Joker grit his teeth slightly. The fighting continued, but the result was the same. Every time it felt like they were making progress, they were continuously walled by more card soldiers showing up. "We're never going to be able to punch through these defenses at this rate…" And the exhaustion was going to set in slowly. Under normal circumstances, this was a Shadow he felt like they could take with little difficulty. But right now? He knew the team wouldn't be able to last in a never ending fight like this…

Rei was doing her best to keep everyone healed up, but she'd run out of stamina herself at this rate. "S-Stay strong!"

"We need more firepower…or at least a moment to breathe." Dragon said with a narrowed gaze.

"We'll run out of stamina long before this fight is finished." Crow hated that, too. If he had access to Loki's power right now, he'd blast a god damn hole through the Queen of Hearts and be done with it! He stared at the Queen of Hearts, who remained silent the whole time. She was just watching. Mocking them. How it pissed him off…!

"Everyone, retreat!" Zen exclaimed with a few labored breaths. "I'll do this."

"Are you crazy!?" Minako shook her head. "You're in no condition!"

"If only we had even a moment…!" Queen knew they could muster enough power if they just had a moment to rest. "But we hardly have any breathing room…!"

"Yo, sorry about the wait!" An unfamiliar voice called out to the group.

"Who in the…!?" Skull turned around and so did the others. From the other side of the room, a group of eight silhouettes stood in the light. For some reason, they were all striking poses as well.

"H-Huh…?" Panther took a step back. Who were these guys!?

The young man standing in the center stepped forward. He had silver hair and yellow eyes, and he looked to the Phantom Thieves with a smile. No doubt they had a lot of questions, but a battlefield was hardly the time for such things. "We'll talk later. We're here to help."

"ALL RIGHT!" A girl with short brown hair and eyes excitedly leapt forward. "Let's do this!" She was the first one to charge forward, and the others followed right alongside her. That girl was the first one to strike, a tarot card appearing in front of her. She was bouncing with excitement, aiming a spinning kick at the tarot card to shatter it. "Tomoe!" And that action summoned a Persona, which shocked the Phantom Thieves. Tomoe appeared in front of the girl, spinning around and striking down a large number of card soldiers in a single strike. Chie Satonaka was not going to hold back!

"Holy shit!" Skull gasped. "That girl's tough!"

"More Persona users…!?" Even Crow was taken aback by this. How many Persona users were in this place! However, they didn't look like the people Minako described, which meant…this was an entirely different group of people altogether!

"Good one, Chie!" A girl with long black hair and a red school outfit exclaimed with a grin. Yukiko Amagi didn't want to be left behind, especially when her best friend was putting in so much effort. A tarot card appeared in front of her and she shattered it with her fan. "Konohana Sakura!" Kohonaha Sakura formed in front of Yukiko, doing an elegant spin before releasing two fireballs to torch the card soldiers in her way. After clearing the enemies, she proceeded to use her fan to fan herself.

"W-Who are these strangers invading my kingdom!?" The Queen of Hearts finally spoke, and she wasn't happy about this either!

"Just as I thought." Naoto Shirogane adjusted her hat, staring at the Queen of Hearts. "That Shadow is the ruler of this labyrinth." She then turned to the Phantom Thieves, noting their strange outfits, but also their ability as well. "Allow my friends and I to clear the way for you." A tarot card appeared in front of her and she pulled out a gun, breaking it with a single shot. "Sukuna-Hikona!" Her persona appeared above her and flew forward, peppering some holy talismans onto the card soldiers. This was Hama, and the nature of light magic spells instantly killed the card soldiers.

"That…couldn't be…could it…?" Crow instantly recognized Naoto, but he found this hard to believe for a number of reasons.

"BEARSONA!" Next was Teddie. The most outrageous looking member of this group by a long shot. With a twirl, he called forth Kintoki-douji. The rotund Persona appeared in front of Teddie, flying into the air with the rocket in hand, and threw it down. The collision with the ground resulted in a small explosion of ice, completely freezing the card soldiers over.

"We're gonna kick your ass!" Kanji Tatsumi dropped down from above with Take-Mikazuchi. The large robotic-like shadow stabbed his thunderbolt into the ground, sending a shockwave of lightning to rip through the ground and destroy whatever Teddie failed to take out.

"Leave the rest to us, Partner!" Yosuke Hanamura was fast on his feet. With twin daggers in his hand, he was able to swiftly slice through card soldiers and avoid their stabs at the same time. A tarot card appeared in front of him and when he broke it, his Persona appeared before him. "Jiraiya!" Jiraiya sped forward, a gust of wind following his movements to blow down as many card soldiers as he could.

"They're strong!" Dragon was glad their reinforcements packed this much of a punch. "At this rate, we can turn the tide of battle!"

"Excuse me!" Rise Kujikawa spoke directly to Oracle, standing back with Himiko.

"GAAAH!?" Oracle jumped. She wasn't expecting someone to directly talk to her like that! Especially a new person! It was incredibly nerve wracking, but she could work out that Rise had a navigator type Persona as well. It just freaked her out, beacuse she was literally right there next to her!  "Y-Y-Y-Yes!?"

"I'm not much of a fighter, but I can help navigate!" Rise told Oracle.

"R-R-Right!" Oracle just nodded. When she took a glance at Rise, she felt like she recognized her from somewhere. But that wasn't important! "Okay, guys! Let's work with these new people! A few of you can go forward and make a path to the Queen of Hearts!"

"Zen, Rei, Dragon, Panther, Minako, with me!" Joker exclaimed, and those called were very willing to join the fight against the Queen of Hearts. The others were going to help the newcomers in the fight against the neverending card soldier army. They wouldn't be alone, as Yu Narukami stepped up next to them, his sword held by his side.

"I hope you don't mind if I join you." Yu said with a slight grin.

"The more the merrier!" Minako grinned. She had so many questions, but a group of Persona users that would fight on their side? Nothing to question about that!

"No, no, no, no!" The Queen of Hearts angrily waved her fan around. "What loathsome peasants! I will not hand over my treasure! I refuuuuuuuuse!" The Queen of Hearts swung her fan towards the peasants that dared to oppose her. This action prompted a potent wave of ice to fly towards those in front of her.

"Incoming!" Dragon held her hands out, Belle Star's shield appearing in front of everyone to protect them from the attack. It did sting, but she was used to putting herself on the line for defense.

"She's got no weaknesses, you'll just have to hit her as hard as you can!" Oracle reported about the Queen of Hearts.

"Of course it'd come to that! Alright, then!" Minako summoned Orpheus with her Evoker once more. Orpheus' harp lit up in flames and she bashed it against the Queen of Hearts, causing the royal Shadow to recoil slightly from the impact. "Direct hit!"

"Arsene!" Joker called forth Arsene, blasting the Queen of Hearts with another Eiha for a direct hit. The Queen of Hearts attempted to swat this away, but the blast hit her arm. Right after that, another explosion of fire took her by surprise, along with everyone else. "Huh?"

"Heh!" Minako smirked at her efforts. "I took that Baton Pass idea and tried something! If you keep attacking her, my flames will follow up!"

"You came up with that on the fly!?" Panther was shocked at Minako's ingenuity.

"You're so cool, Minako!" Rei giggled.

"Looks like I can't afford to fall behind then." Yu held his palm up in front of him, a tarot card appearing within his hand. He closed his hand around the card and crushed it, summoning forth his Persona. "Izanagi!" Izanagi appeared before Yu, firing off a Zio to strike the Queen of Hearts, and another explosion of flame occurred as a result.

"How dare you attack me!? The Queen herself!" The Queen of Hearts shouted angrily. "What insolence! Such impudence! It's all very vulgar of yoooooooou! UNFORGIVABLE!" The Queen of Hearts swung her fan to the side, prompting a powerful gust of wind to strike all six of those that stood before her.

"Hold on, Rei!" Zen was using his body as a shield to protect Rei. He was taking most of the damage in her stead, and Rei was quick to use her healing to make sure Zen wasn't too hurt by it. The others were knocked back slightly by the Queen of Heart's rage, but Zen held his ground. Yu took the hit harder, but he managed to prevent himself from being knocked down. He pointed his crossbow forward and proceeded to open fire on the Queen of Hearts. She was a big target and not really a mobile one either, so his shots were landing without issue.

"Carmen!" Panther followed up on Zen's attack, using Carmen to hurl a large fireball towards the Queen of Hearts. It exploded against the Shadow with ease, causing the Queen to let out a grunt of annoyance.

"You must protect me!" The Queen of Hearts lifted her hand up, summoning some card soldiers in front of her.

"Hey, that's not fair!" Minako growled. More card soldiers!?

"I'll take care of them!" Yu spoke as lightning sparked along his sword. He lunged towards the card soldiers and slashed at the one in the middle. It was a direct hit, causing the card soldier to fold over. The lightning then splashed to the other card soldiers, paralyzing them before they had the chance to even move.

Dragon decided to follow up on this, lifting her hand into the air as Belle Star appeared once more. "Megido!" Costly, but still a useful spell to use. Multiple orbs of almighty magic formed around the card soldiers, releasing numerous beams down onto them to destroy them. "Whew…"

"Take this!" The Queen of Hearts swung her arm forward, using her fan to try and mow down everything in front of her. Everyone was able to avoid this with ease, but her range was still terrifying. If that hit, it wouldn't have been good! But she wasn't done yet. She twirled her fan once again, sending a wave of fire towards the group.

"Eep…!" Dragon knew she wouldn't take this hit very well. She braced for impact, but Panther was the one who stood in front of her to protect her. The resisted hit did sting a little bit, but Panther could take it. "Panther…!"

"I got you!" Panther grinned.

As for Minako, she was able to withstand the Fire Dance with little issue. She saw her opening and charged with her naginata, ducking under the Queen of Hearts' fan to slash her not once, but twice! She got her both times, and pushed back with a grin. "I know that hurt!"

"Eeee! Who are you!? Who do you think you are?!" The Queen of Hearts slammed her fan on the ground. "I am the Queen. THE QUEEN! My reign is ABSOLUTE!"

"This Shadow really likes to hear itself talk…" Yu remarked. The Queen of Hearts turned her attention to Minako, swinging her fan to let loose a potent bolt of lightning towards the leader of S.E.E.S! Minako brought her naginata up to block since she knew this hit wouldn't be a good one. Yu, however, acted quickly. Inzanagi flew forward, using its blade to deflect the Zionga off to the side.

"Thank you…!" Minako let out a sigh of relief.

"We have to grab that fan!" Dragon pointed at the Queen of Hearts' fan. "She's using it to unleash all of her attacks!"

"Leave that to me!" Joker had a plan in mind. He rushed ahead and Yu decided to follow his lead. The Queen of Hearts pointed her fan forward to fire off a strong blast of ice at the duo. The two of them leapt in separate directions to avoid being blasted. Joker spun around, his grappling hook shooting forward to latch onto the Queen of Hearts' fan. "Got you!"

"How dare you!? You impudent knave!" Naturally, the Queen of Hearts didn't take very kindly to this action. She tugged against Joker's grip, and with her size, she was going to easily overpower his hold.

However, this brief power struggle did leave her open. Zen fired a bolt from his crossbow that struck the fan. The bolt carried the fan all the way over to the otherside of the room, where it was unintentionally trampled by the others fighting her card soldiers. "Got it."

"NO!" The Queen of Hearts gasped. She wasn't able to process the shock of losing her beloved weapon, as Yu was in front of her. He leapt up, delivering a rising slash against her chest. This did do a little damage, and she intended to counter…but another explosion of flame occurred from her chest, thanks to Minako's attacks from earlier. "Ugh!"

"Now's our chance, Panther!" Dragon saw the opening and they were going to take it. The greatsword on her back split into two parts and Panther grabbed the other half that lit up in flames. The two sprinted forward; Dragon on the left, Panther on the right.

"DRAGONFIRE STRIKE!" It was showtime! The two zigzagged, creating a trail of flame behind them. They met in the path together, a fiery dragon forming around the two of them as they lunged forward, colliding right against The Queen of Hearts for a massive explosion. This did take a lot out of them, as they both practically flew backwards from the impact, but they slid across the ground, heavy pants escaping the,.

"Was that enough!?" Panther asked.

The smoke slowly cleared, and the Queen of Hearts was slumped over, twitching violently. "I….I will not hand it overrrrrr…the treasure…it's mine…this treasure…it's…"

"She looks like she's almost done!" Rei pointed out. "Just a little more!"

Joker smirked while adjusting his glove. He knew exactly what to do in this moment. On instinct, Yu and Minako also had an idea. "Let's wrap this up!"

"I love this part!" Minako grinned while holding her naginata forward.

"On your lead!" Yu said confidently.

"What…?" Zen looked at Rei, who also had no idea what was happening. He knew they were planning to finish this fight up, but how…

"Zen! Rei-chan! Just watch and follow our lead!" Panther winked.

"I won't….let you…have IIIIIIT!" The Queen of Hearts attempted one final attack to stop these peasants. She didn't have her fan, so all she could do was swing her arms to put them down. Of course, such haphazard methods didn't even come close to touching them. The group advanced forward, all of them moving into separate positions at different angles. They all had the Queen of Hearts surrounded, and then lunged forward for an All Out Attack! Joker, Panther, Dragon, Minako, Zen, and Yu all attacked the Queen of Hearts at once from various angles. The Queen of Hearts had no defense for this overwhelming assault. The group landed a few feet away from the Queen of Hearts, and Joker adjusted his glove one last time.

"The show's over."

"This…can't be…the Treasuuuuure…." The Queen of Hearts moaned her final words as she fell to the ground, disappearing in a black mist. When she faded, the card soldiers did as well.

"We did it…" Minako let out a small exhale. What a battle that was!

"I guess you didn't really need our help." Yu rubbed the back of his neck.

"You masked guys are pretty tough!" Chie spoke with a wide grin.

"...While we are grateful for the help, I do have to wonder…who are you all?" Fox asked. A group of Persona users showing up out of nowhere to help them? This was strange to say the least.

"Hello, masked ones! We're the wandering Persona-users! The bear-illiant Teddie and his delightful friends!" Teddie said while bouncing around.

"Whaaaaaaaaaaat is that…..?" Minako pointed at Teddie. The others had no idea.

"Isn't it obvious I'm a bear!?" Teddie stomped on the ground a bit, scowling at Minako questioning him. "I even said 'bear' to emphasize it, and you still doubt me?!"

"That's enough of that…" Chie shook her head, before looking at the Phantom Thieves. "Can we…er, may we talk about it later?"

"Senpai, why are you talkin' like some kinda rich girl?" Kanji questioned. From how it sounded to the others, Chie was far from the type to speak formally.

"Shaddup!" Chie huffed. "I wasn't sure how polite I was supposed to be, and it got weird! All Margaret said was 'they're high school students'. How was I supposed to know how old they are?"

Margaret was the woman in blue, who stood off to the side until she was mentioned. "One, two, or even twenty years' difference doesn't matter, does it?"

"I would say it matters quite a bit…" Naoto commented.

"They're a little excitable, but it doesn't appear as if they are foes." Dragon felt confident in this conclusion.

"It seems you understand." Margaret turned to the Phantom Thieves. "My name is Margaret. I am the older sister to Elizabeth, Theodore, and La…those two twins, Caroline and Justine. My siblings told me of your predicament, so I rushed to your aid. These people here who wait upon me are my servants." She said while flipping her hair.

"We're not your servants." Yu said with a deadpanned expression.

"It was a jest." Margaret smiled.

"Look, why don't we leave the details for later and just get outta here?" Yosuke suggested.

"We can't leave just yet!" Morgana shook his head. "There is something important that we have to take care of!" As a Phantom Thief, he couldn't leave a Treasure behind! In fact… "Treasure…" His eyes turned to stars and he rushed towards the Treasure box, proceeding to mewl and rub his face over it.

"...What is that talking cat doing?" Rise was a little freaked out.

"Embarrassing us." Oracle sighed.

"But he's right. I want to see what was in this box." Zen spoke. He and Rei tentatively stepped towards the box in question.

"The Shadow was very protective over that box." Queen said while staring at it. Now that the Queen of Hearts was defeated, the chains on the box fell off. "She kept saying that she wouldn't let us have it. That it was all hers. I can only imagine how important it is to this place."

"You're opening it…?" Rei asked Zen quietly. For some reason, her heart started pounding. She couldn't explain it. She felt so nervous…

Zen silently opened the box and leaned down into it. His hand grabbed something soft, and he pulled up. When he turned around, he revealed a stuffed rabbit in hand. There was a nametag on the legs which had the letters N. I. K. O. on it.

"It says Niko…I wonder what it means." Noir stared at the stuffed rabbit, and then she giggled. "It's a very cute plush, though!"

"It must be saying to smile!" Rei surmised.

"Is this the same rabbit we were chasin'?" Skull rubbed the back of his neck. "It ain't the same color, though."

"But we ended up here by chasing it. So I'm going to consider this a victory. Because we did catch a rabbit." Dragon said firmly. If she could declare it a win, she would.

"Do you two know anything about this rabbit?" Violet asked the mysterious duo.

"Nope!" Rei shook her head.

As for Zen… "I feel like…I've seen this somewhere."

"Zen…?" Rei turned to Zen.

Slowly, Zen could feel some information rising to the surface. "There are four labyrinths here. Something is hidden in each one, and 'guardians' are protecting them. There was something I had to do here…a task I had to accomplish. But I lost my memory…"

"He's remembering…?" Joker narrowed his eyes a bit.

"Four labyrinths…? But there were eight locks…" Crow mumbled to himself.

"It's no use. I can't remember." That was all Zen could recall.

"That's still progress!" Violet smiled. "I wonder…could these guardians be like that big queen we just fought?"

"Yes, that's right." Zen nodded. "Powerful Shadows like that are protecting something."

"Could they be related to your memory?" Mona asked.

"Yes, I think so. When I touched it, the memory surfaced, like a crack formed in something." Zen's eyes drifted to the stuffed rabbit. "What about you, Rei? Do you remember anything?"

"I said I don't know…" Rei's voice quivered a little bit when she was pressed about her memory. She even retreated into herself a little bit, hands coming up to clutch her chest. She didn't know, and there was a strong part of her that wanted to keep it that way.

"Rei-chan…" Violet frowned.

"I see…" Zen wouldn't press the subject any further. "I'll hold onto this stuffed rabbit, then."

"The Queen Shadow said she wouldn't let us out of here, right?" Minako placed her hands behind her back.

"From how it sounds, there could be an unknown party that intends to keep us trapped here." Dragon paced around the room, all eyes on her as she did so. Since this did include Minako and the new group of Persona users, they decided to listen to what she had to say. "I believe the keys to our escape lie within Zen and Rei's memories. They were here before us. And as such, our best course of action would be to dive into the rest of these labyrinths and defeat these guardians."

"She makes it sound so simple…" Yosuke whispered to Yu.

"Yes. That 'unknown party' must've hidden my memories within the labyrinths." Zen had to agree with that assessment. "But Rei's memories aren't returning. Where are her memories hidden…?"

Before the conversation could continue, the sound of a bell rang through the labyrinth. "The bell again…!" Violet gasped.

"We heard the bell, too." Yu said. And after a few seconds, the chime came to an end.

"It stopped…" Naoto commented.

"Oh! Oh! Guys!" Oracle piped up. "One of the locks in the Velvet Room is about to blast open!"

"Wait, really?" Joker looked to Oracle.

"We defeated one of these guardians, and now one of the locks is about to come off? I believe this is far more than a mere coincidence. Still…" Crow wasn't entirely convinced. The number of locks and guardians just didn't match why?

"You should come back as soon as you can!" Oracle said.

"Right…" Joker nodded and looked to their new companions. "I think we have a lot to talk about. But let's head to the Velvet Room, first."

"Fine by me." Yu had no complaints about that. Everyone had questions for each other. Everyone started to make their way out of You in Wonderland.

Minako trudged behind a little bit. Since nobody was looking at her, she allowed herself to frown. A group of people this large, and she still felt….. "I hope you guys are okay.." She mumbled to herself, before putting on her trademark smile, and going off to catch up with everyone else.

Chapter Text

After defeating the Queen of Hearts in You in Wonderland, the group of Persona users returned to the halls of Yasogami High. The hallway was pretty crowded with such a large group, but Elizabeth, Theodore, Caroline, Justine, and Margaret all stood together. To the Phantom Thieves, there was also another unfamiliar face standing next to the group of Velvet Attendants. A girl around their own age with a blue hat. She definitely stood out a little bit.

"Whoa! There are so many people here." Rei greeted them all with a smile.

"Welcome back, guys!" Futaba waved to everyone. She was glad they were back, because she scurried over to them to be a bit more in her comfort zone. There were WAAAAAY too many new face around here. While she wanted to be friendly, this was a little overwhelming.

"I'm glad to see you all managed to rendezvous with one another." Elizabeth smiled.

"What took you so long, Inmate?" Caroline tapped her baton against her palm. Ren proceeded to sweat, because he did not want Caroline and Justine pushing him around in front of these new people!

"Just as you all fell here, my guest and his friends wandered into this place as well." Margaret explained. "Granted, we arrived at a different origin point than all of you. As we were searching for an exit point, my siblings here reached out to us and explained the situation."

"Sibling?" Caroline looked at Justine. Were they related?

"Hm…." Justine didn't have an answer to that right away.

"Whoa, whoa! What happened to your outfits!?" Teddie questioned. One second, the Phantom Thieves were all in extravagant outfits! And the very second they stepped out of You in Wonderland, they were back in school clothes!

"We can…explain that later." Hifumi rubbed the back of her neck. They had a lot to explain to these new people as well…

"And who's this?" Ann gestured to the girl who had yet to introduce herself.

"Well? Introduce yourself." Margaret gestured. The girl in the punk outfit gave out a slightly heavy sigh.

"My name's Marie." Marie said. That's all she gave, too. The Phantom Thieves were expecting just a little bit more.

"...Is that it?" Ren asked. "Are you a Velvet Room attendant?"

"Nah. I just hang out there." Marie replied. That didn't really answer anyone's question, but it was probably better to just leave it at that for now.

"You just...hang out there?" Hifumi wasn't really sure how to respond to that.

Ann blinked, looking between Hifumi and Marie. "You know, you two kinda sound the same..."

"Do we?" Hifumi and Marie spoke at the same time, and then looked at each other. When it was pointed out like that, maybe Ann had a point.

"So you guys are in the same situation as us, huh?" Kasumi gave a polite smile.

"We were surprised to hear that there are other Persona-users here as well!" Rise commented.

"No kidding. We've more than doubled the Persona users we know with this encounter alone." Yusuke said.

"Did you guys come through a TV?" Kanji asked. Both the Phantom Thieves and Minako looked rather confused at this question.

"A…TV?" Minako looked at the Phantom Thieves. They had no idea what Kanji was talking about. "So we have Mementos…the Dark Hour…and TVs?"

"Dark Hour?" Teddie asked, confused.

Sensing the confusion, Margaret decided to step in. "Why don't we introduce ourselves first? I'll begin. This is my guest." She motioned to Yu. "He has the same power of the wild card as you two." She then looked at Ren and Minako.

"My name is Yu Narukami. I'm a second year at Yasogami High." Yu introduced himself properly.

"You're a second year? I imagined you'd be a third year with how mature you seem!" Haru clasped her hands together with a polite smile.

"Yasogami is the same name as this school…" Akechi said.

"Yeah. This place seems like Yasogami High, or something like it." Yu wasn't sure how to describe it. "Something about it feels…different. It looks like the Yasogami High my friends and I know, but it's different. Probably."

"Probably?" Makoto asked.

"Something like that." Yu shrugged.

"I see…" Makoto crossed her arms. "You share the power of the 'Wild Card' as well, yes? Does this mean you have the same power as Ren and Minako?"

"That's how it sounds." Yu placed his hand on his hip. "Though it seems like the wild card works a little bit different here."

"And I'm Yosuke Hanamura! I'm a second year, too.!" Yosuke chimed in. "Me and this guy are partners!"

"Oh, like me and Fumi!" Ann nodded. She totally got that.

"Uhh…." Chie was up next, and she felt a little awkward. "I guess I'll go next…! I'm Chie Satonaka, second year at Yasogami High! I love kung fu and meat!"

That strange combination did give a few curious looks. "Kung fu…and meat?" Haru was merely curious.

Chie, however, worried she was making a poor impression. So she quickly shifted her voice to something a little more girly. "Ah, and I love…sweets, heh! Oooh, I'm also super interested in fashion!"

"Wow. That was awkward and even worse than Lady Ann's acting." Morgana proceeded to sweat.

"Senpai, they've already figured you out." Kanji rubbed the back of his neck. "Again."

"Seems I'm next." Yukiko cleared her throat. "I'm Yukiko Amagi. It's nice to meet you all."

"Yukiko…." Minako repeated. This caught Yukiko's attention. "You work at the Amagi inn, don't you? I was there with my volleyball team before. You look a little older…"

"Are you from Gekkoukan High?" Yukiko tilted her head, and Minako nodded.

"Mhm. We've met before." Minako said confidently.

Yukiko, however, paused for a moment. "I do remember the volleyball team coming to the Inn. That happens every so often…but I don't think I remember seeing you…" Yukiko did not mean this in a bad way, but she simply just had no memory of meeting someone like Minako.

"Ah?" Minako tilted her head. Hearing this did make something in her heart pang a bit, but she just tried to wave it off. "I'm sure you're always busy and all!"

"But you said I look older…?" That was a curious thing. Yukiko wasn't sure what to make of it.

"I mean, you give off such a refined air! I bet you're great at cooking and housekeeping!" Minako was quick to change subjects once again.

"She does look like she has the qualities of a traditional Japanese lady." Haru nodded.

It was at that moment, that Yu's face paled a little bit. "Don't…mention cooking again…" It wasn't just him. Yosuke and Kanji also looked a little worse for wear.

"I sense great tragedy in that comment." Futaba whispered.

"I'll go next!" Rise chimed in. "I'm Rise Kujikawa, a first year!"

"WAAAAAAAIT!" Ann suddenly exclaimed, catching everyone by surprise. "I knew you looked familiar! You're Risette!"

"Ah, that's it!" Futaba snapped her fingers. "That's where I know you from! But, wait…" Something was wrong. "Risette's not a high-schooler anymore."

"Huh?" Rise blinked a few times and pointed at herself. All eyes were on her now.

"Rise-chan goes to our high-school." Yukiko said. "But she's taking a break from the show-biz at the moment."

"Uhm." Kasumi also felt awkward about this. "But when people talk about Risette, she's extremely active as an idol right now."

"Eh?" Kanji had a dumbfounded expression, but he wasn't the only one that was confused.

"What's going on here?" Rei looked between Rise and the others. "Is something about Rise-chan bothering everyone?"

"I'm not sure…" Zen commented. "Did Rise lose her memory, too?"

"No, I don't think…." Rise wasn't sure how to feel about this. She was still on the fence on if she wanted to return to being an idol or not, and now there were people saying she was back on stage?

"Um, excuse me…" Naoto decided to break the confusion with a simple question. "There's something I'd like to confirm first. The current year is 2011, right?"

"Uh. What year is this?" Ann scratched the back of her head.

"It's not 2011…" Hifumi rubbed her arm.

"That's right!" Minako replied. "It's the year 2009!"

Now that definitely wasn't right. "I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it's actually 2016." Makoto corrected.

"HUH?!" Minako looked the most surprised by this. "That's 7 years from now, though!"

"Wait. What…huh!?" Chie was so, so lost. "What do you mean it's 2016!? Ugh, my brain's all mixed up."

"I'm pretty sure it's still 2011…." Yu said, confused along with all the others. "What's the meaning behind all of this?"

"...No way." Hifumi had an epiphany. "Could it be…do we…all come from different times?!"

"That is the only logical explanation I can think of." Akechi surmised.

"What the hell do you mean logical!?" Ryuji wasn't buying it.

"This is the only way to explain some of the discrepancies we've heard." Akechi turned to Ryuji. "I thought that Minako's words sounded odd. She has no reason to lie to us, but the information is exceedingly different than what we know. Risette…I mean, Rise, being here is another piece of that puzzle."

"Whoa…time travelers…" Rei was munching on a corndog. She didn't have a single thing to really add to the conversation, except. "Oh my gosh, wait!" She turned to the Phantom Thieves. Since she didn't really know what year it was, she had a question. "Since you guys are from the far, far future, does that mean you can go back and bring back some future food!?"

"I'm rather curious about this myself now…" Yusuke said. Rei brought up a good point. Maybe that was also just his current hunger speaking…"

"That…I don't think we can do that." Morgana shook his head.

"What a large gathering we have here at this point…" Elizabeth commented.

"Oh! Another mysterious beauty!" Teddie stared at Elizabeth.

"My name is Elizabeth. As for the one standing beside me, introducing him is too much trouble. So we'll simply excuse it." Elizabeth shrugged Theodore off so easily.

"Sister! Isn't this treatment just a tad too callous!?" Theodore gasped, but then cleared his throat. "Ahem, please excuse my outburst. My name is Theodore. Along with my sisters, and these two, I am an attendant to the Velvet Room."

"So, it seems we have each been summoned here from different times." Elizabeth stated.

"So…if Team Masks come from our future…" Teddie looked right at Akechi. "Ooh, I've got a question! Am I total ladies man in the future?"

"I…can't answer that." Akechi managed a smile. This little bear was giving him such strange vibes. Was Teddie even human? Why did he even ask that?

"We've got our hands full just takin' care of this cat!" Ryuji shook his head.

"Who're you calling a cat?! And you are NOT taking care of ME!" Morgana shouted.

"Um." Haru decided to speak up. She didn't know a whole lot about time travel, but her position in this timeline concerned her. "Should we be discussing things like this? Isn't it ging to…be bad for the timeline?"

"Ah, you're referring to time paradoxes," Naoto closed her eyes for a moment. This was an unforeseen situation, with unknown consequences. "I suppose those could cause some unforeseen issues."

"Wait, uh…what?" Kanji had no idea what they were talking about. The concept of time paradoxes flew straight over his head.

"It's a very popular concept in some movies!" Kasumi answered.

"Indeed." Akechi said. "It's about the currently-unknown effects upon a timeline due to changing its past or future"

"No one knows what happens?" Yukiko asked.

"Well, nobody has successfully travelled through time." Akechi replied. "There are some theories, though. Such as, not being able to return to one's original world, or one's very existence being erased."

"Y-You're just messing around though, right?" Yosuke felt a cold sweat roll down his forehead. None of that sounded appealing!

"Basically, that's the reason why it's best we don't speak too much about our own time." Naoto summarized.

Minako proceeded to sweat as well, looking at the Phantom Thieves. They already had a discussion about certain things! "...Do you think we're in trouble?"

"We…we should be fine." Futaba gulped.

"I believe ceasing all talk about your time is a most wise decision." Elizabeth said. "Knowing too much of the future can instigate new threats."

"So no future food…" Rei pouted.

"I get it." Ann gave a nod. "Besides, it's way more enjoyable to live in the moment. I like imagining what the future could be too, but I still wanna keep the fun for later."

"Ain't everyone else from the past, though?" Ryuji slumped over.

"Yeah!" Chie happily responded to Ann's words. "Like, maybe we're gonna enter a bright new world where expensive filets are only one yen per ounce!"

"I think that's a sign of something completely different happening." Hifumi gave a sheepish grin.

"I still think we should be alright." Akechi's voice held some confidence within it. "This location isn't entirely normal. We may have a little bit of wiggle room, but I believe it would be best not to test the waters too much."

"Also, I think we got distracted on our introductions…" Hifumi said.

"My bad." Rise felt the need to apologize. Since it was her introduction that sparked the timeline debate. She couldn't help but wonder if she was happy in the future, though. Questions for later, even if there was a large agreement to avoid that topic.

"Right, right. I'm Kanji Tatsumi! First year at Yasogami High!" Kanji introduced himself politely, despite how menacing his appearance was.

"Another bottled blonde like Ryuji, eh? Maybe you'll get along well." Morgana was defintely just grouping the two of them together for the sake of it.

"..." Kanji stared at Morgana with wide eyes. In fact, there was even a small blush on his cheeks.

Morgana felt Kanji's gaze burn into him. It was a little unnerving. "W-What…?"

"What're you givin' Morgana that look for?" Ryuji stood in front of Morgana. While he didn't think Kanji was a bad person from a first glance, the stare was…curious.

"Huh!?" Kanji snapped out of whatever trance he was in. "I-I'm not givin' anyone a look!"

"Geez, how could you be such a cheat, Kanji?" Teddie frowned. "Don't tell me my fur isn't cuddly enough for you anym-"

"WAAAAH! SHUT UP!" Kanji exclaimed, flustered by Teddie's words. "Why are you rattin' me out!? Naoto, you go next!"

"I feel like we're getting a glimpse into something that isn't meant for our eyes." Minako whispered to the Thieves. They all agreed.

"Oh, right." Naoto nodded. "I'm Naoto Shirogane, and a first year, same as Kanjji-kun and Rise-chan."

"You're both my age? Wow!" Kasumi clasped her hands together. The fact she was no longer the only first year present felt…nice!

"That name sounds familiar…" Makoto stroked her chin, trying to recall where she heard Naoto's name before.

"Naoto Shirogane, the original detective prince." Akechi responded. "I've seen many of your successes broadcast on the news. I never thought I'd meet the original, much less in a place like this."

"The original?" That piqued Naoto's interest.

"Yes," Akechi replied. "Despite my lack of experience as compared to yourself, I'm called the next 'Detective Prince' by our media."

"Ah, I see. Also, there's no need for such formality in this world." Naoto replied. "It appears that I'm currently younger than you…"

"Well, if you insist…" Akechi replied. It was definitely strange to be older than Naoto Shirograne. Admittedly, he wasn't sure how to feel.

"Oh, me me me me! Lemme go next!" Teddie waved his arms. "Nice to meet you! I'm the one and only Teddie - obviously!"

"...I'm afraid I don't know what's so obvious about it." Hifumi admitted.

"Oh my! Don't you know of my refined charms, madam?" Teddie held a grin. This was his chance to wow a pretty girl! "Lo and behold…within this bear suit is an incredible, awesome pretty boy!"

"Stop trying to strip all the time!" Yosuke gave Teddie an annoyed stare. "That's not how you introduce yourself to girls!"

"W-What's under that suit!?" Hifumi was now getting all sorts of weird ideas. All because of Teddie's words and Yosuke's reactions…

"Just to make it clear, don't think too much about him," Chie said. "Something weird is gonna pop out of him from time to time, but just think of it as a part of him and you don't gotta worry!"

"I don't like the way she said that." Minako admitted.

"I guess that means it's our turn…." Ren said. So, with that, the Phantom Thieves, Rei, Zen and Minako, all introduced themselves to the Investigation Team. They also explained the situation as they knew it to Yu and his friends as well.

"Ren Amamiya, huh. Nice to meet you. You seem pretty experienced, too." Yu gave both Ren and Minako a nod. "I think we'll make a good team."

"Yep yep! When you started talking about phantom thieves, not a lick of it made sense to me. But the more you told us, the more excited it sounded - it makes me wanna be one, too!" Chie said excitedly.

"Ain't no way that'd work, Chie-senpai." Kanji shook his head.

"Yeah! You'd just resort to using your punches and kicks like always." Yosuke rolled his eyes.

"Yes, me too!" Yukiko raised her hand. "I want to try being a phantom thief!"

"Me too, me too!" Rei raised her hand along with Yukiko.

"Hmmmm…" Naoto thought for just a second. "I imagine that you'd burst out laughing during an infiltration and be found out right away, Yukiko-senpai."

"It'll be fine. Even in the worst-case scenario, I'll just set everything ablaze." Yukiko said calmly.

"That's…scary." Hifumi had a nervous smile on her face.

"I may not be able to fight, but I'll do my best to navigate. You'll help me out too, right, Futaba-chan?" Rise asked with a cute smile.

Futaba felt her brain overloading. "Eek! Oh, um…uhh, I'll try! I…I hope we can get along!" Rise was an idol and she could navigate…this girl was insane!

"Although, I can't help but feel worried for Minako-senpai…" Kasumi admitted. "Are you sure you're okay?"

'Ahaha, yeah!" Minako gave her usual smile. "I mean, I was surprised when I woke up and I was all alone. But, my companions are all strong. That's why I believe we'll be safely reunited, eventually."

"..." Hifumi was worried about Minako as well. Most of her words did ring of truth. But she couldn't help but notice how Minako cleverly sidestepped Kasumi's question.

"I'm…so moved!" Teddie fell onto his back, comical tears escaping his eyes. "She's so cheerful, even when separated from her friends! Miss, you can leave it to me! I shall find every single one of them!"

"Hehe…" Minako giggled. "Aw, thanks. I'm counting on you all!"

"Are you all finished?" Margaret spoke. "I have been waiting, you know. All this time. Quite a while."

"...Um, yes. Do go on." Ren cleared his throat.

"Is she always that intense?" Ryuji whispered to Yosuke.

"Yeah, she tends to be pretty frosty." Yosuke confirmed.

"...I wonder. Is she the reason you arrived to the battle with those poses?" Yusuke questioned.

"Ugh…she even made us line up and practice beforehand." Yosuke let out a small sigh. "Guess how many times we had to rehearse like that!? I swear, that lady's like a final boss…"

"But the practice paid off! I thought it was an incredibly flashy entrance." Yusuke saw no problem with it.

"About that labyrinth from earlier, there was no exit that I could find." Margaret said.

"That makes sense. Given the circumstances, I believe the exit we seek is within the Velvet Room." Justine stated.

"The doors with locks." Makoto frowned a little bit.

"That's right! And one of them is about to come off." Caroline tapped her baton on her shoulder. "So there are seven left!"

"But with what we've been told, the numbers don't quite match up." Naoto stroked her chin. Something about this was both concerning and perplexing.

"For the time being, we only have one course of action despite the numbers." Hifumi stated. "Zen said there are three more labyrinths. That means at least three more locks. Perhaps the others will come off as well. But as it stands, we know how to remove the locks."

"I suppose we can worry about the rest when we get there." Naoto agreed to that sentiment. "Our groups are trapped here together, and Minako-senpai's group is likely somewhere here as well."

"If we join forces, we'll get through this a lot faster." Ren said to the Investigation Team.

"You don't have to ask. Of course we'll join your team." Yu nodded. He extended his hand to Ren, and the two shared a firm handshake. "Since your team was here first, we'll follow your lead on this, Ren."

"Gotcha. I won't let you down." Ren nodded.

"Now, everyone. Come this way." Justine motioned for the others to follow her into the Velvet Room. They did, where one of the locks on the four doors proceeded to shake violently before shattering, thus confirming Zen's words.

"...Is this a prison?" Yukiko asked. Her eyes slowly shifted to the eclectic chair and then the guillotine.

"It would do you many favors to not think about it." Akechi said.

"More importantly, one of the locks did shatter." Hifumi tried hard to steer the conversation back on track. "So if we keep this up, we should return home in no time."

"That's exciting!" Rise kept a positive attitude.

"I have several other things I must do while within the Velvet Room. As such, I will leave interactions with other worlds to Marie here. Feel free to ask for her assistance." Margaret said.

"W-What?!" Marie gasped, annoyed that she was dragged into this situation. "I have to do that stuff again? You never told me about that!"

Margaret turned to Marie, her expression just as frosty as Yosuke described it. "I'm telling you about it now. When you're not busy with that, why not work on those poems you enjoy?"

Marie's expression was suddenly overcome with a blush. "P-Poems!? T-Those are just memos I jotted down about the other worlds…and why do you know about them!?"

"Is that so? What a hard worker you are." Margaret's tone made it difficult to tell if she was being serious or not. "If that's the case, then I'll ask you to do it this time as well."

'Hrgh…stupid…" Marie let out a defeated sigh.

"What're these poems?" Rei asked, her mouth full with a donut.

"They're not poems!" Marie clarified. "They're the screams of my pathos."

"Pathos!" Rei suddenly looked at Marie after swallowing her donut. "Zen, Zen! This 'pathos' is so cool!"

"...Is that so…?" Zen asked, not really sure how to comment on Rei's excitement. But he just wanted to be involved since she went out of he way to include him.

Rei then gasped. "What should I do?! That donut I just swallowed was tasty!"

"Good to hear." Zen said.

"...Those two really are quite a pair, aren't they?" Yukiko remarked, watching Rei and Zen. It was kind of cute.

"It now seems I have some time to spare, so I'd like to move onto something that has been on my mind." Elizabeth said.

"What might that be?" Theodore asked.

"Ever since I've come to this world, there is something that has been bothering me, I wish to research it." Elizabeth answered. "As part of this research, I will make requests of you all. Of course, I will prepare a reward commensurate with your effort. So please, tackle them with gusto."

"Oh, good. For a moment I was getting worried she was really going to make us pay for everything…" Futaba felt so relieved about that.

"This is just part of your hobby." Theodore and Minako both said at the same time.

"Well then, I will await you in the Nurse's Office. I have some business to attend to, so I will go on ahead." Elizabeth turned to leave.

"One moment, Elizabeth." Margaret called out to her sister, causing her to stop. "I have a long list of things to discuss with you."

"Such as…?" Elizabeth asked.

"Chiefly about you and your guest…" Margaret's expression faltered for a moment. There was also some confusion, because she looked towards Minako, who had a rather clueless expression on her face. "This girl…she's just like him…but…" Ultimately, she shook her head. She shouldn't say anything…. "No, it can wait for later. I need to learn more about this world now."

That was strange. But Elizabeth was able to shrug it off. "Very well. Perhaps another time, then." And with that, Elizabeth left.

"...?" Minako had visible question marks above her head. She wanted to ask Margaret what that look was about. Maybe she shouldn't….

"Should we go to the Nurse's Offcie? It sounds like she's got good stuff for us!" Ryuji was enticed at the idea of a reward.

"I can only imagine what she's going to make us do." Morgana slumped over. Elizabeth was definitely the eccentric type…

"I'll go with you. I have a strange feeling about this…" Theodore said.

"Me too…if I know Elizabeth…" Minako knew something strange was about to happen…

.

.

When they arrived in the Nurse's Office, it completely changed. It was just a simple room, but now there were various Jack Frost Dolls and other ornaments scattered about the room. Furthermore, Elizabeth was wearing a pink version of her normally blue outfit. "Welcome to Elizabeth's Room! Would you like medicine, a shot, or perhaps…?"

"W-What the…!?" Minako coughed a few times, turning away with a sudden blush. She was not prepared for that.

Theodore was not amused. He knew Elizabeth would do something like this! "What are you playing at….?"

"I borrowed that line from a book I found on your shelf." Elizabeth smiled.

"D-Don't be absurd…!" Theodore scoffed.

"I didn't know you were into that kind of stuff, Theodore." Minako cleared her throat, turning around to be more presentable. She was teasing him a little bit.

"You have the wrong idea!" Theodore shook his head.

"What kinda idea are we supposed to get from that?" Ren gave Theodore a deadpanned stare.

"I took into consideration the Seven Horrors bandied about at this school and set up a request notebook. As they say, if you write your wish in the logbook in the nurse's office, it will come true. I've written one down, so now it's your turn to grant it."

"...Who says that?" Haru tilted her head.

"That's not even how it works!" Yosuke commented.

"Is this a wise idea? We're not exactly here for a leisurely experience…" Makoto just wasn't sure if they had the time to spare for Elizabeth's whims. "I understand we have a lot of work ahead of us…"

"We do need to pace ourselves." Kasumi lifted a finger. "We'd get worn out if we just kept working. Everyone knows you have to take a rest when necessary!"

"That's true…" Makoto knew that. "I guess I'm just feeling a little anxious about things."

"The only Shadows I detected were in the labyrinths." Rise said. "So, what's the harm in checking out the Culture Festival? I bet it'll be tons of fun with all these new faces around!"

"That sounds like fun!" Minako clasped her hands together. "My Culture Festival got canned because of a typhoon! And when we find my friends, they can enjoy things around here too!"

"I was worried about her, but I guess she's alright with it." Hifumi smiled.

"Hell yeah!" Ryuji pumped a fist into the air. "Our culture festival was kinda lackluster, too! So this is perfect!"

"Bring on the sweets!" Ann said with sparkles in her eyes.

"I wanna enjoy the carnival with everyone!" Teddie bounced around happily.

"I guess if everyone's fine with it…" Makoto smiled. There was no point being a worrywart or a spoilsport if everyone wanted to take the time to relax for a moment. She was especially worried about Minako.

"Not only that, but it'll take me a little bit of time to find the next labyrinth. Might as well kill the time, right?" Futaba grinned.

"Come on, Mako-chan. It'll be fun!" Haru smiled. Makoto couldn't say no to that.

"Are they serious right now?" Akechi's inner dialouge betrayed the smile on his face. "It sounds like you'll all have fun."

"Don't act like you're not included!" Chie suddenly spoke up, which surprised Akechi. "C'mon, let's go hit the Takoyaki stand!"

"W-Wait…" Akechi was genuinely caught off guard by Chie just including him like this. Working with such a large group was fine. But befriending them? Absolutely not. He couldn't, for multiple reasons.

"Takoyaki…" Elizabeth repeated. It was at that moment she made her decision. "I, Elizabeth, will join you!"

And with that, the joined group decided to take the time and enjoy the Culture Festival!

Chapter Text

Because of the strange circumstances surrounding their meetings, the Phantom Thieves, Investigation Team, and Minako were able to enjoy the culture festival within this version of Yasogami High. They needed some time to figure out where the next Labyrinth was anyway, so this was a good use of their time together. Rei got some ice cream with Rise, Kasumi, Futaba, and Haru. Zen didn't get any ice cream, but he was standing off to the side since he wanted to be close to Rei as always.

Compared to everyone's simple two or three scoops of ice Cream, Rei's was a massive tower with various flavors on it. "There!"

"That's a lot of ice cream, Rei-chan." Haru placed her free hand on her cheek. She only had chocolate and vanilla scoops.

"What did you get?" Rise asked.

"Strawberry, mint, chocolate, banana, potato, milk, melon, red bean, and smelt!" The final and uppermost scoop of ice cream literally had fish in it.

"S…Smelt?" Futaba had a cold sweat on her forehead as she stared at Rei's tower of ice cream. She had no idea how anyone could eat that! And yet, there was Rei, happily consuming the first part of it.

"Mmm! Bittersweet!" Rei had such a happy smile on her face.

"This girl really eats anything…" Futaba was in shock.

"What flavor is yours, Rise-chan?" Haru asked.

As the girls discussed ice cream, Zen turned to Kasumi. There was a question on his mind, and he couldn't ask Rei since she was too busy talking and eating. "...Doesn't the cold freeze your internal organs?"

"Huh?" Kasumi was not expecting that question. Zen really was a little clueless about things, but it did make her giggle a bit. "Oh, no, Zen-san. That's not how it works at all…"

Elsewhere, Yosuke was handing out donuts to Marie, Teddie, Ann, and Hifumi. Marie, unsatisfied with what was presented, wanted more. "Hey, get me cinnamon, raspberry, and jelly."

Teddie was out of his bear suit. The sight of a youthful boy was surprising for Hifumi and Ann, but they were told just to treat him normally. Teddie had a donut in hand, and looked at Yosuke. "I want…ten chocolates!"

"Oh! Can I have some jelly donuts too! Preferably with cream!" Ann had a bright smile on her face.

"WILL YOU GUYS SHOW SOME RESTRAINT!?" Yosuke exclaimed with an exasperated groan. Although the three who were indulging on sweets could not hear them.

"I am so sorry." Hifumi had one donut and gave Yosuke an apologetic smile. "She loves sweets. I'm alright with one, however."

"At least someone here has some restraint…" In Yosuke's eyes, Hifumi was normal! Normal was something his team was sorely lacking. Plus, she was cute. "Kanji, will you say something to them-!?" He turned to Kanji, who was staring at Morgana again.

"W-What's with that look!?" Morgana felt intimidated by Kanji's gaze.

"W-What look!?" Kanji glanced away, feeling awkward. There was a question burning within his chest that he wanted to ask. But he was nervous! "...Can I…pet you…" He mumbled those last two words under his breath. In his eyes, Morgana was cute! He had yet to encounter a real talking animal…

"What!?" Morgana barely heard it. In fact, he was certain he heard that!

While the others were having fun with one another, Akechi was attempting to isolate himself. Such a large group as this was not something he was exactly a fan of. Even if his relationship with the Phantom Thieves was a rocky one, the addition of Minako and the Investigation Team made him…wary. He wasn't locked in a chess match with the other two groups. There was no point in getting close to them. He sat at a table by himself with some takoyaki. "..."

And then, Chie sat across from him. "There you are!" Chie smiled, she had some Takoyaki of her own.

"Hello, Chie-san." Akechi gave her a smile. In truth, he would've preferred she not be here. But he couldn't afford to give away the pleasant and polite facade. He just had to deal with it.

"You don't gotta be so formal with me!" Chie happily placed some takoyaki in her mouth. "Why are you all the way over here? We're all friends, aren't we?"

Fast friends? Tch. She wishes. "Forgive me. I suppose I'm not used to having a group of allies this large." Akechi even gave a chuckle. "I'm often so busy, I hardly have the time to even sit down and enjoy time alone."

"I guess that's only natural for a Detective Prince." Chie gave a smile. "I have a table with Kasumi and Haru. You should come join us! Elizabeth is sitting nearby, too. She's having a lot of Takoyaki…" One could see Elizabeth calmly enjoying Takoyaki in the background. She had a lot of it in hand, too.

Haru was there? Mm…that was. Awkward. "I see. I suppose I will join you. I shouldn't alienate myself from everyone."

"There ya go!" Chie smiled and stood up. "C'mon!"

"Aha…" Akechi laughed on the outside. But on the inside. Chie's attempt to include him actually irritated him. It wasn't a matter of who she invited him to sit with, but the fact she went out of her way to do it in the first place.

Ren, Yu, Minako, Makoto, and Naoto were taking turns at the target game set up. Makoto used the rifle to take a shot and hit the toy lamb. It was a nice substitute due to the fact their guns didn't work. "That scratched a nice itch." Makoto admitted with a smile.

Naoto held her gun forward and struck a target dead center, all with a smile. "Right on target."

"I guess we're really out of luck." Ren stared at his pistol. It felt a little useless and he was envious of the fact Naoto's gun did work.

"It looks so real." Naoto stared at Ren's gun. At a first glance, anyone would easily assume this was the real deal. "And it doesn't work?"

"Where we come from, if an enemy believes it's real, it becomes real. So in a sense, we do get bullets to use." Ren explained. "However, we learned that those rules don't exactly apply here."

"So you've been fighting with one less weapon than usual?" Yu crossed his arms.

"That must be tough." Minako tilted her head to the side. "I did notice how a few of you would occasionally reach for them."

"If there was a way to make them work, it would be a great help." Makoto stared at the rifle in hand. She much preferred her magnum.

"Can I see it for a second?" Naoto asked. Ren nodded and handed Naoto the gun. She observed it. "Whoever made this knew exactly what they were doing." She aimed the pistol at the target and clicked the trigger. A few empty clicks hit the air. "I see…so there is a mechanism to it. It just doesn't fire real bullets, yes?"

"That's correct." Makoto answered.

"I have a potential solution." Naoto handed Ren his pistol back. "I understand that the use of Personas do take a heavier toll on us in this world. But if you could imbue your magic within your pistol, it may be able to fire magical bullets."

"Do you think that would really work?" Even Yu was interested in this idea.

"It's only a hypothesis. I have very little understanding in how they usually work. But I've witnessed you imbue lightning within your katana." Naoto turned to Yu. "I think the same principle can be applied here."

"You really are as smart as people say." Makoto smiled. "I'll have to up my game if I don't want to fall behind." With Naoto's addition to their team. Makoto wanted to provide more along with Hifumi.

The moment was broken by Caroline stomping forward with Justine. "Move aside, Inmate! We want a turn."

"Uh." Minako stared at Caroline and Justine, and then at the rifle. "Do we trust either of them with a weapon in hand?"

"Absolutely not." Ren shook his head. But that didn't stop Caroline from marching ahead. The unfortunate thing is that she was a little too short to see over the initial counter.

"It seems we have a problem before us…" Justine's gaze went to the counter, and then Caroline. "If we wish to partake in this game, we'll have to stand on one another's shoulders."

"What!? I'm not doing that. You do it." Caroline huffed.

"I do believe I called the first round." Justine said calmly. The two stared at each other

The two twins were now at a stalemate on who would be the base and who would be the shooter. Makoto, Ren, Minako, Yu, and Naoto just watched them bicker back and forth.

Lastly, Ryuji, Yukiko, Yusuke, Theodore and Margaret were taking the time to fish up some balls. Ryuji dunked a hand into the water, managing to pull up two. "Oh, hey! I got two!"

Yukiko was next. Just like Ryuji, she also pulled out two colored balls. "Hey, I got two, too!"

"How wonderful!" Yusuke applauded their luck, and also took the time to position his hands in a landscape style. The sight did make for something incredibly picturesque.

Meanwhile, Theodore only managed to get one. That said, he was rather happy that he managed to acquire one at all! And then he lost his grip on it, gasping as he fumbled around with it. Unfortunately for him, he dropped it, and it splashed on top of Margaret's head. She was soaked, and her hair was ruined. "I…I'm so sorry!"

"..." Margaret said nothing. Her yellow eyes pierced into Theodore's soul, and it was in that moment that he realized he was a dead man.

.

.

Quite a bit of time passed as everyone enjoyed the culture festival in some way. But at the end of it all, Makoto was the one to grab everyone's attention. "I know we've all had some fun here, but I do think we should start preparing for the next labyrinth."

"Do we know where we're goin'?" Ryuji asked.

"Yes we do!" Futaba said. "It's in the second floor classroom!"

"Wait, that's our class!" Yosuke said in surprise. And with that comment came a horrifying realization for him. "Oh no…please tell me there's not a group date cafe there."

"A…A what…?" Hifumi tilted her head. This was her first time hearing of such a thing.

"It was our class's display." Yukiko said, a little embarrassed that she had to explain it to another person. "You have a…well, um…a group date."

"For real?" Ryuji was mildly interested. "That sounds kinda fun. Way better than our class. It was just a maid cafe."

"WHAT!?" Yosuke's eyes widened at how Ryuji brushed off a maid cafe. "What do you mean way better!?"

"Trust me, dude. It was NOT as good as it sounded!" Ryuji replied. "They barely had any food!"

"We spent all our budget making the maid outfits look good." Ann had a happy smile on her face, swaying her arms.

"What's this group date thing?" Rei asked while chewing on a corndog.

"A group date is the crossroads of destiny!" Teddie posed dramatically, standing out of his bear suit. "Countless hunters of love gather, in search of the one in this vast world tied to them by a red string…."

"Wooooow!" Rei's eyes widened in intrigue. "Countless hungers have a huge banquet in search of the one in this vast universe tied with a string!?"

"That's…not wrong…?" Kasumi had a sweat drop and an exasperated smile at Rei's words.

"It's scarier the way she says it." Chie shuddered, before turning towards Teddie. "I mean, Teddie! Don't lie like that to Rei-chan! She'll believe you!"

"Aww, but I just can't leave Rei-chan all alone." Teddie said, now within his bear suit once again.

"This group date thing sounds kinda good." Morgana crossed his arms. There were a few ideas in his head.

"Why are you thinking about a group date?" Yosuke asked bluntly. Morgana was rightfully a cat in his eyes and everyone else's.

"Because I am a gentleman! One that would treat Lady An…er, I mean, a lady right!" Morgana crossed his arms, offended that Yosuke would ask such a thing.

"See, that? Why does he keep saying that?" Minako whispered to Makoto. This was the second time she noticed the cat crushing on the human girl! Makoto did not answer; she just sighed.

"Is a red string really tied to the person you're destined to be with?" Rei asked. Her eyes went to Hifumi, who she noticed had a red string in her hair. "You have a red string, Hifumi-chan! Do you have anyone you think you're meant to be with?"

"M-Me?" Hifumi was not expecting to be called upon. Her cheeks lit up red and she started to play with the ribbon in her hair. "I-I, um…that's quite the question…!" She avoided it completely with a nervous laugh. She was too embarrassed to say anything, especially with such a large group of people.

"What about you, Ka-chan?" Rei looked to Kasumi, gesturing at the red ribbon in her hair. "You have a red ribbon! That's basically the same thing. Do you have someone you think you're meant to be with?"

"H-HUH!?" Kasumi's face lit up. She briefly glanced at Ren, but decided to turn around and hide her face. She was redder than a tomato at such a question. "I-I, um...! That's not quite the same! It's just a red ribbon, that's all! Nothing special!" Nothing special, she said. And yet, she felt some static in her head. A brief flash of something that didn't make sense. Seeing this ribbon on herself...from a different angle? Perspective? She wasn't sure. She actually just ended up flinching a little and holding her head. "What was that...?"

"I don't know if it exists, but I think we all want to believe it does." Yukiko bailed Hifumi and Kasumi out, although it was unintentional.

"Mhm! I'm sure it does!" Rei's cheeks lit up with a blush. "Right, Zen?"

Zen, who didn't get this topic at all, responded thusly; "You're going to eat string?"

"That's not what I meant!" Rei huffed. Zen really was too dense! The writing was on the wall and he just didn't see it…

"That was one heck of a reaction." And here Yosuke thought Rise was obvious! "But I gotta say, you're a lucky guy. Kasumi is real cute..." Yosuke playfully nudged Ren with his elbow.

"Huh?" Ren blinked at Yosuke. He completely missed the fact Kasumi glanced at him, so he didn't get what Yosuke was getting at.

Chie took a look outside at the clock tower. She was curious as to how much time passed since they started enjoying themselves. "Huh…it's still not noon yet. I guess it really is stopped."

"What are you referring to, Chie-chan?" Haru asked.

"The clock tower outside." Chie said. "It's been the same since we got here. I couldn't tell if it was wrong or stopped, but it looks stopped."

"No, it's not 's moving, just very slowly." Zen clarified.

"So it's not stopped after all?" Makoto didn't notice. "Is it possible we can take a closer look at it? I've been curious about that tower ever since we arrived."

"I was going to ask the same thing." Naoto said.

"Has it been piquing your Ace Detective interests?" Yosuke asked with a playful grin.

"Not necessarily…" Naoto admitted. Still, everyone did go outside to check out the clocktower, which had a bell sitting at the very top of it. The clock read 11:55 and it had yet to move since anyone arrived within this strange version of Yasogami High.

"A clocktower in the middle of the school yard. It's a little…..much, you know?" Minako placed a finger on her chin, staring up at the large tower. "I'm pretty sure this would just get in the way."

"That's odd…" Naoto started at the base of the clocktower. There was something missing that should've been there. "There's no door that would lead inside. How is it maintained…?"

"Maybe it's broken because nobody has been able to keep it maintained?" Ren asked. He had no idea, so the guess was worth a shot.

"We don't got anything like this in Yasogami, though." Kanji said. "I would've remembered a big tower like this."

"You don't? Then where the hell did it come from?" Ryuji asked.

"Actually, I recall an occasion when the principal told me something." Naoto began. "He claimed there was a clock tower at Yasogami High at one point. I don't remember what it looked like, though."

"Ooh, I think you're right!" Yukiko chimed in. "I kind of remember one. But I remember it being more like a small monument, and not a huge tower. It wasn't so big that a person could go inside. And I remember hearing that it was demolished before I started elementary school."

"Then that would place it over ten years ago…" Naoto mumbled.

"So this means we are in some version of Yasogami High from a decade ago." Akechi surmised.

"I can't say for certain." Naoto said. "There's no explaining things with common sense in a place where Shadows roam."

"You're right, this place is pretty strange." Chie placed her hands on her hips. "I don't recall going into a TV, and we don't need our glasses…"

"This is the second time you guys have mentioned a TV." Minako looked towards the Investigation Team. "What exactly does that mean?"

"Huh? You guys don't go into TVs?" Yosuke asked. "Then how do you get to where the Shadows are?"

"I think this is a point of discussion, actually." Makoto realized that between the three of them; the Phantom Thieves, Investigation Team, and Minako, the way they operated was extremely different. They were informed on how Minako operated, but that didn't extend to the Investigation Team. "Maybe there is something hidden within how we all reached this location."

"I think that's worth talkin' about!" Kanji didn't even consider it until Makoto brought it up.

"Is that sort of thing alright to talk about?" Ann looked to Makoto. "I mean, we agreed not to discuss future business and stuff…"

"Discussing how we all arrived here shouldn't cause any issue." Akechi felt confident in this statement. "I think there is something to be learned here."

"I agree." Said Yu. So he turned to Minako. "Where do you fight Shadows?"

Minako turned to Yu, hands behind her back. "Would you believe me if I said there were 25 hours in the day?"

"What?!" Yosuke and Chie both gasped at the same time.

"She's enjoyin' that way too much!" Ryuji commented. Anyone could see the mischievous grin on her face. She was getting a kick out of everyone's reaction to that information.

"My Team and I fight Shadows during the Dark Hour." Minako explained to Yu and his friends. "The Dark Hour exists as an extra hour after midnight, but only a few people actually know about it. Shadows appear in a tower called Tartarus. I didn't mention this before, but every month on the night of a full moon, a large Shadow appears. We fight them in hopes to destroy the Dark Hour. We've taken out a number of them so far, each one stronger than the last. Sometimes they group up, too. Those nights are especially difficult…"

"She…definitely did not mention that last time." Futaba blinked a few times in surprise. She could only imagine what Minako was actually going through.

"Whoa. Your thing sounds way more intense than our thing." Yosuke had no idea about the Dark Hour. But if Minako was from the past, he wondered if this meant she succeeded in her task. He could tell everyone else might've had the same question, but they agreed not to talk about it.

"What are you and your friends involved in?" Yusuke asked.

"We're pursuing a killer." Yu said bluntly. The eyes of the Phantom Thieves and Minako went wide.

"There's been a serial murder case going on in the town of Inaba, where we live." Yosuke explained. "The killer works by putting their victims into the TV. Inside the TBs, there's a world filled with Shadows. That's actually where Teddie is from."

"I used to live in the TV world." Teddie commented. "But then Yosuke and the others came, and I decided to come out."

"You lived in a world with Shadows? That's just like Zen and Rei…" Hifumi only had questions. She didn't know what it could mean.

"We even found Morgana in the Metaverse first and foremost…" Ren added.

"Although I came out because I wanted to strike a deal." Morgana nodded.

"I'm just like Teddie and Morgana? Then will we be able to go out to the outside world with everyone, like they did?" Rei asked, hopefully.

"I'm sure you will!" Teddie responded while waving his arms. "I didn't even think about going outside until Yosuke and everyone came. But when I did leave, it was so much fun that I wished I had done it much sooner!"

"Me too!" Rei said happily. "Until everyone came here, I never even thought about 'going back'!"

"It's true…" Zen said with a slow nod.

"Heeeeey, Zen boy!" Teddie turned to Zen. "Don't tell me you don't like being treated the same as me? It's a real honor, you know!"

"Can it, Teddie." Yosuke groaned. "I was just getting to the important part. Anyway, if you're in the TV world on a foggy day, your own Shadow will attack and kill you. Normally, only Persona-users can enter the TV. But they can put someone in as well."

"So there's someone out there using their Persona abilities to kill people!?" Minako gasped.

"So that problem exists for you guys, too?" Ren asked.

"Oh, yeah. We didn't even ask what you guys do!" Kanji realized.

"Leave the explanation to me." Morgana said with a smile. "The world we enter to fight Shadows is called the Metaverse, which is also known as the cognitive world. We enter Palaces, a place where someone's Desire's manifest to put it simply. As Phantom Thieves, we dive into Palaces to Steal the core of someone's Palace, their Treasure. By doing that, we change their hearts! Just as we explained to you beforehand."

"But we only target those who we believe deserve it." Hifumi added.

"And it sounds even cooler the second time!" Chie said excitedly.

"I really would like to give it a try." Yukiko said.

"We also enter the Metaverse by use of a phone app." Ann added. "We call it the Meta Nav!"

"An..app?" Minako tilted her head. Being from 2009. she was pretty behind in terms of technology. She even pulled out her flip phone. She and the Investigation Team also had flip phones, sans Teddie who wasn't trusted with one. "Can it really allow you to do that?"

"Yeah!" Ann pulled her phone out. Compared to the others, it was obviously much more advanced.

"W-Wait! Should we really be letting them see a phone from the future!?" Kasumi panicked a little bit. That did seem like a bad idea, and Ann quickly pulled her phone back.

"...I hope that doesn't cause any ripples in time." Ann said nervously.

"So that's what a phone from 5 years in the future looks like." Rise was already fixed on it.

"Please forget you saw that." Haru pleaded. Better safe than sorry!

"I think you're worrying a little too much about this..." Hifumi said with a small smile.

"So the public must love you guys, if you're changing the hearts of bad guys." Kanji said.

"You'd think…" Ren began. "But we walked right into a trap. Just as there is a Persona user tormenting your town with murder, we're dealing with someone like that as well. A persona user in a black mask, who uses their power to turn people psychotic."

"W-What…?" Minako turned to the Phantom Thieves. "That sounds awful!"

"It is." Akechi said, arms crossed. "Because of these sudden 'psychotic breakdowns' as the public calls it, numerous incidents have occurred because of this person. Subways have derailed and crashed, people have been exploited…killed."

"You said that a person's Shadow kills them in the TV world, right?" Hifumi looked at Yosuke, who nodded. "If a person's Shadow is killed, they die. We learned this the hard way."

"That person…killed my father." Haru said with her gaze lowering. Both sadness and anger bubbled within her all at once. "All for a reason I don't understand yet. But if I can get my hands on them…!"

"Haru…I'm so sorry." Rise frowned at that news.

"And they managed to frame us for it as well." Makoto said with a sigh. "Because we sent our calling card, and because Haru's father made a public announcement and died that same night…the public thinks it was our doing."

"But in reality, it was that masked dude?" Yosuke asked.

"Yes. I even awakened to my power because of him." Akechi stared at his hands. "I stumbled into the Metaverse, and he spotted me. He shot at me, and it was a close call…"

"Looks like both of us have our hands tied with murderous Persona users." Yu rubbed the back of his neck. "But I'm confident we'll be able to catch them both."

"I do think we got slightly off topic." Hifumi spoke up.

"I agree. It's clear that this isn't Tartarus, the TV world, or this Metaverse you all spoke of. So I think we should cast aside all we know and learn the 'rules' of this world." Naoto spoke. "I thought this clock tower might provide some sort of hint, but that's unlikely if we can't enter. I'm sorry to have wasted our time with this."

"I wouldn't consider it a waste at all." Akechi said. "Besides, we still have one thing left to do here."

"Right." Yu nodded. "Okay. I'll tell you how we got here first. Maybe there's something we can learn from all of this."

.

.

Back in the Velvet Room, the attendants were discussing the current state of affairs. "Sister," Theodore began, speaking to Margaret. "Why is it that those people have come together? It's true that this place is not reality per se, but for them to come from different spacetimes this way…especially that girl."

"You!" Caroline pointed at Elizabeth. "Are you sure that girl is not your guest? She knows you. She knows about the Velvet Room, and our Master!"

"She bears a striking resemblance to my guest, that's true." Elizabeth tapped her chin. "Their souls are nearly identical. I do have an idea, but it is not something that I can confirm until I see her side by side with my actual guest."

"Time always flows in one direction, yet…" Margaret had no concrete answer either. "This distortion could eventually become a rip, which may eventually affect the real world as well."

"Affect the real world…?" Elizabeth tilted her head.

"It's only a possibility." Margaret said. She didn't have enough information to say anything solid.

"But you did not come to this conclusion with mere guesswork." Justine noted. "It is something you believe could happen."

"..." Margaret didn't say anything. But Justine did have the right idea. "Why is this a 'culture festival'? If making this place a school wasn't specific enough, then…"

"This 'Culture Festival' is a kind of ceremony, correct?" Theodore asked.

"Ceremony…" Margaret repeated.

"The power of the Wild Card has also changed." Elizabeth pondered the cause for this.

"The Inmate cannot remove Arsene…" Caroline noted. "But he can instead summon two Personas at the same time. As can his friends."

"This is different from the usual powers of the Wild Card." Theodore noted. "It's as if that neutralized power had its abilities forcefully distorted. Could it be related to this world after all…?"

"What sort of power would have the ability to do that?" Justine looked at Theodore. "It is not something our Master would be unfamiliar with." At least, so she believed. This was an unprecedented situation for everyone in the Velvet Room, so it made sense they only had questions upon questions about the rules here.

"Neutralized…yes…" Margaret closed her eyes. "This world is connected to the collective unconsciousness. It is a world constantly in flux, with the power to change its shape. Yet the power of the wild card, representing infinite possibility, has been neutralized….In other worlds, could it mean that this world is finite? That it does not change?"

"Finite? Sister, what do you mean?" Elizabeth asked.

"I do not know yet." Margaret shook her head. She couldn't come up with an answer. "In any case, we must not forget our roles." Her gaze went to her siblings before her. "We may assist in our guests' journey, but we cannot intervene. All we can do is watch and see what kind of fate they take hold of."

"Yes, though of course, we will assist them as much as possible." When Elizabeth said this, she recalled something. "That reminds me, is there something you wished to speak to me about, Sister? I recall you mentioning something about my guest and I?"

"..." Margaret thought long and hard about it. She wanted to say something, but she did just say they shouldn't intervene in any way. The Guests and their friends also agreed not to talk about future events as well. Despite how much she really, really wanted to bring it up, she knew she couldn't. "Let's not. We are but bystanders of fate. I said myself just now that we cannot intervene."

"Very well. I choose to completely forget about this discussion." Elizabeth stated.

"Just like that?" Caroline could hardly believe it.

"That will do." Margaret nodded before turning to the twins. "I do have one question for the both of you."

"What is it?" Justine asked attentively.

Margaret stared at the twins. When she glanced at Elizabeth and Theodore once again, she couldn't help but notice their nods. They all knew who those twins were supposed to be. Their sister, Lavenza, split into two... "For the guidance of your Guest, did you have a list of necessary Persona fusions prepared?"

"To aid the Inmate's Rehabilitation!" Caroline corrected. Ren wasn't their guest! He was a prisoner! Although, when Margaret phrased it that way, she placed a hand over her eyepatch. "...Guest...? Why does that word..."

"We did have a list prepared." Justine answered, staring at her clipboard. "However, if I am to be completely honest. I have no idea when this list was made ready. Neither Caroline or I have any memory of making the list. I had simply assumed it was our Master that did it."

That told Margaret everything she needed to know, at least about the twins. Nothing happened for a reason in the Velvet Room, she knew that well. "I see. That's all I wished to ask. Everyone, return to your posts."

Marie was in the Velvet Room the whole time. However, since she didn't have anything to add, the conversation just went over her head. "All you guys ever do is talk about boring stuff." With a groan, she rolled her eyes. "Theo, go buy me some shaved ice. The green stuff!"

"I want some too." Caroline said. "But I want it blue."

"And I'll take it red." Justine added.

Theodore, fully aware he was just reduced to errand boy, let out a heavy sigh. "Very well…"

Chapter Text

[Flashback]

Minako and her team of S.E.E.S were within the higher floors of Tartarus. With how they conducted operations, only a few of them climbed the tower at a time, while the others remained on standby. As the leader, it was Minako's instruction and guidance everyone trusted when going forward. Right now, she was with Yukari Takeba, Aigis, and Junpei Iori. They didn't have any special equipment on them, other than what they normally used to take on Shadows. As the group climbed the stairs to the next floor, Junpei couldn't help but notice how tense Minako appeared.

"Hey, are you alright?" Junpei asked. He found himself asking this question a lot to Minako and for good reason.

"I'm fine!" Minako replied with her usual smile. Junpei didn't seem convinced, but she could easily play anything else off with her legitimate concern. "A little tense, though. I know we're here because of the missing people. One of them is a little girl that I know, too..." Elizabeth always informed her when people went missing in Tartarus, and this was the night to act before it was too late.

"Really?!" Yukari's eyes were wide at this. She was used to hearing about missing students or even adults, but a little girl!? "We have to hurry and find her then!"

"There are a few missing people on the floors above.!" That came from Fuuka Yamagishi. She served as the navigator for S.E.E.S. With her power, she could detect a great number of things that aided the group in their battle against the Dark Hour.

"Let's go!" Minako told the others, all of them following her lead. Tartarus was always a difficult place to navigate. Each floor was vastly different than the last, and the structure of them was never consistent every night. Minako was a solid leader and this opinion was shared by everyone. They were able to follow her lead without question, even though it did take Junpei a little time to adjust...

They rushed through the floor as quickly and carefully as they could. Whenever a Shadow approached, Aigis was the first one to attack. The robotic girl threw her hands forward, her fingers pointing ahead. "Firing!" Aigis exclaimed, unloading numerous bullets onto the enemies before they had a chance to strike. "Enemy eliminated."

"Good going, Aigis!" Minako gave Aigis a thumbs up. Aigis gave a curt nod in response to the praise. "Let's keep up the search." And they continued through the twisting corridors of the mysterious building. After rounding a corner, Minako found one of the missing people in question: a middle aged man who was in a lucid state. "I found one of the missing people, Fuuka!" Minako reported.

"Someone is coming right away to pick them up! Stay right where you are." Fuuka responded.

A short while later, the one who came up to assist in returning the man home was the young Ken Amada. "Thank you, Ken." Minako smiled.

"No worries, Minako-san." Ken gave Minako a resolute nod. "I'll make sure he gets back safely." With that, Ken took the man back down to the entrance of Tartarus.

One by one, they managed to rescue a few missing people. As the group of four continued their climb up the tower, rescuing lost person after lost person. With the help of the others; Akihiko Sanada, Mitsuru Kijiro, and Koromaru, they were able swiftly rescue people from Tartarus. Still, Minako's expression was a little tense. They had yet to find the one person she was actually looking for. "C'mon...where's Maiko..." She mumbled to herself.

The group of four then came to a split in the path. "Which way should we go?" Junpei asked while adjusting his hat. The worst part about Tartarus was that even if the areas itself did change, somehow it all managed to look exactly the same.

"The last missing person is on this floor." Fuuka reported. Once they found Maiko, they'd be able to leave for the day.

"I think..." Minako was about to make a decision, but then...

"EEEEEEEEEK!" The shrill sound of Yukari's voice caught everyone's attention. She was only a few feet away, but they rushed right over to her.

"Yuka-tan, what's wrong!?" Junpei asked. Rarely did he hear Yukari let out such a shrill cry like that!

"Are you alright, Yukari-san?" Aigis also asked.

"T-There's a spider!" Yukari pointed at the ground, her finger trembling. Everyone's gaze followed her point, and there was indeed a spider there! A small and harmless thing compared to the Shadows they were fighting, but it was still frightening enough for both Yukari and Minako, who yelped as it skittered at their feet.

"AAAAH!" Minako cried out as she and Yukari clung to each other out of fear.

"Whoa, what the hell!?" Junpei watched as the spider ran past him. He didn't even have the chance to swing at it. "Is that a Shadow?!"

Aigis quietly pointed her hand forward, her robotic eyes locking on to the spider as it tried to move to a corner. "Target locked." And then, she fired multiple bullets at the spider, thinking little of it. The spider was surprisingly adept, and it dodged a few of Aigis' bullets. In the end, the spider vanished into the darkness of the corner. "...I was unable to eliminate it."

"That was...scary." Minako and Yukari pulled apart from each other, trying to regain their composure.

"But, you know. It was kinda cute to hear Yuka-tan like that." Junpei said with a slightly annoying smile.

Yukari hated when Junpei did this. Always pestering her because she wasn't a 'typical girl' or whatever. She groaned and rolled her eyes. "Ugh, shut up."

"That was strange, however." Aigis stared at the area where the spider was. "I did not detect that it was a Shadow, but that should be impossible..."

"A few cats have wandered into Tartarus, right? I guess a spider isn't too far-fetched." Yukari brushed her hair behind her ear. "I don't think we should worry about it too much." And she was secretly hoping that wouldn't happen again. She'd rather fight one of those freaky chained-up Shadows than see another spider.

"Y-Yeah." Minako cleared her throat. That wasn't her finest moment. "Anyway, we should keep moving! We're almost done for the night. Fuuka, are there any Shadows on this floor?"

"I don't sense any..." Fuuka furrowed her brows. This wasn't anything out of the ordinary, sometimes floors were like this. But something about this felt especially strange.

"Really? How lucky." Minako seemed like she was happy about this. But on the inside, this was a little strange. "I guess Tartarus isn't off at all tonight." She thought to herself. That was another reason she wanted to come to Tartarus, but as it turns out, that was just her imagination. In that moment, she swore she could hear the faint sounds of a bell ringing. She looked at the others, but it didn't seem as if they heard the noise. Maybe she was going crazy... "If we split up, we should be able to cover more ground. But if you get into a conflict, don't engage and try to regroup."

"You got it." Yukari said. The others agreed with this sentiment. With that, they all split off to search for the little girl that was trapped on this floor.

It was eerily quiet in Tartarus tonight. When she was alone, Minako could feel it. "I didn't want to bother the others with this feeling..." She wasn't sure if it was just her, or if something really was off. "Something about Tartarus is just off tonight..." Her red eyes scanned the surrounding area. She trusted Fuuka when she said there weren't any Shadows present, but she was keeping her eyes peeled for both Maiko and that spider. She didn't trust that it just left. Spiders always had a nasty habit of appearing when you least wanted them to. That said, it was just silence. Minako rounded a corner and saw Maiko. "Maiko!" She quickly an over and knelt down, staring at Maiko worriedly. "Oh thank goodness, she's alright..." She didn't know what she'd do if something happened to this little girl. "Why are you here when you're supposed to be away..."

Ultimately, that didn't matter. "It's alright. You'll be okay. Fuuka! I've found the girl!" Minako reported.

"That's great! The next floor is a border floor, too. So you can bring her through the teleporter with the others!" Fuuka's smile could be heard. She always felt relived when they managed to save people. "I have the rest of the floor mapped out. The others are closing in on your location too..." Fuuka trailed off.

"Fuuka?" Minako stood up, taking Maiko by the hand. Maiko wasn't really consciousness, but her body did move. She did clutch Minako's hand tightly, feeling the sense of comfort. Minako started to walk with Maiko in hand.

"You have to hurry! I'm picking up a strong reading! The Reaper is coming...!" Fuuka warned.

"What!?" Minako's eyes widened. It wasn't long before Yukari, Junpei, and Aigis found her.

"What's wrong?" Aigis asked.

"Fuuka said the Reaper is coming!" When Minako said that everyone's eyes widened.

"For real!? We can't fight that thing!" Junpei groaned. Especially when they had a little girl in tow. They weren't going to have a lot of time to debate either, because the Reaper itself slowly rounded a corner.

"Oh, man..." Yukari's face paled. Even if they had been getting stronger and defeating the Full Moon Shadows, the Reaper was still far beyond anything they were capable of facing. "W-What are we gonna do?!"

"I suggest we retreat. I can hold it off." Aigis stepped forward, prepared to fight and act as a diversion. However, Minako instead gently pushed Maiko towards Aigis. "Minako-san...?"

"I'll distract it!" Minako said while glaring at the Reaper. She didn't have to fight it, but capturing its attention long enough to allow the others to escape was within the realm of possibilty.

"By yourself!? Are you crazy!?" Yukari did not like this idea. If Minako got hurt trying to protect them..!

"Yeah, you can't take that thing by yourself!" Junpei also objected to this.

"I also cannot allow that." Aigis refused. The thought of leaving Minako alone with such a foe was...!

"No time to argue on this!" Minako narrowed her eyes. The Reaper was taking aim at them with one of its guns. As such, she start to sprint to the side, and the sudden movement caught the Reaper's attention. "I'll circle around and meet up with you guys! Get Maiko to safety, please!" There was an urgency in her voice she couldn't hide. It wasn't just because of the situation, but...

"Okay..." Yukari understood. She gently took Maiko by the hand to guide her away. Junpei and Aigis felt bad about this, but...

"If we hurry, we can return and provide assistance." That's how Aigis saw it. They might have to bring the others if things were bad.

"Yeah! Let's hurry and get outta here!" Junpei didn't want to waste any more time than necessary. The sooner they got Maiko to safety, the sooner they could come back and help.

Minako watched as her friends headed to safety. Just in time, as the Reaper fired a blast of fire from one of its guns at Minako. "Uh-oh...!" Luckily, Minako already had Orpheus equipped. As such, the blast of fire, while intense, was reduced in damage. She gripped her naginata, sprinting off to try and find an area to circle around the Reaper. "Fuuka! Is there a way out for me!" She took a moment to summon Orpheus, releasing a streak of flame that exploded against the Reaper, slowing it down just a little bit. This bought her a little bit of time, but not much.

"I don't believe this. There are so many more Shadows appearing on the floor now!" Fuuka was starting to feel a little panicked. But she needed to do her best to ensure Minako got to safety. "A door just appeared not too far away from you. It's to your left...!"

"A monad door!?" Minako was not going to look that gift horse in the mouth. If nothing else, it would keep aggro off of her. So she followed Fuuka's directions, glancing behind her shoulder as the Reaper was still pursuing her. At least she was keeping it far and away from the others. She hardly cared what happened to herself. Minako turned the corner Fuuka instructed, and saw the strange looking door ahead. That didn't even look like a monad door! But she couldn't exactly take her chances either. So, she opened the door. Right as she did, the Reaper unleashed another blast of fire that struck her right in the back. "GAAAAAAAH!"

"Minako...!" Fuuka's voice faded out as Minako fell into the white void...

[End Flashback.]

.

.

"And the next thing I knew, I woke up in You in Wonderland!" Minako told her story with a smile. The fact she was able to do so was a little unnerving.

"That sounds...pretty rough." Yosuke didn't have any words. Minako's unparalleled optimism was a little concerning. "And you sure your friends are here?"

"Mhm!" Minako nodded. "The Reaper definitely left after I went through the door. I know my friends probably came to follow me in a hurry with how concerned they were. So I truly believe we got separated. They might have just landed in a different location."

"That's plausible." Naoto couldn't deny that possibility.

"So you saw a spider as well..." Makoto asked Minako. She heard this before, but she just wanted to confirm it once again.

"Oh, yeah!" Minako shuddered as she recalled it. "It really surprised me! I hate spiders."

"I totally feel you there." Ann nodded. "When I saw a spider, I jumped..."

"How about you guys, then?" Ryuji glanced over to the Investigation Team.

"Would you believe me if I said the day started like any other?" Yu asked, cracking a half smile. Considering how everyone else arrived, he felt like he could make that light joke.

.

.

[Flashback.]

An ordinary day was right. The school festival at Yasogami High was currently underway. The morning began with Yu walking into the main room, where Nanako Dojima was waiting. The table was already set, with a breakfast made by Yu's younger cousin. "Good morning, Big Bro!" Nanako greeted Yu with a smile.

"Good morning, Nanako." Yu returned the smile. Seeing Nanako was always a great start to the day. It was a welcome sight he'd quickly grown used to during his time in the town of Inaba.

"My teacher said you need to eat well in the morning!" Nanako said with her smile still present. "I just know how to cook eggs, so I made sunny-side up eggs and a rolled omelette!" Although, when she gave it a second glance, she realized something was off... "Huh? The rolled omelette turned black..."

"Let's just scrape off the burnt parts." Yu suggested.

"Mhm! I heard the burnt parts are bad for you. But Dad says he liked it like that, so I always tell him he shouldn't eat it." Sometimes, it felt like Nanako could be the most mature person in the Dojima household. But in reality, everyone was so protective of her because she was still a child. Because she was still affected by the loss of her mother. Dojima was doing his best, but the household was still a silent battleground of conflicting emotions. Yu's presence did help mend that issue, day by day, bit by bit. "Well, thanks for the food!" And so, she and Yu began to eat. Nanako's face lit up with a smile. "The eggs are yummy! Chickens are amazing!"

"This is delicious." Yu was pleasantly surprised with the breakfast. He was happily chowing down. This was a great start to the day. A few minutes into their meal, the doorbell rang.

"Huh? Someone's at the door." Curious, Nanako went to go answer it.

The one at the door was Kanji. When he stepped inside, he gave a polite bow. "Y-Yo..."

"It's Kanji! Good morning!" Nanako beamed towards the older boy.

"Sorry to show up this early in the morning, man. The old hag wouldn't shut up about me taking this to you." Kanji pulled out a few boxes of bento, his gaze shifting off to the side in mild embarrassment. "I thought it'd be a pain to lug it all around school, so I brought it now." Although he started to fidget a little bit. "Y-You don't want it, huh?"

"Ooh! We're having breakfast right now!" Nanako clasped her hands together. "Let's eat it!"

"Huh!?" Kanji's cheeks dusted pink at Nanako's enthusiasm. "Uh, I don't know if you'd like it, Nanak-chan...hahaha..." Still, Kanji spread the food he brought onto the table. Chikuzen-ni, Konbu-mako, and a lot of simmered dishes.

"Sorry...it's all...brown 'n stuff..." Kanji rubbed the back of his head nervously. He had no idea if they were even going to like it!

"It smells great!" Nanako smiled. "Your mom's a really good cook!"

"Y-You think so!?" Kanji could smile to that. "C-Cool. I'm glad to hear it! Actually, I-I cooked part of that...it's, uh...that simmered part..."

Nanako's eyes lit up. "You can cook!? You can make knit dolls too! You can really do anything! When I get bigger, I want to be like Mist- Um, Kanji!" For a moment, Nanako almost forgot Kanji wasn't actually an adult. He was just a really talented teenager!

"I'll cheer you on." Yu grinned at her, and Kanji.

"Mhm!" Nanako smiled.

"W-What are you cheerin' her on for!? Seriously, what are you gonna do if Nanako-chan turns out like me!?" Kanji questioned. Most people didn't think highly of Kanji's talents, specifically because it wasn't something they thought he would do.

Yu, however, looked as if he spaced out for a bit. His brows furrowed, because he could've sworn... "Was that a bell...?" It was faint, but he swore he heard something that sounded like the chime of a bell. When he looked at Nanako and Kanji...they didn't seem to notice.

"Oh, you're gonna be late, Big Bro! There's a festival at school today, right?" Nanako looked at Yu, and he nodded.

Nanako's words also served as a reminder to Kanji. "Whoa, look at the time! Guess we'll have to use my secret passage."

"Secret passage? What are you talking about?" Yu tilted his head. This was the first he heard about any secret passage.

"There's a hole in the school fence." Kanji explained. "It's a shortcut to the classrooms that'll prevent you from getting caught by the teacher's."

Hearing such a naughty route, Nanako could not help but gasp. "Kanji, you're a delinquent!"

"Oh crap!" Kanji grunted.

"You're so cool!" And somehow, Nanako ended up liking this idea.

"C-Cool!? U-Um, not really..." Kanji sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. That said, he felt Yu's brotherly stare piercing into his soul. This was not the route Nanako should be going down! "I-I mean, Senpai! C'mon, stop glarin' at me!"

.

.

The day passed quickly after that. It was an exceptionally eventful day at the culture festival. The beauty pageant was a very...eventful time. Some of the group would prefer to leave that incident behind them. In the end, Naoto was crowned the victor, even though she completely skipped out on the swimsuit portion. Yu's class had a Group Date Cafe as their display, and since the culture festival was winding down on the final day, it was empty.

"Today's the last day of the Culture Festival, but there's no one here at all." Yosuke groaned. They put a lot of work into this idea!

"I hear the other classes are in full swing..." Chie was sitting down at her desk, her face resting against her hand.

"Aw..." Yukiko pouted slightly. "I was kind of interested in this group date. I wonder why it's not catching on?"

"Man, I'm glad it isn't!" Kanji was seated at a random desk. "There's nowhere else to rest! It was so busy everywhere else! You wouldn't be able to catch your breath anywhere.

"I like it." Rise had a smile on her face. "No one's taking pictures of me or making awkward small talk. Great plan, Yosuke-senpai!"

Plan? Rise was giving him far too much credit. And she had the wrong idea! This was nothing more than an unfortunate coincidence! "If that was my plan, then I would've suggested a quiet zone to begin with." Yosuke replied.

