Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Hello! Thank you for checking out my story. I’d like to make some things clear first.

This story is a direct sequel to my Aikoto longfic, “The Fool And His Aeon.” I highly recommend reading it before you read this. It’s not because of spoilers, as that story isn’t terribly adventurous, but it’s mostly because you’ll be missing a LOT of context that explains a lot of elements of this crossover. So, please read “The Fool And His Aeon” first, if you haven’t already!

While “The Fool And His Aeon” is a very long story, clocking in at over 100,000 words across 60 chapters, this story will not be nearly as long. Unlike that story, though, this one is fully pre-written, and has a set update schedule! It’s 10 chapters long, with updates every Saturday at 2 PM EST. Here’s the schedule:

Chapter 1: 9/13/25

Chapter 2: 9/20/25

Chapter 3: 9/27/25

Chapter 4: 10/4/25

Chapter 5: 10/11/25

Chapter 6: 10/18/25

Chapter 7: 10/25/25

Chapter 8: 11/1/25

Chapter 9: 11/8/25

Chapter 10: 11/15/25

After this story is done, the previously announced Persona 5 crossover will begin the next Saturday, 11/22/25. I hope you’re looking forward to that as well!

That’s all I have to say. Again, thank you for checking out my story, and I hope you enjoy “Finding The Fool!”

Chapter Text

Wednesday, 12/7/2011, Evening

Makoto & Aigis’ House

It was a quiet, foggy night in Inaba.

Makoto and Aigis were silently shuffling about their humble Inaba home, which they’d moved in to about a month prior. Mitsuru had stationed the couple out in the small town after evidence had emerged of a possible Shadow nest in the area. There was nothing concrete, though with the mysterious string of murders earlier in the year, as well as the recent perpetual fog, all of the Shadow Operatives had an inkling that something was up.

Both Makoto and Aigis had accepted the assignment instantly. Inaba fit their preferences perfectly, for multiple reasons. A small, quiet town was what they always had in mind for where they would settle down, a description that Inaba fit a little too well, even with the year’s strange occurrences.

Additionally, Makoto was excited to come here because of the prospect of seeing Yu again. When Mitsuru had first told him he’d be going out to Inaba, it jogged his memory, reminding him that Yu had told him this is where he’d be spending the next year. With his small of a town Inaba was, Makoto knew the odds of ending up in the same one as Yu were… quite low. Surprisingly, neither him nor Aigis had actually met up with him yet in their month here. Given the little town’s low population, they figured they would’ve at least spotted him at some point. Maybe he - and most other students - were heading straight home after school because of the fog? They weren’t quite sure.

Even with the adverse weather, Makoto and Aigis had still been enjoying life in their modest home. Even with the exorbitant salary Mitsuru insisted on providing them for their employment as Shadow Operatives, only a small amount of it went to their own livelihoods, choosing to donate most of it to various charities. Aigis had coined the phrase that they had “should continue to attempt to improve the world they had fought so hard to save,” and Makoto loved that justification almost as much as he loved her. Still, they kept a decent amount of cash on hand, just in case something were to happen, or if they ever had an impulse purchase they wanted to make.

Tonight was one of those nights.

“Makoto-san?”

At the mention of his name, Makoto made his way over into the living room of the house, where Aigis was sitting politely on the couch. “What’s up?” He slid in next to her, leaning against her shoulder. “Something on your mind?”

Aigis’ face scrunched up adorably. “It is nothing important, but yes.”

“Hit me.”

Aigis pointed at the small TV across from them, which was off at the moment. “While this is a minor issue, and I know we have committed ourselves to living modestly, I cannot help but feel sometimes that our television is somewhat… small.”

Makoto looked at the screen on the other side of the room. This TV had already been here once they had moved in last month, and it certainly got the job done. But… Aigis was right. It was small.

Makoto’s brow furrowed. “Yeah. I guess it is. Do you wanna get a bigger one?”

“I would not be opposed… but I am reaching a small mental roadblock when I consider our devotion to modest living…”

Makoto chuckled, putting a hand on his partner’s shoulder. “Aigis. We can spend every now and then, okay? We’ve earned it. A bigger TV is the least you deserve.”

“The least we deserve, Makoto-san. Do not sell yourself short.”

Makoto blushed lightly, standing up. “R-right. So, wanna go get one now? It’s not super late or anything.”

Aigis stood up as well. “I suppose we could do that now. Perhaps we can test it out before we go to sleep.”

