Persona: Unity

by Purephiction

Summary:

Inspired by works like P5YL, this story is a work of fiction taking place during that timeline, by the end of it, about a year later. Ken Yanagi is a college student at Kansai University who was a witness to the new phenomenon, however he has no recollection of it. Many phenomenon have taken place over the past years, such as the Dark Hour back in 2009-2010 and the Fog back in 2011-2012, with the most recent being the Metaverse in 2016, which saw a resurgence in 2021. Now, it's 2027. Many individuals have awakened to the power of Persona. Ken Yanagi however, is not one of them. At least, not yet.

This phenomenon will take all the characters, Shadow Operatives, Investigation Team, Phantom Thieves, all the way to Yotenbori. A new phenomenon will bring them all together. One greater than the Dark Hour, the Fog, and the Metaverse.

Notes:

• Inspired by Persona 5 Years Later by fantasticfanatic
• Inspired by The Body Reflects the Heart, the Shadow Reflects the Soul by Raptorclaw

Chapter 1: 4/19, Yotenbori (Nothing is What it Seems)

"-ke up."

The voice sounds very distant.

"Yo man, wake up!"

Suddenly, the young boy jolts awake. His hair is red with streaks of blue spiking off at the front. He wears a white button-up shirt, jeans, and casual loafers. He checks his phone and sees that it's already 8PM, the end of his night class. Hastily, he packs his bags with his books and lugs it over his shoulder.

"C'mon Ken, you seriously fell asleep again?"

The boy rubs his eyes and puts his hand on his forehead and shakes his head, trying to force himself to be more awake. The boy who woke him up was a friend he'd made in his education course. His name was Kazuma Miyamoto, his brown swept down hair covered his left eye, and he was in the same program as Yanagi. He wore a track jacket with a bandana around his neck along with black slacks and some pretty expensive looking sneakers.

"Sorry Kazuma-san," Ken says apologetically, "I've been working non-stop on my classes, so my sleeping patterns are a bit off."

The boy stands up from his desk. His name was Ken Yanagi. He was a sophomore in Kansai University, starting in the spring semester of April after transferring from University of Tokyo. He'd started his college courses working to major in education. His dream was to hopefully become a high school teacher. However, life in college wasn't as easy as he'd hoped it'd be. Day and night, all he could do was hit the books. He was a top student, made the best marks in the entire university's education program. 

"Hey, Yanagi-san!"

A loud girl comes down from the hall. Her hair is blue and cut short in a wavy way. Her skin was darker, as she was a biracial girl with an American father and a Japanese mother. This girl was pretty energetic. Her name was Ryoko Souji, and Ken had met on their first day, although they were in separate courses. She however, took the time to always hang out with him after his night classes and they always walked home together, as they lived in the same dorm. She wore a simple dress with a cardigan and ankle-length boots, with black thigh length socks.

"Yow," Kazuma says as he rubs his ear, "you always gotta be so loud Souji-chan?" 

Ryoko giggles a bit. "Hehe, c'mon Kazuma-kun. You know you can just call me Ryoko! Same as Ken-kun! We're all friends after all!"

"Geez," Ken says as he put his hand on his forehead trying to fully wake up, "could you give me a minute or two to wake up first?"

Ryoko puffs up her cheeks and looks at Ken. She then flicks his forehead and smiles. 

"Awake now?" Ryoko told him teasingly.

Ken rubs his forehead a little. He then picks up his can of coffee on his desk.

"C'mon Ryoko, don't tease me like that."

"Aww, but it's so fun!"

Ken smiles slightly as Ryoko keeps giggling.

"Anyways, I'm headed out," Kazuma says while picking up all his belongings. "Catch you tomorrow Ken." 

Ken walks out the door with Ryoko. "Sure thing Kazuma. Don't forget, you still owe me ¥500, man."

Kazuma rubs the back of his head. "Yeah yeah, I'll pay ya back alright?"

The three of them laugh as Ken and Ryoko leave together.

---

It's night time, and Yotenbori has become even more lively. The night scene has many restaurants and clubs open. Cabarets are also available. However, Ken and Ryoko pass them all by as they head back to their dorms. Ken first walks Ryoko to her dorm and stops outside her door.

Ken sighs. "It's been a long day. Man, when I started college I didn't think I'd be working as hard as I am."

Ryoko smiles and looks back at him. "You and me both. To be honest, I didn't really think I'd make a nice circle of friends when I first arrived at Kansai University. But you and Kazuma-kun are two amazing people. I'm glad we get to hang out so often."