"There's one last event before the festival ends today, right? I wonder what it'll be about..." Chie wondered.

"I heard it'll be a karaoke booth with no sign ups needed!" Rise was bouncing with excitement at the thought. She may have been on leave, but that didn't mean she didn't feel the urge to sing creep up occasionally.

"Wouldn't it draw too large a crowd if you sang, Rise-san...?" Naoto questioned, if only for Rise's wellbeing.

"You know, that does sound like fun. I could show off a little." Yu said with a faint grin.

"I want in!" Teddie suddenly interjected. "It'll be my second grand victory after the cross dressing pageant! When I grow up, I'm gonna be a singing, dancing magician! Do you wanna see my magic trick? Huh? how about it? Well if you insist!" Without giving anyone the opportunity to utter a single syllable, Teddie popped open his bear suit and started to wiggle around. "Tadaaa! My transformation into a gorgeous prince is complete!"

"All you did was take off your costume." Chie said, unimpressed.

"...Uh." Yu was not sure how to proceed. He did not want to keep enabling Teddie. However, he didn't have to worry about that, because something caught his attention. The sound of a bell, once again. "...?"

"What was that?" Rise asked. She heard it too.

"It sounded like...bells?" Yosuke furrowed his brows.

"it was different than our usual school bell, though, huh?" Chie noticed this as well.

"Oh...!" Yukiko gasped.

"What is it?!" Chie responded instinctively.

"I heard that the Kinjiro Ninomiya statue runs around the schoolyard in the middle of the night!" Yukiko said.

Chie slumped over. She should've known better. "..."

"Besides, we don't have one of those statues here." Rise shrugged.

"It's a common story as one of the school's Seven Horrors." Naoto placed a hand on her hip. "Does this school have its own urban legends?"

"Like I said! The statute runs around the-!"

Yukiko tried, but Chie just wasn't having it. "We don't have one!"

"Oh, but the second one's impressive, too." Yukiko's hands went behind her back. "The eyes of the Mozart bust in the music room glow!"

"All they do is glow!?" Yosuke felt disappointed in this.

"Again, we don't have a statue!" Chie felt like the only sane one here!

And despite that, Yukiko just kept going. "The third one is, 'if you write your wish in the logbook at the Nurse's office, it'll come true."

"Isn't that just a superstition?" Yosuke was growing less and less impressed.

Yukiko continued telling her story. Unfortunately, since they didn't have anything better to do, they listened. "Okay, but here's the main point I wanted to get to."

"So you did have point." For a while there, Kanji thought there wasn't any.

"Can you guess what the sixth one is?" Yukiko asked before going forward. "Whoever hears the bell of the block tower to the end..."

"Uh...we don't have a clock tower here either." Yosuke interrupted. He was beginning to wonder how much of this was just hot air blown about over the years.

"Although, as I recall, supposedly there was one here once." Naoto commented. "I heard it from the principal before."

"Y'know, I think you're right. I'm pretty sure that it was taken down when we were in grade school, though." Chie said. It sounded familiar, but the timeline simply didn't make it relevant.

"So, what happens when you hear the bells to the end?" They made it this far, so Yosuke was curious about it.

"You die." Yukiko said flatly.

"Dude, that's such a cliche!" Yosuke should've known better!

"You breathe your last?" Yukiko tried again.

"Rephrasing it doesn't make it any better!" Yosule grunted.

"Oooooooookay, enough about that story! That bell probably means the post-festival event's starting! Let's go!" Chie would much rather focus on that than the creepy story. So much so, she was the first to leave the room.

Yukiko watched, confused as Chie bolted out of the classroom. "Huh? Chie left..."

"Can't believe anyone our age still gets creeped out by the Seven Horrors stuff." Yosuke just rolled his eyes.

"A-Are you scared?" Kanji asked Naoto.

"Hm? No. Not at all." Naoto shook her head.

"Well, let's get moving..." Yu stood up and stretched. Everyone walked out to the halls of the school. Soon enough, Yu noticed Margaret of all people standing there. "Margaret?" It was rare to actually see her outside of the Velvet Room! "Margaret? What are you doing here?"

"Ah, Yu." Margaret greeted her Guest with a polite smile. "I've been allowed to have a fortune telling booth here. It's just a way to pass the time."

"H-Hey, Senpai! Who's this beautiful lady!? You never told me about her!" Rise's gaze narrowed towards Margaret. The jealousy was rising along with the threat level. How was she just supposed to accept that Yu knew such a beautiful woman!?"

"Me neither! I can just let this slide!" Teddie was upset about the same issue, but for a completely different reason.

"I can explain." Yu said quickly. And he really did have an explanation. All he had to do was explain the Velvet Room and its uses to him. Thanks to the Velvet Room, he was able to use his power as the Wild Card to its full potential.

"Oooh! You mean that place you mentioned before!" Chie nodded. She got it!

"But didn't you say the owner had a long nose?" Yukiko's gaze went towards Margaret's face. Her nose, to be more specific. "...Does it...does it stretch?"

Margaret let out a deep exhale through her nose. "It doesn't stretch, and he was not referring to myself. Yu I'd be curious to know what you've told your friends about us."

"Uh." Yu glanced to the side. This wasn't exactly a meeting he was expecting to happen.

"Oh! Sorry, we're uh..." Yosuke thought it rude to not introduce himself!

"There's no need for introductions. I know about all of you." Margaret said calmly. "That aside, did you jear that sound earlier?"

"That sound?" Kanji asked, but realized Margaret could only really be talking about one thing. "We thought it was the post-festival thing starting."

That was all she needed to hear. "I see. So you did hear it. That sound did not come from reality. I heard it from my fortune telling booth, after all?"

"From your booth?" Naoto didn't see what was so strange about that.

"Though it has no master, the fortune telling room is a simplified Velvet Room." Margaret explained. "The Velvet Room is absolutely inseparable from the Guests' fate. Absolutely nothing meaningless happens there."

"So then, if the sound was heard there, then it was by necessity?" Naoto deduced. It felt like the only logical conclusion.

"Maybe you just dropped a bell or something." Kanji provided a very simple explanation.

"Indeed. Something is happening. Or rather, something is about to begin..." Margaret took Naoto's words into consideration.

"She ignored me..." Kanji grunted.

"Well, I guess all we can do is check out this fortune telling booth." Yosuke crossed his arms, glancing at Yu. "This Velvet Room has been helping you out all this time, right?" Yosuke turned to Yu, who nodded.

"You raise an interesting point. If you all heard the sound, then it must be related to you." Margaret felt this was worth investigating. "Will you please follow me? It's this way?" She started to lead the way towards the booth. Everyone followed.

As they did, Yosuke did have one question tugging at the back of his mind. "So, hey, Yukiko. What's the seventh story?"

"Well..." Yukiko began. "If you've heard the six leading up to it, supposedly, something will appear..."

"What? That sounds like the Hundred Stories!" More like the Seven Disappointments! Yosuke groaned and his tilted his head towards the floor. That's when he noticed something small skittering by his feet, which caused him to jump. "Whoa!?"

"What's wrong?" Yukiko asked with some concern.

"T-There was a spider at my crawling at my feet and...!" Yosuke was frantically looking at the floor around his feet, but... "Huh? It's gone..."

"A spider...?" Yukiko did look at the floor. She didn't see anything, though.

Yosuke decided to shake it off. It was probably nothing... "..It must've just been my imagination. C'mon, let's go..."

[End Flashback.]

"And then, we entered the Velvet Room." Yu explained. "When we did, we ran into Marie, Elizabeth, Theodore, and the those twins. They explained to us what was going on, so we rushed into the labyrinth to help you guys out."

"So that's how you got here. How strange." Hifumi furrowed her brows.

"You had a cross dressing contest at your school?" Ren looked at Yu, Kanji, Teddie, and Yosuke.

"I. Do Not. Want. To. Talk. About It." Yosuke said with horror in his voice.

"And yours truly won the day!" Teddie said proudly.

"...Huh. I know Shujin wouldn't do anything like that." Ren said with a wistful sigh.

"Why are you lookin' so disappointed all of a sudden!?" Ryuji exclaimed at Ren, who did not answer the question.

"So...you also saw a spider?" Makoto looked at Yosuke, who nodded.

"Yeah. At least, I think I did." Yosuke rubbed the back of his neck. "I thought I was seeing things at first. But hearing yours and Minako's stories, I'm starting to think I really did see it. Right after hearing Yukiko's story."

"T-That part isn't the one we need to focus on." Makoto cleared her throat. The fact she faltered just a tiny bit was strange, since she appeared so tough and straight laced. But Yosuke didn't really think anything of it right now either.

"Did anyone of us hear a bell, though?" Ryuji looked to the other Phantom Thieves. "There was so much shit goin' on in the moments before we got trapped here." They were all panicking because the Mona Bus was out of control.

"...I think I heard it." Hifumi's voice was a little uncertain. "It was moments before Morgana sped up. It was very faint, and difficult to hear over everyone's screaming..."

"Now that you mention it." Ren thought back to those final few moments. "I remember hearing it a little bit. I thought that was the sound of everyone being jostled around. I did think it stood out a little bit."

"I thought I was hearing things." Haru admitted. "If I knew it was going to be important, I would've said something sooner!"

"This means everyone here has heard both a bell, and seen a spider. I don't think we can chalk this up to just a mere coincidence." Makoto was trying to make sense of it. There was a connection, but she just couldn't figure it out...

"I think it's safe to assume that there may be some thread between the sound of the bell and the spider." Akechi stroked his chin. "If the Velvet Room is described as a place where nothing meaningless happens, it stands to reason that the bell and the spider are linked in some way. But to what end? That I can't figure out either."

"I wonder what this all could mean." Kasumi had no idea. Anyone could see there was something connecting these events, but they were lacking in details.

"Whatever the case, I do believe we are one step closer to the mystery of this place." Naoto was not going to let such a deduction go to waste.

"If we want uncover the mysteries of this place, I think we should check out the second labyrinth!" Minako suggested.

"Minako-chan is absolutely right!" Teddie waved his arms around.

"Back to our class..." Yosuke gulped. He had a bad, bad feeling about what they were about to see...

.

.

When the large group made their way to the second floor classroom, it was exactly as Yosuke feared. There was a large sign that read 'Group Date Cafe'. "My hunch was right after all!" Yosuke groaned. "Why'd they have to drag out such bad memories."

"No point in dragging our feet." Yusuke said. "We still have three labyrinths left." The numbers still seemed off, but it was all they to go off.

"That should be the case." Zen spoke. "It is also possible that I will regain my memories." Based on how things went with the Queen of Hearts, that was a natural assumption. Although he couldn't help but wonder about Rei's memories...

"If Zen-san's memories return, we might be able to learn something more about this place!" Kasumi was hopeful for that.

"Futaba-chan and I will help you all from the Velvet Room!" Rise did a cute little energetic hop.

"R-Right...! Sure!" Futaba stiffened up a little bit. It was a little intimating working with THE Risette, even if she wasn't currently Risette!

Noticing the stiffness, Rise couldn't help but smile gently. "You don't have to act so formal around me either. It'll be alright!"

Gosh. Rise was so friendly. Futaba would feel a little bad if she let her anxiety get the better of her! "C'mon, Futaba! You can do this!" Futaba had to psyche herself up for this. "Okay! We got this!" With that, the two navigators left for the Velvet Room.

Rei's spirits were mostly high. But the moment they stood in front of the second labyrinth, she felt that fear from before creep up on her. "Zen..."

"Are you scared, Rei?" Zen asked, worriedly.

"I-I'll be okay..." Rei said quietly. "I can do this...I-I'm gonna go back with everyone!"

"Okay, Rei-chan!" Teddie popped up with a big smile. "Repeat after me! Group date, hoooo!"

Rei decided to trust Teddie, lifting a corndog into the air. "G-Group Date, hooo!"

"Is she going to be okay...?" Morgana was understandably worried about Rei...

But worries aside, it was time for them to step into the second labyrinth...

.

.

Within pink Group Date Cafe labyrinth, multiple pairs of footsteps sprinted ahead. All of them were led by a young man with blue hair. They had yet to find an exit, but they weren't going to give in that easily. The blue haired male simply planned to push ahead. An exit was waiting for them, he knew it.

He just didn't know what they would find on the other side...

Chapter Text

Group Date Cafe. The moment the group stepped inside the second labyrinth, they were assaulted by how pink everything was. "Oh, geez! It's so pink!" Skull had one eye shut. The vibrate pink was a lot to the eyes!

"Huh? This doesn't look quite like the actual Group Date Cafe?" Yosuke crossed his arms. How strange...

"This is...kinda cute..." Kanji admitted.

Noir clasped her hands together, giving Kanji a sweet smile. "I was thinking the same thing!"

"R-Really?" Kanji was expecting to be judged for letting such a comment fly, but Noir didn't!

"This guy definitely has the most girl power out of all us." Yosuke said with a slightly annoying grin.

"Hey, that's mean!" Chie narrowed her eyes at Yosuke.

"Like you're one to talk!" Yosuke shot back.

"...Does that mean you can cook?" Rei looked at Kanji expectantly. In fact, Panther was looking at him, too!

"O-Oh yeah, I'm good at that stuff. Cooking, sewing..." Kanji admitted, bashfully.

"Wow! You're very talented, Kanji-kun!" Noir said.

"Good at sewing? Does that mean you are capable of making plushies and the like?" Fox was curious about this! When Kanji gave a hesitant nod, Fox felt inspiration strike! "Ah, perhaps we could collaborate sometime! As an artist, I believe we could make something."

"W-Well, I uh...!" Kanji now felt embarrassed. And to avoid that feeling, he turned to Yosuke with a bit of a glare. "What the hell, man! I've been keeping quiet about that until now! I've got the most man power AND the most girl power!"

"Girl power?" Skull was just confused. But Kanji did have the spirit, which was important.

"A guy who can cook is not something you want to turn your nose at." Minako commented. Her tone suggested that she was speaking from experience.

"Does the man power help you run fast, eat a lot, be loud, not get sick, eat a lot, be tall, and eat a lot?" Rei's rapid fire questions came one after the other.

"That's more like boy power." Yosuke clarified.

"I do have to agree that Kanji has the most man and girl power out of any of us." Yu said this as praise.

"Hell straight!" Kanji placed his hands on his hips, puffing his chest out.

"I believe that was a mix of 'hell yeah' and 'damn straight'." Naoto explained.

"You don't need to explain!" Kanji groaned.

"Ooookay, everyone. I think we're getting a little off track." Queen was going to have to be the one to try and round everyone up. She. Crow, and Noir were currently the only third years present in this group. As such, it felt like she was going to have the task of keeping everyone focused.

"I think you've got your work cut out for you, Queen." Oracle snickered.

"Welcome, stray lambs. This is the second year class 2's display." A mechanical voice cut through the air.

"W-Who said that!?" Dragon looked around, hoping to see anyone, but didn't.

"Hello to everyone, both those I'm meeting for the first time and those I'm not meeting for the first time." The voice spoke. "This display uses state-of-the-art technology to find your destined partner with a few simple questions. You can participate if you wish, or you might choose not to."

"It's speaking as if we have a choice...but I know we don't." Joker put his hands in his coat pockets.

"So, we're going to find out who our destined partners are...!" Rei turned to Zen immediately. "Zen! Hey, Zen!"

"What is it?" Zen turned to Rei attentively.

Suddenly, Rei felt nervous. To hide it, she started munching on a few corn dogs. "A-About my destined partner...Wh-Who do you think it is? Who could it be...?"

"We'll find that out in this display, won't we?" Zen asked, completely unaware of what Rei was hinting at.

Rei just groaned. Would he ever get the hint!? "Geez, you dummy!"

"Dummy?" Why?" Zen was just confused.

Teddie saw an opening. "Rei-chan! Look! Your destined partner is right here!"

"Huh?! Where?!" Rei looked around, but she only saw Zen. "Maybe it's Zen after all!?"

"No, it's me!" Teddie interjected.

"No it isn't." Rei was so dismissive of Teddie, he couldn't help but collaspe to the ground.

"Shot down...!" Teddie whined.

"Teddie-san is...um." Violet was trying to find the right words.

"Yeah. We know." Chie knew what Violet was trying to say.

"Huh? Hey..." Rise suddenly chimed in. "I think there are people in here..."

"People?" Mona turned to Rise's hologram. "What do you mean?"

"I'm picking up readings of people a little bit further in! There's a small group...!" Rise reported.

Suddenly, Minako's eyes lit up. "That has to be my friends! I knew they were in here somewhere!"

"In that case, we can't afford to waste any time." Crow finally spoke. "If they were thrown into this world as haphazardly as you were, the chances are they could be in danger, even with their numbers."

"Mm!" Minako nodded. "We've gotta hurry! Oh, but carefully." She knew that rushing would be problematic. "Hang on, guys. I'm coming for you!" Minako did end up rushing a little ahead, but she didn't go beyond the pink door that stood in her path. It was a double sided door, with pink silhouettes of a boy and girl facing away from each other. "That's one heck of a door."

"Wise idea stopping, Minako-chan!" Rise said. "I'm picking up a few Shadows behind that door."

"Come to think of it, we've got a much larger group now." Dragon took a look at their numbers. "It might be a bit of a mess if we all try to fight at the same time, unless it's a very dangerous enemy. We aren't familiar with how we do combat, and we might get in each other's way."

"Such a thing is common with large groups. Especially since we've only just met." Crow said.

"I think we should stick to small groups when fighting. If there is a split in a path, we can also break off and cover more ground." Dragon suggested.

"I think that's a good idea." Fox then produced several notebooks. "Zen was kind of enough to make us a makeshift map. Although we have to fill it in ourselves, I thought it would be better if I made some for everyone. This way, we can keep track of our locations."

"Rare win for Inari! Good going!" Oracle thought this was a good idea.

"Not a bad plan." Yu nodded in agreement to this. "Until we get used to one another, we should keep it simple. If someone gets hurt, we can tag out."

"That's called passing the baton." Mona said smugly. "A technique we use to pass momentum one way or another."

"Passing the baton? I want to try it..." Yukiko admitted.

"How about we test it out with this next battle?" Joker suggested. "If we're going to be grouping up, it means I'm not going to be involved in every battle." This was something Joker, Yu, and Minako were all used to as respective leaders. "Dragon and Queen, you should go with Chie, Yosuke, and Kanji."

"We don't usually fight a battle without our Leader." Chie did feel a little nervous about it.

"It'll be alright!" Dragon gave Chie a reassuring smile.

"You can trust Dragon. She lives for this stuff!" Ryuji gave such a wide grin.

"Y-You're making me sound like some battle maniac..." Dragon said with a sweat drop. "I just give it my all when I fight. I do my best to ensure that nobody gets hurt. That's my strength. I will be everyone's shield!"

"That's very admirable of you." Yukiko did smile.

"I didn't get a good look of what you guys could do earlier. So I'm pretty curious to see what you can do!" Yosuke said. Since they were battling the Card Soldiers in Wonderland, they were more focused on that than anything else.

"You can count on me to lay the smackdown!" Kanji nodded.

"I'll do my best, too!" Chie said excitedly. She was prepared to whip out her kung fu skills.

"Alright then." Queen placed her hands on the doors. "Is everyone ready? The five of us will go first."

"Let's go!" Chie nodded. With that, the five chosen pushed open the doors...

.

What waited for Dragon, Queen, Chie, Yosuke, and Kanji on the other side of the door were three Shadows: two Lustful Snakes and a Tranquil Idol. Unfamiliar faces to the Phantom Thieves, but not for Minako or the Investigation Team. "Those snakes give me strange vibes..." Dragon shuddered, but she shook her head and placed her hand on her mask.

"Don't I know it?" Yosuke felt the same way. But there was a part of him that wanted to impress, so he was the first one to strike. With a flip, he called forth Jiraya. "Jiraya! Hit 'em with Garu!" Jiraya flew forward towards a Lustful Snake, a powerful force of wind following its movements. The Lustful Snake was pushed back slightly, but the wind didn't seem to damage them that much. "Huh? That usually does just fine!"

"Looks like these guys are weak to fire and light! They resist wind and electricity!" Oracle revealed.

"That's completely different from back home! What the heck!?" Yosuke thought familiar faces meant familiar weaknesses, but that wasn't the case.

"Yosuke, look out!" Chie warned.

In his moment of mild frustration, he just barely noticed the Lustful Snake he attacked now coming for its revenge. The Lustful Snake coiled its body and thrust its sharp tail forward. Yosuke managed to jump back a few times to avoid it. The sharp tail had a strange glow to it, and Yosuke was not looking to find out what that meant for him. "Whoa...!" Yosuke thought he was in trouble for a moment, but the next strike was intercepted by Queen's fist.

"HAAAH!" Queen not only blocked the strike with one hand, but with her other, she punched the Lustful Snake far away!

"Whoa..." Yosuke was at a loss for words.

"What a punch!" Chie, on the other hand, was highly impressed. Because of that, she didn't want to fall behind. She locked eyes with the other Tranquil Idol and lunged at it, spinning around to kick it square in the face. "Watah!" Quite an effective hit at that, as the Lustful Snake was pushed back.

"Take-Mikazuchi!" Kanji summoned his Persona, taking aim at the Tranquil Idol. Take-Mikazuchi fired off a bolt of lightning at the Tranquil Idol. It was a direct hit, however, it didn't feel like a lot of damage was dealt. "Looks like that one didn't change..." He grunted, but that was far from enough to discourage him. The Tranquil Idol retaliated by spinning around in a clockwise motion. This created a powerful twister that struck the five present. Yosuke and his resistance to wind were able to hold ground without issue. Queen, Dragon, and Chie slid back slightly from the impact. Kanji tried to hold his ground, but his weakness to wind meant he was knocked off his feet. "Damn...!" And the Tranquil Idol planned to capitalize on this, aiming a potent Garula in his direction. Kanji's eyes were wide and he braced for impact, however...

"Aegis!" Dragon was in front of Kanji with Belle Star. Belle Star's shield absorbed the impact of the Garula, although Dragon did noticable wince from this. She looked back to Kanji. "Are you alright?"

"I should be asking you that...!" Kanji said. He wasn't expecting Dragon to be able to protect him like that. "That was a hard hit. Thank you, but-!"

"No need for thanks." Dragon shook her head. "My Persona specializes in defense and counter attacks! I absorb and mitigate damage and then...!" She pointed her finger forward, Belle Star's sword shining brightly. "I strike back twofold! Go forth, mighty blade Excalibur!" Belle Star few forward, spinning around to slash the Tranquil Idol for a powerful hit! The Tranquil Idol was knocked from such a mighty impact.

"Whoa. You're awesome, Hi...Er, Dragon-senpai!" Kanji had to quickly correct himself. The codename thing was going to take him some time to get to. "Is there anything you can't defend against?"

"Well, I don't do so well against Fire..." Dragon admitted. She kept her eyes on the Tranquil Idol, and right after she said that, it did unleash a potent blast of fire towards her. "...!"

But this was Kanji's time to act. He took his weapon, a folding chair, and used it to swat at the ball of fire coming their way. It wasn't exactly an easy feat, but he managed to deflect it. "Whew! That was a close one."

"K-Kanji-kun!?" Dragon blinked in surprise.

"You just said you ain't good with fire, right? You don't gotta take every hit by yourself!" Kanji flexed an arm. "So you can leave it to me, too!"

Admittedly, that was something Hifumi did struggle a little bit with. She just wanted to protect her friends, even if it did come at her own wellbeing. More allies meant more people to protect, but it did not cross her mind that it meant more people to protect her as well. "I...Thank you..."

"Let's try this one more time! Jiraya!" Yosuke summoned Jiraya beside him, and his Persona twisted its body around, unleashing a potent gust of wind that struck the two Lustful Snakes. Of course this did nothing to damage them, but he was setting something else up.

"I see the opening! Come, Johanna!" Queen ran forward as her mask burned off. With a quick flip, she summoned Johanna, riding forward on it.

"WHOA!?" Chie's eyes went wide. This was the first time she properly saw Johanna, so imagine her surprise a bike of all things!

"Holy crap! That's a Persona!?" Kanji's jaw dropped.

"No way, dude. That's a friggin' bike!" Yosuke said in shock. Queen had cool martial arts AND she had a sick motorcycle for a Persona!? Queen was cool as hell!

Queen spun around on Johanna, dropping down a small orb of Frei down on the Lustful Idol. It was a powerful hit and left it open. "Got it!"

"What kind of magic was that...?" Chie had a curious expression. That was foreign to the likes of the Investigation Team.

Dragon saw her opening. "Alright...this is the first time I'm summoning a different Persona. It feels off, but...!" Summoning a Persona that wasn't strictly her own was foreign. It made her nervous, but she had to trust in her power along with its own. "Come to me, Valkyrie!" Blue flames burned away Dragon's mask and she summoned Valkyrie to battle! The warrior galloped forward on her horse, passing by the two Lustful Snakes while slashing them. It was a direct hit, and after that, red chains appeared on the Lustful Snakes. "Huh?"

"Did you do something to them?" Yosuke asked.

"Oh, this is new..." Rise mumbled. "This is a new status I haven't seen before! It looks like if they attack you while they're like this, they won't even do any damage to you!"

"I'll call that Strength Binding!" Oracle remarked.

"I'll show them some strength!" Chie spun around, kicking at the tarot card that summoned Tomoe. With this opening, Tomoe flew forward, spinning around with her blade to slash and cut down the weakened enemies. "Got 'em!"

"Niiiiice job, Chie-senpai!" Kanji exclaimed. "That's a win for us!"

"How did it feel?" Yu asked. With the coast clear, the others decided to step in.

"It was definitely a little strange to fight without you." Yosuke admitted. Ever since he obtained his Persona, he'd been fighting with Yu the longest. Fighting with others felt off, but not impossible. "But it wasn't all bad. I think I could get used to this."

"What was that magic you were using, Queen?" That held Naoto's attention. "I haven't seen anything like it."

"Actually, I've been wondering the same thing myself." Minako admitted. "Queen and Noir use magic I'm not familiar with at all."

"Really?" Noir tilted her head. "I use Psy magic! It's useful for drawing enemies in and capitalizing on ailments like confusion!" She was happy to explain to those unaware.

"Meanwhile, the Nuke magic I use is suited to strike physical ailments, like burn or shock." Queen exclaimed.

"NUKE!? Yosuke's eyes nearly popped out of his head. That type of magic felt so...so extreme!

"It's not that kind of nuke!" Queen waved her hands, trying to wave away Yosuke's concern.

"I admittedly did not consider our new allies here would be unfamiliar with magic we are used to." Crow said while stroking his chin. "I suppose this means, unless they have a suitable Sub-Persona, they will not be able to target enemies with those weaknesses...and that they will be vulnerable to such attacks as well."

"Something we'll have to keep note of going forward." Naoto said. Knowing what to look out for.

"I have a question." Yukiko turned to the Thieves. "Why do your masks burn away when you use your Persona?" It was something she noticed.

"The masks are our symbols of rebellion." Mona explained, despite not having a mask himself. "In order to awaken, you have to pry the mask off of yourself. Everyone here has awakened due to some kind of rebellion in their heart."

"That sounds cool..." Rise said.

"So it's like facing yourself in a way." Yu nodded.

"...I have another question." Yukiko now turned to Minako. "How do you use your Persona?"

"Oh, with this!" Minako held out her Evoker with a smile.

"Y...You use a gun?" Chie proceeded to sweat.

"It's so cool." Rei added.

"Yup!" Minako nodded. "I think I'll let my friends explain when we find them, though. Mitsuru can put it into words better than I can. Oh, right! Speaking of! Oracle! Rise! Are you still picking up those readings?"

"Yup!" Rise confirmed. "All 10 readings are faint, but I feel them! Actually, I think they're moving up to this floor...?"

"10...?" Minako furrowed her brows. "...Did they accidently get sucked in with other people...?" She shook it off. "Let's keep moving! We can meet them!"

.

.

With the Shadows behind them, the group continued on the only path they could. The next room they came into had numerous black spikes all over it. "Whoa!" Yosuke was the first one to comment on this. "What're these spikes...?"

"Oh! They look like floors that hurt you from video games!" That was the first thing that came to Oracle's mind.

"A bit of a niche example..." Yosuke mumbled. But Oracle wasn't wrong.

"It's inconvenient at best. But we don't really know what they might do to you, so I think it's best to avoid them entirely." That was Oracle's suggestion.

"We should take the shortest distance across! Let's go!" Teddie exclaimed.

"But this is clearly a trap. We shouldn't be so eager to..." Naoto tried, but...

It was already by the time she spoke, Teddie was already rushing ahead. "W-W-What!? But it's already too late to stop!" In his efforts to try and slow himself down, he grabbed Joker and Crow's hands. But he had too much momentum and ended up dragging them, and knocking a few of the others into the spikes. "Waaaagh!"

"Ow!" Violet winced on instinct.

"Hey, Teddie!" Yosuke glared towards the bear. "Didn't you hear the part about being PRUDENT and WALKING AROUND!?"

"Teddie-san." Crow held a pleasant smile. But even he couldn't hide his irritation from Teddie's actions. "I hope you are more mindful in the future about your surroundings." He was barely holding it together. This annoying, stupid bear...! No, no. It's fine. He took a deep breath and managed to calm himself. "Please."

"I...I'm beary sorry." Teddie pouted, fully aware of his mistake.

"...Surprisingly, I do not feel injured at all." Fox noted, taking a look at his clothes. No real tears in them either. "But I do feel a little tired, suddenly."

"So you sensed it too, Fox..." Naoto tipped her hat at the observation. "It's much like the fatigue I feel after summoning my Persona."

"It looks like everyone's lost a little bit of stamina..." Rise reported.

"I see..." Queen furrowed her brows a little bit. "I understand the logic behind it. First the spikes exhaust us, and then the enemies strikes."

"How devious." Dragon grumbled. What a dirty trick...! They continued walking until they reached a chained door. There were two cupids on either side of it. It was a hard stop.

"...What the hell? Can we even go this way?" Skull asked.

"There may be a trick to it. This could also be an enemy trap." Naoto was on her toes. She didn't trust anything from this labyrinth. Everything could be a trap as far as she was concerned.

"Welcome, stray lambs. This is a Selection Room of Destiny." The mechanical voice from before returned.

"The creepy voice is back." Chie shuddered.

"Are we back to 'finding your destined partner' again?" Yukiko tilted her head.

"Questions of destiny will be presented for you to answer with your intuition, or however you feel like. There will be multiple questions. Answer them all, and you will be united with your destined partner." The mechanical voice said.

"W-Wait, isn't this moving a bit too fast?" Dragon said with a sweat drop.

"Let us begin. Question 1: Does a difference in age or sex not matter as long as their is love." The voice did not listen. Instead, it went ahead with the first question.

"I don't think the sex matters..." Dragon responded absentmindedly. But realizing she did, she covered her mouth. With how the question was phrased, she unintentionally slipped into interview mode. Before she could saw anything else, the chains around the door vanished and the door was unlocked.

"I was prepared to answer, but..." Joker shrugged.

"I...I didn't mean to answer that! It was automatic!" Dragon panicked a bit.

"Automatic?" Yu asked.

"Dragon is a well-known Shogi player." Crow said, calmly. "As such, she is often subject to interviews and questions and the like. I know exactly how that is. Sometimes when you are asked a question, you answer automatically."

Dragon's cheeks were red and she placed her hands on them. "I'm so embarrassed."

"Can I answer questions, too!?" Teddie had a gleam in his eyes. "If we keep going, I can finally find my destined princess!"

"I don't think we should answer these questions separately." Queen did not like that idea. And unfortunately, Dragon already offered herself up.

"It did say question one." Skull pointed out. "Since ya already answered, I think you'll have to be the one to answer the rest of 'em."

"Agh..." Dragon was so embarassed!

Panther was twirling her finger around one of her twin tails. "So the sex doesn't matter..." She found herself thinking. When she realized this, her cheeks turned red.

"Good luck, Dragon. May you answer every question with your heart." Fox supported this.

"What about me!? What about my search for Ms. Right?" Teddie whined. But he was largely ignored.

"Don't worry, I think I can answer them. It shouldn't be a problem." Joker told Dragon, who let out a sigh of relief.

"Whoa! Whoa! Before you go through that door!" Oracle suddenly exclaimed. "Big FOE reading in there! And there's...a lot going on in that room!"

"A lot going on...?" Yukiko asked.

"It's them!" Minako had to forgo caution. If her friends were in there fighting that FOE, she had to help them. So, Minako quickly rushed into the doors, with everyone following after her.

"Minako, wait...!" Zen tried to stop her. Because Rei was concerned for Minako, she followed. And he had to follow Rei to make sure she wasn't hurt!

Minako pushed the doors open and was met with one hell of a sight. She saw the F.O.E in question; the Messenger of Love. A cupid atop a horse, both colored gold. It was huge and threatening, but that wasn't caught her attention. The Messenger of Love was shooting arrows at something! When she followed its target, she saw a familiar face! Yukari just barely dodged to the side of the incoming arrows, sliding to the the side with a sweat drop. Yukari was dressed a little differently than Minako remembered; she was still in her pink cardigan and all, but with a few bits of added equipment as well. "Yukari...!"

Yukari didn't hear Minako. She was too focused on the enemy in front of her. "What's with this thing!?" Yukari grit her teeth, pointing her Evoker at her forehead and firing. "Io!" Io appeared in front of Yukari releasing a Garu in the Messenger of Love's direction. It wasn't an effective hit. and she was starting to feel the strain from how weakened Personas were here.

"...!" Minako gripped her naginata and started to rush forward. She was going to protect Yukari! At least, that's what her plan was, but she came to a halt when the other members of S.E.E.S jumped into the fray.

"Woof!" Koromaru snarled while Cerberus was summoned. Cerberus sprinted forward to claw at the Messenger of Love, succeeding in grabbing its attention. It was hard to tell how much damage it did. Koromaru then growled while glaring at the Messenger of Love. Sparks of lightning started to appear around the Messenger of Love before it released a Mazio towards Yukari and Koromaru.

"If it's a fight you want, it's a fight you'll get! Polydeuces!" Akihiko summoned Polydeuces in front of of him, who planned to counter the Mazio with a Zio of his own.

"Nemesis!" Ken shot his Evoker and threw his arm forward. Nemesis appeared alongside Polydeuces, also firing off a bolt of lighting to clash with the Mazio. Together, the two of them were able to fend off the FOE's attacks, but they were still pushed back due to the sheer difference in power. "It's so strong...!"

"Ken, Akihiko...!" Minako's expression lit up to see more of her friends. And, strangely enough, they too were dressed a little differently than how she remembered. They were still wearing their usual Tartarus outfits, but they had some added equipment to it... But, the thing that caught her attention the most was. "Polydeuces?!"

"Keep pushing, we can knock it back!" Akihiko exclaimed.

"Hermes!" Junpei was up next, using Hermes speed to take the Messenger of Love by surprise. Hermes flew forward, cloaking itself in flames to crash right into the Messenger of Love. This was an effective hit as the Messenger of Love nearly toppled over as a result. "Homerun!"

Aigis saw her chance and jumped forward. "Palladion!" Palladion flew ahead to slam into the Messenger of Love, following up on Junpei's attack. The Messenger of Love slid back even further, but it recovered quickly.

"Holy shit!" Skull's jaw dropped. The others were only watching, because they weren't sure when they could even intervene. "Is that an effin' robot!?"

"I told you that Aigis wasn't like other girls!" Minako smiled.

"YA KINDA FAILED TO MENTION THE BIG THING!" Skull shouted.

The Messenger of Love was fast to counter attack. It then took its bow and began to fire right into the air, releasing a flurry of arrows. "Incoming!" Yukari knew she had no chance in trying to outshoot this thing. Instead, she focused on blowing away as many arrows as she could with Io and Garu.

"Penthesilea!" Mitsuru knew what she had to do. She summoned Penthesilea who flew forward, using her swords to elegantly cut down whatever arrows Yukari missed. With this display of teamwork, they were able to weather the arrow storm. Penthesilea then fired off a bBufu at the feet of the Messenger of Love, gluing its steed's feet to the floor.

"That's one of its weaknesses!" Fuuka reported from the backline. She was safely within Lucia

"Aragaki!" Mitsuru turned her head to signal the man himself. The one that Minako did not bring up...Shinjiro Aragaki. The tall coat wearing third year who wielded a large hammer as his weapon.

"W-Wha...?" Minako's eyes were now wide for a number of reasons. "Aragaki-san...!?"

"CASTOR!" Shinjiro pressed his Evoker to his temple and fired. Castor galloped into existence, hitting the partially frozen Messenger of Love with a mighty impact. Shinjiro's attack was so great, the Messenger of Love actually fell over.

"Yuki!" Misturu exclaimed.

"..!" Minako acted on instinct. That was her cue to act and she started to sprint forward, finally prepared to help her friends. Although, after she took a few steps, she realized something horrifying. Mitsuru wasn't calling for her. Minako's eyes noticed another person leap into the fray. A young man with short blue hair and a sword in hand. He was in the middle of a flip, currently upside down as his Evoker was pressed to his temple. The words that followed shocked the bystanders watching.

"Orpheus!" With a click of the trigger, Orpheus appeared beside the young man. Unlike Minako's, however, this version of Orpheus was fittingly a man. Orpheus released a streak of flame towards the Messenger of Love, consuming it within fire and flames.

"W-Wh..." Minako had no words. "How does he have...!?"

"What...?" Even Yu was surprised by this. He gathered that the Personas of Joker and Minako were their Fool Personas, which were distinctively unique. No two people could have the same Persona! And yet...!

"Who is that guy...?" Joker wondered.

The Messenger of Love was down. Noticing this, Junpei turned to the blue haired male. "Yo, Minato! Is this it!?"

"Yeah." Minato nodded. "Let's go!" And with that, the members of SEES leapt at the Messenger of Love for an All Out Attack! A cloud of smoke appeared from how fierce they were attacking, and then all leapt back after. The Messenger of Love was down on the ground...and after a few seconds, it picked itself back up with a roar.

"No way!" Yukari gasped.

"I-It still has so much stamina left!" Fuuka winced. "And we're starting to run low..."

"How strong is this thing!?" Junpei began to worry a bit.

"They need help." Crow stated. The time to be bystanders was now long gone.

"I got it." Joker sprinted forward while digging into his coat. He had a smoke ball on hand, and he threw it at the Messenger of Love. SEES was surprised when a sudden cloud of smoke appeared around their enemy.

"What the hell was that?" Shinjiro turned to the direction of the smoke ball, only to see a large crowd of people nearby. "Huh? There are people here."

"No time for questions! Just get behind this door with us!" Joker said, motioning to the way they came.

"I'm not going to ask question!" Yukari could clearly see they were getting bailed out. As such, she made sure to make a hasty escape with everyone else...

.

.

On the other side of the door, Junpei had his hands on his knees, panting heavily. "Whew...! Wow. That was rough."

Rei, being the nice girl she was, decided to use her powers to heal Junpei. "Are you alright?"

"Whoa!" Junpei was surprised that such a cute girl appeared. "Thank you. You're a sweetheart and cute to boot! But I have to warn you, my heart is already set on another." With the way he spoke, he did draw Zen's attention. That cold glare did make him stiffen up.

"Thank you..." Yukari was appreciative for the sudden intervention.

"Yukari! You guys!" Minako stepped forward with a smile. "I'm so glad to see you're all okay! I was so worried about you! Where did you get your clothes? They look cool! And Aragaki-san, you're..."

"..." There was an awkward tension as Minako spoke so happily to SEES. She was so familiar with them, but there was one question lingering in the air.

"I'm sorry, but..." Mitsuru began, her eyes drifting towards the SEES armband that Minako wore. "Who are you?"

Minako's heart sank. Mitsuru was not the joking type, but she couldn't believe what she just heard either ."H-Huh? Mitsuru...what kind of question...?"

"Why are her friends being so cold...?" Noir rubbed her arm. This was the second time Minako ran into someone she knew, but they didn't know her!

"I...I don't think this is intentional..." Dragon did not sense any malice in Mitsuru's question.

Minako was not going to be able to stew in her shock for long. The awkward tension that was starting to fill the air, because Minato stepped forward, his blue eyes locking with Minako's red ones. The two stared at each other for a moment, both seemingly in shock and awe. There was a feeling between the two of them that they couldn't explain, but it felt familiar. Too familiar.

The words that followed came from the both of them...

"Are you...me...?"

Chapter Text

"I'm sorry, but who are you?"

Those words cut deep into Minako. As the large group returned to Yasogami High, Minako lingered behind. Mitsuru's question dug into her soul. The unfamiliar stares from such friendly faces caused her heartbeat to increase rapidly. She could barely hear anything. Too many questions. Who was Minato? Why did he have Orpheus? Why did her friends not recognize her?

"Are you sure we should be going back with them?" Yukari was pretty skeptical about this. Sure, they were thrown into a strange world. But that didn't mean they should be trusting the first people they saw! They could be enemies for all they knew!

"They are Persona users, and they risked their lives for us. If it weren't for them, we might not have survived the encounter against the Shadow." Mitsuru responded. Yukari couldn't exactly argue with that, but her expression told the story that she didn't like it.

"...Even so. Don't you think this is just waaaay too suspicious?" Yukari's eyes fell onto Minako, who ended up catching her gaze and quickly turning away. Yukari had many questions. She'd never seen that girl in her life, and yet she had a SEES armband and an Evoker! But she was missing the special gear she and the others were using. "What do you think, Minato?"

"...I think we should trust them for now." Minato responded. Minako felt too familiar to him. This wasn't just something he could let go, either. He needed to figure out why this was.

"There are way too many unknowns. We need to get our bearings straight." Akihiko stated. He understood Yukari's objections, but it was in their best interests to understand the situation around them first and foremost.

"I thought we were helping her reunite with her friends..." Yosuke rubbed the back of his neck. This entire situation was so confusing.

"Something strange is going on." Akechi furrowed his brows. "The way she described them and how we see them now is also different." They stepped out of Group Date Cafe, the now large group practically filling the hallways of Yasogami High.

"It's not just them..." Yukiko placed a hand on her cheek, eying Minako. She really was trying to remember seeing her, but she just couldn't. "Earlier, she said she recognized me as well, but I just can't remember meeting her."

"From how it sounds, that was two years ago for you." Chie crossed her arms. "Are you sure you don't remember?" In response, Yukiko just shook her head.

"Whoa, it really is a high school!" Junpei was in shock. He didn't recognize this place either!

"We were in a Class display this whole time?" Ken had not seen the inside of a high school. Especially during a culture festival, so this was a lot for him to take in.

Ren looked to the members of SEES and Minako. This felt like it was about to be an uncomfortable conversation. "Where do we even begin with this?"

"She spoke about her friends so highly. But they don't seem to know her. And there's him..." Hifumi took a look at Minato. "I know she's not lying. And I also know they aren't either."

"Erm. So...what does this mean? In basic terms?" Chie poked her fingers together. She was totally lost and felt a little embarrassed about it.

"I'd like to know, too." Rei said while looking at Minako. There was a faint sadness on the girl's face she couldn't help but empathize with.

"Hrm..." Minako tossed her arms up in the air. "This is a pickle. As Junpei would put it "This sounds like a case even an Ace Detective like myself can't solve!"

"Whoa! You know my trademark gag!?" Junpei gasped.

"Er...what is that supposed to mean?" Ren asked.

"Ah, never mind him." Yukari waved a dismissive hand. It'd be a big waste of time and energy for a whole lot of nothing."

"I think it applies now more than ever!" Junpei exclaimed. "Such a wet blanket. Even an Ace Detective like me could never figure you out, Yuka-tan!"

"Ugh. What a tryhard." Yukari rolled her eyes.

"Erm..." Ken could only shake his head. "I'm sorry, I really am trying my best to remember. But I don't think I've seen you before. After Ken said this, Koromaru also whined.

"I don't think she's a bad person." Fuuka said to the others.

Aigis stared at Minako pretty hard. Minako stared back. "...I cannot explain it. But I have the same feeling with Minako-san that I do with Minato-san."

"Aigis...?" Minato looked at Aigis with a curious brow.

"Is she about to confess her love...!?" Junpei gasped. Everyone knew how focused Aigis could be when it came to Minato, so...!

"Are you serious right now? They just met!" Yukari pinched the bridge of her nose.

"She hugged him when they first met!" Junpei countered.

"...I want to protect you." Aigis told Minako. "Is that alright?"

"Aigis? I, um..." Minako wasn't sure how to respond at first. It was a little sudden, but nostalgic as well. So she came to smile and nodded. "I'd like that..."

"Before we go any further, we should introduce ourselves." Makoto said. "Although we do know who most of you are because of Minako, she didn't mention you..." Her gaze turned to Shinjiro. Minako, however, glanced away at the topic. Clearly the girl had a lot on her mind and rightfully so.

"Huh? Wonder why that is." Shinjiro rubbed the back of his neck. "Name's Shinjiro Aragaki." His introduction was short.

"Nice to meet you-ho!" Ren said.

"ME EAT YOU WHOLE." Yu said in a bit of a lower tone.

"I am in your care." Minako and Minato said at the same time.

"W...What's happening..." Rise proceeded to sweat.

"Um...are you all using some sort of code...?" Naoto was trying to make sense of it.

"Whoa...they're so in sync..." Rei said while munching on a corndog. She looked at Zen, wondering if they could be like that...

"I wonder why that is." Zen said curiously. Minako, Ren, Yu, and Minato were all from different times, and yet they were able to connect with one another.

"Oh, are y'all already on the same wavelength?" Meanwhile, Ryuji just found this oddly natural. "Cuz, man, you know...I've been thinkin' about it since we all met. There's something real similar between you four. I guess it's just the sort of vibe you got from being Wild Cards?"

After that, everyone introduced themselves properly. They even went over the situation with Rei and Zen.

"..." Futaba was trying too hard not to stare at Yukari. That was HER! Feather Pink! But she wasn't Feather Pink at the same time. "H-Hi..." Futaba was struggling to contain her excitement while also trying not to break the timeline somehow. Based on what Minako said, Yukari was nowhere near Feather Pink status yet. She couldn't spoil that!

"Hello!" Yukari was polite to greet Futaba with a smile. Still, she did notice the internal struggle the girl was undergoing. "Are you alright?"

"Y-Yup! Totally fine!" Futaba forced a smile. She wanted to ask for an autograph, but that wouldn't make any sense. "It's just...really nice to meet you!"

"She's struggling to hold it all in so bad..." Ren noticed.

"I can explain it..." Yusuke said without really thinking about it.

"CAN IT, INARI!" Futaba suddenly exclaimed. He would NOT ruin this for her!

"So...can we ask about the robot?" Ryuji stared at Aigis, still shocked that a robot could have a Persona!

"My name is Aigis." Aigis responded firmly. "I am the last in of the Anti-Shadow Suppression weapons."

"A robot made specifically to fight Shadows..." Futaba was trying to wrap her head around that. From what they learned about Personas, one had to have a strong heart and confront their inner self for that...

"I had no idea such a thing was possible." Morgana crossed his arms. He considered himself an expert in all things Persona and Metaverse related! But clearly, the existence of Aigis was something far beyond his knowledge. It kind of irritated him, but at the same time, such an ally to have was incredible.

"That's insane..." Kanji was also having trouble figuring that out. It was cool, but also surreal! "And the dog...?" His eyes went to Koromaru, who sat on the floor listening to everyone talk.

"This is Koromaru!" Ken explained and Koromaru greeted everyone with a bark.

"So..." Mitsuru closed her eyes, absorbing the information that they were given. "We have all been drawn into this strange world, and only by entering these labyrinths can we escape?"

"At the bottom of the previous labyrinth, we found something that restored Zen's memories." Ren explained. "With the other three labyrinths, we believe that we will encounter the same results."

"And then we can get out of here!" Rei lifted a hand up She had a donut in it. Koromaru stared at Rei's hand, tail wagging. Rei thought about kneeling down to give it to him, but Zen stopped her.

"You probably shouldn't do that." Zen shook his head.

"Awwww..." Rei sighed and Koromaru whined.

"Before we continue on." Minato found his gaze shifting to Minako once again. "I would like to figure out what's going on with her and me. I feel like...this isn't the first time we've met."

"You, too?" Minako had that same feeling. "I mean, even though we've never seen each other before...I don't feel like you're a stranger to me."

"Is SHE about to confess her love!?" Junpei said.

"Give it a rest, will you?!" Yukari groaned.

It was at that moment that Elizabeth appeared. "Ah, I see you have arrived safely, Minato! I was alerted to your presence."

Minato turned to see Elizabeth. His expression did have a bit of a deadpan when he saw her in the pink colors. "..Hello, Elizabeth. What are you wearing...?"

"I have undertaken the role of school nurse while we are here." Elizabeth replied with a smile. "If you need anything, you can just come to me. Especially if it's just a checkup..."

"You got that from Theo's book, didn't you!" Minako exclaimed.

"How did you know?" Elizabeth let out an exaggerated sigh. "But now that you are here, there is something I would like to discuss with you. It is the matter of Minako."

"Me?" Minako pointed to herself.

"Do you have an idea as to why nobody seems to recognize her?" Yu asked.

"Nothing concrete or satisfactory." Elizabeth admitted. "But there is no denying that you two are essentially one and the same. Your names serve as a starting point."

"They sound like they could be related." Ryuji commented. "Minako and Minato Yuki. They sound like siblings!"

"But I'm an only child." Both Minako and Minako responded at the same time.

"...I lost my parents in an accident when I was young." Minako explained.

"Me too..." Minato replied.

"That's a little...creepy." Rise wasn't calling them creepy, but the situation. The coincidences were lining up a little too nicely.

"The most telling thing, however, is your Persona." Elizabeth continued. "You both have Orpheus. Even in this world where the Wild Card's power has been changed, Orpheus remains at the core of both of you. Furthermore, Minako knows of your friends, but she does not know you. There is only one logical conclusion to be drawn from this information: Minako comes from a separate reality than everyone here."

"WHAT!?" That was a surprised reaction from a number of people.

"What's logical about that!?" Kanji could not wrap his head around the idea of another reality. "TV worlds, Shadows, and everything else makes sense. But a separate reality!?"

"Is it really so strange?" Elizabeth tilted her head. "There is no other way to explain the situation before us. Does my Guest exist in your world, Minako?"

"No..." Minako shook her head. "I've seen everyone else from SEES except for him."

"Wait." Hifumi looked towards Elizabeth. "Are you implying that Minako and Minato are...the same person but from a different world?"

"That is the conclusion I was leading you all towards, yes." Elizabeth was calm about this.

"...This is crazy." That's all Yukari could say. At least, that's how she felt at first. "But...it's weird. When you bring it up, I do feel like I've met her before." Even Aigis said she wanted to protect Minako. Was this feeling shared between all of them.

"Woof!" Koromaru barked.

"Koromaru-san says that Minako feels familiar as well." Aigis translated.

"...Wait. Did she just translate for the dog?" Yosuke felt crazy.

"You can understand him?" Chie felt the same way.

"I cannot understand him. But I am simply giving words to his emotions." Aigis explained. That didn't really satisfy anyone, however.

"He just wants to communicate with us." Yukiko said with a faint smile. She knelt down and gave Koromaru a few gentle pets, which he responded to with a wagging tail. "And he's adorable...!"

"I'm adorable too, right!?" Teddie tried to butt in. Something about Koromaru getting attention made him jealous!

"C'mon, have some dignity, won't you?" Morgana rolled his eyes. "Besides, I'm the most handsome one here between the three of us."

"We're not having that conversation right now." Chie decided to be the one to put a pin it in it. Mostly because after Yukiko was done petting Koromaru, she gave him a few as well. Kanji looked on in silent jealously, unable to muster the courage to ask Koromaru to pet him just yet.

"So...we're the same person?" Minako rubbed her arm. That was a lot of information to take in...

"Normally, your paths would never cross, and for good reason." Elizabeth took a seat, one leg crossed over the other. "However, this world has drawn in numerous Persona Users from different times and different worlds. All of them linked by the Velvet Room, and as we know, nothing meaningless happens in there."

"I wonder why I'm here..." Minako mumbled. She felt out of place, even among familiar faces.

"While we're on that subject. "Minato-san, would you answer a question for us?" Naoto looked to Minato, who put his hands in his pockets.

"Depends on what it is. If I have an answer, I'll tell you." Minato responded.

"Would you tell us how you got here? We've shared our stories already, but there is a detail we wish to confirm through your story." Naoto explained. "Yours will be the last one to know for certain."

"Okay." Minato's reply was short and simple.

.

.

[Flashback]

Much like Minako's story, Minato's also begins in Tartarus. Unlike hers, however, Minato's SEES had special equipment specifically made for their Tartarus and Full Moon operations. Not too long ago, the school festival had been canceled due to a typhoon that swept through. "It's too bad it got canceled in the end. It would've really been something to look back on."

"C'mon, it's not that bad. There's always next year." Yukari felt the same way. But she wasn't going to let it get her down.

"It was too bad, but the typhoon left no other choice. It would've been awful if someone got hurt." Fuuka said.

"I'd like to actually be a part of it next year." Minato commented. Because of sudden and rather demanding meaning with a certain someone, he didn't make it home before the rain hit. As such, he got sick and was out for a few days. In the end, he was stuck with the cleanup to an event he never took part in.

"As student council president, I do feel bad. But we couldn't assure the student's safety." Mitsuru was firm in her decision. At the end of the day, the students' wellbeing came first.

"No one's blaming you, Mitsuru. It just shows that even we can't fight Mother Nature." Akihiko just knew that was a fight no one could win.

"Are you ready to go?" Shinjiro asked Minato. Since Minato had the power to not only change his Persona, but use multiple at will, Mitsuru designated him as the leader of SEES.

"Yeah. I've got new Personas lined up." Minato replied.

"I wonder what it'll be like this time..." Ken was pretty curious. It did astound him how Minato was able to shift Personas on a dime.

"Getting able to change your Personas and use more than once is cheating. You lucky skunk." Junpei said.

"Arf!" Koromaru barked.

"Koromaru says, 'I want it to have big bazongas'!" Junpei translated. Poorly, at that.

"Like he'd say that. Are you stupid or something?" Yukari groaned.

"Yikes! Looks like she's even more pissed than usual." Junpei dialed it back because of that. Although he did have a tendency to make Yukari upset about 40% of the time. He'd never get her...

"It seems Koromaru-san is worried about Minato-san." Aigis looked at Minato. "He was confined in his bed for two days, after all." She said, like she didn't take an occasional peek into his room just to check in on him.

"I'm alright." Minato knelt down and patted Koromaru on the head. "I appreciate the concern. It's been more than a few days. I don't have a fever anymore, and I'm in fighting form." With that, he stood up. Right after he did, the faint sounds of a bell rang throughout Tartarus. "Huh?"

"W-What's that!?" Yukari glanced around, mildly startled. Tartarus was host to strange things, but rarely did anything bad happen in the entrance! This area was supposed to be devoid of all that!

"Is that...a bell?" Mitsuru furrowed her brows. A few seconds later and the bell stopped.

"...I think it stopped." Akihiko said.

"What was that...?" Mitsuru shook her head. What it was didn't matter. "Whatever it was, just stay alert." Being well prepared was more important.

"I'll have a look around with my Persona." Fuuka placed her hands together and tilted her head down. She was about to summon Lucia, but she spotted something skitter by her feet. This surprising presence made her yelp in surprise. "Eeeek!"

"What's wrong, Fuuka!?" Akihiko was the first to respond.

"S-Something went by my feet! I think it was a spider..." Fuuka was a little rattled at the unexpected sight. When she looked around, she didn't see anything. "Huh? Where'd it go...?"

"A spider...?" Akihiki crossed his arms.

"Are there spiders around her?" Shinjiro hadn't been in Tartarus in a while. Not only that, but SEES now made it further than he, Mitsuru, and Akihiko did back in the day. As far as he knew, anything could've changed.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I guess it was just my imagination." Fuuka shook her head. That was a little embarrassing...

With that, the group began to make their way up Tartarus once again. As they climb the stairs, the entire building began to rumble. Not only that, but some of the stairs behind them were starting to crumble and fall apart. "...That's not normal." Junpei gulped.

Minato remained calm, glancing at the collapsing stairs and the safe haven above. "Let's go." Those were his words. Everyone followed his lead up the sprialling staircase. What waited for them at the top was a heart that kept flashing brighter and brighter until...

[End Flashback.]

.

.

"And that's how we got here, into that strange pink place." Minato said.

"So you came through Tartarus too?" Minako found yet another similarity between them.

"Yeah," Minato nodded, before looking at Naoto. "Did that help you figure anything out?"

"Yes, it did. We now have confirmation on everything we need." Naoto replied. "You heard the sound of a bell, and one of you saw a spider. This coincides with our arrives as well."

"Wait, seriously?" Yukari blinked in surprise. "All of you heard and saw the exact same things before coming here?"

"Yeah! Super freaky, isn't it?" Chie replied.

"I thought I was seeing things." Fuuka said quietly.

"I wonder what this means." Kasumi had trouble figuring it out. "It has to do with us being here."

"We have no way of knowing if it is the same spider, or simply multiple." Akechi began. "But I can say one thing tentatively. I believe we will be seeing a spider again soon. What happens after that, however, is a mystery."

"We have a number of mysteries to contend with." Hifumi's eyes drifted to Zen and Rei. Zen was quiet as always, while Rei was eating some snacks. They were both listening in on the conversation, however. More allies meant a higher chance to escape the labyrinth.

"And now we're all stuck in this weird place." Yukari sighed.

"But we want to go back together!" Rei suddenly exclaimed. "I know you guys just got here and want to get out, and we all feel the same way. I want to leave with everyone. Will you help us?"

Rei was so earnest and excitable. Who in the world could say no to that? "Yes." Minato responded curtly. He then looked at Ren, who was the designated leader for this large group of Persona users. "You're the one in charge here, right?"

"That what it looks like." Ren answered. "At least in terms of team organization and everything. I'm open to input everywhere else, though. This is a big group to keep track of." They practically tripled their numbers since they got here! They had a lot of learning to do...

"I have a question." Ann turned to Minako. "You didn't mention Aragaki-san to us earlier...did something happen? Was he not with you?"

"H-Huh?" At that question, Minako stiffened up.

"If she's from another reality, maybe I just haven't joined up with her yet." Shinjiro responded. "Is that right?"

"Y-Yeah! That's it." Minako nodded. Hifumi noticed this as a lie. Which was strange. Why would Minako lie about such a simple question..?

"To think that so many bearers of the Wild Card would be all in one place." Justine spoke suddenly. "This is quite the spectacle."

The fact that Justine was present startled the hell out of Kanji. The twins were standing right behind him and he jumped. "Whoa-! You scared the shit outta me! You're so tiny I didn't even see you!"

"Did you just call us tiny!?" Caroline narrowed her eye and glared at Kanji. Watch your mouth, you bottle-blonde gorilla!"

"WHA!?" Kanji was practically blown back by Caroline's fierce comment!

"Snrk..." Suddenly, Yukiko placed her hand over her mouth.

"...Uh-oh." Chie's expression pale.

"Here it comes..." Yosuke was bracing himself for it.

"W...What's she about to do?" Ken was very wary.

"Heeehee...Kanji-kun...a gorilla...pfft..." Yukiko was trying to hold back the floodgates, but she could not. "Ahahaha! Ahahahahahaha!" She burst out into laughter. Laughter that the Investigation Team was far too familiar with. But the others? This was a first.

And it was contagious. Haru tried really hard to keep her composure, but she couldn't. "Y-Yukiko-chan! If you laugh like that, I...! I...!" And she started to giggle.

"You're all so cruel..." Kanji whined. Yu patted him on the back.

Margaret was in the background as the group got to know each other. Theodore was standing next to her. "Is something bothering you, Sister?" Theodore asked.

Margaret's eyes were on Minako out of curiosity. "A Wild Card from another reality. I can't help but wonder if her fate will follow his..." She was the only one aware of the fate of Elizabeth and Minato. If Minato and Minako truly were one and the same, she couldn't help but wonder...

"In that case, I am of the opinion we should return to the labyrinth as soon as possible." Mitsuru suggested. the sooner they got through this situation, the better.

"Wait..." Minako spoke up. All eyes went to Minako as she spoke with a strange sense of urgency and determination. "There's something I want to do first." She locked eyes with Minato. "Minato Yuki...

Will you fight me?"

Chapter Text

"Will you fight me?" Minako asked. Her question did surprise everyone present.

"Fight him? Why would you want to do that?" Futaba had no idea what was going through Minako's head. Then again, nobody did. Minako continued to say she was fine, but there was some reasonable doubt considering her situation.

"I just want to see something. That's all." Minako responded to Futaba's question. "So, Minato? Will you?"

Minato was as quiet as ever for a moment or two. Eventually, he came to nod. "Sure. I'll do that."

"..." Mitsuru did have some silent objections. But she knew that once Minato set his mind to something, he was hard to sway. She could only assume that Minako was ultimately the same way.

"This took a sudden turn." Akechi wasn't expecting Minako's request. He did wonder what her reason was for it.

"Where should we go for this?" Minato asked. He just knew they couldn't start fighting in the school.

"The Velvet Room will make a suitable training ground for your brawl." Justine said. If she were to be honest, there was a part of her that wanted to see this play out. "We can use it to measure your abilities as well."

"Two Wild Cards, going face to face with one another..." Elizabeth nodded at the prospect. Not only that, but two people who were effectively the same as well. "This way, you two!" And without waiting for anyone else, Elizabeth started to make way towards the Velvet Room.

"Marching to the beat of her own drum as always." Minato was used to this. Minako let out a quiet sigh of agreement.

.

.

Everyone made their way into the Velvet Room. Since this was SEES' first time seeing it, the appearance did shock them a little bit. "...What happened in here?" Minato asked. The gears; the prison appearance. He had questions.

"Is that an electric chair...?" Fuuka tentatively asked.

"It doesn't work here." Caroline said, as if that was the issue.

"Why is this place so prison-like...? It gives me the creeps." Yukari already did not like being in here.

"The Velvet Room is strongly linked to the guest." Elizabeth explained. "Since Ren and his companions were here first, I assume it has taken this appearance because of it." But that was only an assumption.

"This is yours?" Minato looked at Ren. His Velvet Room was an elevator; something that felt comparatively normal to a prison.

"Yeah." Ren just took it in stride. He just hoped this would be the last time someone was shocked about his Velvet Room.

"Whoa." Marie was just sitting and writing something down. So imagine her surprise when even MORE people showed up! "How many people are you guys going to drag in here?"

"Another cute girl!?" Junpei was a loyal man. But he was simply astounded at how many cute girls there were around!

"Introduce yourself." Margaret said to Marie, who groaned in response.

"I'm Marie. I just hang out here." Marie's flat introduction left SEES a little stunned. But she felt Margaret's gaze on her, so she continued. "...If you have any questions about this place, feel free to ask me. I'll answer them as best I can."

"Is she really going to be helpful?" Yukari had some concerns. Her gaze then turned to the four doors with locks on them. "Oh...those must be the doors you guys mentioned. They're really locked up tight."

Aigis was curious and attempted to pull and pry the locks off. Even for her, it was a pointless endeavor. "They will not budge."

"If the robot girl can't do it, then we really are stuck here...!" Chie gasped.

"One lock came off after we defeated the Queen of Hearts. The other seven...well..." Rise still was unsure about it. But as usual, the only thing they could do about the locks was press forward. An answer would present itself eventually.

"Moving right along!" Elizabeth gestured to a rather sizable portion of the Velvet Room. "That space should be suitable for your fight."

"Looks good to me." Minato said, simply walking over.

"Isn't it weird how he's just going along with this?" Yukari whispered to the other members of SEES.

"He's got his reasons, I'm sure. He wouldn't agree to it if he didn't feel like it was something he had to do." That's how Shinjiro saw it, anyway. Minako and Minato walked to the space, which was large enough to fit the both of them. The others found a place to sit and watch.

Marie realized something weird was going on. So she practically tugged Yu back. "Hey. What's going on? Everyone's so serious."

"Minako and the blue haired one, Minato, are the same person from a different reality." Yu said. Those words felt extremely strange going out of his mouth.

Marie's eyes widened just a little bit. There were still a lot of things she had to learn, but this felt like...a lot. "Huh? How does that even..."

"We don't know." Yu shook his head. They were still just as confused as the two in question.

"..." Marie really had no words. The tension in the air was pretty high, so like the others, she just decided to watch. Whatever she was writing was placed into her bag and tucked away from any curious eyes.

"Is this something we should be doing? What about the labyrinths...?" Zen did have a concern. He thought they weren't making the use of their time.

"Zen! I think this is something Minako-chan has to do." Rei had a serious look on her face. "I don't know how to explain it, but she looked sad...I think this will help her."

"...I see." Zen gave a nod. "If you think so, then I'll trust that judgement." Rei was more attuned to people's emotions than he was. So he would trust that Rei was right, and that Minako needed to do this.

"How are we going to judge this bout?" Hifumi took a seat next to Ann, hands in her lap. "I'd hate for them to actually get too hurt..."

"The rules for this bout are simple. Elizabeth lifted a finger, standing in the middle of the arena between Minako and Minato. "The first one to land a single clean blow will be declared the victor. Whether it be by weapon or Persona does not matter. Are these rules acceptable for the two of you?"

"Yes." The two of them responded with a nod.

"I wonder what it is you're thinking..." Minato thought while staring at Minako. "If we're the same person, I kind of have an idea. What makes us different? Is one of us stronger than the other...? A whole bunch of questions. Only one way to get an answer..."

"Very well. In that case...begin!" Elizabeth exclaimed.

The battle between Minako and Minato began, the two of them mirroring each other's actions right away. They pressed their evokers to their temples and pulled the trigger. "Orpheus!" The two exclaimed, Orpheus appearing in front of them both. The two Orpheus formed flames within their hands and threw them forward. The fireballs collided in the center of the arena, resulting in a large explosion.

"Whoa! They really do have the same Persona...!" Junpei exclaimed.

"They even started off in the same way!" Yukari gasped.

Despite the stalemate, the two of them rushed forward, right foot first, through the smoke. Minako thrust her naginata towards Minato who dodged by leaning to the side, just narrowly. As Minako pulled back, Minato moved in for a two slash combo. His sword swung from left to right, aiming to get the upper hand on Minako, but that wasn't going to be so easy. She was fast enough to block his strikes, using the length of her weapon to her advantage. She spun around in a clockwise rotation, aiming a spinning slash with the sharp blade of her naginata. Minato was able to leap back in time, but pushed off the moment he landed. The two struck once again, looking directly at one another as their weapons clashed once again. Sparks flew from steel kissing steel and the two were in a deadlock. They pushed back from each other after a few seconds before attacking again.

"This is so strange..." Fuuka commented while watching Minako and Minato do battle. There was something about their movements she couldn't place. "Even though they're both using different weapons..."

"You can see it, can't you?" Akihiko spoke while crossing his arms. "Their weapons may be different...but their movements are ultimately the same."

"Huh?" Ryuji was surprised Akihiko could pick up on that.

"I admit, these two being the same person did sound a little strange to me, but..." As Akihiko watched them fight, that doubt ebbed away. "I'm starting to see the truth. Even without taking their Persona into account, their movements practically mirror each other. They both started with their Persona, pushed off on the same foot..."

"If they both had a sword, we'd be seeing one hell of a mirror match right now." Shinjiro noticed.

"Their weapons do not allow for the same movements or actions, but the intent behind them is very noticeable." Aigis stated.

"So it comes down to the weapon...?" Ren asked. At a longer range, Minako had the clear advantage. But he wasn't counting Minato out yet either, because he was quick on his feet and in his head.

"I really do feel weaker here. But..." Minato noticed his strength faded, just as the others explained. But he still had a trick up his sleeve. He summoned Orpheus once again, but it didn't attack. Instead, the flames of Orpheus swirled around his sword. "Hientou!" He swung his sword forward, releasing a small wave of fire towards Minako.

"...!" Minako's eyes went wide at this idea and she brought her naginata up into a defensive stance. The wave of fire struck and she was pushed back slightly, an eye closed. Not a direct hit, so the fight was still on. Without even missing a beat, she summoned her Orpheus and started to sprint ahead. Orpheus used Agi, creating a fireball in front of her, before launching it into the air. Minako planted her naginata into the ground, using it to launch herself high into the air, right above the fireball. She raised her hand high above her head and brought it down. She pulled from her volleyball experience, spiking the fireball towards Minato!

"God damn!" Yosuke whistled.

"Whooooooooa!" Rei's eyes lit up.

"...!" Minato's visible eye went wide at such an unorthodox way of attacking. It reminded him of what Akihiko could do with his Theurgy, but he wasn't expecting Minako to pull off such a thing without one. Left with no time to dodge, he brought his sword up to block the attack. It exploded against his blade and he was pushed back a great deal, but still in the fight.

"She did say she was on the volleyball team...but I didn't think she'd do anything like that!" Kasumi was in shock.

Minako landed on the ground and grabbed her naginata, twirling it around while staring into the smoke. Minato was still standing, as they both had yet to land a clean hit on one another. Her expression was still tense, while Minato was focused. Once again, they both summoned Orpheus. The two Orpheus flew at one another, their harps crashing into each other. Every move they made was mirrored by the other, preventing any advantage. As for the two mirrors of each other, they were dodging and blocking each other's attacks. Each action they took, though slightly varied because of their weapon, all aimed for the exact same result. Flames even ignited around their weapons at some point. They took a step back and swung forward, a wave of flame shooting from both blades only to collide in the center and explode slightly.

"I really do feel like I'm watching the same person fight themselves..." Ken watched with a bit awe. He did admire how strong Minato was as their leader. At the same time, watching Minako fight with a weapon not too dissimilar to his own, and so skillfully at that..!

"Their experiences must be slightly different." Mitsuru commented, one leg crossed over the other. She was analyzing this battle as much as she could. "But in the end, they both move with the same intention. I wonder if they know what the other is thinking...or if they just happened to think the same."

"This is freaky." Was all Marie had to say. Koromaru barked a few times.

Both Minato and Minako found themselves panting already. They had yet to actually land a hit on the other, but the effort it took to stay in this fight was higher than expected. Since this was a mirror match, they were both having a hard time finding an opening. Their thoughts really did appear one and the same at any given moment. The routes needed get to certain destinations was a little different, but they were arriving at the same conclusions all the same. Once again, they clashed with their weapons, holding it in a one handed clash. Their free hands used their Evokers to summon Orpheus once again, releasing a hot blast of flame at point blank range at one another. The explosion created a thick cloud of smoke that obscured the two from view. All everyone could see after that were two shadows moving forward, only to come to an abrupt halt in the middle of it all. Everything fell silent as the cloud of smoke slowly cleared...

The tip of Minako's naginata was close to Minato's chest, while Minato's sword was close to her neck. They both stopped at the right moment, but the result of this battle was clear.

"I believe we can consider this a draw." Elizabeth said calmly. Minato and Minako agreed to this notion and both stepped back after.

"Wow! That so so cool!" Rei exclaimed with two corndogs in hand. The fight got so intense, she didn't realize how much she had been eating. "Minako-chan is awesome! Minato is awesome, too!"

"Okay, is it just me, or has Rei-chan been spawning food out of nowhere since we got here?" Junpei looked to those who were there longer than him.

"It's not just you. I don't know how she does it." Yukiko answered.

"It sure makes me hungry though..." Ann mumbled.

"More importantly..." Mitsuru was moving the conversation along to the results of the spar. "I am surprised. The two of them really are equals..."

"Whew! That was kind of fun!" Minako rubbed the back of her head with a smile. "Thank you for indulging me. I think I got a pretty good idea about things."

"Me too. It was beneficial." Minato nodded. Despite the obvious surface level differences, Minato did feel that they were one and the same. "I feel like I learned a lot."

"I am glad the two of you were able to gain something from this exercise." Elizabeth smiled to the both of them. Even though Minako was not her guest, Elizabeth did have no issues taking her under her wing. As a Velvet Room attendant, it was her duty to assist the Wild Cards in this strange journey. "Now, if you wish to recover your stamina, please come with me to the Nurse's Office. And bring payment."

"...You were serious about that?" Minato's expression was a bit flat, but his tone carried the mild exasperation he felt.

"Of course!" Elizabeth responded while raising a finger. "However, since everyone is gathered together...I wonder if the other two Wild Cards would like to spar as well?" She looked to Yu and Ren.

"It doesn't sound like a bad idea." Yu admitted. Watching Minato and Minako fight did ignite a fire within him.

"Mm...yeah. That does sound interesting." Ren added.

"Is this a wise idea?" Mitsuru was simply voicing her opinion.

"I have to agree. Should we not be focusing on the labyrinths?" Zen also asked. "The sooner we can regain my memories and Rei's the sooner we can leave this place."

"I don't disagree with that sentiment." Hifumi placed her chin in her hand. "But I do think this is for the best. It shouldn't go to just the Wild Cards either, but for the rest of us. We have such a large group now, and we are unfamiliar with each other's abilities. I believe it would benefit us to spar with each other a little bit, to get a grasp on our allies strengths and weaknesses."

"I think that's a good idea." Naoto agreed with Hifumi. "From what we've discovered, time is crawling forward in this place. Hours have passed for us, yet the hand on the clock tower outside has yet to even move a single minute. If we are going to get through this together, we do need to build some rapport with one another. Do you agree, Kirijo-san?"

"..." Mitsuru, truthfully, would've preferred to get straight to the point and get this over and done with. However, it was clear it wouldn't be that simple and she knew it. So instead of fighting the decision, she ultimately came to agree with it. This team was much larger than she was used to, but they all had the same goal in mind. "Yes, you're all right. If the areas ahead are fraught with danger, we do need a better understanding one of another before going forward."

"Finally. This is where we come in." Caroline spoke, her baton resting on her shoulder. "Inmate! You've got such a big group of Persona users. How exactly do you intend on leading them if you don't know what they're capable of?"

"...Well. That's...a good question. I wasn't?" Ren answered.

"You have a substantial group. Numbers are important, but it is important to establish an understanding with them as well." Justine flipped through her notepad. On it, she had various notes written down about the other Persona users based on what she'd heard and seen thus far.

"I guess we can't expect to use our numbers to rush through everything." Kanji rubbed the back of his head. "We're all used to fightin' with our own groups. We were only just learning to fight with others."

"We have a lot of work to become a cohesive unit." Akechi remarked. It was only a lot of work, kind of a pain in the ass internally. He was only supposed to be working with the Phantom Thieves, and that was just to use them! Now he was forced to work with so many other people!

"Where do we even begin...?" Junpei looked around between SEES, the Investigation Team, and the Phantom Thieves. "Do we even have time to go through everyone? Wait, that feels like a silly question..."

"I'm not a fan of cutting corners, but we should at least get a basic understanding of what everyone is capable of before going forward." Hifumi suggested. "It could save us in a pinch. We can learn from there. Zen, Rei, this includes you too."

"Of course." Zen nodded. "Whatever it takes to keep Rei out of danger."

"But Zen and I are always a pair! So we'll do our best to work with everyone!" Rei pumped a fist into the air. Truthfully, she was really excited to get to know everyone a bit more. She had so many friends now!

"Luckily for all of you, we have the perfect idea." Caroline spoke with a slight smirk.

"Already!?" Yosuke was pretty surprised! These twins sure were efficient! But at the same time, that kind of scared him. Caroline's militaristic attitude was something he wasn't exactly a fan of.

"That's right." Caroline stepped forward, tapping her baton into her palm. She had an all too eager smile on her face while staring at the group of Persona users. "Get ready for our special brand of bootcamp. We'll whip you into shape!"

Chapter Text

"Welcome to Caroline and Justine's Persona Bootcamp!" Caroline exclaimed to the large group of Persona users. Since the twins were eager for this, Theodore, Elizabeth, and Margaret just left them to it. First off, everyone had to change into gym clothes, with the exception of Teddie, who opted to just stay in the bear suit. Luckily this version of Yasogami High had enough to accommodate for them. Rise, Futaba, and Fuuka were not exempt from the physical activity about to go underway, even though they were not fighters in the first place. The group was outside on the field, with the twins pacing back and forth.

"I have such a bad feeling about what's about to happen..." Futaba never wore gym clothes like this. So she was extremely worried about the near future.

"What exactly are we doin' out here?" Junpei asked while rubbing the back of his neck.

"Do not be so impatient." Justine told Junpei with a bit of a stern tone. That was enough to make him go quiet.

"We're going to put you through the wringer!" Caroline had an excited grin on her lips. She was going to enjoy this. "It's time for some physical exercise!"

"NOOOOO!" Futaba groaned. She knew she was right to be worried. Despite her wail of agony, the twins continued.

"I have researched and learned that shared physical activity bolsters rapport." Justine said while looking at her clipboard. She wasn't wrong; those in sports teams could not deny the words she said.

"She has a point there." Minako gave a slight shrug. "That's how it is in sports."

"Yeah." Minato agreed to that and Ryuji nodded as well.

"So what is it you wish for us to do, exactly?" Mitsuru asked. "There are a lot of us here, so I'm afraid my imagination is a little empty here."

"Simple." Caroline used her baton to gesture to the track. "First off: everyone will run three laps around this track as a warm up!"

"Really?" Ryuji asked. That was a pretty simple warm up in his eyes. "Alright!" And he started to stretch.

"T-Three laps...?" Futaba stared at the track in horror.

"After that, you will be tasked with doing a number of pushups and sit ups with a designated partner. One that did not arrive with you originally." Justine ignored Futaba's horror. "You have several minutes to prepare. After that, begin the run."

"Okay!" Kasumi gave a firm nod. She was among those who were used to this sort of thing.

"I might need some help." Rei admitted with a bashful smile. "Do you know how to stretch, Zen?"

"I do not." Zen shook his head. This whole thing was out of his depth. He was just going to trust the Twins since everyone else seemed to believe this exercise was doing something for them.

"Don't worry, I can show you some good stretches." Kasumi gave Rei a smile. She also noticed that Rei had a corndog in her hand. "First things first, you really shouldn't eat that right now."

"Awwww..." Rei pouted.

"Does anyone need any help stretchin'?" Ryuji asked around. Stretching before a run was still second nature to him. He watched as Futaba weakly lifted her hand. "...Yeah, shoulda seen that coming."

"Um. I'll need help too." Hifumi meekly lifted her hand. While she did grow used to physical activity as a Phantom Thief, she was not an active person in reality. As such, she knew she was going to struggle a little bit.

"If we were going to work out, I wish I would've been able to pick my own clothes. I have some cute ones that definitely know how to catch someone's eye." Rise looked right at Yu as she said this, giving him a grin.

"I have to respect how direct she is about it..." Yukari was almost envious of Rise's ability to be so direct.

"...I guess I better take it seriously." Shinjiro was also roped into wearing gym clothes. He preferred his hoodie, but at least his beanie remained. "Persona is like...the strength of the heart. So I think they're trying to strengthen our hearts with this sort of thing."

"Wow. You're not as dumb as you look." Caroline was impressed with Shinjiro's deduction. That was the ultimate goal with this bootcamp.

"Perfect warm up." Akhiko was all down for this. After everyone did their best stretches, they proceeded to do their laps! Minato and Ryuji were already neck and neck and caught a fast stride. They were easily the best human runners on the team. They were, however, no match for the likes of Koromaru and Aigis, who happened to fly right past them.

Ryuji sort of expected that that Koromaru and Aigis, the robot, would outpace them. He was impressed that Minato was doing so well, though. "Yo! You ain't bad...! You do track?"

"Yeah." Minato nodded in response. It had been a while since Minato was able to keep pace with someone. The other person he knew was a complete monster on the field. "You're not bad either."

Chie and her high amount of energy allowed her to easy catch up to Minato and Ryuji. "I'm gonna leave you guys in the dust!"

"You wanna bet!?" Ryuji felt a grin crossing his lips. Chie's energy sparked something competitive within him; something he hadn't felt in a while when it came to track. Minato didn't exactly say anything, but the way he suddenly picked up the pace told the story. Even if he felt like he couldn't keep up in the long term, Ryuji found enjoyment in the moment and wanted to give it his all. "You two are on!"

"Bring it on!" Chie wasn't going to lose!

"Uuuugh, running..." Ann was intentionally taking it a bit slow. She was somewhere towards the back of the group. Not because she couldn't do it, but she just wasn't built for it.

But at the very least, she was doing a lot better than Futaba. By the time everyone made it about three quarters of the way, Futaba was still dragging herself along in the first quarter. Eventually her legs just gave up. She stopped and slowly collapsed on the ground. "...I quit."

Caroline and Justine approached Futaba, exchanging a look. "What's wrong with you? Can't you work those legs a bit more?"

"I can't!" Futaba shook her head. "I barely go outside! This is a huge leap in difficulty for someone like me! These legs are like noodles..."

Justine let out a quiet sigh. Clearly they could not use the same methods on Futaba as they could with everyone else. "I believe we may have to adjust our tactics when it comes to this one."

Theodore then approached with a few bottles of water. "I have beverages for anyone who may need them."

"I NEED THEM!" Futaba scrambled to her feet to take a bottle of water, chugging it down as quickly as she could.

"...Elizabeth also advised me to hand them over for a price." Theodore added. Futaba currently did not care as she chugged it down.

"Keep 'em comin' Theodore." Futaba finished with a large gasp. "I'm gonna need so many of these before we're done here..."

"Futaba-senpai..." Kasumi looked on with a sweat drop. "I think I should help her stretch a bit..."

"That is the fastest I've ever seen her move." Yusuke commented.

With the run over, everyone was varying degrees of tired. Ranging from just warming up to wishing it would end, such was only natural with a large group of people. That didn't really change how Caroline planned to handle things. "Now that you're all warmed up, it's time for those pushups! On your backs! Especially you, Inmate!"

"Yeah, yeah..." Ren sighed and started to do some pushups. The paired up situps would be after this.

"They're running this like a military..." Yu exhaled while doing some pushups himself.

"No kidding...hrk-!?" Suddenly, he felt a weight upon his back. Caroline was sitting on his back, making his pushups that much harder.

"Pfft...!" Minako couldn't help but laugh at the sight. But Justine soon sat on her back as well. "Ack-!?"

"Surely this will not hinder your performance, now will it?" Justine looked down at Minako with a raised brow.

"Why are you so heavy!?" Minako grunted. Justine was small but dense and she felt it in her back!

"That looks rough..." Yu was glad that wasn't him. Of course, he wasn't left out. Because after a few moments, the Twins switched places. Caroline was now sitting on his back, and Justine moved onto Minato's. "Agh..." And wow, these girls were extremely heavy!

"You two are next." Justine said flatly.

"...This got a lot harder." Minato commented. There was some display of exhaustion on his face already.

Teddie had his arms on the ground. He was doing pushups even in the bear suit! "This bear is on fire! Nothing can slow me down! I'm bear-ly getting started!" He then stood up, punching the air a few times. He took a few glances at Rei to see if she was paying attention, but she was too focused on keeping pace with Zen.

"Pardon me, Teddie." Hifumi was the one who had to speak up. "Can you do a sit-up in that?"

"Of course I can, Fumi-chan!" Teddie grinned at the nickname he swore he came up with himself. Hifumi gave a slightly exasperated smile in response. "Go on, give me a light tap and spot me!"

"Okay." Hifumi decided to trust Teddie and gave him a gentle nudge back. There was a bouncing sound as Teddie hit the ground on his back and flailed around a bit. "...I should have seen that coming..."

.

.

What was next for this bootcamp that Caroline and Justine had in mind? Everyone stood in the Velvet Room as per the twins instruction.

"So, uh...how exactly is this gonna work now?" Junpei asked the twins.

"We are getting to that. Please be patient." Justine's tone was a bit harsh, despite how calm she sounded. Again, Junpei got the message and decided to be quiet. He did not want to make either of these little ladies upset.

"This will be a simple exercise." Caroline started. "Because there are so many of you, and you all fight so differently, we have to whip you into shape! So you're all going to group up with people you don't know and spar with one another!"

"I can get behind that." Akihiko didn't mind a good spar. Plus, from what he heard, there were a few whispers about martial artists within the group. Just the perfect people he'd ask for a fight.

"Wouldn't it be easier to fight Shadows?" Yukari suggested.

"We'd still likely get in each other's way if we did that first." Naoto replied.

"That is the second part of the training session!" Caroline said. "Once you get adjusted to to one another, we're sending you into You In Wonderland against so you can put your new relationships to the test! And it will also be perfect for gathering Personas for fusions."

"Oh, I get it. That way all of us can be equipped, right?" Ken asked. With the situation freshly explained to Minato's SEES, they were coming to terms with the conditions they were placed under.

Justine nodded. "Correct. After discussing with Elizabeth, Theodore, and Margaret about your capabilities, we have already decided how to group you up." Justine said. "We understand that while time may not exactly be limited, a group this large would take a long time."

"So to speed up this process, we're putting you in groups of four!" Caroline then pointed towards Zen and Rei. "But those two count as a single person."

"Yay! We count as one, Zen!" Rei happily tugged on Zen's sleeve.

"I suppose we do." Zen replied with a nod. It was hard to tell if he was happy about it based on his lack of an expression. He was always with Rei, so this was just normal to him.

"As for the rest of you..." Justine looked at the massive group...

.

.

Everyone was split into groups of four to speed up the training session. While they were likely not to get any stronger, this would build a sense of comradery between those unfamiliar with each other. One such group was Joker, Yu, Minako, and Minato. It came to no surprise that the four Wild Cards were grouped together. It made the most sense. "I'm beginning to see why they had us paired together." Minato spoke with one hand in his pocket, looking at the other Wild Cards.

"Truthfully, I was itching to cross swords after seeing you two fight." Yu look at Minako and Minato "But I do think they had another reason for putting us together. We're all the leaders of our own teams, right? I figure there's something we can learn from each other."

"I think so, too!" Minako flashed a smile, placing her hands behind her back. "I learned a lot just from clashing with Minato. I know we've been working together a little bit, but this feels a lot smoother than the way we were doing it."

"By the way..." Minato looked at Joker. "Your outfits change and you use different names when they do, right? So...what's your code name again?"

"I'm Joker." Joker replied with a nod, gesturing to the mask on his face. "When I've got this mask on, that's what you can call me. I know a codename doesn't exactly apply in this place...but it's just what we're used to."

"That's fine." Minato gave a half shrug. For Yu and Joker, they were a little shocked at the slight differences between Minato and Minako. Though they were the same at their core, there were still some differences; Minato was quiet and a aloof, while Minako was exuberant and outgoing.

"i think we were put together not just because we're Wild Cards, but because we know our own teams well! When a situation arises that we have to work with others..."

"Then knowing what they can do, even if we haven't seen them fight, would be beneficial." Minato finished Minako's sentence. She was a tiny bit surprised at first, but she shook it off. They were the same, after all.

"I see. Fighting each other and sharing information at the same time." Yu nodded, holding his katana hilt with both hands. "I get it. For example, I can share something about Yosuke. He's quick on his feet and a good close range fighter."

"And Yukari-" Both Minato and Minako spoke at the same time. Feeling awkward about that, Minako laughed and rubbed the back of her head. "Y-You go! She's with you, after all..!" It was an instinctive response; one she wouldn't be able to shake so easily.

Minato did give a slight nod. "Yukari is an archer, so she excels at fighting from a distance."

"We've got a good range of combatants in the Phantom Thieves!" Joker said proudly while drawing his knife. He was standing across from Minato, and felt eager to test his skills for himself. "Dragon fights well from any range with how her staff works. But I have to say..."

"The longer we stand here, the more you want to swing?" Minato asked. The Wild Cards were on the same wavelength.

"Yeah." Joker nodded. Deciding he no longer wanted to wait, he rushed at Minato with his knife. He swung but the strike was defended against by Minato's sword, as he expected. Sparks flew from the collision of weapons. The two entered a brief close combat, unable to get the better of one another despite their quick movements. Before long, Minako and Yu decided to spar as well. The Wild Cards were getting to know each other through combat. Their unique and shared ability allowed them to get along quicker than most.

.

.

Crow did some sparring with Naoto, Junpei, Zen, Rei, and Fox. When they took a quick break, Margaret was the one who approached him. "We had you grouped with the other Wild Cards. I'm surprised you did not wish to spar with them."