Makoto nodded approvingly. “Sounds good.” The couple briefly retreated to their shared room to change, Makoto slipping into his usual winter attire, while Aigis opted for the suit had bought together on a date at Paulownia Mall last year. She looked as radiant as always did when she wore it, and Makoto tried not to stare too hard, even though he knew the gaze was perfectly welcome.

Aigis popped her upgraded headband off, setting it on the bedside table. It was an upgrade Makoto had suggested to the Kirijo scientists shortly after they graduated in the spring. Not only was the headband detachable, but it also now had solar panels built into it that allowed Aigis to recharge her batteries without being stuck to her charging station chair. They still had the chair in the house just in case, but it was used much less often lately with her new energy source. Aigis opted to not wear it for this little outing, as she looked more human without it, and with the dense fog, she wouldn’t gain much solar energy on the first place. Makoto generally preferred it to be off anyway, as it gave him better access to run his fingers through her golden tresses, something both of them enjoyed.

Eventually, they were both changed, and they slipped on their shoes at the front door. Makoto reached down, intertwining his fingers with Aigis’, and the couple stepped out into the foggy night, unaware that this seemingly mundane decision to get a bigger TV would change everything.

Wednesday, 12/7/2011, Evening

Junes Department Store

The gentle “ding-dong” of the automatic doors at the entrance of Junes signaled the arrival of Makoto and Aigis, the couple arriving hand in hand. They’d been to the department store a few times since they’d moved in, and apparently, it had just opened here not long before they came to Inaba. It was a nice place, though they had heard some mumblings that the large store was driving some local family-owned stores out of business.

There were a few employees as always, but Makoto and Aigis were the only customers in the store at the moment. With the late hour combined with the fog, it was no wonder people were staying home.

The electronics section was near the back of the store, and the couple continued to make their way over. Makoto turned his head to face his partner as they walked. “Kinda eerie, huh?”

Aigis tilted her head, slowing her walking a bit. “Are you referring to the general emptiness of the store?”

Makoto chuckled. “What else?”

“You are certainly correct that it could be described as eerie. But, given the odd weather and recent happenings in this town… I cannot blame its people for being wary about being out so late.”

“Fair enough.” Makoto bumped Aigis’ shoulder. “But that’s never fazed us, has it?”

Aigis giggled, bumping her precious one back. “It certainly has not, Makoto-san.”

“Alright, we’re here.” Makoto stopped walking, having reached the back wall of the store. A line of TVs were proudly displayed on a low shelf in front of them, all begging to be purchased. Even the smallest one was almost double the size of their current TV.

Aigis crouched down, arms around her knees, scanning the row of screens. “Makoto-san, do any of these stick out to you in any way?”

Makoto clicked his tongue as he slowly walked down the aisle, giving each screen a good look. “Uhhh… not really, heh. I’m not a TV expert. What about you?”

“Hmmm…” Aigis tapped her chin, eventually standing up and walking over to the TV in the middle of the aisle, which was the largest one. “Perhaps we should not overthink it, and simply take this one? ‘Bigger is always better,’ as they say.”

Makoto chuckled lightly, running a hand over the top of the TV. “Yeah, you’re probably right. Do we carry this over to the checkout line, or do we, like, call over an empl-“

Suddenly, the screen of the TV rippled, sending out a black and white pattern that was oddly mesmerizing.

Makoto crouched down a bit, hands on his knees. “Oh, is it, like… showing off what kind of image it can put out?”

Aigis, meanwhile, looked aghast. “M-Makoto-san?”

“Hm?”

“This TV is not plugged in.”

“What?” Makoto looked around behind the TV, and indeed, there was no plug to be seen. “Then, how is it doing that…?”

The couple continued to contemplate the seemingly magic TV, when suddenly…

*CRASH!*

Someone literally popped right out of the TV, falling to the floor in front of the couple. Makoto instantly put his arms around Aigis’ shoulders and pulled her to the side, holding her against himself protectively. “What… what the hell?”

At the sound of Makoto’s voice, the person who popped out of the TV suddenly perked up, and lifted up their head, giving Makoto and Aigis a good look at them.

He was a boy, sporting a high school uniform, and… a very familiar gray bowl cut.

Aigis’ hands shot to her mouth. “N-Narukami-san?!”

Makoto’s jaw dropped. “Yu? What the hell were you doing inside the… TV?! How did you even get in there?!”

Yu looked at the two people standing in front of him. All these months going in and out of the TV at Junes… he was bound to be seen eventually. Of course, it just had to be the two people he thought he’d never see again, and who would likely have a mountain of questions for him. He let his head fall back to the floor, grimacing.