Ryoko then giggles teasingly. "Hehe, although if people were to see us, they'd think we're dating. Look at us, a boy walking a girl back to her dorm."

Ken sighs and looks away. "C'mon Ryoko-chan, don't tease me like that."

The two laugh a bit outside before wishing good night to each other. They then part ways, as Ken walks down the hall to his own dorm. He sits on his bed, looking at his phone, wallpaper of him and his two friends. He then lays down as he passes out with his phone on his chest. Before he knew it, he was fast asleep. His mind remained empty, dreamless. All he could think about was what to plan the next day for school. Of course, that was only temporary. In a sudden moment, he was awake again, yet in an entirely different environment from his dorm room.

Notes:

This is my first work writing Persona fanfics, after playing through 3, 4, and 5 and reading amazing works like P5YL. I hope I can make something just as enjoyable!

Chapter 2: 4/19, ??? (A Place Between Dream and Reality, Mind and Matter)

[RECOMMENDED LISTENING: ARIA OF THE SOUL]

 

Ken opens his eyes to see himself in an area completely foreign to him. His surroundings are completely different from his dorm. He looks and sees a mirror, and costumes on a rack. From what he can make out, he's in a dressing room. He decides to step out and see what's beyond his new quarters. He opens the door and closes it behind him, watching as the door vanishes. However, as he steps outside, he's not the only person here. As he steps out, he sees 2 others. First is a young lady with brown hair and red eyes who looks to be about in her early 30s, accompanied by a young man with blue eyes and blue hair, also looking roughly about the same age. The man has his hand to his head. The two see each other and instantly their eyes widen.

"Little brother?" the woman says in confusion. "Is... is that really you?"

The man takes his hand off his head and gasps, looking at the woman. "... Big sis? It's really you? What's going on? I thought we...."

Another dressing room door opens out of thin air and closes. Out of it, a guy with a silver bowl cut steps out also about in his early 30s. He closes the door behind him and it disappears. He looks around the room, in confusion just as much as everyone else.

He scratches the back of his head and looks up, seeing a completely dark ceiling. "What on Earth is going on? Is this the Midnight Channel again...?"

Out of another door, a younger looking guy, looking like he's in his 20s, not much older than Ken, appeared draped in a strange attire. His hair was messy, and he had a white mask with black around the eyes. He was draped in a long coat with pointed boots. However, his garb vanished into flames and suddenly, he looked completely normal. Well, aside from the fact that it turned out his arm was a prosthetic. The man then twirled his lock on the front of his hair slightly while putting his prosthetic hand in his pocket.

"Hmmm..." The man looks around as he contemplates to himself. "What could be happening now...?"

Two other doors open, and out of them steps a girl with blonde hair, and a man in black plated armor. The guy's armor suddenly disappears, revealing a jet-black-haired man with slightly messy spiky hair. The girl who stepped out looks normal at first. She seems normal but with a closer look, Ken notices her movements are more robotic. However, despite her robotic appearance and mannerisms, her voice sounds very human and emotional. On top of that, it seems she begins to cry as she notices the twins.

"M-Minato...? Minako? Is... is it really you two?" She slowly moves towards them, crying as she does, her hand outstretched.

The man looks over with surprise. "Aigis-san?" The woman however, rushes over to hug her. "Aigis!"

The three share a group embrace as the other guy walks towards the one with the prosthetic arm.

"Amamiya-san?" the man says confusedly. "What's going on? Why are you here and... who are all they?"

"I'm not so sure myself." the man named Amamiya says. "In fact, this area is completely foreign to me. What's going on here?"

Suddenly a spotlight shines down on the center of the room, revealing a golden V. In the dark, a young boy's voice speaks out, accompanied by a high older voice.

"Welcome to the Velvet Room!" says the boy. A light shines on the two figures. His hair was silver, shaped like a cracked egg. "My name is Jose!"

"And I am Igor," says the other figure, a long-nosed man with a balding scalp and a permanent smile. "This place exists beyond dream and reality, mind and matter. It is a room that only those, bound by a 'contract', may be able to enter."

Jose begins skimming through some paperwork. "Hmm, it looks like about all of you have already signed your contracts. All except one of you."

All of the guests look around the room, curious as to who's who and to whom Jose is referring to. Ken however, is still completely confused. He grips his head and falls on his knee. The man named Amamiya approaches him and offers out his hand.

"You alright kid?" Ken takes his hand. "You look pale like you've seen a ghost."

"I... I don't understand... what is all this?"

Igor chuckles slightly. "Do not be alarmed. The real versions of all of you are still fast asleep in the real world." 