"Other?" Crow feigned ignorance at Margaret's statement, but she could see straight through his lie.

"Your power is the same as theirs. My sister and brother know it." Margaret stated. She couldn't say the same for the twins, since they were quite literally half a person. "I simply wish to understand why you are adamant in hiding it."

"...I'm afraid I have no idea what you're talking about, Margaret-san. While in this place, I only have one power, and that is of Robin Hood." Crow replied, his tone displaying politeness, but annoyance was laced within it. It was clearly a topic he had no intention of diving into. "But that will not hinder my ability to fight. My power is no different than anyone else's in this space."

"...I see." Margaret nodded. It wasn't her place to pry and pester, only assist. They both knew that. To go any further would be overstepping her bounds. "If you change your mind, we will do everything we can to aid you."

"Your assistance is appreciated." Crow offered a smile as he stepped away. It was fake politeness, but it was something he mastered over the years.

"...Something feels off about him, doesn't it?" Theodore asked once Crow stepped away. Just because he was in a pink apron didn't mean he wasn't taking his duties seriously. He was still a Velvet Room attendant through and through.

"Yes." Margaret nodded. "But it is not our place to say or do anything about it. All we can do is help them on this journey. Whatever happens is on their hands."

"You are correct." Although Theodore did wish they could do more. But this was their duty, and without Igor's presence, this was all they could do for the time being.

.

.

Dragon was paired with Yukari, Yukiko, and Ken. Yukari still felt a bit odd about this whole situation, but she was doing her best to work with the others. "I'm still trying to get used to all of this..." At least Dragon and Yukiko were nice, and she had the familiar face of Ken to work with as well.

Ken was currently sparring with Dragon. Since he used a lance for its range, he had an easier time maintaining distance between his opponents even with the issue of his size. That said, when against Dragon's staff, he found some difficulty because of those reasons. Dragon's staff was as long as his spear, but she was older and taller than him. As a result, she had more reach than him. "Agh..! Wow, Dragon-san. You're pretty tough...!" Ken forced a smile. He was impressed, but it was also mildly frustrating that his young age and small size actually were coming back to bite him in this scenario.

"You're very skilled with a spear, Ken!" Dragon offered a smile. "I just happened to have the advantage in this situation.

"You're strong at range. I bet Yukari-san would have the edge on you with her archery!" Ken said. As if to test this, Yukari did stand at a suitable shooting distance.

"Even you can't reach here without a Persona, right?" Yukari asked. Right after she did, Dragon's staff quickly extended to lightly tap Yukari on the stomach, much to her surprise. "Wow! So let me get this straight: your staff covers an insane amount of range, and you can take a ton of damage? What can't you do...?"

"Take fire attacks." Dragon admitted while her staff retracted. She scratched her cheek while gazing at Yukiko. "For example, an attack from Yukioi-san would break my defensive stance. Even if I can withstand fire based attacks, too many would be a dangerous event."

"..." Yukiko was oddly silent despite the fact she was mentioned. The eyes of the others drifted towards her.

"Yukiko-san?" Ken called out to her. "Is something on your mind...?"

"Huh?" Yukiko snapped out of her thoughts. "I was just thinking. Isn't it a little ironic? Hifumi-chan's codename is Dragon. Dragons usually breathe fire, but this one is weak to it!" And from the way her voice sounded, she found this a little amusing by the 'snrk' that barely escaped her lips.

"I-It is ironic..." Dragon gave a sheepish smile. "But despite that shortcoming, I will do my utmost to protect everyone! My shield exists for that reason. Dragon's honor!"

"Ahaha...! Dragon's Honor! That's a good one!" Yukiko started to laugh. Dragon wasn't really sure what was so funny. Nor did Ken or Yukari, but they just decided to let her ride it out. Yukiko's laugh slowly died down and she got serious once again. "You don't have to put everything on yourself. I also specialize in healing magic. So if you're injured, please don't push yourself."

"I promise I won't." Dragon replied with a firm nod.

"Ken and I also have healing. With this many supporters, I don't feel worried about our chances here." Yukari spoke with a gentle smile. SEES was already a big team. With the Investigation Team, Minako, and the Phantom Thieves, she did feel comfortable with their numbers.

"Still, there is one thing that worries me." Yukiko's gaze went to Ken. "Ken-kun...are you sure about fighting?" He was the youngest one here. Naturally, there were a few worried thoughts about someone as young as Ken stepping into the front lines.

"..." Honestly, Yukari had that question gnawing away at her for a while. Even though it was Ken's choice, their fight was dangerous. She couldn't help but feel as if Ken and Fuuka were dragged into SEES simply because they had the ability to fight.

"It's alright, Yukiko-san." Ken said with a firm nod. "I was the one who chose to fight. I might be young, but please don't treat me like a kid. I'm a part of this team like everyone else and I want to fight."

A truly admirable thing to say, truly. Dragon, however, still felt something was a little off about Ken. She didn't detect any lies, none at all. But his soft demand to be treated like an adult despite being so young was a little bothersome... "...I see..." Dragon nodded slowly.

"If you're sure..." Yukiko had some reservations about it. She knew how some people acted when they wanted to be treated older than they actually were. But all she could do for now was appease Ken's wishes.

.

.

Another group consisted of Morgana, Teddie, Koromaru, and Aegis. Although it was hard for this group in particular to get any training done, because the three animals were having a bit of a stare down. As in, Teddie and Morgana felt threatened by Koromaru's presence.

"...I've never encountered a dog before." Morgana said while staring at Koromaru, who simply barked at him.

"Koromaru-san says that it is nice to meet you. He hopes that everyone can get along." Aigis translated.

"Is he really so articulate with just a bark? I don't believe it." Morgana shook his head.

"Whatever the case is, I think we need to decide something before going forward. Which one of us is the most handsome!" Teddie then pressed a paw to his chest. "And it is obviously me!"

"No way! I'm way more charming than the two of you combined!" Morgana said with an arrogant smirk. "What do you think, Aigis?"

"I do not have the ability to answer that question." Aigis responded. "Koromaru-san has soft fur. Do you also have soft fur? Should I pet you to make sure?"

"...I don't know if that's a good idea, actually." Morgana didn't know if Aigis would accidentally crush him or something.

"We need an outsider to settle this for us! Emmy-chan!" Teddie called out to Marie, who was just minding her own business until Teddie called for her.

Marie's curiosity got the best of her, plus she could feel Teddie's annoying stare. So she approached with her arms crossed. "What do you want?" She sounded annoyed, but there was a small part of her that liked to be included.

"We need you to settle a debate for us! Which one of us has the softest fur and therefore the cutest appearance!" Teddie grinned while standing in a line with Morgana.

"...?" Marie looked at Aigis, who gave her a blank stare. Her eyes then went to Koromaru, who stared up at her while panting softly. She knelt down and gently patted Koromaru on the head, and he gave a happy yip. "It's the dog."

"WHAT!?" Teddie and Morgana's eyes went wide.

"You didn't even try either of us!" Morgana exclaimed, this was unfair.

Marie closed her eyes and gave a smile. "Don't need to."

.

.

There was something Mitsuru noticed while watching and taking part in fighting with the others. Compared to SEES, the others did not use Evokers to draw out their Personas. Masks and tarot cards were what she witnessed, which was strange. "The way they draw out their power..." The lack of an Evoker did briefly concern her. After all, those that could not use an Evoker struggled to use their Persona, at least from her experience. "You all don't use guns?" She had to ask. The question was burning in the back of her mind.

"I use one." Naoto commented.

"We do too, technically..." Ryuji answered. Their guns were still kind of duds without pumping some magic into it.

"No, I mean a gun-shaped evoker." Mitsuru corrected herself.

"Oh yeah...I remember asking Minako about this." Yosuke glanced at Minako, who was half paying attention. She heard her name and snapped to attention. "She said you would be able to answer it better than she could. Er, well...I mean, she was thinking about her Mitsuru when...agh...!"

"And Yosuke's talent of sticking his foot in his mouth rears its head." Chie rolled her eyes at Yosuke's inability to shut up.

"Shaddup..! You know what I meant...!" Yosuke grunted while giving Chie an annoyed stare.

"It's fine!" Minako waved a hand. She didn't want Chie and Yosuke to start arguing because of her.

"This happens all the time." Rise told Minako. "They'll argue over almost anything."

"I see..." Mitsuru took a small glance at Minako. Their gazes met and Minako's shifted away. "We summon our Personas by pointing an 'Evoker' at ourselves and pulling the trigger of our own will."

"It's so that we stay conscious of death." Akihiko explained. "By facing our own death, we can draw out our hidden power. The Evoker's a way to force that."

"Being conscious of death...I've never thought of it that way..." Yukiko said with a shocked whisper.

"That's rather intense..." Yusuke crossed his arms.

"Aren't you selling it short just a little bit...?" Ann said with a sweat drop.

"That's pretty harsh..." Yosuke said with a slight expression of shock. He did think the way Minako summoned her Persona was a little hardcore, and now he understood why that was the case. Not the answer he was expecting...

"So this 'Erasing the Dark Hour' thing you guys are doing...it's hard, ain't it?" Kanji asked. They had an answer from Minako, but they were curious about the rest of SEES. Or rather...SEES.

"Well, yeah!" Junpei said with a firm nod. "Saving the world's not for lightweights. If you wanna bring about world peace, then you gotta put your life on the line, right?"

"Saving...the world..." Yosuke mumbled. He did grimace at the thought, and Yu noticed this.

"That's almost like something out of a movie...!" Chie commented.

"W-Well, yeah..." Yukari didn't really think of their life as anything cinematic.

"In a way, we're like the Phantom Thieves! Lonely heroes who fight the day and night for the sake of mankind!" Junpei laughed at the thought. "Hahaha, just kidding!"

"I have a number of objections to that, but I'll hold them to myself." Was Akechi's comment.

"That is false." Aigis spoke up. "Junpei-san spends his days sleeping in class, doodling his notes, and spinning his pen."

Upon being called out by his robotic companion, Junpei waved his hands. "I-I have friends too, you know!"

"You guys really are undergoing a hard battle..." Futaba felt a little overwhelmed by it all. SEES was fighting to save the world, while the Phantom Thieves were just combating society and trying to clear their names.

"Mhm..." Minako nodded. She was used to such a hard fight. "If we don't win, it's everyone's lives at stake. That's why we can hardly afford to lose..."

"A hero...huh..." Yosuke grumbled.

"It's amazing you all can stay so resolved. I'm doing my part for the sake of our town, but I've never thought about the world, or mankind as a whole..." Yukiko stared at the floor in thought. "Of course, if I can use my ability to help people, I think I should, and I'd like to, but...wow, that's impressive."

"I'd never thought about things like that either..." Teddie admitted.

"We try to help people, and we ended up with plenty of people trying to hunt us down." Ryuji said bitterly.

"We have our hands full with just Japan." Haru pressed a finger to her cheek. "I didn't think about the world..."

"Your fights are honorable as well. It isn't easily done." Mitsuru complimented both the Investigation Team and the Phantom Thieves. "Your burdens are different from ours. That's all."

"Everyone's fighting so hard..." Rei commented. "Zen, we have to fight hard, just like them!"

"Yes, I agree." Zen nodded slowly. It sounded like everyone had their own reasons for fighting. This place was only holding them back.

"And when we get back, we should help them fight, too!" Rei's excitement was extremely high. Truthfully, she couldn't see the whole picture. But she just wanted to help her friends out.

"I..." Kasumi was about to point it out, but instead she just smiled. "We'd love your help, Rei-chan."

"Yay!" Rei threw up a hand with a corndog in it. "I promise I'll do my best to help everyone get home! With Zen's help, we'll be invincible!"

Zen could feel that Rei was placing both faith and a bit of pressure on him. He knew she just wanted to help, and as such, he would help her with that goal. She was his biggest priority, and he would do anything and everything he could for her. "You can count on me. I don't want to disappoint Rei."

"They're really attached to each other, aren't they...?" Fuuka whispered to Yukari, who nodded in agreement.

"Regardless, I do wish everyone the best in their fights once we leave this place." Hifumi commented, attempting to steer the conversation from this mildly heavy topic.

"Um, by the way..." Minako finally decided to speak up. looking at Minato and SEES. "I've been wondering...what's with all the gear you have?" They had cool outfits on! Compared to them she felt a little...bare.

"This is special equipment the Chairman provided for us." Mitsuru told Minako. "This also allows us to use special techniques called Theurgies."

"Theurgies...?" Minako tilted her head. "I don't...know what those are..." She felt a little embarrassed now...

"We can show you." Aigis stated, much to Minako's surprise.

"I kind of want to see one for myself..." Chie admitted.

"Then we can show you." Shinjiro spoke. "We don't got a reason to use them for sparring. But in a real fight, they make the difference between life and death."

"They must be pretty strong then..." Makoto said.

"You'll get to see for yourselves soon!" Caroline suddenly spoke up, catching everyone's attention. "The sparring went well. Now it's time to take what you've learned and put it onto the field! Back to You in Wonderland you all go!"

"Are we going to make any progress in the Group Date Cafe...?" Teddie said, impatiently. He really wanted to find out who his perfect match was!

"Can it, bear. This is important!" Yosuke chided. "Rushing in with no sense of teamwork is just gonna get us all killed!"

"Agh, but this wait is un-bear-able!" Teddie rolled along on the ground.

"Was this just an excuse to make a stupid joke!?" Yosuke groaned. Teddie was pleading silence on that matter.

"Yosuke's right." Ren said. "I think we'll be good to go after this." He then turned to the twins, who were staring impatiently. They were practically demanding he get going. "Y-Yeesh. Alright, alright. We'll group up and get this done...!"

Chapter Text

The first part of group training was essentially complete. The three groups sparred with one another to get a feel for how they fought. This way, they had a basic understanding of their capabilities. Now they returned to You in Wonderland to test their new bonds against some Shadows. Since the Labyrinth was so large, it allowed them to split off into groups and fight Shadows accordingly.

"So this is You in Wonderland?" Yukari felt a little uneasy. "It feels like I'm in some story book. And this is where you guys met?" Yukari looked at Yu and Joker.

"We met at the depths." Joker replied.

"It doesn't feel like that massive Shadow is down there anymore." Rise reported. "But we're not going too deep into this place anyway. Once you guys get a feel for combat, feel free to combat! Then we can rest and prepare for the Group Date Cafe!"

"It'll be nice to get some practice in." Akihiko said while punching the air a few times. "I wasn't aware of the weight this place put upon our Personas. Now that I know..."

"This isn't a game, Akihiko." Mitsuru shook her head at Akihiko's words. He was always like this and it always got on her nerves...

"I'd take anything over that freaky cupid we saw." Junpei shuddered at the thought of that golden cupid. "What the hell was that thing anyway?"

"Fysis Oiken Eidolon." Zen answered.

"...Huh?!" Junpei stared at Zen with wide eyes.

"Fysis Oiken Eidolon." Zen repeated.

"Saying it twice doesn't help if I don't know what it means!" Junpei replied.

"We just call them FOES for short." Oracle explained. If it were anyone else, they would assume it was just a joke. But Zen displayed actually being that dense and clueless, so he was completely serious. "By the way, the FOEs here take the form of Card Soldiers. I'd still recommend steering clear of them!"

"She's right. I'm picking up a few really powerful Shadows around." Fuuka said. "Please be careful when you go in there."

"The twins already suggested how we group up." Naoto held the tip of her hat. "As such, we should follow their instructions."

"If anyone finds themselves in trouble, one of the three navigators will handle it!" Violet said with a nod. Oracle was already a fantastic navigator; the addition of Rise and now Fuuka bolstered their forces considerably.

"Let's get through this quickly." Mitsuru said to everyone. The sooner they did this, the better.

.

.

One such team was Crow, Yu, Yosuke, Yukari, Ken, Dragon, and Kanji. They just finished taking down some Shadows together, even gathering a few extra sub-personas for everyone to use. "I think we're starting to get the hang of this..." Yosuke was feeling a bit more confident the more they fought together. He was already used to fighting with Yu and Kanji, but he was slowly getting the hang of fighting with Crow, Ken, Yukari, and Dragon.

"Yeah...this is working out a little better than I expected." Yukari initially had her doubts, and for good reason.

"You guys are pretty good..." Ken admitted. He did feel better about things.

"I can imagine a number of scenarios and strategies..." Dragon felt the gears in her head turning. "Perhaps..."

"What's she doing?" Yukari asked Crow, since he was a part of the Phantom Thieves.

"I've said once before, Dragon is an expert Shogi player. As such, many of her tactics in the game also translate to how she approaches battle, and vice versa." Crow explained. "Her mind works in a way nobody else does, which has proven to be a boon."

"You're a quick thicker, huh? That's impressive." Yukari smiled at Dragon.

"By the way...since we have a moment." Crow turned to Yu. "Narukami-san. I have a question for you."

"What's up?" Yu asked.

"About the case you were talking about beforehand..." Crow stroked his chin. "When did it start for you again?"

"It was spring of this year. Or rather...spring for us, this year." Yu began.

"Five years ago...quite a long time away." Crow said.

"...Not that long for us." Yosuke suddenly spoke up. His tone was a bit grim. Everyone's gaze went to Yosuke for his sudden response.

"...My apologies." Crow could sense some anger within Yosuke. There was something more to Yosuke's response.

"...Nah, I should apologize, too." Yosuke shook his head. Whatever he was feeling, he knew he shouldn't have been taking it out on Crow. "I'm gonna go see a man about a horse. I can't hold it in." With that, Yosuke left.

"...Gross." Yukari grumbled.

"Um...is Yosuke-san connected to the case somehow?" Dragon asked, feeling a bit bad with how grim Yosuke's tone was. His expression and tone felt all too personal. All eyes were on Yu and Kanji.

"..." Yu was silent for a moment before speaking. "The second murder victim was a girl that was important to Yosuke." Yu answered. "I only met her once."

"Oh..." Oracle was listening in on the conversation. She was keeping an eye on them, but she never could have expected that outcome.

"...I see. I had no idea he had a personal stake in it." Crow let out a quiet sigh. "I should apologize to him properly later."

"...I feel kinda bad for him now..." Yukari frowned. Losing someone important to you? Of course she knew what that was like.

"But you didn't know." Kanji spoke up in defense of Crow. "Yosuke-senpai ain't the type to get mad too much either."

"It was still careless of me. My curiosity got the better of me and I was insensitive about my phrasing." Crow crossed his arms. Normally this sort of thing never happened. He was much more careful about his words around people. Legitimately making someone upset like this felt...odd to him.

Ken said nothing, but stared out into the direction Yosuke went. After a moment, he started to walk in that same direction. "Excuse me..."

"Wait, Ken...!" Yukari tried to stop him, as did Kanji. But Ken just kept walking.

"I suppose we're taking a break." Yu said. There wasn't much they could do until Yosuke and Ken came back.

"I'm gonna go after him." Kanji said, before following behind Ken.

Yosuke wasn't too far away. He didn't really need to take a leak either, it was just an excuse. He needed a moment to clear his head. He never did stop thinking about Saki... "..."

"Um. Excuse me..." Ken spoke out quietly.

Yosuke, not expecting someone to follow him, was a little startled. "Whoa, hey! What's up, Ken?"

Ken's gaze went off to the side slightly. This was a heavy topic, but something he could sort of relate to. He had questions about someone who experienced something similar to him. "About that conversation just now. I...I wanted to talk to you. Um, so, this might be rude, but..."

Yosuke managed a smile. Ken was clearly struggling, so he wanted to do something to ease his nerves a bit. "C'mon, you're in grade school. No need to be so uptight."

"O-Okay." Ken nodded slowly. "Someone you cared for was killed...and I was wondering...what are you gonna do when you catch the killer?"

What were they gonna do? Yosuke grunted in silence. There were a number of thoughts raced through his mind. This wasn't a question he was unfamiliar with. What would he do to the person that killed Saki? Ultimately, there was only one right answer. "Turn him into the police."

Ken couldn't believe that answer. "But he's a persona-user, right? The police won't understand! Nothing you say will convince them!"

Such a passion outburst had Yosuke's attention. "What makes you say that?" It wasn't as if Ken was wrong. Ever since the Investigation Team knew about that other world, they knew that convincing the police was a tall order.

"My mom died too." Ken admitted. "It was treated as an accident, but it wasn't. I just...don't know what I should do..."

"..." Yosuke had no idea what to say. No, that wasn't true. There were a few things on his mind, but he knew it wasn't his place. It sounded like Ken knew exactly what happened to his mother, but did he have the right to even ask? Should he ask?

Ken realized this and felt a little...embarrassed to say the least. "Oh, um...I'm sorry. You can just forget everything I've told you."

"Don't worry about it. It'll be a secret between us guys. You get that, Kanji?" Yosuke peered at the corner. Ken was surprised when Kanji came out around the corner.

"I-I wasn't listenin' in, okay!" Kanji stuttered. "I just wasn't sure when I could..." Ken said nothing and simply went back the way he came.

"Hey..! He's gone..." Kanji sighed and turned to Yosuke. "Seriously, what are we gonna do about him? He's got a lot on his mind..."

"I don't think there's anything I can do." Yosuke answered. "I've got no right to say anything to him."

"Right...?" Kanji looked at Yosuke, who went silent. "...Left?"

"Huh?" Yosuke blinked.

Okay, so he was wrong. Kanji decided to backpedal on this. "N-Nevermind! Let's get back to the others."

As they left, from the other end of the area Yosuke was in was Noir. She overheard that conversation and placed a hand on her chest. "So, Ken-kun lost a parent too?" But she shook her head and went off back the way she came. She didn't want to keep her group waiting.

.

.

A few minutes prior...

Team: Minako, Mitsuru, Noir, Mona, Shinjiro, Naoto, Fox, and Teddie.

This team took down a few Shadows together. "Noir wiped some sweat from her bow after cleaving the final shadow with her axe. "Whew! What a workout!"

"Noir-senpai..." Naoto was a little stunned at Noir's efficiency. It was actually a little scary how violent she was and sweet about it after.

"It's freaky, right?" Minako whispered to Naoto, who nodded in agreement.

"Are you alright with that heavy axe?" Shinjiro had to be the one to ask. He was also using a heavy hammer as a weapon. It suited his size, so he was surprised that Noir could handle an axe with such ease.

"Mhm!" Noir responded with a bright smile. "I'm good with an axe. I used to chop wood all the time, so the movements are simple for me!"

"...That explains so much." Mona felt like he was just hit with a revelation.

Shinjiro was taking more hits than the others, but this was intentional on his end. Although it did bring some concern from the others that weren't familiar with him. "Shinjiro-san...are you sure you're alright?" Noir asked as her axe rested on her shoulder. "You've been taking a lot of damage."

"If you need someone to heal you, just say the world!" Teddie said. He was also slightly worried about the amount of damage Shinjiro sustained.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Shinjiro replied with a nod. "This is all for the sake of my Theurgy."

"Must you go so far?" Mitsuru was a bit exasperated by it. He and Akihiko were a little too similar.

"You mentioned those Theurgies before." Minako spoke up, a little quietly. Whenever her eyes glanced at Shinjiro, she felt a pang in her chest. She tried her best to push through it. "I...my team and I don't have those."

"I'm curious about them as well. Is this something all of you are capable of?" Naoto asked. The Phantom Thieves had their unique outfits, the Investigation Team had their special glasses, which they didn't even need right now, and SEES was the most combat ready team she saw, as they were armed to the teeth.

"Yes." Mitsuru explained. "We have yet to make use of them while we are here. Everyone has a different condition for their Theurgies to charge. But after our Evokers are charged enough, we are capable of unleashing a powerful attack upon our enemies. Our leader, Yuki...er, Minato..." She had to quickly correct herself, because Minako shared the same last name as Minato. Something she was going to have to get used to. Mitsuru couldn't help but notice the way Minako turned to the side, but not before flashing a smile in her direction. "Our leader is capable of summoning two Personas at once, but I do not know how that works here, with our powers so limited."

"That sounds rather fantastic." Fox stroked his chin. "I'd like to see this in action."

"The next horde we come across, I'll test it out." Shinjiro replied.

"Then let's move onto the next area." Mitsuru decided without missing a beat. The way she spoke and moved was quick and distant. It left the others in a bit of a shock.

"Mitsy-chan moves pretty quickly..." Teddie said.

"Does she not want to be here, or something?" Mona looked at Shinjiro. "It's almost like she has a business attitude at all times.."

"Nah...don't take it personally. She's always like that." Shinjiro replied while rubbing the back of his neck. "This fight against Shadows is all she's known for a long time. I can't say I'm any better."

It was then that Rise's hologram popped up. "I think I understand. I can tell her attitude doesn't come from a bad place. But it does feel like she's treating this as a job. Not that that's a bad thing. I know all of us don't exactly want to be here right now." If anyone could understand a business attitude at times, it was Rise.

"It's probably not my place to say, but you might understand that she takes this fight on for her father..." Although Fuuka was supposed to be supervising another team, she wanted to make sure the others didn't think too badly of Mitsuru. "The Kirijo Group was responsible for what's happened...and she fights hard for her father's sake..."

It was also Noir. She recalled out Mitsuru was the heir to the Kirijo Group. She wondered. "Does she now..." Fighting for her father? She got that. "Oh!" Noir thought she saw a Shadow nearby, so she went to chase it. "I think that's an enemy!"

"Ah, wait...!" Mona tried to stop her, but it was too late. No Shadow could ever escape Noir so long as she was there. That said, this would be the moment that led her to Ken and Yosuke...

.

.

Minato, Skull, Queen, Chie, Yukiko and Aigis.

After defeating a few Shadows, Minato was staring at his Evoker. Aigis noticed this and approached him. "Minato-san. Is everything okay? You are staring hard at your Evoker."

"It's just as I thought." Minato began. "I don't think I can use my Theurgy here. What about you, Aigis?"

"I can activate my Orgia Mode at any moment." Aigis responded. There was clearly no need to, but she could feel her abiltiy to do so easily.

"Orgia mode?" Queen was intrigued by that. Aigis was a robot and unlike anything they had encountered thus far. So there was a lot about her they didn't know about.

"When I enter Origa Mode, my damage output increases dramatically." Aigis explained to the others who looked at her curiously. "However, I act independently for a set amount of time."

"Whoa, that sounds badass!" Skull liked what he was hearing.

"I had no idea there was a robot this advanced just two years ago..." Chie whispered to Yukiko. She was far from a technology expert. Just finding a good TV was something she needed help with; and now she was allies with a robot with a Persona.

"But this does come with one drawback. After a set amount of time passes, I must cool down. When that happens, I am unable to do anything." Aigis explained the flaw with Orgia mode.

"So then it falls to us to keep you safe if the enemy hasn't already been destroyed by then." Queen took note of this. "But I wonder...Minato-san. Why aren't you able to use your Theurgy?"

"It's probably because of how this world effects the Wild Card's power." Minato surmised. "I summon two Personas at once for them. But since I am limited to Orpheus and just one other Persona, I don't think I can make the most of them. I could probably use Cadenza, but that's as far as I could go..." A useful one, but far from the most powerful in his arsenal. A shame...

"You can rely on us." Yukiko said with a smile. "We don't have powerful special attacks individually, but my friends and I have teamed up to use joint attacks."

"Yeah! Yukiko and I have a cool attack together." Chie spoke with a proud grin. "We'd show you, but it feels like a bit of a waste to use it on Shadows we can fight easily. In the other Labyrinth, we'll probably use it if we have to!"

"Oh, that's just like our Showtimes!" Skull gave Queen a little nudge. "Queen 'n I got a pretty rockin' Showtime! She came up with it all on her own, too!"

"W-Well, yes..." Queen felt a little sheepish with how much attention Skull was calling to it.

"I'd like to see it." Yukiko said while stepping forward. She looked at Queen and Skull with a bit of expectation.

"Oh, you wanna see the Fist of the Phantom Star in action, do ya!?" Skull said it, but didn't realize his mistake until Queen sharply jabbed him in the side with her elbow. "Ack-!"

"Fist of the Phantom Star?" Chie witnessed Queen's aikido skills during their sparring and fighting Shadows together. There was more she had up her sleeve!

"Hahaha..." Yukiko was holding back a laugh. Not only did this sound hilarious, but the way Queen reacted also added to it.

.

.

Joker, Junpei, Akihiko, Violet, Zen and Rei, Koromaru and Panther.

Koromaru displayed his skill in combat by hunting down a few Maya Shadows, finishing them off with the knife in his mouth. When the Shadows defeated, he sat down and gave an excitable woof. "Woof!"

"Good boy, Koromaru!" Panther clasped her hands together. Koromaru was strong and adorable! A dog after her own heart.

"Koro-chan is so reliable!" Rise commented with a happy hop. Already, he was making a better impression than Teddie ever could.

"Hey. I did pretty good too!" Junpei added, trying not to feel left behind by the dog.

"Good work, Junpei." Joker said with a grin. Not exactly what Junpei was hoping for, but he'd take it.

"By the way..." Akihiko looked towards Panther, Joker, and Violet. "What was that thing you did earlier? When you high fived each other."

"That's called the Baton Pass!" Panther said while kneeling down, giving Koromaru a few head rubs. "When we exploit an enemy's weakness, we pass the baton to the next person!"

"Oooooh. It's kinda like Shifting..." Junpei was able to make the connection easily.

"Shifting?" Zen asked. He was only just getting the hang of the Baton Pass, but there was another way to do it as well.

"Yeah. It's essentially the same as the Baton Pass from what I understand." Akihiko said while adjusting his boxing gloves. "When we hit an enemy's weakness, we shift it over to the next person."

"Wow. You guys are so coordinated! We haven't thought of doing anything like that." Rise admitted, tilting her head to the side. "We should come up with something! But I hope you don't mind if my friends and I take use of them as well."

"Of course we don't mind!" Violet grinned. There was still a part of her that couldn't believe she was friends and allies with Risette! But she was able to hold that part of her back.

"It's so cool!" Rei grinned.

"I'm starting to really see the benefits of training together here." Joker nodded. Learning about their new allies and how they fought opened up many new possibilities. There were so many of them that it felt like they could have infinite options under the right circumstances. They were taking a break for now. "Hey, Rise...how are the others doing?"

"Oracle and Fuuka-chan said everyone's been doing nicely!" Rise already had that answer at the ready. "It is a little bit of work managing multiple teams at once. But with the three of us, we can get it done!"

"Were you worried about them, Joker?" Fuuka asked. Between Rise, her, and Oracle, they could essentially shift between any team at any given moment. The Velvet Room was the perfect base of operations for the Navigators.

"I just wanted to know how they were doing. We've got a lot of people." Joker answered. He then looked over to the side, where Rei dragged Violet over to talk about something. Zen wanted to follow, but he was halted by Junpei.

"Whooooa there, Zen. You should probably give them a little space." Junpei said with a firm nod.

"Space? But..." Zen wasn't entirely sure what Junpei meant.

"You've been by her side since you got here, right?" Akihiko looked at Zen. "I think she's just branching out to make new friends."

"She's really been getting along with Violet since we got here." Panther said with a warm smile. "Aren't you happy to see Rei-chan happy?"

"Happy..." Zen looked down. For a moment, it felt as if he was trying to remember what happiness was. Or rather, it was something he was used to when he was with Rei, so he never really thought about it.

"Speaking of, Rei-chan is pretty cute. She acts more like a girl than Yuka-tan does." Junpei said absentmindedly.

"I don't think she'd appreciate hearing you say that." Akihiko said. Junpei gave a slight shrug in response, because he knew that was absolutely true.

"Ah, if Minato were here he'd agree with me." Junpei whistled.

"I'm gonna tell her you said that." Panther looked at Junpei, who proceeded to sweat.

"W-Wait a minute now. I was mostly a joke!" Junpei exclaimed.

Meanwhile, Rei brought Violet to the side because she had a question for her. "Violet-chan! Can you teach me how to do a backflip?"

"Huh?" Violet blinked at this sudden request.

"I want to do something to impress Zen! And you look so cook when you flip all over the battlefield like that." Rei said with sparkles in her eyes. "Even when you're out of battle! Please!"

Ah, geez. How could Violet say no to that? She smiled softly and gave a nod. "Okay, I'll teach you! First..." Violet took a few steps back and bent her knees a bit. "You have to position yourself just right...and then...!" She did a seamless backflip. There was a certain finesse to hers that the other Phantom Thieves lacked. Even though they could easily do one while in uniform, Violet's was practiced to near perfection. At least, that's how Rei saw it.

"Whoa...!" Rei's hands clasped together. Violet was so cool. "Where did you learn how to do that?"

"With my sister." Violet had a somber smile on her face. "We did gymnastics together. We both promised that we'd go to the top. But she...passed away in spring earlier this year."

Akihiko happened to overhear this. It wasn't as if their conversation was private, he just didn't stick his nose in it. But... "She lost a sister too, huh...?"

"Your sister..." Rei looked off to the side. "I don't remember if I had a sister...oh! Can I change my nickname for you? Instead of Ka-chan...I think Su-chan works better!"

"Su-chan? Hehe. Whatever you want, Rei-chan!" Violet replied with a grin. Although her mind did start to wander. The word sister. Sister. That word made something in Violet's mind flash. Her sister...Sumire...Sumire...why did her mind feel so fuzzy? "Ngh...my head..." She held her head with both hands and feel to a knee.

"Are you okay!?" Rei looked at Violet worriedly. She wanted to try doing a backflip, but Violet's wellbeing came first. The others noticed this and rushed over.

"Whoa, whoa! What's goin' on!?" Junpei asked.

Rei was using her healing magic on Violet to try and ease her pain. "I don't know...! Su-chan just got a headache...!"

"Maybe it's time to start heading back! She might need some rest!" Fuuka spoke up, also concerned about Violet's wellbeing.

"I'm sorry..." Violet frowned. She wasn't sure what was going on with her. Something in her head felt like it was throbbing. Rei's efforts were helping only a little bit. Koromaru also walked forward to nudge his nose against Violet, offering his support as best he could.

"Don't worry about it." Joker shook his head. "I think we've done enough as is. We can rest a bit more and finally get ready to head into the next Labyrinth."

"I'll report this to the others, then!" Fuuka gave a nod. The news would travel quickly to the others. The large group would return back to Yasogami High and take the time to prepare.

The Group Date Cafe was in their sights...

Chapter Text

Everyone returned from You in Wonderland with a better sense of teamwork. They did have to pull out a bit early since Kasumi had a bit of a headache for some reason. Back at Yasogami High, she had her hand on her temple, grimacing from the pain she felt. "Ow..."

"Is everything alright?" Minato asked as the others looked to Kasumi with some worry.

"I'm okay. My head just hurts. I'm sorry..." Kasumi flashed everyone an apologetic smile. She felt like she was slowing them down.

"Don't apologize!" Chie shook her head immediately. "We're all in this together. So if you need to rest, don't worry about it!"

"If you wish for rest, please come to the Nurse's Office." Elizabeth said as she appeared out of nowhere, gesturing in the direction of said office. "And don't forget your payment as well.

"You're really serious about the payment thing..." Chie was almost impressed at how dedicated Elizabeth was.

"What do you even need all this money for?" Yosuke asked.

"Probably so she can dump more in a fountain." Minako mumbled. Elizabeth heard that but she wasn't going

"...I'll take her there." Ren said with a smile.

"Thank you, Senpai..." Kasumi appreciated Ren's help while Rei watched on with a slight frown.

Yukari was looking out the window and at the clocktower. "...It really hasn't moved at all." When SEES first arrived, she did take a look at the clocktower and took note of the time. After what felt like hours of getting to know each other and training, the minute hand still had yet to move. "Or...was it that it just moved very slowly?"

"Seriously?" Junpei stood next to Yukari while gazing out at the clocktower. "You're telling me we've fit in a whole day within less than a minute!"

"That's how it's been since we've been here." Zen responded to Junpei's shock. "Even since Rei and I have been here, it's moved extremely slow."

"The passage of time in this place is certainly odd." Mitsuru commented while tossing her hair over her shoulder. "When Yoshizawa is rested, we can get moving into the Labyrinth once again."

"This actually presents a perfect opportunity." When Elizabeth spoke, everyone looked at her. "You have all grasped an understanding of one another. I believe this is the perfect time to put everything you've learned to the test."

"...A test?" Ann asked with a sweat drop. "It's not a written one, is it?"

"I ain't confident in that case." Ryuji added with a frown.

"I think you two are taking it too literally." Naoto shook her head. "What sort of test did you have in mind?"

"I would like a small group of you to take on an FOE within You in Wonderland." Elizabeth said.

"W-Whoa, you mean those freaky card soldiers marchin' around in there?" Junpei proceeded to sweat a little bit.

"You are all equal in terms of strength. Going forward, what will determine your success in battles is your teamwork." Elizabeth stated in a wise tone. "As such, I believe you are up to the task of felling a Card Soldier. If it makes you feel better, it is not as strong as the Painting Soldier."

"I can't say if that does or doesn't." Yukiko admitted.

"I think it's a worthwhile idea." Hifumi crossed her arms. "There is no better test than an FOE."

"She wouldn't put us up against someone she didn't think we couldn't handle." Minato trusted Elizabeth's judgement. "I think it's a fine idea."

"I trust her, too. If she says we can handle it...we can handle it!" Minako said with a nod.

"If they're saying it, then I will place my trust in Elizabeth's idea as well." Yusuke said. "How many people do you wish for this task."

"Five of you and one of the navigators, of course. Bring back a piece of the FOE when you are finished as proof of your victory." Elizabeth said. "You can deliberate your team before going inside. I will be waiting in the Nurse's Office for your report." And she went off.

"Only five of us, huh? Feels a bit strict." Kanji rubbed the back of his head.

"It's probably better this way." Makoto crossed her arms. "Ren is looking after Kasumi. We already walked into this acknowledging the fact we'd be fighting without him."

"I'll go." Minako said.

"i was going to say the same." Minato added.

"I'll go too." Makoto wanted to continue this teamwork excercise.

"And I'll go with Mako-chan!" Haru clasped her hands together.

"I suppose I'll go as well. I'd like to think I can be useful." Yukiko looked to the others. "I hope nobody minds."

"Are you sure you'll be alright?" Chie asked but quickly shook her head. "No, that's the wrong question! You'll be fine!"

Yukiko did smile at Chie's concern. "I'll be fine. We've got strong allies to depend on. And I'll make sure everyone survives with my healing magic."

"We'll be counting on you, Yukiko-chan!" Haru was confident. "We'll all be right back!"

"I'll back you guys up!" Rise nodded. So the first thing she did was make way back to the Velvet Room.

"So the warm ups are over." Akechi crossed his arms, watching as Minato, Minako, Haru, Makoto, and Yukiko made their way back inside You in Wonderland.

"What do we do in the meantime?" Ken looked to the others. He wasn't sure what they'd do with a bit of downtime.

"Isn't it obvious?" Ann spoke up with a wide grin. "We eat, duh! We can get so much food here, and I'm pretty sure it's endless!"

"I'm starving!" Rei acted as if she wasn't constantly spawning food. But eating with friends was much more enjoyable than eating alone! "I'm gonna see if Su-chan wants some food, too."

"I could eat..." Ken admitted. His stomach rumbled a little bit. He didn't think he had a bite to eat since they arrived in this strange Yasogami High.

"Good a time as any." Shinjiro responded. Not exactly to Ken, because that felt awkward.

"I could go for something to eat." Akihiko said.

"I think I'll go see if Theodore has something we can use." Hifumi tapped her cheek.

"Ooh, let me come with you!" Ann already linked arms with Hifumi and they were off together. Everyone had an idea of what they wanted to do. The group started to split off in a few separate directions.

Akechi was the one who lingered behind. Noticing this, Yu turned around. "Is something the matter? You don't like large groups, do you?"

"...Did I make it obvious?" Akechi spoke with a pleasant smile. "I am simply used to spending my time alone."

"Gonna be a bit hard to do that with everyone around here." Yu said with a bit of a laugh. "You're not also trying to avoid Yosuke because of earlier, are you? I know he got a bit upset earlier, but..."

"I do intend to apologize when I have the chance." Akechi shook his head. "I actually still had a question for you about that, Narukami-san. You're hunting down a Persona-user in a small town. Hypothetically speaking...what if it was someone you happened to know? I understand the chances of that are relatively small, but I am simply curious."

"Someone I know?" Yu rubbed the back of his neck. It was a little hard to say. It wasn't something that didn't cross his mind, but he had no idea. "I'm not sure what I'd do in that case. I suppose I'd ask why, first of all. Seeking out the truth doesn't always mean a pretty path is ahead, but it's something my friends and I have resolved to do. It could come to a fight, it could not...but I can't say."

"I suppose that is a rather unfair question." Akechi admitted. "The circumstances behind murder do not change the fact that it is murder. Perhaps it would be better if it was someone you weren't familiar with at all. That would make it easier."

"Hm..." Yu didn't disagree to that. Before he could ask where these questions came from, Chie and Yosuke doubled back for Yu.

"Ah, there you are." Yosuke spoke up. "You comin'?"

"Yeah, in a sec." Yu nodded.

"You should come to, Akechi-kun!" Chie said with a smile, already taking a few steps towards Akechi.

Oh no, here she comes again. Akechi found it hard to deny Chie specifically because she was friendly. He wanted to tell her no, but she made that difficult. "You do not have concern yourself so much with me, Chie-san. But I do appreciate the concern."

"No use trying to fight it, dude." Yosuke spoke with a slight smirk. "Once Chie gets her hands on you, you might as well give in. It's hard competing with that gorilla strength."

At that comment, Chie immediately whipped around with a glare. "WHO ARE YOU CALLING A GORILLA!?"

"WHAT!?" Yosuke's eyes widened as Chie took offense to what he believed to be a compliment. "I was just saying you had strength LIKE a gorilla!"

"YEAH, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT A GIRL WHAT'S TO HEAR!" Chie shouted back. Before long, she and Yosuke entered yet another shouting match. This left Yu and Akechi with sweat drops.

"I suppose I'll end this argument myself and come along..." Akechi decided to concede. Clearly, there was no point in fighting this. The Investigation Team sure were...something.

.

.

In the Nurse's Office, Kasumi was sitting down on one of the beds. Ren helped her there and Morgana decided to follow as well. "Thank you, Ren-senpai." Kasumi gave a slightly tired smile. "I don't know what happened. My head just started to hurt all of a sudden."

"Don't worry about it." Ren shook his head. "Take the time to rest."

Elizabeth was also in the room by this point, simply sitting at the desk. "I have tasked a small group with a task of defeating an FOE while you rest. So you do not have to worry about holding everyone up."

"Don't you think that's a bit..." Morgana wasn't entirely sure about that idea, but ultimately decided to trust it. "Well, there's nothing bad waiting at least. Just take your time and rest up, Kasumi."

"I will. Thank you." Kasumi smiled and lied back on the bed, closing her eyes. "A little peace and quiet will help..."

A fool she would be to say that, because the panicked cry of a certain bear caught everyone's attention. Teddie burst into the Nurse's office, with Zen and Rei following right after. Zen had his crossbow pointed towards Teddie with an unamused expression on his face. "Freeze."

"Z-Zen! You're going to impale Teddie!" Rei said with a panicked voice.

"This is a huge mistake!" Teddie attempted to defend himself. "I'm just a harmless loveable bear!"

"...So much for peace and quiet." Ren sighed.

"Teddie. What are you doing?" Morgana gave Teddie a skeptical look. Just a short time around this bear and he already knew that Teddie was always up to some kind of trouble.

"I haven't done anything wrong!" Teddie objected to the notion that he was an offender. "I just understand how Rei-chan feels, lost in a world without her memories. Don't you, Morgana!? That's why I'm worried about her."

"Well..." Morgana could not deny that feeling. He and Teddie had a similar origin. And despite how grating Teddie could be at times, that point of commonality did make it hard for Morgana to object.

"Teddie..." Rei was touched by Teddie's concern.

"And now that I've proven we have something in common, let's go on a date, Rei-chan!" Teddie's words immediately 180'd whatever good will he created for himself. "That way you don't have to remember anything but me!"

"Teddie..." Kasumi wasn't one for looking at someone with a deadpanned expression. But Teddie was the first to bring such a thing out of her.

"I can't believe this." Morgana rolled his eyes so hard they could've fallen out of their sockets. Ren just pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Would you not do the same if you were able, for Ann-chan!?" Teddie turned to Morgana. Breaking: the worst person you know makes a great point. Morgana grumbled as Teddie called him out. Of course he would do the same for Ann!

"He was serious about that...!?" Ren thought Teddie was joking about being Rei's soul mate. Turns out, he was extremely determined about this.

"A-A date...!?" Rei, however, was flustered at the idea.

"I won't allow it." Zen interjected.

"Hold it right there!" Now Elizabeth objected, causing all eyes to turn to her.

"Ahhh!?" Rei's cheeks flared up. Was Elizabeth going to ask her on a date now!?

"It is only right that the master of the room resolves all disputes here!" Elizabeth stated. "There, I will devise a solution. I call it...The Trading Showdown! A round of applause, if you please!" She said, clapping her own hands together. She was the only one doing so.

"T-The Trading Showdown...?" Rei tilted her head.

"Both competitors will be given an item. Starting with that, the one who barters his way to an item of Rei's choice wins!" Elizabeth explained. "The prize for winning will be a joyous tour with Rei!"

"A joyous tour? I'm in!" Rei grinned, having full faith in Zen's ability to win this.

"That settles it, then." Elizabeth nodded.

"Hooray! Trading Showdown!" Rei lifted a hand into the air, clutching a corndog gleefully!

"I'm in, too!" Teddie bounced around. "The one who deserves to be Rei-chan's knight in shining armor is me!"

"I don't fully understand, but I'm not going to back down now." Zen said firmly, before looking at Elizabeth. "So this bartering...how exactly does it work?"

"Oh boy..." Morgana already sensed that Zen was on the losing end of this.

Elizabeth noticed as well. "It is clear as day that Zen has a disadvantage here. But worry not, for I have a solution. Why don't you make a request of this person here." She used both index fingers to gesture to Ren.

"Yeah, I'll give you a helping hand." Ren nodded. The way Teddie acted made him want to root against him.

"I'll help out, too. I don't want to see Teddie win." Morgana was honest about it.

"Thank you. That is reassuring." Zen was grateful they were willing to lend a hand.

"This, however, is not the place for such a showdown. There is a guest attempting to rest, after all." Elizabeth glanced towards Kasumi. "As such, I will ask you all wait in the Food Court. It will give me time to prepare the necessary items for the trade as well."

"Hehehehe..." Teddie had a confident grin on his face as he looked at Zen. "Get ready, Zen-boy! This bear is about to leave you in the dust!" With that, Teddie ran off ahead.

"Good luck, you guys." Kasumi offered Ren and Zen a soft smile. She had no idea how this was going to go...

.

.

Teddie, Ren, Morgana, Zen, and Rei gathered in the Food Court as instructed. Elizabeth arrived moments later and looked over the small group. "Well, then. Now that we are all here, I would like to begin with the opening ceremony."

"Does it really need that much fanfare?" Morgana asked with a bit of a deadpan.

"Zen!" Teddie pointed at Zen, declaring war on him. "Rei-chan's knight in shining armor is ME!"

To that, Zen shook his head. "I don't accept that. It is my duty to protect Rei." There was practically lightning between their two gazes.

"Go Zen! You can do it!" Rei cheered, her preferred winner already clear.

"R-Rei-chan...I feel like Zen has the homefield advantage..." Teddie look wounded at Rei's cheer.

"Be honest with us. Did you think she was going to cheer for anyone else?" Ren's hands were in his pocket.

Elizabeth was enjoying the back and forth. "The contestants have begun a heated exchange of words. I look forward to the true meat of the showdown. Now then, Rei, please announce the object of your desire."

Rei pointed at herself. "Huh!? Me!?" Clearly, the blonde wasn't expecting to be called upon, but it only made sense since the prize for winning was a date with her! "Um! Okay! I want something sweet! Wait, something salty! Something I can eat, and super sized, too!"

"What is with these girls and their bottomless stomachs...!?" Morgana was in shock at Rei's request. Rei, Ann, Sumire...who else had a bottomless stomach around here?!

"Then the item you will be looking for must be both edible and large in size." Elizabeth told the two competitors. She then extended her hand, providing Zen and Teddie with a pair of chopsticks.

"Chopsticks? I have a bad feeling about this..." Teddie had little idea what to do with these.

"As I stated, this will be a Trading Showdown. And, as in the tale of Straw Millionaire, you will start small." Elizabeth replied. "Eventually, you must use them to obtain something that is edible and large in size. In order to keep this competition fair, you may only trade with up to three people. At that point, I will end it."

"So I start with these chopsticks, and I can trade with up to three people." This was the first time Zen did bartering, so he repeated the rules mostly for himself.

"Those chopsticks have a red mark on them...I wonder why..." Ren noticed the mark on the chopsticks. The marks were small and didn't really stand up, but it caught his perceptive eye.

"And now...let the Trading Showdown begin!" Elizabeth announced.

"Do your best, both of you!" Rei cheered.

"If this bear's looking for food, then I'm off to the concession stand!" Teddie had a gleam in his eyes, and he scurried away.

"We should stay here in the Food Court." Ren told Zen. "You're not gonna beat Teddie by going to the same place as him."

"You're right." Zen nodded. "If we try to compete int he same location, we'll both end up narrowing our chances of finding something good."

"If we can find Lady Ann, I bet she'll lead us to victory!" Morgana said with a grin. Although when he looked around, he didn't see Ann anywhere.

"I see Fuuka, Futaba, and Ken over there. Perhaps they can offer us something?" Zen suggested. Ren nodded, it was as good a starting point as any. Fuuka and Futaba were sitting at a table together, both of them having cream soda in their hands.

"Hey, you two. Are you getting along?" Ren asked this to Futaba. The fact she was sitting with someone new was progress!

"Y-Yeah!" Futaba gave an excited nod. "Fuuka is into tech stuff just like I am!"

"I think you're a little better than me when it comes to it though, Futaba-chan..." Fuuka had a sheepish smile on her lips. Fuuka had an interest, but the notion of Futaba coming from a future seven years later meant she was no doubt better at things than her.

"But you're still talented!" Futaba said with a smile. Fuuka couldn't help but feel a little bashful about it all.

Zen's eyes glanced at the cream soda in both of their hands. "That's a cream soda, I believe. I remember because Rei was drinking one before."

"...Yeaaaaaaah..." Futaba glanced off to the side, as did Fuuka. "We were trying to order curry with miso..."

"We were both in the mood for something salty." Fuuka added. "We were going to save some for Rise-chan too, since she's busy helping the others. But I guess they couldn't hear us clearly...because this is what they gave us."

"Ah..." Ren understood. The tale of soft-spoken, shy girls.

Zen, however, did not get it. "If they didn't give you what you wanted, why not just tell them?"

"Y-Yeah, I know, but the mistake was because I didn't speak loudly enough..." Fuuka was ironically being a bit soft spoken right now. Futaba had no idea how to proceed either.

"It's alright, Zen...we should just leave them be." Morgana was the one to bail the two out of this situation. They waved goodbye to Fuuka and Futaba before approaching Ken.

Ken was sitting by himself with a cup of coffee in hand. Such a sight was a bit surprising considering how young Ken was. "That is...coffee." Zen said while staring at the cup in Ken's hands. "I remember because Rei had a sip and didn't like the bitter taste. According to Rei, coffee is a drink for adults. Aren't you still but a child, Ken?"

Ken didn't enjoy being treated like a kid, despite the fact he was one. "I-I'm not some little kid! Don't you tell me I can't have coffee!"

"We're not saying that." Ren shook his head. "If you had coffee at Leblanc, you'd like it! I can whip up a good cup of coffee myself if you'd like."

"Really?" Ken didn't realize Ren was good with coffee. He then glanced off to the side with the offer on the table. "W-Well, to be honest, it would be nice to have something sweet to go along with this coffee-ness..."

"I see." Zen's gaze drifted off to the side slightly. "I apologize if I treated you like a child. But remember that time is the great equalizer. Your time will come eventually."

"Time, huh..." Ken mumbled under his breath. "If I even had much time..."

"Goodbye, Ken." Zen nodded. The three left Ken to his devices, and went over to the next table: Aigis and Yusuke. When they arrived, they saw the table was littered with splintered chopsticks and splattered Takoyaki.

"What happened here?!" Morgana's eyes were wide at the ruinous sight of the table.

"I find it difficult to control my strength in matters requiring gentle dexterity. I would like ot pick up a soft takoyaki with chopsticks, but I ended up destroying them." Aigis's tone was a bit robot, but one could tell by her expression that she seemed a little disappointed by this outcome. "I do have one last order of takoyaki, but unfortunately there are no more intact chopsticks in the vicinity..."

"Can you even eat them?" Zen questioned without thinking about it. But in truth, this was the question on Ren and Morgana's minds as well.

"...And what are you doing?" Ren turned to Yusuke, who had a sketchbook in hand.

"Aigis is a fascinating model." Yusuke said, his pencil moving at speeds he hadn't achieved in quite some time. "A robot with a Persona is unique in and of itself! And despite the fact she is not of flesh, she attempts to interact with us as a normal person. I sense a heart within that I must capture on canvas!"

"He isn't bothering you, is he?" Morgana looked at Aigis.

"It is fine." Aigis shook her head. "Yusuke-san is the first person who wished to capture me in a art piece. He did ask beforehand as well. I am curious to see how I turn out in his drawing."

"Alright then. We'll...leave you two to it." Ren said. They had little choice but to leave Aigis to wallow in her destruction, and Yusuke to his artistic calling.

Next was Junpei. He was sitting at a table by himself, with a bowl of ramen and ice cream. Although both of them were untouched. He noticed the trio approaching and waved to them. "Oh hey, it's you guys."

"Ramen and ice cream..." Zen stared at Junpei's bowls. "Aren't you going to eat them?"

"Ah, I'm glad you asked!" Junpei exclaimed. "Take a look at this!" He revealed a dirty, grimy pair of chopsticks. "I dropped them while I was eating! I went to get another pair, but there aren't any left! Anywhere!"

"I wonder why that is..." Morgana held a sarcastic tone while glancing back at the previous table.

"Who's hoggin' all the chopsticks!? I still have some chashu pork in there! And I haven't even touched my dessert!"Junpei was so annoyed by this outcome! "I guess I'll have to go down a floor and get some more. Man, what a pain..."

"I understand the situation. I will see you later." Zen nodded and walked off, Ren and Morgana following to leave Junpei in his misery. They were starting to run out of people, but there was one last thing that caught Zen's attention. "Is that Kanji and Yosuke over there...?"

"Yeah, it is..." Morgana noticed them, but there was also something enormous with them as well. "Whoa, what is that!?"

"Let's find out...!" Ren said. The three hurried over to Kanji and Yosuke, who had a very large parfait of some kind with them. "Hey! What is that thing?"

"It's a jumbo parfait." Yosuke explained. "Guess you could call it a special event of sorts."

"Yosuke-senpai...I'm thirsty..." Kanji groaned. The two of them apparently have been at this for a while and it was starting to wear on them.

"No complaining, Kanji!" Yosuke shook his head. "If we can finish this thing, we don't have to pay for it! Plus, we'll get a prize! And if this stupid thing is THIS big, then the prize has got to be something awesome! So man up and open wide!"

"I-I'll do my best!" Kanji would try his best to steel hismelf.

"Where did you get this...?" Zen asked.

"In Concession Alley. I think that's what it's called." Yosuke crossed his arms. "We saw Ann and Hifumi buy one. They're right over there!" He pointed to a table not too far away; Ann and Hifumi's backs were facing everyone and they were talking with an empty parfait bowl between them. "I figured if the two of them could handle it, so could we! But...it's a little harder than I thought."

"...I think I understand what happened here." Morgana had a deadpanned look. "You didn't see Lady Ann and Hifumi share it. You saw Lady Ann devour that thing by herself, maybe giving Hifumi a little bit."

"SHE ATE THAT WHOLE THING HERSELF!?" Yosuke spluttered.

"99% of it!" Ann shouted from afar. She heard them.

"She eats sweets all the time. I've seen her destroy a hotel dessert section." Ren said.

Yosuke looked like he was trying to process something. "So you're telling me she eats sweets like that, and still looks like that?"

"She is a model, too!" Morgana closed his eyes and sighed dreamily. "Isn't she amazing?"

Yosuke was ignoring the cat thirsting for the human, mostly because he was right. "Daaaaamn..."

"...Anyway, we'll leave you to it." Ren decided to get things back on track, leaving Kanji and Yosuke to their tumultuous challenge.

Zen, Ren, and Morgana regrouped at a table together. After having gone through as many options as possible, Zen felt his confidence beginning to waver. "Perhaps we have made a mistake. I did not expect there to be a food item fo that immensity. I'm sure by now, Teddie has..."

"It's not over 'til it's over." Ren said firmly.

"This is where we shine as Phantom Thieves." Morgana held a confident smirk. "We can only trade with three. Now that we have all the information we need, we put it together for the best plan of attack."

"I see." Zen let out a quiet sigh. "I do feel a little better hearing that from the both of you. I would like to obtain the parfait. That is the item I know will bring Rei the most happiness."

"We knew that as soon as we saw it." Ren grinned.

"I do not know what to do, so I leave it in your hands. But please...do not lose to Teddie." if there was any request Zen ever had to make in his life, it was this.

"Of course. We won't lose to Teddie." Morgana said firmly. "If we put everything together, the route to the Treasure is clear! Don't you think, Ren!"

"Heh." Ren adjusted his glasses, a glint appearing off of them. "It's Showtime. Zen, follow my lead exactly. First, trade with Junpei."

"Understood. I'll go now." Zen was going to trust and follow Ren's words. So he went over to Junpei, and a moment later he returned with a bowl of ice cream. "Junpei seemed to really want those chopsticks. He stuffed his mouth with chashu pork, then left. He said he was feeling pretty full after eating, and so he left the ice cream behind. Something about having a 'dessert stomach' and a 'real food stomach'. But we only have one stomach..."

"Don't worry about that." Morgana shook his head.

"Next person! Go to Ken." Ren wanted to keep this on track. Zen nodded and went off to trade with Ken. A moment later, he returned with a cup of coffee.

"It would appear we had what Ken was looking for. He was very happy to get something sweet." Zen held the cup of coffee up. "He said he wanted something to go with his coffee, but instead gave me the rest. Apparently he only needed a sip. What kind of drink would you ever only need one sip of...?"

"One more." Ren stared at the coffee, and then knew exactly where their final trade went to. "Kanji and Yosuke."

"They did say they could use a drink..." Nodding once more, Zen walked over to them. After a few minutes he came back with a small coupon in hand. "When I arrived, they had finished eating, but there some parfait left. Once I gave them the coffee, though, they perked up and were able to recover themselves and finish it."

"What's that in your hand?" Morgana pointed at the coupon.

"Oh, this?" Zen held it up. "The prize they won was a coupon for another free jumbo parfait. They were...upset. Ann looked happy for me to receive it."

"With this, we win." Ren felt confident in this outcome. The Jumbo Parfait was theirs!

"Now it's time to see what Teddie has in store." Morgana did wonder what Teddie was up to this whole time. Zen used the coupon to obtain a Jumbo Parfait, and the group gathered at the starting table once again as Teddie returned.

"And now, time to announce the results! A round of applause, please!" Elizabeth clapped her hands together.

"Yay! Hooray!" Rei did cheer, because she was looking forward to this!

"Zen, Teddie. Are you two ready?" Elizabeth looked between the two competitors. "I would like you both to prove your love for Rei."

Teddie strolled up, nothing but confidence on his face. "Hoo-ah! I've got this in the bag! If you want to give up, now's your chance!"

"Why would I give in before even knowing what the results are?" Zen asked.

"Hmph! So much confidence!" Teddie grunted, although he was misreading Zen's response.

"Zen, you are first up." Elizabeth said. "I would like you to show us what you have."

"This is it." Zen then revealed the jumbo parfait.

Rei stared at the jumbo parfait, needing only a few seconds to process what she was "Huh?! HUUUUUH!? Is this a parfait!? It's hugemongous!"

"This is quite impressive." Elizabeth had to admit, that was one large parfait. "Rei, would you like a taste?"

"i can? Really?" Rei's eyes lit up as she took a spoon in hand. "Okay, then! Here I go!" And she proceeded to eat the jumbo parfait. Much like with Ann, the large mountain of a parfait quickly began shirking in size. "Delicious! So sweet! So huge! Cream! Chocolate! Strawberries! I CAN'T STOP EATING!"

"She's completely devouring it!" Morgana gasped.

"And the final verdict is: CAN'T STOP EATING!" Elizabeth said. "And now it's your turn, Teddie. Please show us what you have obtained."

"Heh!" Teddie laughed as it was his turn. "I'm bear-y confident about THIS!" And then he revealed a gigantic stick of blue cotton candy!

"Whoa!" Ren was briefly taken by surprise. Teddie was not pulling his punches!

"It's huge!" Morgana spoke with wide eyes.

"Huuuh!? What is this!? I've never seen anything like it before!" This also had Rei's attention. The parfait was a heavy hit for Zen, but this cotton candy might've been able to match it...!

When Zen saw Rei's excitement, he grimaced under his chained collar. "Does this mean...I've lost."

"No way...!" Morgana refused to believe it. Were they really about to lose to TEDDIE!?

"Huh...? Wait a minute..." Ren narrowed his eyes.

"Oh...?" Elizabeth tilted her head. "Teddie, may I ask where you got this?"

"Wh-where? I traded for it, of course!" Teddie tried not to stumble over his words too hard.

"Traded, hm? And whom did you trade to procure this?" Elizabeth gestured to the stick. "I actually left a red mark on the first pair of chopsticks I gave to prevent cheating."

Clearly, Teddie did not think about this. "W-What!?"

"Hey! The stick with the cotton candy on it has a red mark!" Rei pointed out. That didn't stop her from giving the cotton candy a try, but the moment it touched her tongue, she wretched. "Eugh! This tastes really bad! It's all hairy and tangly!"

"You cheated then, didn't you?" Elizabeth's yellow gaze pierced into Teddie's soul.

"Teddie. What did you give Rei?" Ren asked with morbid curiosity.

Teddie's expression fell. "I couldn't find anyone to trade with. So I pulled out some my own fur and put it in the cotton candy machine to make it all fluffy..."

"That's...gross." Morgana shuddered at the thought of tasting bear fur.

"Disqualified!" Elizabeth stated.

"Bear fur tastes awful!" Rei stuck her tongue out in disgust.

Teddie fell over. The shape of his bear costume just allowed him to rock back and forth on the ground in emotional agony. "That's mean! You didn't have to say it twice!"

Since Teddie was caught red handed in cheating, he was DQ'ed without a second thought. "Ahem. This is a formality at this point, but Rei, would you please announce the winner?"

"Ahem!" Rei cleared her throat. "This Trading Showdown's winner is...Zen!"

"This is all thanks to you, Ren and Morgana. You kept Rei from Teddie's grasp. And more importantly...she is happy." Zen's expression had a faint smile on it.

"You're welcome, Zen. I'm glad we were able to help." Ren gave a firm nod.

"We weren't going to lose to Teddie." Morgana said with a haughty grin.

"I'm sorry I cheated, Rei-chan." Teddie sulked.

"You did cheat, but you still made me happy, Teddie." Rei gave Teddie a warm smile, before turning to Zen. "Hey, Zen? Would it be okay if the three of us played together?"

"...Okay." Zen replied. It may have seemed surprising, but he was okay with it. Rei was happy, and he felt like he didn't need to worry about Teddie trying to steal her away.

"Yay!" Rei placed her hands on her chest. "Then let's play together! I know a good place that has tasty corndogs!"

"Rei-chan...thank yoooooou!" Teddie cried happily. Ren and Morgana shook their heads.

"And that's the end of that. All's well that ends well." Elizabeth said. Thus, the Trading Showdown concluded! In the end, everyone became a little closer as a result.

.

.

Fuuka made her way to the Velvet Room. Rise had been hard at work with the team that went into You in Wonderland to fight the FOE. "Rise-chan. Is it going okay?"

"Mhm!" Rise replied with a nod. She was taking a seat for a moment. "They're almost there! I'm a little nervous, but I'm going to do my best to navigate them to victory." Working with others felt felt new to her, but she was going to put her best foot forward. The test of teamwork was right around the corner, and it was going to determine their ability to work together going forward.

"Are you ready everyone? Let's do this!"

Chapter Text

The other members of SEES gathered around a table while waiting for Minato and the others to return. They were slowly getting used to the way things were going in this version of Yasogami High. Mitsuru looked plenty worried, letting out a sigh. "I hope Yuki is alright out there."

"...You mean Minato, right?" Yukari asked for clarification. If it wasn't obvious, they were still trying to wrap their heads around the idea of another SEES leader.

"Ah..." Mitsuru sighed again, pinching the bridge of her nose. "It's a force of habit. I don't want to cause any confusion between them either. I did that once already and I saw the look on her face."

"I feel bad for Minako-san..." Ken frowned. "I can't imagine how she feels right now."

"All alone with people who are her friends, but aren't at the same time. I'm surprised she can keep a smile on her face." Junpei shook his head as he thought about it. Minako was currently undergoing something that would probably break most people, and she managed to smile. In truth, it kind of worried him...

"Should I go into the Labyrinth to support them?" Aigis asked, already standing up from her chair. "I want to be near them both."

"No, you shouldn't do that...!" Fuuka shook her head. It would be pretty bad if Aigis got lost or worst while in the Labyrinth. "This is a training exercise. We just have to trust that they'll be okay. Minato-kun is already reliable as a leader. If Minako-chan is the same as him, I don't think we have anything to worry about..."

"But what are we gonna do about her?" Shinjiro asked the real question. "I don't want to ignore her. She's a member of SEES. So I think we should treat her as one."

"I was thinking the same thing." Akihiko crossed his arms. "I don't want to leave her out. But I don't want to push any boundaries either..."

"Any kindness from us could be seen as rude or insensitive." That was Mitsuru's biggest concern. She didn't want to leave Minako alone, but she had no idea how to approach her. Would Minako see her as her Mitsuru or a separate one?

"Woof!" Koromaru barked.

"Koromaru-san says we should still make an effort. We do not want her to be lonely if we can help it." Aigis translated.

"I still don't know if he really said that, but I agree. We don't know how long we're going to be stuck here, but we should make her feel like one of us!" Yukari nodded. They still had one major question despite their determination...

"So." Junpei looked at the others. "Anyone got any ideas how we're gonna do that?"

And the answer to that question was silence...

.

.

Minato, Minako, Noir, Queen, and Yukiko made their way through the first floor of You in Wonderland. It was familiar territory for Minako, Noir and Queen. Yukiko had some memory of it due to the Investigation Team's mad dash to aid the Phantom Thieves, while Minato was the least familiar with the scenery. "So what are we looking for?" Minato asked. The others were more acquainted with this area, so they knew what to look for.

"A gigantic walking card!" Rise announced. Her hologram was effectively walking alongside the others. This way she could experience the labyrinth with them.

"Oh. I didn't know if it would be like that cupid in the other place." Minato responded.

"It seems the FOEs vary from labyrinth to labyrinth." Queen surmised. "Truthfully, I am a little on edge about fighting one as we are right now."

"Elizabeth does make some strange requests at time. But it's always something within the realm of possibility." Minako reassured Queen. "I have a question for you guys, though." She was including Yukiko and Noir in this as well.

"What is it?" Yukko asked while brushing her hair back.

"Have you ever fought without your team leaders before?" Minako questioned, hands behind her back. "I mean...I've gathered that as Wild Cards, we all operate the same. We lead the charge and choose our teams to battle with in most scenarios."

"This is a first for me." Yukiko admitted. "It's not that I don't have trust in anyone's abilities here, but it is a little nerve wracking. I don't want to bring anyone down."

"We've fought without Joker before. Although it was only recently in our last operation." Noir explained. "It was different, but we were able to make due. I think we'll be able to pull this off! So don't worry, Yukiko-chan."

"I guess it's hard to argue when you say it like that." Yukiko did manage a confident smile.

As the group traveled deeper into You in Wonderland, Rise suddenly spoke up. "Oh, wait! I'm picking up an FOE reading. I think our target is just behind that door. Is everyone ready?"

"I think so." Minato replied with his sword at the ready. The only thing to do in this scenario was just go for it. The others nodded and the door was open. The Card Soldier simply patrolled the area. It wasn't just going to strike the group out of the blue; they'd have to get its attention.

"The FOE won't attack unless we get too close, or if we strike it first." Queen pressed her fist into her open palm. "That means we have the element of surprise is ours."

"I know exactly what to do then." Yukiko said as her fan suddenly became engulfed in flames. "This idea came to me and I've been waiting to try it!"

"Where did you even get that idea...!?" Minako spoke with an exasperated grunt. "Actually. Go right ahead. I wanna see how this works out." She grabbed her Evoker.

"I think we should come up with a better approach first." Queen pressed her index finger to her mask.

"I vote for throwing the fan. It's not paying attention to us!" Minako voted.

"I agree. We can attack it while its eyes are on Yukiko-chan!" Noir also agreed to this idea. Queen didn't even have to ask Yukiko, she still had her fan at the ready.

"...And you?" Queen turned to Minato, who was silent about this plan of attack.

"Does my vote really matter here?" Minato could tell what the energy here was. It didn't really feel worthwhile to try and fight it. "Let's just make the best of the opening."

"And that's 4-1 in favor of Yukiko-senpai's plan!" Rise giggled. Queen was usually so put together, that seeing her a little exasperated was a little amusing.

"I guess we'll just get into position then." Queen conceded and simply decided to put her best effort into this plan. As such, she, Minako, Minato, and Noir all split off into separate directions. This left Yukiko in the path of the Card Soldier. It didn't show any signs of hostility as it drew near. By the time it realized that Yukiko was encroaching on its territory, it was too late.

"Yah!" Yukiko threw her blazing fan towards the FOE. The Card Soldier was not prepared for a fight, so the blazing fan crashed against it and caused it to recoil. Because Yukiko cast the first stone, the Card Soldier roared in response. After Yukiko hit it, it swung its large wand at her in a downward motion in an effort to crush her. Yukiko jumped back, eyes trained on the ground where she once stood and how it was completely crushed. Once her feet landed on the ground, she summoned Konohana Sakura! "There!" Konohana Sakura spun around, sending a pillar of flame towards the Card Solider. It blocked this with its wand, but its sight was blocked by the lingering embers in front of its face.

When the embers cleared, Yukiko was no longer where she once was. The Card Soldier turned around in search of her, only to be met with Queen's fist and Noir's axe in its face. "Take this!" The Card Solider stumbled from the direct hit, but it was quick to retaliate by swinging its wand at the pair. Queen and Noir were knocked backwards after such a damaging blow.

"Ow..." Noir grimaced. That hurt a lot. Now she understood why it was advised to avoid FOEs whenever possible. It hurt, but it wasn't something she couldn't handle. "Are you okay, Queen?"

"It hurt, but I think I can handle it..." Queen said. The Card Soldier turned to them and prepared to strike once again. But it was stopped by Minato's Orpheus intercepting the blow with his harp.

"Orpheus, hold it back." Minato commanded, standing afar with his Evoker in hand. Orpheus was locked into a clash with the Card Soldier, the two swinging their weapons and clashing each time. The Card Soldier was about to swat Orpheus away, but Minako attacked right after.

"Apsaras!" She clicked the trigger of her Evoker, summoning a second Persona to the fray. Apsaras flew forward, launching a small beam of ice towards the Card Soldiers, causing it to stumble forward. The Card soldier whipped around to smack Minako with its wand. She crossed her arms but was still hit hard, being thrown off her feet before hitting the ground. "Agh...!" That hurt.

"It's my turn to try now..." Yukiko was about to try something new. Since everyone had the power of the Wild Card within them right now, she summoned a secondary Persona. "Berith!" Berith appeared in front of Yukiko and galloped forward, crashing into the Card Soldier to force it backwards. This charge only lasted a few seconds before the Card Soldier was able to push it off.

This did give Noir the time she needed to pull out her rocket launcher. Sure, it may not fire what she needed, but she remembered hearing Naoto's suggestion. Her mask burned away as Milady appeared behind her, a violet glow appearing around her. "Okay, here goes! I'm firing!"

"Is that a rocket launcher...?" Minato's visible eye went slightly wide at Noir's heavy artillery. She clicked the trigger and a rocket composed purely of Psy magic shot forward. The recoil almost threw Noir off her feet since she wasn't expecting to pump so much power into it. The rocket crashed into the Card Soldier and the explosion nearly knocked it back.

"Direct hit!" Noir grinned. "So that does work!"

"I'll have to tell the others when we get back!" Queen had a smirk. She decided to do the same thing. While the Card Soldier was regaining its footing, Johanna briefly appeared behind her as she pointed her revolver forward. She fired a few Nuke bullets at the Card Soldier, further damaging it. Even though this was effective, she could feel the magic drain from her a bit faster than normal. "But it's not without drawbacks..."

"Watch out! It's about to do something!" Rise exclaimed. The Card Soldier twirled its wand around before slamming it into the ground. This prompted a green web to spread out across the ground. The group wasn't sure what happened as it crossed under their feet. Green chains then appeared around their body, binding their movement.

"H-Hey...! I can't move...!" Minako winced. She tugged at the chains. They weren't stopping her body from making movements but she couldn't move her legs.

"This must be a new status of some kind. Your agility's been completely sealed!" Rise reported. This was their first encounter with the new status effect: binds. With these green chains wrapped around them, they could still fight, sure. But they weren't going to be avoiding any attacks. The Card Soldier was fully aware of this and started to charge forward. It spun around with its wand, striking Minato, Minako, Queen, Noir, and Yukiko hard. The force it used was more than enough to knock them all away in separate directions. Rise's eyes widened in worry. "Is everyone okay!? That was a hard hit...!"

"I'm fine..." Minato grunted. He could stand after a few seconds, but not being able to move was annoying him. Still, he summoned Orpheus once again, allowing it to blast the Card Solider with an Agi to catch its attention. In that moment, he felt his Evoker vibrate slightly. It was a familiar sensation, but... "What...? My Theurgy? But..." He couldn't use it! At least, he was sure he couldn't, so then why...

"Come to me!" Yukiko summoned Konohana Sakura once more. With an elegant spin, her Persona dispelled the Binds around everyone. This was just in the nick of time, for the Card Soldier was about to attack again, but everyone was able to avoid it in the nick of time.

"So Yukiko-senpai can clear those binds, that's good! But they're still a problem. If you could find a way to move faster than it..." Rise was trying to think of something. The FOE had them beat in terms of sheer strength, but they had the ability to defeat it.

"Milady!" Noir summoned Milady, who began to open fire with the heavy weaponry hidden within her dress. Yet another thing Minato was not expecting, but Yukiko was also surprised by this as well. The onslaught of bullets did force the Card Soldier on the defense for a second. "Queen!" Noir was too busy bombarding the Card Soldier to move, so she decided to borrow SEES' technique. She Shifted momentum to Queen by glancing her way.

This allowed Queen to ride forward on Johanna and slam into it, causing it to nearly tip backwards, but it wasn't quite enough. "It's quite strong!"

"We just need a little bit more firepower..." Minako grunted while holding her Evoker.

Minato felt it again. That pulse within him and in his Evoker. He could use his Theurgy and he was starting to understand why. The rules of the Labyrinth shifted things a bit. Fusion spells required the use of summoning two Personas at once. The combination is what was lacking. He had Orpheus, and Minako had Apsaras. The rules of the Labyrinth did not account for two of the same person, so then maybe...! "Minako..!"

"Huh?" Minako whipped around as Minato called out to her. It felt weird. Hearing her name from his lips. She wasn't sure how she felt about it, but she still gave him her attention.

"Follow my lead. We can do a Fusion Spell." Minato said, hoping she would be able to understand his meaning.

"We can?" Minako furrowed her brows, but in that moment, she understood. "Of course!" She took her position by Minato's side while they pressed their Evokers to their temples. "I summon you!"

"Come!"

The two fired at the same time. Orpheus and Apsaras appeared together, flying across the battlefield while playing a wonderful harmony. This harmony washed over Minato, Minako, Queen, Noir, and Yukiko. They worked together to cast Cadenza. Not only did it heal them. but it boosted their speed as well! Just in time, as Queen avoided an attack at the last second.

"Whoa! What was that!?" Rise looked to Minato and Minako. "You two did a spell together!"

"So that's it..." Minato realized why he couldn't use his Theurgy earlier. He was lacking...Minako. Another presence just like his to balance things out.

Queen rode forward on Johanna and passed the baton to Yukiko. She once again summoned Konohana Sakura to release a potent blast of fire on the Card Soldier. This was an effective hit that left it noticeably reeling. "I think it's getting weaker!" Yukiko exclaimed.

"It is! Just a few more strong hits and you can take it down!" Rise said excitedly.

"I know just what to do!" Noir looked to Queen with a grin. The two were on the same wavelength. "Get ready! Because..."

"IT'S SHOWTIME!"

The scenery briefly changed. Noir and Queen stepped into a wrestling ring, with the weakened FOE standing in the corner. The two dashed forward and proceeded to assault it; Queen with a solid haymaker to knock it into the back rope, Noir with the steel chair, Queen again with a solid punch, and lastly, Noir with a drop kick. The damage was piling up on it, but the two weren't done yet! They climbed the top ropes, waving to the crowd before flipping forward. "DOUBLE DEATH BLOW!" They dropped onto the Card Soldier from up above, their elbows crashing right into the chest of the FOE. Such an attack was extremely powerful, causing the Card Soldier to finally fall over. Not in defeat, but it was extremely vulnerable, and that only meant one thing...

"LET'S GET IT!" Minako exclaimed. She, Minato, Yukiko, Queen, and Noir all leapt at it at once for an All Out Attack! There was no hope of survival for the FOE as it was assaulted from all angles by these Persona users. At the end of it all, the five of them walked away from the cloud of smoke with confident expressions. "Sorry 'bout that. Bye bye!"

"Enemy defeated! You guys were awesome out there!" Rise jumped for joy. As she did that, Minako was the one who decided to pilfer its remains as proof that it was defeated.

"I think that went well." Minato said while staring at his Evoker. Now he knew if he wanted to use a fusion spell, he'd need Minako's help. But at the same time, it felt a little unfair to ask her to accommodate for him...

"Don't worry about it!" Minako approached Minato with a smile. She could feel what he was thinking. "I was worried I wouldn't be able to use fusion spells at all. But I guess that's the benefit of having two of the same person, right?"

"Mhm." Minato nodded. Minako was smiling and seemed okay with it. But he couldn't quite tell if that was how she really felt...

"If it'll make our fights easier, I'll keep an eye out for the Persona duos we'll need!" Minako held a ripped card in her hand. "Oh! And that was another Showtime, wasn't it?" She turned to Noir and Queen.

"That was so flashy!" Yukiko clasped her hands together. Seeing it in action was exciting. "I especially liked the part where you clocked him over the head with the steel chair! And when you drop kicked him!" She giggled at Noir's actions. "You looked like trained professionals out there!"

"It was super cool." Minako snickered.

"Thank you, hehe!" Noir giggled.

"We were able to win. That means we're slowly getting back to our normal strength." Queen knew it was going to be a long climb until they were back to where they used to be. But she couldn't help the accomplished smile on her face.

"I'll let the others know you're coming back. Once you do, grab some food and we'll be ready to go!" Rise reported.

"You heard the lady! Let's get a move on! I am starving!" Minako threw her arms over her head and led the way back. The others followed right behind her.

.

.

The FOE squad returned to Yasogami High. Before actually informing Elizabeth of the completed quest, they did decide to eat first as instructed. That group coupled with Ren visited the Nurse's Office, where Elizabeth and Kasumi were waiting. "Welcome back. I trust everything went well?" Elizabeth asked.

"Yup!" Minako nodded, presenting the torn card as proof of their victory over the FOE. Elizabeth accepted this and smiled.

"Excellent. I believe this serves as sufficient proof that all of you are capable of fighting with one another properly." Elizabeth stated.

"Nice work, guys." Ren grinned. "We're starting to look more and more like a proper team."

"Everyone did great!" Rise smiled brightly. "How are you feeling, Kasumi-chan?"

"Much better." Kasumi smiled and swung herself off the bed. "My headache is gone now!" She also saw Elizabeth's extended hand enter her field of vision. The Velvet Room Attendant wanted payment. So, Joker was the one who had to slap some yen into her hand. This only embarrassed Kasumi a little bit. "Thank you, Senpai..."

"You are all now prepared for the challenges ahead. But I will be testing you periodically." Elizabeth stated. This was only the beginning. They had a long road ahead of them if they wanted to escape this place and return home.

"And we'll meet the challenge." Minato said with a firm nod. With the request cleared, everyone gathered in front of Group Date Cafe.

"I take it everything went well?" Hifumi asked, arms behind her back.

"That's right." Ren nodded.

"I'm ready to go, too! I'm so sorry for the hold up." Kasumi rubbed her arm.

"You have nothing to apologize for." Akechi shook his head. "We wouldn't leave you behind. This sort of mission involves everyone, after all.'

"With everyone present, it appears we can head back into the labyrinth with little issue now." Mitsuru said. "I admit, the exercises we went through together make me feel more confident going forward." She even had a little smile.

"We've got one hell of a group to work with." Shinjiro said before turning to Joker. "Being in charge of a group this large must be daunting. Don't worry about us too much, everyone's made it clear they can handle themselves."

"Thanks..." Joker wasn't expecting Shinjiro to be so understanding. It was his way of trying to ease whatever worries he may have had.

"Before we go..." Minako spoke up and caught everyone's attention. "I've been doing a little thinking. And I think...I want to try going by a codename while I'm here."

"Huh?" Ann tilted her head. "A codename?"

"I mean! Let's be honest, I think it's going to be a little confusing with Minato and I." Minako smiled as she said this, she didn't mean anything bad by it. It was just something she considered when thinking about SEES. "So I think if I go by a codename, it will ease some of that confusion!"

"Um, are you sure about that? I mean, we're talking about your name here..." Yukari didn't exactly feel good about this. She didn't want Minako to think that...

"It's okay!" Minako's smile was wide. "Besides, I was already thinking over a few different names in my head. And it's only temporary! Plus, I think they're pretty cool."

"I mean, they are kinda cool." Junpei couldn't deny that. He was just a little...surprised at how well Minako was taking all of this. A little too well. "What kinda name were you thinking about."

"I had a few different ones in mind." Minako admitted while pacing about. "Hamuko was one. I like it, but it didn't quite have the zing I was looking for. So I think I'll go with...Kotone! How's that?"

"That's a pretty name!" Rei exclaimed. "Kotone-chan!"

"Heh." Kotone's smile softened a bit. How could anyone be upset at her? "So just call me Kotone from now on!"

"If that's what you want..." Hifumi sensed plenty wrong with this. But Kotone was pretty dead set on it, so...she would leave it alone for now. "Then Kotone it is."

"Kotone..." Mitsuru repeated. Part of her wondered if this was her doing with how she usually approached people. It would cut down on the confusion, but...

"So!" Kotone clasped her hands together. "What are we waiting for? We're all going on a Group Date, aren't we? She snickered at her little joke.

"Oh man...I can only wonder what sort of things we're going to encounter down there." Yosuke wasn't looking forward to this.

"Chin up, Yosuke!" Yu grinned. "All of us can take care of this together." A bigger group, a budding sense of teamwork between them all. Yu believed their growing bond was going to get them through this situation.

.

.

In an unknown location, a large entity sat comfortably within a spider's web. It took some time, but...

"Finally. All the players have gathered. Now...come to me..."

Chapter Text

With a stronger sense of teamwork, the Persona users returned to the Group Date Cafe Labyrinth. They were at the door where they met SEES for the first time. Junpei stared at the door and gulped. "Oh, man. That freaky Shadow is waiting just behind that door. I really don't want to deal with that again."

"Yeah..." Yukari agreed to that. They put everything they could into fighting that FOE, but they weren't able to take it down. They could only briefly knock it down.

"I still recommend steering clear of it. Even with all of you present, it is much stronger than the FOEs in You in Wonderland. Fighting it would be a lot of effort..." Fuuka spoke. "Those arrows it fires will draw you towards it..."

"I don't need the reminder." Junpei shook his head.

"Did it hit you with an arrow?" Skull asked, and Junpei groaned in response.

"How are we going to sneak around it?" Chie poked her head around the corner. The FOE was simply patrolling the area.

"Based on what Fuuka-chan told us, it won't attack you as long as you stay out of its line of sight!" Rise reported. "That means you just have to make sure it never sees you!"

"That sounds a lot easier said than done." Ken was a little nervous about this. They couldn't slip past it before, and now their group was much larger!

"Leave it to us!" Mona spoke with a smug grin. "Phantom Thieves know exactly how to sneak around a target."

"They taught me the exact same thing!" Kotone gave a thumbs up. "Just follow their lead and you'll be surprised at how fast you can move!"

"Very well." Mitsuru had a faint smile on her lips. Taking a lesson from a thief was a new experience, but it was one she was willing to go along with. "Show us the ropes, if you please."

"We'll distract it first." Joker dug into his coat pocket to pull out a Smoke Ball.

"You still have some?" Queen asked.

"Surprisingly, the Home Ec room here has a lot of materials to use. Kanji helped." Joker added. Kanji wasn't expecting that and there was an awkward blush as he glanced away. That said, Joker was ready to lead the charge. He was the first one who rushed through the door, waiting for the Messenger of Love to turn around. The moment it started to face them, he tossed the Smoke Ball at its face. The explosion of smoke hit it before it saw anything, causing it to let out a roar of annoyance.

"Now's our chance!" Fox told everyone. The thick cloud of smoke persisted while the Messenger of Love attempted to wave it away. This allowed everyone to slip past it and into the next area. By the time the smoke cleared, the Messenger of Love didn't see a single person around. So despite the strange and sudden annoyance, it went back to patrolling as if nothing happened.

"Wow. That was effective." Minato was surprised but approved of it.

"c'est magnifique!" Mitsuru smiled. Her use of a foreign language confused...just about everyone.

"Uh. What did she say?" Panther whispered to Dragon, but she was only capable of delivering a small shrug in response. Mitsuru seemed unfazed by the fact her words went everyone's head, and she just carried on.

"We've moved on without issue. Tres bein! Let's keep this momentum going forward." Mitsuru said.

"Tray...bean...? Is there a tray with food nearby!?" Rei looked to Zen, but he shook his head. He had no idea. Somehow he didn't think that Rei's thought process was the correct one.

"Don't worry, she does this." Akihiko was used to it. In fact he was practically picking up the language because of it.

"Yeah, okay. I don't think I'm gonna bother trying to figure it out." Yosuke shook his head. Too fancy for him.

The group continued on their way. The Wild Cards were keeping track of the paths taken with the maps they were given. As they walked, they were steadily approaching a dead end. Shinjiro furrowed his brows while staring at the wall. "Something about that spot is bothering me."

"It's just a dead end." Kanji grunted. He was a little annoyed that they ended up wasting a trip. "Let's head back."

"Hold on." Naoto interjected, staring at the pink wall in front of them. "This wall here...it's peeling off."

"Woof!" Koromaru barked to catch everyone's attention. He was holding something in his mouth.

"Koromaru-san, what is that you are holding in your mouth?" Aigis asked. Upon closer inspection, it was some short of heart shaped mark.

"Hey, that's the same thing we've seen on the walls!" Yosuke said.

"How in the world di you get it out?!" Even Naoto was surprised at Koromaru's actions. All Koromaru did was bark and take a seat on the ground. He was holding it out to Joker since he was the leader.

"Thanks, boy." Joker gave Koromaru a smile. It was an unexpected present but he was sure it would come in handy later.

.

.

Before long, the group came across another door with two figures on it. A bow and girl silhouette on both sides of the doors, placed together to make it appear as if they were kissing. "It's one of those doors again..." Panther pointed out.

"This whole labyrinth is rather odd." Mitsuru mumbled.

"Let's see what's behind it." Joker pushed the door open and lead the way inside. The door right behind that one was blocked off by numerous chains and a gate.