“God dammit…”

Chapter Text

Wednesday, 12/7/2011, Evening

Junes Department Store

After stewing in disbelief that he’d finally been caught leaving the TV World - by these two, no less - Yu finally pushed himself off the ground, standing up, his expression pensive. “Makoto-senpai, Aigis-senpai… long time no see, huh?”

Makoto took a breath, composing himself. “Dude, how were you even in there?”

Yu knew he couldn’t deflect; Makoto and Aigis had seen everything. “I don’t really know how to explain it to someone who knows nothing about it…”

“Well, you need to at least try. Because that’s clearly not normal.”

As the boys bickered, Aigis made the connection. That strange feeling the first time she saw Yu all those months ago, Mitsuru saying there may be a Shadow nest around Inaba, and now this… it could only mean one thing. “Narukami-san?”

Makoto and Yu stopped talking, and turned to face Aigis, the latter clearly distressed. “Y-yeah?”

“Do you know what a Persona is?”

Yu froze, and Aigis instantly knew her theory was correct. “H-how do you guys know what that is?! Have you been in the TV too?”

Makoto looked at Aigis, giving his partner a proud nod, before turning to face Yu. “We haven’t been in the TV…  but since you know about Personas… do you use them to fight Shadows?”

Yu exhaled, relieved that, despite what he had initially thought when Makoto and Aigis found him, it turned out they were exactly the right people to find him. “Oh, thank god… that makes this a lot easier. But, if you haven’t been in the TV, then how do you know about this stuff…?”

Aigis raised a finger politely. “Perhaps we should talk about this somewhere more private? This is a sensitive subject.”

Yu nodded, his gaze darting around the aisles, making sure no employees were in earshot. “Yeah… you’re right.” He began to walk away. “Let’s go to my place.”

Makoto’s brow furrowed. “Wait, don’t you live with your uncle or something?”

Yu briefly turned around, smiling weakly. “Not right now.”

Wednesday, 12/7/2011, Evening

Dojima Residence

The trio made their way down the quiet foggy streets, Yu leading Makoto and Aigis to where he lived. He’d told them the story about how his uncle and cousin were both in the hospital, for reasons related to the TV World. They were both expected to make a full recovery, but it was still weird for him to be alone at the house, and he had a major scare with his cousin over the weekend that he didn’t seem too keen on elaborating about to Makoto and Aigis, who didn’t press him.

Yu unlocked the door, and let the couple inside. The house was modest - quite similar to their own, actually. They passed through the kitchen, heading to the main living area, where Makoto and Aigis sat opposite Yu around the small table in the middle.

Yu let his hands fall to his side as he sat down. “Well, uh… you guys have questions, right?”

“Too many.” Makoto sighed. “I guess to start, uh… when did this… TV World thing begin?”

Yu ran a hand through his hair, wracking his brain. “April. Right after I moved here, actually… it was right when those two murders happened.”

Aigis blinked. “And would we be correct in assuming that this so-called “TV World” is related to the murders?”

Yu nodded. “Mmhm. We just found out who the culprit is.”

Makoto’s heartbeat quickened. “You did?”

“Yeah. His name’s Tohru Adachi. He’s my uncle’s detective partner.”

Makoto winced. “And how did he… do it?”

Yu’s expression grew dark. “He told us himself. He pushed them into the TV. Without Personas… they didn’t last long. That’s how they ended up on those poles.”

Makoto made a fist beneath the table, trembling. “Dammit…”

Aigis shuffled slightly. “But, if this Adachi is the culprit of these murders, and has even admitted to his methods… why has he not been arrested yet?”

Yu stood up, gesturing to the TV in the living room. “He’s hiding in the TV World. Has been for a few days now.  But we’re gonna catch him, and hopefully this’ll all be over once we get him.”

“We…” Makoto smiled. “So, you haven’t been alone doing this.”

“I couldn’t imagine doing it alone. There’s eight of us. We call ourselves the Investigation Team.” Yu smiled wearily. “We can all get into the TV World because of the power of Personas, I guess…” Suddenly, he got an idea. “Hey, you two have Personas, right? Think you can get in the TV?”

Aigis looked at Makoto, who was just as unsure as she was. “I… suppose it is worth a try? Does any TV work?”

“Yeah!” Yu gestured to the TV, beckoning the couple to get up, which they did. “Just touch the screen.”

Makoto looked at Aigis, who gave him a quick a nod. They each extended a finger, and touched the screen. Instead of feeling the cold surface, their fingers passed right through, and the screen rippled from their touch points.

Makoto gasped. “Whoa…”

Aigis looked at Yu. “So, if we were to dive into this TV, we would be able to chase this Adachi?”