Jose drives up to Ken, offering him a piece of paper on a clipboard.

"Before we can continue, I'll need you to sign this. It's nothing big. It just states that you'll take full responsibility for your actions from here on out. You know, normal contract things."

Ken looks at the paper and reads it. 

The contract has one simple condition on it:

I chooseth this fate,

of mine own free will.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                  X

The words etched at him ominously. However, in spite of that, they seemed to draw to him. Without thinking, he takes a pen out of his pocket and signs his name.

 

I chooseth this fate,

of mine own free will.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

              Ken Yanagi    哉那祇 憲                    X

Jose then took the clipboard back, and drove it back to Igor. He then sets aside the clipboard and speaks to all the guests in the room.

Again, Igor chuckles slightly. "Now that we have the finer details situated, we may begin. But not yet. Our time runs short. And you shall all be waking from your rest soon enough. For now, take your remaining time to become acquainted with  your fellow guests. We shall all meet again."

Jose gives them all a thumbs up. "Everyone, good job!"

The light fades over Igor and Jose as they disappear. However, the light in the middle still remains. They all look at each other as they sit in the center of the arena on the ground, ready to introduce themselves to each other.

Notes:

Just a rough preface of what I have planned. Hopefully, it all forms a cohesive story.

Chapter 3: 4/19, The Velvet Room (Introductions of the Wild Cards)

[RECOMMENDED LISTENING: ARIA OF THE SOUL]

 

Ken has sat down in the middle of the amphitheater with the others. Across from him are the twins and Aigis, the robot girl. To his left is the man named Amamiya, with his other friend. And to his right, is the silver-haired man with the bowl cut. 

"So... who are all of you?" Ken asked inquiringly. "I've seen many of your faces before, but just who are all of you?"

Aigis is the first to introduce herself.

"My name is Aigis. I am an 'Anti-Shadow Suppression Weapon', manufactured by The Kirijo Group."

The twins then introduce themselves.

"My name is Minako Arisato. Next to me is my little brother, Minato." 

Minato yawns and covers his mouth. "Yeah, I'm not really one for introductions, so just ask my sis any of the more important questions."

Ken made a confused expression. "An.. Anti-Shadow Suppression Weapon? Know what... I'll ask later."

The silver-haired man was the next to introduce himself. "My name is Yu Narukami, although these days, I suppose most people know me more by my pen name... Souji Seta, heheh..."

Ken looks in surprise. "Souji Seta? As in the famous author?"

"Yep," Yu says, smiling shyly, "guess you caught me."

"I've read a few of your books. Midnight Entertainment, The Hidden Channel, The Killer in the Fog. I can't believe you're actually him, much less here of all places. If I remember correctly as well, you're also in a public relationship with Rise Kujikawa aren't you?"

Yu chuckles slightly. "Eheheh, what are you, paparazzi?"

"Sorry. It's just pop culture stuff like this is really trendy in our school."

Ken then turns his head towards the last two on the left.

"You wanna do the honors?" says the man named Amamiya.

"Oh, sure! I'm Yuuki Mishima," the man says, introducing himself. "I guess you could say I'm... a part of the Phandom."

"Phandom? As in P, h, Phandom? Yeah I heard about all that," Ken says in an interested manner. "I've been following them too. They're that crazy online scene with the Phan-site following the Phantom Thieves right?"

"Yeah well... funny thing... I'm the one who created that site." Mishima laughs shyly. "I also was the lead writer behind the Persona video game trilogy."

"Wow, I gotta admit. That series is a work of art!"

"Oh thanks! It's always nice to hear praise from fans!" Mishima says while scratching the back of his head.

Ken looks over in Amamiya's direction.

"I've seen you in the papers and on the internet." No surprise, as the man was pretty famous by now.

"Not surprising," he says, in a bit of a cocky manner. "I'm Ren Amamiya, CEO of the Velvet Foundation."

"I've read about you. Your philanthropic work, your accomplishments, your charitable donations and scholarships. They're really helping out a ton of people in need." Ken couldn’t help but admire the man's work, despite only being a few years apart in age.

"I'm just trying to help as many people as I can." Ren says sympathetically. "Everyone deserves to always have someone in their corner."

Ken understood that feeling very well. He always felt the same way.

"Well, I guess that just leaves me. I-," Suddenly, Ken feels a heavy weight in his head. He clutches his hand to his head as his vision blurs.

"Hey, you-" Ren's voice cuts out as Ken fades away. 