"What the...? We can't go this way!" Junpei grunted.

"There may be a trick to it, but it's also possible this is an enemy trap." Naoto surmised. She wasn't going to trust a single thing within the labyrinths.

"I wonder if that weird guy is gonna show up again..." Kanji questioned aloud.

"Well, helo. I heard you talking about me, so here I am. Welcome, stray lambs. I see you have finally returned. This is a Selection Room of Destiny." The mechanical voice from before spoke to the group once again.

"Whoa! Where'd that voice come from!?" This was the first time Yukari heard this voice so it did freak her out a little.

"Well, hello, indeed." Aigis replied, completely unfazed.

"Don't respond so casually to it!" Yukari exclaimed.

"Welcome back!" Joker welcomed the voice back with a smile, much to the mild annoyance of his own teammates such as Queen, Mona, Crow, and Violet. "Are we back to finding our destined partner?"

"Why are you welcoming the creepy voice back?" Queen let out an exasperated sigh.

"After much anguish, you succeeded in breaking through the first room." The voice said. "But your path seems as though it might be endless. Yet the voice that determines your destiny is rapidly approaching. And so, here is your long awaited question two. What is your idea of a good time together?"

And there were simply two choices: positively indoors or definitely outdoors!

"I'm not answering first again." Dragon waved her hands. She was not making that mistake a second time!

"How are we dealing with?" Minato looked to the others. "We never answered any questions..."

"Just leave it to Joker. Or Dragon." Yu said with a slight teasing grin.

"No thank you!" Dragon shook her head. She didn't want her answers being immortalized in this place! But when it came to a question like this, she already knew what her answer was. She wondered if the others considered the same thing and already answered internally...

"I kinda like the outdoors." Joker replied.

"Hah, you're like me, in that regard." Naoto said with a slight chuckle.

"Indoors. I much prefer playing shogi inside." Dragon said with a slight nod.

"Not surprisin' since you're usually in the church." That made sense as far as Skull was concerned. With the question answered, the doors on the chain vanished and the the door even opened for them!

"Are we getting closer to our destined partners? Are we?" Rei could barely contain her excitement. Two questions in and she was already hoping they had an answer to this question.

"There's no need to worry about that!" Teddie spoke up. "While I may not be your destined partner, there's no doubt that for everyone else-!"

"The door is open. Let's hurry on." Mitsuru said flatly. It was unaware if she was intentionally interrupting Teddie or not, but she wasn't going to entertain him anyway.

"Can't you at least let me finish!?" Teddie asked, heartbroken.

"Probably better that you don't." Mona replied. With that, the group continued on.

.

.

The Labyrinth was not without its usual slew of fights. Their prior training proved immensely helpful, for such a large group could divide into small teams and efficiently defeat the Shadows that came their way. Even with the new Sub Personas they were using to balance out their magic usage, they still needed to pace themselves. Violet noticed something nearby and decided to point it out. "Hey, guys? I think I found something."

What did she find? "What the...!?" Yosuke was the first one to voice his disbelief. "N-No way! Why's there a table and a tea set here!?"

"Could someone by nearby?" Ken asked.

Yukiko gasped at the thought. "Oh no, could that FOE from earlier be nearby...!?"

"It doesn't seem like the type." Chie crossed her arms and shook her head.

"There are no other presences nearby other than ours." Aigis stated flatly. This was her way of reassuring the others that they were safe.

"This is quite a lovely arrangement." Fox leaned down while investigating the table. He was looking at how the teacups were arranged and the color of the table. "It tempts one to sit down and relax for a moment."

"I think this is just eerie." Akihiko replied.

"Let's hurry onward. We don't have time to waste on something so clearly suspicious." Mitsuru did not wish to indulge.

However, Yu was staring hard at the teacups. "...It's in man's nature to want to drink something once they learn it's suspicious."

"It would be crude to leave such an elegant setup unattended to." Fox nodded in agreement with Yu. Before anyone could say anything, the two of them proceeded to gulp down the tea.

"FOX!?" Panther, Noir, and Oracle all exclaimed.

"YU!?" Yosuke, Kanji, and Chie gasped.

"I knew Inari would pull something like this, but I didn't expect Yu to do it, too!" Oracle rolled her eyes.

"This is exactly the kind of thing Senpai would do." Rise let out a small sigh. This did not take away from her feelings for him. In fact, there was a horrifying realization that something like this may only bolster them.

"Seriously!? Dude, are you alright?!" Yosuke asked Yu and Fox worriedly.

"Yeah, I don't feel any different." Yu shrugged.

"I feel rather refreshed, actually. Would anyone else care to have some?" Fox asked the others.

"...Thanks to their eagerness, I believe we can surmise that this tea is not poisonous." Crow stated. "So if anyone is feeling parched, it wouldn't hurt to try some."

"Me! Me!" Kotone was already pulling up a seat.

"...Might as well." Minato shrugged and also took a seat.

Mitsuru was concerned that the tea was foul in nature. But with it being proven it was, in fact harmless, she didn't mind changing her tune about it. "I-I see. In that case, pour me a cup as well, please."

And so, everyone sat down to enjoy some tea together. "It's tea time!" Rei exclaimed while holding up a donut. "Obviously, the best snack to go with it is donuts!"

"Oh, that does sound nice. May I have one?" Ken asked politely.

"Oh, me too! Me too!" Panther, the sugar fiend, also asked.

"Of course!" Rei gave her two friends a sweet smile. "I have plain, miso, and fishcake flavored ones!"

Panther and Ken exchanged a look of disgust. What was it with this girl and fish/miso flavored sweets!? "We'll have the plain ones." The two of them said in unison.

"Really? Okay!" Rei shrugged and handed the two of them plain donuts. She happily had a miso one. "Do you want one, Zen?"

"...I'll take a plain one as well." Even though Zen wasn't so well versed in flavors, something inside of him was screaming to take the normal one. And so, Rei happily handed him one.

"Ah, man. Now I kinda want some..." Oracle sighed.

"If they run out of donuts, I'm sure Fuuka-chan and I could make some!" Rise smiled. Suddenly, Yosuke, Kanji, and Yu felt their blood run cold and it showed on their faces.

"I could give it a try..." Fuuka wasn't so sure in her cooking and baking skills. Sure, she was improving, but she wasn't sure if she'd feed it to anyone yet!

"C'est magnifique! what an amazing bouquet of flavors!" Despite initially being skeptical, Mitsuru had no choice but to admit the tea was splendid. "Could this be Montagne Blue, or..."

"I think it might be!" Noir said with a faint smile. It felt like forever since she had the opportunity to sit down and have some tea. "The fragrance is wonderful. I'd love to have some more of this at a later date!"

"Oh, yeah, mhm." Chie spoke with a nod to both Mitsuru and Noir. "It's definitely Monster Blue!"

"Don't act like you know what they're talking about!" And Yosuke called her out immediately on it. "What kind of tea is Blue Monster!?"

"Whatever this is, it ain't bad!" Skull grinned. "I feel much better already!"

Koromaru was feeling a little left out. Kotone stared at Koromaru for a moment. Against her better judgement, she started to move an extra teacup towards Koromaru. "..."

"Don't give the dog tea! You'll make him sick!" Yukari noticed this and had to say something.

"Awwwww..." Kotone and Koromaru whined at the same time.

Mona had a cup in his hands. He thought about having a sip. "I'm sure it can't be too bad..."

"Cats shouldn't have tea either." Shinjiro said quietly, but sternly. It was almost in a concerned manner.

"But...!" Mona groaned as Panther rightfully took the tea out of his paws. "Awwww...!"

"It's for the best." Joker shrugged.

"Maybe next time, Koromaru and Mona!" Teddie was suddenly in his human form, drinking tea in front of Mona with a bit of a smug grin. "The best mascot can easily drink tea! Looks like I'm up one point!"

"I hate this guy." Morgana grumbled. Koromaru gave a woof in response.

.

.

The group continued on through Group Date Cafe. Not only was their progress impeded by the occasional group of Shadows, they also had to contend with Messengers of Love shooting arrows at them! Violet just barely managed to flip over an arrow while sliding through the door. She let out a heavy exhale after clearing the obstacle. "Whew..."

"Those damn things are effin relentless!" Skull was used to dodging around enemies, but those cupids and their arrows were extremely dangerous!

"Those arrows are extremely cumbersome to handle." Queen let out a small sigh. They were managing, but it was only a matter of time until someone got hit.

"It's almost impressive." Yukari couldn't help but take note of it. "Their arrows fly straight without any wavering. Even with all my practice I still sometimes miss a target." Something that did annoy her somewhat.

"Oh, right! You use bows and arrows don't you, Yukari-chan? That's so cool. I'm sure if I tried, I'd completely miss." Chie spoke with a sheepish smile.

"Not only would you miss, you'd probably snap the bow in two." Yosuke said with a faint smirk.

"What's what supposed to mean!?" Chie growled.

"Those arrows are quite well designed." Mitsuru said while stroking her chin. "It's quite a task to avoid them, but if we were able to use them ourselves, I'm sure they'd be a good weapon."

"I'd like to get a closer look at the golden material they are made from." Fox shared the sentiment, but for completely different reasons.

"Wait a sec...!" Yosuke did not like where Mitsuru or Fox were going with this. "Are you telling us to steal them? From those powerful FOEs!? That's like bringing a knife to a gunfight! Unless the Phantom Thieves think they can do it...?"

"That's a great idea!" Akihiko liked the idea of the challenge.

"Don't be stupid." Shinjiro sucked his teeth. He and Mitsuru really needed to keep him on a short leash or something."

"As Shinjiro-san said. That seems incredibly risky." Crow shook his head. "Skilled the Phantom Thieves may be, stealing something like that would prove to be quite a challenge."

"But not impossible!" Mona wasn't going to allow Crow to downplay the group's skill like this. "But...he's right. Even for us, that's a tricky maneuver."

"We'd be better off goading it to shoot into a wall or something." Dragon said absentmindedly. "They shoot the moment we enter its line of sight. We won't even have to fight it at all that way."

"Dragon-senpai is a genius!" Violet exclaimed.

"I-It's not like I'm saying we should intentionally goad it. It still carries some risk." Dragon preferred nobody to get hurt because of her plan either.

"It's something worth thinking about." Naoto said with a smile.

"Since you all mentioned that, Theo put in a new request." Fuuka spoke up. "It seems he'd like to use those arrows to help make new weapons for everyone."

"How do they always end up doing that..." Kanji rubbed the back of his neck.

Nobody had the answer to that. They instead continued on, only to make their way into the next room. Once again, they were met with those spikes. Yosuke let out a small groan. "Ugh, not those spikes again...Man, I am so not up for this."

It was then that Aigis turned to Joker. "Joker-san, it would seem that Yosuke-san is becoming fatigued at a decent rate. I believe it is your duty to give him encouragement."

"Uh." Joker needed a moment to process. Aigis wasn't wrong... "Hey, I can get you something to eat later if that'll help you feel better."

"Nah, man! You don't have to do that!" Yosuke managed a smile. "Sorry if I'm making you worried or anything."

"You must endure any decline in stamina until we reach the Nurse's Office. Be strong, Yosuke-san." Even though she was a robot, Aigis was more than capable of producing a cute, encouraging smile.

"Oh, right, the Nurse's Office..." Yosuke had been avoiding it for a reason. "I guess it is a place we can recover. But that person...Elizabeth, right? She's totally insane...!"

"I see. So the Nurse's Office is a place to recover?" Aigis phrased this as a question, which confused Joker and Yosuke.

"Huh? What else would it be used for...?!" Yosuke asked.

"At Gekkoukan High School, the Nurse's Office is a placed used to test one's fortitude." Aigis explained. "Brave students seeking to test their willpower drink a special concoction that the staff member their makes."

"It's true! It tastes awful!" Kotone remarked.

"...Man, your guys' Nurse's Office sounds terrifying." Yosuke gulped. "Wait, Elizabeth doesn't know about this, right? If she ever hears about that, I'm sure she'd try to copy it."

"It appears that she is unaware of any such goings-on." Aigis said.

"Oh thank God...!" Yosuke breathed a sigh of relief.

"Which is why I made sure to inform her!" Aigis smiled.

"You WHAT!?" Kotone's eyes widened.

"...You're such a kind girl, Ai-chan..." Yosuke spoke with a heavy exhale through his nose. That was going to be a terrible experience later.

"Thank you." Aigis took this compliment in stride.

"...Your Nurse's Office does sound horrible. We just have a therapist." Joker said.

"A therapist?" Aigis turned to Joker. "That is a person who is licensed to help people deal with their physiological problems, correct?"

"Why do you have one of those?" Kotone asked while placing her hands behind her back. Were things just that different in the future?

"Shujin places its reputation above all else." Joker answered while glancing up at the pink sky. "After we changed the heart of that bastard who called himself a teacher, the school quickly did everything it could restore its reputation. That included hiring a therapist to council the students who were affected by that incident."

"So they did it not out of care for the students, but to save their own skin? Man, that sucks." Yosuke shook his head.

"But Dr. Maruki is a good therapist!" Violet now chimed in. "I was with him before I entered Shujin. He's done so much for me. He really means well. I don't know where I'd be without his help." And right after she said that, hazy images flickered in her head. It was like static and she couldn't make them out, they appeared and vanished far too quickly for her to make sense of them. "Nnh..." She winced but shook it off. She didn't want yet another headache to slow everyone down again. So she just decided to keep it to herself this time.

Around that time, they all heard some kind of large noise. "Did anyone hear that?" Noir looked towards the others and they nodded. The next door they approached, they had to be stopped.

"Wait!" Oracle was the one who stopped them. "There are definitely some enemies waiting behind that door!"

"A trial of love!" Teddie suddenly spoke up, raring to go for battle. "Who is the destined princess who will open the door with me to prove our love!?"

"He really is a bear any chance he gets, huh?" Yukari spoke with an exasperated expression.

"You don't know the half of it." Yukiko responded. SEES and the Phantom Thieves were only dealing with Teddie in small doses. They had to deal with him for months.

"Regardless, you aren't going in alone with only one other person, Teddie-san." Crow said. "This may be another time to send a group of five in..."

"Allow me to take point." Mitsuru did a little hair flip.

"Ooooh, Mitsy-chan and I!? Her cold hard resonates with my own!" Teddie even started to adapt something of a French accent. This did catch Mitsuru's attention, only because it was the last thing she expected to come out of his mouth.

"Oh, do you speak the language?" Mitsuru asked genuinely.

"Don't pay attention to that!" Chie quickly waved her hands. "He think she can get away with doing whatever just because of that voice!" It only works on people who don't know him, so Teddie has unfortunately been able to get away with a little too much.

"Zen! Let's go with Teddie and Mitsuru-chan!" Rei looked up at Zen. Teddie was her friend and she wanted to do what she could to help!

"Okay." Zen nodded.

"I want some action, too!" Junpei didn't want to be left out. After all that training, he was just itching to get some more fighting in.

"I'll go, too!" Skull cracked his knuckles. Much like Junpei, he wanted to get some action in. With that, the team was decided and they stepped through the doors...

.

.

Behind the door was an expected enemy ambush. The group was assaulted by a number of Autonomic Basalts! Skull sputtered at the sight of these unfamiliar Shadows. "What the hell are these things?!"

"Yeah, what the hell!?" Junpei said while adjusting his cap.

"These are Shadows I am unfamiliar with as well..." Mitsuru noted. Tartarus did not have these kinds of Shadows, and as such, this only put her more on edge.

"Beginning analysis!" The Navigator for this skirmish was going to be Fuuka. "Give me a moment!"

"Heh, don't worry, Fuuka-chan!" Teddie was already sprinting forward. "By the time you finish, the enemies will be nothing more but stains on my claws!"

"Teddie, don't go off by yourself!" Rei pleaded.

"I got this, Rei-chan! Go, Kintoki-Douji!" Teddie spun around while summing his Persona. Kintoki-Douji released small spears of ice that rained down on the Basalt enemies. The damage inflicted was decent and the large rock-like enemies decided to counter immediately. All of them started to rise up into the sky before falling towards Teddie in an effort to crush him. "Gah!" Teddie's eyes went went in a comical manner and he started to sprint away. The Basalts landed on the ground behind him and the shockwaves were enough to throw him off his feet, where he comically tumbled onto the ground.

"Teddie, are you okay!?" Rei knelt down and held her hands out, casting some healing on Teddie.

"Much better now thanks to you, Rei-chan." Teddie attempted his suave voice, but that didn't really work since Rei was more focused on his wellbeing.

The Basalts started to roll forward in pursuit of Teddie. Zen held his crossbow forward and clicked the trigger, firing off a few bolts to knock the Basalts away. The damage wasn't too bad, but they were study rocks. "They're tough. But I think we can break through them." Three Basalts attempted to crush him. Zen swiftly dodged to the side with each one, using his crossbow to blow them back with a cyclone. The fierce gale he created was just enough to lift the enemy rocks up and throw them backwards.

"They're just a buncha rocks! They aren't gonna outspeed us!" Junpei spoke with a smirk while holding his Evoker up to his temple. "Hermes!" He clicked the trigger and summoned Hermes. Hermes was quick, speeding around the battlefield like a bullet. With such speed, Hermes as easily able to outpace the Basalts, moving to strike a single one from numerous angles. It had no chance against Hermes' speed and it was taken out. "That's one for Junpei!" And right after he said that, a Basalt launched itself into his chest. "GUH!" He coughed while staggering back, wincing from the impact.

"Iori, are you alright?" Mitsuru asked while pointing her Evoker to her head. She summoned Penthesilea without hesitation. Two Basalts were attempting to land on her. She jumped out of the way at the last second, almost stumbling due to the shockwaves their impacts left behind. With Penthesilea's aid, she was able to strike them with her swords and push them backwards. Penthesilea then followed up by releasing a Bufu. The small blast of ice temporarily kept the two Basalts frozen to the ground.

"Fine! That barely scratched me." Junpei replied with a slightly pained grin.

"Take this!" Skull saw a Basalt attempting to crash into him. He countered this by swinging his pipe at it! It was an impressive homerun swing; one that blasted it back towards the frozen Basalts and took all three out in a single attack!

"Whoa! Not a bad swing, Skull!" Junpei admitted. The form was a little stiff, but the power behind it was impressive. Junpei didn't want to fall behind and summoned Hermes once again, who threw his hand forward to release small fireballs upon the group of enemies. The Basalts attempted to fling themselves at Skull and Junpei once again to crash into them.

"Analysis complete! They are weak to Curse, Bless, and Electricity!" Fuuka reported.

Hearing those words made Skull smirk. "Electricity, eh!? Leave it to me! Let's go, Captain!" Skull's mask burned away as he summoned Captain Kidd. He pointed his arm forward while Captain Kidd took aim at the group of Basalts and released a bolt of lightning in the center of them. This lightning spread out in an explosion, paralyzing the rocky enemies. "Got em!"

"Out of my sight!" Zen followed this up by mimicking Skull's efforts. He pointed his crossbow forward and released a bolt of lightning from it. It flew across the air before exploding in a bright flash against the remaining enemies that weren't caught by Skull's Zio.

"We're on a roll!" Rei grinned while throwing her hands up.

"Take this! Watah!" Teddie had roller skates on and used these to build momentum. He then leapt forward and spun around claw-first like a drill. This high speed movement was more than enough to officially knock down all the Basalts.

"The enemy's down, let's finish this!" Mitsuru exclaimed.

"Yeah! Let's rock their faces!" Rei cheered.

On that cue, the group all jumped the Basalts for an All-Out Attack! Skull, Zen, Mitsuru, Teddie, and Junpei showed the enemies no mercy as they attacked them all at once. At the end of it all, there was only a rising smoke cloud in the shape of a skull. They walked back from it while Skull gave a mad grin. "So freakin' boring."

"Enemies eliminated! Great job, everyone!" Fuuka was glad to see things go so smoothly. "Okay, everyone! The coast is clear." She summoned the others and they walked through the doors.

"Not bad. Now I wanna get into the ring." Akihiko was itching for a fight. Shinjiro let out the heaviest sigh imaginable.

"I was outstanding out there, wasn't I, Mitsy-chan?" Teddie asked Mitsuru with a wide grin.

Why he was asking for her opinion specifically was beyond her. She didn't quite catch his hopes or implications. "Everyone preformed admirably. If we continue to fight like this, I believe we may run into little difficulties." She even smiled, too. She was truly pleased with everyone's efforts, but that was not what Teddie was hoping for.

"She ignored me!" Teddie whined.

"That was way too easy!" Junpei spoke with a wide grin. "They hardly put up a fight! It was barely a warm up. maybe it'll all be this easy?" A little boring if so, but it wasn't like he was hoping for a tough fight either.

"I wouldn't get your hopes up. This is only the first floor." Mona gestured to the staircase nearby. "But the second floor is waiting for us."

"We're making real progress now." Zen stared at the staircase. He was thinking about his potential lost memories. They were waiting for him at the depths of this labyrinth. He also took a glance to Rei, who looked as determined as everyone else. He hoped they could find her memories somewhere within this place as well.

"Let's not waste any time." Joker told the group. Everyone agreed to that sentiment and they all pushed further into Group Date Cafe. Their destined partners awaited them...

Chapter Text

The group made their way to the second floor of Group Date Cafe. So far the surroundings all looked the same. "Well, here we are on a new floor. Doesn't seem too bad." Chie said while looking around. She was hopeful that her big mouth didn't jinx them right away.

"I wonder where my destined partner is! This is so exciting!" Rei was bouncing in excitement. She was also munching on a corn dog.

"..." Teddie said nothing, which was strange for him. Anyone who knew him knew he couldn't resist making a comment at a time like this. However, this was also because he locked eyes with Zen. Even though he lost the Trading Contest, he still felt a sense of rivalry with the mysterious male!

"Teddie's never this quiet." Yukiko knew that for a fact. As much as the silence from him was nice, she knew it meant something was wrong. "What happened between him and Zen? And how can I make it happen on command?"

"I think they've established some kind of rivalry." Mona said while shaking his head. He thought that was resolved with the Trading Showdown, but that may have just been the beginning.

Ultimately, Zen's stare won out and Teddie yelped in surprise. "Gah...!"

"...Let's stop playing around and get a move on, shall we?" Minato suggested. The antics between Zen and Teddie, while probably mildly amusing, did need to wait.

They didn't have to go very far before the scenery before them changed slightly. There were conveyer belts with hearts moving all along the floor. Chie noticed it first and stared at them rather hard. "That floor's moving..."

"Yeah, it is." Shinjiro said while glancing at the moving floor. The entire floor wasn't covered, just noticeable parts of it. "Goes without saying, but I guess it'll carry you if you stand on it."

And suddenly, Chie's eyes lit up. "Oh, like the ones at the really big train stations!? I've seen them on TV before!"

"Do you not have them in your city...?" Mitsuru questioned. Not in an offensive way, but she was genuinely curious. This was something she'd seen all the time. "They're properly known as moving walkways."

"Dude...just how small is Inaba...?" Skull whispered to the others.

"Very." Kotone replied. She was the only other person who'd been in that area and she could attest to that fact.

Chie started to bounce around with a giggle. "I've always wanted to get on one of these! Hey, can we ride it? Please? Please?" Her wide, beady eyes peered into the soul of the others.

"W-Wait! There's no knowing what could be awaiting us ahead." Mitsuru replied, trying to calm Chie's excitement down.

"I agree with Mitsuru. We should carefully..." Queen was trying to help, but it was too late. Chie's excitement got the best of her and she hopped onto the moving walkway. "C-Chie...!?"

"Chie! Wait for me!" And Yukiko decided to join her friend in this endeavor. Since the two of them were going, everyone else felt as if they had no choice but to follow. The others hopped onto the moving walkway and it very quickly carried them elsewhere. There were varying degrees of stumbling once it came to an end.

"Woo! That was so much fun! A lot faster than I thought it'd be, too!" Chie looked extremely fulfilled. Even though she sort of dragged everyone along with her, nobody could really be too upset...

"Chie-san..." Crow shook his head.

"Aw, c'mon! You totally had fun, didn't you, Crow?" Chie gave Crow a big smile. Ultimately, Crow bit his tongue and simply let out a defeated sigh. Even though he did find Chie exceedingly annoying, he couldn't find himself brushing her aside like he did most others. Chie took his silence as a yes, even if that was far from the case at all.

Yosuke felt the secondhand embarrassment creeping in because of Chie. "Uhh, please let me apologize on behalf of our rowdy country mouse..."

"N-No worries..." Mitsuru spoke with a small sigh. She still had to get used to this. "But it is quite useful and exceptionally fast as well. I think it would be dangerous to jump off of it mid transit. Do remember that, Satonaka."

Mitsuru's tone was so serious it made Chie feel embarrassed about her actions. She suddenly felt the world of difference between them; a girl from a small town and a girl from the city... "R-Right..."

"I think the Phantom Thieves could pull off something if necessary." Kotone turned to the Phantom Thieves. "Surely a jump like that is no problem for you!"

"...It would be dicey, but I think I could manage." Joker said confidently.

"You're always such a showoff." Panther rolled her eyes but held a playful smile, nudging Joker a bit with her elbow. All Joker could do was give a sly grin in response.

"You've got a lot of confidence." Yu commented with a grin of his own. "No wonder you're fun to work with. I could probably learn a thing or two from you about showmanship."

"I'd be happy to teach you in the next battle we have. You're not too bad yourself. Actually, I might have an idea or two already..." Joker said. As he said that, there was a faint white glow in his pocket. One that he didn't notice either, because he hardly had the time to even think about the Wishing Stone.

"I can't wait to see what sort of idea Senpai and Joker come up with!" Rise was the most excited to see this play out. Whatever Joker was capable of doing, she would happily bet that Yu would look cooler doing it.

.

.

The second floor of Group Date Cafe consisted of moving floors. While it did save the group a little effort in walking, they still had to utilize the walkways properly if they wanted to make progress. It also did not help that Shadows were still attacking them every so often to keep them on their toes. Eventually, Yosuke had to let out a small sigh. "Whew. Going back and forth like this is starting to wear me out."

"I agree...it would be nice if we could take a break." Ken said in agreement.

"There is some good news for you, stray lambs." The Mechanical voice returned at long last, causing everyone to become attentive. "The next Selection Room of Destiny is five steps away. You consider whether it is best to come or not come; proceed or remain in place."

"That's pretty vague." Shinjiro grunted at the last bit.

"And that first part was oddly specific." Yukari's expression shifted to a deadpanned one when she saw the door. It was literally five steps away. "Seriously?"

"No point in keeping it waiting. Let's go." Akihiko wasn't going to keep the weird voice waiting. So they went to the door and saw the way was blocked forward just as it had been the last two times.

"The stray lambs have arrived. Hello on this new floor as well." The mechanical voice greeted everyone.

"Hold on." Naoto interjected. "Could you tell us what exactly you are?" The more they knew about this voice the better. She wasn't fond of answering questions from an unknown entity.

However... "You have passed through the second question of death, and emerged as heroes who still venture forth. In honor of this, a special third question has been prepared. Steel yourselves before you answer." The voice did not acknowledge her.

"It completely brushed her off? What the hell!?" Skull shouted up at the sky, hoping the voice would react to his anger.

"It's alright, Skull." Naoto shook her head. "I had a feeling this would be the case. It's not interested in conversation. It looks as though all we can do is answer its questions and move forward. So we'll leave that to you, Joker."

"Yeah, I got it." Joker nodded.

"Now then, here is question number 3. Where would you go to sooth your weary soul?" The voice asked.

There were three choices: A hot springs inn, an extravagant resort, and a mountain cabin. "That's easy! A hot springs inn."

"Oh! You should come to the Amagi Inn sometime." Yukiko giggled at Joker's response. "We have a wonderful hotsprings that I'm sure you would enjoy. ...Not that I can guarantee if I'm there or not several years from now."

"It's sooooooo good!" Kotone said with a happy smile.

"A hotsprings sounds really good..." Junpei had a few thoughts. Those thoughts did make him smile.

"You're doing that creepy, perverted smile again." Yukari rolled her eyes extremely hard at Junpei's expression.

"I-I'm not doing anything! Can't a guy smile while thinkin' about a hotsprings?!" Junpei defended himself. Yukari just let out an annoyed sigh in response. Clearly, she wasn't buying.

"...I wonder if it's taking everyone's internal answers into account, too." Kotone wondered aloud.

"...Is that such a bad thing?" Mitsuru sounded a little clueless. Such things like romance weren't exactly something she was familiar with.

"...Don't worry about." Kotone replied while giving a sheepish smile.

After passing through the door, they entered a large, spacious area. Rise took a quick scan of the area. "I think this place is safe. I'm not detecting anything nearby."

"Why don't we take a break, then?" Noir suggested. They had been walking for a while so it was a good time to rest. She even sat down.

"We should pace ourselves." Queen replied. "These Labyrinths are quite large. If we aren't careful, I worry we could get lost..." Even with the maps they were making, she had the slight worry they could get turned around somehow.

"Rei-chan! Rei-chan!" Teddie called to Rei, who turned to look at him. "I got something for you! Ta da!" Teddie then pulled a candy out from somewhere and handed it to Rei.

"Wow! It's a plum candy!" Rei's eyes lit up. "Plum's are known for being plump!"

"I'm filled with many treasures!" Teddie said with a wide grin.

"Why would you say it like that?!" Mona rolled his eyes. "If you were filled with Treasure, my keen senses would've picked up on it!"

"The treasures I have are far more sophisticated than what you may be used to!" Teddie replied with a smirk. "I have other things too, like coupons for Junes, that pinup book from Yosuke's room, and delicious sweets!"

"You have sweets?!" Rei's eyes widened.

"He has sweets?!" Panther was also interested in this. Teddie was gaining attention from the cute girls and this was fueling his growing ego.

"Teddie, can you open up!? I'm just going to peek! Just a peek!" Rei was bouncing in place. She then started to feel around Teddie's bear suit, eyes fixated on the red buttons on his chest. "Is it this? This red button? Do I have to press it?! Like this!?" She was pressing those buttons with impressive force. Teddie's smile quickly turned into panic because he felt like she'd shove him over! He was almost like a turtle in that suit! If he fell onto his back he'd struggle getting up on his own.

"Ack! I'm under attack! Heeeeelp!" Teddie cried out.

"Is there a button to open and close your body, Teddie?" Aigis asked. With the exception of Minako, S.E.E.S had not yet seen Teddie without his bear suit. So they all assumed he was...just a bear.

"Ooooh, my! Are you curious about me too, Ai-chan?" Teddie could focus on Aigis' curiosity while he was under attack by Rei.

"If dummy buttons were also built into you, then I infer that it must be an extremely important system." Aigis explained. "In that case, however, why are the placed in such an exposed area? In my case, all critical parts which manage my system are hidden where they are not easily accessed."

"Teddie, I think you need to open your suit." Mona had a stale expression at the confusion in the air. "Otherwise you're going to give Aigis the wrong idea."

"But Ai-chan is cute when she's confused." But Teddie knew Mona was right. So he popped out of his bear suit. He did a little dance in the process as well.

"What the-!?" Junpei gasped.

"I...I thought he was a real bear this whole time...!" Yukari was not expecting that.

"So he's a guy under that suit..." Shinjiro mumbled.

"You are a human male? This is new information to me." Aigis tilted her head slightly. Clearly she was intrigued. She then turned to Mona.

"This is just a disguise to avoid suspicion. I'm not really human." Teddie explained while stepping out of his suit. "I had one of those x-ray things, but it didn't show anything. So I'm searching for who I really am."

"...It didn't show anything?" Mona was now a little interested. Teddie did make a passing comment before that they were similar, but now he was actually starting to see that for himself.

"Mhm. When Sensei and the others first met me, I was hollow. I was just a bear." Teddie glanced over at his suit and then at his own hands. "We made a deal. My world is being used to commit those heinous crimes we mentioned earlier. It was so noisy for me. I wanted it to stop and I asked Sensei if he would help. I did my best to help them as well! My nose is my strongest asset, but it started failing after a while. I kept falling short and I just wanted to be helpful. Eventually, I awaked to my Bearsona! It was after that moment I became who I am now!" He gestured to his body.

"I see...so you were just a hollow bear..." Aigis nodded slowly.

"Huh..." Mona crossed his arms. He didn't think he'd actually have something in common with Teddie. "Maybe I've been too harsh with Teddie..."

"So I think we're two peas in a pod, Ai-chan!" Teddie returned to his bear suit. "I think there's something between us and it could be...love."

"Never mind. He deserves it." Mona scoffed.

"I have heard you say you were a human, Mona-san." Aigis turned to Mona. "Is this true?"

"O-Of course it's true!" Mona replied. "I am a proud and noble human. I am missing some of my memories, but I remember that part clearly. When you see my noble human form, you'll be in shock and awe!"

"I doubt it will look as nice as my form!" Teddie taunted.

"I'm far more appealing to people than a bear!" Mona held a cocky grin. "I can do something that you can't! I may not be able to turn into a human, but..." He leapt into the air, and in a puff of smoke...he turned into the Mona bus.

"WWWWWWWHHHHAAAT?!" Yosuke was only paying half a mind to the conversation. But watching Mona turn into a god damn bus threw him for a loop.

"The cat turned into a bus?!" Kanji grunted.

"And we have our second showoff!" Oracle snickered.

"What the hell..." Shinjiro had no idea how to respond to this.

"Oh, did we not mention this?" Noir tilted her head while looking at the others.

"NO! WE WOULD'VE REMEMBERED THAT!" Yosuke was shouting because he was still in shock at this sight. The others who weren't Phantom Thieves were just staring at the Mona bus, slack jawed.

"Whoa...!?" Chie quickly opened up the doors to the Mona bus, taking a seat in the driver's side. She was getting a feel for the wheel and everything. Yukiko soon joined her in the passenger's seat.

"It's oddly comfortable in here. Oh! What do all these buttons do?" Yukiko asked while beginning to poke around at the dashboard. She was surprised Mona had buttons and she was going to see what they all did.

"Wooooow!" Rei was joining in as well. She sat on one of the seats and began poking around as well, causing Mona to wiggle about.

"Ack! Hey! Stop it you two! That tickles!" Mona exclaimed while bouncing around a bit.

"This is so freaky." Junpei just had no words for this.

"I have an idea! Why don't we just drive around in Mona!?" Rei gasped while poking her head out of the car. "Can Zen and I sit in the middle?"

"I don't know if I want to sit in there..." Zen admitted quietly. Despite the fact he was silent, his surprise at the situation was very apparent.

"That's a cute idea, Rei-chan. But I don't think that's gonna work." Junpei shook his head. "There's way too many of us here. I don't even know how the Phantom Thieves can squeeze into that thing."

"We fit, surprisingly." Joker answered.

"So Mona is a human that turned into a cat that turns into a bus. I do not understand." Aigis shook her head. Nothing about this made any sense to her.

"My head hurts." Rise tried to make sense of it, but gave up fairly quickly.

"So...can Mona drive himself?" Yukari asked while brushing her hair behind her ear. A self driving car was an insane thought for a person from 2009. Upon hearing that question, the Phantom Thieves all looked at each other for a moment.

"As fantastical as Mona is...he is no different than a normal car." Fox answered. "Despite the fact he is fully conscious and capable of movement, he is incapable of driving himself."

"What kind of car can't drive itself!" Teddie huffed, even though his comment made absolutely no sense. He just hated the attention that Mona was getting right now.

"He ain't too bad as far as cars go." Skull shrugged with a half smile.

"So if he can't drive himself, who drives him?" Akihiko asked.

"I do." Queen answered. "It was Joker at first, but seeing how I'm the only one within the group with my license, I decided to take over the driving."

"But when I drove him, he suddenly flipped over completely. I have no idea how that happened..." Noir spoke with a quiet, oblivious sigh.

"Wait, you actually got a license, Queen?" Kanji was surprised to hear this. So Queen riding Johanna so skillfully wasn't just for show?

"I do. It's a motorcycle license as well." Queen replied with a faint smile.

"You have a motorcycle, too? I suppose I should have expected as such given your Persona." Mitsuru had a faint smile on her lips. She did not expect to share another point in common with Queen.

"You ride one as well?" Queen did not expect that. It wasn't something she imagined Mitsuru doing, but when she thought about it...

"Excluding Kanji and Teddie, we have our scooter licenses. But I don't think any of us are qualified to handle something like that." Rise pointed out.

Koromaru then hopped into the Mona Bus curiously and began sniffing around. Mona was not too much a fan of this. "Hey! Koromaru! Watch where you sniff!"

"...So what happens if someone spills a drink or something inside of him?" Yukiko allowed the cursed question to come out. There was a tense, awkward silence as all eyes went to the Phantom Thieves once again. They could not answer that. They did not want to answer that.

"...I think we should go." Yukari no longer wanted to take part in this conversation. Nobody else did either.

.

.

The group continued along through the Group Date Cafe. Before long they came upon another door of destiny. The moment they got close...

"The path ahead appears to still be long and arduous." The mechanical voice spoke to them once more. "You must impulsively, methodically pull the threads of destiny towards you."

"That doesn't make much sense." Dragon could not help but feel bothered by the phrasing.

"Did someone say threads!? Just leave it to me!" Kanji exclaimed proudly.

"I don't think they meant that kind of thread, Kanji-kun..." Violet spoke with a small smile.

"Let's just get this question out of the way." Junpei said.

"Here is Question Number 4: What kind of club would you be interested in joining? The Gardening Club; The Diving Club, or the Technology Club?" The voice asked.

"...!" Fuuka's eyes lit up at the sound of the Technology club. But she had to bide her time. She didn't want to say the wrong thing...!

"Hm..." Joker tapped his foot a few times. It looked like everyone else already had their answer. "The Gardening Club."

"I was hoping you'd say that!" Noir giggled. "I'd be the head of a gardening club..."

"I'd probably join..." Minato admitted.

"For real!?" Chie and Skull looked at Minato in shock.

"Yeah. We do some gardening at the dorm." Minato answered. "If there was a club at school for it, I think I'd join. You garden too, Noir?"

"I do!" Noir nodded. "I use the school's rooftop. It's far from the best place to make a garden, but what I've managed to grow have turned out very delicious and helpful!"

"I garden a bit myself." Yu added. "My cousin and my uncle help me from time to time."

"Gardening, huh..." Kotone mumbled to herself. Based on her reaction, that was not what she chose. Regardless, the way was now open. There was also a loud noise off in the distance as they passed through. "Huh? Did anyone else hear that?"

"Sounds like another one of those doors opened." Akihiko responded.

"The last door like that was near the stairs. So I think that means we have a decent shot to the next floor." Shinjiro stated in his usual tone.

Rei picked up on that tone and she nervously looked towards Shinjiro. "Are you mad, Shin-chan?"

Shinjiro was confused at why Rei would ask such a question. "Huh? I ain't mad."

"But your voice is so scary! And so is your face!" Rei said while poking her fingers together.

"Oh, uh..." Shinjiro rubbed the back of his head. It was a moment like this that reminded him how unapproachable he appeared to someone who didn't know him. "I'm always like this. I ain't mad or nothin' so don't worry about it." In the background, Kotone wore a soft, sad smile. "And stop calling me Shin-chan."

"O-Okay! Thanks, Shin-chan!" Rei managed to smile while also completely ignoring Shinjiro's request.

Realizing this, Shinjiro sighed. "You're not gonna stop, are you?" The answer to that question was no.

"Heh...don't be so afraid of him, Rei-chan." Kotone said while keeping her smile, whispering in such a way that only Rei and Shinjiro could hear her. "He may look big and scary, but he's actually super nice on the inside! He's also the best cook in the dorm..."

"W-...!?" Shinjiro's eyes widened as Kotone called him out. How did she...!? "I haven't even...!"

"Oh, you haven't cooked for anyone yet?" Kotone held a mischievous smile at Shinjiro's shocked reaction. She hit the nail on the head. Was it a little unfair? Yeah. "You should. They're missing out, and I think you know it too. Haven't you given Fuuka any cooking lessons yet?"

"W-Well...lessons is putting it generously." Shinjiro grumbled. "I just point her in the direction of what she should actually be putting in her dishes." And somehow, that task is a difficult one. "Why are we talking about this...!?" He then looked at Rei, and her gaze was wide and sparkly.

"YOU CAN CO-!?" Before she could finish that, Kotone quickly placed her hand over her mouth.

"SSSH! He's gonna get embarrassed and never do it if everyone hears!" Kotone smirked at Shinjiro, and his expression was that of wide eyed shock.

How much did she know about him...!? Shinjiro wasn't used to this kind of pushback from anyone. It was like Kotone knew exactly how to press his buttons and embarrass him. "Tch...! Let's just keep moving." Shinjiro refused to be apart of this anymore. Kotone's smile was wide until Shinjiro turned his back to keep walking. Then it faded and her gaze fell...

"How does she..." Shinjiro just had a number of questions in his head. Kotone sounded like she knew a lot about him, but he knew he wouldn't be anywhere near the dorm until he learned Ken joined SEEs. Kotone said that in her world, she hadn't met with him yet. So if that was the case, what was all that teasing earlier? Something wasn't adding up...

"Yo, heads up!" Yosuke gestured to the path ahead. There were more cupids riding horses. New FOEs. "It's that guy again!" However, unlike the golden Messengers of Love, the cupids were pink and the horses were a dark blue. These were the Angels of Love.

"This one is a different color." Zen noted the difference straight away.

"Mhhm. It must be fashionable." Rei nodded.

"Y-You think so...?" Yosuke rubbed the back of his head, entirely unsure of how to respond to it. "That thing is gonna shoot at us..."

"Should we fire back?" Aigis asked.

"No way!" Junpei shook his head. "We slammed the one upstairs with an All Out Attack and it still got up! I don't even want to imagine how much stronger this one could be."

"All the more reason to stay cautious." Mitsuru completely understood the threat FOEs possessed. If all of SEES struggled to take one down, she did not want to imagine the struggle their large group would have overall.

"It looks like it's not moving from its spot." Rise reported. Upon closer inspection, the Angel of Love was simply scouting the area.

"It's doing the same thing as the last one." Fox noted while stroking his chin. "This means we should be able to easily avoid it if we do what we did before. We should go in small groups."

"More stealth..." Chie was not confident in her abilities to sleuth; especially considering the last time she tried she got found out easily. "Okay! Here we go!" It felt a bit dicey, but the Angel of Love's movements were easy to predict. Everyone was able to slip past it without major issue, which was a huge relief. "Whew...I thought my heart was gonna burst!"

"Yowch!" That cry of pain came from Junpei, who nearly ran into a dead end. "Gah, a dead end? I nearly banged my head...!"

"Including incidents within Tartarus, Junpei-san has now run into a total of 27 dead ends." Aigis reported, much to Junpei's dismay.

"You're keeping track? What possible use could that be?" Yosuke asked while also trying not to snicker at the number.

"All the data I collect is piped to the database on Fuuka-san's PC." Aigis explained.

"That's right. I collect data on everyone and use it as reference for the next mission." Fuuka replied with a smile.

"Fuuka and I would totally run a tech club!" Oracle said with a snicker.

"You two are amazing!" Yukiko complimented the two of them. "You two must be very good with computers. How did you learn to do that?"

"Long story..." Oracle said with a nervous smile. "I didn't have anything better to do while I was growing up. I was in my room, always on my computer. Eventually it just kind of became my thing for a long time. I like computers though!"

"As for me, I've had an interest in them for as long as I can remember." Fuuka smiled. "As I sued them, I started getting curious about their inner workings, so I began taking them apart too."

"Damn, you two are impressive!" Yosuke admitted. The most technology he and everyone else used was a phone. He then glanced at Fuuka. "You must be good with your hands. I'm sure you're just as well versed in the womanly arts!"

"You think so? Hehe...Oh, I should treat you to some homemade cooking next time!" Fuuka suggested. When she did, the eyes of Minato, Minako, Junpei, Koromaru, and Shinjiro widened.

"Ooh, seriously?!" Yosuke was extremely pumped for that. The poor guy had no idea what he was getting into. "Unlike some people I could name, I'll be looking forward to THAT!"

"...Why'd you look at me?" Chie narrowed her gaze at Yosuke.

"Uhhh...should we tell him?" Junpei whispered.

"...D-Don't...it'll lead to secondary causalities." Shinjiro sighed. Koromaru whined in agreement. They progressed forward a little bit.

Fox lingered behind. His gaze fell onto a chair with a lone doll on it. "..."

"Is something wrong, Fox-san?" Ken glanced at Fox, then followed his gaze to the doll. "Huh?"

"...Something about that doll is bothering you too, huh?" Yukari's eyes noticed it and it was bothering her. "It just kind of feels different about it here, right? I thought it was just me."

"If you think something's not quite right, you shouldn't ignore it." Yosuke chimed in. "My dad felt something off in his hip once."

"Huh...? Okay..." Yukari did not expect Yosuke to speak or bring in such a random story. She'd at least listen, but...

"But he decided to ignore it and went to work that day anyway. My family runs a store. Like, a superstore. Anyway, he was carrying heavy stuff and what you'd expect to happen did..." Yosuke went on.

"...Are you done talking?" Yukari's expression was a bit stale. She checked out of his story the moment he began.

"Er...um, yeah..." Yosuke was used to getting shot down, but the way Yukari did it felt so cold...!

"This doll has lost its companion." Fox stated while carefully taking the doll in hand. "I can tell based by its expression this is not where it should be?"

"Can you really?" Yukari didn't think it went that far. The doll's placement did bother her a little bit, but nothing to that extent.

"To be honest...I kind of felt the same way." Ken admitted with a mumble. "I wasn't sure how to put it..."

"That's Inari for you. Always picking up on the weird things." Oracle shrugged her shoulders. "But if he's going to hold onto it, maybe it'll be useful."

"The doll is the least of our concerns right now." Dragon gestured to the familiar gray doors in front of them. "I believe we have another encounter waiting for us just behind these doors."

"Then it's time to handle it like we've been doing. This time I'll go." Shinjiro said while allowing his hammer to rest on his shoulder.

"I'll go as well." Naoto had her gun prepared.

"Woof!" Koromaru barked. It was clear that he wanted to join the fray as well.

"I'll go, too." Yu said while getting his katana ready.

"Then I'll lead the charge." Joker nodded. Joker, Yu, Shinjiro, Koromaru, and Naoto were the ones stepping up to fight. The others stood back as the doors opened and the five of them stepped through. They were met with... "What the hell!?"

It was a Shadow none of them had ever laid eyes upon before. It was the Gorgeous King, and it was a massive Shadow. So large it was lounging about on its side as any lazy king would, but the navigators felt a strong presence coming from it. "Be careful! That guy isn't something to take lightly!" Oracle warned them.

"Alright then." Joker adjusted his glove, his knife at the ready. The Gorgeous King at a first glance was intimidating, but everyone here had already faced things much larger than it. As a result, they were all prepared to take on the challenge staring them down. "Let's take care of this one swiftly!"

.

Joker, Yu, Naoto, Shinjiro, and Koromaru were in a surprisingly tough fight against the Gorgeous King. It was a tanky Shadow, taking their hits with relative ease. Despite that, they were going to keep pushing against it. Shinjiiro pressed his Evoker to his head and clicked the trigger. "Castor!" Castor appeared and galloped forward at high speeds, jabbing the sharp horn of its steed into the Gorgeous King. Such a hit was effective and pushed the large Shadow backwards as a result.

"That was a strong hit, Aragaki-senpai!" Fuuka reported. "The analysis is also complete! This Shadow is weak to fire and resists Curse and Bless!"

"If it's weak to fire, then it's up to you, Koromaru!" Joker said, eager to see Koromaru in action.

Koromaru understood what he had to do and barked in response. His Evoker activated and Cerberus appeared in front of him. The three headed beast howled upon being summoned, and the middle head's maw lit up in flames. Cerberus spat out a ball of fire towards the Gorgeous King. The Agi exploded upon the Shadow and caused it to completely topple over as a result.

"Good boy, Koromaru!" Yu was fairly excited to see Koromaru in action.

Just when they thought they were making some progress, the Gorgeous King swung its magnificent scepter once, casting Diarahan on itself. The damage they racked up on it was healed in in instant, much to everyone's surprise. They didn't even have the chance to attack it before it entered such a lofty position once again.

"No way...it can cast Diarahan!?" Fuuka was surprised by this. They were so close to taking it out, but now all of their progress was erased within mere seconds!

"It healed itself fully?" Naoto grunted in response to the Gorgeous King's healthy condition. Before they could go on the offensive, the Gorgeous King swung its scepter and began to pelt the group with spears of ice. Joker had to cross his arms as the Bufu crashed down on him. Due to Arsene's ice weakness, he was taking more damage than the others.

"Gh...!" Joker did end up flipping back after taking enough damage.

"Sukuna-Hikona!" Naoto decided to summon her Persona. Sukuna-Hikona flew forward to drop a Megido onto the Gorgeous King. Megido was still a powerful spell and the Gorgeous King recoiled. She followed this up by pointing her gun forward, firing off a few times. The bullets struck the Gorgeous King's body to do some damage. "Joker, are you alright?"

"Stung, but I've had worse." Joker responded while shaking off the impact. He pointed his own gun forward, joining Naoto as he fired curse infused bullets at the Gorgeous King. While the Curse bullets didn't do much damage, it was more about keeping the Gorgeous King pinned down.

"In order to defeat something like this, we'll need to defeat it in one decisive strike before it can heal itself!" Naoto told the others.

"Then let's knock it off balance!" Yu exclaimed while sprinting towards their enemy. Izanagi was summoned beside him, the two of them lunging towards the Gorgeous King at the same time. "Cross Slash!" Yu swung his katana for a strong horizontal slash while Izanagi came down for a vertical slash. The two attacked in tandem which pushed the Gorgeous King back. The Gorgeous King countered this heavy attack by violently swinging its scepter at Yu. He managed to block the hit with his katana, but the impact still sent him flying backwards. "Guh...!"

Shinjiro was glad the Gorgeous King wasn't a mobile target. It made it an exceptionally easy task to lift his hammer up and smash it into the ground. Koromaru followed up after this by sprinting forward with the dagger in his mouth, slashing at the fallen Gorgeous King to send it skidding backwards. "Hurry, before it heals again!" Shinjiro shouted.

"Yu! Now's the time, don't you think?" Joker spoke with a sly grin and Yu nodded in response. Whatever the two of them were about to do, they were able to make it quick and flashy. While the Gorgeous King was taking the time to recover, the leaders of the Phantom Thieves and Investigation Team sprang into action.

"Ready when you are." Yu nodded while his hand slowly waved over his katana, charging it with lightning. The two then began to sprint forward in unison. Joker went to the right, while Yu went to the left, moving so quickly that he rivaled the speed of a bolt of lightning. In the blink of an eye, the two of them appeared in front of the Gorgeous King, their weapons slashing at it in an X formation with such force the Shadow was fully knocked onto its back. "NOW!" Yu shouted, and the others piled on with him and Joker for an All Out Attack. They gave the Gorgeous King no quarter and the end result was a smoke cloud they all walked away from.

"That's all she wrote."

"Whooooa!" Rei clapped her hands together. "That was so cool! You and Joker went like whoosh and moved so fast! How did you do that!?"

"It just kinda came to me, really." Yu admitted. He didn't really have an answer to it.

"Wow, Sensei! That was similar to the attacks the others and I can pull off!" Teddie commented. "I'm glad you found someone who can keep up with your skill!"

"Everyone else had a special Showtime, I suddenly don't feel so left out." Joker said with a small chuckle.

"I'd really like to do something like that!" Rei bounced on her feet. "Maybe Zen and I could make something work! Don't you think, Zen?"

"Maybe we could." Zen replied with a slight nod. "We are used to fighting together, after all."

"I wonder if it would work...they basically count as a single fighter." Skull said while rubbing the back of his neck.

"I'd like to do one with Su-chan, too!" Rei looked at Violet with a smile, She completely forgot to call her by her codename; the idea was just very exciting to her.

"Me?" Violet pointed at herself, only to smile at Rei's vigorous nodding. It was a very sweet gesture as far as she was concerned.

"C'mere, Koro-chan!" Chie knelt down a bit, patting her thighs to call Koromaru over. He did great in the battle and she wanted to pet him! Koromaru happily responded with a woof and approached, allowing Chie to pat his head. "He's so smart! All my Muku ever does is drool everywhere."

Koromaru barked once again and Aigis took it upon herself to translate. "It seems he likes you very much, Chie-san. He's asking for you to pet his head some more."

"Heeey! That ain't how he acted when I wanted to do it!" Kanji whined. Koromaru was happily nuzzling into both Chie and Yukiko's hands!

"You were probably petting him too hard!" Kotone pointed out, much to Kanji's shock.

"...Are we sure she doesn't understand dog language?" Yu asked. He just wanted to make sure, since Aigis was always the one translating for Koromaru.

"It's not too difficult." Kotone remarked.

"Yeah! People who have dogs can usually tell what they mean." Chie nodded. "I completely understand my Muku. He's always saying things like 'let me eat meat' and 'gimme some meat with the bone in'."

"I think something's getting lost in translation there." Yosuke commented.

"He understands my questions too, though!" Chie countered. "When I ask him 'beef or chicken' he answers with a bark."

"That question makes no sense! Why do you and Muku only talk about meat?!" Yosuke asked.

"They say animals end up like their owners." Yu shrugged. He then briefly glanced at Mona.

"Why are you giving me that look? I'm not a pet! If anything, I'm the one who's keeping an eye on Joker!" Mona huffed.

"But it's completely understandable why you'd come to that conclusion." Oracle pointed out.

"They aren't the only ones who talk about meat." Junpei nudged Yosuke and gestured to Shijiro and Akihiko. The latter was complaining about the lack of a special beef bowl due to their current predicament. "See?"

"...I could go for a beef bowl." Skull commented.

"Did he say special beef bowl!?" Chie's eyes began to sparkle., drooling appearing at the corner of her lips.

"Special beef bowl! I wanna try some!" Rei added.

Yosuke could hardly take this anymore. "Enough with the meat and the drooling! Could you say something, Yukiko=san?"

Yukiko stared at Chie for a moment before finally speaking. "Your dog wasn't named Muku, was it, Chie? It was Chosokabe. Unless...did you get another dog? I think you should name him Yukimura."

"She wasn't listening at all." Yosuke sighed.

"Why does she keep naming them after Sengoku-era generals?" Yu asked.

"Hold on." Dragon interjected with a few nods. "I like where her head is at."

"Of course you would." Panther could only shake her head. That sort of response was very predictable.

"Do not talk to me about the Sengoku-era." Kotone shuddered.

"...Yeah. I've heard enough about that." Minato nodded in agreement. They both thought of a certain teacher back at school who was obsessed with that era.

Koromaru barked once again, his tail wagging. Aigis translated. "It seems Koromaru has come to admire these generals."

"Then from today forward, Koro-chan, we'll call you Yukimura!" Yukiko giggled.

"Not happening." Yukari denied that on the spot.

"Koromaru is Koromaru." Minato and Kotone said at the same time. That still freaked them out a little bit. But Koromaru was happy for the sentiment.

"He got his name from his owner. I know how much he cherishes it." Kotone added with a quiet voice.

"Heeeeey!" Teddie suddenly interjected with an annoyed expression. "Aren't you all getting a little too engrossed with just an ordinary dog? He's just some mutt! Not like he mutt-ers at all! hehehehe."

"Yeah! He can't even talk!" Mona was also getting a little jealous.

"Yeah, well, you're just an ordinary bear!" Chie exclaimed at Teddie.

"And sometimes you talk a little too much!" Skull smirked at Mona. "Koromaru is way more modest than you are!"

"And he's so soft..." Panther was petting Koromaru how and Mona's eyes widened in comical shock.

"Yup. Way fluffier than you, too." Kanji added.

Teddie and Mona were both shot down hard. In terms of the battle of the mascots, Koromaru just got two points over the both of them...

Chapter Text

Group Date Cafe, Stop 3. Now that they were getting deeper into the labyrinth, the scenery began to change a little bit. The vibrant pink ceiling was much darker in color, much like how it shifted in You in Wonderland. Akihiko noticed this first after glancing upwards. "The scenery changed..."

"This happened last time, too." Naoto commented. "I noticed it when we entered the second half of You in Wonderland. We were in a rush, but it did stand out enough to warrant my attention."

"Do you think we're any closer to our 'destined partner"?" Rei asked while munching on a corndog. "I wonder where the next room of destiny is?"

"I understand you're excited, but I would be careful about those doors of destiny. They give me the creeps." Yukari told Rei. This whole thing felt like a breach of privacy if you asked her, but they had no choice but to go through with it.

"There is some more good news for you, stray lambs." Their favorite unknown mechanical voice returned to greet them on their venture through this third floor. "The room that you are searching for is...quite a distance from here."

"Oh c'mon, what the hell was that pause for!?" Skull groaned at the voice. All it did was talk to them but it never directly responded! It was starting to get on his nerves a little bit.

"You can give it your all, or you might wish not to. But if you don't, there is a possibility that danger might fall upon you. Or not." The voice said before fading away.

"So that means there's danger ahead, right...?" Yosuke decided to go with the worst possible outcome.

"It speaks in such vague, uncertain terms, I cannot discern what it's trying to say." Dragon sighed.

"Oh no!" Fuuka suddenly exclaimed. "Guys, you have to be careful! We're picking up a huge number of FOEs on this floor!"

"Ooooooof course." Junpei figured they'd have some shit luck at this juncture.

"Something's off about it, though. They aren't moving. Or even changing position." Rise tilted her head curiously. Something felt wrong.

"Still, be careful! Who knows what they're capable of." Oracle warned. Until they came into contact with the FOEs, it was best to err on the side of caution as always.

"The only thing we can do is move forward." Joker said. The others agreed. They would have to cross that bridge the moment they got there. So they all started to walk ahead.

The walk lasted a few moments before Yosuke came to a stop. "Hold on a moment..." Yosuke said.

"Is something wrong, Yosuke-senpai?" Violet asked while tilting her head.

"Does anyone else feel a really heated gaze? Like...something staring hard into your soul." Yosuke looked at the others. Crow took a look around the corner.

"Ah. I believe I have an explanation for that..." Crow gestured to the wide open space up ahead. Far against the wall was another FOE. It was a cupid just like the ones before it. They were now staring at the Beast of Lust. "I believe we have an admirer."

"An FOE...and it doesn't seem like any we've encountered so far." Yukiko noted.

"This the one the girls were talkin' about? Because it ain't moving." Shinjiro noted. It wasn't shooting at them either. He took a step forward and the Beast of Lust also moved.

"It's moving!?" Noir gasped. She was worried that it would start chasing them down now. But that wasn't the case. It simply wasn't moving. 'Um...it's not moving?"

"Perhaps it will only chase us down only when certain conditions are met..." Mitsuru theorized.

"In that case, if we can figure out what those are, we should be able to avoid it entirely." Queen added. The two of them were on the same page regarding the FOEs movements.

"Talk about havin' guts..." Kanji said.

"Yeah, I agree." Akihiko said with a widening grin. "Let's just beat the thing and move on through."

Such a response only angered Mitsuru. "How many times must I repeat myself, Akihiko?! This isn't training! Honestly!"

"Seems as if she's got her hands full as well." Dragon noted. Mitsuru and Akihiko did seem to get along well, at least that's how she saw it.

"Aragaki-san." Crow began. "Take another step forward. There is something I wish to test."

"...Alright." Shinjiro wasn't sure what Crow was hoping for, but he did take step forward. When he moved, the Beast of Lust did as well. But it only moved forward the exact same distance Shinjiro did. "..."

"I think I understand." Naoto held the tip of her hat. "Aragaki-san. Can you turn around and come back to us?"

"What am I...?" Shinjiro grunted silently, but did as asked. His back turned and he stepped back to the group, and the others noted how the Beast of Lust did not move.

"It didn't follow." Fox crossed his arms.

"Just as I thought." Crow said with a slight grin. "That FOE will mirror our movements so long as we are facing it. That means as long as we move without looking directly at it, we should be safe."

"Wow, Crow! You're really smart for figuring that out! I had no idea at all." Rei said with a cute smile.

Crow found himself a little flustered by Rei's compliment. Sure, he was used to hearing such things back home, that was the norm. But Rei's innocence is what made it feel different. "It was nothing..."

"I don't really like the idea of moving with that thing starin' our backs down..." Kanji admitted. But if that was what they had to do, so be it. The group had to get a little risky with it, but they were able to slip past the Beast of Lust without any issues. It felt tense with such a powerful foe breathing down their necks, but they managed.

"That was frightening..." Ken shuddered a little. "Is everyone okay?"

"Everyone's accounted for." Yu did a quick headcount.

"We'll get our revenge on you, FOE! Ya hear that?!" Kanji shouted to the Beast of Lust. It did not respond to him.

"Honestly, where do you get these ideas?" Mitsuru let out a small sigh.

With the FOE avoided, the group soon came into contact with another sealed door. Just like all the ones before them, they were prepared for what was coming next. "Here we are again." Joker stared at the door.

"The time may be nigh for the stray lambs to grow up to stray sheep." The mechanical voice returned yet again. "But you cannot relax. Your foes and the questions of destiny become fierce with each encounter. Keep that in mind."

"Yes. sir!" Yukiko giggled.

"We already know it has no plans to respond to us..." Chie slumped her shoulders. Sometimes she wondered about Yukiko...

"Presenting: question number five. You've upset your beloved! How will you make it up to them?" The options? Apologize profusely; butter them up with gifts; or get angry and dodge the issue.

"...Butter them up with gifts." Joker admitted. This did get him a few stares from the women in his party. Truthfully, his options were 1 and 2, but he could only pick one. So...

"So that's how you'd get around it..." Oracle felt like she just learned something new.

"What an interesting thing to learn about you, Joker." Panther said calmly.

"It would work on me..." Violet mumbled. Rei totally heard that.

"D-Don't look at me like that! I'd give it more nuance if I was allowed!" Joker tried to defend himself. The downside of being the one to verbally answer these questions meant getting judged. "What did you guys choose?"

"A heartfelt apology does mean nothing without the actions to back it up..." Dragon said.

"I think that kinda question is a little unfair! At least nobody would pick the last option. That's insane." Junpei said. That was a statement everyone could agree with.

"Junpei actually made a decent statement. Color me shocked." Compared to her slightly harsh tone before, Yukari actually was just playfully joking this time around.

"Even I have my moments of wisdom sometimes!" Junpei said proudly.

"Emphasis on the sometimes." Kotone snickered. That remark did make Yukari giggle as well and Junpei just stood in shock. So Kotone could make a joke...!

"I think we should keep it moving." Crow didn't want to get too caught up in these antics.

"Is he always this serious?" Chie whispered to Dragon.

"He will make an occasional joke, but so far he prefers to get the job done as fast as possible." Dragon responded.

"Is that so?" Yukiko lifted a brow. It was then she had an idea, and she actually approached Teddie to whisper something in his ear. Whatever it was, Dragon had no idea.

"Should I be worried?" Dragon asked Chie.

Chie also felt like she should dread whatever it was that Yukiko was thinking. "...When it comes to Yukiko and her sense of humor, absolutely."

.

.

"Ugh...I don't care if it's destiny or not. When are these questions gonna end?" Akihiko was starting to reach the limit of his patience when it came to these Questions of Destiny.

"I thought the way these questions have been phrased are quite ingenious, really.' Naoto said while taking a seat on one of chairs. "They are truly highlighting the differences between the mindsets of men and women." As far as she was concerned, this was a psychological deep dive. "I understand everyone is not willing to share their answers, but it does make me curious..."

While he could somewhat understand Naoto's point, the bigger picture was ultimately lost on him. Akihiko just didn't get it. "I just think it's a bit of a waste of time..."

"There, there. Why don't you use this opportunity to understand how girls think, Akihiko-san." Junpei said with a sly grin. "It might help you find your destined partner. Just like me a Chidorita! Heeheee!"

"You have a girlfriend?" Skull seemed a bit surprised by this.

"You don't gotta look so surprised...!" Junpei took offense to that. "And, well...I wouldn't say she's my girlfriend. She's someone I know...and I visit her in the hospital a lot..." Explaining the Chidori situation suddenly felt so complicated.

"Aww, you visit her in the hospital? That's so sweet of you, Junpei-kun!" Noir, however, thought it was the sweetest thing in the world. When it was commented on like that, Junpei couldn't help but blush a little.

"Destined partner, huh?" There was a thought in Yukari's mind. For a moment, her eyes glanced over to Minato, but decided to shift to something else entirely. "Even this Junpei here found his, so there really might be one for you somewhere in the world."

"Yes, spring did indeed come, even for this Junpei-san." Aigis added.

"Stop calling me 'This Junpei!" Junpei objected.

"Would 'That Junpei' be okay?" Yukari replied with a roll of her eyes.

"How low am I on your personal totem pole!?" Junpei grunted. Once again, he and Yukari were having a back and forth. Kotone couldn't help but snicker. "I'm going to have to invoke the "Have Pity Ordinance!"

"The...the what?" Kotone stared at Junpei.

"Junpei-san taught me about this." Aigis responded. "It was issued in 1685, preventing anyone from treating Junpei-san lower than a grasshopper."

Yukari had no real response to this. "Is that so."

"What!?" Kotone groaned and glared at Junpei. "You know Aigis is extremely impressionable! Just what exactly have you been teaching her!?"

"I was just...!" Junpei tried to defend himself.

"If you're going to lie to her like that, at least make it more believable! 1685?! Come on!" Kotone rolled her eyes. The way she responded was not what Yukari or Junpei were expecting.

"You're ENDORSING this?!" Yukari gasped.

"I'm just telling him to make better lies!" Kotone replied.

Minato's head moved back and forth as Kotone, Yukari, and Junpei had this little argument. However, there was only a single question on his mind the whole time. "...How much better than a grasshopper?"

"A water flea." Yu joked.

"How does THAT make sense in the hierarchy!?" Yosuke asked.

"So Junpei's better than a grasshopper, but lower than a water flea. That's gonna be hard to get straight." With his tone, it was hard to tell if Minato was serious or if he was just joking.

"No! I WANNA BE TREATED LIKE A PERSON! An actual human being!" Junpei shouted. Was that seriously so much to ask for!?

Akihiko shook his head. Junpei's antics aside, it didn't really change his feelings about the ordeal. "Aside from Rei, Junpei's the only one who's excited about this. Look at Zen, Crow, and Naoto. They're all guys and they're keeping their calm."

"Huh?" Naoto...did not realize Akihiko saw her that way. "Um, I'm..."

"...Sanada-san, have you not realized...?" Crow was trying to sound polite about it...

"What the hell are you talkin' about, Aki? You didn't notice she's a girl?" Shinjiro asked. In Akihiko's defense, Naoto was the first one to change when they were in Caroline's bootcamp. He never saw her go into the girls' changing room. But this also just meant he was the odd one out.

"...Huh?" Akihiko looked legitimately surprised. "But she's been wearing a boy's uniform all this time...and Naoto is also a guy's name."

"I'm free to wear whatever I want..!" Naoto felt a little flustered. While she was comfortable in her attire, it felt a bit awkward having someone see her as a boy, now that she accepted herself as a woman. Everyone in school was aware of it, but clearly this sentiment did not extend to those she was still getting to know.

"Was I the only one who didn't notice...?" Akihiko felt like he had much to think about.

"We had a little bit of an unfair advantage." Violet said with a sheepish smile. Coming from the future meant they were fully aware of this.

"I noticed." Zen sad calmly.

"When Zen says it, it feels like it really hits home." Yosuke couldn't help but snicker.

"You can tell just by looking at her." Shinjiro sighed.

"I couldn't..." Kanji grumbled. "For the longest time, I had no damn idea..."

Noticing Kanji's grumbling, Rei turned to him. "Are you okay, Kanji?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah...I'm fine!" Kanji replied with a fake smile. He didn't want to leave Rei concerned!

"Oh, you guys should know." Teddie was bouncing around with a grin. "Remember how I mentioned my X-ray thingy? Well, everyone else got a check up too! And I got to see Naoto-chan's measurements...!" And before Teddie could go any further with that, Naoto shoved him down onto his back.

"T-That's enough about that!" Naoto refused to have that information come to light.

"So...Nao-cakes, huh..." Junpei felt the nickname come to him.

"N-Nao-cakes?!" Naoto blushed from such an absurd nickname.

"Nope. Uh uh." Kotone interjected. "I'm nipping that in the bud. Do NOT call her that. It's weird."

"W-Wha...!?" Junpei gasped. First Kotone told him to tell better lies, and now she was reprimanding him like Yukari would!? He couldn't get a read on this girl...

.

.

Dodging the Beasts of Lust that were lingering on this third floor was a stressful endeavor. When it was only one, they could manage. But when there were multiple, that was when it got dicey. A large group having to avoid multiple FOEs had them all on high alert. They were able to slip through to the next room, but they were all panting softly from the stress. "This sort of thing isn't good for my heart..." Violet placed a hand on her chest. She was a little jealous that Oracle, Fuuka, and Rise did not have to experience such tense movements.

"No kidding. I really hate staring down things that could kick our ass..." Kanji was getting more and more annoyed with their situation.

"I think we could take them." Akihiko grumbled. He could feel Mitsuru's glare on his back so he was also quick to add to his statement. "But I get that it's better we don't for the time being. I'm just prepared for the moment we can't get around it."

"Good save." Kotone snickered. "Although, I have to say...I'm only really noticing now how equipped some of you are compared to the rest of us." Minato's SEES and the Phantom Thieves all had cool outfits. Kotone and the Investigation Team were just in their school uniforms for comparison. "But I wonder why Junpei wears his like that?"

Junpei had his jacket around his waist. He just gave a grin. "It looks cool that way, don't you think?"

"No." Yukari answered for Kotone. She then glanced over to Yu and the Investigation Team. "But I wonder...do you guys actually have anything that helps you?"

"We do." Naoto responded. She and the others dug into their pockets and pulled out glasses.

"Glasses?" Panther tilted her head.

"When we enter the TV world, they help us see through all the fog!" Chie explained. "Although we haven't encountered any fog in here. So we haven't really had much of a reason to use them."

"Where did you obtain such glasses? I doubt it was something you find in a store." Crow asked.

"From yours truly!" Teddie said proudly while patting his bear suit. "I made these glasses myself to help Sensei and the others track down the culprit and kidnapped victims!"

"You make them? How curious..." Crow stroked his chin in thought.

"Actually, Crow, I have a pair for you if you're curious!" Teddie waddled over to Crow and held out the glasses. "I don't know if they'll do anything in here, but it doesn't hurt to try, right?"

"I suppose not..." Crow decided to try. He briefly removed his mask and put on the glasses Teddie gave to him. What he failed to realize is that Teddie handed him a pair of gag glasses; swirly lens with a fake mustache and a comical nose. "..."

"Pffffft..." Yukiko couldn't contain herself. The moment she saw Crow like this she started to snicker before... "Ahahahahahahaha!" She broke out into a laughing fit. Noir and Rise were quick to join her.

"...Was this your idea, Teddie?" Crow asked with a polite but clearly annoyed tone. His annoyed expression was obscured by the glasses.

"I can give you one guess as to who came up with this." Chie just stared at the laughing Yukiko. Her whispers from earlier made so much sense now.

"The same thing happened to me, man." Kanji shook his head.

"..." Crow politely took the glasses off upon seeing almost everyone laughing at him. And then he tossed them aside. "I do not think we have a need for these. At least you got a laugh out of it, Yukiko-san."

"Everything makes her laugh these days." Chie sighed.

While they were waiting for Yukiko to calm down, Fox noticed a lonely doll holding a box in the corner of the room. Curiously he approached it, with Yukari, Ken, and Joker following him. "What is it, Fox?" Yukari asked.

"This doll...I believe this is what I've been searching for." Fox said while pulling out the doll he grabbed on the previous floor.

"There's another doll here..." Ken noticed, staring at the doll. "It looks lonely, too."

"There's a box in its hand, too." Joker, being the Thief he is, did attempt to pick the lock of the box open. But upon closer inspection... "This box doesn't have a lock either. How does it open?"

"Hm." Fox allowed his instinct to take over. He simply placed the doll in his hand next to the lonely doll. Nothing really happened at first, but when he took a step back, he nodded. "Yes, yes. This is much better. These dolls were meant for one another."

"Really?" Yukari tilted her head. She didn't really notice.

"I think I see it!" Ken said suddenly. "They look...happier somehow."

"Precisely. These dolls are a pair; they were meant to be together. I suppose that fits in with the themes of this labyrinth." Fox nodded. "These dolls are destined partners. They should never have been separated in the first place. I feel a sense of warmth bringing them together."

"I think he's taking this a little too seriously." Yukari said with a deadpan.

"Yeah. That's Inari for you." Oracle was used to this. But then, the closed box opened up. "Huh?"

"It opened..." Joker noted. "You're the one who got it open, Fox. So it's your treasure."

"Mine, hm? Well, I won't shy away from this opportunity. Perhaps the dolls are thanking me for bringing them together." Fox pulled out a strange piece of metal from the box, tilting his head. "Oh! How magnificent! I believe Theodore can use this for something extraordinary!"

"...He's really into this." Yukari was still staring. Fox's demeanor was definitely something else. "Dragon is kinda like that too, huh?" She was still getting used to Shogi mode.

"If it explains anything, the two of them go to the same school." Oracle said.

"Somehow it does and doesn't at the same time." Yukari sighed.

.

.

The next door of destiny stood before them. It really didn't seem like they were going to run out of questions anytime soon. "Another door of destiny is before us." Aigis stated. "I wonder what sort of question it will ask us this time."

"Will it even take Aigis' answers into account?" A legitimate question from Skull.

"I do not know." Was Aigis' response. Nobody really knew how that would work...

"A question to the youngest lamb. Do you prefer bread or rice for breakfast?" The voice asked...Ken of all people. This was the first time it was actually speaking to them directly like this.

"It's asking Ken-kun...!?" Noir gasped.

Ken pointed to himself in shock. "M-Me? Um...I guess I like bread better?" He wasn't sure how to respond to it.

"Having asked a lighthearted questions unconnected to destiny, here comes questions number six and seven." The voice went on.

"Huh!?" Ken gasped. What was the point of asking him the question in the first place!? Was this some kind of elaborate prank?

"You mull over the choice, unsure whether to answer it or answer it." The voice went on. "Question number 6: what is your specialty dish?" Option 1: Curry-

"Curry." Joker responded without missing a beat, shocking the others because they barely had the chance to hear the others.

"S-Slow down, woulda!?" Junpei grunted. "At least let us hear the rest before you answer!"

"Sorry. Curry is all I know." Joker admitted. The remaining options for the others to answer were: Meat and Potatoes and Picked Mackerel.

"It's true. He cooks curry, eats curry, I think his entire diet is just curry." Mona commented.

Shinjiro scowled upon hearing this, which did make Joker sweat a bit. "Uh...yes, Shinjiro-san...?" Joker said while staring up at Shinjiro, who looked like he was glaring into his soul.

"...You need to eat better. All that curry isn't good for nutritional balance. Especially since you're moving around and fighting so much. You wanna collapse in the middle of a fight or something?" Shinjiro said with a low tone. This wasn't the threat Joker was expecting, but it still did a good job in making him weirdly nervous.

"Er, no. I just...don't have a lot of options back home...?" Joker answered.

"..." Oracle's hologram was standing next to Joker. The two of them felt so small compared to Shinjiro. If she spoke about her eating habits, she knew he would grill her for it, too!

"Question number 7: The girl you're curious about dropped something. What was it?" The options for this one? A floral-patterned handkerchief, a lacy parasol, some handwritten poetry.

"Uh. The first one, I guess." Joker wasn't really sure how to answer that one.

"If the one who picks it up runs in a circle and sits where the one is 'it' was sitting, they win." Aigis stated.

"Run around? Win? What are you talking about...?" Zen felt rather lost about this topic.

"It's a kid's game." Shinjiro answered.

"I see. That sounds rather violent." Zen didn't get it...

The doors opened to allow them to step through. They had a peaceful walk before deciding to take another break. "Looks like there's still gonna be more questions here. What's with this destined partner thing anyway?"

"I'm kind of curious about it..." Noir admitted, placing a finger on her cheek. "I am wondering what sort of person Joker's destined partner will be..."

"Oh, yeah. It is based on Joker's answers, so we're gonna find out his destined partner." Yukari tilted her head.

"Will they be chosen from amongst us?" Aigis inquired.

"H-Huh!?" Noir gasped.

"D-Do you think...?" Queen also got a little nervous.

"From amongst us, huh? That feels a bit, too really..." Yukari mumbled before looking towards the girls of the Phantom Thieves. "So what's the score, really?"

"Oh, I wanna know, too!" Kotone intruded no the topic with a wide grin.

"Me too! What are the juicy details?" Chie came in like a bullet, drawn into the topic.

"W-What are you talking about!?" Queen gasped. Romantically impaired she may be, she could still understand these implications.

"You know what I'm talking about!

"Sooooo? How is it?" Yukari teased.

"W-We don't have anything like that going on!" Violet waved her hands. The question was very embarrassing!

"Y-Yeah, it's all, um...not like that...! I'm not allowed to date!" Dragon added with a dark blush.

"W-We're not doing anything!" Panther turned her head aside.

"Ooooooooh!" Yukari, Kotone, and Chie all said in unison.

"N-No! Cease those ooohs!" Dragon held an embarrassed glare. That sort of reaction told the trio everything they needed to know: Dragon definitely had feelings for someone!

"Ooooooooooh!" Rei snickered.

"Y-You too, Rei-chan...!" Violet huffed. "Zen-kun is right there!"

"Oh, I'm sorry, Panther. Is that inconvenient for you?" Zen asked, completely unaware.

"N-No! I mean! It doesn't really matter...!" Violet groaned.

"While we are on the subject, may I ask a question?" Aigis spoke up. "Who is in a romantic relationship with who?"

"A-Aigis!?" Queen was unprepared for that.

"A-Aigis! You can't just ask that!" Kotone gasped at Aigis' blunt delivery. But there was a look in her eyes that said she was planning to ask the exact same thing.

"W-We don't have anything like that going on..." Panther stuttered.

"Y-Yeah, we're not...d-dating or anything...if I could date..." Dragon grumbled.

"That sounds soooo suspicious!" Yukari snickered. Dragon was such a bad liar! It was a little fun to tease her like this.

"Hey, no fair! No talking about this stuff without me!" Rise huffed. She was missing all the good stuff. "You guys better share all the details later! Right, Fuuka? Oracle?"

"M-Mhmm...!" Fuuka nodded.

"Girl talk? Gossip? I mean..." Oracle hadn't done that just yet! Girl talk with RISETTE of all people!? She was feeling the nerves pile in...

"Heeeeey!" And here came Teddie. "I knew you girls were over here whispering something. If you have a problem to talk about, then come into my wide, fluffy bear chest! It's soft! Total fluff!"

"Whaaat?! Seems like it'd be itchy." Yukari shook her head.

"A city lady's remark...how it cuts like a knife..." Teddie sighed.

"And I'd rather jump into Zen's!" Rei knew what Teddie was going to say. She already had her decision plotted out.

"GYAAAAH!" Another critical hit for Teddie! Shot down again...

.

.

Yet another Door of Destiny awaited them. They were all getting used to this routine by now. "Well, hello, stray lambs who must be getting weary of this introduction every time. Destiny is like a shoe made of glass. Why is this?"

"Huh?" Akihiko looked stumped for a moment, but he got an idea son enough. "Oh, I get it. You probably want us to say that even though it looks nice, it's fragile. But this is what I have to say: destiny is like a shoe made of metal! It can be a shackle that keeps you from moving, but you can also take it off at any time!"

"...What does that mean?" Minato asked.

"Well then. Onto question number 9." The voice breezed past Akihiko's words.

"What the!? Don't just ignore me!" Akihiko tilted his head up and shouted at the sky, cursing the mysterious being above.

"When are you gonna learn, dude? That voice doesn't give a damn about what we say." Shinjiro sighed.

"But it's hard to imagine it's not poking a little fun at us. It's most certainly taunting us with the direction responses..."Dragon grumbled.

"Hmmm...Destiny is like a shoe made of metal. That is a very apt way of putting it, Akihiko." Mitsuru held a smile at Akihiko's wise words. Somehow, she understood it.

"W-Wait, was that supposed to be inspiring...?" Chie did not get it at all.

"Question 9. What do you do if someone you don't care for confesses their love?" The voice asked. "Date them anyway; start by being friends, hesitantly turn them down, or bluntly reject them?"

"This feels very telling..." Joker rubbed the back of his neck. "But if it's someone I don't care for, I'd have to be honest and turn them down bluntly."

"That's very gentlemanly." Yukiko commented. "But it takes courage to handle it that way. The one doing the rejecting can get hurt sometimes too, after all."

With the question answered, the door opened. This allowed the group to pass through to another gray door. They knew what waited behind this one.

"Let me guess. Another Shadow is waiting beyond the door?" Akihiko crossed his arms. This song and dance was starting to get very old in his eyes.

"Not just any Shadow. There's an FOE beyond that door! And it's the only way forward..." Oracle gulped.

"Finally!" While the others were slightly worried about this, Akihiko was glad to hear it. "I was getting tired of running from these things anyway."

"That's an FOE, man!" Yosuke wanted to remind Akihiko about the monsters they had to avoid so far. "We've had to avoid those things! They're way too strong!"

"Yeah, but if we can't get past it, then we're stuck." Akihiko answered in response. "This just means it's a fight we can't run away from. And I don't like those things staring at my back. None of what we're trying to do matters if we don't face this thing head on."

"I know he's mostly in this for the fight, but I can't say he's wrong." Shinjiro sighed, because hell must have frozen over if Akihiko was right about something like this.

"Honestly, I think it's something you guys might be able to handle..." Rise added. She had to compare their power to that of the FOE beyond the door, but the estimate wasn't too far off. "It seems a little weaker than the others."

"Then I'm with Akihiko-senpai!" Kanji flexed an arm. "Those things have been getting on my nerves! Takin' em out would feel real nice right about now! If Senpai and the others could take one down, I think we might be able to, too!"

"I suppose it is worth the attempt. As he said, we do not have many other options." Dragon felt it a bit dangerous, but they did need to go forward.

"Let me take the lead on this one. I'll punch that FOE's lights out!" Akihiko was getting excited. Finally, a worthwhile fight!

"Is this wise?" Violet blinked while looking at Mitsuru. She was the one who kept telling Akihiko to calm down.

"I believe this is for the best." Mitsuru replied while crossing her arms. "I know I've been telling Akihiko to take a step back, but he is absolutely correct in this instance. The FOE before us needs to be executed in order for us to progress."

"E-Executed?" Violet gulped a little. That felt like such a strong word and Mitsuru said it so naturally...

"Get used to hearing that word a lot." Junpei told Violet. "It still scares me."

"I...I see..." Violet was not going to get used to that...

.

.

The FOE that waited beyond the door was the God of Romance. It was identical to the other cupids that lingered within the labyrinth. This one was gold in color with a red horse. The ones who challenged this FOE were Akihiko, Kanji, Crow, Fox, and Ken. The moment they stepped into battle, the God of Romance drew back its bowstring and fired arrows of flame at the group!

Crow's mask burned away while he pointed his hand forward. "Shoot them down, Robin Hood!" He wasn't going to allow the God of Romance to think it had the advantage with ranged combat! Robin Hood appeared beside Crow, letting loose numerous arrows of light magic to clash with the arrows of fire. Numerous explosions occurred in the space between them and Crow had to stand his ground. Unfortunately, he didn't go even like he would've preferred. A few fiery arrows slipped through Robin Hood's fire and began to explode near him. In response to this he jumped back, gritting his teeth in annoyance at the fire damage he did sustain as a result.

"Don't worry! I can help!" Ken pointed his Evoker at his forehead and fired. "Nemesis!" He summoned Nemesis not to attack, but to support Crow. Ken cast Diarama onto Crow, healing him of his injuries as quickly as they appeared.

"This foe prefers ranged combat. Then we had the advantage up close!" Fox decided to use his speed to his advantage. The God of Romance took numerous shots at Fox, but he used his sword to cleave through the arrows. Once he got close, he leapt forward to slash at the God of Romance...but he was surprised when the FOE turned around, the horse kicking its hind legs at him! Fox was too slow to avoid this and took a hard hit to the chest, grunting as he crashed into the ground. "Ngh!"

"We'll knock it off balance first! Polydeuces!" Akihiko pressed his Evoker to his forehead and fired. Polydeuces flew forward to strike the God of Romance with a powerful Solid Punch. This did make the FOE roar out in pain as it slid back slightly from the impact. It countered by shooting a gigantic arrow of flame towards Akihiko. Akihiko crossed his arms to absorb the impact, but to his surprise, it was Kanji that blocked the hit for him. "Kanji...?"

"I can take it!" Kanji grinned despite the burn to his arms. "It ain't enough to bring me down! NOW GET BENT!" Kanji summoned Take-Mikazuchi after this proud declaration. Take-Mikazuchi took a hold of its physical lightning bolt and raised it up high, swinging it down towards the God of Romance. The horse of the FOE lunged to meet it head on, clashing against it with its skull. A shockwave boomed out and the two were forced back. Kanji grunted but held a wide smirk, far from finished yet.

"Analysis complete! It's unaffected by Curse and bless, resists fire and is weak to ice!" Oracle reported. She also decided to give them an attack buff by casting Tarukaja. "Give em hell!"

"Now that's what I'm talking about!" Akihiko smirked as Oracle cast Tarukaja. Precisely the boost he needed for a number of reasons! With this he was able to rush forward, clenching his hand into a fist within his boxing glove. Akihiko gave the God of Romance a haymaker with nothing but his pure strength! Actually landing a hit on an FOE like this and seeing it recoil gave him the rush he needed! He followed up with a flurry of punches mostly aimed at the horse since it was within arms reach. He was landing solid blows against it and the damage was raking up. He thought to bob and weave, but that didn't actually work when the opponent was mounted. The God of Romance turned around and the horse kicked at him with its hind legs. He blocked the hit, but he staggered back a great deal. "Gah...!"

"It resists Bless, huh..." Ken grunted. That was his main element..! He was able to use the reach of his spear to land a few hits upon the God of Romance. He didn't think he did much damage, and he made sure to leap back before he was kicked in the face by the horse.

"Worry not, Ken." Crow said with a faint grin. "We are not stuck to just our own Personas, remember?"

"Allow me to open a path to victory! Goemon!" Fox said as his mask burned off, calling forth Goemon beside him.

"And I shall join you." Crow said with determination. If Robin Hood wasn't going to be useful, then he'd have to make use of his Sub Persona! "Azumi!" Together with Goemon, these two began to release a storm of ice towards the God of Romance! The God of Romance attempted to snuff the ice out with flames, but when that wasn't working, it turned and used its horse to try and escape its range!

"It's not going to flee that easily!" Ken wasn't going to be left out! He pointed his Evoker to his forehead once more. "Empusa!" It felt strange, summoning something that wasn't Nemesis. But Ken had an idea in mind. While this Persona was capable of using Bufu, that's not what his goal was. Instead, he used Sukunda to slow it down! The God of Romance was bogged down by this debuff, which meant it couldn't avoid Crow and Fox's icy attack. It took heavy damage and nearly toppled over as a result. "It hit!" And right after that, Ken glanced to Kanji, Shifting the momentum over to him since he was too far away for a Baton Pass. The God of Romance quickly retaliated by firing three arrows at those who attacked it. The arrows pierced through them fast, inflicting heavy damage on the three of them. "Ow...!"

"A fearsome attack..." Fox grunted while wincing. He nearly fell to a knee from that strike alone; it was a reminder that they were still fighting an FOE.

"Impressive..." Crow growled. If only he could summon Loki...

Kanji jumped from above, slamming his folding chair on the God of Romance's head. This stunning impact caused the FOE to roar and recoil. "One more!" Take-Mikazuchi appeared in front of Kanji again, this time stabbing its lightning bolt into the ground. He cast Zio in the form of a rising voltage that erupted from underneath the God of Romance. Despite all the damage they'd dealt, it still wasn't going down. "Just die already!"