Yu waved his hands quickly. “Not from this one. Every TV puts you somewhere else. That’s why we always use the one in Junes.”

“Huh.” Makoto pulled his finger out of the TV, flexing it a bit. “So, where did you guys get your Evokers?”

Yu blinked, clearly confused. “Evoker? What’s that?”

“What do you mean?” Makoto was clearly just as confused. “You need an Evoker to summon your Persona. It’s like a gun that doesn’t actually shoot bullets, and you point it at your head, and you summon by pulling the trigger. You guys don’t have those?”

Yu shook his head. “That sounds cool, but… no. We summon ours by shattering these little cards.” He mimicked his usual motion, opening up his palm before quickly closing it shut. “Like that.”

Aigis’ eyes widened. “Fascinating…”

Yu chuckled. “We all break them in different ways. Chie gives it a big kick. She’s really good at it.”

“Chie, huh?” Makoto scratched his head. “She part of the Investigation Team?”

Yu nodded. “Yeah. She’s been here from the start.” He looked down at his feet, blushing lightly. “She’s… also my girlfriend.”

Makoto smirked, giving Yu a nudge. “Finally found that dream girl of yours, huh?”

Yu shuffled uncomfortably, though he was smiling. “Y-yeah… she’s… she’s pretty great. I’m really happy.”

Aigis clapped a few times. “Congratulations, Narukami-san.”

Makoto’s grin widened. “Bet you like watching her kick that thing, huh?”

“Shut up!” Yu crossed his arms, trying to change the subject. “Um… your Evokers! Do you still have them?”

Makoto nodded. “Yep. Mine’s back at home.”

Yu looked at Aigis. “What about you, Aigis-senpai?”

Aigis twiddled her fingers. “Ah… I summon a bit… differently…”

“You do?”

Makoto leaned towards his partner, a hand on her shoulder. “Aigis…”

Aigis smiled meekly. “It is alright, Makoto-san. I believe he should know. We can trust him.” She reached down, grabbing one of Makoto’s hands. “If you are okay with it.”

Makoto blinked once, giving her hand a squeeze. “A-alright. It’s your choice.”

Yu was standing off to the side, confused. “Am I missing something here?”

Aigis unlinked her hand from Makoto’s. “Narukami-san. Since you already know so much about Personas, Shadows, and everything else, I can trust you with this information.”

Yu stood with bated breath. “Okay… I’m listening.”

“I am not human.”

A beat. Yu didn’t even seem to react at first. Eventually, he blinked a few times. “Huh? Of course you are. I mean, look at you…”

Aigis shook her head. She took a step forward, Makoto watching her pensively from behind. She extended a hand towards Yu, before opening the caps on her fingers, revealing the empty bullet chambers.

Yu stared. “What…?”

Aigis closed the caps, retracting her hand. “I am Aigis, a 5th-generation Anti-Shadow android. I was built for the sole purpose of defeating Shadows.”

Makoto hugged her from behind, resting his head on her shoulder. “And yet, you became so much more.”

Aigis leaned into the contact for a moment before her focus returned to Yu. “In regards to my Evoker, it is built into me, as are many other things.”

Yu was still slack-jawed. “Wow… I mean, I guess anything goes if the TV World is real… but I guess that explains some of your… behavior? No offense.”

Aigis giggled. “None taken, Narukami-san. I must say, you were always so much more perceptive than everyone else when it came to my robotic nature. Makoto-san and I were actually somewhat worried you would figure it out on your own.”

Yu, still processing what he had just learned, took a breath. “Well… it doesn’t make you any less human to me.”

“Th-thank you, Narukami-san…” Aigis, still in Makoto’s arms, narrowed her eyes slightly. “I suppose your Persona-wielding abilities are what I was able to detect about you…”

Makoto perked up. “Oh, yeah! What does your Persona look like?”

Yu rubbed the back of his neck. “Oh, uh… I don’t have just one. It’s called the wild card.”

Makoto instantly stiffened up, letting go of Aigis. “Wait, seriously? You too?!”

“Huh? Are you also a wild card?”

“Yeah! Wait, do you go to the Velvet Room?”

“The limo with Igor? The guy with the huge nose? Yeah!”

“Limo? It was an elevator for me.”

“Damn. Weird…”

Aigis finally spoke up. “I see… that was what I sensed about you all those months ago. The wild card. It was just like what I sensed about Makoto-san the first time I saw him… I suppose I never made the connection.”

“That’s one mystery solved, I guess.” Makoto let out a low whistle. “But man, another wild card. Mitsuru’s gonna love hearing about that.”