"Leave it to me." Akihiko said while pressing his Evoker to his forehead. The aura around him was different than before. Thanks to Oracle using Tarukaja, she provided him with exactly what he needed to boost his Theurgy. His Evoker was triggered once more and Polydeuces appeared beside him. Akihiko broke into a sprint while Polydeuces fired off a strong bolt of lightning into the sky. Akihiko then leapt into the air, drawing his fist back. "TAKE THIS!" Akihiko then punched the lightning bolt straight at the God of Romance! This couldn't be avoided no matter how hard it tried, and the lightning exploded against the God of Romance, throwing the cupid right off of its horse! It was off balance and weakened. Akihiko's lips curled into a smirk at this opening. "I've been waiting for this! NOW!"

All out Attack! Akihiko, Kanji, Crow, Fox, and Ken all jumped the God of Romance at once! There was no defense for this onslaught, and Akihiko was the one to land the finishing blow with a sliding straight punch. "Onto the next bout." It was a tough fight, but they managed to overcome the FOE!

"Wow..." Ken nearly slumped over. "That was hard..."

"You guys did it!" Fuuka cheered. Koromaru barked as the others came into the room.

"Koromaru-san says congratulations on a hard fought victory." Aigis translated.

"How do you feel?" Yu asked. Yukari, Yukiko, and Mona took the time to heal those who were fighting.

"Punching that thing was exactly what I needed." Akihiko jabbed the air a few times. "Makes me want another round."

"Don't get too addicted to it." Shinjiro shook his head.

"Nice job, Akihiko-senpai!" Kotone smiled while holding her hands behind her back. "You too, Ken-kun! You were cool out there!"

"O-Oh, was I? I...thank you." Ken gave Kotone a smile. He felt a bit awkward about it, but Kotone had also whipped around to congratulate the others. She sure moved fast...

"Hell yeah! That's what I'm talkin' about!" Kanji also felt amped up. Taking down an FOE gave a rush like no other!

"Now if only it were that simple when it came to the others." Panther sighed.

"We'll take what we can get." Joker said. One step at a time. "You weren't bad out there." He told Crow.

"I am simply doing my best." Crow replied with a pleasant smile. Although when the praise came from Joker, it was a little strained in a way nobody aside from Shinjiro.

"Even better news!" Rise's hologram appeared a few feet away from the group and she pointed down. She was standing next to the stairs.

"The stairs to the next floor. I wonder if this means we're nearing the end." Naoto crossed her arms. She recalled the layout of You in Wonderland, so maybe...

"The next floor..." Rei folded her hands together. She felt a little tense. Just what was waiting for them down there? "OH! This means we'll be finding our destined partners soon, right!?"

"...She might have a point." Yukari was curious and yet also not looking forward to this at the same time.

"We've just gotta face it head on." And as usual, Minato did not seem so perturbed at the idea. Was he looking forward to it? Was he indifferent? The latter seemed the most likely. "Let's go." The others could agree with him, however. They could finally move onto the depths of the Group Date Cafe, where their destined partners awaited them...

Chapter Text

Group Date Cafe - Stop 4. They were getting closer to the depths of the Labyrinth. "We've come pretty far in. I wonder how far this goes..." Yukiko wondered aloud.

Rei, on the other hand, started to look a little apprehensive now that they were this far in. "..."

"Are you alright, Rei?" Zen asked, noticing Rei's tenseness.

"M-Mhm...! I'll be okay as long as I have everyone here with me!" Rei answered with a half smile. Despite the fact she couldn't explain this tight feeling in her chest, she had so many friends around her. So she felt less afraid.

"Huh? Whoa, wait a second! The presence of Shadows just got a lot stronger!" Rise gasped.

"I'm also sensing something a little further down..." Fuuka added.

"This might mean the labyrinth's final floor is where the large Shadow is." Oracle surmised. "It would fit with how You in Wonderland was set up. So this means this floor is the penultimate one..."

"The only thing we can do now is keep going." Joker said. If they were getting closer to the end, that meant they were going to have to remain on guard.

As they walked, Panther suddenly calm to a halt. "Wait." She tilted her head up and started to sniff the air.

"...What is she doing?" Yukari whispered to Skull.

"Uhh...I think she smells something?" Skull scratched his head.

"She's sniffing for sweets." Dragon clarified.

"How...do you know that?" Crow looked at Dragon with a bit of a bewildered expression.

"Woof!" Koromaru suddenly barked.

"Koromaru-san says he smells some treats as well." Aigis said.

"They're over here!" Panther suddenly sprinted off to a nearby table, where there were in fact some sweets plated out.

"You're telling me that girl has a nose like a dog when it comes to sweets?" The more Yosuke learned about Panther, the more he wondered how she functioned normally.

"Honestly, I could go for something sweet." Joker reached out for a sweet, but...

"Hold it!" Mitsuru interjected. "Don't you think it's risky for the leader to be the first to eat something so strange?" She had her doubts, and rightfully so.

"She's right! Which is why I'll be the one to eat some first!" Panther said with a wink while sticking her tongue out.

"You're only saying this so you can have some..." Mitsuru could read Panther like a book. Panther even giggled, but it was hard to convince her otherwise.

"Don't, man. You'll just end up with an upset stomach." Shinjiro said. Although right after he said this, his own stomach betrayed him and growled. His neutral expression didn't change, but it held a different meaning after a noise like that.

"I guess everyone's hungry." Chie said.

"That's right! Those who don't get lost, don't eat!" Rei smiled as if she didn't say something incomprehensible.

"What...? Those who don't get lost...don't eat?" Yosuke had no idea what Rei was trying to say. "You had so many words that sentence structure doesn't even make sense.

"We've been in here for a while. It wouldn't hurt to have a treat." Noir decided to help herself to some of the treats. She grabbed a cookie and took a bite. "Mm! That's delicious!"

Yukari decided to follow suit. She grabbed a treat and had a bite. "Oh, wow! These are good. I'm on a diet right now, but I guess a little bit won't hurt...right?"

"Those who don't eat won't never yet lose weight, Yuka-chan!" Rei made another nonsensical comment.

One could almost see the question marks appearing around Yukari's head. "You're using so many words they stopped meaning anything."

"Arf!" Koromaru wagged his tail happily.

"There were treats suitable for dogs here, too. Koromaru-san is content." Aigis nodded. The treats were a nice refresh after all of the fighting they had done to get to this point. Considering there were so many of them and so many sweets lovers, it was not long before they completely cleared the table. Panther was the one who had the most and she even saved a few.

"Those were so good..." Panther sighed contently. "This might be my favorite otherwordly place so far."

"I would have to say the break was much needed." Queen admitted. At first she was unsure, but it was refreshing. "This place has been mentally exhausting more than physically."

"I have to agree." Mitsuru sighed, placing a hand on her forehead. "This group date business is harder than I had anticipated."

"This definitely ain't a group date, though." Kanji shook his head.

"Huh? It's not!?" Rei had the wrong idea about this the whole time!? "You search for your destined partner, right!?"

"Men and woman herded together hunt each other's hearts in an ordeal of love! That is a true group date!" Teddie exclaimed.

"I see!" Fox nodded along to Teddie's words. "Such an event sounds incredibly picturesque! I would love to capture such a moment for myself."

"Don't tell me you're actually buying what he's selling?" Mona cut his eyes to Fox, who was already lost in the idea.

"Men and women herded together gulp each other's tarts in a roast turkey a la carte!?" Rei gasped with widened, excited eyes. "I want to do a real group date!"

"I see." Zen nodded. And in an instant, he whipped out his crossbow. "Then let's do it. Everyone who is participating must line up."

"Y-You're forcing us into this!?" Junpei grunted. Why was Zen like this!?

"Z-Zen-kun, I don't think that's necessary." Noir waved her hands a bit.

"I agree. This is a Shadow's lair." Mitsuru objected to this notion. "Holding something so involved as a...group date here is out of the question."

"Group dates take that much effort?" Ken asked. His question and tone made it seem like it was some insurmountable task.

"Wha...?" Mitsuru ended up taking some offense to it. Ken made it sound like this was something she was incapable of doing...!

"No?" Yosuke shook his head. "It's just guys and girls chatting with each other. Though depending no how things go, it can head south fast and turn into an ugly mess..."

'You talking about your guys' group date?" Kanji asked. Yosuke shuddered at the thought.

"S-So that's what they're like..." Mitsuru looked like she was thinking things over.

"Don't tell me she's considering it?" Mona could see that pensive expression on Mitsuru's face.

"I didn't think there were things even you didn't know about, Mitsuru-Senpai..." Yukari admitted. Mitsuru was effectively a bastion of information depending on who and what you asked. "Then again, I'd be shocked if you did know a lot about group dating."

There was pause. "Let's do this." Mitsuru took this as a challenge.

"...Huh!?" Even Kotone looked surprised at Mitsuru's declaration.

"Let's do this! The group date thing!" Mitsuru said firmly.

"M-Mitsuru-san!?" Queen's eyes were wide.

"Is she serious...?" Chie proceeded to sweat a bit.

"She might be more easily riled up than Akihiko-san..." Junpei whistled lowly.

"Yaaaaaaay! I wanna be in a real group date, too!" Teddie bounced around. "I didn't get to be in the one Yosuke and the others did! So I'm making my grand debut now!"

"...I'll pass." Crow shook his head. Although he glanced to the side and saw Zen pointing his crossbow at him. The silent expression of a man who was not letting him go so easily.

"Guess you're stuck, huh?" Chie said while rubbing the back of her neck. "Good luck!"

"You should join." Crow said with a smile. If he was going to have to endure this hell, he didn't want to be alone! Dragging Chie along with him sounded fine, since she was determined to drag him into things.

"O-Oh, nooo! I couldn't...!" Chie waved her hands with a nervous grin. "I have...a thing...you know?"

"I insist. You've been happy to include me, so I should extend the favor, should I not?" Crow's smile widened. He knew exactly what he was doing and so did Chie.

"...Damn it." Chie could not deny him. Even if he was twisting things...! "You dress like a prince but you're cunning like a villain!"

"Group date, hoooooo!" Rei cheered. "C'mon, Joker! We need guys for this, don't we!"

"Sure." Joker was down. He didn't need a lot of convincing.

"Violet! You too!" Rei looked at Violet with pleading eyes.

Violet's face went bright red. A tomato would be jealous at her coloration. "O-Oh, no! No! I couldn't! I, um! I'm not good at this! Dragon-senpai has it covered!"

"HUH!?" Dragon whipped around to the nervous Violet, who was mouthing please over and over. With a sigh, Dragon decided to go through with it for the sake of her friend. "Very well..."

"Shujin girls! Gekkoukan girls, line up!" Teddie grinned, happily leading the charge on this.

"W-Wait a second...are you for real!?" Yukari was not a fan! But she also felt Kotone's hands on her back, pushing her towards the tables that were being set up by Yu and Kanji. "K-Kotone!?"

"It'll be fiiiiine! If Mitsuru-san is going to do this, we should join her!" Kotone gave a smile. She then turned to the Phantom Thieves. "You girls, too!"

"Erm..." Queen rubbed her arm awkwardly. "Don't we have too many people here already?"

"Might as well go all the way!" Kotone beamed. "C'mon, Minato. You too."

"Me?" Minato pointed at himself.

"H-Him...!?" Yukari gasped. "I-I mean, not that it's a problem! He just...doesn't seem like the type. Junpei would be, though."

"I mean, I don't think I could participate in this because I have Chidorita, you know...!" Junpei said.

"You won't join your fellow second years in this one in a lifetime experience?" Kotone tilted her head. She knew just how to manipulate Junpei.

"...I know what you're doing." Junpei knew she was playing him! But he damn sure enjoyed hanging out with his fellow second years. What was he supposed to do? Say no? She was good. Kotone just smiled in response. This girl was scary...

"Alright, Skull. Let's go!" Joker turned to Skull with a smile.

"Huh!? Me!?" Skull was not expecting to get dragged into this.

"We've got Crow. Fox has already started drawing, too." Joker gestured to Fox, who was using his current notebook to sketch the area. So he was a lost cause.

"Everyone else not in this group, grab those tables." Zen practically ordered.

"...We're getting dragged into this, too?" Shinjiro did not like that.

"...I suppose we have no choice." Naoto could see there was no way out of this. They had no choice but to partake in their own group date...

"Junpei can go in that group, then!" Yukari ordered. Being forced into a group date was one thing! But she refused to be part of a group date where Junpei was involved.

"I am so glad I'm not physically there right now." Oracle shuddered.

"NOOO! I wanna go on a date when Senpai!" Rise wept. Fuuka just had to awkwardly pat Rise on the shoulder.

.

The group date was set up. On the men's side, it was Joker, Crow, Teddie, Minato, Mona, Yosuke, and Skull. On the women's side: Yukari, Panther, Mitsuru, Dragon, Rei, Kotone, and Chie. Although, the others excluding Fox had their own table, so there were two group dates going on. The girls and guys of the Phantom Thieves all took their masks off for the sake of the group date. "This already feels like a bad idea." Crow shook his head. "By the way, Mona. Why are you here?"

"This is a rare chance for me!" Mona placed his hands on his hips. "A date with Panther? I couldn't pass that up!"

"This is a group date, in case you weren't paying attention." Ryuji rolled his eyes at Mona's motivations.

"So, so, so!?" Rei happily bounced in her seat. "How do we start!?"

"I can't believe this is my first date." Hifumi felt more embarrassed the longer she sat in the seat.

"Well, when we did it at the Culture Festival, we started by asking some questions." Yosuke explained, although his expression faltered the more he talked about it. "Everything after that is a hazy blur. It's...too painful to remember."

"I see. We must brace ourselves, then." Mitsuru spoke as if she was preparing for a battle.

"We're not fighting for our lives, you know." Ann commented with an uneasy smile. "I think it would help if we relaxed! But I don't know the first thing to ask..."

"Never fear!" Teddie spoke up with a smile. Those unfamiliar with him were slowly learning that such a smile never followed anything good. "I practiced every single day to prepare for an actual group date! Soooo, ta-daaah! Pen and paper!" Teddie slid the two writing articles down the table.

"What are those for?" Kotone asked.

"We're going to play a question game! The rules are that each person writes down one question and then puts the paper in a box! Once everyone's questions are in, everyone draws a paper from the box and answers the question on it!" Teddie explained. "See, simple right?"

"That doesn't sound so bad, actually." Yukari was expecting it to be much worse.

"Because it's coming from Teddie, I don't trust it at all." Chie just knew that Teddie was going to put in some insane, anonymous question!

"Hold it! You even have a box ready!?" Yosuke scoffed. "Can't you put some of that passion into your job?"

"Well..." Ren had a few questions he figured he could ask. Considering they were anonymous...he could get a little curious about it. He wrote down his question and so did everyone else.

Once everyone had their questions in... "I think that's everyone." Ryuji tapped his foot on the ground. "So we just start pullin' em, right?"

"I wonder what everyone wrote." Minato said while sliding his hands back into his pockets.

"Here you go, Yuka-chan!" Rei handed the box to Yukari.

"Oh, please, don't let me draw a weird one...!" Yukari pleaded silently. She drew a question..."Let's see...who would you chose for your boyfriend amongst us?"

"Whoa, right to the point already?" Yosuke was a little surprised.

"So one of the guys wrote it." Ann crossed her arms, eying the boys across the table to see if their expressions would crack. So far, they were all holding neutral or clueless expressions.

"That was my question...I was hoping Panther drew it...!" Mona grumbled internally.

"Yeah, seriously...I still don't know much about everyone yet." Yukari sighed.

"I'd definitely be the top choice! Not only am I adorable and huggable, I'm a pretty boy underneath!" Teddie said confidently.

"No way!" Mona scoffed.

"Yeah, the cat's right. Not you." Yukari brushed Teddie aside, much to his shock. When thinking about it... "Let's see...Ryuji-kun..."

"Eh...!?" Ryuji's eyes widened. What was Yukari about to say.

"You're nice, but you're a little too loud for my liking." Yukari said bluntly, hitting Ryuji with a critical hit. "Yosuke-kun..."

"Me next..!?" Yosuke braced himself.

"Doesn't seem right either." Yukari continued.

"Thought so. Yeah, saw that coming, ahaha..." Even though it was predictable, it still stung for Yosuke.

"Akechi-kun..." Yukari glanced at Akechi, who tilted his head. "...I don't think that would be too bad. There is a certain appeal..."

"For real!?" Ryuji grumbled.

"You're much too kind, Yukari-san." Akechi gave a pleasant smile.

Yukari glanced at Ren. "...Hm. You seem nice and calm enough, Ren-kun." She then turned to Minato. The two stared at each other and Yukari felt the heat rise to her cheeks. "Minato-kun, um, well..."

"Hm?" Minato stared at Yukari with a curious expression. She wasn't saying anything, but he couldn't tell if that was because she was thinking about it or not. "Something wrong, Yukari?"

"Um...!" Yukari felt a blush creep onto her cheeks.

Kotone blinked, staring at Yukari, and then Minato. Just like that, it clicked. "Whoa! A shame I didn't get that question. I would've had some thoughts." Sensing Yukari's distress, Kotone decided to change the subject and save her.

"Let's go the next question!" Yukari handed the box to Mitsuru.

"Hey, wait a minute!" Mona placed his paws on the table. "Aren't you forgetting someone!?"

"...You're a cat." Yukari wasn't going to entertain the thought of dating Mona.

"I'm not a cat...!" Mona slumped back into his seat. Denied...

Mitsuru took a question from the box and read it. Her cheeks flared up. "...!?"

"Is everything alright, Mitsuru-san?" Hifumi peered towards Mitsuru.

"Um! Th-this is just...!" Mitsuru could not dare to utter this question.

"May I see?" Hifumi carefully took the piece of paper and read it aloud. "Tell me your measurements?!"

"Huh!?" Yukari, Kotone, Ann, and Chie all gasped at this question.

"W-Who wrote that!?" Chie glared at the boys.

"Shit." Ren thought to himself. It was a joke! Good thing he was a quiet person and he had to ensure his poker face did not break. He honestly didn't think it would get chosen!

"I-I don't know these things!" Mitsuru shouted, embarrassed.

Aigis, from the other table, heard this. "I have Mitsuru-san's physical data in my memory. Her measures are, from the top..."

"AIGIS! You don't have to say that!" Mitsuru yelped, before her anger caused a blue aura to form around her. Even without her Evoker, her rage was almost enough to summon her Persona! "More to the point, who wrote this disgusting question!? They must be executed!"

"I agree! The one who asked such a perverted inquiry must face the Dragon's wrath!" Hifumi felt fired up for Mitsuru's sake.

"...They sure seem murderous. I wonder who wrote that." Akechi's first guess was Teddie.

"I didn't write that! I should've thought." Teddie grumbled.

"That's not the sort of thing you admit, dude!" Ryuji was scared. It wasn't his question.

"It wasn't me." Minato answered while shaking his head. "I didn't think about it at all."

"I don't think you have to worry. I never suspected you." Yukari told Minato, but the other guys? She was happy to suspect them.

"Why don't we have Hifumi ask?" Ann held a smirk. Hifumi was a walking lie detector. "If you say no, Fumi will be able to figure out whose telling the truth."

"She's that good?" Minato sounded impressed.

"You guys are so screwed." Kotone snickered.

"Please, punish me." Teddie pleaded to Mitsuru.

"...You killed it." Ren used Teddie as a chance to change the subject.

With a shake of his head, Akechi decided to dig into the box. "I'll take it this time. Let's see." Akechi pulled the paper out and read it. "Who would you want to smooch...? Huh?"

"Agh!" Teddie had a visceral reaction when Crow read that question.

"So I assume this is yours, then?" Akechi should've known. Teddie already admitted to wishing he asked the question about the measurements.

"That's a Teddie question alright..." Chie expected nothing less...

"But is he gonna answer..." Kotone had a twinkle in her eye while looking at Akechi. "You're always so calm and composed, and distant, too! This is a good chance to see what you like in a person!"

"She's right." Ann snickered. "He is pretty popular in our time. People have probably asked him these questions all the time. We might be the first people to actually hear what Goro Akechi likes in someone!"

"You're very excited about this, I see..." Akechi glanced off to the side. Normally he could skirt around such questions with ease. The general audience was easy to misdirect. But this? He wasn't going to wiggle his way out of this so easily...

"This is a lively question in the right hands." Yosuke was pretty eager to see where this would go. Someone like Crow always made a good target for these sorts of questions!

"He's gonna pick me, isn't he? I totally get it." Teddie was already bracing himself. Akechi just looked at him with a slightly bewildered and mildly disgusted expression.

"Worry not, Teddie-san. You are not on my radar at all." Akechi's words were polite but his tone was cutting.

"Whaaaat?" Teddie was so wounded by this!

Akechi had to mull over his options presented before him. Teddie and Mona were not even on his mind. "...Well, this is quite a question. I'm afraid I'll have to exclude Yosuke-san and Sakamoto-san off the bat. You as well, Minato."

"That's fine." Minato didn't seem very bothered by this. His response was a halfhearted shrug.

"I ain't even offended." Ryuji was glad to hear it, actually.

Kotone could sense Akechi 's hesitation. Everyone could, but she was the only one willing to give him a push. "So, does that mean you'd kiss Ren, Ann, or Hifumi? If we have to go from people from your team? The girls are really pretty! And Ren's not too bad either."

"T-Thank you?" Ren didn't expect Kotone to be the other life of the party.

"H-Hey...!?" Ann felt like blushing since was so upfront about it.

"Um...!" Hifumi fiddled in her seat nervously.

"W-Wha...?" Akechi didn't even get the chance to answer that himself!

"Oh, or maybe you're more into Mitsuru or Yukari? Their lips do look soft, I understand wanting to kiss them." Kotone nodded, and Yukari and Mitsuru blushed from how blunt she was about that.

"H-Hey...!?" Yukari gasped.

"I...I don't know about that...!" Mitsuru yelped sheepishly.

"Or maybe..." There was a mischievous twinkle in her eyes as she looked at Chie, who started to sweat profusely. "Maybe Chie-chan is more your type? You two have been getting realllllly friendly lately. Maybe you wanna kiss her."

Chie started to blush. "W-Whoa! H-Hey, c'mon! Slow down there, okay!?" Her voice was squeaky and she fidgeted in her seat.

"Maybe even Rei-chan?" Kotone smirked. "She's so cute, I understand the urge to wanna kiss her!"

"W-W-W-What!? ME!?" Rei thought she was the one being chosen! In response she started to chew on a corndog in a flustered haste.

Minato watched Kotone curiously. They were the same person on all accounts, sure. But when watching her interact with the others, there was one thing that stuck out to him. "She's got way more energy than I do..." He wasn't nearly as sociable as she was. He was content to remain quiet until a question came his way. Meanwhile, Kotone was just taking charge of the whole situation. He could see her leadership qualities shine in their own way when like this.

"So, Akechi! What's your answer!" Kotone really took this topic by the horns.

"Erm..." Akechi felt the embarrassment set in. Escaping this question was not possible and he realized that. All eyes were on him... he cleared his throat before answering. "I'm not the type to say I'd kiss all of you at once. I believe all of the women standing before me are worth a kiss. Anyone would be lucky to share such a moment with all of you. However, you deserve something better and from someone better. As popular as I am, I don't think I deserve to kiss anyone as beautiful as you all."

"...O-Oh." Kotone did not expect that response. She thought he'd pick one, but instead he was much more modest about it! Now she was blushing a bit. The other girls were as well. "Aren't you a smooth talker?"

"...Dude. How did he do that...!?" Yosuke whispered to the others. The fact Akechi was able to escape that question alive was incredible.

"Wow, he's good." Minato blinked in surprise.

"Stupid celebrity charm..." Ryuji mumbled.

"...I could do that too, when I'm human." Mona huffed.

"If I had to choose who to kiss, it would be Mitchan!" Teddie grinned.

"I'd never imagined there we cafes like this..." Mitsuru calmed down after the fluster. She was taking in this experience seriously. "It seems there is much I have to learn."

"Me too. This is something else." Minato replied. Was he into this? Again, with him, it was hard to say.

Again, ignored. Teddie couldn't believe it! "You're ignoring me now, too!? But I love how icy you are! I'm captivated by your adult charms! So unlike Yuki-chan and Chie-chan's!"

"It's true." Yosuke added. "Chie and the other girls are great, but I wish they had some more curves and stuff..." Yosuke said absentmindedly.

"I'M SITTING RIGHT HERE!?" Chie slammed her hands on the table. "How about I kick you in the ribs and I'll show you a curve!"

"Yeah, don't you think Rise-chan is listening in on this as well?" Ann gave Yosuke a slight glare.

"I-I was just kidding!" Yosuke waved his hands rapidly. He dug his own grave and now he had to lie in it.

"Now then, onto the next question." Akechi decided to hand Joker the box. "Your turn, Joker."

"Me? Well..." Ren dug into the box and pulled out a question. "What's your type?"

"Ooooh, another good one!" Yosuke grinned. "This will liven things up for sure!"

"My type..." Ren had to think for a moment. "Rei-chan is pretty cute..."

"Ooooooh, the cute, little sister-type, eh?" Yosuke grinned. "Shame she already has her prince, Zen."

"Wha!?" Rei blushed. "I-I mean! Zen's always nice and he looks after me. That's why I like him."

"Wow, that's bold!" Yukari teased.

"T-That's not what I mean! I do like Zen but that's not what I meant!" Rei panicked.

"Don't worry, Rei-chan. We get it." Kotone snickered.

"Lemme see..." It was Yosuke's turn. He drew a slip of paper. "What kind of sweet treat would you buy a girl? Huh, haven't been asked that one before..." But he looked across the table. Ann was about as subtle as a brick. "Probably some ice cream, or a bunch of treats from Junes..."

"I'll take it." Panther had never been to Junes, but it sounded good!

"You're so easy to please." Skull shook his head.

"My turn!" Ann took the box and pulled out a slip of paper. "...How often would you be willing to play shogi? A little on the nose there, don't you think, Fumi?" Panther glanced at the embarrassed Dragon.

"I...It is a valid question." Ann said with a fluster.

"...Um. But I'd play with you as often as you like...even if I don't always get it." Ann answered shyly. Hifumi's eyes widened a bit, but she had a sheepish smile and giggled happily.

"...Hey, are they...?" Yosuke whispered to Ren and Ryuji.

"They're something." That was the only response Ren could give. Because nobody, not even them, had an answer.

"This is so much fun!" Rei happily cheered. This group date wasn't going so badly...

.

.

But what about the other group date? On the men's side: Yu, Junpei, Akihiko, Shinjiro, Kanji, and Yusuke. On the women's side: Makoto, Kasumi, Haru, Yukiko, Naoto, and Aigis. Zen, Koromaru, and Ken were simply sitting off to the side while everyone was going through with this. "My, we've got such cute girls today that I can't wait to get started! Y'know, ever since we met, I've thought Haru had a such refined air about her, that only amplifies her attractiveness!"

"W-Wha? Me?" Haru blushed from the rare compliment.

"And then there's Yukki, who has all the qualities of an ideal Japanese lady!" Junpei went on.

"Yukki...? Oh, you mean me?" Yukiko was just surprised to hear that.

"We have Makoto as well! She's cute and badass all at the same time! That's not a combination you see very often!" Junpei grinned.

"C-Cute? I don't know about that..." Makoto was not the best in this situation.

"Su-chan is also adorable! And her gymnastic flair really adds to her character!" Junpei just kept going...

"E-Eh? N-No, I'm not...!" Kasumi waved her hands. Her face went bright red.

"We also have Nao-cakes, whose difference between appearance and inner self gets me right there." And despite the fact Kotone told Junpei not to call Naoto that, he was doing to do it anyway.

"Huh? Um..." Naoto was clueless on how to respond. A rarity for the Detective Prince.

"Are you done blabbering yet?" Akihiko crossed his arms.

"C'mon, Akihiko-san! did you forget already? I told you, keeping the conversation ball rolling is crucial!" Junpei shook his head disapprovingly.

"He's got a point." Yu said. "If you're gonna do something like this, you might as well do it wholeheartedly."

"Hey, I remember!" Akihiko felt challenged by this. Despite his popularity with girls, he knew he was inept when dealing with them! Did it bother him? When he was so aware of it, of course it did! What happened in Yakushima opened his eyes... "You wanna see me keep the conversation rollin'!?" He was going to get this right! That's why he turned to Haru. "The fascinating thing about protein is that it's mainly made from whey, soybeans, and eggs, so...!"

"H-Huh...?" Haru tilted her head. She tried to be attentive and polite, but Akihiko immediately lost her, too.

"You're playing with the wrong ball, man." Shinjiro shook his head.

"I...I see." Akihiko sighed. he'd get it right one day! He hoped.

"Oh, I know! Why don't we play a game?" Yukiko suggested. "I read in the how-to guide that it's a good thing to do on group dates."

"How-to-guide?" Kasumi looked at Yukiko with curiosity and confusion.

"Mhm! Since we were going to hold our own group date cage, I read up on it with a how-to guidebook." Yukiko answered. Since they had to commit to such a ridiculous idea, she went the whole nine yards.

"It seems that Yukiko-san has done a lot of research into this topic." Aigis stated. "I know very little about group dates, and dating in general."

"I'm sure this will be an experience for you, huh, Aigis-senpai?" Kasumi placed her hands in her lap, looking at Aigis.

"You don't have to call her senpai, you know..." Junpei told Kasumi.

"But she's a second year, isn't she?" Kasumi counted that technicality.

"That is what I was enrolled as. I am, by definition, your senior, Kasumi-san." Aigis nodded.

"A game, hm?" Yusuke was still sketching, although at this point he was more or less finished. "I am intrigued to see what sort of game you have in mind."

"Is it going to be a league tournament!?" Akihiko got excited at the idea.

"I don't think that's going to be it." Makoto said with a sweat drop.

"Well, they said a game called Categories is a surefire way to liven things up." Yukiko answered. "You say something from a category to a beat. Say the same thing, or the wrong thing, and you're penalized."

"What kind of penalty are we talking here?" Yu was cautious about this.

"Oh! How about we make it so the loser has to read this in front of everyone!" Junpei then pulled out a blue stationary. "It's a piece of stationary I found in front of the Velvet Room. I dunno who it belongs to, though."

"Huh? There's something written on it..." Shinjiro peered at the stationary. "Is this a poem? I am a rose...a single rose that blossoms in the moor." He stopped reading and let out a heavy grunt. There was no wayhe could read this in front of everyone. "I really have to win this."

Yu's eyes widened a little bit. "Uh oh." A poem outside of the Velvet Room? He knew who that belonged to...and she was going to be pissed.

"We have to recite this poem if we lose? I...I see..." Naoto was a little apprehensive about this.

"Heh! Fine with me. The steeper the penalty, the more interesting it is!" Akihiko wouldn't shy away from this challenge. "Now, hurry up and pick a category!"

"A topic with a lot of answers, then." Makoto tried to think of something.

"The stuff you put curry." Yukiko answered.

"That's not a bad one. I'm safe with that." Shinjiro was counting on his culinary knowledge to save him the shame of reading that poem.

"This may be an issue for me. While I can join the others for meals, I do not need to eat." Only in public to keep appearances; otherwise, Aigis and the topic of food was an elusive one.

"Ah! An excellent topic!" Yusuke was invested. "I consume plenty of curry whenever I visit Leblanc!"

"What is with you Phantom Thieves and only eating curry...?" Shinjiro was starting to see a problem and it was beginning to annoy him!

"When it comes to eating, I'm afraid Yusuke is the one we worry about the most." Haru said with a concerned expression. This did not make Shinjiro's impressions better.

"I suppose that's not too bad." Yu said. Although the more he thought about it... "Wait a minute..."

"For real? I guess the girls would have the advantage in this one. Can you hang, Akihiko-san?" Junpei asked.

"Ingredients in curry? Everyone knows that." Akihiko scoffed at the question.

"Crap. Maybe I'm the one in trouble..." Junpei wasn't so confident about his chances now... "Well then, let's start it off! Let's begin the categories game! I'll start first! Carrots!" The easiest and first thing he could think of!

"Vegetables!" Haru clasped her hands together. Sure, it overlapped with Carrots, but it also added much more. It counted.

"Rice!" Kasumi quickly said.

"Onions? Yes, onions." Makoto had to think twice on it. They were lucky Ren wasn't apart of this, he would've named everything if he could! Futaba, too!

"Spices! So many glorious spices!" Yusuke planted his hands on the table, excitement within his eyes.

"You're starting to drool a little bit, dude." Junpei pointed out.

"Boiled egg whites." Akihiko said next.

"HOLD IT! HOLD IT!" Junpei immediately caught onto this. "What do you mean, boiled egg whites?!"

With Junpei's surprise, Akihiko found himself smirking. "Heh. Did you think I was going to say protein?"

"Yes, but that's also not the problem." Shinjiro groaned.

"What's wrong with my answer? I always put ten of them on mine!" AKihiko objected. This was a valid response for him!

"Isn't that more of a topping...?" Naoto shook her head.

"What do you think, Narukami?" Akihiko looked to Yu for some validation. Unfortunately, that was not what the boxer was going to find here.

"Wrong answer." Yu said flatly. Even if he didn't, Shinjiro was not going let it slide.

Akihiko looked genuinely shocked by this. "Wha...!? But egg whites add so much protein that you tend not to get in curry!"

"In the end, it did come back to protein." Naoto saw this coming.

"Don't be a poor sport, Aki. Just accept defeat like a man." Shinjiro was also pushing this, because he didn't want to read the poem.

Akihiko let out a grunt of defeat. "None of you get it. Ugh, very well. This is part of the game, after all. Here goes." He took the stationary and cleared his throat.

"Darkness and a Rose.

I am a rose. A single rose that blossoms in the moor.

A mournful rose whose white petals

are matted with blood,

blossoming deep crimson.

If you wish to pick me, do so. I'll pierce you with my million thorns.

I'll drink the blood you've shed. And flower wildly in the darkness.

Until my last petal burns to ash, I'll bloom all by myself.

Roses.

White Roses.

Blood-black Roses.

Thank you..."

Now that he finished, Akihiko sat with a strange feeling in his chest. How did he even describe it?

"Erm..." Kasumi had no idea how to respond to such a poem. That was...heavier than she expected.

"W-Wow! What a unique poem!" Haru was the one who had to try and say something.

"Y-Yup! Hearing it sure, uh...cleansed my soul..." Junpei laughed nervously. Everyone around was a little shaken by that poem.

"Indeed!" Yusuke was the only person who wasn't put off from it. "I sensed passion from each and every word. I have to ask who wrote such a thing. I want to understand where their heart was when they created such a piece..."

"That resonated with you?!" Junpei could not believe it. Yusuke was something else...

"No, this sounds about right." Kasumi did not expect anything less. Even though she hadn't been part of the Phantom Thieves long, but this was the behavior she came to expect from Yusuke.

"...Yeah, good luck with that." Yu whistled lowly. He was a little curious how such a confrontation would go...

"I think...we should wrap this up, don't you agree?" Makoto decided now was probably the best time to end this before it somehow got worse.

"I agree." Naoto nodded. She wasn't really sure how much of this she could take.

"I got saved by the topic." Shinjiro was so, so glad he didn't have to read that poem...

"I still don't agree with the outcome of the match." Akihiko shrugged. With that, this group date also came to an end...

.

.

Meanwhile, in the Velvet Room...

"Wow." Futaba was listening in to everything and she had no idea how to react to any of it. "That was, uh..."

"Do...do group dates usually go like that?" Fuuka looked to Futaba, who shook her head cluelessly.

"I should've been there..." Rise was pouting. To think she missed out on the opportunity to go on a date with Yu!

"I'm so happy I wasn't there. Kotone is a monster!" Futaba shuddered. If she had to answer any of those questions, she knew that demon would've made her answer something embarrassing!

"I don't know if I would be able to handle the pressure either." Fuuka said with a sheepish smile. "I do think they're approaching the end of the Labyrinth, at least..."

"This destined partner business better end in my favor! I've been answering the questions in my head!" Rise said proudly.

"I...don't know if that counts." Futaba had nothing to say other than that. Rise did seem determined, at least.

Meanwhile, Marie was sitting on the couch. She was flipping through her notebook for something. "Where is it...? I couldn't have possible lost it...!" If she did, it would be the worst thing ever. But what were the chances of anyone finding it? Super low! That had to be it. And yet, there was no describing the horrifying chill crawling down her spine...

Chapter Text

The actual group dates came to an end. Rei was bouncing around in excitement after all of that. The others felt their fair share of exhaustion from such an ordeal. "So...how'd it go for you guys?" Junpei asked.

"It was...eventful." Minato replied. "I didn't say or do much, but being involved was exhausting. I don't think I disliked it...it was just unique."

"You can say that again." Junpei rubbed the back of his neck. "It sounded like it got lively over there!"

"Kotone is a social butterfly." Minato replied, hands in his pockets. "She definitely made it much more eventful. Or I guess exciting would be the word..."

"Really?" Junpei glanced over at Kotone, who was chatting it up with a few of the other girls. From the outside looking in, Kotone really did appear to be as happy and sociable as they came. "Hard to believe you two are supposed to be the same person. I've seen her smile more times than I can count, and I don't even think I've seen you smile more than a few times...if at all."

Minato shrugged at that observation. "You've got a point. We feel like polar opposites, even though I can tell we're the same...so I wonder if she's happy or not..." He mumbled that last part, and it was clear Junpei didn't hear it based on his curious gaze.

"That was so fun, Zen!" Rei looked up at Zen with a happy expression. "Thanks for convincing everyone to go along with it!"

"Of course. It made you happy." Zen replied with a slight nod.

"Convince is a pretty strong word here..." Chie remarked. They were effectively strong armed into it.

"I thought it a fascinating experience! I sketched both tables in record time!" Fox showed everyone his quick sketches; despite how little time he had, he managed to create some nice pieces of art.

"Whoa...those are really good...!" Ken was surprised that Fox was able to whip up something like that.

"I didn't have much time so there are some missing details. And I may have gotten distracted by the talk of curry..." As Fox said this, he felt his stomach rumble. No surprise to the Phantom Thieves, but the others were slightly concerned.

"AH! You guys were talking about curry!? That's my favorite drink!" Rei said with a grin.

"You're not supposed to drink it." That was the only thing Joker could say about it. Rei always found a way to surprise them with how she consumed food. She was absolutely the heaviest eater out of everyone here, which was an accomplishment.

"And you're not supposed to put boiled egg whites in it either." Shinjiro groaned while staring at Akihiko.

"I think you guys just don't get it." Akihiko grumbled.

"You know, Akihiko. If you want some good curry, you should come by Leblanc sometime!" Oracle suggested. "Sojiro makes the best curry! Joker's is pretty good, too."

"Leblanc, huh..." Akihiko remembered hearing Fox talk about it. "Sure. I'll head right over once we're out of here!"

"You're going to have to wait a few years, first." Joker quickly added. "Remember. 2016?"

"Oh, right." Akihiko forgot about that. "Still, I'll try to remember!"

"It's the thought that counts." Oracle nodded.

"Those girls are still talking, huh?" Yosuke mumbled. Granted it did feel like a break was needed since they were coming up to the end of this Labyrinth.

"This is the perfect chance for some guy talk of our own!" Junpei grinned.

"And what exactly are we going to talk about here?" Yu asked.

"I think we're missing a team name for our whole group!" Junpei said.

"A team name, huh?" Ken did sound like he was mulling it over.

"...I have to agree with Junpei-kun, surprisingly so." Crow wasn't exactly one for 'guy talk' but Junpei raised a valid point.

"Surprisingly?!" Junpei took offense to that!

"We are a group of three different teams all mixed into one. Having a name to go by isn't the most absurd idea." Crow said.

"It is the one thing no self-respecting team can be without!" Junpei cheered.

"...Do we need one?" Yu asked. He didn't really see any issues with how things were.

"I-I don't think it's a bad idea!" Ken spoke up. "I mean, adding words like "Ranger" or "Squadron" would make it feel more like we're fighting for justice."

"Justice, huh?" Crow glanced at Ken. Those words...was he also a fan of...?

Realizing how childish he sounded from Crow's reaction, Ken quickly backpedaled. "Oh, um...! I mean, that's what most people think! I just happened to remember my friend saying it!"

"Your friend has some good taste." Crow said with a slight smile.

"Hmm, seems a little too hipset." Junpei shrugged. "I like the old, kinda lame-sounding words like "Super" and "Neo" more."

"What are you, an old man?" Skull teased.

"Oh! What about Junes! We could be the Super Junes Rangers!" Yosuke suggested.

"Uh, no." Junpei denied it.

"Yosuke-san! You've gotta take this more seriously!" Ken chided. He was really fired up about this.

Yosuke was not expecting Ken to chastise him like this... "S-Sorry..."

"The Super Persona Squadron." Joker said with a cool tone. It was his confidence that carried the name.

"...Where'd you come up with that!?" Skull looked at Joker with a shocked expression.

"It could be smoother, but I don't think it's the worst thing." Crow admitted.

"I think it's a good name...!" Ken said with a grin.

As they were finishing up this discussion, Chie was the one to call them. "Hey, guys! C'mon, it's time to go!"

"Don't call us over in such a boring way!" Junpei said with a twinkle in his eyes. "Do you have a mission for the Super Persona Squadron!?"

There was a pause.

"The what...!?" Chie recoiled from the name.

"Lame. It doesn't even make any sense." Yukari shook her head in denial.

"Who named it that? We could easily create something with much more kick." Dragon mumbled.

"Do you know what the word 'taste' means?" Yukiko asked with a simple, but stern tone. Junpei felt the wind get knocked out of him from the girls' harsh comments. If it were Joker who said it, it would probably be received only a little bit better, but it didn't look like the girls were a fan...

.

.

There was one last door of destiny before them. This door was different, for it looked as if they reached the end of a long hallway, where two figures were plastered on the wall. The moment they stood before it, the voice from before spoke out to them. "You have passed over hills and mountains, driving away countless rivals and demons to reach this place. A sigh of relief falls from your mouths."

"You think this thing is finally ready to wrap this up?" Kanji asked. All of these questions were getting to him.

"You await the final question with sweaty palms, but before that, there is something that must be done. Yes, it is time to review your answers thus far." The Mechanical voice said, going over Joker's answers. The most important question, however, was this one, last one. "And so, laugh or cry, here comes the last question...do you prefer your partner to be younger, or older"

"W-What kind of question..!?" Mitsuru was shocked.

"Dude..." Junpei whistled lowly. He really felt bad for Joker at the moment. The fact he had to answer that question while in a group with similarly aged women!

"You can answer the question if you wish, or not answer it." The voice said. All eyes were on Joker and he felt the pressure...

Joker was quiet for a really long time. "...Older..." And when he mumbled that, Violet started to collapse, but she was luckily held up by Rei.

"Violet?!" Rei gasped.

"Brave soldier. You answered a question that most people would falter from in this situation." Yu patted Joker on the shoulder. He needed it.

"This concludes the questioning. There were no correct answers, only the path you have chosen. Now, the time has come to announce your destined partners." The voice said.

"This isn't even about me and I'm nervous...!" Yosuke gulped.

"I wonder...is it me?" Yu asked while staring at Yosuke.

"What!? Don't be ridiculous! Having a dude for a destined partner would be way too sad!" Yosuke grunted in annoyance at Yu's question. But there was something that caught his attention after the fact. "Wait...did it say partners?"

"Correct." The voice confirmed. "While there has been one person answering questions verbally, the rest of you have been answering internally. I have taken those answers into consideration as well."

"W-Wait a second! Has this thing been reading our minds the whole time!?" Queen started to panic.

"I was afraid this would happen," Kotone pinched the bridge of her nose. She brought it up for a reason. The area began to dim...and then it all went black in the blink of an eye, causing everyone to let out surprised yelps...

.

.

"Guys!? Guys?!" Oracle was freaking out in the Velvet Room.

"What happened to them!?" Fuuka was panicking a bit as well. "N-No, we have to stay calm! I'm sure they're alright!"

"Y-Yeah! I'll try to get into contact with someone." Rise nodded. It was that that moment that several black voids appeared underneath her, Fuuka, and Oracle. "H-Huh?"

"What the-!?" The navigators were not alone in this. Because the same started to happen to the Velvet Attendants. Caroline and Justine were just as surprised as everyone else.

"What is this!?" Marie yelped before she fell through a rift. Margaret, Theodore, and even Elizabeth who was all the way in the Nurse's Office was dragged into it as well! Leaving nothing but an empty Velvet Room in its wake...

.

.

"Ugh..." Hifumi's eyes slowly opened, only to see she was in a beautiful garden with several heart shaped arches in a path ahead of her. "Where...?" She noticed a few things as her consciousness started to reform. First: she was in her school uniform and not her Phantom Thief attire; secondly, she was holding hands with someone! She was afraid to look. It could've been literally anyone from the group...! Well, it was a human hand, so it couldn't have been Koromaru or Aigis. Hifumi glanced over only to see... "Ann!?"

"Fumi?" Ann blinked a few times. It looked as if she was just waking up as well. Ann realized a few of the things Hifumi did and a blush crossed her cheeks. "W-What happened? And why are we holding hands?"

"It seems you have reached your destination." The Mechanical voice returned. It sounded as if it was speaking not just to them, but to the others who were somewhere else as well. "This seems to be a path where lovers who met their destined partners discuss their love for each other. What could be waiting up ahead? You are free to step forth, hand-in-hand, curiosity and fear in your hearts, or you can refrain. Now, step forth!"

"H-HUH!?" Both Ann and Hifumi yelped in surprise at these words.

"You are free to step forth, or refrain from doing so. These are your apparent options." The voice said.

"Why does it always speak in such vague and uncertain terms!?" Hifumi groaned. "Is this thing not the one in control here...?"

"So...does this mean our answers to the questions led us here?" Ann used her free hand to stroke her chin. She remembered Hifumi's first answer was that gender didn't matter, which made her cheeks dust pink for a reason she wasn't so sure of. "My hand is probably all sweaty and gross, let me just...!" Ann attempted to pull her hand away from Hifumi's, but all she did was tug the other a bit closer. "Eh?"

"Huh?" Hifumi did try to pull her hand away, but soon found it was stuck to Ann's own. "Um...I think we're stuck. Although, if I had to be stuck somewhere, I'm glad it's with you..." She spoke with a bashful smile and a red blush. Admittedly, the atmosphere was getting to her a little bit.

"M-Me too..." Ann had a faint blush on her cheeks as well. "We should, uh...probably get moving, huh?"

"R-Right!" Hifumi nodded slowly. The only path was forward, and so they walked. Walking hand in hand like this did make her heart race. "We haven't had a moment alone like this since we were in Hawaii...my heart is racing again..." Hifumi thought to herself, absorbed in her inner dialogue as she thought more about Ann next to her.

"I hope I'm not squeezing her hand too tightly..." Ann was nervous for similar and different reasons all at once. She felt her heart thump so rapidly she feared it would burst out of her chest. Before long, they stood in front of a picture.

"Suddenly, all in attendance hear an announcement." The voice returned. "Up ahead, they see a bride and groom's joyous commemorative photograph of love. They confer between them whether to look at it, or ignore it."

"Huh?" Hifumi stared at the picture ahead. It was a picture of a groom carrying a bride. But upon closer inspection...it was a manipulated photo of the two of them; Hifumi the groom, while Ann was the bride. "W-What is this?"

"Who took this photo!?" Ann blushed. "Wait, the dress isn't actually that bad..." It was a beautiful wedding dress. She hadn't considered the idea of marriage before, but when it was thrust in her face like this, she couldn't help but consider it.

"I've never thought of me in a suit before." Hifumi felt another blush creeping on her cheeks. "You look beautiful...E-Er, well...that's to be expected, of course..." She was rambling now, feeling her nerves creep in. Ann let out a soft laugh at Hifumi's compliment.

"You look pretty good yourself." Ann replied before a thought crossed her mind. "Do you think you could actually carry me like that?"

"Um." Hifumi thought about it for a moment. She was pensive because she really wanted to try, but she also wasn't sure what her strength was like right now in her usual clothes. "I am tempted to try...when I can use both my hands."

"I'm holding you to that." Ann spoke with a playful wink. The two of them were feeling a little less nervous as they walked along. Ann then realized something. "Oh..! I can't believe I almost forgot with everything going on. I never thanked you."

"Thanked me?" Hifumi turned to Ann with a curious expression. "For what? I haven't done anything..."

"For what happened in your Mom's Palace." Ann said with a soft look in her eyes. "When you jumped in to protect me. I don't think I ever had the chance to thank you for shielding me like that. I mean, I know that's your thing...you always worry me when you do it, too. But in that moment, I completely understood. You looked so cool when you awakened, too."

"W-Well..." Hifumi felt her fluster return. "I meant everything I said. If it were not for you, I wouldn't even be standing here right now. After everything that's happened, you are my biggest source of inspiration. A-And the others as well...!" She quickly added out of nervousness. "But after what happened in Hawaii, I, um..." She glanced away, feeling the words catch in her throat. "I want...to stay by your side...I feel at my best when I'm with you." And somehow, she managed it.

Hifumi was braver than Ann. Because she said the things Ann wanted too, but felt too nervous to. "I...I would...like that too, Fumi..." Ann admitted with a shy whisper. The two of them continued their walk, hand in hand, towards the front doors of what appeared to be a church. "What's this building...?"

"A church." Hifumi responded on instinct. She spent quite a bit of free time in a church, so she knew what one looked like. However, the implications soon struck. "W-Wait..." A couple, walking hand in hand to a church. This could only mean...!

.

.

"NOOOOOOOO!" Rei cried out as her corndog hit the ground. "I dropped my corndog!"

"I'm sorry, Rei-chan." Kasumi had an awkward sweat drop on her forehead. The two of them were in an identical area to Ann and Hifumi, however they were unaware of this. Kasumi also didn't realize she was in her regular clothes until she looked at herself. "Huh?"

"...Wait." Rei noticed their hands were joined together. "Huh? Huh!?"

"HUUUUH!?" Rei and Kasumi exclaimed at the same time.

"How did we get paired together...!?" Kasumi said with bright red cheeks. Rei absolutely did not fulfill some of the answers she gave internally! At least, as far as she was aware of...! "Are you older than me!?"

'I don't know! Are you older than me!?" Rei yelped in turn. "Wait. Where's Zen? Are we the only ones here!? T-This is serious! My hand and your hand are stuck together!"

"It seems you have reached your destination!" The Mechanical voice spoke. Considering the patterns with the voice thus far, it was safe to assume...

"Is it speaking to us...or everyone else, too?" That was the one question Kasumi had on her mind.

"This is a path where destined lovers digest their loaves of lychee butter?!" Rei said excitedly. "I'm free to eat hand in hand with a knife and fork, or I can eat with chopsticks or not use them at all!? Well then, I accept!"

"..." Kasumi had no words. All she could do was just give an exasperated smile. "Y-Yeah."

"Anyway, sirloin tastes great with salt and pepper, or eaten with wasabi soy sauce, so I hope we get along!" Rei was so sweet and excitable in her own way, how could anyone be mad at her? The two walked forward together and came to the manipulated photo of them. Kasumi was the groom while Rei was the bride.

"Ehhh...!?" Kasumi felt her face turn red. And then she pouted. "This isn't what I imagined at all..."

"WHOOOOA!" Meanwhile, Rei's eyes sparkled. "We look like a prince and a princess! Look, look! That dress, it's so cute! I bet they stuck my face onto the photo of a princess, that's so cute...!" Her excitement was then followed by a longing sigh. "I wish I could've worn a dress like this."

"I think you'd look beautiful in that dress, Rei-chan." Kasumi smiled at Rei.

"Hehe." Rei snickered. "Do you know what that pose is? It's called 'bridal style', but it's a princess thing too! The prince in children's stories does it for the princess at the very end when he comes for her. And everyone is happy! That's how it ends. They live happily ever after and stuff!"

"You really like those stories, don't you, Rei-chan?" Kasumi tilted her head, smiling as Rei happily talked about the stories. "Come to think of it..." She thought about You in Wonderland; directly based off of Alice in Wonderland...

"I do!" Rei nodded. "We're dressed like a prince and princess in that photo, so..." She then gasped, looking at their joined hands. "D-Does that mean...C-Could it possibly mean that up ahead...?" She stared past the picture. "There's a giant wedding cake and a full-course mean and a mountain of food where we'll party on and one!?"

"...Um. Maybe. I could go for something like that, actually." Kasumi admitted while scratching her cheek.

Rei's eyes sparkled at the thought. "I-It's that generous!?" That amazingly, incredibly generous!? I get to be on a wedding cake in a sea of wedding cake and eat wedding cake...I'll be the happiest girl on earth. Hmm, is the party being held down this road! Then let's go! TO THE WEDDING PARTY!"

Rei was so excited. Kasumi giggled a bit while walking hand in hand with Rei. "This road goes for quite a while. Are you alright, Rei-chan?"

"Mhm!" Rei nodded but that only lasted for a few seconds. "Actually, I'm starting to feel the urge to eat donuts with both my hands." A little difficult when she was glued to Kasumi. Not that she minded... "You know, holding hands with someone besides Zen feels different. It's a new taste...I mean, a new sensation! Zen always holds my hand so I don't get lost...heehee..he's really nice."

"That's sweet of him." Kasumi smiled warmly at Rei. It was cute to see how infatuated she was with Zen.

Rei paused for a moment. "Hey, um...do you think Prince Charmings really exist?" She looked to Kasumi with a hesitant expression. "And, and...do you think I could be a princess like that too, some day, Su-chan?"

"I do think they exist." Kasumi said with nod. "They show up and sweep you off your feet, even if they aren't aware of it at first. D-Don't tell anyone this...but I see Ren-senpai as my Prince Charming..."

"AAHHHH!" Rei gasped. "Ren is super cool, especially when he's fighting as Joker! And now that I think about it, your outfits are really similar as well!"

Kasumi blushed when Rei pointed that out. "He is a strong inspiration for me..." She then cleared her throat. "And I think Zen might be your Prince Charming."

"Y-You think so? Could Zen be the one?" Rei sounded both eager and and shocked at this. "He's always with me, he's super nice, and he's there to protect me. But why does he do that...?"

"If they're the same...it's probably because he wants to." Kasumi said gently.

"H-Hehe..." Rei scratched her cheek with her free hand. "We should probably keep going...but talking about this gave me an idea..."

"An idea?" Kasumi peered at Rei curiously.

"Mhm!" Rei nodded while looking up to Kasumi. "I was thinking...you know how the others have those cool duo attacks they do sometimes? Well, I think...maybe we could pull something off...!" She then whispered into Kasumi's ear...

.

.

Kotone and Aigis were stuck together. They wandered down the pathway while glancing around at the scenery. Aigis could sense the slight tension in Kotone's hand and she had a number of reasons why. Aigis glanced over at Kotone with a curious tilt of her head. "Are you alright, Kotone-san? I understand that my hand may not be the most comfortable to hold." Aigis' hand was cold and robotic; it was far from ideal to hold. She knew that, and yet...

"Huh? O-Oh, no!" Kotone shook her head, giving Aigis a smile. "It's really fine. I mean, I'm kind of used to it? The first thing you did when we met was hug me. Er, I mean, the other you..." This is really confusing. Being alone with a member of SEES that wasn't hers...it felt so awkward.

"Kotone-san..." Aigis knew that this was always a possibility with Kotone. Being alone with her was no doubt going to dredge up something awful. "You may not be from my world, but that does not change the way I feel about you. You and Minato-san are similar. There is something about you that makes me want to stay close to you, as I told you before. I do not know if I make a good destined partner...I am merely a robot, after all. But I hope you will allow me to stay by your side."

"Aigis..." That was sweet. There really was no difference between the SEES she knew and the SEES she encountered here. Her smile softened a little bit. "Thank you. I feel better already. And hey, I think you'd make a great destined partner! Just because you're a robot doesn't mean you aren't capable of love. Just...look at that!" She gestured to the manipulated photo of them. However, Aigis was the groom and Kotone was the bride. "Huh, wait."

"This is a clearly manipulated photo." Aigis stated bluntly. "Although it would fall in line with my duty to protect you..." She stared at herself in the photo. It was fake. She knew that. "...But if I were humans, perhaps I could..."

"Aigis." Kotone called her name, snapping her out of it. "You see what I mean? These emotions you feel are proof that you're as human as anyone else. It doesn't matter what you're made of. What matters is what's in here." Kotone used her free hand to point at Aigis' chest. "Don't forget that, okay?"

"..." Aigis was quiet for a moment. In the next moment, she managed to scoop Kotone into her arms for a bridal carry, just like the picture. "Hm..."

"W-W-wha!?" Kotone felt a blush creep onto her cheeks. This was the last she expected. "Where did this come from!?"

"I just wanted to try it. The picture caused me to feel strange..." Aigis admitted. "I am still worried there is something wrong with my programming, but when I take your words into account, perhaps it is...emotion welling up within me."

"T-That's great!" Kotone flashed a sheepish smile. This was so awkward! It wasn't the worst thing in the world...

.

.

"Can't you do something about this?!" Marie glared towards Yu. This was the last thing she wanted or expected. One minute she was in the Velvet Room, and the next, she was in this weird place holding hands with Yu! "It makes no sense. My butt hurts, it's the lameworst."

"Lameworst...?" Yu rubbed the back of his neck. And then he realized...

"W-WH...!?" Marie realized it at the exact same time. "Why are we holding hands!? What the - yikes- no way!"

"You don't need to sound so surprised by it...!" Yu felt mildly offended, even though he knew it was the shock in her voice.

"You're the one who brought me here, right? So do something about it...!" Marie demanded. This situation was not one that she wanted to be in!

"Uh...I'm not too sure what I can do here." Yu admitted. They were in a pretty difficult situation, all things considered. The Mechanical voice wasn't doing them any favors either.

"Blubbers?!" Marie gasped and then corrected herself. "Lovers...!?"

"This thing is really pushing this Destined Partner stuff." Yu pondered things for a moment. "We don't have many options. I guess the others also might have found themselves in a similar situation. I can't believe it was able to pull you from the Velvet Room..."

"So this is your fault." Marie huffed. "It happened way too fast! I think it caught Margaret and the others, too. I dunno...one second I was sitting down and the next I fell on my butt."

"These Labyrinths are more dangerous than I thought." Yu took this information seriously. He never would've imagined anything in the Labyrinth could have the power to drag those from outside of it into it. "I hope the others are okay."

"I'll let this slide if I can have some fun with you." Marie ultimately decided. Considering there wasn't much they do but move forward... "We're supposed to walk on, right? Let's go."

"Yeah..." Yu nodded. All they could do was walk ahead. Hopefully they would find something important waiting for them...

.

.

Minato found himself with Margaret. He wasn't sure if this was the result of his own choices or if this Destined Partner business was nonsense. "How did you get here...?" Also, Margaret was supposed to be in the Velvet Room and they were neck deep into a Labyrinth!

"That's the question I find myself wondering." Margaret admitted. This did present her with a unique opportunity...this was Elizabeth's guest. Perhaps she could learn why... "The immediate problem is our hands. It seems possible to physically rip them apart. You might experience some pain, but may I give it a try."

"Please don't." Minato replied.

Minato's response made Margaret chuckle. "I'm only joking. I wouldn't hurt my sister's precious guest. For now, that is."

"...That's reassuring." Minato couldn't make heads or tails with Margaret.

"Well, standing around here aimlessly won't do." Margaret said. "While we are here, I will accompany you not as a member of the Velvet Room, but as a temporary partner. This, too, is part of fate. I am certain there is some meaning to it. And...I'm interested in you on a personal level as well. This will be a good chance to learn about you."

"You think so?" Minato didn't have any idea why Margaret would be interested in him. Maybe because of how he could deal with Elizabeth? But from how it sounded, Kotone was essentially doing the same thing in her world. "Well, if you say so." He shrugged and just decided to go with it.

It did not take them long to encounter the manipulated photo. Minato was the groom carrying the bride that was Margaret. Minato just stared at it. "Huh. Who made this?"

"Perhaps someone took the time to prepare this to heighten the mood?" That was the only suggestion that Margaret could come up with. "Sadly, marriage holds no meaning for we residents. It's as something from a fairy tale to us." Her yellow gaze shifted towards the photo once more. "But there is one thing that intrigues me. That form of embracement...it is difficult unless the lifter has trained their biceps and back muscles. That pose requires exquisite physical balance. Do you think you could pull it off?"

"..." Minato closed his eyes in thought. Was this something he was willing to pull off? "Maybe? but I feel like you'd put the compendium to my head. But if you wanted me to try..."

Margaret chuckled. "Your intuition is sharp." She did not deny his worry. There was always a chance she would've clocked him over the head for being so bold; but his polite manner of intending to go through with it was still touching. They continued to walk forward together. "By the way, perhaps you have the answer to something I am curious about."

"Shoot." Minato said. Maybe he did, maybe he didn't. But he'd at least hear her out.

"Why are there so many people in your world devoted to fortune telling?" Margaret asked. "At a fortune telling booth I ran, most of my patrons were women asking for their romantic fortunes. It must be that...everyone is waiting. Waiting like Cinderella for their destined prince. Then again, could it be that a man such as you is interested in this topic?" She chuckled once more. "If you'd like, I can read your fortune."

"Sure. I don't see why not." Minato didn't see the harm in it.

"Hah..." Margaret had a faint smile on her lips. "There aren't many who make me wish that I could reach deeper within them. No wonder my sister has..." She was then quick to stop herself. She almost revealed something she shouldn't have. It felt so unprofessional of her, but it was something she just couldn't let go. She shouldn't interfere. She knows that. "...No wonder you're my sister's guest. Being with you is not short of fascinating."

Luckily for Margaret, Minato didn't seem to catch on. After all, how could he? "Hm...I don't think I do anything special. You'd probably enjoy being with Kotone. She's more energetic than I am."

"They do say opposites attract." Margaret humored that thought. But since Minato brought it up, she was thinking about Minako again. She knew Minato's fate. Would Minako suffer the same? Would another version of her sister devote her entire being to... "Anyway. It seems there is more up ahead. Perhaps the others are waiting for us. Let us be off."

No time to think about that. The longer she did, the longer she'd feel that urge to say something.

.

.

"Oh, my! It's as if I'm in fairy tale!" Elizabeth spoke with glee while looking over at Ren. "My heart is hearting from this sudden encounter with an unknown world!" And she realized her mistake right after she spoke. "Sorry, my mistake. I meant to say my pound is pounding."

"That's not right either..." Ren shook his head. It was at this moment he realized he was in his usual clothes. "W-Wait, when did this happen!?"

Elizabeth's excitement was high. She realized she was holding something, but she did not know it was Ren's hand until she pulled it up. Their hands were stuck together, much like everyone else. "Dear me! What is the meaning of this? My hand is thoroughly stuck to yours! I almost squeezed your hand into powder out of sheer surprise."

Yeah, it was official. Elizabeth scared him. Ren proceeded to sweat as he learned he was mere seconds away from having a crushed hand. "...I'm glad you didn't."

"It seems you have reached your destination..."

"Who might this be?" Elizabeth turned to Ren.

"The mysterious voice that's been talking to us since we got here." Ren answered.

"I see!" Elizabeth nodded. "In other words, we must head to an unknown paradise!" The Mechanical voice told them they could step forth if they wished. Quite insistently. "It offers freedom to choose, and yet, it's like playing the role of a weak human who is slave to fate! There is very rich meaning in this display, when you think about it."

"A slave to fate? I don't think I like how that sounds." Ren shook his head.

"We are now alone here, as if we're about to engage in a one-on-one grudge match." Elizabeth's imagination sure was running wild. In addition, our hands seem to be stuck until this ordeal is complete! I sense a conspiracy behind all this!"

"You're...having a lot of fun with this, aren't you? A conspiracy?" Ren hardly had any idea where to begin with Elizabeth's wild imagination.

"A single shadow bars our passage. The evil organization "Group Daters" schemes to take over the world! What would you say to that? I think it would be a grand spectacle. Very moving and emotional, hehehe..." Elizabeth was having a grand time with this.

"Hoo boy..." Ren sighed. Elizabeth was a lot to deal with. How did Kotone and Minato handle this kind of energy?

"By the way. I hope my sister has been treating you well." Elizabeth said.

"Sister? You mean Margaret?" Ren blinked.

Elizabeth realized her slip of the tongue. "Ah, forgive me. I meant the twins, Caroline and Justine."

"They like to put me through the wringer." Ren wasn't sure if he thought of it fondly or not. But they were ultimately very helpful in his Phantom Thief tenure. "Are they always like that?"

"No." Elizabeth placed her free hand on her chin. She was debating something... "I don't know what happened to them. When I saw them for the first time when you arrived here, I was surprised. We have a younger sister named Lavenza."

"Lavenza...?" Ren tilted his head.

"Indeed. I expected to see her with you, but instead it was twins." Elizabeth continued on. "I am still trying to figure out how that happened. It was as if my sister became two separate people..."

"Wait, what?!" Ren stared at Elizabeth. What was she implying!?

"It's not my place to say just yet." Elizabeth shook her head. "I don't know what happened. They don't seem to remember much about us, if anything at all. I simply had to bring it to your attention."

"I...I see..." Ren had a lot to think about. His Velvet Room Attendant was supposed to be a girl named Lavenza, but instead he got Caroline and Justine...?

"Did my Master say anything about it?" That was the most curious part of all. Elizabeth tilted her head while glancing at Ren.

"No...in fact, he introduced them to me." Ren replied. Igor was still a mystery to him...

Elizabeth pursed her lips at this news. "Is that so? I see. Nothing happens in the Velvet Room that isn't tied to the fate of the guest. In that case, I ask that you do not bring it up to them just yet." Elizabeth lifted a finger. "At least not until my other siblings and I can figure things out."

"Alright..." Ren promised her that. And when coming to the manipulated photo of them...Ren was the groom while Elizabeth was the bride "What the...when did we get married?"

"When was this scandalous picture taken?" Elizabeth pressed her free hand to her mouth. "I had taken pains to keep our relationship from being exposed...Well, you'll just have to take responsibility for this." Ren was about to open his mouth in shock, but the Velvet Attendant kept going. "Or so I would say, but this appears to be a fake."

"This is a strange photo..." Ren adjusted his glasses.

"It's quite an intriguing piece. A prince and princess, like in a fairytale! Carelessly thrown together for some unknown purpose." Elizabeth could not understand the reasoning behind this photo, but it did catch her attention. "What most piques my interest is the legendary style of embrace, passed down amongst royal families..."

"You mean the bridal carry? Or princess carry, if you prefer." Ren said. Elizabeth gave an excited nod in response.

"If a prince directs this skill at an eligible princess, he is guaranteed to take them back to his castle. I wish to experience such a secret art for myself, once." Elizabeth said with a bit of longing in her tone. So, Ren did what any person would do and lifted her up.

"Whoa-!" Okay, so he didn't think about this too well. It's not that Elizabeth was heavy, but the way he had to hold her was awkward. "How's this?"

"Oh, my!" Elizabeth let out a pleasantly surprised gasped. "How marvelous! Such warmth and precarious balance. And a sense of superiority as if I'm looking down upon the world."

"Huh?" And it was at that moment Ren realized perhaps indulging Elizabeth may not have been the best idea.

"This is an indescribable joy..." Elizabeth then gasped in realization. "This would be a perfect opportunity to say...ah, yes! Ahem! Make way for your queen, peasant! Bow down before her majesty!" And with a soft exhale... "Whew, I am most satisfied."

Despite the fact he had his doubts, the satisfied look on Elizabeth's face was ultimately worth it. Ren set her down with a slight grin of his own. "Did you have your fill?"

"Most certainly!" Elizabeth nodded, yellow eyes sparking with glee. "I have also heard that princesses can turn into sea foam, or be the victim of a perfect crime with a poison apple. They may even wed a beast...it seems to be a post requiring the strength overcome strenuous ordeals. Though it was only for an instant, I am honored to have experienced what it's like to be a true princess. Well then, let us proceed onward! Just imagining what might await us ahead has my heart dancing with wild curiosity!"

"I wonder what lies ahead..." Ren had no idea. At least Elizabeth was keeping things lively. When seeing this side of her, perhaps he could see why Minato and Kotone were able to endure her eccentricity. She was fun to be around in a weird sense.

The two arrived in front of the chapel. Elizabeth's eyes were sparkling. "Is the end of our journey waiting beyond this door? It feels as if my heart is trembling in anticipation!"

"Now open the door, together!" The mechanical voice said.

"Open sesame!" Elizabeth cheered. The door did open. When they stepped inside, they could see Ann and Hifumi, Minato and Margaret, Kotone and Aigis, Yu and Marie and Kasumi and Rei! "Oh? Are we not the only ones here?"

"Guys!?" Ren gasped.

"Senpai!" Kasumi's eyes brightened to see Ren. "You're here too!?"

"I guess we have a whole party here." Yu rubbed the back of his head.

"This is crazy." Kotone was looking around the chapel. "Does that thing really expect us to get married like this?"

"Where are the others?" Hifumi asked but nobody had an answer.

"I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I think you have more pressing matters to attend to." Margaret pointed to the individual sitting at the back of the chapel, playing an organ.

"Is that a person...?" Rei tried to peer closer to get a better look.

The one sitting at the organ was a pastor. "Now, let us pray!" The pastor then turned around, revealing a faceless man. The man sprang from the organ and into the air, four arms revealed as he grabbed the wedding bell on the ceiling and landed in front of the happy couples. All four arms were occupied by different colored books; red, blue, green, and yellow. His lower half was connected to a chained coffin. This was the voice that spoke to them since they stepped into this Labyrinth: The Merciful Clergyman.

"What the...!?" Kotone sputtered in shock.

"NO, NO, NO! I WON'T ALLOW THIS!" Suddenly, Rise burst through the doors first, dragging Yusuke along with her. Their hands were joined and the thought of Yu getting married to someone else filled her with a strength she never knew she possessed.

"SENSEI! STOOOOOP!" Teddie burst into the room after Rise did. Unfortunately for him, Koromaru was stuck on the shoulder of his bear suit.

"It's too soon for you to get married!" Mona followed right behind Rise. The others were flooding into the chapel, all of them joining hands with one other person. "A Phantom Thief can't just get married at the drop of a hat!"

"GET THEM OFFA ME!" Yosuke pleaded. He got stuck with Caroline and it was absolutely awful for him.

"I didn't ask to be here!" Caroline huffed, violently dragging Yosuke around in an effort to tear their hands apart.. "Release me this instant!"

Ken was awkwardly stuck with Justine. He couldn't even look at her. Holding hands with a girl all the way here was too much for him. "Um..."

"I did not wish to pull your hand off." Justine said calmly.

"Thank you...?" The twins were both scary, especially to Ken.

"Ah, Theo! I see you were to be married as well? Elizabeth said with a playful smile.

Theodore somehow got stuck to Yukiko. Although he shook his head at his sister's remark. "You know that means nothing for us, Sister. Although it was a unique experience..." He didn't hate it.

"Well...I guess everyone's okay." When Ren said this, he realized their hands were finally unstuck! "Our hands!" And right after that, his Phantom Thief attire flared to life. The same went for Ann, Hifumi, and Kasumi! Panther, Dragon, and Violet were back online!

"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT THING!?" Skull pointed at the Merciful Clergyman with his jaw dropping to the ground.

"Time to say your vows!" The Merciful Clergyman said, staring directly at Rei.

"A priest...?" Rei mumbled.

"TIME TO SAY YOUR VOWS!" The Merciful Clergyman repeated. "In sickness? Splendid! In health? Maaaaagnificant! Prepare to meet your maker! for now, you shall DIIIIIIIE!"

"N-NO! DON'T COME NEAR ME!" Rei shrieked as the Merciful Clergyman charged at her. Violet stood in front of Rei to protect her, but that kind of charge was still going to knock her over. "ZEN! ZEN...!" And right on that cry, an arrow flew through the skies. The Merciful Clergyman managed to evade this by leaping backwards at the last second. Rei sniffled while looking in the direction of where the arrow came from...

Zen glared towards the Merciful Clergyman, keeping his crossbow pointed at the enemy before him. "I won't let you lay a hand on her."

Chapter Text

The depths of Group Date Cafe had the team facing against the boss of it all: The Merciful Clergyman. The priest hovered over the team while on a floating coffin. "SO this is the one responsible for dragging us into this mess!?" Caroline gripped the end of her baton.

"It will pay dearly for that." Justine lifted her hand, preparing to cast Megidoloan right then and there, but she was stopped by Margaret taking her hand. "...What are you doing? I am getting rid of it...?"

"It is not your place to do so." Margaret shook her head. "We are here to aid our Guests. We cannot fight their battles for them, no matter how irritated you may be. You remember that, don't you?"

"Well..." Justine let out a defeated sigh. It was an impulsive decision and she knew it. "I do remember that..." But why was it something she nearly forgot? It was simple.

"Worry not!" Elizabeth spoke up with a grin. "If anything does come our way, you two have permission to do whatever you'd like! We have to protect Marie here, don't we?"

"I-I don't need protecting! Well, actually..." Marie didn't like the idea of being surrounded by all these people in blue, but considering she literally couldn't fight, she quickly took that back.

"Don't worry. We will ensure that you do not come to harm. It is what we can do while we're here." Theodore gave Marie a curt bow.

"Fine!" Caroline pointed at Joker. "Inmate! You better give that thing an extra big thrashing for us, got it?!"

"Right..!" Joker quickly nodded. He was a little hopeful the Velvet Attendants would help, but he knew they were mostly hands off. So they were on their own for this one. Granted, their group was massive and they had one target!

"We got the numbers!" Yosuke pointed out. Although as soon as he did, numerous Shadows spawned into the chapel, appearing behind them at the entrance. "Crap."

"Why did you have to open your mouth!?" Chie groaned.

"No time for bickering!" Mitsuru's commanding tone snapped everyone to attention. "We use our numbers to our advantage! Several of us will fight the main Shadow, while the rest of you fend off the horde! Assist when you can! Do you have any objections, Joker?"

"None at all." Joker shook his head. Mitsuru was quick on her feet. Aigis, Yukari, Skull, Violet, Mitsuru, Zen, Rei, and Chie quickly stood up to the plate with Joker.

"Let's kick some ass!" Chie pounded her fist into her open palm. They didn't have much time to discuss and they were going straight into combat.

"Okay, let's split the work!" Fuuka told Oracle and Rise.

"Leave the big one to me!" Rise while glaring at the floating Shadow. "Trying to marry Senpai away to someone else?! I don't think so!"

"...She's scary. She's got it." Oracle quickly nodded. All the groups split off to handle their respective task!

"Are you going to sin in this holy sanctuary!?" The Merciful Clergyman asked while his challengers approached him.

"Count on it." Joker said while pointing his gun forward, firing off a bullet of curse magic towards Merciful Clergyman. The Labyrinth boss was able to avoid this by shifting to the side easily. Merciful Clergyman countered by summoning a few coffins by his side and throwing them towards Joker and the others. Everyone split off in separate directions to avoid being crushed by them. "Arsene!" Joker called forth Arsene, using his positing to fire off an Eiga towards his target. This was also avoided swiftly, much to his annoyance. "It's fast..."

"Oh yeah!? Then let's see how it handles this! Tomoe!" Chie spun around while summoning Tomoe. Tomoe twirled her weapon around before shooting off small spears of ice towards Merciful Clergyman. These spears were swiftly evaded like everything else, much to her shock. "No way!"

"Zen-kun! Aigis! Let's strike it from afar!" Yukari suggested while getting her bow ready. Zen and Aigis nodded to this plan and started to open fire on Merciful Clergyman; Yukari's arrows, Zen's crossbow bolts, and Aigis' artillery from separate angles. With such heavy bombardment, they thought they would be able to at least nick their target, but the floating coffin was moving far too fast!

"It's moving too much..." Zen grunted. He was surprised that they were unable to land a hit on it!

"Violet!, Skull!" Mitsuru called, motioning to follow her lead. The two nodded and split off into separate directions. Skull charged from the front, while Violet and Mitsuru took the left and right, snaking around the support pillars to get the jump on it. All three of them attacked at once from difference angles, only for Merciful Clergyman to slip past each and every single one of their blows, leaving them all in wide eyed shock.

"OH YES!" Merciful Clergyman's green book gave off a bright glow before a potent Magarula swept through the area, knocking everyone down hard to the ground. Zen stood in front of Rei to protect her from getting harmed and took the damage in her stead, Skull took the most damage while Yukari was able to remain on her feet with some damage.

"Oooow!" Skull groaned. "How the hell are we supposed to catch this thing if we can't even hit it!?"

"It's reacting far too quickly to our attacks..." Mitsuru said while standing back up.

"Sorry for the wait!" Rise spoke up. "I just finished analyzing it! This thing is weak to Electricity! I'll figure out why it's able to dodge you guys so well! Leave it to me!"

"Weak to electricity, huh?" Skull wiped his mouth with the back of his head. "Then just leave it to me! I'll get a clean hit on this thing if it's the last thing I do!"

"I can help as well." Zen said. "It will pay for trying to bring harm to Rei."

"Zen..." Those words made Rei smile faintly. "Um! Um! What if you attack it all at the same time!?" Rei suggested. "I mean, if you chomp down on it really hard it won't be able to move!"

"Chomp?" Aigis tilted her head.

"I think I get it." Violet brought her hand to her mask. "If we can force it to stop moving long enough, it won't matter how fast it is! Cendrillon!" Cendrillon appeared and flew towards Merciful Clegyman. She attempted to attack, but as expected, her target was dodging.

"Conversely, if we can intercept it..." Aigis now understood the plan. A blue glow appeared around her body as Palladion was summoned above her. "Palladion, strike!" Palldion joined Cendrillon in assaulting the flying Merciful Clergyman. Both of them were hounding in ferociously but they were unable to catch it.

Joker glanced at Skull with a smile full of confidence. "Think you can get the shot?"

"Of course I can!" Skull responded as Captain Kidd appeared behind him, arm cannon held forward, charging with lightning. Skull's eyes narrowed as he focused hard on the Merciful Clergyman. He finally saw his opening when Palladion and Cendrillion put it in a corner. "NOW!" Captain Kidd fired off a strong Zionga towards the Merciful Clergyman, striking it directly.

"OOOOOOOW!" Merciful Clergyman cried out in pain as he was struck with his weakness!

Spotting this opening, Chie called Tomoe once again. "TAKE THIS!" Chie sprinted forward for momentum and preformed a spinning kick to the chest of Merciful Clergyman, Tomoe also landing this hit in time with her user. The force of Chie and Tomoe sent Merciful Clergyman crashing through a support beam and into the nearby wall. Once Chie landed, she and Skull gave each other a high five.

"How'd that one feel, asshole!" Skull spoke with a cocky smirk.

Merciful Clergyman was able to pick himself up. It was then that his red book started to shine. "Vow to me that you will not strike!"

"A vow?" Zen narrowed his eyes. "What does that mean?"

"A vow is a type of promise." Aigis explained. "It wants us to promise not to attack is."

"Seriously? Can a Shadow even do that?" Yukari had her doubts about that.

"Eff that!" Skull scoffed. "Who would vow to this thing!" And he started to run ahead with his pipe in hand.

"Skull, wait!" Rei tried to stop Skull, but it was too late.

"Skull, no! You can't attack it!" Rise's warning unfortunately came a few seconds late. She figured out what was waiting but they couldn't stop Skull now.

Skull jumped into the air, slamming his pipe onto Merciful Clergyman's forehead. After a second he jumped back and smirked. "See! You can't make us vow to do anything!"

Skull's attack didn't really do much damage, but it did something else instead. Multiple coffins started to surround Merciful Clergyman while he stared right at Skull. "I will lead you, little sheep! Your divine punishment is death!"

"Huh!?" Skull looked up, only to see four coffins surrounding him. Before anyone could make a move, the coffins all crashed into him at once, creating a cloud of smoke. Skull let out a cry of pain right after the impact.

"SKULL!"

When the dust settled, Skull was on his ass, grimacing as red, green, and purple chains appeared around his body. "Damn..."

"Skull! Are you okay!?" Rei rushed over to his side.

"What was that...?" Yukari was worried for Skull.

"It forbade an action!" Rise explained. "If you break that vow it attacks you! Skull's strength, magic, and speed are all bound! He can't do anything at all right now."

"How are we supposed to fight something that pins us down for breaking a rule...?" Zen asked the others.

Joker grit his teeth for a moment, but he had an idea. "Skull broke a rule...there must be something we're allowed to do-!"

"LOOK OUT!" Rise shouted. Merciful Clergyman was now on the offensive, yellow book glowing as multiple bolts of lightning crashed down on the party. It happened so fast they could barely avoid the high voltage shockwaves. Yukari and Aigis were desperate to avoid these attacks as best as they could.

"Is it not glorious!?" Merciful Clergyman spoke as if he were preaching to a full house. "The vows of loved ones! The word of God! Worry not, little sheep! I will deliver you to God!"

"What is it talking about?" Zen found a safe spot and proceeded to shoot Merciful Clergyman. None of his shots were landing either due to how swift the Shadow was. He also realized his mistake, because he was suddenly surrounded by numerous coffins just like Skull was. "Huh...!?" And the coffins crashed down on him. He tried to defend, but he ended up in the same position as Skull; everything was bound and he couldn't even move.

"ZEN!" Rei's eyes widened in worry as she rushed over to his side. "Are you okay!?"

"I am...okay." Zen nodded slowly, wincing from the impact of those coffins.

"This Vow blossoms!" Merciful Clergyman preached.

"Can we not attack this thing without a counter?" Yukari found that to be really annoying. How were they supposed to fight when their actions only resulted in punishments!?

.

Those not engaged with Merciful Clergyman had to deal with the Shadows that began to flood the church. They already had their hands full with the gigantic Shadow in the back, but the small army only made things more difficult. Shinjiro summoned Castor who proceeded to stampede through the horde before them. "Looks like the big Shadow in charge wants to bury us in here."

"Let 'em try! This is perfect for a workout!" Akihiko held a grin on his face. With Polydeuces summoned before him, he released a gigantic bolt of lightning into a horde of Shadows. The lightning exploded in a fan shape, paralyzing anything caught within its wake. With this opening, Akihiko Shifted his momentum to the closest person he saw. "Amagi!"

"I understand!" Yukiko nodded while summoning Konohana Sakura. The performed an elegant twirl to release a spinning vortex of fire that shot forward. The vortex of flame swept up numerous Shadows and scorched them to ash. Slowly but surely, they were capable of thinning the horde. But they couldn't afford to drop their guard for a second either. "There are still so many of them...!"

"Then we cut them all down!" Fox summoned Goemon at his side. Together with Goemon, they slashed through the horde of Shadows, leaving a frigid trail in their wake.

"Orpheus!" Kotone called Orpheus by her side. Her Orpheus lifted up her hands, creating a gigantic ball of fire that she flung into the horde, causing a massive explosion of fire. Minato followed suit with an identical attack, adding onto hers to scatter the horde as much as possible.

"Sukuna Hikona!" Naoto summoned her Persona to the field. Sukuna Hinoka flew around the area, white magic circle forming under plenty of enemies. She was using Mahama, the instant kill spell managing to clear out a good number of enemies in a single shot. Koromaru used Cerberus to follow up on this, causing Mamudo to wipe out an equal amount. But no matter how many they managed to take down, more just seemed to appear.

"This is just like the Queen of Hearts!" Queen punched a Shadow out and narrowed her eyes. "It appears it intends to wear us down through numbers alone!"

"Is that what happened when you guys met? That sounds annoying!" Junpei used his sword to slash through a few Shadows.

"But I can see an end to this one!" Oracle reported. "If you can clear them out fast enough, we can help the others! And it sounds like they need it."

"If we exhaust ourselves too much, we wouldn't be of much use to them." Dragon pointed out. She had Belle Star flying forward with her sword to cleave through numerous Shadows. "We have to pace ourselves even now!"

"Pace ourselves..." Ken mumbled while staring at everyone fighting. He was holding his own, of course. But when he watched everyone else fight, he didn't feel like he was doing enough. "I have to do more...!"

"What's the matter, Amada-kun?" Crow looked towards Ken. Robin Hood took aim and fired at plenty of Shadows with arrows of light magic. "If you don't pick up the pace, you're going to fall behind the rest of us. You said you wanted us to treat you like everyone else, so I'm asking you get your head in the game."

"I know that...!" Ken told Crow. "I'm not going to fall behind!" Crow's tone ignited a spark of competitiveness within him. It wasn't about taking out more Shadows than anyone else. It was about his pride and making sure he could prove to himself and others that he should be here. That's why his Evoker started to glow while he pressed it to his forehead and fired. The moment he did, his spear was suddenly cloaked in a golden light.

"Ken-kun?" Panther saw this and turned, surprised by the light surrounding Ken.

"This time, it's my turn!" Ken reared his arm back and threw his spear into the air. Nemesis flew forward and grabbed his spear, hovering into the air while pointing down at the horde of Shadows. Numerous spears of light started to pelt down on the Shadow Horde, resulting in blinding explosions of light. Nemesis then threw the last golden spear down, causing an explosion of light that spread out like a dome. It cleared a majority of the Shadows in the building. "Don't underestimate me."

"WHOA!" Yosuke gasped at Ken's display of strength. "That was kinda badass..."

"Nice job, Ken-kun!" Fuuka grinned. "I'm still detecting Shadows incoming, but the numbers aren't as bad as before...!"

"Then we can start focusing on the big guy." Kanji cracked his knuckles.

.

Those facing Merciful Clergyman found themselves on the defensive, under the belief they were unable to attack without getting a fierce retaliation. All they could so was dodge the incoming bolts of lighting from his yellow book. "Uggggh! I'm so sick of this! Can't we just attack this thing already!"

"Chie-chan, no! It's too dangerous!" Rise reported. "We don't know how long this Vow of it will last!"

"But we can't do anything like this!" Chie complained.

"Be patient!" Mitsuru scolded Chie. "An opening will present itself!

"I GOT THIS!" Kanji spotted the trouble the group was in and decided to charge in.

"Kanji-kun, wait!" Rise tried to stop him, but he literally ran right past her and towards Merciful Clergyman. Kanji jumped into the air with his folding chair, slamming it down on Merciful Clergyman's head. This was a direct hit, but that was bad.

"Got you, punk!" Kanji smirked, only to see numerous coffins appear around him. Before he could register what was going on, he was attacked by them and bound like Skull and Zen. "Dammit, what the hell is this?!"

"It's the punishment for breaking the vows!" Rise explained. "We can't attack it or it instantly counters!"

"Screw that! I don't wanna play by this thing's rules...!" Kanji growled.

Seeing his friends were in dangerous, Yu acted on instinct. "Izanagi!" Izanagi appeared before Yu, tossing a Zio towards Merciful Clergyman. This shot was aimed a bit low at the coffin it was riding, which resulted in a slower reaction from their enemy.

"GAH!" Merciful Clergyman grunted in pain as the effective Zio struck him. Everyone glanced at Yu, expecting him to meet a nasty counter attack. Instead, nothing happened!

"That was weird..." Rise mumbled.

"He didn't get countered?!" Violet asked. "Wait..."

"Does that mean only basic attacks get countered..?!" Yukari decided to test this. While Merciful Clergyman was recovering from Yu's attack, she pressed her Evoker to her forehead. "Come, Io!" Io appeared above Yukari, pushing her hands forward to trap Merciful Clergyman in a small cyclone.

"OW!" Merciful Clergyman cried out in pain at Yukari's attack. To make matters worse, Arsene was in front of him, spinning around to land a drop kick at its chest! This slammed Merciful Clergyman directly into the ground as a result.

"So we can use our Personas with no problem." Joker smirked.

Rei held her hands over Zen, using her healing magic to undo the binds. Yukiko soon joined to to the same to Skull and Kanji, bringing them back into the fight after they were briefly taken down.

"Round 2, asshole!" Skull said with a wide grin.

Merciful Clergyman was able to get back up, floating above the Persona users with an angered expression. "Little sheep who flout God! I'll make you take your vows!" The green book he had began to shine as a violent whirlwind exploded outward, catching everyone in its wake. They were all violently tossed around and slammed into various locations within the church. Even those who did resist wind were still damaged by hitting a solid object. As for the Velvet Attendants on standby, they were able to hold their ground and ensure that Marie wasn't in harms way.

Zen used his body as a shield to protect Rei from injury. She still got a few bumps from the impact, much to his annoyance. "Rei, are you okay?"

"I'm okay, Zen..." Rei smiled up at Zen. "But this thing is strong..."

"GLORIOUS!" Merciful Clergyman exclaimed. "Prepare to clean your souls tonight!"

"I'm getting really annoyed with this thing!" Chie's brow furrowed in irritation and she spun around, summoning Tomoe to attack. "Tomoe, crush this guy!"

"Io, let's go!" Yukari shouted.

"Izanagi!"

"Take-Mikazuchi!"

Chie, Yu, Yukari, and Kanji all attacked at the same time. Since they were free to use their Personas, they ganged up on Merciful Clergyman at the same time. While this was a good plan on paper, they did not expect what happened next. Merciful Clergyman's blue book began to shine. "Vow to me that you won't use skills!"

"Huh!?"

All of their attacks did collide and do some damage. Merciful Clergyman cried out from the damage dealt, but...just as their attacks collided, the four of them were assaulted by coffins! They had no idea Merciful Clergyman could change vows on a dime, causing them to be bound and heavily damaged! "I told you! I will lead you sheep to your destination!"

"It changed vows in the middle of an attack?!" Fuuka gasped.

"That's totally unfair!" Oracle growled. "This thing is playing dirty!"

"We can barely land a hit on it and it restricts our options..." Mitsuru narrowed her eyes and began to sprint towards Merciful Clergyman. The moment it shifted vows, she drew her rapier back and prepared to strike. "However..!"

"Vow to me that you won't strike!" Merciful Clergyman saw through this ploy and shifted vows at the last second. Mitsuru expected this and her intended stab instead struck the floor. She completely missed and didn't break the vow...at least, that's what everyone thought. But she was attacked by coffins like everyone else.

"Agh...!" Mitsuru grunted, pinned to the floor by all the chains wrapped around her body.

"No way! She missed!" Skull growled. Because of this, he used Captain Kidd to begin shooting at Merciful Clergyman, who continued to dodge all of his attacks.

"It looks like the mere action is enough to warrant a punishment..." Naoto noted. This was a troublesome enemy indeed!

"It's a good thing that Phantom Thieves enjoy breaking rules!" Noir said with a giddy cheerfulness.

"Noir said it best!" Mona spoke proudly. "If it keeps changing the rules, then we just have to take break them!"

"And how do we do that, oh genius cat?" Teddie asked. "I break rules all the time and I just get yelled at."

"For a reason, you dumb bear!" Yosuke groaned. "But we're never gonna hit the damn thing if it can avoid us."

"I got it!" Rise suddenly spoke up, pointing at the coffin the Merciful Clergyman was riding. "I was picking up a strange signal from it this whole time and I see what it is now! That coffin its riding is like a navigator for it! It's letting the Shadow know when its getting attacked!"

"The coffin?!" Violet and Rei gasped at the same time.

"That's why it wasn't able to dodge when Senpai attacked it! He almost hit the coffin and it didn't register it as an attack!" Rise explained.

"Then we just need to give it a good whack, right?" Skull said with a grin.

"Check this out!" Oracle was in Necronomicon, granting the party an attack buff. She also made sure to stay out of harm's way.

Fuuka was standing inside of Lucia, holding her hands together. "Let me help, too!" She said, using Lucia's power to restore everyone's magical power to a small degree. The fight ahead was going to be treacherous and she wanted to prepare them.

Joker spun around and attached his grappling hook to ceiling. He pulled himself up and took out his gun, shooting bullets of curse magic towards Merciful Clergyman. Considering what they just learned, it was no surprise that he was able to avoid the bullets sent his way. But Joker merely smirked because he was using himself as nothing more than a distraction. This did mean he was under fire from a few coffins and some of them hit him. He fell to the ground, but he did exactly what he needed to do. Yukari and Zen took aim with their weapons and fired! Yukari's arrow and Zen's crossbow bolt struck the coffin Merciful Clergyman was riding, causing his flight path to stop.

"W-What!?" Merciful Clergyman looked surprised by this turn of events. Before the shock could truly settle in, Hermes, Cerberus, and Kintoki-Doji crashed into him! Merciful Clergyman was sent hurtling into the floor where the entire building shook slightly as a result.

"Not bad, you two!" Junpei spoke while smirking.

"I bet that one hurt!" Teddie snickered while dancing happily.

Merciful Clergyman slowly picked himself up, glaring towards the Persona users. "Men! Women! Amen! Do you not believe in the word of God!? That is a SIN! Lost sheep, I tie you up! More vows! More penance!" As he spoke, two books began to shine at once. The red and blue book began to shine. "Just vow to me all manner of things!"

"What's it doing now!?" Yukari groaned. "Aren't those the books that punish us for attacking!?"

"It's trying to stop us from attacking at all..." Violet narrowed her eyes.

To make things worse, the yellow and green book began to shine. Merciful Clergyman used these two books to cast Magarula and Mazionga at the same time! This resulted in a twister of wind and lightning that surrounded the interior of the building. The lightning struck wildly while the wind beat everyone down. When the two spells were combined like this, everyone had a hard time resisting the damage that was being dealt to them. Yu, Kanji, Junpei, Yukari, Skull, Aigis, Mona, Yosuke, Teddie Minato, and Kotone were receiving the worst of it as they were violently tossed around if not being struck by a stray lightning bolt. Dragon was using Belle Star to soak up as much damage as she could for everyone, but asking her to endure all that strain was too much and everyone knew it.

"Everyone, be careful!" Fuuka said while she, Rise, and Oracle had to keep their heads down.

When a stray lightning bolt when towards the Velvet Attendants, Caroline smacked it away with her baton. "Come on, Inmate! Hurry up and take this thing down already!"

"Can we just go back to the blue room already!?" Marie yelped while holding onto her hat and her bag. This was way too much to be a spectator of! But these blue freaks were standing in the storm perfectly fine!

"Tch..." Minato's unseen eye was closed. This did look problematic. If they attacked, they'd be punished. If they didn't attack, they'd just lose. Luckily they had an ace up their sleeve. "Aigis! It's time to go full power."

Aigis' eyes flashed blue at that command. "Understood! Ready to engage!" Aigis jumped into the air as the fans on her head started to move faster; blue lines flashed on her robotic body and for a moment it looked like she had wings. "ORGIA MODE: ACTIVATE!" Aigis released all her limiters, tackling Merciful Clergyman into the nearest wall. This of course did activate the punishment, but Aigis was moving so quickly she was able to dodge the coffins and even destroy some of them! She was completely outpacing Merciful Clergyman, flying all around while landing numerous hits against it. Even with the aid of its coffin navigator, it just couldn't keep up with Aigis' speed.

"Whoa! Aigis is going insane...!" Yosuke gasped. "What is that?!"

"Orgia Mode." Minato explained while picking himself up. "Aigis unleashes all her power for a short time. No commands are going to reach her during this time..."

"And she'll overheat after a short time!" Kotone added. "Kick his ass, Aigis!"

Aigis couldn't really hear them. She was focused on eliminating the threat in front of her. Merciful Clergyman's yellow book shone as it fired off a bolt of lightning at Aigis, but she easily dodged this and slammed her leg into the Shadow's stomach. She twisted her body, sending Merciful Clergyman hurtling towards the ceiling. "Paladion!" Paladion appeared and charged forward, further crushing Merciful Clergyman into the ceiling. Before it could even fall, Aigis pointed her arm cannon forward. "FIRING!" She released a missile from her arm which exploded against Merciful Clergyman. Merciful Clergyman finally countered by rushing Aigis down, using two of his four arms to smash her straight into the ground, following up with a Zionga to put her down. Aigis took this hit, winced, and continued her assault. She flew forward at high speeds, assaulting Merciful Clergyman from all angles before the final blow was another tackle that caused an explosion. Aigis landed on the ground after and immediately collapsed. "Overheating..."

"Aigis!" Fuuka wanted to out, but knew she couldn't. "She's overheating, she can't move now!"

Merciful Clergyman slowly pried himself from the hole in the wall that Aigis put him in. He fired off a Zionga at Aigis once more, but she was saved by a combined effort of Kotone, Minato, and Mona. "Did you hear the voice of GOD!? Believe and you will be saved! If not, the sin is thine! It's too early to go to his side! Mercy is a virtue! Welcome to the salvation of the agape!"

"Man, what the hell is this thing talking about!? I'm gettin' real sick of this preachin'!" Kanji grunted.

"It's time for one final vow!" Merciful Clergyman exclaimed as every book in hand began to shine. "Vow to me, that you will declare your love and devotion to your Destined Partner!"

"WHAT!?" Now this was...an extremely difficult vow to follow up.

"I'm NOT doing that!" Yosuke shook his head frantically. But when he glanced above them, he saw gigantic coffins floating over everyone. "Aw, shit..."

"Is this it's final gambit...!?" Mitsuru found herself blushing. She couldn't possibly do that!

"I-I can't do that...!" Yukari nearly dropped her bow from shock.

"A-Are you serious!? Whowoulddothat!?" Marie's cheeks were bright red.

"Ooooooh! A declaration of love in the midst of a heated showdown!" Elizabeth cupped her hands around her mouth. "Go forth, Joker! I love you! You must win the day!"

"Wh...!?" Even Joker was surprised by this. He should've been used to her antics, but he didn't think she'd fully lean into it.

"Don't just leave her hanging!" Kotone shouted.

"Can we take this SERIOUSLY for a second!?" Naoto was trying to get her bearings straight, but this was far too embarrassing! Even if this was just for combat, uttering such words was...!

"U-Um...!" Dragon and Panther looked at each other. They both started blushing hard too. "I...I, um...!" They both stuttered. It shouldn't have been hard. But when they were put on the spot like this, in front of so many people...! The coffins above everyone were also beginning to spin around, too.

"What we do?" Zen asked. It looked like they were out of options unless someone decided to speak up! But he could see that there was a lot of hesitation going around; he was the only one who didn't understand the weight of what was being asked. "All you have to do is confess..."

"You don't get it, man!" Yosuke objected. "That's like, something you can't just ignore once you put it out there!"

"And if I'm going to confess, it's not going to be to Koromaru!" Teddie added.

"You don't have to worry!" Violet suddenly spoke up, standing next to Rei. "Rei-chan and I..."

"Su-chan and I..." Rei had her hands on her hips.

"WE CAN DO THIS! IT'S SHOWTIME!"

The scenery changed, although only slightly. They were still in a church, but there were several roses scattered about the walls and ceiling. Merciful Clergyman was standing at the top of a podium, looking down at the pair that approached him. "Do you vow your love to your destined partner!?" Merciful Clergyman asked while Rei and Violet stood in front of him.

"You bet we do!" Violet smiled and looked towards Rei. The two then high fived one another before pulling their hands apart, both of them tracing half a heart. Their hands connected again at the bottom and a pink heart appeared in front of them, shooting towards Merciful Clergyman for a direct hit! He cried out in pain and stumbled back. "We promise!" They brought heir hands together up top again, and made another heart for another hit! "That in love and in sickness!" They repeated it once again. "We will stick by one another as friends until the very end!" The final heart was bigger than the last and it crushed Merciful Clergyman, keeping him pinned to the window.

"If you have an objection, speak now...!" Rei began.

Violet pulled her gun out, twirling it around in her hand before pointing it forward. "Or forever hold your peace!" She fired a bullet of light towards the center of the heart, which exploded violently. She and Rei high fived each other one last time in the midst of the explosion.

"Ugh..." Merciful Clergyman groaned loudly after the Showtime.

"Now's our chance! GO GET EM!" Rei pointed forward, initiating an All Out Attack despite not being able to jump in herself. Zen took the lead on this and the others followed, assualting Merciful Clergyman from all angles. Rei turned around and gave a wink and a peace sign with her tongue sticking out.

"Snack you later!"

"This...can't...no..." Merciful Clergyman finally fell from the combined efforts of everyone. He vanished and in his place was a treasure chest, unlocked with his defeat.

"A treasure chest?" Ken looked at it. This was the first time Minato's SEES saw this.

"This is what it was guarding?" Yukari took the chance to catch her breath.

"Treasure..." Morgana's eyes lit up and he attached himself to the treasure box, purring and nuzzling it with his head. This was also the first time Minato and his SEES saw this, so they had no idea what was happening.

"What's he doing...?" Akihiko asked.

"Woof!" Koromaru barked.

"Koromaru-san says that Mona is making claim to the treasure chest." Aigis translated. She was able to stand now.

"I will open it." Zen said while walking towards the closed box. He did have to nudge Mona off of the box.

And when Zen approached the box, Rei suddenly wore a pensive expression. Something in her heart really did not want to see what was in that box. Zen...no!" Zen knelt down and opened the box, reaching inside to pull out...a small red ring. "DON'T TOUCH THAT!" The moment Rei laid eyes on it, she smacked it out of Zen's hand, much to everyone's surprise. Right after she did, the sound of the bell echoed throughout the labyrinth.

"What the...?" Marie was looking around. "We can hear that thing even in here?"

"That is most peculiar..." Margaret pursed her lips in intrigue.

"I wonder if this means time has passed." Theodore wondered.

"Or rather, why it chose to ring now of all times." Justine mumbled.

The group wasn't able to enjoy the high of victory after Rei's unexpected outburst. Rei frowned and held her hands together, fully aware of what she just did. "Sorry. I'm sorry, Zen."

"It's all right. I'm as confused as you are." Zen said while kneeling down to pick up the ring.

"Is that a toy ring?" Chie asked. "Like the one they sell at fairs?"

"I had one back in the day." Yukiko said with a bit of nostalgia. "It made me feel like a princess, and that was my royal heirloom."

"I always wanted one of those..." Queen said with a somewhat jealous tone. Alas, she never had the chance to get one...

Shinjiro turned to Zen. "So, Zen. Did that bring anything back to you yet?"

"Yes," Zen responded while closing his eyes. He could feel some of his memories surfacing once again. "I was searching for something in this world...it was because Rei cried. But I couldn't find it. Rei, I think this ring is yours."

"I don't know..." Rei's voice was quiet and shaky.

"Then why did you tell me not to touch it?" Zen asked.

"I don't know." Rei repeated, her voice still small. "I just...thought that you shouldn't."

"That stuffed rabbit we found in the previous labyrinth...that was also Rei's." Zen felt like he knew this for a fact. "Why are her things in the depths of the labyrinths...?"

"I hate you, Zen!" Rei suddenly blurted out, causing everyone to enter a state of stunned silence.

"H-Hate...me...?" Zen may not have understood love, but he knew what hate was.

"It's all your fault! I don't care about you anymore!" Rei shouted, eyes closed and fist clenched tightly.

Zen had no idea what was going on. But if she hated him, it had to be his fault. He glanced to the side, unable to look at Rei. A strange sense of guilt overcame him; deeper than he could ever understand. "Rei...don't cry. I'm sorry, it's my fault."

"Uh..." Skull rubbed the back of his neck. He had no idea what to say in a situation like this.

"Um...are we...intruding here?" Yukari asked. This felt like the kind of thing they shouldn't be witnessing.

"Rei-chan..." Violet placed her hand on her chest, looking towards Rei with concern.

"This cruelty is trying to us single people!" Teddie opened his arms. "I do have a space open right here, you know..."

"It'll be open forever." Yukari snapped.

"Hgrn..." Rejected. Teddie grumbled.

"U-Um..." Fuuka found herself struggling to interject. "Perhaps we should return to the Velvet Room? Since we've defeated one of these Guardians, maybe one of the locks on the doors came off."

"Ah, but of course!" Elizabeth clasped her hands together. "We must all make the trek back to the Velvet Room! But, my, we have such a large group. Everyone is here!"

"It's gonna be a long walk back, isn't it?" Oracle slumped over. Elizabeth's energy was far too much for her to deal with...

"Let's keep it going. We're making good progress." Joker said with a positive attitude.

As they left the Group Date Cafe, Rei turned her gaze to the empty treasure chest one last time. Her frown only deepened and she placed a hand on her chest. This feeling gnawing away at her very core...why did she dread it so much...?

Chapter Text

After clearing Group Date cafe at long last, the group returned to the Velvet Room to check the locks on the doors. Just as they suspected, the second lock quivered before shattering completely. "Whoa!" Ann pointed at the doors. "The second lock actually broke!"

"But when did it start growing weaker?" That was a question that Akechi had to ponder.

"With everyone in the Velvet Room getting dragged into the Labyrinth, we have no means to confirm it." Naoto stroked her chin. "But if I had to wager a guess, I would say it happened after we defeated that Shadow. Maybe even after the bell chime."

"I have to agree." Akechi said. That was the timing that made the most sense.

"But we've still only knocked out two out of eight." Yukiko pursed her lips. It felt like the progress they were making was slow. "Does that mean we have six more labyrinths to deal with?"

"No..." Zen slowly shook his head. "There should only be two more."

Zen sounded so sure of this. It sounded as if his memory was returning. "Did you remember something?" Shinjiro asked.

"Somewhat." Zen closed his eyes. "Like I said in You in Wonderland, there are four labyrinths. If there's something I'm sure of, it's still that."

"So why do the numbers not add up?" Chie was the last person who could think of an answer. But she was going to try and rattle her brain for something.

"Maybe there are more guardians within the other labyrinths?" Ann suggested. "If we think about it like that..."

"Then I'd say that we're halfway done!" It didn't sound like it made sense. But Akihiko saw the logic. "All we have to do is keep things up."

"Hell yeah! We just kick the ass of any Shadow that tries to step to us." Ryuji smirked.

"Yes! And we shall crush them all underfoot!" Hifumi suddenly declared, fully agreeing with Ryuji's statement. The way they synced up did surprise a few people.

"I still can't get a read on her." Chie whispered to the others. Hifumi was still an anomaly for a few people.

"Does this mean we are heading to the next labyrinth already?" Aigis turned to the group. "I am ready for deployment at any given moment."

To that, Fuuka shook her head. "I don't think that's a wise idea right now. We were trying to look for it before we got snatched into the labyrinth with all of you. Plus I think everyone else could use the rest..."

"Fuuka-chan is right! I'm starving." Ann let out a groan as her stomach rumbled. She did have a few leftover snacks from the table they encountered, but that wasn't enough to keep her satiated.

"I'd rather not fill up on only snacks either." Yukari was a little self conscious about that. Although she couldn't help but stare with shock and a bit of envy as Ann devoured sweets and still kept that figure.

"I'm hungry, too." Kasumi and Rei said at the exact same time. That just made everyone sweat. The black holes were ready for more food...

"This is a good opportunity." Naoto spoke while grabbing the tip of her hat. "I would also like for us to go over everything we know so far. Hm...this group is pretty large. We'll probably have to push a few tables together."

"Considering that the people here only half respond to us, I don't think they'll mind." Morgana said.

"...I'm coming too. I was going to get food before I was whisked into that weird place." Marie huffed.

"You're welcome to join us, Marie-chan! The more the merrier!" Yosuke gave Marie a playful wink. With that, the group left the Velvet Room. The Velvet Attendants returned to their usual posts now that they were back.

.

.

The group gathered in the cafeteria. It was a little awkward having to push a few tables together, but this allowed them to eat and also discuss things about their current progress. The only one who was kind of sitting off to the side was Rei, at a different table. After the fight she had with Zen, the two of them found it a little difficult to be near one another right now. So it was Kasumi who decided to sit next to her to keep her a little company. "We can fill those two in later..." Akechi noted before turning to Naoto.

"So what did you want to talk about, Naoto?" Yusuke asked.

"I just wanted to go over out current progress." Naoto had her arms crossed. "We still have a lot of unknowns to work with going forward."

"I agree." Mitsuru brushed her hair behind her ear. "Zen, what was it you said about the item you found in the Labyrinth?"

"It was a ring." Zen was still holding onto it, even though Rei slapped it out of his hand. "I...I think that this belongs to Rei. I think the item we found in the previous labyrinth also belonged to her as well."

"The previous item?" Ken asked.

"Oh, right. We never showed you guys." Ryuji turned to Zen.

Zen took out the stuffed rabbit and placed it on the table next to the ring. "This."

"A stuffed rabbit? It's cute..." Yukari said with a soft tone.

"It says N.I.K.O on it..." Shinjiro noted. "But it's supposed to be Rei's? I don't get it."

"...I have a thought, but I don't want to put it out into the open without any evidence to support it." Akechi shook his head.

"Oh, yeah, sure, just leave us all on the edge like that." Junpei rolled his eyes.

"So we should only be looking out for two more items then, right?" Akihiko said. "In that case, if there really are two labyrinths left, we might find the mystery behind all of these. But if they're Rei's, then why..."

"Has Rei-chan remembered anything yet?" Yukiko asked the others. There was a collective silence.

"It doesn't seem like it." Minato shook his head. "If she had, we'd probably know."

"Isn't that weird, though? We're finding Rei's stuff, but it's Zen that's remembering things." Kotone pressed a finger to her cheek, head tilting as she stared up at the ceiling. "I wonder what's going on there."

"I wish I knew, too." Zen couldn't explain it. He would love nothing more than for Rei to regain her lost memories.

"I suppose we're only going to find out by continuing into Labyrinths..." Ren said.

.

"Ugh..." Rei sighed while munching on a donut. She was sad and it was very easy to see.

"Are you okay, Rei-chan?" Kasumi asked while placing a hand on Rei's back. It was a hard question to ask considering the fight she just had with Zen, but she had to. "Are you still mad at Zen?"

"Yes? Um...No..." Rei admitted, sadly chewing on her donut. "I don't know what came over me earlier. I just blurted it out..." She wasn't sure why. It was a feeling that bubbled deep within her chest. But she liked Zen! He was always so kind to her. He protected her. So why did she feel hate towards him? "I wish I could remember things, too!" She said with a frustrated sigh.

"I know that feeling." That came from Marie, who was standing near their table.

"Emmy-chan?" Rei tilted her head, obviously swiping that nickname from Teddie. "What do you mean?"

Marie stood with a tray of food, studying Rei's expression for a second. "I lost my memories, too."

This made Rei's eyes widen. "Really?! You can't remember anything either..?!"

"Yeah." Marie nodded. "I don't know a single thing about myself. It stressed me out for a really long time, too..."

"Wow...I had no idea..." Kasumi replied quietly.

"How did you get over it..?" Rei looked to Marie with a hopeful expression. She was really feeling the strain of not having any memories. It made her feel like she didn't belong...

"Not by myself." Marie admitted with a slight smile. "If it wasn't for those guys, I would still be stressing over it." She glanced over to Yu and the members of the Investigation Team. "I learned that what you lost isn't what matters; it's what you have."

"What I have...?" Rei pursed her lips.

"Basically...even if you don't have any memories of your past, you can make new ones. And those new ones are what you should be holding onto." Marie explained, eyes closed as she felt so wise in the moment. Even though she was parroting what Yu told her, it felt kind of nice to be able to guide someone through a similar circumstance.

"New memories..." Rei thought for a moment and then she came to smile. "Oh! Like all the fun I've been having with everyone! And all the fun we'll have once we get out of here!"

"That's the spirit!" Kasumi grinned. It looked like Rei was in higher spirits now.

"Exactly. So stop moping around and enjoy your new memories." Marie gave a firm nod. "Looking ahead is way better than worrying about what's behind you. It's dark back there, while the path ahead is bright. Wouldn't you rather look towards the light than the abyss?"

"Um." Now Kasumi was starting to get a little lost. Marie's prose was starting to slip into her conversation. "Can you repeat that?"

Marie realized her mistake and started to blush. "S-shutupIdidn'tsayanything! Bye!" And with that, Marie walked off, presumably returning to the Velvet Room. It was a hasty and awkward exit, a complete opposite to how wise she sounded just a moment ago.

"Mm..." Rei stared at her half eaten donut for a moment. "Think about the future. For the future...I want to get out here and eat good food with everyone! So we're gonna get out of here, right, Su-chan!"

"Right!" Kasumi and Rei gave each other a high five.

.

"It sounds like things are working out over there." Junpei noted with a grin. "I think we can call the Team Meeting for the Super Persona Squadron a success, then!"

"Whoa, whoa whoa!" Chie held her hands out. "Are you seriously trying to make that name a thing!?"

"Absolutely not. It's so lame." Yukari gave her disapproval with a shake of her head.

"I wasn't the one who came up with it! It was Ren!" Junpei quickly shifted the blame to Ren.

"W-Whoa, what?" Ren blinked a few times. "I was just giving a suggestion! Junpei is the one that took off flying with it!"

"It's a bad name." Chie voiced her complaints. "Why do we even need a team name in the first place? It's just us here."

"I knew someone would ask that!" Junpei held a smirk. "So, just hear me out."

Upon hearing that, Yukari rolled her eye so hard they could've fallen out of their sockets. "Yeah, because something good always follows a sentence like that."

"First off, we're all different teams with different names. We need a single name to showcase that we're a unified group! You say it's just us here, but that's not true! There's absolutely some big bad that's watching us from the shadows." Junpei explained with all eyes on him.

"There is logic behind Junpei-san's words." Aigis nodded.

"So far." Morgana couldn't exactly argue against it, but he was also wary of where Junpei was going with this.

"So now, imagine this." Junpei was trying to set the scene. "We stand face to face against that thing, they'll ask...who are you! And that's when we respond with...'We're the Super Persona Squadron!'!"

There was a collective silence that filled the air. Yukari was the one that broke it. "You're so dumb."

"I agree we could use a team name." Yu wasn't adverse to the idea. "But I don't know if we're going to find something that suits all of us."

"Don't people take a vote in that case?" Ken suggested.

"Do we even have enough name suggestions for that?" Futaba asked.

"I have a name idea!" Ann raised her hand. "What about The Diamonds?"

"You're still tryna make that name work?" Ryuji shook his head.

"It's a good name!" Both Ann and Morgana shouted at the same time.

"I'm sticking with Super Persona Squadron." Junpei said firmly.

"Why don't we just keep it simple?" The one who spoke up was Minato. Though he was largely quiet for the discussions, he didn't think they had to complicate this situation. "Team Persona."

"Whoa, I didn't expect you to throw your hat into the ring!" Kotone teased, nudging Minato with her elbow slightly.

"I just thought it'd be easier that way." Minato shrugged.

"I suppose we really aren't going anywhere until we settle this somehow." Hifumi pressed her finger to her cheek lightly.

"The simple solution is to take a vote." Akechi said. "It would end this topic swiftly."

"I guess we're really doing this." Yosuke stretched his arms over his head.

"The Super Persona Squadron vs. The Diamonds vs. Team Persona." Yusuke wrote all the names down. "I believe the swiftest course of action is for everyone to take a piece of paper and write down the team name they want. Then we can stuff them in a box and count them out!"

"That would be the fastest solution..." Mitsuru couldn't really believe they were doing this. But at the same time, there was a hint of curiosity.

"Ah, one sec! We need an impartial third party to count the votes!" Kotone suddenly sprang up from her seat and sprinted off. A few moments later she returned with Theodore. "Here we go!"

Kotone practically pulled Theodore into the room. His expression riddled with mild confusion as he held a box in his left arm."Um. Might I ask what this is about?" Theodore looked at the others.

"You didn't even explain anything to him?" Yukari looked at Kotone with a bit of an exasperated expression. Kotone just gave a bright smile in response.

"So, Theo! We're going to make a vote on a team name for our group. We want you to count the votes and announce the winner. Is that alright with you?"

"Oh, is that all?" Theodore placed his right hand on his chest and gave a slight bow. "I can do that."

"See! No issue!" Kotone smiled at Yukari, who let out a small sigh.

With that, everyone partook in choosing a team name. It took a few minutes and eventually everyone placed a slip of paper into the box Theodore held. "Alright. I believe that is everyone. I will now begin drawing names and keeping a tally." Theodore said, reaching into the box. "The first vote goes to...The Diamonds."

"Yay!" Ann beamed.

"Super Persona Squadron..." Theodore went on. "Team Persona..." This continued for a while. In the end, The Diamonds only got a few votes; there were a few more for Super Persona Squadron. But in the end... "I believe this goes without saying at this point, but the winning team name is...Team Persona."

"Aw, man." Junpei snapped his fingers.

"Simplicity wins the day. I find there to be something rather beautiful about that." Yusuke said with a smile.

"It was kinda fun." Yukiko said with a small giggle. "Maybe I should've come up with a name, too."

"Then we never would've gotten anywhere..." Chie said with a small sigh.

"Team Persona it is, led by you, Ren." Minato said while looking towards Ren.

"We'll do what we can to help." Yu said with a firm nod. "You're not alone in this. We're a big group and we should support each other."

"That does make me feel better." Ren was still not entirely used to being the head of such a large group. It was different when it was the Phantom Thieves, but everyone was now looking to him for leadership. It felt like a lot, but he also knew he wasn't alone in this regard as well.

"Allllright!" Rise spoke up with a bright smile. "Now that we've got that all settled, I say it's time we all take a break! We'll look for the next labyrinth in a bit. I think everyone's deserved a little R&R in the meantime!" No one was going to argue with that! After that rough experience in Group Date Cafe, everyone could use a bit of time to themselves.

.

.

With Team Persona having split up for some leisurely activities amongst themselves, Ren was walking around aimlessly. He had no real destination, but it was nice to just walk. Eventually, he did come across Kotone, Minato, and Yu sitting at a table together. When Kotone noticed him, she waved him over. "What are you guys all doing here?"

"Perfect timing!" Kotone smiled and gestured for Ren to take a at the table, which he did. "We were just about to look for you."

"For me? What for?" Ren asked while crossing his arms.

"Kotone said she thought it would be good if we got to know each other." Minato said.

"We're all connected by the power of the Wild Card." Yu said.

"Plus, we're all leaders." Kotone lifted a finger. "So I thought we should talk a little. At least know where we came from and how we got into our situations. Granted, Minato and I share the same circumstances, I think..."

"My parents died in an accident. After that, I moved around for a while until I ended up in Iwatodai." Minato said simply. Kotone gave a nod of agreement.

"Mhm. Same for me." Kotone said. It was freaky to have someone who shared the exact same life changing experience as her verbatim...but she was getting used to it.

"I feel a little bad in comparison." Yu rubbed the back of his neck. "I just moved temporarily to Inaba because of my parents job. I stay with my uncle and cousin."

"Nah, don't feel bad! I'm happy you don't have extreme circumstances like Minato and I." Kotone flashed Yu a smile before turning to Ren. "What about you, Ren? The others mentioned you were a transfer student..."

Ren cracked a smile, although it wasn't a happy one. "Yeah, I'll tell you guys. Technically speaking...you guys are talking to a criminal."

"Huh?" Kotone blinked a few times.

"And I don't mean about the Phantom Thief stuff either." Ren closed his eyes. This caught the other's attention. "As far my record is concerned, I'm a criminal."

"What?!" Kotone slammed her hands on the table, standing up. "How!? You're like...the nicest guy ever...!?"

"I'll set the scene." Ren could never forget that night. "It was a late night in my home town. I was heading home when I hear a commotion. When I investigate, I see some drunk man bothering a woman, trying to force her into a car. I couldn't just leave it alone...so I intervene and stood between them. The drunkard got mad and tried to hit me...only he stumbled and ended up falling over."

"So...you didn't do anything...?" Minato narrowed his eyes.

"Well, no...but that didn't matter. The man was still upset and said he'd get me arrested for assault. I didn't lay a finger on him, but when the cops came...they did what he said." Ren clenched his hand into a fist at the memory. "The woman tried to stand up for me at first, but she then turned on me. The cops took me in and arrested me right after."

"Are you serious!?" Kotone had anger written all over her face. "That's bullshit! You didn't do a single thing...!"

"They really went through with that?" Yu had a hard time believing it himself. They took Ren in just like that?

"Where is that guy!? I'll punch his lights out for you!" Kotone even punched the air a few times. She was deadly serious about it.

"I don't know." Ren shook his head. "It was dark and I never really got a good look at his face. I just remember his voice. I can't forget the voice of a man that got me arrested. Since then, I've been on probation. I had to move to Yongen and have to be a good student for a few more months. Although a certain teacher made sure to leak the fact that I'm a criminal, so the students at Shujin give me the side eye. But now that the Phantom Thieves are branded criminals, the thin ice I'm on is cracking. Thankfully Sojiro is looking out for me...that's Futaba's adopted father, by the way."

"...That sucks." Minato let out a weighted sigh. "I can't believe they did that to you."

"You've really had it rough, too..." Kotone found it in herself to calm down.

Ren managed a smile. "It's alright. If not for that, I never would've enrolled into Shujin or met my friends. So I can't really say it was all bad..."

"You're pretty strong for finding the positives." Yu smiled and patted Ren on the shoulder. "You've got some good friends, too."

"They're good people." Ren's smile softened a little bit. "So...thank you guys for looking out for them, too."

"No problem!" Kotone gave a thumbs up in a bright smile. "We're all friends here, and we're going to get out of this place together!"

"Yeah," Minato said. For a moment it looked like his lips curved into a slight smile, although it was faint and hard to notice.

"The power of our bonds will break us free from this labyrinth. All we have to do is believe in each other." Yu added.

Akechi just so happen to be listening from around a corner. He didn't intend to eavesdrop, but that changed when Ren started speaking about the circumstances that led to his arrest. This was the first time he'd heard the story, and yet... "It couldn't be...what kind of twist fate is that...?!"

.

.

More time passed. The wild cards split up to enjoy more time alone. Kotone found some pocky and was enjoying it by her lonesome. Shinjiro noticed her and decided to approach, hands in his coat pockets. "Hey, Kotone."

Kotone almost stiffened up for a bit. But she was able to relax. It helped not hearing her actual name from a familiar face. Still, she knew that voice. She turned to see Shinjiro and smiled. "Hi, Aragaki-senpai! Is there something I can do for you?"

Shinjiro stared at Kotone for a bit. "I'm not gonna beat around the bush. There's something I wanna ask you."

"Um...okay. What's up?" Kotone munched on her pocky slowly.

Shinjiro thought back to her teasing him back in the labyrinth. Aside from the fact he was flustered for the first time, there was something more important on his mind about it. So Shinjiro was as blunt as possible with his question: "How much do you actually know about me?"

And when he asked that question, the color rapidly drained from Kotone's face. Her curious expression quickly turned into one of horror and shock...

Chapter Text

"How much do you know about me?"

That question made Kotone's chest tighten. Her breathing got a bit heavy and her face paled. She felt like she was about to throw up. She knew why he asked that question. It was her own fault for teasing him too much, but she couldn't help it. "W-What do you mean, Aragaki-san?" She asked, only if to try and buy herself some time.

Shinjiro took note of how the color drained from Kotone's face. A reaction he wasn't expecting, but he pressed on regardless. "You said earlier that everyone in SEES is exactly as the same from where you come from. You said that I hadn't joined yet...but you also know too much about me. I know for a fact that other version of me wouldn't have rejoined until a certain point."

"You really stuck your god damn foot in in now, Minako...!" Kotone thought to herself, grimacing as her heart felt tight in her chest.

"So...tell me the truth. How much do you really know about me?" Shinjiro repeated. He could see on Kotone's face she was struggling for one reason or another. He wasn't even mad, but her words and actions stuck out to him.

"Ngh..." Kotone let out a disgruntled sigh and glanced to the side. "Okay. There's no point in trying to hide this...I did lie before. I knew, er, know you, Aragaki-san. Or at least...the other you..."

"I thought as much." Shinjiro's hands were in his pockets. "I haven't cooked for everyone. I give Yamagishi and Yuki some pointers, but that's it. So my next question is...what date was it when you came here?"

"Um..." Kontone paused for a moment. She actually had to try and remember. "It was...October 30th." She responded.

Shinjiro looked surprised. "That's a whole operation ahead of the rest of us...which begs the question...why did you lie about knowing me?"

"..." Kotone felt that tight feeling in her chest again. She glanced to the side, placing a hand on her chest. "I...I...I...I can't...tell you that..."

"You...can't tell me?" Shinjiro furrowed his brows. He wanted to ask more, but it didn't take a genius to see how stressed Kotone was about this topic. He had no idea why...or maybe, he could guess. But as long as she didn't tell him, he wouldn't know.

"I-I...I had a feeling I came from a time ahead of the rest of you. When I saw you and the others, that confirmed it." Kotone said through hard breaths. "It puts me in an awkward situation. The Phantom Thieves and Investigation Team all promised not to spoil the future. I didn't think I'd only be a few weeks ahead of you guys."

Shinjiro remained silent for a moment before letting out a small sigh. The last thing he wanted to do was stress Kotone out even more. "...You don't have to tell me if you're not up for it. I just wanted to know the truth."

"P-Please don't tell the others." Kotone pleaded. This was the first time she couldn't hold onto her happy mask and looked desperate.

"...I won't." Shinjiro nodded slowly. He placed a hand on his hat and turned away. "Sorry if this was a sore topic. I didn't mean to push you about it. I'll leave it at that." He started to walk off, leaving Kotone by herself.

Kotone stared at Shinjiro as he walked off. She bit her lip, that feeling in her chest only growing tighter as he walked off. If he walked off, what if she never saw him again...? "W-Wait!" She called out to him, causing him to stop and turn. "Listen, Aragaki-san...I...I can't tell you right now. I wasn't ready for this. But I...I do want to tell you more later."

"Are you sure?" Shinjiro asked gently. "I'm not gonna force you to talk about it if you don't want to."

"No...I...I think I want to." Kotone replied while shaking her head. "It's...hard to talk about. Maybe even a little selfish of me. But I want to. I just need a little time."

"If you're sure." That was all Shinjiro could say about it. If Kotone wanted to tell him, that was completely up to her. "I'll stay quiet about this to the others, don't worry."

"Thank you." Kotone managed to smile. Her heart was still beating against her chest like there was no tomorrow. But she didn't feel as stressed as Shinjiro walked away this time. Once he was finally gone, her eyes were wide. "Oh my god, what am I doing? Can I really? Should I..." All of these thoughts were swirling about in her head. She was only snapped out of it when she felt a brief, sharp pain in her lower left leg. "Ow!? Did something bite me!?" She swatted at her leg and quickly looked around, but she didn't see anything nearby either. "Ugh...I'm too stressed for this." Shaking her head, she walked off to clear her thoughts.

The one thing Kotone didn't notice was a familiar spider skittering slowly across the ground...

.

.

"This world still has a number of mysteries..." Akechi was by himself. With everyone breaking off to do their own things, he could finally enjoy a moment of peace and quiet. Such a large group in a confined space meant it was hard to have a moment alone. "And about what Amamiya was talking about...could it really be..."

Of course, just as Akechi was planning to enjoy a moment alone, who else would bother him other than Yosuke. "Ah! Just the guy I was looking for...!"

"What?" Akechi furrowed his brows as Yosuke approached him. Why Yosuke? Why now. "What is the matter, Hanamura-san?"

"Chie is flipping out!" Yosuke said while coming to a stop in front of Akechi, panting heavily since he did a mad dash.

"...Is she now? Well, that's unfortunate. But I don't understand what this has to do with me." Akechi cleared his throat. "Narukami-san or Amagi-san should be your go-tos, yes?"

"They got dragged away for something!" Yosuke explained. "And you're an Ace Detective! So I was hoping maybe you could figure out why she's so mad?" He then clapped his hands together. "Please? If I asked she might accidentally kick me again in her agitated state! A man cannot go through that again!"

Clearly, Yosuke wasn't giving him much of a choice. His pleading was a little pathetic and honestly, Akechi wanted to tell him no. But for some reason, he found himself letting out a heavy sigh. "Alright. I will at least check in with her. Although I will not promise if I can be any help."

"You're a lifesaver!" Yosuke breathed a sigh of relief. All Akechi could do was shake his head and walk off.

Soon, Akechi found Chie with her arms crossed, angrily tapping her foot on the ground. "Chie-san?"

"What!?" Chie turned around, only to see Akechi. So she tried to calm down immediately. "O-Oh! Akechi-kun! Sorry...I'm feeling a little irritable right now and I thought you were Yosuke."

Now he understood why Yosuke feared for his life. Akechi saw how Chie's legs twitched there. "I heard that something was eating away at you. So I came to figure out what it was."

"The worst crime imaginable!" Chie said with a loud huff. "Someone stole my meat jelly!"

"...I'm sorry? Meat...jelly?" Akechi could not even fathom what that tasted like.

"I was saving it for a snack." Chie grumbled, arms crossed. "I remember leaving it on a table a little while before we left for the Group Date Cafe. When we came back, it was GONE! And I saw someone running away! I just...didn't see who it was..." That was the most annoying part about it all.

As absurd as the item in question was, Akechi could not deny that a theft was a theft. "I see. So it appears that we have a food thief on our hands...well, this suddenly sounds like it will prove to be interesting. If you've put in a request, I will help you find your thief."

"You will!?" Chie's eyes lit up. This was actually the first time Akechi approached her, now that she thought about it. And he was going to help her! "You're the best! I owe you one!"

"Think nothing of it." Akechi shook his head, presenting a pleasant smile. With that, he walked off towards the Nurse's Office.

.

.

When Akechi arrived at the Nurse's Office, he found a surprising duo with Elizabeth: Ren and Naoto. "Oh? What have we here?"

"Oh, Akechi. What brings you here?" Ren asked, not expecting to see Akechi show up.

"I heard there was a mystery of some kind. A theft, if you will. So I came to accept the request." Akechi explained.

"That's highly convenient." Naoto said while tipping her hat. "I was just enlisting Ren-senpai's aid in the matter. I take it you are here for the theft of the 'meat jelly' by the client I will call...C."

"Indeed." Akechi smiled. "Now isn't this a rare opportunity...I never would have imagined I would have the chance to work with the original Detective Prince on a case."

"I kinda wanna go along for the ride now..." Ren admitted. It was rare to see Akechi take an interest in something like this.

"Go, sidekicks, go!" Elizabeth said suddenly. It did make the air in the Nurse's Office a little awkward.

Naoto's expression turned a bit more serious. "Before we discuss anything, I do believe we should move to a different location."

"What makes this room unsuitable?" Elizabeth asked while tilting her head.

"...It would be prudent to protect the victim's privacy." Naoto responded. "As such, we would prefer to keep our discussions as covert as possible."

"Ah, I see. I understand." Elizabeth did not seem too happy about it, but she would not argue with the detective. So, the trio of Ren, Naoto, and Akechi slipped out of the Nurse's Office and into the second floor display hallway.

When they arrived, Naoto looked around cautiously. "Hm...we've come this far, so I'm sure it will be all right. Let he begin 'The Case of the Missing Meat Jelly!'"

"Given by the circumstances, I take it you realized Elizabeth is a suspect in this as well?" Akechi asked and Naoto nodded.

"I see you've figured that much out." Naoto replied. "That said, I would still like to layout the basic information that we have available. First, the timing. It would have to have happened while we were within the labyrinth. Because of this, there are only six people as suspects: Elizabeth, Margaret, Marie, Theodore, Caroline, and Justine."

"Then it probably happened before they were sucked in with us." Ren stroked his chin. "Although I can't say say Caroline or Justine would want to eat anything labeled 'Meat Jelly'. Besides, they're a pair. You will never see one without the other. If they were both there, I think Ch...C would have seen both of them."

"That doesn't mean we can rule them out entirely. Not until we have sufficient evidence that proves otherwise." Akechi stated.

"So our first step will be to collect testimonies from the suspects." Naoto said firmly. "Although, do not be surprised when I say that the thief will most likely be lying in their testimony. So if we find the liar, we find the thief."

"A liar, huh?" Ren mumbled. For a moment, he thought about finding Hifumi for this task due to her power...but that wouldn't be any fun. He was in the dark along with everyone else, and he really wanted to see how two Detective Princes solved a mystery together.

"This means we have three assumptions we must make going forward: The culprit is acting alone. The culprit will lie. Everyone else will tell the truth." Naoto laid out the foundation of their investigation.

"Then we have a few places to visit, don't we?" Akechi already started to walk. "I believe I know where I want to begin."

"I suspect we have the same starting place in mind." Naoto followed alongside Akechi. Ironically, the two of them were leaving Ren in the dust.

"...Did they forget about me?" Ren wondered aloud, but still elected to follow them. Their first destination was the art room where Theodore worked. Kotone was in the room as well and they were having some kind of conversation. A conversation that came to a halt when they noticed the others walk in.

"Well, this is one heck of a crew." Kotone said with a smile. "What brings you guys here?"

"We have some business with Theodore." Naoto explained, giving Theodore and Kotone the run down.

"Meat Jelly? Ugh..." Kotone shuddered at the same.

"Would you care to tell us what you were doing at the time, Theodore?" Akechi asked.

"I-I haven't done anything! Please, I'm telling the truth!" The moment Theodore had a question turned to him, he panicked. This did surprise everyone present for a moment.

"W-We're not accusing you of anything!" Naoto quickly said to calm Theodore down.

It did work. Theodore took a breath and looked down apologetically. "My apologies. My sister is always blaming me for things I didn't do. I panicked out of habit."

"Eesh." Kotone whistled. "That sure sounds like Elizabeth..."

"But as I stated, I am not the culprit." Theodore said. "Although affirming that would be difficult. By the way, the one who goes around the school grounds the most is without a doubt Elizabeth. Just between us...I have my suspicions that Elizabeth is the culprit."

"Interesting..." Akechi nodded slowly.

"I see. Thank you, Theodore." Naoto looked to Ren and Akechi and they decided to head to their next location.

Kotone, while curious, opted not to follow. "Hm." She furrowed her brows while staring at Theodore.

"Y-Yes?" Theodore looked back at Kotone.

"Oh, nothing!" Kotone smiled. Although Theodore couldn't exactly read the meaning behind it.

.

.

The trio returned to the Nurse's Office, this time seeking out Elizabeth's testimony. "Pardon me, Elizabeth. There is something I would like to ask you about." Naoto said, explaining the situation.

Elizabeth had a bit of a smile on her face now that things were coming to light. "I see. So this is why you did not discuss the case here when the request was accepted."

"I'm sorry. I didn't want to reveal any information to a potential suspect." Naoto said. It was basic procedure to protect the integrity of the investigation.

"Very well. There is one thing I can tell you about this case. And that is that the thief is a member of my family." Elizabeth said with firmness.

"By that you mean, Margaret and Theodore, yes?" Akechi asked.

"Lav...I mean, Caroline and Justine are included in this as well. Even if they do not remember quite yet." Elizabeth explained. Although that statement did go over the heads of Akechi and Naoto, Ren understood it.

"Hm. In most cases, I would assume that you would try to deny your involvement in the case, or cover up for your family." Naoto found this interesting.

"Were I truly the thief, I would not want to give any information to an investigator." Elizabeth replied. "I believe our Phantom Thieves would understand that sentiment, no?"

"She's got a point." Ren shrugged.

"Of course, I am sure you will consider the possibility that I am lying. Please be sure to think carefully on what I said." Elizabeth said simply. If she was lying, she had a very good poker face.

"Saying something like that will only cast suspicion on you, Elizabeth-san." Akechi noted. "If you wish to retract it, we will not hold it against you."

Elizabeth merely chuckled ominously in response. "I am prepared for any and every consequences that await."

"I see...thank you for your cooperation." Naoto replied. They had one more place to visit...

.

.

The next and final stop was the Velvet Room. Marie, Margaret, Caroline and Justine were all there. This was convenient for the sake of the investigation. "Excuse me; there's something I'd like to ask all of you." And so, Naoto explained the situation to the four of them. "Would you mind telling me where you were at the time of the incident."

"I have been cooped up here the entire time." Margaret said calmly.

"Me, too." Marie said. "But I do go out on walks sometimes. I don't like sitting in this room all the time."

"Meat Jelly sounds disgusting." Caroline grimaced at the thought. "Who would eat such a thing!?"

"Caroline and I took a moment to grab some food." Justine answered. "We were together the entire time. We wouldn't consume something such as...Meat Jelly."

"What did you have if not Meat Jelly, then?" Akechi asked.

"We indulged in some sweets." Justine answered while looking at her clipboard. "Meat Jelly is not something we would have considered at the time."

"We wouldn't steal it either!" Caroline added while stomping her foot. Being accused of a crime was not something she was a fan off, especially when she was innocent! And because Ren was there, he was getting glared at. "If we were going to steal a snack, it'd be something like...popcorn. But they don't have any here."

"I see." Naoto crossed her arms. Caroline and Justine were able to corroborate each other's alibis. Breaking through that while having no other witness accounts mean she'd have little choice but to accept it as fact. "As for Marie and Margaret, this means the two of you weren't together the entire time?"

"Correct." Margaret conceded to that fact. "Neither of us would be able to prove that the other is not the thief."

"Well, I'm not the thief." Marie waved her hand. "If I was, I'd be lying about it."

"And you, Margaret?" Akechi turned to her.

"Let me see...by the looks of it, Marie does not appear to be lying." Margaret stated. "I can also confirm that Caroline and Justine did leave and return to the Velvet Room at the same time. And, though it goes without saying, I am not the culprit. I do not have the time for such things."

"I see. Thank you all for your testimonies." Naoto nodded. With that, she, Akechi, and Ren left the Velvet Room.

.

.

The trio returned to the second floor Display Hall. Ren took a seat at one of the chairs. "So we've got testimonies from all Velvet Room Attendants involved. Should we go over them?"

"That is our next step." Akechi replied. "Theodore said he isn't the thief, and that Elizabeth was mostly likely to be the culprit. Elizabeth said she was not the thief, but it was a member of her family. Marie stated she is not the thief, but the thief would be lying, where as Margaret said Marie was not lying and she isn't the thief. Caroline and Justine claim they were together the entire time and filled up on sweets, and Margaret confirmed they left and entered the Velvet Room at the same time."

"I think we can exclude a few suspects based on that alone. At the very least, Marie." When Ren said that, Akechi and Naoto nodded. Marie was easily crossed off their list of suspects. "So where do we go from here?"

"We reverse their testimonies." Naoto said. "If we assume the culprit will lie and the others will tell the truth, reversing their testimonies and comparing them to our assumptions may prove useful."

"How intuitive of you, Naoto-san." Akechi said with a smile. "So this is how the mind of the first Detective Prince works. You are just as astute as they say."

Naoto was trying to be serious, although this praise did make her blush slightly. "I am simply doing my job!"

"I'll turn to you." Akechi shifted his attention to Ren. "What are your thoughts on the matter? I'd like to hear what you have to say."

"You have it figured out already, don't you?" Ren asked with a wry grin.

"I have my suspicions, but nothing concrete yet. I just wonder what you think." Akechi replied.

"I have someone in mind. I wonder if we're thinking of the same person." Ren admitted.

"You two have it figured it out as well?" Naoto held a slight smile. "In that case, the thief may still have something to hide. Actually, something has been bothering me. Excuse me, but would it be alright if I investigated something in the labyrinth? I would you ask you two to handle the culprit as well."

"That's quite a heavy responsibility. But I will do my best to ensure we point our finger at the correct person." Akechi said with a pleasant smile.

"I'm not sure if I will finish in time, but we may prevent the thief from taking action." Naoto tipped her hat to Ren and Akechi before walking off.

"Well then, shall we be off?" Akechi looked to Ren, who nodded. Their first stop...

They returned to Theodore. Kotone was still in the room, so the fact they came back surprised her. "Oh! You guys are back. Where did Naoto go?"

"She's looking into something." Ren answered. "And we wanted to speak with Theodore once again."

"Did you find out who the culprit was?" Theodore asked with a calm expression.

"We are in the process of that right now." Akechi answered. "And I believe we have to call your testimony into question, Theodore."

"We think you're the culprit." Ren said straight out. Kotone's expression shifted into one of extreme intrigue, while Theodore looked slightly taken aback.

"M-Me!? On what basis!?" Theodore asked.

"We compared your testimonies to the others. We were able to rule out a few of your siblings in the process." Akechi explained. "We then reversed everyone's testimonies, including your own. What do you think yours sounds like in that circumstance?"

"Reversing them?" Theodore placed his hand on his chin. "That would mean...I am the thief, Elizabeth is not suspicious. I suppose that is a consistent argument, but do you have any proof?"

"Er..." Ren did not think about that part.

"..." Akechi simply chose not to answer. They were both silent, but for different reasons.

"I am sorry for Chie's misfortune, and that you two and Naoto are making wasted efforts, but I am not the true culprit." Theodore shook his head.

Akechi wore a faint smile. "Really, Theodore? All we said was that the Meat Jelly was stolen. How did you know that Chie was the victim?" Ren and Kotone wore sudden smirks at Akechi's gotcha moment.

"W-What? I, uh..." Theodore frantically looked around.

It was then that Naoto arrived. This room was her first instinct as well. "I heard everything. It seems I made it just in time. So, Theodore...would you care to explain yourself? Your punishment will be more leninet if you do."

Theodore looked tense for a moment. He was caught red handed, but despite that... "No, I am sorry. But I will...have to decline that offer."

"Not helping your case, man." Kotone's unwarranted comment struck Theodore hard, but he continued his silence.

"So you won't speak." Akechi stroked his chin before turning to Naoto. "What do you propose we do in this case?"

"I had a feeling something like this might happen." Naoto said calmly. "Ren, I am sorry to bother you with this, but could you gather everyone at the entrance to Group Date Cafe? I have a hypothesis I would like to share."

"Sure." Ren wasn't going to object.

With Ren's agreement, Naoto turned back to the tense Velvet Attendant. Theodore, you may keep your silence, but would you accompany us?"

"..." Theodore said nothing, but he did nod.

.

.

With this in mind, Ren gathered everyone involved with the case in front of Group Date Cafe. Once everyone was present, Naoto began. "Now then, everyone. I would like to explain my hypothesis."

"Hold on!" Chie stomped forward, glaring at Theodore. "Theo, is this true!?"

Confronted by Chie, Theodore lowered his head in apology. "Yes. I am truly sorry."

Chie...expected a bit more of a fight. An explanation. Something. "That's it?" It was so simple and short, she couldn't help but feel her fleeting rage ebb away. "Don't you have anything more to say? Like, that you were really hungry, and it looked to delicious to pass up?"

"Please, hold on." Naoto spoke up. "Theo has a reason he cannot say what happened."

"What reason...?" Chie turned to Naoto.

"Yes, I'm eager to hear what you've figured out as well." Akechi said.

"Chie-senpai, are you certain that you left your Meat Jelly?" Naoto pointed to the desk in question, and Chie responded with a nod of affirmation. "And when we entered the Labyrinth, Yosuke-senpai hit his, er...vitals on the desk. Do you remember that?"

"Oh, yeah!" Kotone, who tagged along to see how things played out, nodded. "He let out that pretty sad sounding yelp. I don't even know how he managed that.

"Yeah..." Chie nodded slowly as the memory came back to her. "But wasn't the meat jelly fine at the time...?"

"Yes. The theft occurred after we entered the Labyrinth." Naoto continued on. "When Yosuke-senpai hit the desk, the blackboard on it moved. When the door shut, it knocked the blackboard over. And so, the meat jelly was squashed under the blackboard. And so, I had Koromaru-san sniff the area to confirm it."

Chie's eyes nearly popped out of her sockets. "S-Squashed!? But I didn't see any trace of a mess when we came back!"

"That is where Theo enters the narrative." Naoto turned to Theo. "You cleaned up any traces of the incident, didn't you?"

Theodore remained silent. "I suppose you all have me figured out, don't you?"

"Not entirely." Akechi answered honestly. "We do not know the full story behind your crime. We only deduced that you were the one behind it all."

"I see." Theodore realized the rest fell to him. So he would explain. "I arrived shortly after you entered the labyrinth. I heard Chie shouting and Yosuke screaming."

"What did I say...?" Chie could not remember that far back.

"You said, 'if anything happens to my meat jelly, you're a dead man!" Theodore said.

"Did oyu say that, Chie-senpai?" Naoto glanced at Chie. In fact, all eyes were on Chie.

"Er...maybe...ahahahaha..." Chie glanced away awkwardly.

"At that point, everything happened as you described. And I was the only one to witness the whole thing. Indeed, I knew that Yosuke's life depended on me..." With how forceful Chie could be at times, he truly believed Yosuke's life was in danger.

"This explains more than I care to admit." Akechi sighed. Of course, it all somehow looped back to Yosuke.

"And so you committed this 'theft'?" Naoto wished to confirm.

Theodore's response? "...It is true that Yosuke is truly the underlying cause of all this. However, was it truly a crime that warrants death!? I turned the question in my mind numerous times. But the time I realized it, I had already cleane dup the mess...and in doing so, hidden a dark, dark secret."

"W-Wait! You know I wasn't actually going to kill him, right!?" Chie gasped. This all started because Theodore took her threats seriously!?

"You weren't? It truly sounded like you would...!" Theodore replied with wide eyes.

"...I think we've solved this case." Akechi shook his head. "It appears good intentions paved the way to hell in this instance. You should mind your sharp tongue, Chie-san."

"Er..." Chie couldn't argue that. She didn't think Theo would take her so seriously! "I guess I brought this on myself..."

"Chie, a simple apology cannot undo what I have done, but I am truly sorry." Theodore bowed his head to Chie.

"Y-You don't have to apologize! I mean, I was the one who said that horrible thing, and Yosuke smushed it anyway!" Chie waved her hands. "And I'm sorry I made you feel like you had to lie!"

"Please, you mustn't! There is no need for you to apologize!" Theodore said.

"Hey, WHAT!?" Yosuke spoke up. "Are you saying this is all MY fault!?"

"Technically speaking, it was ground zero." Kotone added fuel to the fire.

"Hey, no, you might get him killed...!" Ren whispered to Kotone, who snickered.

"Not at all." Elizabeth interjected. "This incident occurred due to Theo's actions." She did not seem happy either. Her yellow eyes burned into Theodore's soul.

"E-Elizabeth..." Theodore gulped quietly.

"The most unforgivable thing is that he tried to lay the blame on me with his false accusation." Elizabeth narrowed her eyes. "

"I...I apologize! However, I believed that you would be the best suspect to confuse the investigation!" Theodore attempted to defend himself, but he only served to dig his grave deeper.

"I don't remember raising you to be this way! Oh, this saddens me so...!" Elizabeth let out an exaggerated wail. "Oh, woe is me! Boo hoo!" And she started to cry, too. Overdramatically.

"Oooh, Theo. Look, you made her cry." Marie commented.

"False accusations are nothing to take lightly, Theodore!" Caroline shook her head disapprovingly.

"You have to make up for this. It is the only way." Justine added.

"I suppose you could show your contrition by...hmm...why don't you buy a meal for everyone present?" Margaret suggested. Well, more like she was pushing Theodore into that solution.

He could tell when he was getting an out. Theodore nodded a few times. "Y-Yes! I will go straight away!" And he ran off.

Chie felt bad as she watched Theodore sprint off in that pink apron. "I...kinda feel like I owe him another apology."

"Not at all." Elizabeth replied. "Theo must learn that lying with good intent is nothing more than sticking one's nose where it is unwanted. I suppose he has learned these terrible habits because he is the only one without a Guest..."

"He doesn't have one?" Ren asked.

"No. The only member of our family..." Margaret's eyes briefly shifted to Caroline and Justine. "Who has not been tasked with duties like our own, is Theo. As such, there is much he doesn't know when it comes to interacting with people. He does not have the experience that we do when it comes to social situations."

"...Really?" Kotone tilted her head slightly. She kinda felt bad for Theodore. "In my world, Elizabeth is my assistant...but..." Since the Elizabeth standing before her was Minato's assistant...

Before that rain of thought could go any further, Theodore quickly returned with plenty of food for everyone. "I've brought the food!"

"I suppose we can say this case is solved." Akechi took some pride in that. "I must say, Naoto-kun. You really are as sharp as I've heard."

To that, Naoto shook her head. "All I did was collect the physical evidence. You followed your intuition and found the culprit quickly. I can see why people call you the second Detective Prince. Although as it stands in this moment, you have much more experience than I do."

"Think nothing of it." Akechi shook his head. "I would actually enjoy working with you in the future while we are here. You're younger than I am in this circumstance, but I think your mind is just as sharp, if not more so."

Naoto felt a blush coming on. It was rare for someone older than her, outside of the Investigation Team, to actually acknowledge her ability. It felt nice and it did make her smile. "I feel the same way, Akechi-kun. Let us forge a good partnership together." She extended her hand for a handshake; one that Akechi accepted.

"Huh..." Ren took note of this. In the background, Chie was offering the last of her meat jelly to the others. They were not very fond of the taste, while she loved it.

Hifumi, who overheard the situation, approached Ren. "So there was a mystery..? I could've helped solved it if you needed help."

"It was totally fine." Ren shook his head. "I wanted to see Akechi and Naoto work together. It was definitely worth it."

Hifumi glanced over at Akechi, watching him interact with Naoto. "I suppose you do have a point...it would've taken away from their interactions..."

.

.

Once everyone dispersed, Chie sought Akechi out now that he was by his lonesome. "Hey, Akechi? Thanks for helping earlier..."

When he heard his name called, Akechi turned and gave Chie a smile. "Ah, Chie-san. You can think nothing of it. I am happy to be of help in the case of your missing meat jelly. It was...pleasant to work with Naoto-kun."

"You looked like you were having fun at the end there." Chie pointed out with a smile of her own.

"...Er, was I?" Fun? That wasn't exactly something Akechi found himself having. Not too often when he thought about it. "I wasn't thinking about it. I felt like I was more business than casual."

"Still, the way you two worked together to solve the case was awesome! You were some super detective duo!" Chie bounced around excitedly. "You're super cool, Akechi-kun!"

This was...a lot for Akechi. He was used to praise from his fans and the public. But when it came from Chie, it felt different. Because he wasn't some celebrity here; he was just a person. Having someone see him for other than the Detective Prince felt strange. "I, erm...thank you, Chie-san. I appreciate that..."

"So! I know there were a lot of other people around, but I saved the last of my meat jelly for you! To thank you for helping the mystery!" Chie faced Akechi with a bright, friendly smile. She held out the meat jelly on a plate for him.

"I...uh..." Akechi was avoiding the meat jelly for a reason. But here he was, forced into a situation where he was likely going to have to eat it. "Thank you, Chie-san. But I ate earlier..."

"Don't be shy! Have some! Enjoy the delicious taste of meet!" Chie insisted.

Akechi let out a quiet, annoyed huff. This girl! He couldn't say no to her...! And while he was distracted, he felt a brief, sharp pain in his ankle. "...!?" He grimaced but quickly tried to play it off and shook his leg slightly. He did try to glance around, but it was also hard to do so without concerning Chie too much.

"Are you okay?" Chie tilted her head.

"Yes...I'm fine..." Akechi forced a smile. And when he did, the plate of meat jelly was in his face.

"Okay! So you're free to have some meat jelly!" Chie's smile returned. Akechi...realized he had no choice but to accept his fate.

But what they didn't realize was a tiny spider quickly crawling across the floor...

Chapter Text

Hifumi was occupied. Very occupied. She was walking through the various game stands, her attention solely on the entertainment they provided. She didn't even notice that Ann and Yukari were watching her do this either. Ann watched with a slight frown, while Yukari watched with a worried, confused expression. It did not take long before Yukiko and Chie approached on this scene either. "Uh...what is she doing?" Yukari looked at Ann. She knew Ann and Hifumi were close, so if anyone could answer this question for her, it had to be Ann.

"...She looks like she's looking for something to do." Yukiko could see that much. "I've seen her pass by the shooting game at least three times now. Is she okay?"

"No..." Ann sighed heavily while shaking her head. She felt a little tired simply thinking about it. "I was hanging out with her earlier, going through a lot of the games. I think she's...having something of a withdrawal..."

"A withdrawal?" Yukari turned to Ann, a little concerned about those choice of words.

Ann scratched her cheek. "Well...everyone knows by now that Fumi loves playing shogi. In fact, it was one of the things she did just before we got here. We've been here for a while now and she hasn't gotten to play any shogi. It wouldn't be a problem if our phones were working, she'd make due with that. But they aren't, and there aren't any shogi boards here..."

"Wow, that sounds rough." Chie scratched her head. "I get it, though. That's like if there wasn't any meat here. I think I'd go crazy..."

"We just had your meat jelly. I don't want to hear it." Yukari rolled her eyes. She did not like the meat jelly either. She wasn't the only one, but she didn't want to be too rude about it.

"That was an extreme example! I'm not all meat. It was just the one thing that came to mind!" Chie objected.

"I wonder if there's anything we can do for her. I feel a little bad seeing her run around so frantically to keep herself entertained." Yukiko tapped her chin.

"Something we can do..." Ann had to rattled her brain for something. Eventually, an idea did come to mind. It was a lightbulb moment. "Ah ha! I've got it! Thanks, girls!" And she suddenly sprinted off.

"Where is she going?" Yukiko tilted her head while watching Ann run off.

Meanwhile, Hifumi was still in the background, letting out a low grumble. She was trying to keep her composure, but she just felt that itch she couldn't scratch in the back of her head. "How unsightly of me, but I cannot figure out what it is I want to do..."

Morgana did take note of this. From Hifumi's restlessness to Ann's desire to help. That's what always stuck out the most to him about her, why he thought she was so wonderful! "Of course! I know exactly what to do!"

.

.

Before long, Ren found himself being pulled to the Nurse's Office again. Although it was mostly Morgana doing his best to push the much taller human male along. While he was there, he spotted Ann and Elizabeth. "We made it in time!" Morgana said with a sigh of relief.

"What are we doing in here?" Ren asked, looking at Morgana curiously. The cat had some kind of plan in mind and he was wondering what it was.

"Lady Ann is in trouble. Of course I want to help her, but there's only so much I can do alone. So I need your help." Morgana said with a smug grin.

"You guys know I can hear you, right?" Ann turned around while tapping her foot. "But! This is a good thing, I really do need the help right now."

"What's the problem?" Ren asked. Might as well get right to the heart of it.

"It appears that the heart of the dragon is plagued by idleness." Elizabeth stated, although her phrasing did not really clear anything up. "At least, that is what Ann was telling me."

Why was Elizabeth like this? Ann could only sigh and shake her head. "What Elizabeth means to say is that Fumi needs some help! There's no way to play Shogi in this place and I think it's finally starting to get to her. So I want to make her a shogi board and some pieces!"

"That's just the kind of kindness I would expect from you, Lady Ann!" Morgana nodded.

"That's pretty nice of you. But what do you need my help for?" Ren asked.

"I want to surprise her with it. Plus, I have no doubt she's gonna ask around for me if I'm gone for too long. So, I need you and a few others to keep her distracted! I'm gonna grab a few people and head into Group Date Cafe! Elizabeth said Theodore could make what I need if I brought him the right stuff, like with the weapons!"

"Did you volunteer him for that because of what happened earlier?" Ren glanced at Elizabeth, and while she did not respond, she just wore a coy smile.

"If you're going into the Labyrinth, let me come along, Lady Ann!" Morgana said. "Ren can help distract Hifumi."

Way to volunteer. "Yeah, sure. I can do that." Ren couldn't say no.

"Okay! That works for me." Ann smiled. "Thanks, you guys! Let's get started right away! I'm counting on you, Ren!" With that, Ann quickly ran off, with Morgana following alongside her. This just left Ren and Elizabeth in the Nurse's Office.

"I've heard stories of the ferocity of Hifumi when she plays a game a shogi." Elizabeth placed a hand on her chin. "If this endeavor proves successful, I would like to see it for myself."

"Hoo boy." Ren could only shake his head at that. Elizabeth wanted to experience Hifumi's shogi mode? "You'll get your wish." He had no doubt that Ann would succeed. But this meant he'd have to do his part, too.

.

.

Panther's squad in the labyrinth consisted of: Mona, Chie, Yukiko, and Yukari. Fuuka elected to be the navigator for this mini trip. She decided to grab them to help with her task. Chie and Yukiko were more than happy to help, and Yukari was also curious to see this through. "Theodore said we didn't need to go very far to get what we need..." Panther was leading the way, carefully watching out for any Shadows.

"I have to admit, I never would've thought of using Shadow pieces to make a shogi board." Yukari was a little astounded by Panther's idea. "Then again, something like that is only really possible here."

"Do you really think that it'll work?" Yukiko was just curious.

"I think so!" Panther said with a confident smile. Although her confidence slowly wavered with each passing second. "I hope so! Elizabeth said Theodore could do it! As long as we get a few pieces from the Shadows around here, anyway. I have a list..." She pulled out a piece of paper and looked it over.

"Yeah, I don't think we should fully put our trust in her. I don't know how Minato puts up with her. Or Kotone, too, technically." Yukari had a deadpan expression. Out of all the Velvet Room attendants, Elizabeth was by far the most eccentric. "

"I already committed to this, though! So I'm going to see it through to the end, and I really have to thank you guys for helping!" Panther smiled to the other girls, and Mona, too.

"Don't worry, Panther. I'll make sure we find what you're looking for." Mona said with a smug grin. Being the one to help Panther in her time of need would definitely make him look good in her eyes! That's what he was thinking, anyway.

"You're really eager to help, aren't you?" Chie knelt down to look at Mona. At this point, everyone could kind of notice that he had some very fond admiration to Panther.

"Of course!" Mona placed his paw on his chest. "Panther is extremely kind and goes out of her way to help people. So, it's only natural I'd go out of my way to help her, too! It's the least I can do!"

"Uh-huh." Yukari just nodded. "By the way, Panther. How long have you known Hifumi?" As they walked, the stopped around a corner.

"All clear!" Fuuka reported. She was keeping an eye out for them. The group nodded and continued on their way.

"We've known each other for about...five months now." Panther continued. "We met in June and it's currently November for us now."

"And you guys are that close? Wow! You two must have gotten along very well." Yukiko said with a smile. It was a pleasant thing to see.

"Just like Yukiko and I!" Chie beams. Sure, she and Yukiko did have a bit of a rough patch, but it only made their friendship stronger. Yukiko's smile did widen a bit at that. "What about you, Yukari-chan? Whose your longest friend?"

"Longest friend?" Yukari did have to think about that. And the answer that came to mind was not one she liked. Technically, she has known Junpei the longest. But that wasn't something she was about to admit either. "I guess Fuuka...or Minato..." She shook her head. "So how did you two meet? Did she become a Phantom Thief first or something?"

"Oh, no." Panther shook her head. They were moving carefully, since there were some FOEs around, but they knew how to avoid them. It just took a little bit of focus to avoid making a poor move. "We go to different schools. My school was doing a trip to the TV station, and she was doing an interview there at the time. We just kind of stumbled into her. She looked lonely, so I reached out to her. Her mom is a...I mean, was a real piece of work, though. She was pretty strict with her...dictating her actions and everything."

"Eesh." Chie tugged at her sweater's collar. "That sounds rough."

"Tough relationship with her mom, huh? Sometimes it's just like that." Yukari mumbled. Although her comment wasn't exactly a quiet one.

"Tell me about it..." Ann said in response. For a moment, she felt like she and Yukari were on the same wavelength. "Anyway..! She loves shogi. Her mom was controlling her own career, making her win and choosing when to make her lose."

"That sounds awful..." Yukiko frowned. "Being forced to play a game you enjoy in such a way..."

"I had no idea. She looks like she's been doing pretty well." Fuuka remarked. It was hard to tell since Hifumi's energy was quite high.

"it was really hard on her. She learned to play Shogi from her dad..." Panther pursed her lips. "She broke free from that when we changed her mother's heart. She had to play a game against a real pro. Unfortunately, she lost. But she put up such a good fight! I know that's why she has such a major itch. It was the last time she played before we got here. It took her a of courage to confess that all of her matches were rigged. But she played with her own ability and managed to surprise a lot of people! This is just the short version, but shogi is super important to Fumi! If even a single game can make her feel better, I wanna do what I can to help!"

"You're a really good friend, Panther." Yukiko smiled while holding her hands behind her back. "We'll do everything we can to help."

"Yeah!" Chie nodded with a bright smile.

"You can count me in, too." Yukari said as well. "By the way..." Yukari's expression shifted to something a bit more playful. "I couldn't help but notice that glint in your eyes when you talked about Hifumi...do you like her, maybe?"

"...!?" Both Panther and Mona's eyes went wide. In truth, the girls kinda forgot Mona was here, since he was quiet. But that question made him gasp.

"O-Of course Panther likes her, she's a good friend!" Mona quickly said.

"Ooooh yeah!" Chie snickered a bit. "The two of you were paired up for that weird Destined Partner thing, right? Do you think it was a fluke, or...?" She trailed off, unable to help her teasing.

Panther's cheeks turned red. Her mask barely did anything to hide it and she nervously played with one of her pigtails. "W-Well...I do like Fumi...I think...I mean, I like her a lot! Um...!" She wasn't sure what to say. It was something she was trying to figure out. But the image of them married, though fake, did stir something in her heart she couldn't explain.

"Say it isn't so...!" Mona pleaded.

"Mona-chan, I have to ask." Yukiko stared right at Mona. "Do you think you have a chance with Panther as you are now?"

"W-When I regain my human form...!" Mona puffed his chest out. "Panther will soon see how charming I can really be!" Although he was talking like this despite the fact she was right there, she was also too deep in thought to hear her.

"Was it a mistake? I-I mean...I don't know..." Panther was still going on about it. The teasing from Yukari and Chie really did make her think. "W-Wait a second! Who were you guys paired with! Everything was so hectic I didn't even get to see it!"

"Weeeeeee don't need to talk about that!" Chie waved her hands.

"I agree. I don't want to think about it!" Yukari was on the same boat.

"I've got good news, too." Fuuka spoke up after withholding a view giggles. "There are a few Shadows up ahead. I think they'll have exactly what we're looking for."

"Thanks, Fuuka-chan!" Panther gave Fuuka's hologram a thumbs up. That was just the out she needed from this conversation. She could sort out those feelings later...! "Let's make quick work of these and get back to her!" They ran off ahead, turning a corner to see a single Shadow standing in their way. It was blocking the door to where they needed to go.

"Ah, that Shadow just appeared." Fuuka scratched her cheek. "It is a big one, but I think you can defeat it if you work together!"

"I'll gladly lead the charge!" Mona said while stepping forward. He wanted to impress Panther while he had the chance!

But then Chie started to stretch her legs. "I got this one. Let me!" She wasn't really taking no for an answer either. She ran forward at high speeds. "HIYAA!" She spun around, slamming her foot into the Shadow's chest, and sent it flying skyward! She quite literally punted it off into the distance, much to the shock of Yukari, Mona, and Panther.

"It's good!" Yukiko held her hands up and gave a serious nod.

"What the..." Yukari and Mona were flabbergasted at Chie's Galactic Punt. How long was she able to do that!?

"...I gotta learn how to do that." Panther said aloud. Chie suddenly became one of the coolest people she'd ever met.

.

.

Back in Yasogami High, Ren gathered a small group to help keep Hifumi distracted: Junpei, Kanji, Ryuji, and Teddie who happened to just tag along. Hifumi was playing a darts game with Junpei, and her aim was impressive. She just managed to get a few more targets than Junpei did, resulting in her victory. "Yes...! Victory!" She grinned and pumped her fist a bit.

"Whew! Fumi-chan's got some real impressive aim!" Junpei wiped some sweat from his brow. It took a lot to keep up with Hifumi, but she was in top form. He still managed to have a lot of fun with it. "How did you get so good at aiming?"

"Oh! It was quite simple, really." Hifumi then pulled out her model sniper rifle with a proud grin. "I am the sniper of the Phantom Thieves as well. I used darts as aiming practice while I was still learning."

"Pretty damn impressive! Ain't that thing heavy?" Kanji pointed to the sniper rifle.

Hifumi shook her head before putting it away. "No, not really. I've grown used to the weight, but I'm far from muscular or anything of the sort."

"Careful, don't say that word too loudly." Junpei whispered. "Otherwise Akihiko-senpai's gonna overhear you. You don't wanna chug down some protein, do you?" He said that as a joke, with a silly grin to let that be known.

"I...I will be sure to be quiet when it comes to matters of strength." Hifumi said with a slight sweat drop. "Hm...I wonder where Ann went. I would've liked to play some darts with her."

"Uh...!" Ryuji quickly looked around. They realized they were supposed to be keeping her distracted! If she started looking for Ann, she would realize something was wrong!

"Why worry about that, Fumi-chan?" Teddie suddenly slid in without his bear suit. "We should play some more darts together. I think you would easily strike the bullseye to my heart! Or should I aim straight for yours`?" He even sparkled as he said this. It was hard to say if this was an intentional distraction, or Teddie just being Teddie. Either way, it did kind of work in taking Hifumi's attention away.

"Um." As in, Hifumi did not know how to respond. "If you wish to play a game with me, I won't say no. I just...don't ask like that. I don't think you could strike the bullseye to my heart...no offense."

"What? But who could if not me...!?" Teddie said with wide eyes and a heartbroken expression.

"Probably Ann." Ren said. "They were Destined Partners."

"W-Well..." Hifumi's cheeks turned red at the thought. "I...I mean...Ann has been ever important to me since we met. If it were not for her, I would not be standing here right now. She's been my biggest supporter since that day."

"Sounds like the two of you are really close." Kanji noted. "No way Teddie could come between somethin' like that..." And he trailed off a bit. It felt like something bit him. "Ow! Teddie, what the hell!?" He growled and looked down at his ankles. Teddie was on the ground in a heartbroken fit.

"I didn't bite you!" Teddie huffed while standing back up.

"Bears are known to bite hard." Ren said, not helping the situation whatsoever.

"Not helping, dude." Ryuji rolled his eyes at Ren adding fuel to the fire.

"Ack...!?" Junpei felt something pinch his leg. He also thought it was Teddie, but realized he was too far for that. "What the hell was that?" Nobody noticed the small spider making its way off from the scene after the fact.

"I don't think we should be biting anyone." Hifumi said while shaking her head. But before long, Kanji and Teddie starting arguing with one another. So Hifumi could feel her attention shifting to Ann's whereabouts. "It was nice of you all to keep me company. I think I'm going to see if I can't find Ann now..."

"Ah, dude...we're losin' her..." Ryuji whispered to Ren. They were buying as much time as they could, but it was only a matter of time until they lost her. Without something like Shogi to keep her grounded...!

"Were you looking for me?" Ann suddenly appeared on the scene! She had something behind her back.

"Ah! Yes. Would you like to play some darts with me?" Hifumi asked with a small smile.

"Darts? I think we can do something better than that." It was then Ann pulled a shogi board from behind her back! It did look a little different than normal ones, due to the fact it was made from Shadow parts. But it was pretty much exactly what was needed at the moment.

Hifumi's eyes both widened and sparkled at the sight of a shogi board. "Wh-What..!? You found a Shogi board for me!?"

"Found? I did you one way better than that!" Ann spoke with a wide, toothy grin. "With some help, I had a shogi board made for you! I knew you were starting to get a little bored without it."

"Ann..." Hifumi felt so touched by that. She couldn't help the slight pink tint that crossed her cheeks. The fact Ann was thinking about her like that made her feel something warm inside. When Ann handed her the shogi board, she accepted it, carefully taking hold of it as if it were the most important thing in this world or any other. "Thank you so much."

"Ahhh, it was nothing, Fumi..." Ann said with a bashful smile. It felt nice to see Hifumi so happy. That was the most important part. "But in exchange for having this shogi board made, you do have a challenger lined up already."

"Someone wants to challenge her?" Ryuji scratched the back of his head. Ann arrived at the scene so quickly and perfectly, the moment between her and Hifumi was pretty hard to comment on. "Who would do wanna do that?"

"I would!" Elizabeth suddenly stepped forward. "I have heard the tales of the fearsome dragon that looms over the shogi world! I want to see the power she has within her."

"I see..." Hifumi was not expecting Elizabeth to challenge her. But she lifted her gaze, a fierce fire within them. This was a look that not had even been seen in the Labyrinths. Teddie, Junpei, and Kanji were stunned the atmosphere. "Very well, Elizabeth. I accept your challenge."

.

.

Hifumi playing shogi did make a few waves with the others. Since she was a professional player, a few people gathered around to see her skills in action. Akechi, Naoto, Mitsuru, Minato, Kotone, and Yu decided to join and watch. Zen and Rei were there as well, although there was a bit of awkward distance between them. Hifumi and Elizabeth sat at a table and played a game. The result?

"You have no defense for the dragon that governs the sky. What will you do now? It would be best for you to concede now." Hifumi's tone was so commanding. Not even her presence as a Phantom Thief.

Elizabeth was indeed backed into a corner. This was precisely what she wanted to see, but being the one having to deal with it made her feel a certain way. Mildly irritated was probably the right term. "I see. So this is the power of the Dragon." Elizabeth's hand twitched...

Minato and Kotone looked at each other. They both knew exactly what was going on, so they approached Elizabeth. "I know what you're thinking." Minato said quietly.

"You can't Megidoloan the shogi board just because you're losing." Kotone whispered. Elizabeth's lips twitched as she was called out. Because of that, she had no choice.

"Very well. I will concede to your might." Elizabeth bowed her head. Hifumi was truly mighty when it came to playing shogi.

"Thank you for the game." Hifumi's intensity instantly faded away and she smiled. "That was a lot of fun."

"It's like a switch for her, huh..." Junpei whispered. Ren and Ryuji could only nod.

"She's so intense..." Chie whispered to Yukiko. They were both watching her play with interest. Chie didn't get shogi at all, but she was drawn in by the way Hifumi played.

Elizabeth made a quick exit after her defeat in shogi. Hifumi sat happily at the chair. "Is there anyone else who would care to play a game with me?" There were some that couldn't resist and wished to play a game with this mighty shogi warrior. As such, Hifumi played games against Mitsuru, Minato, Naoto, and even Rei! In the end, she was able to beat them. Some matches were a little closer than others, but Hifumi was able to win the day.

"And it looks like our shogi champion is Hifumi!" Ann raised Hifumi's arm up. This did cause a small round of applause from those watching.

"Heh..." Hifumi couldn't help but smile. This was a pretty nice boost she felt like she needed after her last official match. It made her feel good. Eventually, once she did have her fill of shogi, everyone dispersed for the time being. Hifumi was still sitting at the table, but she let out a happy sigh. "I needed that..."

"Did you have fun, Fumi?" Ann took a seat across from Hifumi, wearing a big smile the whole time.

"I did! Thank you, Ann. You really did that for me?" Hifumi placed her hands in her lap. Ann's nod made her blush faintly.

"You look a lot happier and more at ease than when we first got here. I knew it was bothering you." Ann responded while swinging her legs a bit.

"That consideration of yours..." Hifumi brushed her hair behind her ears. "It means a lot to me..."

"Hehe..." Ann giggled. Words were kind of failing her at the moment. At the same time, the atmosphere between them said plenty. They just happily sat in silence for a little bit after that, until Chie accidentally stumbled forward. "Huh? Chie-chan?"

"Sorry...!" Chie put her hands together and lowered her head a bit. "You two were having a moment and we didn't want to interrupt it!" She said 'we', because Yukiko rounded the corner after the fact.

"It's okay." Ann smiled. "It's thanks to you two that I was able to help Fumi! Yukari and Morgana, too. But I guess they didn't follow you, huh?"

"No. We just wanted to comment on Hifumi-chan's shogi skills." Yukiko said with a smile.

Hifumi felt a bit bashful at this. "Thank you both. And for helping Ann as well..."

"You were so cool playing Shogi!" Chie bounced around excitedly. "I totally get it now. I saw the will of the Dragon within you!"

"You were extremely fierce. I felt something while watching you." Yukiko added. This only made Hifumi giggle further. It had been so long since she was complimented by others who weren't her friends for her skills. Thanks to her recent exposure and her lost, she was going to have a hard time regaining their trust. She had to claw her way back up to where she wanted to be, and compliments like this made her efforts feel worth it.

"Thank you both. It means a lot to me." Hifumi said while giving a small bow. It was strange, but she felt her eyes water. She hadn't had that much fun playing Shogi in a while... "I have to make sure I thank those that played with me again, too."

"Oh, oh!" Chie spoke up. "By the way, Hifumi. Have you heard about Trial of the Dragon!? I love that movie, I think you would, too! I even practice moves from it all the time..!"

"Trial of the Dragon..." Hifumi tilted her head. "It does sound intriguing..."

"You should've seen it, Fumi! Chie kicked a Shadow into space!" Ann said excitedly, while Chie just laughed it off.

"She tends to do that a lot. I think it's pretty amazing." Yukiko added, which only embarrassed Chie further.

Hifumi couldn't help the smile on her lips. It was nice talking with friends like this. She also felt something bite at her ankle. It was a small pinch, so she discreetly used her hand to brush whatever that was aside. When she took a small glance around, she didn't see anything either. Was she just imagining things...?

As the four of them talked, Morgana watched from the other side of the hallway. He let out a small sigh. Ren noticed this and leaned on the wall nearby. "Not gonna go over there?"

"Nah..." Morgana shook his head. His gaze was mostly focused on Ann. "I wanted to help Lady Ann. Helping Hifumi made her happy...so I'm okay with that for now." It didn't mean he was giving up! But playing even a small role in making Ann smile was enough for him. Even if things didn't go the way he was hoping, this outcome was well worth the effort.

"Hah. Not bad, man." Ren grinned, patting Morgana on the head. Of course, Morgana...wasn't actually entirely opposed to this.

Yukari happened to overhear that. While she did think it was a little strange Morgana had a crush on Ann, given his current form...she could not deny it was pretty noble of him to act the way he did. It made her smile, and her opinion on him did change just a little bit. She felt something on her leg and quickly brushed it aside with a small yelp. "What was that...?!" She frantically looked around, but she saw nothing. She sighed heavily and chalked it up to her imagination. "I must be tired..."

No, she wasn't tired. That same spider...the spider with a clockwork symbol on its back simply slipped away from her gaze, hiding itself while waiting to bite its next victim...

Chapter Text

If there was someone who was an expert in finding himself in a crisis, it was no doubt Yosuke. The request he had in mind needed some heavy lifting, which is precisely why he had Yu join Ren in the Nurse's Office. Elizabeth had to retrieve him once they arrived. "We're here." Yu said, a hand resting on his hip. "What did you need, Yosuke?"

"Things are real bad, man." Yosuke was shaking his head. There was a look of terror on his face which only confused the two Wildcards present.

"Is something bad happening...?" Ren decided to rip the band-aid off.

"So..." Yosuke began while rubbing the back of his neck. "I was talking about food with some of the girls, and the topic of hot pot just had to come from my big mouth. And now they wanna cook some and have me taste it...!"

"And when you say the girls...?" Ren lifted a brow.

"Chie, Yukiko, Rise, and even Fuuka! Although I have more faith in her than I do the other three..." Yosuke groaned. Ren seemed confused, but Yu on the other hand looked just as horrified as Yosuke.

"Oh no..." Yu realized why Yosuke was desperate for help.

"Oh no?" Ren was the only one who felt like he was out of the loop.

"Oh, right. You don't know." Yosuke shook his head, his expression weary from the memories. "You've heard me mention Mystery Food X before, right? Well, that's what happens when you let Chie and Yukiko cook something! Those girls can't cook!"

"...Surely it can't be that bad? Right?" Ren wanted to trust in them!

"Yukiko has been trying, but..." Yu couldn't say she's improved...but the effort was there.

"Even Rise?" Ren found that one hard to believe.

"Dude, trust me, I thought the same thing!" Yosuke's arms went to his sides as he expressed his disbelief. "Risette the idol, making food for me to try!? I thought that was a dream come true! Little did I know that she's just as bad as them! She put Foie gras in an omelet!"

That came as a shock to Ren. "Who puts foie gras in an omelet!?"

"THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING!" Yosuke shouted. With how his voice sounded, it was clear he was in a lot of distress. "And that's why I need your guys' help!"

"What do you want us to do...?" Ren asked.

"I've had enough bad experiences with their cooking, if you can even call it that! That's why I need you two to watch over them! I think Fuuka-chan is the only saving grace in that group, but I don't know if she can save hotpot against the three of them! if I have to do it again, my stomach is going to grow legs and run away for the rest of time. This hotpot might be the difference between life and death..."

"I think you're exaggerating a little bit..." Ren sighed. But clearly, Yosuke was in dire straights.