Yu raised an eyebrow. “Who?”

Makoto chuckled. “Do you know about the Kirijo Group?”

“Wait, that Mitsuru? The lady who runs it?”

Makoto nodded. “Yep. She’s also involved in Persona stuff. Has been since she was a kid, actually. The whole reason we’re out in Inaba is because she stationed us out here because there was evidence of a Shadow nest. Guess she was right.”

Yu scratched his head. “Shadow nest…?”

Makoto laughed again. “She’s definitely gonna want to talk to you once we tell her about this. You can ask her all the questions you what then.”

Aigis nodded in agreement. “But, I believe we should let you and the rest of your team deal with this first. The last thing you need right now is a distraction.”

“Yeah.” Yu paced around a bit, eyeing the couple. “Do you guys… wanna help? Adachi’s dangerous, so we could use experience… but if you don’t wanna risk your lives, I understand.”

Makoto laughed heartily. “Yu, when I agreed to help Mitsuru with Shadow stuff, it was in the agreement that I’d be willing to risk my life if necessary.”

“Oh, really?”

“You would not believe amount of money she insisted on paying me.”

“I’m sure it’s way too much.” Yu looked out the window, which now showed a dark, foggy sky. “Damn, it’s late. Guess we’ve been talking for a while, huh? You guys should probably get back.”

Aigis nodded. “I agree. Thank you for having us… Yu-san. I wish your family a smooth recovery.”

Makoto stretched. “I’ll text you tomorrow with our plans. Maybe we can meet the rest of the team soon… but don’t tell them about this yet, okay? Just in case.”

Yu nodded. “My lips are sealed.”

Makoto began to make his way to the door, but stopped just before he opened it. “By the way… why were you in the TV alone when we found you?”

“Oh, uh…” Yu kicked his feet. “I went to talk to Adachi. Alone.”

Aigis titled her head. “May I ask why? You have described him as dangerous yourself. Going there alone seems like an unnecessary risk…”

“I just wanted to see if I could talk to him. I did find him, but… I don’t think he can be negotiated with.” Yu sighed. “I thought it was worth a try. I’ve seen him as a friend ever since I got here, so… dammit…”

“Hey.” Makoto put a hand on Yu’s shoulder. “It’ll be alright. Aigis and I know a thing or two about betrayal.” He didn’t dare mention Ikutsuki’s name, but Aigis stiffened up, clearly understanding the implication.

Yu took a breath, nodding a few times to compose himself. “Okay… okay. Thanks, Makoto-senpai, Aigis-senpai. I’ll see you two soon, okay?”

Makoto and Aigis nodded, giving Yu a wave. The couple intertwined their fingers before stepping out into the foggy Inaba night, ready to put an end to what had been a shockingly eventful day.

Wednesday, 12/7/2011, Late Night

Makoto & Aigis’ House

Makoto finished slipping into his pajamas, ready to crash after a very long day. He decided he’d save the shower for the morning. Aigis had lightly objected to that, but she knew better than anyone that a tired Makoto was essentially impossible to negotiate with.

Makoto flopped onto the queen-size bed, face-first. “I guess it was wishful thinking that we were done with Shadow stuff, huh?”

Aigis gently sat down on the edge of the bed, rubbing her beloved’s back soothingly. “It appears so. But we chose to sign up for this, Makoto-san. As Shadow Operatives, it is our duty.”

“I knowwwwww…” Makoto rolled over onto his back. “Just… Shadows still exist without the Dark Hour. Inside a TV, of all places. And there’s an entire other group of Persona users. It’s so… strange.”

“We will have to inform Mitsuru-san about this very soon.”

“Can we save that for the morning? She’s probably asleep right now, anyway…”

Aigis giggled lightly, beginning to get under the covers. “That is acceptable. But we must not put it off, alright?”

“I know.” Makoto shuffled on the bed, getting under the covers as well. He scooted closer to Aigis, who laid her head on his chest. Makoto leaned against her, smiling. “That was really brave of you, you know. Telling Yu about… y’know.”

“It is alright, Makoto-san. He deserves to know. Besides, I am not ashamed of what I am.” Aigis tilted her head, looking at her partner lovingly. “It does not bother me at all.”

“Aigis…” Makoto leaned in, giving her a gentle kiss on the lips, before pulling back and letting his head fall against the pillow. “Good night, Aigis. Love you…”

“I love you too, Makoto-san. Sweet dreams.” The couple drifted off after that, the weight of the day finally beginning to fade away. They knew today was only the beginning of something new, but as always, they were ready to face it together.