"Did someone say hotpot!?" Rei rushed into the room. The commotion from Yosuke's yelling caught the attention of Rei, Mitsuru, and Yusuke.

"Hotpot is glorious! To what do we owe the pleasure of such a meal!?" Yusuke said with excitement.

"Oh, you guys..." Yosuke sighed softly. "I don't know if you want to try the hotpot that's being made..."

"I want to try hotpot!" Rei lifted her hands into the air. "It sounds delicious! I've never had one before!"

"Pardon me for asking, but what is so good about hotpot...?" Mitsuru felt a little out of the loop here. Due to her upbringing, she never had the opportunity to experience it, especially with others.

"Ah, Mitsuru-san, Rei..." Yusuke's expression grew serious with a hint of elation. All eyes were on him because of it. "Hotpot is a glorious meal! Not only can you fill it with various ingredients, it also simply serves as a means to grow closer with friends! In fact, Ren, Ryuji, Ann, Morgana, and I indulged in hotpot a few months ago! Although we were unable to finish it at the time, it was still a fantastic bonding experience!"

"A bonding experience..." Mitsuru seemed to ponder this. "In that case, I wonder..."

"It could be good for everyone!" Yusuke said ecstatically. "If the girls are making hotpot, I eagerly await their finished product!"

"Me too!" Rei grinned widely. "I wonder if...Zen would like to have some..." She added quietly, although everyone could hear her. It was clear she was starting to feel bad about saying she hated him. She just didn't know how to take that back...

"If Yamagishi is cooking, it should be alright..." Mitsuru said, completely unaware of Fuuka's cooking ability. She was distracted with something else on her mind, however.

Suddenly, Yosuke's expression paled. Now there was just a lot more riding on this than just his stomach. He looked to Yu pleadingly. "Partner. You and Ren absolutely cannot mess this up. They're set up on the third floor, they've taken over a booth...you have to do everything you can to make sure this is a success."

And just like that this request had stakes to it...

.

.

Ren, Yusuke, Yu, and Rei made their way to the third floor. There they could see Chie, Yukiko, Rise, Fuuka, and even Kasumi standing in front of the Leftover Deli. Kasumi noticed them and waved them over. "Hi, guys!"

"Kasumi? What are you doing here?" Yu asked, not having expected to see her there.

"I heard there was hotpot!" Kasumi smiled a bit awkwardly. "I thought there was some here, but it turns out they're still trying to figure out how to make it."

"So we made it in time..." Yu muttered.

Noticing the conversation, Chie stepped forward. "Whoa, we got a crowd here! Did you all want some hot pot as well?"

"Indeed!" Yusuke nodded vigorously. "I understand we have a large group, but the allure of hotpot is simply too much to pass up! I would be happy to help if you would like."

"Yeah. We came to help out." Ren piggybacked off Yusuke's enthusiasm. If Yosuke's horror stories were true, the Yasogami girls were awful. Fuuka was their saving grace...

"Oh, you guys don't need to worry! We appreciate the help, but I think we'll be fine!" Chie said proudly. The fact she shut them down without even a second thought was a little worrying.

"So, what kind of hotpot are we going to make?" Rise asked while holding her hands behind her back.

"We can make it community style." Chie said. "Each of us can bring whatever we want to put in."

"Okay, got it!" Yukiko nodded. "I'll try to get some starfish. I'm sure it'll add flavor, and the shape will look so cute in the water."

And in was in that moment that Ren felt his heart sank. He suddenly understood why Yosuke was so afraid. "S-Starfish?"

"Is Starfish edible? Do they even have Starfish here?" Rei looked to the others. They did not seem to agree with the idea.

"I'd like to add some honey!" Fuuka said with a cute smile. "I've heard it adds richness to the taste. It's unusual, but I'm sure it'll taste good."

"You bring the sweet, I'll bring the spicy!" Rise grinned. "What this hot pot needs is some habanero peppers!"

"Uh..." Even Yusuke had to try and voice an objection here. "I am beginning to grow a little concerned about the ingredients going into this dish. You cannot simply toss things into a hotpot and expect it to turn out well!"

"Haha! Don't worry, Yusuke-senpai! This'll taste great, believe it!" Rise flashed Yusuke a cute wink to ease his worries.

"It's less about the taste, but the hotpot only has but so much space." Yusuke added.

"Oh, yeah, you're right." Chie didn't think about that. "There's going to be a limit to the stuff we can put in."

"Oh, I know!" Fuuka spoke up. "Since the pot was Yosuke-kun's idea, why don't we ask what he likes!"

"I'm still trying to figure out what boys like." Yukiko admitted. She was learning how to cook better, but she unfortunately made zero progress despite her efforts. There was hardly a point in making food for someone if it wasn't edible...

"Yosuke's super picky." Chie scoffed. "There's no way he's not gonna complain, I bet..."

"Why don't we ask Shinjiro-senpai?" Fuuka suggested. "Sometimes he gives me lessons when I'm cooking..." She said that part a little meekly. She was at least aware of her paltry skill from time to time, and Shinjiro always ended up scolding her in some way. Somehow, she was always doing something wrong.

"Oh, I want to get him to give me pointers, too!" Chie beamed, before turning to Ren and Yu. "You guys will ask for us, won't you? We're gonna gather ingredients in the meantime!"

"Yeah, we'll...we'll do that." Ren smiled, although it was a bit strained. Chie, Yukiko, Fuuka, and Rise went to gather ingredients.

"Um. Is this hotpot going to turn out good?" Rei would try just about anything. But even she knew that a starfish was far from edible.

"I am a little worried about this..." Kasumi admitted with a nervous laugh. If it were anyone else making the hotpot, she wouldn't be so concerned.

"I think we should find Aragaki-san and fast." Ren told Yu, who nodded in agreement. Shinjiro was their only saving grace from this situation.

.

.

Meanwhile, Mitsuru had a destination in mind. She was seeking out a certain someone, and that someone was...Kotone. "Excuse me, Kotone." Mitsuru spoke out to her, causing Kotone to turn around.

"Mitsuru-san? What's up?" Kotone tilted her head curiously. "Did you need me for something?" That was about the only time Mitsuru approached her. "A fight?"

Mitsuru shook her head. Approaching Kotone like this felt awkward. She could feel the wall between them. This wasn't something uncommon for Mitsuru simply due to how she came across, but it felt different with Kotone. An extra layer was between them due to her circumstances. "N-No, nothing of the sort. Some of the others are making hotpot, and I was wondering if you wanted to join us..."

"Hotpot?" Kotone tilted her head. Mitsuru was asking her along? That felt rare, especially from the one that didn't know her.

"I know your situation is not easy," Mitsuru began. As always, she had to keep going. "I imagine that talking to me even now is difficult. But you are a member of SEES even if you are from another world. Because of that, I want to try and extend a hand to you. So you aren't alone."

Wow. Kotone was not expecting that. Maybe from Yukari, Fuuka, or Junpei. But Mitsuru herself being the one to invite her? She wasn't even sure that the one she knew would do that so openly. They rarely spent time together alone... "W-Wow. It's a little hard to say no when you're asking me like that. Sure, I'll join you."

Mitsuru let out a quiet sigh of relief. She was worried Kotone would say no, and in her mind, she had plenty of reason to do so. "Wonderful. I'm sure they will enjoy having you around."

"Heh..." Kotone smiled a bit. "Oh, so who's making the hotpot? Is it Aragaki-san?"

Mitsuru shook her head. "Oh, no. It's Satonaka, Amagi, Kujikawa, and Yamagishi."

Suddenly, Kotone's happy expression turned into a mildly worried one. "...F-Fuuka's cooking too, huh? Greaaaat...!" Based on what she learned, the Fuuka here wasn't any better at cooking than the one she knew. So she was already bracing her stomach for what was to come.

"We'll be seeing you on the third floor." With that, Mitsuru turned and walked off.

Once Mitsuru was gone, Kotone hung her head in defeat. "Bonding over Fuuka's cooking. This'll be an experience..."

.

.

Ren and Yu managed to track down Shinjiro and explain the situation to him. They were looking towards his culiinary expertise to help them out of a poor hotpot. "...And that's what's going on." Ren said.

"Wow. Sounds like you guys are in some deep shit." Shinjiro let out a mildly annoyed sigh; he already had to deal with Fuuka's cooking. The stories of Chie, Yukiko, and Rise's cooking really made him want to step in and teach them a lesson or three. However... "Sorry to break it to you, but I don't think I'll be able to help you."

"...I was really afraid you would say that." Yu admitted. The last thing he wanted to hear was their one hope being unable to help.

"Sorry, but I'm busy with something else right now." Shinjiro shrugged. "But I can at least give you a few pointers depending on what they decide to use. Can't say how much help that'll be, though."

"We'll take what we can get." Ren said with a nod. "I can do a little cooking, but they're insistent on cooking themselves. The thought is nice, but..."

"Right." Shinjiro got where they were coming from. There was a part of him that was glad he didn't have the time get involved, but he also couldn't leave a poor meal as it was. So he gave Yu and Ren a few ideas on how to make hotpot, and just as he was finished... "Sorry I can't help you a bit more, but I'm a little stuck with a certain idiot. If I don't deal with him from time to time, he becomes a nuisance."

"I assume you're talking about me." Said Akihiko, who pretty much came out nowhere.

Right on cue. "Of course I am." Shinjiro groaned. It was easy to see why Shinjiro was so agitated.

"We're going to decide it once and for all, with a trial by ring toss!" Akihiko said so suddenly.

"What the hell are we gonna decide by playing a game of friggin' ring toss!?" Shinjiro exclaimed.

"Let's go, Shinji! This battle begins the moment we grab our rings!" And before Shinjiro could even object to this, Akhiko was already gone.

"...Well, that pretty much sums up my situation." Shinjiro had no way out of this. "Good luck." With that, he had to leave. Yu and Ren looked at one another. Things could end very badly if they weren't careful...

.

.

While waiting for the girls to gather their ingredients, Yusuke could not help but notice Rei by herself. "Hm..."

"Are you looking at Rei-chan?" Kasumi asked while approaching Yusuke.

"It is odd not to see her by Zen's side." Yusuke said. "Is their argument still eating away at her?"

"Yeah..." Kasumi nodded slowly, a frown tugging at her lips. "Zen-kun is actually still nearby." She gestured to the end of the hall, where Zen was leaning against the wall. "I don't think they know how to approach each other, but I know that Rei-chan wants to fix it."

"I see. It looks like we have been given a prime opportunity to help mend their relationship." Yusuke stated firmly before approaching Rei.

Rei noticed the approach and smiled. "Hi, Yus-chan!"

"...Yus-chan?" Yusuke was not expecting that nickname.

"Yeah!" Rei confirmed. "I can't call you Yu-chan, because I call Yu that! Your names are too similar, so I have to settle with that!"

"Makes sense." Kasumi crossed her arms and nodded. "But we approached you for a different reason, Rei-chan. I know you're still worried about Zen."

Rei let out a small sigh, glancing down at her feet. "Yeah. I think I hurt his feelings. I don't know how to approach him now. I want to be next to him as always, but I worry he doesn't want to be next to me now! I can't just walk over and apologize. It doesn't feel like enough. So I was wondering if he'd want some hot pot with us..."

"I am certain he would." Yusuke said with confidence. "If you are worried about closing the distance between you, you will find no better chance than hotpot! I'm sure he is wondering what is happening as we speak, so you should surprise him with a bowl when it's finished."

"You think he'd like that?" Rei furrowed her brows for a moment and pursed her lips. "He did work hard to get me that giant parfait...so I guess this would be the same thing! But do you think he'd accept it?"

"If it's from you, of course he would." Kasumi said with a gentle smile. Although in the back of her mind, she was growing concerned with the background noise. It sounded like Chie and the others were finishing up their hunt for ingredients. "And you won't be alone either. If approaching him feels to difficult, I'd be happy to go with you!"

"Thank you, Su-chan. You too, Yus-chan!" Rei was able to smile. She felt some confidence well up within her. "I'll do my best!"

"Think nothing of it." Yusuke said with a cool smile. "We are friends, so we support each other in all endeavors. And I am looking forward the hotpot. So long as it is created with the correct ingredients in mind..." Surely he was worried for nothing. He preferred to have faith in his friends who were so kind enough to go out of their way making food for them!

At that moment, Ren and Yu returned. Just as they did, Chie approached. "Hey, guys! We got a little carried away in picking stuff out, and this is what we ended up with. But that just means our hotpot is going to have a lot of flavor!"

"I couldn't find any starfish." Yukiko seemed very dejected at this prospect. "I even checked the carnival games with the goldfish!"

"Yeah, I guess if they're not here, then there's not any in this school." Chie shrugged.

"I, for one, would be amazed if you found a starfish here." Yusuke commented. Yukiko definitely set her sights high, and he couldn't help but respect that level of determination.

"Oh, hey! Where's Shin-chan?" Rei asked.

"He's tied up. So he couldn't come to help directly." Yu explained. "But he did leave us some advice to help with your hotpot."

"I see. I guess it can't be helped if he's busy." Yukiko tapped her chin. "In that case, why don't you guys give us a hand with the hot pot?"

"I've got the pot and the water boiling!" Rise said.

"And I'll put the konbu in to flavor the broth." Fuuka added.

"We've got something special to prepare! So we'll be counting on you guys!" Rise gave a cute smile and the girls turned their attention to a different culinary task.

"Did we just get saved?" Ren glanced at Yu.

"I think so. But for some reason, I feel like we're not out of the woods yet." Yu said, turning his attention to the pot and the ingredients the girls picked out. Surprisingly, there was a lot of usable stuff! Of course, some things weren't so usable...but they could save this! With Yusuke, Kasumi, and Rei watching, they were going to save this hot pot if it was the last thing they accomplished! "Okay, Ren. Let's do this."

Ren adjusted his glasses, a glimmer appearing from the frames. "It's showtime."

It took some time, but the combined efforts of Yu and Ren were able to make something they believed to be decent! They used pork belly, green onion, and vermicelli noodles. By the time they were finished, a delicious scent filled the hallways...

Zen, who was watching curiously, tilted his head. "Are they cooking something...?" He could smell it. It did smell...appetizing.

"That smells super good!" Rei clasped her hands together.

"We're finished here, too." Yukiko said. "Now we just need to get Yosuke and whoever else wished to join."

On that cue, Rise showed up with Yosuke in tow. Mitsuru also arrived with Kotone. The news of hot pot spread just a little bit, so Hifumi and Ann also came to join as well...with an awkwardly approaching Akechi as well. "I got Yosuke-senpai! And we picked up a few others along the way."

"Yo! Sorry to make you wait. Oh, man...hooray...I can't wait to eat what's waiting for me here..." Yosuke was clearly not enthusiastic about what waited in his future.

"You all look like you've been busy." Mitsuru commented.

"It that it over there?" Kotone pointed to the pot.

"It appears so." Akechi commented.

"...Why are you here?" Kotone asked. Not in an offensive way, but it was just unexpected.

"I was told by Rise-san that Chie wanted me here..." Akechi mumbled.

"Huh? Rise-chan, what are you doing?" Chie narrowed her eyes at Rise, who wore a sweet smile.

"I mean, I thought you'd like having your new friend here, Chie-senpai!" Rise said with a teasing tone. She was trying to work some kind of magic here, but this only resulted in Chie and Akechi both giving her an exasperated look.

"...Ah. I see. I had no idea Rise-san could be such a trickster." Akechi grumbled.

"Since you're already here, you can try what Chie-senpai made, too!" Rise's smile didn't fade. So Akechi was stuck here.

"It smells nice." Hifumi commented and Ann agreed with a nod.

"It can smell nice, but it doesn't mean it'll taste good..." Yosuke mumbled.

"It'll be alright. Yu said.

Yosuke felt hope in his chest. "Wait, did you manage to fix it-!? No, no. I'm not going to be tricked like last time." He was adamant in not getting his hopes up. He came in here with low expectations and they were going to stay low.

"Oh, come on now. This time you'll have a taste of our true skill!" Chie said with her hands on her hips.

"Unfortunately, there was more wrong with it than taste just time." Yosuke rolled his eyes.

Fuuka brought the pot over and set it down on the closest table. "Well, here it is!"

When Yosuke saw the pot, his eyes widened. It looked and smelled like a proper hot pot! "Th...This is...can I actually have hope about this!"

"Whoa...!" Rei's eyes sparkled. "It looks delicious!"

"That's what I told you!" Rise huffed.

"There'd better not be anything weird here like starfish or something!" Yosuke was still hopeful...

"No. No starfish." Yukiko replied. Although her tone was slightly disappointed.

"Y-Yeah. You gotta be a lunatic to do that..." Yosuke shook his head. "Okay!"

Rise decided to be the one to doll out the hot pot to everyone present. There was enough for this small group. She even left an extra bowl for Zen, as per Rei's request. Everyone began to dig in. Kotone was a little nervous about something with Fuuka's cooking involved, but... "This...this is good?! This is good!"

"It's super good!" Rei exclaimed happily, wolfing down what she had within the blink of an eye.

"I can't believe it! This stuff is so damn good!" Yosuke wanted to cry. It was so delicious!

"A simple yet deep taste! Just by using the bare essentials, each ingredients flavor is brought out and enhanced!" Yosuke closed his eyes, embracing the taste.

"A fantastic hot pot!" Yusuke was so happy about the food, he was actually starting to cry.

"W-Whoa! He's crying!?" Rise gasped. "Yusuke-senpai, is it okay?! Are you okay!?"

"Of course! This is fantastic!" Yusuke was happily eating as he said this. This complex display of emotions was hard for the others to understand.

"So this is hot pot..." Mitsuru took the time to enjoy her meal carefully. Compared to everyone else, she looked so obviously out of place. It was kind of funny to Kotone.

"What, are you shy about it?" Kotone teased.

"N-No, of course not." Mitsuru cleared her throat. "This is just...my first time..."

"Come on, Rei-chan!" Kasumi carefully nudged Rei towards Zen.

"R-Right...!" Rei mustered her courage. With Kasumi's careful nudge, Rei approached Zen with a bowl. "H-Hey, Zen?"

"Rei." Zen looked at Rei. "It seems like you're having fun with everyone...what were they making?"

"Hot pot!" Rei said, holding the bowl out towards Zen. "You've been standing there for a while. I thought you might have been hungry!"

"I can't say that's untrue..." Zen glanced to the side. "I just wasn't sure how to..."

"I know. Me too." Rei admitted with a shy smile. "I just...I'm sorry I said those things, Zen! I don't know why I said it. But I don't hate you! Why would I hate you? You've so kind to me and you've always protected me. I don't know where it came from!"

"Rei..." Zen wasn't sure what to say at first. Maybe words weren't enough, but he accepted the bowl that Rei gave him. "Hot pot, was it?"

"Mhm. They said it's a good meal to enjoy with people. And they're right!" Rei threw her arms up all happily. "It was delicious. You should try some!"

"If you think it's good, then I'll try it. " Zen nodded and proceeded to eat some of the hot pot. His eyes widened from the taste. "This is..."

"it's great, isn't it?" Rei held her hands behind her back.

"It is." Zen said with a faint smile. Rei took Zen's hand and pulled him over to the others. With that action, it was clear that things between them were better. Rei wanted some more hot pot and Zen was happy to accompany her.

Kasumi smiled at the sight. "Looks like they're doing better."

"Yeah, that's great." Ann grinned. "Good job giving her a push, Kasumi!"

"I didn't do much." Kasumi said with a bashful smile. "Rei-chan is strong. All I did was point her in the right direction." She was happy that Rei was able to patch things up with Zen.

"Whew!" Yosuke finished his food, surprisingly fulfilled. "Wow, that was pretty good. I think I can leave with a full stomach now..."

"Stop right there!" Chie suddenly exclaimed. "The real meal starts here, Yosuke!"

"...And what does that mean?" Suddenly, Yosuke felt fear rising up.

"While Yu-kun and Ren-kun were taking care of the hot pot, we decided to make dipping sauces!" Yukiko explained. "Everyone's welcome to enjoy the individuality of them all! I made mine out of fish guys. I call it 'fish guts sauce'. It has a bold flavor, so it must be good!"

Akechi narrowed his eyes, his expression written with clear confusion. What did Yukiko just say? "...Pardon me?" Yukiko was holding up a spoon with a strange color sitting in it. The stench coming from it made everyone recoil.

"C-Can't breathe...!?" Ann pinched her nose, hoping that would help. But when she breathed through her mouth, she could taste the rancid flavor of the sauce from far away. "Ugh...!?"

"W-what is this foul stench...!?" Hifumi groaned.

"Oh God, it stinks! Get it out of here!" Yosuke pleaded.

"I haven't tried it myself, but I'm sure it's an acquired taste." Yukiko gave a sweet, innocent smile. She had no idea everyone's reactions were so visceral.

"You should taste it yourself before you force other people to-!" Before he could finish, Yukiko stuffed the spoon into his mouth. "Hnnnng!?" And it was just as awful as he thought.

"Poor Yosuke-san." Akechi was going to turn and walk away, but unfortunately for him, Chie was in front of him. Oh no.

"Wait, while he's trying that! You should try my, Akechi-kun! This is the meat juice sauce! It's an intricate mélange of beef fat, lard, and chicken eggs! It's my masterpiece."

More meat?! He already had her meat jelly not too long ago! The worst part? Chie's sauce had so much oil it looked like the surface had a mirror sheen! This could NOT be a healthy thing to consume! "C-Chie-san I appreciate the..." And before Akechi could object further, the spoon was stuffed into his mouth. "Ngh...?!"

"...I think we need to make a tactical retreat." Ren whispered to the others.

"I made one, too!" Rise said happily. "I call it the capsaicin infusion! It's a little spicy, but I'm sure it'll help you lose wait! You'll try some, won't you, senpai?" She looked straight at Yu when she asked this. Everyone looking at Rise's sauce felt their eyes water.

"Blegh...I can taste that from here!" Rei rubbed her eyes. Zen also had to look away due to the overpowering spice. "Can I have some?"

"No..! I mean...no, you can't eat this..." Yu couldn't subject Rei to Rise's cooking! Which meant he'd have to take one for the team. Rise happily stuffed the spoon into his mouth, and Yu felt his eyes watering. It was so spicy, he felt like he was burning up from the inside!

"My sauce is a little different." Fuuka said with a small smile. "I call it 'Jam Sauce'."

"That...That sounds normal..." Ann winced, her eyes still recovering from Rise's sauce.

"It makes anything you eat taste like dessert! It's a whole new experience!" Fuuka was so excited. In fact... "Kotone-san, would you like to try it?" She saw this as a chance to bond with Kotone!

"Oooh, Fuuka..." Kotone could not say no. Why would anyone want hot pot for dessert!? "Sure..." It was just as bad as she expected. It was so, so sweet... "It's so...so sweet...! Ahaha...!" Kotone forced a smile.

"If you put all of these into a single hot pot..." Yusuke was beginning to fear what would happen next.

"Is this...normal?" Mitsuru had no idea. Something about the quality of these dipping sauces just felt off. She was trying not to be rude, but the assault on her senses made her question if this was how hot pot was usually consumed, or if this was a twisted first time.

"No, it's not." Hifumi shook her head.

There was still plenty of hot pot left. Worst off? Chie, Yukiko, Rise, and Fuuka didn't look like they were done either. Ren knew what this meant...there was no escape for anyone involved. It was too late to turn back. All they could do...was go forward. "It looks like the REAL hot pot begins now."

"NO MOOOOOOOOOORE!" Yosuke cried out in agony. Despite having only tasted a single one of the sauces, he knew exactly what was going to happen to everyone next. His scream echoed throughout the halls of the school...

Chapter Text

The Nurse's Office. The perfect place for a few people to recover after tasting the cooking from Chie, Yukiko, Rise, and Fuuka. Not everyone was a victim, but those that were definitely needed the time to recuperate. "Ugh..." Kotone was lying face up on a bed, staring up at the ceiling. The queasiness was slowly fading. "Did I die?"

"No. You are very much alive." Elizabeth commented, sitting at the desk with her hands in her lap. "We had to carry you back."

"You passed out after eating the spice from Rise's dipping sauce." Hifumi was in the Nurse's Office as well, sitting with Ann. "I think everyone flickered in and out of consciousness. I was lucky to escape..."

"I love Rise-chan's music. But I cannot abide by her cooking." Ann shook her head, shuddering.

"Ugh..." Ren slowly sat up. What a nightmare that was...

"We survived." Yu was going to count that as a victory. He took a quick glance around, only to see that Yosuke was still KOed. He had it the worst at the end of the day. "Well, most of us."

It was shortly after Yu spoke that Minato arrived, rubbing the back of his neck. "I heard something awful happened. Everyone looks fine, though..." He then glanced at Yosuke. "Oh."

"Perfect, you're here!" Elizabeth clasped her hands together before glancing at Hifumi and Ann. "You two, please remove yourselves from the premises immediately."

"W-What!? Why!?" Ann spluttered at Elizabeth's blunt tone.

"I called my guest here to discuss important matters with the Wild Cards. As such, I need for you to vacate the room so this conversation can remain private." Elizabeth stated.

"You could've at least asked nicely." Hifumi sighed. "I guess we're done here. Let's go, Ann."

"I need something sweet anyway! Have fun!" Ann nodded. With that, she and Hifumi left. When they did, Elizabeth closed and locked the door behind them.

"That's ominous." Kotone said while staring at the now locked door.

"So what's this about?" Ren asked. it was better to get to the heart of the matter when it came to Elizabeth.

"After being forcibly whisked away by that relentless religious man, there was something that came to mind as I watched you fight." Elizabeth began. "I say this knowing it's rude to do so, but I can tell you are all troubled by your lack of strength."

"Well...she's not wrong." Yu rubbed the back of his neck. A blunt statement, but not untrue. "Despite all the training and fighting we've been doing, I don't feel as strong as I was before we came here."

"Yeah..." Kotone nodded in agreement. "It's been bugging me this whole time, too. I at least don't feel as sluggish."

"I guess we're all feeling that." Minato said while placing his hands in his pockets. "Our saving grace is that we're better at working as a team."

"You do not need to worry about that, however. For I have a solution to your problems." Elizabeth stated with a smile. "I am going to step out of my bounds temporarily and 'do you a solid'." And that sort of statement only left the four Wildcards confused.

"What do you mean by that?" Kotone was almost afraid to ask.

"I call it...are you ready..? Elizabeth's Persona Check! A round of applause, please!" And as Elizabeth said this, she gave herself applause. "The details are quite simple! All you must do is fight me...and emerge victorious!" And that came as a surprise as well.

"Fight you?" Ren blinked in surprise. "is a Velvet Attendant allowed to do that?"

"That is why I said I am stepping out of my bounds." Elizabeth explained. "Testing your strength is not something I would do at this juncture. But I see this as an opportunity for the four of you. You hold unique abilities as the Wild Cards. And I'll even make this worth your while! If you can defeat me, I'll even give you a new Persona to fuse. How does that sound? Tempting, right!"

"Well..." Yu looked at the others. They all had uncertain expressions at first. But Elizabeth was trying to help in her own way. It would've felt wrong to turn her down. "I guess it couldn't hurt."

"Oh, it will hurt." Elizabeth corrected. "But there is something that intrigues me about the four of you together as well, so I will be relentless for the sake of my research."

"Why do I have the sinking feeling we've been tricked into something?" Kotone's expression was that of a deadpan.

"Now, as for where we'll do this...may I borrow your map for a moment, Ren?" Elizabeth held her hand out and Ren handed it over. She flipped through the pages before finding what she wanted, marking something down before handing it back over. "There! This is where we shall do battle."

"Group Date Cafe?" Kotone looked over Ren's shoulder.

"Considering the times we live in, I used disappearing ink. It's very eco-friendly." Elizabeth said.

"Where...did you get that?" Minato looked at Elizabeth but she was already walking out the door.

"Please mark it down for yourself later. I scouted it earlier, so do not worry. It is rather spacious for our bout. Now then, I must be going. I will inform your navigators of this so they do not fret when they cannot find you on school grounds." With that, Elizabeth left.

"...I think we got tricked into something." Kotone repeated. The other Wild Cards agreed...

.

.

Group Date Cafe, Stop 3. Joker, Yu, Kotone, and Minato made their way to the designated spot on the map. They weren't alone, as the holograms of Fuuka, Rise, and Oracle were following along. They wanted to support the Wild Cards in their coming trial. When they came to a stop at a large door, Rise was the first one to speak. "Whoa! I'm picking up a huge reading behind that door!"

"Is that seriously Elizabeth?" Oracle was sweating a little bit.

"Elizabeth seems strong. Try not to get hurt..." Fuuka said. "Oh, but I guess you could have her treat you at the Nurse's Office."

"Um...that feels a bit..." Kotone wasn't so sure about that...

"What is it they say about interest...?" Rise asked.

"Um...it's in her best interests?" Fuuka tilted her head.

"Conflict of interests." Oracle corrected.

"Oh, that's it! You're so smart, Oracle-chan!" Rise giggled. This made Oracle blush.

"N-No...it was nothing..." Oracle shook her head. "Anyway...! Are you guys ready to go in?"

"Yeah, let's do this." Joker took the lead and pushed the doors open into a clear area. What the four stumbled upon was not what they expected. Elizabeth was there, yes. But so were Theodore, Caroline, and Justine. "Uh..."

"What is this?" Minato asked.

"I've been waiting for you!" Elizabeth bowed when the four approached her. "I've been so engrossed in my research that my joints have gotten all stiff. I can hear my bones cracking."

"Before that...why are they here?" Yu pointed to Theodore, Caroline, and Justine.

"When we heard about what Elizabeth was planning, we thought to take her place." Justine explained. "A battle like this will no doubt do wonders for our Inmate's rehabilitation."

"However, she insisted we allow her to do this. For some reason, her tone of voice made it difficult to say no." Caroline continued. What she and Justine experienced was Elizabeth's older sister tone. "So we are here to watch instead. You better not disappoint, Inmate!"

"Okay..." Joker understood their position. But there was still one person unaccounted for. "Why is Theodore here?"

"Elizabeth thought it wise I participate." Theodore responded. It was at this moment they realized that Theodore wasn't wearing the pink apron, and Elizabeth wasn't wearing the Nurse's outfit. They were both in their usual blue attire. In both of their hands was a blue book...

"Participate? What did you do?" Minato glanced at Elizabeth.

"This isn't just a warm up for me. I thought this would be a good opportunity for Theo to get some hands on experience." Elizabeth explained. "Simply because he currently lacks a guest does not mean he should not get the training for it."

"Isn't this outside of the bounds of your duties, though? Your words...!" Kotone pointed out.

"Yes. But it is for a good cause, so we can excuse that for the time being. Margaret simply chose not to participate this time around." Elizabeth waved the issue aside. "This should even the odds nicely. The four of you against the four of us."

"Is Theo going to be okay here?" Minato had his doubts.

"I appreciate your concern." Theodore placed a hand on his chest and bowed slightly. "But you do not need to worry about me. My sisters are quite strong, as am I. I have no intentions of disappointing anyone when it comes to my skills in combat."

"He seems serious." Yu noted. While Theodore usually didn't have the most serious presence, that shifted while they were preparing for battle.

"You do not have to worry. Because you're all currently so very weak, we are not going to use our full strength against you right away." Elizabeth stated with a smile. Her words were simply meant to be honest, but they were cutting as well. "You are all on the path of returning to your original strength and to grow stronger still. But as you stand now, I see shadows of your former selves."

"...She really makes me wanna hit her now." Kotone admitted. If this was part of Elizabeth's plan or not had yet to be seen, but she was doing a good job at riling them up.

"What do you think, Theo?" Elizabeth turned to Theodore.

"I believe we should not underestimate them." Theodore stated firmly. "I should also add...while we are withholding our full strength, we are not holding back with what we will attack you with. You should not do the same either. If you wish to win, you should attack with killing intent."

"K-Killing intent?" That was a little intense. Kotone wasn't so sure about that.

"And I would also ask that your navigators remain on standby. This is a test for the four of you, after all." Elizabeth added.

"We can't help?" Rise pouted. "In that case, I'll cheer you all on! You got this, Senpai!"

"You hear that, Inmate! You better fight as if your life is on the line!" Caroline shouted, tapping her baton on her shoulder. Joker proceeded to sweat. Such encouraging words.

"Do not worry. We can take it. If we could not, we would not be able to fulfill our duties." Elizabeth stated calmly while opening the book. Upon closer inspection, it was the Persona Compendium! Theodore did the same thing, two cards floating around both of them each. "Now then, are you ready to begin? Please demonstrate your power to me. I demand satisfaction!"

"You're on!" Kotone pressed her Evoker to her temple, not wasting any time in taking the opening move. Orpheus appeared in front of Kotone, strumming her harp as a blast of fire was sent towards Elizabeth at high speeds. Elizabeth held her hand out as a blue card floated before her. From the card, the Persona Matador appeared, using his cape to elegantly deflect the incoming Agilao off to the side, much to Kotone's surprise. "Huh!?"

"Izanagi!" Yu clenched his hand into a fist, summoning Izanagi and commanding him to fly forward with his heavy blade. Izanagi clashed with Matador's sword, causing sparks to fly. The two Personas flew around while slashing at once another. Since Matador was kept busy, Yu himself sprinted forward, grip tightening on his own katana. When he was within striking range of Elizabeth, he slashed at her, only for her to block the incoming strike with the side of her arm, completely parrying his strike. "...!"

"Haaah!" Kotone leapt up from behind Yu with her naginata drawn back. She spun around to aim an attack at Elizabeth from above, but the Velvet attendant spun around as well, her leg slamming into Yu's chest, which knocked him back into Kotone. Elizabeth's strength was apparent as the two of them tumbled along the ground before coming to a halt. "Ooooooow...!?"

"Wow...that hurt..." Yu admitted while slowly picking himself up.

"I hope that is not all you are capable of." Elizabeth taunted while watching Yu and Kotone stand back up. "My muscles are still stiff. I am hoping you serve as a good warm up." She flicked her wrist forward, commanding Matador to fly towards Yu and Kotone.

"I know what you're doing!" Kotone grit her teeth. "And it's working!"

"We haven't even gotten started yet!" Yu exclaimed as he and Kotone used Izanagi and Orpheus to attack Matador once again.

As for Joker and Minato, they were dealing with Theodore for the time being. Minato summoned Orpheus to go on the attack. "Orpheus!" Orpheus strummed his harp, sending a stream of fire towards Theodore to overwhelm him.

Theodore lifted a hand up as a blue card shifted in front of him. From it, Jack Frost appeared. "Jack Frost!" Jack Frost exhaled a strong breath of ice that countered Minato's wave of fire. The two rivaling elements eventually exploded upon each other, creating a thick cloud of steam that blocked vision.

All except for Joker. With use of his Third Eye, he could spot Theodore within the smoke easily. Joker jumped up high and summoned Arsene beside him, the two of them diving towards Theodore with a falling kick. Contact was made, a burst of magic causing the steam to instantly clear out. Joker struck Theodore directly in the chest, but the yellow eyes of the Velvet attendant glared into him. He was certain he did damage, but Theodore was able to brush it off. ".."!

"Ares." Theodore said calmly as his Personas shifted. Jack Frost vanished and was replaced by Ares. The gladiator stepped forward with his mighty sword and aimed a rising slash at Joker. It was all Joker could do to use his knife to try and block the attack. He managed a decent parry but he was still thrown back. Theodore's assault did not end there, because the moment he had the range he needed, Jack Frost appeared once more. "Again!" This time, Jack Frost released a Mabufula in the form of numerous ice spears raining down on Joker and Minato.

"Gh...!" Joker grit his teeth as the ice rained down on him and Minato. They were taking damage, but it was hitting him more so due to Arsene's weakness to ice. Suddenly, a wave of fire blasted through the icicle spears and nearly struck Theodore. He had to leap back to avoid getting torched.

Theodore thought he was safe, noticing that attack came from Kotone. He figured she was covering for her allies, but he didn't expect Yu to literally slide in from underneath him. Yu and Izanagi were acting in tandem, using a unique version of Swift Strike to slip in close and knock Theodore off balance. "What-!?" Theodore grunted as he lost his footing. Yu followed this up with a rising slash to push Theodore backwards.

"Zionga!" Yu moved his arm forward and Izanagi followed his movements, tossing a sizable bolt of lightning towards Theodore to finish off his combo. However, Matador appeared and used his cape once again to deflect the attack to the side. "..."

"Thanks for the save." Joker said while shaking off the cold.

"We're not going to beat these two if we try and divide and conquer." Minato noted. "I think we need to take them both head on..."

"I was thinking the same thing." Kotone nodded.

"Changing tactics, are we?" Elizabeth said while walking to stand next to her brother. "Then we shall adapt. Are you prepared, Theo?" From the sound of her voice, it made

"Of course." Theodore gave a firm nod. Ares appeared once again, lifting his sword into the air to cast Matarukaja on himself and Elizabeth.

"This time, we're going on the offensive!" Joker told the other three Wildcards. His mask burned away as he summoned something different from Arsene. "Queen Mab!" Queen Mab appeared above Joker and lifted her hands into the air, generating arrows that flew high into the sky before raining down on Elizabeth and Theodore. In response to this, Elizabeth used Matador to slice and deflect the arrows, while Theodore used the power of Ares to cut through them as well. The sheer number of arrows meant they couldn't entirely keep up and some of the arrows grazed them, however...

Kotone used this opening to sprint forward, flames igniting the bladed edge of her naginata. Her target was Elizabeth. "You're not getting away from me this time!" She lunged at Elizabeth who leapt to the side at the last moment. Kotone, however, truly did not intend for her to escape. Her naginata grazed Elizabeth's side to create a noticeable cut. But she could not relish in the victory for long as Matador slashed her and sent her flying. "Gaaah!"

Elizabeth was not allowed a moment of rest. The moment she knocked Kotone away, she turned her head, spotting Minato's Orpheus coming at her. It was too late to dodge, so Orpheus' harp hit her hard, causing her to slide back from the direct hit. That did hurt, which made her grin. "A worthwhile effort, however..." She raised her hand to attack, but she was a victim of Kotone's Firestrike-Link. Because Minato did damage to her, an explosion of fire occurred on the spot Kotone hit, causing Elizabeth to let out a surprised yelp of pain. "Ah!?"

"Got you!" Joker pointed his pistol at Elizabeth and clicked the trigger, firing a bullet of curse magic that exploded against her, throwing her off her feet. It took the combined efforts of him, Minato, and Kotone to knock Elizabeth down even for a moment, but it felt worth it. However, Theodore was moving onto the offensive by summoning a Persona unknown to all four of them.

"Basilisk!" A bird appeared before Theodore and flapped its wings, generating a potent, heated gust to wash over the four wildcards. The Matarukaja boost was felt. Yu and Joker felt the impact the strongest, while Kotone and Minato had natural affinities to resist fire. That didn't mean it wasn't a powerful attack, but they were able to hold their ground.

"What is that?!" Kotone held her arm up over her eyes to try and shield herself from the wind.

"No idea, but it looks strong..." Minato responded. The wave of fire did stop, but Theodore was pressing his advantage. Basilisk inhaled once and exhaled quickly, releasing a purple mist that quickly washed over the wildcards. They began to cough profusely from this irritating and debilitating feeling.

"Poison?" Joker coughed into his arm, grimacing at Theodore's tactics. Was he trying to wear them down!? It was going to work at this rate.

"Anzu!" It was Yu's turn to make use of a Sub-Persona. Anzu appeared above Yu and quickly flew around in a circle, generating a wind current strong enough to force the toxic cloud that surrounded them to dissipate. They could breathe easier, but they were all poisoned which was not ideal.

"Thank you for buying me the adequate time necessary, Theo." Elizabeth was standing on her feet with a different Persona: Setanta. Anyone could see the slight red aura wavering around both Elizabeth and this Persona, signifying that she used Power Charge while Theodore kept the Wildcards occupied. Setanta then sprinted forward towards the four with heavy, fast footsteps.

"Incoming!" Kotone shouted. Everyone sensed the danger and brought their weapons up to block the incoming hit. Sentanta's weapon was charged with psychic magic and it was aimed at Minato. He braced himself, but the second the incoming Mental Smash made contact with his sword, the shockwave spread out to the others. A devastating explosion of psychic energy swept Yu, Joker, Minato, and Kotone away, throwing them all backwards with heavy damage.

"..." Justine and Caroline watched intensely. That was a potent strategy, and they were wondering how Joker and the other three would counter. Theodore wasn't giving them any rest. Jack Frost appeared and released another Mabufula onto the four of them, just to further pile on the pressure. As the frozen dust cleared, Joker, Yu, Minato, and Kotone were on their knees, panting heavily from Elizabeth and Theodore's combination.

"Is that the extent of it?" Theodore questioned the four of them.

"I expected more from you." Elizabeth added, keeping her eyes on them.

The Wildcards were bruised, yes. But they were far from finished. "Not even close..." Joker grunted while bringing himself to his feet. Yu, Minato, and Kotone followed suit. In that moment, as their conviction started to burn, something interesting happened. For a brief moment, their eyes changed colors; Joker's lit up with a red hue, Yu's yellow, Minato's blue, and Kotone's pink.

"That all you got!?" Kotone said while stepping forward.

"Not done yet..." Minato said quietly.

"We're just getting started!" Yu shouted.

"...Oh...?" Now this was curious. Elizabeth's stance shifted along with Theodore's.

Kotone and Minato looked at each other and nodded. A red glow surrounded the both of them as they used their Evokers once more. This time they summoned both Jack Frost and Pyro Jack. The two Jack Brothers stood in front of a microphone, preforming a comedy routine that ended with a sudden blast of Almighty magic. Elizabeth and Theodore tried to hold their ground, but found themsevles losing their footing because of it.

"This combination...!" Theodore stumbled around a bit.

Yu took this opening and called Izanagi before him. "Zionga!" He clenched his hand into a fist as Izanagi fired a full power blast of lighting straight towards Elizabeth. She was capable of defending against this with Matador's cape, but that wasn't what she should have been worried about. Kotone and Joker were closing in on both sides of her; their weapons lit up in their respective element. They slashed her at the same time, and with Kotone's Firestrike-Link, an additional burst of flame blew her backwards and off her feet.

"...!?" Elizabeth felt it for a moment. Her vision briefly faded from the impact and she saw an oasis in a desert...

"Jack Frost!" Theodore was planning to attack, but...

"Orpheus!" Minato wasn't going to allow it. Orpheus slammed his harp into the ground, creating a trail of fire that rushed towards Theodore. The trail soon wrapped around him, entrapping the attendant in a ring of fire, much to his surprise. Minato then lifted his sword up, clashing with Yu's own as they held them together. Lightning and fire sparked and ignited from their swords and they swung them forward. A vicious torrent of fire and lightning consumed Theodore, even pushing past him into the nearest wall. In that moment, Theodore briefly saw the same thing as his sister.

"Now!" Joker yelled as Arsene appeared behind him. Inzanagi and the two Orpheus joined as the four of them gathered their respective elements in hand.

"Eigaon!"

"Zionga!"

"Agilao!"

Fire, curse, and lighting all joined together in a gigantic funnel of magic. Elizabeth and Theodore were recovering from the extremely heavy hits they just took, but this was a coup de grace. The beam of elements struck them both, blasting through several walls of Group Date Cafe in the process. Justine, Caroline, Oracle, Rise, and Futaba all watched on with awe, while the wildcards were left panting heavily. The glow in their eyes faded away slowly.

When the smoke cleared, Elizabeth and Theodore were still standing, but they were done fighting. "Well done..." Elizabeth said with soft pants. "That was the power I was hoping to see."

"Incredible." Theodore had an approving smile himself.

"I expected that much from you, Inmate!" Caroline huffed, although she was secretly glad to see that Joker succeeded in this trial. Justine gave a nod of approval. "The rest of you weren't so bad either."

"Thanks?" Kotone would just take that compliment. "Wow...that was exhasuting...it got dicey there."

"Did you guys noticed your eyes changed color for a bit there?" Fuuka brought up.

"They did?" Minato tilted his head. "I didn't notice."

"They did. It was what caught my attention towards the end." Elizabeth was dusting her dress off. "And it allowed me to conclude something important."

"And that is?" Yu asked. While they were talking, Theodore decided to use Pixie and heal the Wildcards's injuries, which made them feel a lot better. But that didn't explain the weird pinch he felt in his leg...same for Joker and Minato as well. They just assumed it was lingering soreness from the fight.

"I have deduced that all four of you are equal in strength. Using Minato as a baseline, I can conclude one thing: the four of you are roughly about the strength you were when you first arrived in this world." Elizabeth stated.

"Really? We caught back up to our current strength?" Joker looked at his knife. "Does that mean we'll grow even stronger from this point on?"

"That is the logical conclusion." Justine stepped into the conversation. "But this only means that the enemies you face will grow stronger still. This trial was to test your ability going forward. If you couldn't defeat our siblings here, your chances of success in the other labyrinths would have been low."

"Your siblings...?" Joker repeated.

Justine paused. She glanced at Caroline, who only gave her a strength look. Why did she say that? Were they related? "...Forgive me. I do not know where that came from."

"More importantly! It was imperative you four passed. And you did. So good job." Caroline brushed past that topic.

"I feel pretty good about that, actually." Kotone stretched her arms over her head.

"Then you'll feel pretty good about this next part! Everyone's ready to head to the next labyrinth when you guys get back!" Oracle said.

"Good timing. I feel like I'm ready to take on the world." Yu said with a bit of a grin. Working with the others felt nice.

"Then let us depart!" Elizabeth would take the liberty of whisking everyone present back to school. And with that flash of light, they did not notice the small spider that slinked away in the conversation...

.

.

Based on how Oracle, Rise, and Fuuka were talking, Margaret could gather what was happening. So could Marie, and she did have a question to the Velvet Room attendant. "Hey...not that I care or anything...but I thought you'd go with your siblings and stuff."

"That was Elizabeth's idea." Margaret replied while crossing one leg over the other. "It was not a bad one either. Testing the Wildcards is important going forward. It is not my time to test them yet."

"Oh, so you're thinking about it? I see..." Marie pursed her lips. It seemed like she had something on her mind. She knew Margaret was about to ask, so she quickly shook it off. "I wasn't asking for any reason! I was just curious, that's all!"

"...Although I do wonder how strong they will become..." Margaret mumbled to herself while placing some tarot cards on the table in front of her.

"What are you doing? Killing time while your siblings take forever to get lunch?" Marie was still hanging around.

"You need to learn some patience." Margaret commented while flipping a card over. It was the tower card.

"Can't you tell I'm bored?!" Marie groaned. "And it's no fun eating by myself..." Grumbling this, she pulled out a piece of stationary.

"I'm sorry I'm not better company." Margaret said while glancing at the tower.

"Tower, huh? Let's see..." Marie began, letting her creativity fly. "To the bird, a bird trapped in a cage. A tower closer to the heavens and than the earth. Umm..." She paused for a moment to gather her flow. "To the horse, run away through it all...overcome the countless nights. Gallop free!" Margaret was silent for a moment. Realizing she was listening in, Marie felt embarrassed. "H-Hey! Mind your own business!"

"I have been curious for a while. Why is it you create poems?" Margaret asked flatly.

"W-What!?" Marie grew defensive. "They're not poems, they're songs! It's just my pathos screaming out!"

Realizing she touched a nerve, Margaret backed off. "I-Is that so? My apologies..."

"Ugh, whatever! You got in my way! I'm not getting any inspiration from this tower thing either." Marie huffed.

"Collapse." Margaret said.

"Collapse?" Marie tilted her head.

"That is what the tower represents." Margaret closed her eyes. "Of course, there are various interpretations, but its primary meaning is collapse. Perhaps...this is no ordinary festival. It may be the Culture Festival that destroys the world."

"Destroys the world...?" Marie didn't think too literally on it. It just sounded nice to her. "Huh, you're quite the lyricist too. That wasn't too bad."

"Thank you." Margaret said simply. Although the fact she actually drew that card...

.

.

Team Persona gathered on the second floor in front of Class 4's display. It read 'Evil Spirit Club". Aigis stared at the display curiously. "This seems to be a haunted house attraction." Aigis pointed out.

"It doesn't look that scary from the outside." Ken said.

"...Do we have to go in?" Chie said with a nervous demeanor.

"I...It doesn't look so scary..." Makoto said, although with how she sounded, it seemed like she was trying to convince herself of that.

Yosuke didn't notice. In his eyes, Makoto was too badass to be scared, so he instead focused on Chie. "Oooooh, are you scared? It's just a Culture Festival display." He teased her a little.

"...I hope so..." Yukari really hoped Yosuke was right. She had such a bad feeling about this.

"I would've liked to go in..." Fuuka admitted.

"You don't mind scary stuff, Fuuka-chan?" Rise was surprised by that.

"It scares me, but that's what makes it kind of fun!" Fuuka said with a soft smile. "Can you handle scary stuff, Rise-chan? Futaba-chan?"

"I would prefer not to deal with it." Futaba said with a bashful a smile.

"If I was with everyone else, maybe. But by myself? It's way too creepy!" Rise shuddered. "I've never been more relieved that I can only provide backup."

"Why can't my Persona do back up...?" Yukari lamented. "You two seem like you'd be fine with it, Makoto-kun and Naoto-kun." The two who spaced out the most.

"Huh? O=Oh! Yes! I can handle it!" Makoto said, her answer a bit forced.

"Yes?" Naoto completely blanked out. She didn't even register the question. "Pardon me, were you asking me something?"

"Were you two lost in there?" Yukari tilted her head.

"I, uh, I was thinking about optical illusions!" Naoto stuttered. "Commonly known as pareidolia, it's the phenomenon where shadows look like faces and figures, and..."

"...You're scared." Yu said flat out. He wasn't judging her about it, though.

"N-No!" Naoto objected. "I'm just saying that paranormal experiences can be negated by science!"

"I don't think science can explain anything about what's happening here." Hifumi pointed out.

"Yeah, yeah. Aww, it's okay! There's no need to be scared!" Yosuke teased Naoto, which only made her fluster grow.

"You all sure get along well." Akechi noted.

"It's one of our greatest strengths." Yukiko said proudly.

"That goes for us, too!" Haru clasped her hands together with a smile.

"We're all friends here!" Kasumi added.

"I see...that must be nice." Yukari mumbled.

"Only two more labyrinths left after this..." Zen said quietly. "There's no need to be afraid, Rei. I'll protect you."

"I'm not afraid!" Rei said with a gentle smile. "I mean, I am a little scared. But I'll be okay because you're with me! And everyone else!"

"You don't need to worry, Rei-chan! I'll protect you, too!" Teddie said proudly.

"Appreciated, but there's no need." Zen said flatly. Even if Rei and Teddie were friends, Zen still felt protective of her.

Considering he was shot down, Teddie flinched. "Teddie discrimination isn't cool...!"

"Arf!" Koromaru barked.

Teddie felt like he knew what Koromaru was saying. He didn't want a dog's pity. "Having you be nice to me doesn't make me happy at all!" With the rejection, Koromaru whined.

"Hey! Don't be rude to Koro-chan!" Ann huffed, kneeling down to give Koromaru some pets. "I'll pet you Koro-chan! The mean bear won't hurt you!"

"Look what you did...!?" Morgana hissed while glaring at Teddie. How did Koromaru end up winning in this situation!? "You need to stop talking..."

"Maybe we can find out why Zen's getting his memories and not Rei." Shinjiro was going to try and steer the topic elsewhere.

"I wonder why that is..." Junpei was unable to figure that out. Nobody could.

"The mystery thickens..." Teddie began. "Teddie thickens, too..." And when he said that, there was an uncomfortable silence hanging in the air. Nobody knew what to say in response to that.

"Teddie. You really need to stop talking." Rise grumbled.

With that awkward beginning, Team Persona pushed forward into the third labyrinth: Evil Spirit Club...

Chapter Text

Evil Spirit Club. The first thing that stood out was the lighting. Compared to You in Wonderland and Group Date Cage, it was dim and they could barely see in front of them. The surrounding area vaguely resembled something of a school, but was hard to tell. "Whoa...I thought this was gonna be amateur hour, but this is pretty impressive!" Junpei wasn't deterred by the atmosphere. In fact, he welcomed this!

Rei, on the other hand, felt more frightened than she expected. Something in her heart stirred. "Nnh...are we really going through here?" Her voice quivered a little bit.

"Hm...this might be a bit tough for you, Rei-chan. Then again, it's pretty bad for me too, hahaha..." Yukari let out a nervous laugh that ended in a sigh.

"C-Come on now...I'm sure it won't be so bad...!" Queen was hanging on by a thread. She was trying to uphold a brave image for everyone. But then, the sound of something falling from above completely startled everyone. "Eep!?"

"AAAAAAH!" Yukari yelped.

"NOOOO!" Rei cried out.

"W-What was that!?" Violet looked around, feeling her heart beat quicken.

"Something just fell from above." Ken pointed out, noticing a spider crawling across the ground. "Just a...spider...?"

"A spider?" Naoto's eyes narrowed. Although she just barely caught sight of the spider before it vanished into the darkness ahead.

"...It's already gone." Crow furrowed his brows. That spider...

"Ahhhh..." Suddenly, all eyes turned to Queen. She was clinging to Joker's leg, eyes squeezed shut as the sound from earlier completely broke her. "Imsorryimsorrypleasesavemesisimsosorry!" There was a tense pause as everyone witnessed Queen get scared. When she realized this, she opened her eyes, feeling immense embarrassment wash over her. She was quick to stand up and dust herself off, trying to regain her composure. "I-I-I-I'm so sorry you had to see that.."

"Wow. So even you get scared, huh Queen?" Yosuke crossed his arms, an annoying smile appearing on his lips. "That side is pretty cute of you, too!" So Queen could be badass and a cute girl that needed protecting...she was definitely his type.

"I know what you're thinking. You don't have a chance." Chie groaned. "Is it bad I feel a little better knowing that someone like Queen can get scared, too...?"

"N-No, I totally get it..." Yukari felt the same way. Queen was so cool...so seeing this side of her made Yukari feel a little less alone in terms of being frightened.

"Nnh...w-what about you, Zen? Are you scared?" Rei asked.

"I am not. Nothing scares me." Zen said calmly.

"Damn. That's pretty bad ass." Skull had to give it up.

"Nothing scares me either." Teddie said, appearing out of his suit. "Rei-chan, nothing scares me, either."

"Nnnnh...I'm so scared..." Rei mumbled.

"I bet you're actually scared too, Ken!" Yosuke teased.

"I-I'm not! Don't poke fun at me! This is nothing!" Ken objected. Unfortunately for him, he took the bait.

"Okay! Then our brave Sir Ken gets to lead the way! That's an order!" Junpei joined in with his own smile.

"What!? That's not fair!" Ken objected once again. "Abuses of power shouldn't be allowed like that! Right, Mitsuru-senpai!" Surely, if anyone would be the voice of reason here, it would be Mitsuru! Yet there was a strange pause that made him worry. "Senpai?"

"Amada, you'll take point." Mitusu suddenly declared.

"W-What the!?" Kotone sputtered at Mitsuru's rare moment of hesitation. Kotone wouldn't even jokingly suggest something like that!

"I...Is she scared, too?" Mona looked up at Mitsuru with a sweat drop.

"You know, when you're all in a line, supposedly they attack the one in the center." Akihiko said.

"You're thinking of snakes." Naoto shook her head.

"Then I'll take point!" Mitsuru said suddenly.

"Even Mitsuru-san is struggling in this area. How interesting." Fox noted. "Personally, I would enjoy creating a painting with this sort of atmosphere. I doubt even a haunted house compares."

"You're on your own there..." Dragon said with a small sigh. Was she scared? The atmosphere was unnerving, but she would steel herself.

"I-I'm not scared at all, you know!" Chie puffed her chest out.

"Alright. Then you can take point and we'll take our sweet time behind you." Shinjiro couldn't help it. Chie was trying so hard, but anyone could see through her paper thin ruse.

"Huh!? Wait! I'm sorry!" Chie yelped. "Crow, light the way with Robin Hood or something!" She asked while moving to hide behind him.

"W-..." Crow sighed. "I'm not a flashlight."

"Are we going to go!?" Yukiko was practically bouncing with excitement. She lived for areas like this. The fact she looked so happy really surprised Yukari and Queen.

"I-Is she for real?" Yukari gulped. "How can she look so happy about this!?"

"That's Yukiko for you..." Chie sighed heavily.

.

.

As Team Persona made their way through the eerie corridors of Evil Spirit Club, the one who took point was Yukiko. As frightened as some of the others were, she took each step bravely. In fact, she wasn't frightened at all. She was eager to see just how scary this labyrinth could be! After walking through a flickering red door, Koromaru barked to get everyone's attention. "Oh, there's something on the ground. Is this a piece of paper...?" Yukiko knelt down to pick the paper up.

Koromaru barked again and Aigis came in to translate. "Koromaru-san says that he smells a mystery from that piece of paper."

Hearing that, Yukiko turned to Naoto and Crow. "What does a mystery smell like? Does it smell like blood?"

"I-I have no answer to that..." Naoto replied with a small shrug.

"The smell of mystery is usually used as a metaphor or exaggeration." Crow said simply.

"Let's see..." Yukiko looked at the paper. "It's written in red. What you search for is deepest within. You cannot reach the lowers depths until all locked doors are opened...that's all it says."

"Hrgh...I wonder if this place will be deep too." Rei worried.

"I don't know, but we'll need to go to the very deepest part." Zen stated. Rei just let out a low whimper.

"So in order to proceed, we'll need to find keys and the doors they unlock." Naoto stroked her chin.

"I guess that's the gimmick this time around." Minato said quietly. "In a place like this, it seems like it'll be a pain. I might have to finally reveal my right eye..."

"Whoa, are you serious!? Don't do it...!" Yosuke thought Minato held some kind of power within his right eye. He didn't want to comment on it, but he hadn't seen Minato's other eye!

"You've got some hidden power in your eye...!?" Yu also asked.

"No..." Minato shook his head. "I was just going to brush my hair to the side. It's been getting in my way this whole time. Kinda sucks in a place like this, too."

"What!? Then why don't you just get a haircut!?" Yosuke shouted.

"Meh." Was Minato's reply.

Yosuke's expression quickly shifted to one of annoyance. What kind of reply "You're really startin' to piss me off with that attitude..." How was Minato so nonchalant about everything!?

"Moving on..." Naoto decided to shift the topic and keep things moving. "It sounds as if we're going to be in this one for the long haul."

"Just what I wanted to hear." Yukari said with a sarcastic sigh. This area was already shaping up to be the worst one so far. She missed the vibrant pink of Group Date Cafe. With her quiet objection, they passed through the next door and funneled into a sizable corridor.

Suddenly, Teddie yelped. "Aggh!?"

"WAA?!" Chie, Yukari, and Queen all yelped in response to Teddie's cry.

"My foot fur's caught in the floorboards! I'm stuck! Heeeeelp!" Teddie whined.

"How did that even...!?" Kanji groaned before approaching Teddie. "Here, gimme a sec." He tugged at Teddie's suit, furrowing his brows. "Damn, it's really stuck in there."

As if things couldn't get any worse, Junpei's eyes widened as he heard the faint echo of a baby's cry. "...What the hell? Did you guys just hear a baby crying?"

"J-Junpei-kun, you really shouldn't say things like that right now." Queen felt jumpy. If she got scared, she worried she might accidentally punch something.

"Yeah, don't say things like that!" Chie huffed.

"I bet he's just trying to scare us. Again. For no reason. Because he never learns." Yukari glared daggers at Junpei.

"No, I heard it as well." Zen said calmly.

"I heard it, too." Mona added.

"W-Wait, seriously?" Yukari blinked in surprise. She thought Junpei would take this chance to mess with them, but if Zen and Mona heard it... "I thought you were just being Stupei again, my bad."

"Z-Zen! There's nothing here!" Rei whined. "There's no ghost of babies anywhere! I mean, ghost don't exist!"

"...Kinda weird to say ghosts don't exist considering everything we're all doin' right now." Skull commented.

"I think this is an apt time to read the room, Skull." Mona rolled his eyes.

"Okay. Then I take it back. There's nothing here." Zen nodded to Rei's words.

"..." Ultimately, Rei couldn't handle it. The thought of something actually being around... "Waaaaaaaaaah! What if there is something here?!"

"Can you make up your mind?" Shinjiro said calmly.

"Can we focus on getting me out of here...!?" Teddie complained. Kanji, Kotone and Aigis were working to pry Teddie from the floor. And then, something rattled. Koromaru immediately turned around and started growling.

"Uhhh...you guys heard that too, right?" Panther said tentatively. Everyone soon sensed a horrifying presence behind them. They turned, and right as they did...a gigantic blue baby clad in a bloodied, chained iron mask fell from above on its side. It slowly crawled to all fours. "AAAAAAAAH!?"

"GYAAAAAAAAH!?" Chie and Yukari screamed at the same time.

"Everyone, RUN! That's an FOE!" Rise shouted.

"Where the heck did it come from!?" Oracle gasped.

"Who cares!? We can figure that out later, we gotta run!" Shinjiro barked.

"I'm still stuck here!" Teddie waved his arms about. There were a few groans as they realized they had to free Teddie before they could escape.

"Damn it, Teddie! How did you get that stuck!?" Yosuke shouted. The Cute Baby was drawing closer which was freaking a lot of them out.

"Goemon!" Fox decided to take the initiative, his mask burning away as Goemon appeared. Goemon swung his sword, creating a wall of ice to block off the Cute Baby from attacking them. It didn't last long as the ironclad infant simply bashed its head through the ice. "It didn't even stop it...!"

"Penthesilea!" Mitsuru's voice was a little high pitched as she called her Persona. Fox had the right idea, and she piled onto the wall of ice with her own. It wasn't doing much to slow the Cute Baby down.

"I am a detecting a Shadow underneath the floorboards!" Aigis reported. "It is fighting against our grip."

"Tch!" Unwilling to wait much longer, Crow stabbed his sword into the floorboards. His saber shone brightly before it exploded in a burst of light magic, causing Teddie to fly backwards into Aigis' arms.

"Ai-chan!" Teddie sighed happily. "My hero!"

"RUN!" Joker shouted. Now that Teddie was free, they could begin to beeline to the opposite side of the hallway. Fox and Mitsuru were doing everything they could to slow the FOE down, but this was the first one to actively chase them.

"What's up with this thing!?" Yukari cried out.

"Why is it following usssss!?" Chie whined loudly. She couldn't take this!

"It's way too strong for you guys to try and fight...!" Fuuka warned. The FOEs were only getting stronger with each new labyrinth. It was too risky to engage in combat with something that would no doubt exhaust them.

"I don't care how strong it is!" Akihiko came to a halt, turning around as he pressed his Evoker to his temple. "I'm not keeping my back turned to these damned things! I'm landing one good punch!"

"Akihiko, don't be reckless!" Mitsuru shouted.

"I'm knocking it back!" Akihiko replied while firing his Evoker. Polydeuces appeared in front of him and flew towards the Cute Baby, clashing against its metal helmet with a Sonic Punch. Akihiko grit his teeth as he could feel himself getting pushed back. "C'mon...!"

"Damn it, Aki..." Shinjiro didn't want things to come to this, but he wasn't going to leave Akihiko on his own. "Castor!"

"Orpheus!" Kotone joined in as well, with Koromaru barking and summoning Cerberus to add onto it.

"Tomoe!" Even Chie was getting involved, only because she couldn't stand to see that creepy baby following them for much longer! All five Personas crashed into the Cute Baby, their combined efforts were enough to knock it back just a few feet. That was more than enough. It didn't fall over at all. "We didn't faze it at all...!?"

"Doesn't matter, we got some space!" Shinjiro said while turning around.

"We found a door, c'mon!" Noir shouted while aiming her rocket launcher at the ceiling. The Cute Baby still crawled forward and she fired a rocket of psychic energy up above. The rocket exploded on the ceiling and debris collapsed onto the Cute Baby. "Did that get it...?"

"Scary, but effective." Yu said. That said, a hand from the Cute Baby slowly pulled itself up from the rubble. "...Still...!?"

"Doesn't matter, let's go." Minato ushered the others to follow through the door. Everyone quickly made their way to the next room...and the sounds of the Cute Baby slowly ebbed away.

"Is it gone...?" Chie shuddered.

"It looks like these FOEs won't follow you through doors." Rise reported, a hand on her chest. She wasn't even there and she felt scared!

"Why did it follow us in the first place?!" Rei whimpered. That was scary...!

"I wouldn't let it hurt you, Rei." Zen said firmly.

"Still, that was a close call." Even Junpei felt his heart race after that kind of chase.

"I'm curious, did anything out of the ordinary happen when you were walking around?" Fuuka asked.

"Teddie got stuck..." Naoto stroked her chin. "But I do not think that alone was enough."

"I think we heard the sound of a rattle, right? A baby's toy." Yukiko tilted her head. "Maybe the FOE was drawn to that sound?"

"That's about as logical a conclusion as we can draw. A baby was drawn to a rattle. That's going to be an annoying circumstance to watch out for going forward." Crow could already tell this was going to be a headache.

"But we couldn't avoid walking through that area." Mitsuru seemed tense at the thought. "...I also don't think we can go back that way now either."

Noir gave a sheepish smile. "It worked the last time I did it."

"We just have to find another way around." Queen was trying to hold herself together. She took a deep breath. This place did have her a little unnerved, but she had to try and keep her composure. "We have a large group, so we shouldn't be startled by anything...we can handle it." She was hyping herself up. The reminder of being surrounded by strong allies made her feel less afraid.

"Sergeant Junpei, reporting in! I've found something!" Junpei suddenly exclaimed, completely failing to read the room. As a result, Queen and Yukari yelped.

"W-What!?" Yukari's voice got a bit high pitched.

"Check this out!" Junpei held out a piece of paper from the bundle on the ground nearby. "More of those bundles papers! I'm thinking we're gonna wanna read these if we want to go forward."

At first, Yukari said nothing. She stared at Junpei for a few seconds, and now that she had that time to calm down. "Can you PLEASE try and act normal in a place like this!?" She did say please.

"R-Right..." Junpei finally got the hint. Whereas he wasn't too terrified in a place like this, that could not be the same for others. He leaned towards Minato and Kotone. "You guys better not say the wrong thing, she's seriously on edge."

"I think that's just something you have to worry about." Kotone said with a deadpan. "Anyway, what's that paper say?"

"Oh, right!" Junpei proceeded to read it out to the group. "The first key is in the schedule."

"This is a clue if I've ever seen one." Skull said.

"Right?" Yosuke replied. "It's practically screaming 'hey! I'm a clue!'"

"But we have not come across a schedule on our journey here." Aigis pointed out. "I do not see anything like one here, either."

"Woof! Woof woof!" Koromaru wagged his tail with a piece of paper in his mouth. Yosuke knelt down to carefully take the paper from his mouth.

"This looks like a clue...but it doesn't look like a schedule." Yosuke said before reading the paper aloud. "After shop class is art. Before Geometry is Science. That's the whole thing."

"An art class?" Fox suddenly perked up.

"Not sure what that means, but it's probably important." Yosuke shrugged. "I'll hold onto this."

"Try not to lose it." Chie huffed.

.

.

With the threat of the FOE looming around every corner, Team Persona had to carefully maneuver through the eerie halls of Evil Spirit Club. Everyone was tense as the heavy atmosphere weighed on their shoulders. The flashing, dim lights and the broken red glass really set the mood and it sucked. "Hey..." Dragon's voice was soft, but loud enough to catch everyone's attention. She just didn't want startle anyone. "I see something over there." She pointed in the direction of a bulletin board with a lot of different papers on it.

"What is that?" Violet asked. They had to get closer to get a better look. "Tell me Monday's 4th period and Friday's 3rd period. Huh?"

"Another schedule related hint..." Naoto noted.

"I have no idea what this means." Akihiko shook his head. "Everything's too faded to figure it out. I don't even see a schedule here."

"There is a schedule over there." Aigis pointed to a paper not too far away.

"Ah, good job, Aigis!" Akihiko snapped his fingers. Once again, Aigis came through.

"Hm..." Crow took a careful glance at the schedule. Each day was missing one or more classes. "I suppose this is what our hint is for. The 4th period of Monday and the 3rd of Friday are both entirely illegible. But if we put together what our clue means, I surmise that Monday's 4th period is Language, and Friday's 3rd period is Civics."

"That was the same conclusion I came to." Naoto confirmed. "It's simple once you recognize the pattern."

"If the two of them are agreein' on it, I don't think it's wrong." Skull said. Between Crow and Naoto's smarts, it felt like any puzzle that came their way was pretty trivial. "But, uh, I don't get it."

"...Same here, dude." Yosuke said.

"You guys are tryin' too hard. I gave up thinkin' a long time ago." Junpei had his hands behind his head as Naoto explained the pattern. "No problem lettin' the smart people do their thing."

"It would be wise for you to listen to the explanation, Junpei-san." Crow said with a somewhat authoritative tone. That did make Junpei stiffen up.

"D-Don't worry! Junpei Iori, Ace Detective, is simply taking notes from the two Detective Princes!" Junpei said with a slight laugh. "When you least expect it, I'll come up with a deduction that blows everyone away!"

"Good save." Yukari rolled her eyes. Junpei was a real piece of work sometimes.

"Well, let's try putting it into the schedule and see what happens." Joker decided to do just that, writing down Language and Civics into the required spots on the blackboard. A strange sound came from the blackboard and soon a key fell into his gloved hand. A key with the tag that read 'Practice Building'. "Looks like it worked."

"Whoa!" Rei's expression lit up. "Crow-chan! Nao-chan! You're both so school and smart!"

"..." Zen felt a twinge of jealous in his chest. Rei praising Crow and Naoto made him feel some envy but he wasn't sure why. "We should keep moving."

Rei didn't notice this at all. Instead she just smiled. "Okay!"

And so Team Persona continued along. They passed through a corridor and in that moment, the sound of a rattle echoed through the halls again. Queen stiffened up. "Oh no..." She and everyone else whipped around, and another Cute Baby dropped down from the ceiling. "Again...!?"

"Guess we're runnin'!" Skull hung back a bit as the others ran forward. "Slow 'em down, Captain!" Captain Kidd appeared in front of him, firing off a strong Zionga to slow the Cute Baby down. The lightning bolt struck the Cute Baby's metal mask, slowing it down just a little bit.

"Skull, c'mon!" Panther shouted with urgency, practically pulling Skull back. Despite his training, she knew his leg was still bad, and she didn't want him to fall behind. Skull didn't fight it either. The Cute Baby was crawling behind them at an alarmingly quick pace. As they approached a locked door, a faint melody was heard from the cracks.

"What the...?" Mona came to a halt. "What song is that...?"

"Is that...Brahms Melody..?" Mitsuru recognized it. It was a piano...!?

"We don't have time to listen to that!" Chie exclaimed. "Thing! Baby! Right behind us!" She wasn't going to waste time standing around. They had to round the corner and as the Cute Baby passed the locked door...it fell asleep.

"...It stopped moving." Noir was ready to shoot at the ceiling again, but the Cute Baby was completely immobile.

"K-Kids who sleep grow more! So it should stay asleep there forever and ever!" Rei thought that was a nice idea. That way they wouldn't have to deal with it ever again.

"Talk about desperate..." Yosuke commented.

"Be nice!" Violet narrowed her eyes a bit. Feeling the pressure, Yosuke decided to laugh it off.

"Did it fall asleep because of the lullaby?" Mitsuru wondered. "If we are chased in the future, this could be something to keep in mind."

"Anything that makes dealing with those creepy babies bearable..." Chie sighed. At least there was a way to deal with them!

"Staying up too late is dangerous..." Ken mumbled.

"Did you say something, Ken-kun?" Kotone tilted her head.

"H-Huh? O-Oh no! Nothing!" Ken shook his head.

"Let's keep it moving. We can rest a little easier knowing this thing won't follow us." Joker felt a lot better about it. The next door was to the Practice Building and with the key in hand, he opened it. Everyone stepped through...and then the doors violently shut behind them. "Whoa...!?"

"AH!?" Yukari jumped. "What happened?!"

"T-The door just shut..." Queen approached the door and grabbed the handles, trying to pull it. However, she found that it wasn't budging. Akihiko joined her, but their combined strength wasn't enough to open the door. "It's not opening...?"

"No, it feels like there's something holding the door..." Akihiko stated.

"Guys, be careful! There's an FOE behind that door!" Rise warned. That made Queen leap back defensively.

"An FOE is behind that door!?" Chie gasped. "But why!?"

"An FOE that holds the door shut?" Akihiko cracked his knuckles.

"Don't even think about it, you idiot." Shinjiro knew what Akihiko was thinking.

"If it's closing the door behind us, that means it wants us to go forward, right?" Kanji deduced.

"THAT'S EVEN WORSE!" Chie whined. "Yosuke, go do something about it! Guys are great at this stuff."

"What!? Me!?" Yosuke shook his head. "No way in hell!"

"I think we should calm down..." Yu said while pointing ahead. "If we're going forward, that just means we're going down the stairs."

"We made it to the next floor already? That felt like it went fast. Not that I'm complaining." Yukiko was unbothered by the atmosphere unlike everyone else.

"Let's keep going..." Kotone took a few steps forward, trying to be brave for everyone else. They took a few steps forward...and the floor creaked loudly from their combined weight. "Huh...?"

"D...Did anyone else here that...?" Dragon looked around. For a moment she feared that another Cute Baby was about to surprise them. But instead, something far worse happened. The creaking noise grew louder...until the entire floor gave away.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Everyone screamed in panic as the floor beneath them completely caved in, forcefully thrusting them deeper into Evil Spirit Club...

Chapter Text

"Ugh..." A low groan escaped Dragon as she sat up. The floor collapsed under Team Persona and sent them falling deeper into Evil Spirit Club. "Ow...! That hurt..." She was quickly reminded of their surroundings and shuddered. "A-Ann...? Er, Panther? Anyone?" She slowly stood up, gripping her staff as she felt the hairs of her neck stand on end. She slowly glanced around, only to see an unconscious Yukari nearby. "Yukari...!?" She rushed over, kneeling down and gently placing a hand on her shoulder. "Yukari...wake up...are you okay...?"

Dragon's gentle nudging did make Yukari stir. "Nnnngh..." Slowly the archer's eyes opened. She almost jumped because of Dragon's mask. "Ah-!? O-Oh, Dragon, it's just you..." She sat up while Hifumi let her mask rest atop her head. "Yeah, I'm okay, I think..."

"That's good. I think I landed on my hip..." Hifumi joked slightly while helping Yukari stand up. "But I'm alright. We fell pretty far..." She glanced up at the ceiling, but all she could see was darkness. The dim lights just weren't enough to see anything else.

"I hope the others are alright." Yukari felt extremely tense. Evil Spirit Club was already unnerving, but she was able to endure because there was safety in numbers. Now there were just two of them... "Oh, man. I'm starting to realize how creepy this place is with all this open space."

"D-Don't say that..." Hifumi shuddered. She was doing her best to remain brave for her sake and Yukari's sake. "I feel much safer with a friend by my side. So I hope you can rely on me to keep you safe!"

"Y-Yeah! You can rely on me, too." Yukari gave a quick nod. Dragon was right! They at least had each other. At that moment, Fuuka's hologram fizzled before them, causing them to both jump a bit. "Eep..-!? Fuuka..?!"

"Yukari-chan! Dragon-chan!" Fuuka looked so relieved to see the both of them. "Are you okay? The communication with everyone suddenly cut off!"

"We're okay." Yukari said with a slight smile. "Of all the things to happen, of course the floor would completely shatter under our feet. I didn't think we'd get separated from the others, though. Did you find them? Please say yes."

"We're working on it right now." Fuuka replied, her hologram fizzling a bit. "We're spread thin checking in on everyone as fast as we can. Please be careful, the Shadows here are stronger than in Group Date Cafe...!"

"I was worried about that..." Yukari said with a small sigh. Of course they'd have their work cut out for them.

"I have to look for the others. Please be safe...!" Fuuka hated to leave them, but she had to ensure the others were safe as well. With that, her hologram faded, leaving Dragon and Yukari by themselves.

"Looks like we're on our own for now. If we traverse carefully we should be alright." Dragon told Yukari. Standing around doing nothing wouldn't get them anywhere. "And we have such a large group, there's no way we don't run into someone else."

"Yeah..." Yukari was a little apprehensive first, but came to smile. "You're right!" With that, the two of them started to walk side by side. "You're pretty courageous. I still feel like I'm shaking in my boots here."

"It is scary." Dragon admitted with a half smile. "But I think we have been through worse with our experiences. It's only frightening if you allow it!"

"I suppose..." Yukari wasn't entirely sold, but she saw the logic. "Let's just keep an ear to the ground. The silence is the worst part." She could endure the terrifying atmosphere if it wasn't so quiet. "Wait a minute...are we going to have to deal with more of those puzzles?"

"Er..." Dragon forgot about that. Crow and Naoto made the first puzzle so trivial she completely failed to think about it. "If we put our heads together, I'm sure we can figure something out! I won't fall behind Crow."

That sort of attitude also made Yukari feel better. She was no detective and her grades were fine! So a puzzle like what they dealt with earlier would take her a bit of time on her own. "I'll do my best too!" Things were looking up for them, and then she noticed something. She heard it. "Did you hear that?"

"Hm?" Dragon glanced around. "I think? It sounded faint, but..." On instinct, she stood back to back with Yukari in case they were surrounded. They were right to do so, because a few Shadows started to surround them. Rainy Pots appeared around them, which did scare the both of them. "W-What the...?"

"What are these...?!" Yukari had her bow at the ready. These freaky pots were Shadows unfamiliar to the both of them, but the one thing that did startle her was the fact she spotted lightning crackling from the Rainy Pots. "...!" She realized this would hurt for her due to her weakness to electricity, and she wasn't going to be able to pull out her Evoker in time.

"Belle Star!" Dragon's mask burned away as Belle Star appeared in front of her, charging ahead to slash her sword at the few Rainy Pots in front of them. While it didn't strike them down, it did clear a path for the two of them to sprint off. "Let's run!"

"You don't have to tell me twice!" Yukari knew this wasn't an ideal matchup. It was far better for them to make a tactical retreat than fight with such few numbers. They sprinted down the hallway as fast as they could, the Rainy Pots in hot pursuit. "They're following us..." Yukari hoped that wasn't the case. She quickly pulled her Evoker out and used it to summon Io. "Io, blow them back!" Io spread her arms apart, throwing a Magarula forward. The cyclone of wind struck the Rainy Pots, but it only managed to slow them down just for a little bit before they kept moving. "Agh...!"

"Resistance to wind...?" Dragon took note of this, and also how the Rainy Pots were charging up lightning. The Shadows released a widespread blast of lightning that was hard to dodge in such a tight corridor. It was aimed straight at Yukari, but Dragon was never going allow it to hit. "Aegis!" Belle Star appeared in front of Yukari, using her shield to soak up the impact. After the damage was sustained, Belle Star flew forward again, countering the Rainy Pots with a powerful slash to take several of them out. "Take that!"

"Nice one!" Yukari grinned. Of course their problems were far from other. The remaining Rainy Pots coalesced together into a gigantic one, which was worrying. "Um...!"

"Bigger does not always equal better!" Dragon came to a halt. Clearly they weren't going to escape this without a fight. The large Rainy Pot held its hands out and a strange aura enveloped Dragon. It didn't do damage, but that was the strange part. "Huh?"

"Are you okay?" Yukari was worried as well. But there was hardly any time for concern as a gigantic ball of lightning came towards Dragon, and Yukari had a bad feeling about this one. "Wait!"

"I got it!" Dragon held her position. The Zionga slammed against Belle Star's shield, but Dragon felt much more damage than usual. It was the same pain as being hit with a fire attack, but with lightning!? She was surprised and thrown off her feet, wincing from the hit. "W-Why did that deal so much damage...?" She had no idea the Rainy Pot could lower one's electricity resistance! A hit that was normally neutral was a weakness hit!

It was no surprise to Yukari that Dragon went to take the hit. She really took the role of a shield seriously, but Yukari wasn't going to let her get hurt just for protecting her. She can do the protecting, too! "I don't think so." Yukari stood in front of Dragon while firing off her Evoker. Instead of the usual blue glow, the light emanating from Yukari was red. She activated her Theurgy, Io right beside her as she proceeded to pelt the Rainy Pot with arrows of wind. Theurgies were so strong they pieced elemental resistances. allowing Yukari to inflict heavy damage! For the final shot, a gentle gust of wind from Io lifted Yukari into the air, and the final shot blasted the Rainy Pot into oblivion. Yukari landed on the ground with a proud look on her face. "And there you have it."

"Wow..." Dragon was going to stand, but Yukari first healed her with a Diarama, before extending her hand to help her up. "Thank you for the save."

"We're team...friends. It's only natural." Yukari replied with a smile. "I wasn't going to leave you alone like that. Besides, those things were creepy. Are you alright?"

"Just fine, thanks to you." Dragon reassured. "I was a little careless. I had no idea they could make one weak to lightning. I don't feel it anymore, but I do grow worried for the others."

"We should hurry." Yukari was serious as was Dragon. A healer and a shield...an unlikely pair, but one they could work with just fine. They would be fine on their own, but what about the others...?

.

.

Walking through the dark hallways together were Shinjiro and Ken. It was a silent, awkward walk between them and they knew it. Shinjiro took the lead, meaning Ken was behind him. To Ken, this opportunity was... "I could do it..." Ken thought to himself, his grip on his spear tightening. "Right now...his back is turned...we're separated...and then if I..."

"Eyes up, Amada." Shinjiro's voice snapped Ken out of his thoughts. "I hear something coming..."

"You do...?" Ken shook those dark thoughts out of his head. The devil on his shoulder nearly convinced him to follow through...

The two took a position around the corner. Without the guidance of a navigator they had to rely on their own instincts. Shinjiro rounded the corner first with his axe at the ready, only to nearly get punched by Akihiko. The two were about to strike but recognized each other at the last second. "Aki..."

"Oh, it's you, Shinji! And Amada, too." Akihiko was glad to see the both of them. He wasn't alone as he had Violet with him.

"Are you guys okay?" Violet asked. Shinjiro and Ken both gave nods. "That fall was pretty bad..."

"I fell on my ass." Akihiko said while rubbing his lower back. "And then I watch Violet stick the landing somehow."

"You're giving me a little too much credit, Akihiko-senpai." Violet said with a bashful smile. "It wasn't a smooth landing. My legs hurt a little bit because I did land on my feet."

"You did!?" Ken looked amazed. He fell on his side, so the fact that Violet even managed to land at all was impressive for him. "Oh, right...you've done gymnastics?"

"That's right." Violet said while scratching her cheek. "I used to do it with my younger sister Sumire."

"Right...you mentioned her before." Akihiko crossed his arms. He remembered overhearing about that in Group Date Cafe.

"Mhm." Violet had her hands behind her back. Since the four of them grouped together, they decided to walk forward and try and find the others. "I know I mentioned this to Rei-chan before, but we had a dream."

"What kind of dream?" Shinjiro decided to ask. The tone in Violet's voice felt familiar.

"We wanted to reach the top of the gymnastics' world together." Violet replied with a wistful smile. "Sumire was always doing her best. She was so talented, way more talented than I ever was. I always felt like I was struggling to keep up, but she was my sister and stayed by me."

"Sounds like she really cared about you." Akihiko said with a faint smile.

"She was my younger sister." Violet said softly. "She passed away in an accident earlier this year. Ah, well...earlier in the year for me." She corrected.

"...Wow...I'm sorry." Ken suddenly felt a bit of his animosity die down. Mostly because there was someone else who had the loss of someone close to them.

"It's alright." Violet said that, but she brought a hand to her chest. The loss of her sister was still one that she felt so heavily. "It just means I have to carry our dream for the both of us. And when it comes to something like this, I have to be brave, too."

"Sounds like you really cared about your sister." Ken said with a bit of amazement. All Violet had was high praise for Sumire.

"I do." Violet placed a hand on her chest. "Even my codename is a homage to her." When she said that, that familiar static struck her again. Her head throbbed a bit and she winced. When her eyes closed, she felt like she saw a familiar scene in front of her, but it was too hazy to see. The more she talked about Sumire, the stronger this feeling became... "She always did a little better in the dark than I did." In fact, as she said that, she almost stumbled into a wall, but she was quick to catch herself.

"You alright?" Shinjiro noted that. It almost looked like she couldn't see where she was going. It was dim in this place, sure, but...

"I'm fine!" Violet waved off the mishap with a smile. "It's really dark in here. I think I'm just having a little more trouble seeing than usual. I want to use some light magic to illuminate the area, but...I'm a little afraid it might draw something to us."

"I thought about that, too." Ken admitted while rubbing the back of his head.

"I wouldn't worry about it." Akihiko said with a confident smile. "If something comes our way, I'll be sure to take it down."

"Don't get ahead of yourself, moron." Shinjiro groaned. Somehow he was still stuck with this muscle head.

"Will you be alright, Ken-kun?" Violet asked with a gentle smile.

"I-I'm fine." Ken said with a firm nod. "I'm not some little kid that's afraid of the dark. So you don't have to worry about me, Violet-san."

Violet gave a slightly nervous smile. She kept forgetting that Ken was far more mature than the average grade schooler, although she wasn't sure if this was a good thing. "R-Right...! Then I'll be counting on you."

"Thank you." That made Ken feel better. Admittedly, despite his tough talk...he was a little scared. But since Violet said she was depending on him, he had to do his best. "L-Let's get moving! I'll take point!"

"..." As Ken started to walk, Shinjiro just looked on with mild concern. Although, what could he really do in this situation? Following Ken, along with Akihiko and Violet, was his best course of action. Although he did wonder how the others were doing...

.

.

Chie and Crow were not in a good position. They were running down a corridor with a Cute Baby right behind them. Worst of all, it was difficult to discern where any music rooms were. "Waaaah! Why is this thing chasing us for so long...!?" Chie whined. It was already scary enough when they were a whole group! But now that there were just two of them, the threat of the Cute Baby was all the more dangerous.

"How unlucky we are..." Crow grit his teeth. They couldn't afford to fight this thing with just two of them, but they had little chance of losing it either. There was a fork in the road, and Crow had an idea. "Chie-san, I have a plan!"

"You do!?" Chie's expression lit up with hope. Although she got nervous when Crow suddenly stopped at the fork in the road. "What is it..?!"

"I have no idea how well this will work. But I'm hoping it pays off. Cover your eyes!" Crow's mask burned off and Robin Hood appeared in front of him, bowstring drawn back. "Take them down, Robin Hood!" On that command, Robin Hood let loose an arrow of bless magic. The arrow flew and struck the Cute Baby in the face, where a bright explosion of light flashed on contact. Crow and Chie covered their eyes and the Cute Baby a wailing cry of pain.

"So bright...!" Chie waited for the light to die down, watching as the Cute Baby was writing around, covering the eye singular eye hole on its helmet. She understood what Crow's plan was, but it looked even more effective than expected. "Huh..."

"No time to stare, this way!" Crow took a left at the fork and Chie followed. After running down the path a bit, they came to a halt. They could heard the groans of the Cute Baby along with each thud as it crawled along the ground. They were able to breathe a sigh of relief as those sounds steadily grew further and further away.

"Thank God..." Chie practically sank to her knees. She couldn't stand this place! "I hate this place so much...!"

"That was a little close for comfort." Crow didn't like how close that was. But they could take a moment to rest.

"Oh! By the way, that was really smart, Crow!" Chie gave Crow a smile. "Those babies really don't like light. It was stunned for a while. It didn't even move."

"...Are they weak to light...?" Something Crow had to mull over. "Oracle, Fuuka, Rise. Can any of you hear me?"

"Sup." Oracle's hologram appeared directly behind Crow. He tried not to jump. but the addtiona of Chie's startled yelp made him do so. "Sorry for the late response! All of you are so scattered..."

"Can't you get us out of here...!?" Chie asked.

Oracle had to shake her head. "I wish we could pull you out so you could regroup, but something is blocking us. It's pretty hard to communicate right now, but we're pooling our strength together to make it happen! We're running around making sure everyone is safe. So far, it seems like everyone is still on this floor! But I don't know how long that may change. We don't have any way of mapping out the floor..."