Makoto drifting all the way out of consciousness, letting his dreams overtake him…

…dreams of a long-abandoned blue elevator…

Chapter Text

????????, ??/?/????, ???????

???????????

Makoto blinked himself awake, rubbing his eyes as he adjusted to the odd blue light that surrounded him. Gone was the soft sensation of his bed under him, and the pleasant feeling of Aigis curled up against him. Instead, he was sitting up, in a chair that fit him all too well. Once he could finally see clearly, he found himself within a stationary elevator. It didn’t take long for him to come to the obvious realization:

He was back in the Velvet Room, and right behind the grand desk in front of him…

“Wheeeeee!”

Elizabeth was spinning around on a sliding chair, hands in the air, without a care in the world. She clearly hadn’t noticed that her guest had somehow returned.

Makoto had a pretty good theory as to why he’d been brought here, but he needed to confirm it first. He cleared his throat. “U-um, Elizabeth?”

The sliding chair screeched against the floor, coming to an immediate halt the moment the word left Makoto’s lips. Elizabeth whipped her head to the side, and her eyes lit up instantly.

“MAKOTO!!!!” Elizabeth leapt from her chair across the entire room, landing right in front of her guest and lifting him out of the chair, holding him in a tight hug. “Oh, how joyous it is to see you again!”

Makoto returned the hug gently, giving Elizabeth a pat on the back. “Nice to see you, too. Uh, why am I-“

“Wait! Waitwaitwait! Check this out first!” Elizabeth leapt back over to her chair, her momentum as she landed causing the chair to slide into the wall. “Do you like my new addition to the Velvet Room? Master’s old chair was ‘lame,’ as you would say, and had very low sliding potential.”

Makoto nodded slowly. “It’s… cool?” Then, something clicked. “Oh, where is Igor? This is the first time he hasn’t been here.”

“Master is currently occupied with his new guest… who I believe you were formally introduced to today.”

Makoto’s eyes widened. “I knew it! Did you bring me here to talk about Yu?”

Elizabeth chuckled. “Oh, is that his name?”

“You… didn’t know his name?”

“Master does not disclose such information to me. Only he and my sister know whom the new Fool is.”

“Sister…?” Makoto blinked, then waved his hands. “Whatever, just… I’m here so we can talk about him, right?”

Elizabeth nodded, wheeling her chair over to right in front of her guest. “I do not know much about this Yu personally… but I can tel you what I know. Please, have a seat.”

Makoto plopped down instantly. “I’m listening.”

Elizabeth adjusted herself in her chair until her posture was close enough to acceptable. She opened her palms, and two identical tarot cards showed up, one floating above each hand. “A new Fool’s journey has begun. I’m certain he signed a contract, just like you did that fateful night years ago. Blessed with the wild card, Master and my sister have been assisting him throughout his journey, as did I with you.” She chuckled. “And now, two wild cards have met in the middle of a journey… a most unusual circumstance.”

Makoto fidgeted in his seat. “So I’m really not the only one…”

“Your power is still extraordinary, Makoto. Perhaps I am biased, but I am sure this Yu would be no match for you.”

“I mean, I’ve never seen him fight. I will soon, I guess… Aigis and I are gonna try to fight with him and help out.”

Elizabeth’s expression faltered slightly. “Is… that the case?”

“Um… yeah. Is that a problem?”

Elizabeth stood up, beginning to pace a bit, palms still open. “Each Fool’s journey is his and his alone. He can forge bonds with anyone he may meet along the way, but…” She closed one of her palms, one of the tarot cards vanishing in a flash of blue light. “Direct assistance from another guest of the Velvet Room is not permitted.”

“It’s… not?”

Elizabeth gave a sympathetic frown. “I’m afraid not. It would be a violation of your contract.”

Makoto pursed his lips, clearly processing this new twist. “And what if I do help him? What happens to me?”

Elizabeth giggled. “I cannot say! But the rules are the rules. It would not be pleasant for you.” She noticed Makoto’s downtrodden look, so she leaned forward, tapping his knee. “But, only direct assistance is forbidden. If you were to, say… offer guidance to him, or perhaps even spectate his battles from afar… that is permitted.”

Makoto’s eyes lit up, lightly sighing in relief. “So… I can help him along, but I can’t actually fight with him? Is that the gist?”

“Correct!”

Makoto rubbed his chin. “That seems… kind of arbitrary.”

“That’s the fun part!”

“What’s fun about that?”

Elizabeth began to lazily spin around in stationary circles in her chair. “Anything can be fun if you look at it a certain way! Just like watching you grow throughout your journey, I’m sure this Yu is doing the same.”

Makoto began to feel his vision getting hazy, signaling that his time in the Velvet Room was running out. “Alright, I’ll… let him know what I’m… allowed to do, I guess. Thanks, Elizabeth.”

“Of course! It was so good to see you again, Makoto.” Elizabeth stood up, kicking the chair away, causing it to slide across the room and crash into the wall. “ I hope I will get to meet Yu someday. Perhaps I should ask Margaret about him…”

Makoto waved goodbye. “It was nice to see you again, Elizabeth. I hope this isn’t the last time.”

Elizabeth returned the wave. “I’m certain it will not! Farewell, Makoto!” With that, the Velvet Room faded away completely, and Makoto felt his consciousness return to the real world.

Thursday, 12/8/2011, Early Morning

Makoto & Aigis’ House

Makoto blinked himself awake, once again finding himself in the familiar setting of his room, tucked under the covers, Aigis still peacefully asleep on his chest. Makoto tightened his arms around her a little more, thankful to be back where he felt most at home.

Instinctively, Aigis stirred, shifting her head against her beloved’s body to look at him. “Good morning, Makoto-san. Did you sleep well?”

Makoto yawned. “I, um… went to the Velvet Room.”

Aigis sat up instantly. “But it has been so long since your last visit there… this must be connected to the revelations we made yesterday.”

Makoto sat up with her, nodding. “Yep. I saw Elizabeth again, and… she says that I’m not allowed to directly help Yu.”

“Is that so?”

“It’s just the rules. Something about how it’s his journey alone to complete. But we’re allowed to help him out… y’know, lead him along.”

“Hmmm…” Aigis tapped her chin. “While I will not pretend to understand the workings of the Velvet Room, I suppose I can understand to a degree. I cannot help but worry for him, though. It is relieving to know we can still help out to some capacity, I suppose.”

“Yeah. Elizabeth told me if I break the rules, there will be some kind of consequences for me… but… if I see that his life is in danger, I will step in.”

Aigis smiled warmly, leaning forward to press her forehead against her partner’s. “I support that mindset fully. But again, please be careful, alright? I will be by your side at all times to protect you if necessary.”

Makoto laughed to himself giddily. “Yeah… I know.” He reached down, grabbing one of Aigis’ hands and lifting it up, kissing her fingertips. “You’ll never let anything bad happen to me.”

Aigis giggled, and the couple remained in silence for a bit longer, always making sure to enjoy the little moments like this, even with the serious circumstances surrounding them.

Eventually, Aigis spoke up again. “While I am glad you told me about your visit to the Velvet Room, Makoto-san… do you not believe it is important that Yu-san knows about this very soon?”

Makoto’s expression turned blank.

“Ah. Right.”

Chapter Text

Thursday, 12/8/2011, Afternoon

Samegawa Flood Plain, Riverbank

The phone call with Yu had gone just about as Makoto had expected. Reactions and information were mostly identical, though instead of Elizabeth relaying the info to Makoto, he was relaying it to Yu. It felt a bit redundant, but it was necessary.

Yu was understandably disappointed. The prospect of fighting beside another wild card was too good to be true, it seemed. He didn’t like the rules, but as a guest of the Velvet Room himself, he knew that most things there were bound absolutely. Yu was still thankful that Makoto would be able to guide him, at least.

After the call, Aigis had suggested to her partner that they go for a walk. Makoto accepted without much hesitation, knowing it would help clear his mind. Yu had told him that he didn’t quite know the exact day he would go to confront Adachi with the rest of the Investigation Team, so Makoto could afford to relax, at least for now.

The couple’s walk had brought them down by the riverbank. Even on a normal day, the area was quite serene, but with the fog on top of it, they hadn’t seen another person in a long while. It was eerie, but with the fog having been present for over two weeks now, they were both used to it.

Makoto kept his expression blank as he walked, his fingers curled around Aigis’ as they waded through the thick haze. Aigis, meanwhile, had a more thoughtful expression.

Makoto was quick to notice, leaning a bit closer to his beloved. “I know that pretty face.”

Aigis smiled weakly, nodding a bit. “A phrase I have heard too many times to count by now…”

“Well, what’s up?”

Aigis looked up, trying to find a hole in the fog to see the sky. “It is not terribly important, but… I cannot determine if I would deem this foggy atmosphere unsettling or relaxing.”

Makoto chuckled lightly. “It’s not black and white. I think it’s definitely both. It gets scarier the more you think about it. But if you just take it for what it is… it’s nice.”

“Hmm…” Aigis tapped her chin with her free hand. “That is a good perspective to have.”