"I see. So we're on our own for the most part." Crow was afraid of that, but they were just going to have to make due. "Alright. Before you depart, tell the others this: the FOEs are extremely susceptible to light magic."

"Really? That'll be great for them to know! You two play nice, now!" Oracle gave a playful grin before she vanished.

"Play nice?!" Chie had no idea what that meant. "Agh, she left..."

"Let's keep moving." Crow said while looking back at Chie. "If we're lucky, we can regroup with the others."

"Right..." Nodding slowly, Chie followed Crow as they started to walk together. "Hey, Crow. I know this place scares the crap outta me, but you don't have to worry about me that much. I'm still gonna fight, alright? You can count on me!" Chie didn't want to be viewed as dead weight. Crow's skills were extremely impressive and she didn't intend to fall behind.

"Count on you...? Ah, yes, of course." Crow realized how bad that sounded and corrected himself. Counting on someone else? It felt...strange. When it came to the Phantom Thieves, he was just using them and everyone involved in that deal knew it. Chie, however...she was different. And yet...could he really find it in himself to trust someone...?

Crow wasn't sure yet. But he had to keep moving forward with Chie. Neither of them were aware of the footsteps that followed behind them...

.

.

Noir, Mitsuru, Naoto, Yosuke, and Mona were grouped together after the unfortunate fall. "Is everyone alright?" Mitsuru looked towards the others after asking that question.

Naoto was sitting on the ground, grimacing as she held her leg in slight pain. "I think I am. Although my leg might have been injured in the fall..."

"Let me see..." Mona summoned Zorro, using Diarama on Naoto's leg. It did help a bit, but the injury still persisted. Naoto stood up, although it was clear she was a little shaky on her legs.

"I think...this is alright." Naoto tried to push on, but Yosuke wasn't having it.

"No way." Yosuke shook his head. "If you tried to run like that you'd fall over. You need to take it easy, Naoto-kun." It wasn't the first time Naoto put herself in the line of danger, but Yosuke wasn't going to let her continue to do that.

"But..." Naoto frowned. "My apologies. I don't mean to slow everyone down."

"It's alright, Naoto." Noir said with a gentle smile. "It just means we have to be careful. Yosuke-kun, you should carry her!"

"What?" Yosuke did not see that happening. Even though Naoto was pretty short and probably light... "I can't fight and carry Naoto at the same time!"

"I don't need to be carried..!" Naoto also objected, flustered at the idea.

"But we can't let you walk like that, Shirogane. It would be dangerous if you were forced to move." Mitsuru replied, trying to find a solution to this problem. She was also slightly nervous due to the atmosphere. She had no idea if something was going to jump out at them...

"I got it!" Noir suddenly exclaimed while looking at Mona. "Mona-chan! Just transform! We can use you and drive around the labyrinth!"

"Uh..." Mona and Yosuke both held an awkward pause. "Are you sure that's a good idea, Noir?"

"Of course!" Noir nodded. "We can keep Naoto-chan safe and if anything tries to chase us, we can run it over!"

"That's...not terrible." Naoto did have some objections, but the plan was, at least...decent. "But the others might be on this floor. I don't want to run them over."

"It'll be alright." Noir nodded. "Is that okay with you, Mitsuru-san?"

"I...suppose..." Mitsuru didn't have the room to argue. Seeing that this was what they decided, Mona decided to transform into the bus. "I can drive."

"No worries!" Noir smiled innocently, already sliding into the driver's side. "I've driven this before, so it'll be alright!" This only filled the others with a strange sense of dread. But they had no choice as they climbed into Mona. "Is everyone settled?"

"I think so..." Yosuke said. Surprisingly, the Mona bus was comfortable to sit in. But he still wasn't sure how to feel about sitting inside of Mona like this. In fact, he was just going to stop thinking about it all together...

"Great! Let's go!" Noir put the pedal to the metal. A collective of surprised yelps escaped the other passengers as Noir sped down the labyrinth without fear...

.

.

Joker was alone. Because he was separated from everyone else, he made sure to use his Phantom Thief skills to the best of his ability. Slipping around corners, hiding in the darkness. This would at least keep him safe from any FOEs, he hoped. But when it came to actual Shadows, he had to be a lot more careful. They could jump out at any moment, and his Third Eye was only but so useful here. "I hope the others are alright..." The silence was deafening. His resolve was ironclad, but even he could feel a bit on edge in a place like this. He quietly stepped around a corner, his steps light to avoid drawing any attention. "We should still be on the same floor..." That was his hope anyway. For all he knew, the others could have started wandering into the depths. The only way they had to contact one another were their Navigators, and they were no doubt up to their ears in work.

"Hm..." Joker slowly approached a door. He glanced around at first to see if the coast was clear and opened it. At that moment, the scenery around him started to change as he stepped through it. One moment he was in the creepy halls of Evil Spirit Club, and in the next, a flash happened. He covered his eyes briefly, only to find that he was suddenly in familiar territory. The dark halls of Evil Spirit Club were replaced by the vibrant lights of a casino. "What the...?" He was in Sae's Palace? But that didn't make any sense. Something was off here and he knew it. He winced for a moment, feeling something ache in the back of his head. "This is obviously a trap of some kind. Oracle? Fuuka? Rise?" He called out to them, but he didn't get a response. Were they busy, or was this strange recreation of Sae's Palace keeping them from contacting him? Regardless...

"This is the main floor..." Joker recalled the plan the other Phantom Thieves came up with. "I can get across from there. I guess this is a good time to test my escape route." He said with a half smirk, before deciding to go for it. Unbeknownst to Joker, he was being trailed by a hooded figure in a white mask...

Chapter Text

Yukiko walked forward without any fear in her steps. Koromaru, Panther, Junpei, and Fox could only watch in awe with her confident strides. "Wow, Yuki-chan. You've got nerves of steel." Junpei pointed out. The other girls were clearly, at least nervous when stepping through these dark hallways. But Yukiko? She showed no fear.

"I like this place. It feels exciting! Like something could jump out at us at any moment!" Yukiko turned around with a smile.

"That's because something CAN jump out at any second..." Panther exclaimed. Although she was just jealous that Yukiko was able to walk through this place without any hesitation.

"Honestly, I respect her bravery." Fox held his fingers out as if to capture Yukiko in a portrait. "If only it wasn't so dim, I would be more than happy to sketch her in the midst of her stride..."

"Woof!" Koromaru barked. But since Aigis wasn't here to translate, they were having a difficult time understanding.

"Right, Koro-chan?" Junpei said while nodding in agreement.

"You understood what he said?" Fox asked in amazement. But he was quickly met by Junpei shaking his head.

"No idea. But he sounded excited about it!" Junpei grinned.

"The only thing that worries me is the others." Yukiko said, leaning down to give Koromaru a few pets. As long as he wasn't growling, they were safe. He was able to pick up on danger a little faster than the rest of them. "I hope Chie and the others are alright..."

"Me too." Panther frowned a bit. "But I'm sure they're fine! I think we need to worry about ourselves first. This place is giving me the creeps."

"There is one upside to it, though." Junpei began, all eyes on him. "This atmosphere is perfect for the Junpei special."

"The...Junpei special?" Panther asked, but she regretted the question as soon as she did.

"Heh..." Junpei felt a smirk draw itself on his lips. "The perfect collection of horror stories! It's time for Junpei's Belieive It Or Don't!"

"Oooh!" Yukiko's eyes lit up. This sounded like it would be fun!

"Nu-uh!" Panther shook her head and crossed her arms in an X. "Yuakri-chan's not here right now, but I'm taking her place and telling you no. No horror stories unless we're in a group of 20 or more!"

"But that's basically our entire group...!" Junpei gasped. Ah well, so much for that. "Fine. I'll wait until we're all together! But first, we'll have to make out way outta here."

"Woof! Woof!" Koromaru barked, gesturing to a door nearby. It was a way forward in this dark and dreary place.

"You found a door? Excellent work, Koro-chan." Fox nodded, and Koromaru panted excitedly. They walked through the door together and as they did, the area was much darker than before.

"It's pitch black here...!?" Panther could barely see what was in front of her, which was very worrying. There were barely any lights for them! "I think I see some papers on this wall here...they have red and blue strips?"

"Oh! I know these!" Junpei said with a slight grin. "This is more like those horror stories where you have to pull one of them to survive."

"If I remember the horror story you're talking about, you're stained with blood if you pull the red paper...and if you pull the blue one, you're drained of blood, leaving you blue with blood loss." Yukiko recalled.

"I thought I said no horror stories!" Panther felt so squeamish! How could they talk about something like this so easily!? This was so creepy! Especially with this dim lightning!

"Woof!" Koromaru didn't seem so bothered. Maybe he was lucky because he didn't understand the concept of horror stories.

"There is another piece of paper written here. I can somewhat make it out." Fox had to lean in. "No running in the halls. Written in red."

"That's...wonderful..." Panther slowly felt her sanity slipping away. She could hold onto it, but the atmosphere was slowly getting to her. If she was feeling like this, she could only imagine how Queen was feeling. "What should we do with these two colored strips? I really don't want to pull one, but..."

"I also realized something else." Yukiko placed her hand to her cheek. "It seems like we're still going to have to go about these puzzles like before."

"Oh no!" Panther found that to be the worst of all! She didn't like using her brain for things like this! The first puzzle was already extremely complicated in her mind.

"I do not see why you're so worried. We are in the best possible spot." Fox said confidently. "After all, we have Junpei Iori, Ace Detective."

"Woof! Woof!" Koromaru wagged his tail. Sounded as if he was agreeing with Fox, much to Junpei's dismay.

"Huh?" Junpei blinked at first. It was a bit, but now he seriously had to show out, didn't he? Realizing this, he quickly stood up straight. "T-That's right! Mysteries like this are no match for me!" He couldn't back down now. He was no Crow or Naoto...not even close. But they were seriously looking at him now. So he couldn't just say he didn't know.

"We're counting on you, Ace Detective!" Yukiko clasped her hands together.

"We're so doomed." Panther, however, knew where this was going. They were never going to get out of here...

.

.

Queen, Teddie, Kanji, Ryuji, and Aigis somehow managed to navigate their way forward. Queen was doing her best to remain composed. It was because of her thinking that this group was able to push through the few puzzles that came their way. She wasn't solving them as instantaneously as Naoto or Crow were, but she was still getting them through fast enough. "Wow! Queen-chan is so smart! I would love some private lessons from you any day!"

"You don't even go to school, dude." Kanji said, completely missing what Teddie was trying to say.

"Private lessons..." Aigis repeated. "Junpei-san has mentioned something similar in the past. Although Yukari-san told him to be quiet before he could explain anymore."

"I...I think that's for the best." Queen said, completely ignoring Teddie's comment in the first place.

"This place is one hell of a downer." Skull rubbed the back of his head. He was already tired of the doom and gloom surrounding them with every step. Plus it was dim and he could barely see. Just by squinting, he could barely make out a small box on the wall in front of them. "What the hell is this?"

Aigis turned her attention to what Skull was looking at. She was able to adjust her vision. "This appears to be a switchbox. I believe this will power the lights on this floor, or at least in this area."

"That should make it easier for us to see. Hopefully the others as well." Queen was concerned for the rest of their team. She could only wonder how they were faring on this floor with so many unknowns present. Oracle, Fuuka, and Rise were doing their best to juggle everything at once. She needed to do what she could to lessen their workload. So she approached the switchbox and turned it on.

As expected, the lights came to life, which brightened the floor. "We can see now!" Skull was pretty happy for this.

"This should make things a little ea-" Before Queen could finish speaking, something popped out in front of her. It made her scream and she immediately went to throw her fist at it. However, because of its lanky size, she completely missed. This was probably for the best. "Ahhh!?"

"Holy shit!?" Kanji and Skull exclaimed at the same time! It was something under the ground, but it looked like one of those creepy ghost girls!

"Watch out!" Fuuka's hologram suddenly appeared beside them. "That's an FOE!"

"No shit, really!?" Kanji was at a loss for words. The way it appeared so suddenly still had him startled.

"Is it going to attack us!?" Teddie was on guard, just in case. But after a few moments of tense silence, they were just in a stare down with the evil entity.

"It does not appear to be hostile." Aigis stated. She took a small glance at their surroundings. They were standing under the light, while the FOE was lingering in the darkness. If they stepped into it... "I believe this FOE cannot exist in areas where there are light."

"That would coincide with what Oracle told us earlier..." Queen was trying to calm down, but she still felt jumpy. "Crow told her that the baby FOES were susceptible to light based attacks. I wonder if that's the case here."

"As long as we proceed within the light, we should be safe from them." Aigis reported. Since they were FOEs, dealing with them directly was ill advised. "We should continue forward. We must regroup with the others as soon as possible." Their only option was to keep moving forward...

.

.

Kotone was by herself. She wandered the silent halls of Evil Spirit Club with her naginata in one hand and her Evoker in the other. "This place gives me the creeps." She hated the fact that she was here alone. "Sucks that I'm here by myself...at least with the others I could pretend I wasn't." She sighed. Now that she wasn't around anyone else, she didn't have to pretend and keep that cheery mask on. It was eating away at her the moment she learned she was an anomaly.

"But at least they were making an effort." That was the one upside. Even if they weren't the people she knew, SEES did try to get to know her. Plus, it wasn't all bad with the Phantom Thieves and most of the Investigation Team having a clean slate with her. Still, something was missing. Something she just couldn't ignore no matter how hard she tried. She sighed and shook her head. "Let me at least regroup with them. This place is making my mood worse..." After taking a few steps, she heard something drop onto the ground. "Huh!?" She went on high alert, only to spot a familiar spider a few feet ahead of her. "A spider? Hey, wait a second...I know you!" It was dim, but she recognized that spider from Tartarus! "It's you!"

The spider said nothing, obviously. But when Kotone began speaking to it, it started to skitter in the opposite direction. "Hey! You! Get back here! I know you understand me!" Kotone sprinted after the spider, which slipped under the crack of a door. "You're not getting away from me that easily!" She grabbed the handle of the door and opened it. The moment she did, she was blinded by a bright flash of light. "Agh!?" She had to over her eyes because of it. Slowly, the light faded and she found herself...

"What the..!?" When she glanced around, the scenery was completely different! Instead of the doom and gloom atmosphere, she found herself standing in front of Gekkougan High! "How did I...? I'm not back home, am I...!? Ugh..." Her head started to throb on top of it. This placed sucked. "This is messing with me..."

"Minako-chan..."

That voice made Kotone whip around. She came face to face with a familiar person - at least, to her. The face of Saori Hasegawa. "Saori-chan...!? Why are you here..!?" She asked and quickly looked at her hands, worried she was spotted with a weapon an Evoker in hand, but she was without anything?

"Thanks to you, I was able to find my voice." Saori spoke. She kept talking without regard for Kotone's words.

This was weird, but the the most off putting thing was the car behind Saori. "Wait a minute..." Minako narrowed her eyes for a moment. "I...I remember this day. This was the day when..." And then her eyes widened when Saori gave her a gentle smile, tears welling in the corners of her eyes. "Wait...!" Kotone reached out for Saori as she handed her something, but this was nothing more than a painful illusion. The moment contact was made, her arm phased through Saori's hand and she grabbed nothing but air. She could only watch as Saori gave her a heartfelt smile and turned away form her.

"No, don't...leave me again..." Kotone whispered, feeling tears sting the corners of her eyes. But she had to watch Saori leave her a second time, as if the first one wasn't painful enough already. She didn't have time to linger on the scene, because the spider ran across her feet and it startled her. "Ah!? You son of a...! Did you do this!?" Kotone angrily stomped after the spider a second time, which made her chase it into the illusion of the school building. Kotone closed her eyes, expecting to be met with another flash of light, and she was right. She could see the flash even with her eyes closed, but she was prepared for it.

When her eyes opened a second time, she had her Evoker and naginata again. She wasn't inside of the school, though. She was outside. The full moon was in the night sky... wait... "Full Moon?" It was so natural to her, she didn't even realize it...but this was the Dark Hour! "No, what? What's going on here? Is that spider messing with m..."

BANG!

The loud pop of a gunshot nearly made Kotone jump out of her skin. "Ah-!?" Wait...a gunshot? No. No no no. Her heart sank as only one thing came to mind. She was at Iwatodai Station and her legs started to carry her to the alleyway on instinct. She ran as fast as her legs could carry, only to hear a second gunshot not too long after. She ran faster. She rounded the corner, only to see a familiar tall man exiting the scene. But more importantly...

The sight of Shinjiro Aragaki on the ground with two bullet wounds on his body. One on his back and one on his chest. "A-Aragaki-san...!" It was straight out of her memory and the tears were already flowing. The others from SEES were there as well, lamenting the scene before them. As hard as this hit her, she knew it didn't hit nearly as hard as it did to Akihiko. Despite that, Shinjiro looked over at Kotone's crying face, a weak smile on his lips...

"Don't cry, Minako..." Shinjiro said with blood trickling down his lips. "This is...how it's supposed to be..."

"No it's not!" Kotone objected to this absurdity. Why was she forced to sit here and watch this a second time!? Wasn't the first time enough!? "You...You weren't supposed to...! I was...we were...!" She choked on her own tears, her fist hitting the ground a few times. Just like back then, the words were caught in her throat. Last time, she could only watch in stunned silence as Shinjiro closed his eyes. This time was barely any different. The wound she tried to ignored was ripped open. "DAMN IT!" She screamed loudly, but nobody could hear her. The scene literally faded to black as she quietly sobbed from her heart being torn asunder again.. "Was this some sort of sick prank!? Show your face, you spider! Come out!" She yelled out in anger, only to get no response...

Silence. She was back in Evil Spirit Club. She could tell because the darkness and solitude hit her back like a truck. She took a few minutes to regain her composure, eyes still puffy. "Ugh...I'm just going to be alone forever, aren't I...?"

"You're not alone. You have me."

"OH MY GOD!?" Kotone whipped around with her naginata. The voice from behind her scared the hell out of her, but she stopped. The voice that spoke was that of a young boy; one that only she was familiar with. "Pharos!?"

"Hello." Pharos stood with his arms behind his back. "This is the first time we've met out of your room like this. But you looked lonely. I was just able to say hello."

"W-What are you doing here?! You scared me!" Kotone quickly wiped her eyes in a vain attempt to hide the fact she'd been sobbing.

"I'm with you wherever you go." Pharos replied with a smile before looking around. "What is this place, though? It doesn't feel like home."

"We're all trying to figure that out ourselves..." Kotone sighed heavily.

"You said you were alone...but you had a lot of friends around here, didn't you?" Pharos asked.

Such an awkward question. Kotone scratched her cheek and glanced away. "I...It's complicated..."

"Some of them are people you know, but they aren't at the same time. I wonder...the one with blue hair..." Pharos stared up at the darkness. "The one that feels like you. He feels like me, too."

"Minato?" Kotone felt that detail completely pass her by. Did Minato have Pharos with him, too?

"It almost feels like there's two of me. But I don't know what that means, or why that thought kind of scares me." Pharos frowned before turning to Minako. "I don't know if there's a lot I can do for you. But we're friends. So if you're in danger, I'll help you however I can. Does that make you feel better?"

It was hard to stay sad. Pharos was strange, but he was only ever nice. So she couldn't hate him. She forced a smile. "Yeah. It doe. Thank you, Pharos." She exchanged a nod with the boy before he vanished. "Okay, Minako. Get your head back in the game..."

.

.

Minato found himself walking across the Moonlight Bridge. His guard was up for multiple reasons... "This has to be some kind of trick. But why is it showing me this?" Minato questioned to himself. Unfortunately, the answer just wasn't going land into his lap. But something did happen just in front of him; an explosion. "What...?" That was worrying. Whether it was just a product of the illusion, or perhaps something happening in the labyrinth, he had to go investigate. So Minato's feet carried him forward as fast as possible and he arrived at the scene of a battle.

Numerous cars were violently thrown about the bridge while two figures were battling it out. Upon closer inspection, he saw Aigis doing battle with a humanoid Shadow of some kind. The two of them were duking it out. "What? Aigis?" Minato called out to her, but she couldn't hear him. It made him wonder if this was real. "What is that Shadow? It looks like..." It looked like that thing that came out of Orpheus when he first awakened. But why was Aigis fighting that thing?

In fact, why did this scene feel vaguely familiar to him? He wasn't sure at all. But when a blast of some kind was coming his way, he brought his sword up to defend himself. The only thing he was granted was a bright flash of light. When it faded, he was standing in the empty halls of Evil Spirit Club again. "What was that...?"

"I wonder, too..." Pharos spoke to Minato. His sudden appearance did startle him and he turned.

"Whoa...you spooked me." Minato admitted. He wasn't expecting Pharos to just show up like that. This was the first time they met out of his room like this.

"That scene felt familiar to me. I wonder why." Pharos looked down at his feet. "Do you think the other you knows?"

"The other me? Oh, you mean Kotone." Minato didn't think about that. If he and Kotone truly were one and the same, it probably meant she had Pharos with her, too. How, he still wasn't sure. His bond with Pharos was still mysterious. "I'll have to ask. I'm just now realizing our circumstances are a lot more similar than I thought..."

"Two of you...does that mean two of me, too?" Pharos continued to wonder. "That feels a little scary. I don't know why. Maybe I'm just worried something might hurt you."

"I appreciate that, but I'll be alright." Minato replied. It was rare for him to have a conversation with Pharos that lasted this long. Usually it appeared for a few minutes before or after a full moon and that was it. "It's not safe here."

"I know. I don't know how much I can do to help. But if you're in trouble, I'll help you somehow." Pharos said with a small smile before disappearing.

"Huh..." Minato rubbed the back of his head. That was a really strange thing to happen. That image of Aigis and the Shadow...he'd have to ask if she remembered that when they met up again. "For now, I have to find the others." He took a few steps forward, only to notice a spider nearby. "Hey..."

.

.

Joker ran through the upper floor of Sae's Palace. He knew this was just an illusion of some kind, but the illusion felt one to one. "I can see the door up ahead. Maybe it'll let me out of this illusion..." He mumbled to himself, running along the scaffolding while the people below remained completely unaware of his presence. It was good practice, but it felt like something was...off. He couldn't put his finger on it, but there wasn't time to think on it either. He made it across without issue, only to be met by a large Rainy Pot. The first Shadow he encountered on his own. "Heh, bad luck for you. Arsene!" Joker's mask burned away as Arsene appeared in front of him. Arsene threw his hand forward, releasing a blast of Curse magic that consumed the Rainy Pot, although it didn't quite finish it off. The Rainy Pot fired a Zionga towards Joker, but he deftly leapt to the side and pointed his pistol forward, firing a bullet of curse magic to finish it off. "Easy."

Joker dusted himself off and began walking to the door. That was a fun little exercise, but he had to find the others. As he approached, his instincts flared. He heard faint footsteps behind him. If it were a friend, he would've known by now. He quickly turned with his knife at the ready, only to clash with a mysterious person wearing a white mask. "What the..!?"

"..." The man in the white mask said nothing, but attempted to push Joker back. The two separated from one another.

"Who the hell are you?" Joker demanded while keeping his knife at the ready. White Mask did not respond and instead lunged at Joker with his own knife. Joker grit his teeth and engaged in combat with the one in the White Mask. Whoever they were, they were good. Joker found himself mostly on the defensive, parrying and defending whenever he could. He could barely get his own strikes in! White Mask kicked him in the chest, causing him to slide backwards. "Tch...!"

White Mask threw his hand out, a grappling hook attaching itself to a vase, which he then violently flung towards Joker. Joker easily dealt with this by shooting it, however White Mask was already gone. Instead, White Mask appeared in front of Joker in the blink of an eye, spinning around to slash him with his knife. Joker was barely able to block this and nearly tumbled across the ground. Joker went to grab his mask to summon Arsene, but he literally had no time. White Mask pulled out a pistol and started to shoot at him, causing him to dodge and duck to the side. "This is just an illusion, but why does this feel so real...!?" Joker thought to himself, realizing he was running out of options. White Mask was putting on too much pressure, now rushing towards him with his knife! Joker had no choice but to follow suit, the two of them sprinting towards each other...and they passed one another, slashing at the exact same time.

"..."

"Ngh..." Joker's hand went to his chest and he grimaced, falling to a knee. "Damn...I...gotta get outta here."

"No can do." White Mask finally spoke. Joker did hit him, and his attack shattered the white mask. It revealed a young man, about his age, with red hair and eyes. A person he's never seen before. At least, he didn't remember seeing him! The male pointed his pistol at the downed Joker, a grin on his face...

And then a shot was fired.

But it wasn't from the pistol. A crossbow bolt pierced the man in the chest, causing his eyes to widen. He grunted and gasped in pain before slowly collapsing, his form fading away. Not only that, but the illusion of Sae's Palace did as well. He was back in Evil Spirit Club with Zen and Rei rushing over to him. "Joker! Are you okay!?" Rei rushed over to Joker, her hands held out as she began to cast some healing magic on him.

"Zen...Rei..." Joker felt relieved. For a moment he thought he was done. "Thanks. You guys came at the right time..."

"We heard the sounds of fighting and rushed over." Zen explained. "Who was that? And what was that...building?"

"I...have no idea." Joker gave Rei an appreciative nod before standing up. Thanks to her, his chest didn't burn with pain. "That was the Palace we were investigating before we got dragged here. As for that guy...I don't know. I've never seen him before. But I do know I would've been dead without you two."

"We're friends! That's what we do!" Rei was proud she and Zen were able to rescue Joker in time.

"I'm glad we made it in time." Zen said simply. "We were separated from everyone else. I wonder if they're okay..."

"They should be." Joker rotated his neck a bit. While he was keeping a confident face, his ego was bruised from losing that fight against an illusion. "If we keep going, we'll run into them for sure."

"There's safety in numbers!" Rei nodded. As much as she felt safe with Zen, she also felt a lot safer the more people they had. She hated this place so much...

The Spider from before watched the scene play out, before deciding turn turn around and skitter off...

.

.

The only one unaccounted for this whole time was Yu. Although his situation was a bit different than the others. Whereas they were wandering through a creepy school...he found himself wandering the halls of a hospital. A hospital that was all too familiar to him as well...

"Just where did I end up...?"

Chapter Text

Rise. Oracle, and Fuuka were huddled together in the Velvet Room. Ever since everyone got separated, they were working overtime to try and navigate everyone back to safety. Marie noticed this and pursed her lips. "They've been frantically running around this whole time. Are they okay?"

"You should ask." Margaret replied. Marie rolled her eyes, unsurprised that Margaret gave such an unhelpful answer. All the people in blue were just like that.

"Ugh." Marie decided to just ask. She approached the trio. "Are you guys alright? You look more stressed than last time."

"Sorry, Marie-chan...we can't talk much right now..." Rise said, although she did appreciate Marie's concern. "Senpai and the others got separated in the Labyrinth!"

"Really?" Marie looked surprised at this information. "How did that happen...?"

"We don't know." Fuuka said with a tense expression. "Just about as soon as they entered they were forcefully separated. We've located just about everyone, but they're so scattered. It might take some time before they regroup. It's all we have just to make sure they're safe."

"It really sucks." Oracle pouted. It really felt like they were being put to the test. If it was one or two of them, navigating in this situation would've been too much.

"Don't worry, Oracle-chan!" Rise looked over to Oracle, giving her a trademark Risette smile. "We can do this! And everyone is strong, too! That means everyone will get through it A-OK!"

It was hard to feel bad in Rise's presence. Even if this version of her was currently no longer an idol, the energy she displayed was still extremely positive. It was almost a little much for Oracle, who was the direct recipient of it. She just gave a sheepish smile and a small, nervous laugh. "R-Right. We totally got this...! Right Fuuka?"

"Right!" Fuuka gave a firm nod. This was the only thing she could do: provide support. What kind of navigator would she be if she couldn't do her job properly. "We will accomplish this!" With that, the three of them had to work much harder to keep up.

"..." Marie furrowed her brows. The three of them were working so hard. It kinda sucked that she wasn't able to do anything to help. ...No, that wasn't true. She could do something. She let out a small sigh and made her way out of the Velvet Room, with Margaret curiously watching her movements.

.

.

Queen's group just managed to avoid a Cute Baby. Knowing that the room with the piano melodies put them to sleep, they were able to maneuver around the sleeping Baby with ease. Queen let out a small sigh of relief. "We've gotten much better at handling them."

"All we're doin' is leadin' em around. But that makes it easier." Kanji still hated that they couldn't just fight the FOEs, but he understood that they were far too dangerous to even try.

"That is the better alternative to fighting." Aigis said.

"You know, I'm often told I'm cuter than a sleeping baby." Teddie said while trying to cozy up to either Queen or Aigis, but neither of them were really biting.

"Let's just hurry up and find the others. Getting through here is a piece of ca-!" Skull was about continue speaking, but he stopped when his foot pressed on some wood. The loud creaking sound of the wooden floor echoed throughout the silent halls of Evil Spirit Club, causing everyone to freeze in place. "Eh?"

"What the...?" Kanji whipped around. Much to everyone's shock and horror, the Cute Baby was slowly waking up. Despite the fact it was sitting in front of a room playing a lullaby, the sound of the floor creaking was enough to wake it up. And it was beginning to crawl towards them. "You're shittin' me, it woke up!?"

"Why did it wake up!?" Teddie flailed his arms around. They had no choice but to retreat backwards now that the FOE was awake.

"No effin way!" Skull's jaw dropped at this turn of events. Nobody was blaming him, at least. Because how was he supposed to know even the floor would be their enemy in this place...!?

"The sound from the floorboards appears to have disturbed its slumber." Aigis reported. "Do we engage?"

"No, we keep retreating!" Queen ordered. "Oracle! Rise! Fuuka! You don't have to answer, but I know you can hear us. The baby FOEs will wake up if there is too much noise around! Tell the others to watch their feet!" The least she could do was relay this information to everyone so they wouldn't make the same mistakes they did.

"Waaaaah!" Teddie cried out as the Cute Baby continued to chase them. It was one thing or another in this creepy place. "I need a hug from Ai-chan when this is all over!"

"Shut up and run, Ted!" Kanji shouted. There was no time for Teddie's antics! They just had to hurry up and get out there as fast as possible!

.

.

"Yukari?" Hifumi found herself wandering around a completely pitch black area. At some point, she and Yukari got separated while fleeing from a Cute Baby. She could only assume they got separated at some point. "I wonder where she went. She was right behind me..." She grew worried. And in this moment she realized she wasn't in her Phantom Thief attire, but her regular school attire. "Huh?" That felt dangerous! Her head also began to hurt. That throbbing sensation made her groan and stop walking for a moment. "Ugh...my head hurts..."

The dark corridor she was in slowly started to shift into something else. Before Hifumi knew it, she found herself wandering the halls of her very own home? "What...is this...?" This looked like her home, but she knew it couldn't be. It wasn't that easy. It was never that easy. She didn't want to let her guard down despite the familiar scenery.

"Hifumi...is that you...?" A voice Hifumi knew spoke out to her.

"What? Mother...?" Hifumi heard the voice coming from what was her parents room. Despite her better judgement, she decided to follow it. She entered her parents room, seeing her mother, Mitsuyo Togo. Her mother was sitting alone with a heart broken expression. They just changed her heart and Hifumi wasn't sure what to expect. "What's...what's wrong?"

"It's your father..." Mitsuyo's tone was so low and quiet. "While you were away, he..."

"No, don't say anymore!" Hifumi shook her head. She did not want to hear the rest of that statement. It was the one thing weighing on her mind for the longest time. Things could not happen like this when she wasn't even home! That wasn't...that wasn't even fair..! And yet, the scenery started to change a little bit. They were in a hospital room. The details of the room didn't matter to her, because all she saw...was her father, Mitsurugi Togo on the bed. His eyes were closed. He was not breathing. His heart rate was...zero. "F-Father? No...what..."

"He's gone, Hifumi..." Mitsuyo said with a heavy frown.

"No..! That's not...that can't be! He still had more time!" Hifumi shook her head frantically and she can feel tears stinging her eyes. "This isn't real! I know this isn't real!" Hifumi had to try and hold her ground. But the thought of her father dying so soon did have her shaken. It made her heart drop and it was her worst fears come to life. She still had so much to say to her father! Things couldn't just end like this! "Father, you have to keep fighting...you taught me that..."

Between the emotional pain of losing her father and the physical pain of her head, Hifumi was caught between a rock and a hard place. "This...this isn't real...I know that..." She knew that in her core. She didn't need her power to tell truth from lies to tell her that. Maybe it was just hope as well, but she was struggling hard. Her eyes were squeezed shut with the tears threatening to fall.

She didn't notice the three eyes that slowly began to loom above her. She was vulnerable and doing her best to prevent this illusion from getting the better of her. A Fate Seeker appeared above her, taking advantage of her vulnerability. However, she wasn't alone. "HIFUMI!" Yukari burst into the scene, catching her attention.

"Y-Yukari?!" Hifumi glanced at Yukari and then felt the presence above her. In that moment, the illusion faded as her Phantom Thief attire reappeared. It was on her the whole time and she just now noticed since she was in danger. The Fake Seeker above her opened its mouth and dropped a Megido on top of Dragon. Dragon crossed her arms as Belle Star appeared in front of her with her shield, leading her to soak up the blow.

"Io!" Yukari summoned Io by her side, pointing her hand forward. Io threw her hands forward to cast Garula. This struck the Fate Seeker directly, causing it to stagger while in the air.

With this opening, Dragon's eyes narrowed as she felt a sense of rage. "Was it you that toyed with my heart!? You shall pay dearly for that!" She propelled herself into the air, twirling her staff around before slamming one end of it into the Fate Seeker's left eye. Her staff extended at the point of impact, causing the Fate Seeker to tumble around within the air. Belle Star then flew forward, slashing the Fate Seeker with her sword to slam it into the ground, stunning it. "Yukari, with me!"

"Right!" Yukari nodded. While the Fate Seeker was knocked down, Yukari and Dragon initiated an All Out Attack on it with just the two of them. Dragon's rage was more than enough to carry the attack, easily destroying the Fate Seeker.

"Concede defeat." Hifumi grunted, eyes closing as she let out a shaky sigh. She was able to calm down slowly, but still found herself sinking to her knees to sit down. That was mentally exhausting. She turned to Yukari with a small smile. "Thank you for coming to my rescue, Yukari. That's the second time you've saved me."

"I was just returning the favor." Yukari shook her head, also crouching down to sit next to Hifumi. She looked like she needed it. "When we got separated, I was looking all over for you. I had to push my way through a few spider webs..." She shuddered at the thought of what she had to do.

"I apologize for putting you through such an ordeal." Hifumi said while frowning.

Yukari had a read on what happened. She was a little bit of a witness to it before she came to the rescue. "You were...shown something about your father...?" She touched on the subject very lightly. It was hard to ignore, and after what happened with her own father she just...felt the need to know.

"Yes..." Hifumi nodded slowly. She sighed heavily while staring at the floor. "My father is very sick these days. In fact...it is fatal..."

While Yukari could gather that much, it was actually shocking to hear. She heard a little about Hifumi's past from Panther before, but she had no idea how much of it was left out. Yukari bit the inside of her cheek. "I...I see..."

"I love my father very much." Hifumi said with a sad smile. "It is thanks to him that I have such a love of shogi. If it were not for him, I would not be here now. He taught me so much and he loves me unconditionally. And yet, the only thing I can do is watch as he fights a battle he will ultimately lose. I've done all I can do try and save him but...I do not know if it is enough. I know it's coming, but I...my heart isn't ready for it..." Hifumi admitted while keeping her gaze low. It was a fear that has settled with her for a long time now. "Even my mother has done things to try and help. It was those very methods of hers that put us at odds. She attempted to control every facet of my life through shogi, doing whatever she could to do so. I know she did it out of love for my father, but...Seeing that terrible image before me simply reminded me of something I didn't want to look at. I couldn't tell if it was showing me a future that has not yet come to pass, or if it was attempting to break my heart with an awful illusion. It was very cowardly of me to turn away, but I..."

"it wasn't cowardly." Yukari shook her head, causing Hifumi to look at her. "You love your father and you don't want to see anything bad happen to him. That's only natural. You know, my father...he did pass away a long time ago, too."

"A-Ah...I..." Hifumi felt bad in that moment and opted to speak, but Yukari shook her head.

"It's okay..." Yukari smiled slightly. "I just...I know how you feel. I loved my dad a lot, too. I know he loved me. He's the reason I'm fighting right now. I want to believe in him and see things through to the end. You don't look like the type to give up that easily either." That did make Hifumi flash a slight smile. "And I did hear about your mother. Even though she made your life hard, at least she still cared about your dad. When mine died, all she did...all she does is jump from man to man. I couldn't watch her like that, it made me so mad. So that's when I decided I was going to live my life without relying on anyone."

"Yukari..." Hifumi pursed her lips for a second. "I could never do that...er, I mean...! I'm not trying to say the way you want to live your life is bad or anything. It's just...I don't think I could muster the strength to face things down all by myself. If it weren't for my friends, I wouldn't be here. I fell so many times along the way and it was thanks to them that I could stand back up. Even right now, you helped me. I rely on you, too. I...i want my father to see me with a smile and standing tall at all times...it is the least I can do for him."

For a moment, Yukari had nothing to say. She was determined to not be like her mother. But...she wasn't so foolish as to outright deny the things that were right in front of her. It was complicated. But Hifumi also had a point. If she was alone, things would be so much different. "I'll do the same, too." Yukari ultimately smiled. She wanted to keep going. She slowly stood up and and extended her hand to Dragon. "C'mon...we shouldn't stay here for much longer.

Dragon took Yukari's hand and stood up, dusting her kimono off. "You're right. We still have to find the others! I feel a lot better after that conversation. I'll be counting on you further, Yukari."

"...Yeah. I'll count on you too, Dragon." Yukari nodded. With renewed vigor, Dragon and Yukari braved Evil Spirit Club once again. In the corner, the spider from before was watching. But once the two Persona users were gone, it simply left without a word...

.

.

Yu kept his guard up as he walked through Evil Spirit Club. He wasn't within the halls of a school, but a hospital. There was something strange about this, however. This hospital looked familiar... "Where am I...?" It was going to bother him. He glanced around at the walls for a little while longer and it hit him. "This is...Inaba Municipal Hospital?" No wonder it looked so familiar! He worked here occasionally! But that didn't explain why the area looked as if it was blending into the aesthetics of the Labyrinth.

"Looks like I'm all on my own, too." As much as he would've like to assume the layout of this area was the same as the hospital he knew, that felt like a terrible idea. "Anyone there?" He decided to ask, hoping someone would respond to him.

Luckily for Yu, Rise's hologram appeared next to him. "Senpai! There you are!"

"Whoa-!" Yu admittedly got jumped scared by Rise's sudden arrival. But he was happy it was a familiar face. "Rise?"

Rise's hologram was fizzling in and out. It was taking a lot of her power to keep an established connection with Yu. "Senpai? Are you okay...? It's hard to stay in contact...!"

"I'm alright. But I think I'm by myself." Yu answered, trying to make it brief. He felt like he was out of the loop. It was then that Oracle and Fuuka's holograms appeared as well. They had to use their power together to keep a stable connection with Yu.

"Yu-kun! have you run into any Shadows?" Fuuka asked. "If you see any FOEs, you have to be extremely careful!"

"You guys are here too? That's a relief." Yu placed a hand on his hip and shook his head. "I haven't actually run into any enemies just yet. But that makes me all the more wary. In fact...the area I'm in kinda looks like..."

"Is...is this the hospital?" Rise asked while looking around. She didn't notice anything until Yu said something. But now...

"You know this place?" Oracle asked Rise.

"This looks like the hospital back in town. But why...?" Rise furrowed her brows. "First our school and now the hospital? Why are so many things related to Inaba showing up in this place?"

"According to Zen, the items we've found so far belong to Rei in some way. But since he's the one regaining memories, maybe they both have some hidden past in Inaba somewhere?" Yu suggested. Despite not having all the pieces, it was the only thing that made sense.

"I wonder what Naoto-kun and Crow think..." Fuuka wondered aloud. They were commonly being referred to as the smartest in the whole group and for good reason. When the two of them put their heads together, even the biggest mysteries could be solved.

"...ig...ro..." A weak voice echoed in the hospital halls, causing Yu to turn around.

"W...What was that? Was that..?" His heart sank. He could barely hear that voice, but he recognized it. "Wait, follow me! I think i heard something...!"

"Senpai?" Rise tried calling out to Yu, but the communication they had was fizzling out even faster. Even with all three navigators working at once, they were losing connection. "Senp-!?" And then they cut out. Unfortunately for Yu, he didn't notice as instinct kicked in and he ran ahead.

It wasn't like him. But that voice had him nervous. That couldn't be real, but the chances of it were what scared him. "Tell me I'm wrong..."

"Big Bro..."

He knew it. It was coming from behind one of those doors. Yu did have his katana at the ready in case it was a trap of some kind. He wouldn't put it past this labyrinth to pull a trick on him like that. A trick where he'd open the door and a Shadow came lunging out at him. He expected it. He braced himself as he opened the door the voice was coming from, but what he saw was something he never could have prepared himself for. "...!?"

It was Nanako on a hospital bed. She looked weak. Her heartrate was low. "Big Bro..." Nakano weakly lifted her head, giving a tired, pale smile towards her older cousin.

"Nanako!?" No way...this...this wasn't real. Despite that, Yu's protective instincts took over. He approached Nanako and knelt beside the bed, taking her hand. She felt so real. Was she in this place the whole time!? No, that couldn't be right...! "Nanako, are you okay!?"

Nanako's breathing was extremely labored. It took so much energy just for her to look over at Yu, where she just barely managed a smile. "You're...here...Big Bro..."

"Yeah, I'm here..." Yu said quickly. "How are you...are you okay...!? What happened, Nanako?"

Nanako's eyes were heavy and she just kept that smile. But with each breath she took, it sounded like she was in agony. "It hurts...Big Bro...I'm scared..."

"It's okay, Nanako. I'm here." Yu said firmly, quickly looking around. The beeps coming from the machine were getting less and less frequent. It was starting to worry him. "Rise! Fuuka? Oracle? Anyone?" He called out to the darkness of the hospital, but he was unable to get a response from anyone. What was he supposed to do in this situation?

Nanako's breathing grew weaker and weaker. "W...Where's Dad...?"

"He's..." Shit. How was he supposed to answer that? Yu just went with the first thing that came to mind. "He's on his way...he'll be here soon." He had to lie to comfort her, because there was simply no other answer available.

"Big Bro..." Nanako's eyes closed...and shortly after, she flatlined. It happened so slowly, Yu could hardly believe what he was seeing.

"W...no..." Yu felt tears stinging his eyes. Why Nanako!? This couldn't be real! "Nanako! Wake up! Nanako! Please! NANAKO!" This wasn't real, but it stabbed his heart all the same. The sight of his little cousin dying in his hand!? He was breathing hard trying not to lose his composure, but it was extremely difficult. As Yu fought to keep from screaming in agony, he didn't notice a spider slowly crawling down from a web above him. It was making its way towards him. "Ghh..."

"Yu, watch out!" Kotone appeared through the open door, pressing her Evoker to her temple. Orpheus appeared in front of her, throwing a blast of fire towards the spider. The wave of fire did consume the spider, but it was hard to tell if she actually managed to land a hit.

"Kotone?" Yu was still shaken by emotional turmoil. But the moment Kotone attacked the spider, Nanako faded away. "An illusion...!? But why...!?" The spider dropped down to the ground. It took a direct hit from Kotone but it was still moving. "What the!?"

"You little!" Kotone grit her teeth, extremely annoyed the spider was getting away from her again! She finally caught up to it! She was prepared to attack it again, but it escaped within the cracks of the wall, much to her irritation. "Ugh..." But that wasn't the important. She approached Yu, who was shaken. "Are you okay?"

"Y-Yeah, I...I think so..." Yu had to try and shake the sight off. The sight of Nanako dying in front of him was not something he could wave off that easily. "I...I wasn't expecting to see that kind of illusion."

"Did it show you something awful from your past?" Kotone asked.

Yu shook his head. "No...I saw my cousin, Nanako, taking her last breath in the hospital..." The hospital scenery that had yet to change. Nanako was the only thing that faded away. "But...Nanako has never been to the hospital before..."

"She hasn't?" Kotone tilted her head. "I got an illusion, too. It opened up some...old emotional wounds. It showed me something that already happened. So why did you see something that wasn't real? Or hasn't happened..."

Yu pinched the bridge of his nose. Knowing that what he saw was fake was at least enough for him to calm down. "Whatever it was, I hope I don't have to see it again...I feel better with you here, though."

"If you need a second to catch your breath, that's okay." Kotone offered a smile.

"I think I'll be okay." Yu took a breath. He was more upset than anything now. "I don't know who's showing us this stuff, but they're not about to have a good day."

"You're speaking my language." Kotone said with a wink. "Let's go find the others and get out of this creepy place! With two wild cards reunited, they were going to delve deeper into Evil Spirit Club!

.

.

In the school halls of the labyrinth, Crow and Chie just finished taking down some Shadows together. They were getting better as team. Chie dusted her hands off after landing the finishing blow on a Phantom Mage. "Yeah, we kicked their butts!" Chie said proudly.

"We're getting better as a unit." Crow nodded. Chie focused better on close combat with Tomoe. While he could strike from afar with Robin Hood. Together, they had a strong offense going. "I would feel much better if we had the others with us."

"Tell me about it. I would say I'm worried about Yukiko, but she's probably eating all this up..." Chie had no idea how Yukiko could handle such horrifying things so easily. The pair approached another door. It was the only one they encountered in a while... "A door..."

"Looks like we'll be moving forward." Crow took the lead and pushed the doors open. Chie followed behind them, and they walked into a room that was even dimmer than the others. They could barely see anything. "It's dark."

"Too dark...!" Chie hated this! She was shaking a little bit due to the atmosphere, but she was doing her best to stay brave. She didn't want Crow to have a bad opinion of her!

"Don't worry, Chie-san. I'll ensure we make our way through this." Crow was confident he could navigate them through this area. And then his head started to throb. He winced from the headache and grunted quietly. "This feeling..."

"Aww...isn't that nice...do you think you're making friends?"

"Huh?" Chie blinked at that voice. "Did you say something, Crow?"

The fact Crow heard his own voice confused him. "No...that...wasn't me..."

"D-Don't tell me it was a ghost, then!" Chie gulped.

"A ghost? No, no. That's not quite right." The voice came from in front of them. There was a red glint in the darkness that the two of them could barely make out. "Just because he's playing nice doesn't mean anything. After all, he knows the truth of the matter...don't you, Goro Akechi?"

Crow's eyes narrowed at first. But then they widened when it was clear who was speaking to him. Chie's expression was that of curiosity

Black Mask stepped from the darkness, a heinous smile on his lips. His face was hidden by his make, but there was only one person that knew what lie underneath. Crow visibly tensed at the sight of Black Mask before him. What's worse? He held his gun out before the two of them, which did make Chie gasp loudly. "What's the matter, Goro? Did you try and forget about me that fast?"

Chapter Text

Crow and Chie were standing across from the mysterious Black Mask. Crow's expression was bewilderment and disbelief, while Chie was in wide eyed shock because Black Mask was pointing a gun at them. "W-What the hell is this guy's problem!? Where did he even come from!?" Chie squeaked. "Isn't this the guy that Joker and the others were looking out for!? Why was he in the labyrinth!?

Crow held his arm out in front of Chie. "Do not fall for this, Chie-san. This is nothing more than a mere illusion. This man isn't actually in front of us. He can't be." He knew that was impossible. The one under the black mask simply could not be real.

"Are you saying I'm not real?" Black Mask let out a dry laugh at Crow's words. The only difference between their voices were how calm Crow sounded, while Black Mask sounded more raspy and violent. "You wound me! I think you of all people understand just how false that really is. If I wasn't real, you wouldn't be standing here right now either."

"I don't get it..." Chie felt like her brain was going to explode. But she trusted Crow. So if he said that Black Mask wasn't real, then... "But I trust you, Crow! If you think this isn't real, then it probably isn't!"

"HAH! What's this?" Black Mask let out a disgusted laugh. "Making 'friends' are we? You should know how ridiculous that sounds. You should know you don't deserve anything of the sort. What you seek doesn't involve friendship of any kind and you know it-!""

"Hey!" Chie frowned and stepped forward, glaring towards Black Mask. Crow didn't even have a chance to retaliate before she intervened. "Who the hell do you are, talking to him like that? Crow is awesome! He's really smart and he's taken time out of his day to help me! You don't get to decide if he's worthy of friendship or not! He's already proved that he is!"

"Chie..." Crow was at a loss for words. But at the same time, he couldn't find it in himself to accept her words himself. Because deep down...

"I doubt he feels the same. I should know." Black Mask let out another dry laugh.

"I'll repeat myself. You are not real." Crow was firm in this believe.

"Not real, am I?" Black Mask let out a faint chuckle as an ominous red and black aura began to surround him. "If I'm not real...then explain this! Come...LOOOOKI!" That red aura exploded around Black Mask, kicking up a fierce gust of wind that forced Crow and Chie to cover their eyes. Black Mask summoned his Persona, Loki. His face was obscured by the darkness of the room.

"A PERSONA...!?" Chie gasped. She remembered that the Phantom Thieves had an encounter with Black Mask before, but nobody mentioned what his Persona was or what it could do. But she could feel the power from it.

"Tch...!" Crow grit his teeth. Of course. His god damn luck. And he was dragging Chie into this self loathing of his!?

"TAKE THIS!" Black Mask slammed his hand on the ground. Loki's sword was covered in Curse Magic and he stabbed it into the ground. A wave of curse magic tore through the ground, reaching Crow and Chie within seconds before exploding underneath them. The two of them were thrown back violently across the dark room, Crow taking extra damage and being knocked down due to Robin Hood's weakness.

"Agh...!" Chie's back hit the door, causing it to open. She fell to her hands and knees for a moment, grimacing at the strength Black Mask had at his disposal. "Agh...w-wow, okay...that hurt..." She'd never fought another Persona user before, so this was a new experience for her. And it hurt. A lot. "Crow! Are you okay!?"

Black Mask slowly sauntered towards Chie while shaking his head. I think it's cute he's managed to fool you into the idea of friendship. So if you really think he cares, why don't we see what happens next?" His finger began to squeeze the trigger with no warning.

"Chie, move!" Crow already began to move while Chie was a little frozen in fear. Having a real gun pointed at her...!

Neither Chie nor Crow were going to be fast enough to stop it.

BANG!

"AH!?" Chie closed her eyes and cried out at the sound of the gunshot. The deafening noise echoed throughout the labyrinth and silence followed. Chie didn't feel anything. When she opened her eyes, the sight before her had her shocked. "Crow?!"

Crow just barely managed to make it in time. Instead of the bullet hitting Chie, it instead pierced Crow's right shoulder. His white suit was stained crimson and he grimaced under his mask. He felt the pain but the adrenaline kept him going. "Ghh..."

"Oh...?" Black Mask tilted his head. "What do you think you're doing?" He appeared genuinely confused. What just happened took him by surprise.

"W-Why did you...!? Are you okay?!" Chie panicked. Crow literally took a bullet for her! And it was his right arm! That was the arm she'd seen him using the whole time. "Your arm..!"

"I'm fine." Crow lied, glaring at Black Mask. He knew best the terrors that man would unleash upon them, but it was clear he wasn't going to just let them go either. "This is too dangerous." He told Chie.

"What!? Yeah! That's why we gotta get outta here!" Chie attempted to tug Crow along, but he instead pushed her through the open door, causing her to stagger back. "Ooof!? Crow, are you crazy!?"

"My apologies. But this not something I can get you caught up in." Crow said as the door closed. Before Chie could even open it again, he used Robin Hood to shoot an arrow and block it off, preventing her from coming through.

"Crow?! Akechi! Akechi!" Chie banged on the door, gritting her teeth. "What the hell!?" Why did he do that?! Was he insane!? No time to think about it. Despite the fact the darkness of this labyrinth had Chie scared stiff, her legs were already beginning to move without thinking about it. "Rise-chan! Oracle! Fuuka! Can any of you hear me!? I need help!"

This left Crow alone with Black Mask. Despite his injury, he wasn't going to falter. "Now why did you go ahead and do that?" Black Mask asked while giving a careless shrug. He knew the answer. Crow stayed silent, but that wasn't going to help him. "Oh, I know why. Because you can't help yourself. Because you push everyone and everything away from you the moment they get close. That's just the way you are. Self destructive until nothing's left. Why is this any different?"

Crow grimaced from the pain in his shoulder before moving his beam sword to his left hand. "I don't need you to tell me that. But I know you're nothing more than a bad dream." Even if the words were true, he wasn't going to allow himself to be haunted by this clear fake. With his sword in hand he rushed towards Black Mask, their swords clashing together.

"I'm more than just a bad dream and you know that!" Black Mask said with a scowl. "Look at you. Do you think that girl is really your friend? Do you think anyone here is your friend? You're more of an outsider than anyone here!" Black Mask did have the strength advantage over Crow. Even if they were ultimately one and the same, Black Mask was always the more aggressive one. Their blades clashed once more and the two of them were sent back by the shockwave of it all.

"Robin Hood!" Crow summoned Robin Hood in front of him. Robin Hood proceeded to fire off numerous arrows of bless magic towards Black Mask. The volley was intense, forcing Black Mask to block them due to his vulnerability to bless magic. But Crow wasn't letting up on exploiting his weakness and the arrows of bless magic just kept coming. Deciding he had enough, Black Mask darted to the side to avoid the volley. "Now!" Crow shifted from using bless magic to almighty. Robin Hood fired off an Megidola in the form of an arrow that flew towards Black Mask. Black Mask managed to avoid taking a direct hit by leaping backwards, but the arrow still exploded and that caught him.

"GAH!" Black Mask grunted in pain before catching himself, stabbing his jagged blade into the ground to halt his momentum. His visor burned away, his face still hidden by the darkness of the room, but the voice was still clear as day. "LOKI!" The way Loki was summoned to the field was raw, feral, and ugly. Loki appeared rushed towards Robin Hood, colliding with it to drag it into the nearest wall.

"Tch!" Crow grit his teeth as Robin Hood was slammed into, but that was the least of his concerns. Black Mask leapt from above, curse magic swirling around his sword. Crow's beam sword lit up in bless magic and he brought it up to defend himself. Black Mask crashed on top of him, the force of impact creating a crater under Crow's feet. His knees bent slightly as Black Mask kept swinging his sword, over and over.

"Come on! Is that truly the best you have to offer?!" Black Mask yelled while attacking again and again without pause. "Or are you even trying!?" Black Mask then lifted his leg to kick Crow in the chest, managing to knock him away a far distance.

"Ugh...!" Crow winced as the pain in his shoulder was still present. Despite that he took his gun out and forced himself to fire. However, due to his injury, all of his shots were off. He knew it was a stupid move, but he couldn't stand letting this ugly side of himself walk all over him. "Damn it..." If he wasn't restricted to just Robin Hood, this would be a cakewalk! Why did he take that shot for Chie!?

"Loki!" Loki reappeared in front of Black Mask, swinging his sword to release a wave of curse magic in Crow's direction. Crow brought his sword up to defend himself. The wave of curse magic did crash into him, nearly breaking his defensive stance and he stumbled back. Black Mask kept the pressure up himself by lunging at Crow, violently thrusting his sword towards his chest. Crow was barely able to block this, but the impact knocked him back.

Crow hit the ground on his back, grimacing once again. But he was more angry than anything else. Was this life's cruel joke? Having him get thrown around by himself? "I will not...lose here..."

"Why are you so adamant on living anyway?" Black Mask asked while scowling. "What do you have to live for? A petty grudge. That's all. Nothing more, nothing less. Look at you now...all alone. You always will be, too. You have nothing and no one by your side. The Phantom Thieves? Amamiya? Togo? They aren't your friends. You know it." He slowly approached while Crow was standing up. Crow glared deeply into Black Mask, while the latter just prepared a finishing blow. "Nobody will miss you when you're gone. And the only one you have to blame is yourself."

Black Mask was going to strike while Crow was weak to finish the job. But then...he got attacked. A fierce block slammed into his side, sending him hurtling into the furthest wall. This shocked Crow as well. "What...?"

It was Chie. She panted heavily, but glared towards Black Mask as he slowly recovered from her surprise attack. "You leave him alone, you jerk!" Chie pointed at Black Mask.

"You again...?" Black Mask snarled at this interruption. "Who the hell do you think you are!?"

"I'm his friend!" Chie exclaimed loudly and proudly. Crow's eyes widened at Chie's declaration. "And if you mess with one of my friends, I'll be sure to kick your ass!"

"We made in time!" Fuuka breathed a sigh of relief. She was the one who guided Chie towards Crow's location.

"C-Chie...?" Crow was stunned at Chie's words and actions. Despite the fact he intentionally pushed her away, partly for her own safety, she came back to help him?

"I can't believe you!" Chie shouted at Crow, which surprised him even more. "Making me run around this scary place just to come and help you! I said you could rely on me, so you should take me more seriously! Are you okay?"

"I'll live..." Crow answered with a slow nod.

"Good!" Chie turned back to Black Mask. "Now we can kick this guy's butt!"

"Don't make me laugh." Black Mask scoffed. "Friend? To hell with that. That's the last thing a person like him d-"

"SHUT UP!" Chie huffed. "What do you know? Crow's awesome! Maybe you're the one who can't see that!" The irony in her statement was unknown to her, but she was going to press on. She wasn't about to let this Black Mask guy talk to Crow like this. "So we're gonna work together and take you down!"

"I'd like to see you tr...!" Before Black Mask could finish, Chie summoned Tomoe who created a block of ice in front her. Tomoe spun around and cleaved through the ice, sending multiple shards of ice at Black Mask to delay him. It was a surprise to him and he had to go on the defensive. "What the...?"

"Okay, so what's the plan!?" Chie quickly looked at Crow.

"Plan? Oh, right..." Crow was still stunned by Chie's actions and the fact she came back for him. He had to shake off his shock and awe. "His Persona is weak to Bless, but Robin Hood is weak to curse. We're each other weaknesses, but I won't get anywhere with just Robin Hood."

"Luckily you don't have just Robin Hood!" Chie grinned. "Don't forget, we have Sub-Personas!"

"...!" Admittedly, Crow did forget. He used one before, but when confronted with Black Mask, all he could focus on was Robin Hood...

"Loki!" Black Mask summoned Loki once more now that he was done dealing with Chie's attack. That didn't give the two of them much time to plan anything, but Loki's sword lit up in flames and he swung at the air in front of him. A crescent slash of fire swept through the area towards Chie and Crow.

"He's got fire too!?" Chie brought her arms up to defend herself against her weakness.

Crow wasn't going to standby and allow this to happen. His mask burned off once more. "Oberon!" Oberon appeared in front of Chie and Crow just as the wave of fire consumed the both of them.

Black Mask peered into the wave of flame, unable to see anything the moment it swallowed Chie and Crow. He felt the attack connect, but he was unaware of Oberon's ability: Runic Shield, which had a chance to negate one element attack against him. It was a gamble, and Crow hated to gamble. But in this case, it worked out. Using the flames as cover, Chie sprang from out of nowhere, her foot colliding against Black Mask's face to sent him staggering back. "Agh...!?" By the time he got his bearings, Chie spun around to slam her heel into his chest for a powerful roundhouse kick.

She expected Black Mask to skid backwards, but he held his ground, much to her surprise. "Ah!" Her eyes widened as Black Masked use this range to swing his sword down at her, but it was blocked by Crow's own. He was struggling, but she wasn't going to let him hold that weight on his own. Chie pushed all her weight on her left leg and crashed her right foot into Black Mask's chest. Since he was fending off Crow, he was knocked down. Chie used this opening to her advantage, summoning Tomoe high in the sky. "Get em, Tomoe!" Tomoe spun around in the air before landing on top of Black Mask with a fierce axe kick. The impact created a shockwave that nearly blew Chie and Crow back. "Did that get him...?"

"...I wish..." Crow mumbled. Unfortunately, he was correct.

Black Mask erupted from the smoke with a loud roar, a black and red aura exploding around him. "RAAAH! WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?!" Black Mask yelled.

"W-Whoa!? What's going on with him!?" Chie asked.

"He's using his power! He's making himself stronger...!" Crow grit his teeth. Before Chie could ask what that meant or how Crow knew that, Loki flew forward at higher speeds than before. Loki flew past both Chie and Crow at the same time, his sword cutting into them both and sending them flying from the raw impact. "Kuh...!"

"AAAAH!" Chie cried out as she hit the ground next to Crow. She looked up with wide eyes as it was clear Black Mask wasn't done yet. Loki already had a charged Megidoloan in hand and threw it down, resulting in a widespread explosion that swept them both away. The entire labyrinth shook violently from the force of the Megidoloan, leaving Crow and Chie worse for wear. Those two attacks back to back were extremely damaging to the both of them. "Ow..."

"Ngh..." Crow panted heavily. At this rate. "Chie..."

"Don't say it..." Chie shook her head. She could still fight. Black Mask didn't look that good either. She could vaguely see his form starting to fizzle. "I'm not going anywhere until we win! Look, I have an idea! Just trust me...!"

What!? Did she realize the monumental task she was asking of him? Under normal circumstances, he could simply go along with it. But in this situation, that felt dangerous. He was already...concerned because Chie was hurt. What if...!? Crow had a lot of objections, but he saw Chie's determined expression. Plus they didn't have time to argue either... "Okay..."

"TOO LATE!" Black Mask came in for a fatal strike, only for a green barrier to appear at the moment he attack. He bounced off of Oracle's Final Guard which widened eyes, thrown back a considerable distance afterwards.

"I don't think so!" Oracle exclaimed, providing cover at the perfect time.

"Just follow my lead!" Chie said as Black Mask began to approach. "Succubus...!" Chie summoned Succubus, the woman blowing a kiss forward towards Black Mask. This was actually the use of Mudoon; multiple strawmen appeared in front of Black Mask, almost like a wall. They began to stab at him, but he couldn't resist the urge to laugh.

"Did you really think that sort of attack would work on me!?" Black Mask laughed. Of course he was immune to curse magic. Nothing of the sort would work on him and it was foolish for Chie to even try! Was she getting desperate!? "Loki!" With the summon of Loki, Black Mask was easily able to cleave through Mudoon. But the moment he cleared it, the sight behind the wall of straw dolls surprised him.

It was Crow with his gun pointed forward, with Robin Hood's shining arrow gleaming in the darkness. "This is the end for you." Crow fired a bullet of bless magic while Robin Hood fired an arrow of the same magic. The two merged together into a gigantic blast that slammed against Black Mask. He had no defense for this sudden attack and a brilliant flash of light emanated from impact.

"GAAAAAH!" Black Mask cried out in agony as he was consumed by the high powered light magic. He somehow managed to land on his feet, hunched over as he gripped his sword in defiance. But the battle was over. Crow closed the gap between them in an instant, using his sword to slash at Black Mask's face. The mask was shattered and the room was brighter in that moment.

"You got him!" Chie cheered, but that victory celebration was cut short when she saw the face behind the mask. It was Akechi. In that moment, she had absolutely no idea what was happening.

Black Mask held his left eye, panting heavily while glaring towards Crow. "You...you think you've won this day? Did that fleeting sense of happiness feel good?" Black Mask heaved. "You can pretend as much as you want...but it will never change what you've done..." Those were Black Mask's final words as he faded away and the room dimmed just a little bit more.

"..." Crow was silent as Black Mask faded away. All of the pain he felt caught up to him in the moment. He lifted his mask up...for no real reason. He just felt like he had to. "Ngh..."

"Um..." Chie wanted to celebrate victory. But it was a little hard when the guy that was trying to kill you wore the face of your friend. "Akechi...? What...was that? That couldn't have been the guy that attacked you, right?" It made no sense!

She saw. What was Akechi going to do now? What was in front of them was no lie. She came all this way to help him, and the person they fought was just...him... "...That was a bad memory." Akechi lied. "There was no way that person could actually be here within the labyrinth. But what I saw was a reflection of myself."

"A reflection...?" Chie asked quietly. She didn't question the lie. She had no reason to. "I guess that makes sense. He had a completely different Persona from you and everything..."

"I don't know how or why, but this labyrinth pulled quite the trick on me." Akechi admitted while holding his shoulder. He needed a moment to sit down and he did, staring at the dimly lit floor. "The words that man spoke...I would be lying if I said I didn't believe them. Maybe that's why the one beneath the mask took the form of my face. Simply to throw everything I've felt in my life back at me and finish me off at my lowest."

"But why would you say something like that!?" Chie didn't understand why.

And there was the issue. What was Akechi going to do now? It was in his nature to push people away. But Chie put herself at risk to help him. A position he's never been in before. "...I have done numerous things in my life...horrible things. All for a selfish, petty reason. My entire life...I've been alone. I've kept myself going purely out of spite and I did whatever I needed to in order to accomplish my goal. But when I face a reflection of myself like that, I begin to wonder what it's all for in the end."

Chie was quiet for a second. "Aren't the Phantom Thieves your friends?" She asked.

"...It's complicated." Akechi replied. He was opening up to Chie, but everything he wanted to say would only paint him in a bad light. She was clearly trying to be his friend. She risked so much for him. What if he told her the truth and she lost all respect for him in that moment? He was...afraid to tell her everything. He couldn't.

And even though Chie didn't understand it, she could pick up on Akechi's hesitation. So instead she smiled. "Well, I'm your friend. So that Black Mask guy was totally wrong! You're not alone."

"I..." Akechi was stunned. "But...all of those things I did..."

"Did you enjoy doing those things?" Chie asked simply.

"Huh?" Akechi blinked while looking at Chie.

"We've all done some things we regret." Chie admitted while rubbing the back of her head. "Be it feelings, words, or actions...but if you regret whatever you did, then you're not a bad person. It just means you're facing the ugly side of yourself. I've done it...everyone on my team has done it to."

"The...ugly side of myself?" Akechi repeated. "But...I couldn't face myself alone. That's..."

"That's okay." Chie smiled while standing in front of Akechi. "I've learned that you can't do everything by yourself. I couldn't face myself on my own and neither could the others. But if you have friends by your side, you really can do anything! So...even if you've done things you regret, it doesn't matter! You can choose to start over and become someone better!"

She made it sound so easy. Akechi couldn't believe it. But when he looked up at Chie, the sole source of light in this room came from her. When she smiled, the room literally brightened somewhat. "...You make it sound so easy." He eventually mumbled.

"It's not easy. It doesn't just end with facing yourself down. I'm still struggling to improve, but I don't want to be that same person I was before. Nobody does!" Chie grinned before extending her hand to Akechi. "It's not something you can do by yourself. So...let me help you, Akechi! We're friends and I want to help you. I told you to rely on me, so...will you trust me?"

Akechi stared at Chie's hand for a long time. She was the first person to ever reach out to him. His relationship with Ren was complicated. They were rivals. Was there a hint of friendship somewhere between the rivalry and the back and forth? He honestly couldn't say. The same for Hifumi as well. They were rivals too, but he couldn't call her his friend. Especially not with the heinous plan he had in mind for the sake of his revenge. But maybe...maybe things could be different. He took Chie's hand slowly and she helped him up. "...I...I suppose...I can try..."

"That's the spirit!" Chie grinned while giving Akechi's hand a firm shake. After that she pulled back and she started to look dizzy. "Whoa...um..."

"Are you alright?" Akechi asked.

"Dizzy..." Chie felt the damage she took starting to catch up to her. She was fighting to stay conscious, but she ended up falling forward. Crow did catch her by the shoulders. "Ugh...that took a lot more out of me than I thought..."

"This way!" Oracle's hologram appeared on the far end of the door. She was leading Panther, Fox, Junpei, Yukiko, and Koromaru to Akechi and Chie's location. Koromaru was the first one to arrive, barking at the others to get their attention.

"Crow! Chie-chan!" Panther quickly ran over to them.

"Chie! Are you okay!?" Yukiko gasped in worry.

"What happened in here?!" Junpei looked around the room, noticing how it turned into a warzone. "Was this where all that shakin' was comin' from?"

"Woof! Woof!" Koromaru panted happily to see the two of them unharmed.

"Crow, you're wounded..." Fox noted.

"...It was a tough fight." Akechi admitted while putting his mask back on. "If it weren't for Chie, I don't think I would have made it out alive."

"It was nothing..." Chie said with a bashful grin. Yukiko was on healing duty, summoning Konohana Sakura to deal with Crow and Chie's injuries. It got rid of the immediate pain, however...

"You two need to take it easy." Panther said. Crow's shoulder injury was still a bit bad which made her frown. What happened in this room!? "But I'm glad you two are alright."

"It was thanks to Oracle and Fuuka that we were able to pinpoint your location." Fox glanced at the holograms of the two navigators, who were relieved things turned out alright. "You can leave the rest of the fighting to us."

"If you insist." Crow replied quietly. There was a lot on his mind. He glanced at Chie, who ultimately ended up passing out for a bit.

"Is it true? Do I have the chance to...be better...?" Crow just wasn't sure. But there was a part of him that wanted to believe in Chie's words. Maybe...just maybe, he didn't have to be the person Black Mask was. If he trusted them a little more, perhaps...it was hard to say. But thanks to Chie and her determination, he was able to see things in a completely different light...

Chapter Text

Noir's group was strapped in for a wild ride. They had no control the wild ride they were in. They were being flung around as Noir took turns with wild abandon. "This girl is CRAZY!" Yosuke screamed while trying to keep his bearings. But it was impossible. Noir's driving was too hectic for anyone to hold their ground.

"Are you guys okay!?" Fuuka picked up on some insane movements from Noir's group. She now understood why when her hologram appeared in the Mona bus. "W-What is this...!?"

"Hang on, everyone! I'm focused on driving!" Noir replied. The Labyrinth was really no place for such insane driving from Noir. The corridors were so thin that the Mona Bus just barely fit. It got so bad that Noir actually drove through a wall.

"OW!? Noir, watch we're you're driving!" Mona cried out in pain. With Noir driving like this, he could only be a victim of her antics. He really wished that it was either Joker or Queen behind the wheel. They'd never treat him like this!

"Sorry, Mona-chan! Oh, wait...!That's a turn...!" Noir hit the breaks, causing everyone to fall over. Unfortunately she could not make the turn in time, so she, once again, ended up crashing the Mona bus. What she didn't realize was that she also took out a number of Shadows in the process. It worked out...kind of. Mona was lying on his side while everyone slowly crawled out of the car.

"That was...an experience..." Mitsuru was trying so hard to keep her composure, but she was clearly frazzled. Her hair was a mess after such a wild ride. "Noir...I have to ask that you do not drive again." Someone else had to drive Mona if they needed to. That was just...too much.

"I have to agree with Mitsuru-senpai..." Naoto wasn't sure if she'd rather walk with her injured leg or take the chance and drive with Noir. It really was that bad.

"It will get better when I get my license, I promise!" Noir didn't understand the implications. She just thought they were worried because she had no driving experience. That was not the issue here.

"It's always something with the girls in this group..." Yosuke groaned. Either they were bad cooks or bad drivers! There had to be a healthy balance somewhere!

"Uh..." Yukari and Dragon slowly poked their heads around the corner. They heard something violently approaching and thought it best to hide. And they were greeted with the sight of the toppled over Mona bus. "What happened here...?"

"I can only imagine." Dragon said with a sweat drop.

Mona returned to normal with swirls in his eyes. His head was spinning after such a crash landing. "Dragon? Yukari? Is that you? Is Panther with you?"

"I wish she was." Dragon replied with a small frown.

"Dragon! I'm glad you're okay!" Noir was happy to see her friend. That was one less worry

"Takeba. Dragon. Are you alright?" Mitsuru asked. Unfortunately she couldn't fix her hair fully, so it was going to remain just a little frazzled. It was definitely a sight to see. One that made Mitsuru look a bit more 'normal' in Yukari's eyes. It was actually kind of cute...

"We're okay." Yukari answered. "We had a few run ins with Shadows. We saw a few around the corner, but I think Mona took care of them."

"Not by choice." Mona replied. The world was slowly returning to normal for him.

"I'm guessing since you two are alone you haven't encountered the others?" Naoto asked. She was standing a bit awkwardly due to her leg, but having a little time off it meant she could stand without issue.

"No. We were lucky to land near each other." Dragon said while rubbing her lower back. The memory of that impact was still fresh. "Although I did have an uncomfortable run in with a cruel illusion."

"An illusion?" Yosuke crossed his arms. "This place is already enough to scare the pants of off Chie, Rei-chan, Yukari, and Queen. What kind of illusion does it need to show you?"

"Did you have to include me in there like that!?" Yukari huffed. Sure, she was a little scared of this place. But did Yosuke need to be so annoying about the way he said it?

"I'm not sure how it came about." Dragon sighed. It was an unpleasant experience she didn't want to relive, but she had no choice. "I got separated from Yukari and found myself in a dark room."

"Something must have happened prior you to stepping into that room." Naoto surmised. Although she had no idea as to what that could have been. They didn't have much to work with so far.

"I think the others have been experiencing something similar." Fuuka said. "But I'm not sure what could have caused it. Crow and Chie-chan were fighting someone who Crow claimed couldn't have been there..."

"Huh...?" Noir furrowed her brows. Just what exactly happened over there?

"Ugh. This place is the worst..." The longer they spent in Evil Spirit Club, the sooner Yukari wanted to get out. "Fuuka, do you have any ideas where the others are?"

"Most of the others are on this floor." Fuuka reported. "But since everyone landed in drastically different locations, it's a little hard for us to track. I'm doing the best I can with Lucia. But when it comes to our Leader and the other Wild Cards...I think they're deeper inside."

"Seriously?" Yosuke asked. "What kinda luck is that?"

"We were broken up when we made contact with Narukami-san." Fuuka explained as the group walked forward. "The area he was in looked like a hospital..."

"It would be in our best interest to regroup with the others on this floor first and foremost." Mitsuru decided "Being scattered like this is only making it more difficult for us."

"I agree with Mitsuru-san. Although I kinda like being the only guy in this current group." Yosuke said with a sly grin, hands behind his head.

"You're almost as bad as Stupiei." Yukari rolled her eyes.

"I'll do my best with Rise-chan and Oracle to navigate everyone to a meeting point!" Fuuka replied.

While the group was debating their next move, Mitisuru felt something bite her thigh. "Ouch...!?" She hissed in pain and quickly kicked her leg to the side.

"Are you alright?" Mona asked.

"Something bit me..." Mitsuru grumbled. She looked in the direction she kicked her leg, only to see a spider. "What the...?"

"Hey! It's that spider!" Yosuke pointed at it. He recognized that thing from before! It's been eluding everyone since they stepped foot in here. And that spider started to run away.

"Don't let it get away!" Noir exclaimed. It was no coincidence that a spider was constantly popping up while within this labyrinth.

"How are we we supposed to catch it?" Yukari had no idea how they'd catch something that small.

"Just leave it to me!" Yosuke said with a smirk, preforming a flip while calling his Persona. "Jiraya!"Jiraya appeared in front of Yosuke and swung his arms forward. This prompted a whirlwind to shoot out and attack the spider. Instead of blowing the spider away, the whirlwind lifted the spider up and kept it trapped within its current.

"Excellent work, Yosuke-senpai!" Naoto exclaimed. Yosuke's ploy was excellent and the spider was unable to move freely.

"So we've finally caught you." Mitsuru narrowed her eyes while glaring at the trapped spider. "You're responsible for dragging us into this place, aren't you?"

"Do you think it's going to say anything?" Yukari had no idea. The fact Shadows could talk at all was still shocking to her.

"If it doesn't want to talk, I'll force it to." Mitsuru said with a glare.

"And I'll help!" Noir held her axe up. This spider was clearly in danger. Yet...

"Wait!" Fuuka's eyes went wide. "It's gathering magic for something! Get out of there!"

"What?" Mitsuru turned back to Fuuka and then back at the spider. She only realized it was glowing at the last second. In the next instant, a widespread blast of lightning exploded outward without warning. Mitsuru expected the worst, but Dragon used Aegis to defend the entire group at the last second. "Dragon!"

"Whoa!?" Yosuke crossed his arms. Lightning was going to hurt a lot of them, but Dragon was the one who soaked the attack for everyone. "Holy shit. Where did that come from!"

"Are you okay?" Yukari asked worriedly. That spider was surprisingly strong despite being so small!

"I'm fine..." Dragon exhaled. That did sting, but it was nothing she couldn't handle. "I didn't expect it to attack...! What is that thing?"

"It's trying to flee!" Mona pointed as the spider skittered towards a door. Now that they knew this spider was more ferocious than it looked, they had to tackle it appropriately.

"I think we can start using lethal force." Noir was excited at the thought. Clearly that spider was strong enough to handle whatever they threw at it. If it was behind their presence in the Labyrinths, they had a lot of questions for it!

"Don't let it escape! Who knows what it's trying to do!" Fuuka shared the same thoughts as everyone else. They pursued the spider through the door. They were all met with a bright light when they passed through the door. Naoto lagged just slightly behind, but she arrived at the same time as everyone else to be met with the light.

"Agh, it's really bright..." Yosuke had to cover his eyes from it all. When the light faded, the found themselves in an unfamiliar setting. At least...unfamiliar to most of them. "What the hell is this place...?"

"Are we still in the labyrinth...?" Naoto was completely stumped at their location. She did not recognize it at all. She didn't need to, however. Because a few members of this group recognized it straight away.

"Wait, this isn't right..." Fuuka furrowed her brows. Something about this was completely off.

"This is..." Mitsuru glanced around along with Fuuka and Yukari. For they found themselves on the very first floor of none other than Tartarus itself.

"We're in Tartarus...!?" Yukari gasped. Of all the places she expected to see, Tartarus was not one of them...

.

.

Queen's group received a quick briefing from Rise. Since the three navigators had a decent grasp of everyone's location within the labyrinth. "I see..." Queen nodded slowly.

"I hope Sensei is okay down there!" Teddie was pretty worried for Yu. He was always a reliable presence for the Investigation team.

"I hope so too..." Rise frowned. She really needed him to be okay.

"I ain't worried. Senpai's a tough guy." Kanji said firmly. "We gotta make sure we meet up with him and the others!"

"They're somewhere on this floor. If I work with Fuuka-chan and Oracle, we should be able to get you guys to meet up!" Rise balled her hands into fists. With Himeko's power, coupled with Lucia and Necronomicon, she was confident in getting most everyone together. "I hope Rei-chan and Zen are alright, too..."

"Finally makin' some progress in this place!" Skull was getting stick of Evil Spirit Club already. The school hallways just brought back bad memories of classes. "Queen's been doin' all the heavy lifting when it comes to these puzzles..."

"They tug at the brain a little bit, but they haven't been too terrible." Queen admitted. The puzzles were hard but she was able to solve them.

"I'mma be honest, I thought Aigis would be a little more useful when it came to stuff like this." Kanji looked at Aigis. When it came to robots, he always assumed they'd have super intelligence.

"I apologize for raising your expectations. But my intelligence is relatively average." Aigis stated with a nod. "When it comes to exams in school, I score within the average of all the students."

"I guess Aigis is better for fightin' than solving puzzles..." Skull figured that had to be the case. Because Aigis was really good when it came to talking out Shadows.

"It is what I was made for, after all." Aigis said this proudly. "I hope to return to Minato-san and Kotone-san's sides as soon as possible."

"Everyone feels the same way. We should really hurry." Rise said while pointing off down the corridor. "I know for a fact that Crow's group is over in this direction. They recently met up with Yukiko-senpai's group!"

"So we head down there and beat the shit outta any Shadows that try to jump scare us. Got it." Kanji grinned. Sounded like a good plan to him. At the same time, he felt his head starting to hurt for some reason...but he tried his best to ignore it.

"Let's hurry. Maybe we can ride on Queen's bike to get there faster?" Teddie inched closer to Queen, but she rolled her eyes at his approach.

"It's too risky for me to speed ahead with you on my back." Queen said. Her words held so many different meanings.

"But I have to make sure that Rei-chan is safe, too!" Teddie objected. His motivations were about as pure as they could be. His desire to protect Rei was real.

"I will lead the way." Aigis said while her arms rotated, reloading ammunition. Everyone followed Aigis down the hall, Rise's hologram walking alongside them. Slowly but surely, as they made progress, the area started to fill with...fog.

"What the hell?" Skull narrowed his eyes. The fog was a little dense. It didn't mix will with the dim lighting so visibility was absolutely terrible. "I can't see a damn thing..."

"Me neither..." Queen found it really hard to see anything.

"A strange fog..." Aigis's eyes shone a bit brighter. She could see through the fog a bit.

"Wait...this is...!" Teddie could see through the fog just fine. But that was a problem.

"Ah shit..." Kanji had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. Because of that he put on his special glasses, and as he feared... "Dammit!"

"What's going on?" Rise asked.

"We got fog here!" Kanji reported.

"What!?" Rise's eyes were wide at this information. She couldn't actually see it since she wasn't there, but she saw Kanji put on his glasses and that was enough for her.

"Fog? Is that what this is?" Skull grumbled.

"Didn't you mention fog before?" Queen glanced in the direction of Kanji and Teddie. Visibility was growing limited and it was hard to see them.

"The fog that comes from my world shouldn't be here." Teddie said seriously. "We didn't enter this place through the TV, so I don't understand why it's here.. If I knew it would be here, I would've gone through the trouble of making everyone some more glasses!" Instead, all he had were the gag glasses he tricked Crow into wearing one time.

"Please tread carefully, everyone! This is some kind of trap!" Rise was worried for everyone's wellbeing. If the fog the Investigation Team were familiar with was truly here, they had to be careful.

"This shit is kinda annoyin' but it's fine..." Skull grumbled. As they walked though the fog, it started to feel a bit hot. This wasn't just fog anymore... "What the hell is goin' on now? Is this...steam?"

"Ooooh...yes, you'll do nicely. You're pretty strong..." Kanji's voice echoed all around them.

"Eh? What are you talkin' about, Kanji?" Skull asked.

"What? I didn't say anything." Kanji narrowed his eyes at Skull. He was leading the way with Teddie since they could see through the fog. He was sure as hell he didn't say anything, but he heard that. It wasn't a good feeling either.

"I did hear that...it sounded like you..." Queen said quietly. She wasn't doubting Kanji, but that was unmistakably his voice that spoke out just now.

"Whaaat!? Why didn't you say anything like that to me, Kanji!?" Teddie stomped his foot in annoyance.

"Would you be quiet, you stupid bear!? I didn't say a damn thing!" Kanji was growing annoyed with this. His head was starting to hurt a bit more, which was the real annoying part about this. This headache wasn't natural.

"I am detecting something in front of us." Aigis came to a halt and so did everyone else. The fog slowly began to clear and they were standing in some sort of sauna. "Where is this place?"

"No way..." Kanji felt his stomach drop. Because there was a large figure standing in front of them. One that he and Teddie recognized...

It was Shadow Kanji at full power, standing in front of the group with a smile. "So many girls here, but only one guy..."

.

.

Shinjiro and Akihiko were laying waste to plenty of Shadows that were in their path. For Akihiko, this was exactly the kind of excitement he was looking for when they were tossed into this labyrinth. "These Shadows are putting up a good fight. C'mon, Shinji. You better put your back into it, otherwise I'm gonna win and take out more than you."

"This isn't a game, you idiot." Shinjiro spoke with a furrowed brow. Although there was a part of him that did want to shut Akihiko up. Always making everything into some kind of competition. Maybe winning one of these sudden games would help with that. A few more Shadows appeared in front of them and Shinjiro was the first one to act. He summoned Castor who galloped forward, completely trampling everything that stood in their way.

"Whoa..." Violet was in awe watching Akihiko and Shinjiro fight. They were plenty strong on their own. While they weren't exactly working together, the two of them still proved to be a force to be reckoned with. "Sanada-senpai and Aragaki-senpai are really strong, aren't they?" She looked at Ken, who was focused on the path ahead.

In fact, he was staring at Shinjiro's back. He didn't even realize that Violet was speaking to him at first. "Huh?" He blinked and looked at Violet. Her words sunk in right after. "A-Ah, yeah. Aragaki-san is strong..." He mumbled. Watching Castor at work always made his stomach twist and turn. Of course he could control it now...but he couldn't fault Violet for thinking Shinjiro was strong. She didn't know. How could he expect her to?

"They're going to leave us behind at this rate. We should get involved too, Ken-kun!" Violet smiled. She felt bad leaving all the fighting to the SEES seniors, even if they were having fun with it.

"...I guess so. Yeah." Ken nodded. He had to focus. If Violet and Akihiko weren't here, he wasn't sure what he'd do. He'd probably go through with his plan. But that wasn't something he could think about right now. Violet was running ahead and he was right after her. For now, the best thing he could do was fight. There was a time and place... "Just a little longer. I'll wait then..." Ken thought to himself. Right now, he was going to put all his efforts into getting out of the labyrinth with everyone.

.

.

"Ooooh..." Rei was still scared. She was making sure to huddle close to Zen. At some point they must have found the stairs. Because the walls shifted from school walls to hospital walls. This only made Rei's heart sink further. "This place is getting even scarier..."

"We must be getting deeper." Zen stated. "But we haven't encountered anyone else yet..."

"Yeah." Joker was taking the lead. His head was on a swivel every time they came to a corner. The Shadows were constantly ambushing them. He also didn't want a repeat experience of that mysterious male. He wouldn't let that happen to him a second time. "But they should be around here somewhere..."

After Joker said that, the sounds of conflict caught their attention. "Someone's here!"

"We've gotta help...!" Rei said with a quick nod. She was scared of this place, but the thought of losing one of their friends was even scarier. She, Zen, and Joker all hurried to the source of the conflict. When they rounded the corner, they saw Minato all by himself, surrounded by Armenti Ravens.

"Orpheus!" Minato summoned Orpheus, who spun around releasing a constant stream of flames. Unfortunately for him, fire wasn't doing a lot of damage to these ravens, which made him grit his teeth in mild annoyance. Had he more options other than just one more Persona, this would be a lot more manageable. A few of the Armenti Ravens flapped their wings, shooting spears of ice that Minato that he found himself dodging. It didn't help that he was surrounded. "This isn't good..."

Luckily he wasn't alone for much longer. Joker and Zen sprang into action when seeing their friend in trouble. "Arsene!" Joker called Arsene forth, the trickster throwing out a blast of curse magic towards the group of Armenti Ravens. The Shadows didn't see it coming and a few of them were swept away by the attack, while others began to scatter. Zen wasn't going to let them go very far.

"I don't think so." Zen said while aiming his crossbow forward. He fired off multiple bolts of wind to strike the remaining ravens. He struck them down fast.

Minato could relax a little now that familiar faces finally showed up. "Thanks." He exhaled. He was in a bind. "That would've been troublesome if you didn't show up."

"It looks like we've all been encountering our fair share of troubles here." Joker sighed.

Rei approached Minato and held her hands out. Her healing magic was at work once again. "Are you hurt, Mina-chan?"

"I'm alright. Thanks, though." Minato gave Rei an appreciative nod. He didn't have any serious injuries, but he wasn't going to turn Rei down either. It was better to be at full strength in a place like this. "Are you guys okay?"

"We've had our fair share of trouble, too." Joker said while glancing around. "Zen and Rei found me. It looks like you haven't been able to find anyone else yet."

"I wish." Minato replied. He was about to continue speaking, but he heard something from around the corner as well. Their navigators were currently busy, so they had to trust their instincts in what was nearby. Minato and Joker glanced at one another before nodding silently.

"..." Rei opened her mouth to speak, but Zen shook his head.

"Wait..." Zen said quietly. If there was another fight about to break out, he would have preferred that Joker and Minato took the lead. This way he could protect Rei and she wouldn't be in the line of immediate fire.

"Let's go..." Joker whispered. He had his knife at the ready while Minato's blade was at his side. The two of them slowly approached the corner, waiting for a few seconds. They both sensed it at the same time and acted accordingly.

They rounded the corner together and swung their weapons forward, their blades colliding against metal...