Makoto beamed back at her. He found himself getting lost in her big blue eyes, as he often did. He kept walking as he did, and in doing so, he stopped watching where he was going.

“Whoa!”

Makoto hadn’t noticed he was about to walk into someone, but luckily for him, they noticed just in time. It was a sporty looking girl, wearing the school uniform of nearby Yasogami High, though she wore a green jacket over the blazer.

Makoto caught his breath quickly, bowing slightly. “S-sorry! I wasn’t watching where I was going.”

The girl laughed it off. She never stopped bouncing on her feet. “It’s cool! Good test of my reflexes, haha!”

Makoto scratched the back of his neck. “Still… my bad.”

“Really, dude, it’s fine!” The girl tilted her head. “Hey, are you guys new around here?”

Aigis blinked. “Was it that obvious?”

“Duh! Inaba’s a small place, y’know? If you don’t know someone here, you at least recognize them.” The girl finally stopped bouncing around, hands on her hips. “The name’s Chie Satonaka. Nice to meet you!”

Makoto made the connection instantly. “Chie, huh?”

“Uh… yeah. That’s my name.” Chie raised an eyebrow. “Do I know you from somewhere? I don’t think I do.”

“No, it’s…” Makoto waved his hands. “Nevermind. Name’s Makoto Yuki.”

Aigis gave Chie a polite wave. “My name is Aigis. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Makoto-san and I just arrived here in Inaba about a month ago.”

Chie chuckled. “A month, huh? What do you think about it so far? I promise it’s not usually this foggy!”

Makoto pursed his lips. “It’s… quiet.”

“Duh! That’s the free space! Anything else?”

Aigis jumped in. “I believe it will require more time to form a full opinion. However, I do look forward to immersing myself into the community, as we are doing right now.”

“Yeah, there we go!” Chie flashed the couple a double thumbs up. “And again, I promise the fog will be gone soon!”

Makoto smiled knowingly. “You seem confident.”

“Sometimes you’ve just… got a feeling, y’know!” Chie began to bounce around again. “I should be getting back to my training now. No distractions! See you two around!” The couple both waved her goodbye. She began to jog away again before stopping on a dime. “Oh! If you haven’t heard of it, stay a night at the Amagi Inn sometime! The hot springs are to die for!”

Makoto made a mental note. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Okay, bye for real this time!” Chie jogged away, slowly fading into the fog.

Aigis moved a step closer to her partner. “I believe that was the Chie-san that Yu-san was referring to last night.”

Makoto chuckled. “No kidding. Guess he found his dream girl after all. Lucky guy.”

Aigis squinted. “I suppose it stands to reason that she is part of this Investigation Team. She certainly seems athletic.”

“She reminds me of Akihiko. Super committed to training.” Makoto reached down and grabbed Aigis’ hand once more. “Better get back to our own ‘training.’”

Aigis squeezed back, continuing the walk down the quiet riverbank. The run-in with Chie had been a surprise, and given both of them a look at what one of Yu’s teammates were like, and if the rest of the Investigation Team was like her…

…Yu was going to be just fine.

Thursday, 12/8/2011, Evening

Makoto & Aigis’ House

Aigis hung up her dress, closing the closet door as she went back downstairs. The walk had been pleasant, made more so by the surprise acquaintance they’d made. Chie certainly seemed determined to put an end to the fog, even if she hadn’t said it directly. Aigis knew that look in her eyes; the very same she’d seen in Makoto’s so many times during the Dark Hour era.

Makoto was at the kitchen table, his laptop open in front of him. He pretended not to hear Aigis approaching from behind him. She moved just behind her beloved, wrapping her arms around his neck from the back. “What are you looking at, Makoto-san?”

“The inn Chie was talking about.” Indeed, Makoto’s screen showed the front page of the website for the Amagi Inn.

Aigis looked a bit closer. “Are you considering staying a night there?”

“I do want to check it out sometime.” Makoto clicked to a page showing room listings for various upcoming dates. “Apparently, they’re usually pretty full, but I guess the fog is scaring people off. There’s plenty of openings almost every night.”

Aigis frowned. “It seems as though the fog impacts every walk of life here in Inaba… I do hope that Yu-san and his friends are able to succeed in clearing it.”

“I’m sure he will.” Makoto closed his laptop, leaning back into his love’s embrace. “But, yeah. I’d rather wait until everything clears up before we book a night.” He turned his head to kiss her cheek. “It’ll be more romantic that way.”

Aigis blushed, looking away shyly. “I cannot deny that…”

Makoto snorted.

“Those hot springs do look nice, though.”