---

Ken wakes up to the sound of his phone alarm. He takes it off his chest and sees that it's 8 in the morning. He decides to wake up and goes over to a wooden training dummy in the corner of his room. For about 30 minutes, he practices his martial arts, landing low kicks and high kicks, along with swift strikes. At first he practices using a very artistic moveset, not unlike the Pak Mei style seen in many films, but then transitions to practicing more practical moves, like Muay Thai and Boxing, using his knees and elbows along with his fists and feet. 

"What happened?" Ken can't help but contemplate about last night. "Was all of that just a dream? Weird of me to dream of people I'd never met personally before."

 

[RECOMMENDED LISTENING: BENEATH THE MASK]

 

Ken begins cooking breakfast for himself. He grabs some eggs from the fridge, and some leftover rice from the morning before. He also notices he has minced garlic, 2 shallots, and spring onions in the fridge along with some thin steak. 

The gears in his head start to turn. "I got it!"

Ken grabs all the ingredients out and then pulls out a wok from his drawer under the sink. He then pours vegetable oil in and lets it preheat. Afterwards, he begins whisking his eggs in a bowl before pouring them in, stirring them with a ladle. He then removes the eggs and throws out the oil, putting new cold vegetable oil in, and places in the minced garlic. Setting the heat on low, he dices one shallot, and cuts up two spring onion stalks, throwing in the shallot. He then follows by cutting up the steak and the eggs, turning the heat up to medium high. Once the garlic and onions become fragrant, he adds the meat and eggs stirring them all together until the meat has been cooked slightly. He then continues by adding the rice in, and drizzling soy sauce on the side and adding the spring onion whites, stirring it all together until it creates a coherent mixture. He finishes by turning off the heat and adding the spring onion greens, adding color to the recipe. Once done, he takes half and puts it in his lunch box, while he puts the other half on a plate for breakfast.

At last, he marvels at his creation, as he has made a perfect Beef Fried Rice.

Looking at the clock, he realizes it's already 9:20.

"..."

1,

2,

3...

"OH SHIT!!!" He yells, as he decides to wolf down his breakfast. He then puts on his clothes for school, a white dress shirt, casual loafer shoes, and some jeans, and darts out the door. Apparently he's not the only one, as Ryoko joins him outside.

"Hey Ken-kun! Ya late as well?!" she says as they both begin sprinting to school.

Notes:

Just when Ken was starting to learn about everyone. Well, there's always next time. Sorry for that whole cooking scene, I just thought it'd be a nice addition to his character. :D

Chapter 4: 4/20, Kansai University (The Hidden Broadcast)

Ken had barely made it on time for his class. His morning had been rough. All that remained on his mind was the dream from last night. Minato and Minako Arisato... Aigis... Yu Narukami... Yuuki Mishima... and Ren Amamiya. Just who were they all? And what did they have in common that brought them into his dreams?

As his classes went by for the day, Ken's mind remained fixated on that dream. Finally, he'd hit his lunch break. During his break, he sat down with both Kazuma and Ryoko. As he opened his lunch box, the two marveled at his food.

"Damn Ken," Kazuma says in amazement. "That food looks amazing!"

"Oh wow." Ryoko stares at his food, her mouth almost watering. "It smells so good, where'd you get this?"

"I cooked it this morning." The two seemed even more surprised. "Wasn't a big deal, just had plenty of leftover ingredients in the fridge."

The three of them enjoy their lunches together. In the background though, they can hear rumors being spread about by the other students. One particular conversation between a boy and his girlfriend catches his attention.

"Hey, did you hear? There's this new trend going around. Some group calling themselves The Followers of the Supernatural, I hear that they're getting real popular lately."

"Followers? I don't know Tomoki-san," the girl says nervously. "It sounds like some kind of cult. Regardless of them, I heard something else rather interesting. Have you heard of the Hidden Broadcast?"

"Hidden Broadcast? Yeah I've heard of it." The boy moved closer, seeming more interested. "Apparently I heard it can give you all the answers you need in life. All you have to do is tune to radio stations FM 98.2, FM 77.9, and FM 88.6 in that order, then switch to AM, and it'll automatically connect you to the Hidden Broadcast."

"Yeah if what I heard is true, maybe I should get it to give me all the answers on the next exam! Hahaha, yeah right, like that'd happen. Although, I've heard some people have disappeared after trying it. Word is, they found the answers they needed. Perhaps it's worth looking into."

The couple leaves, leaving Ken, Kazuma, and Ryoko sitting by themselves.

Ryoko laughs a bit. "Haha, ya wanna give that rumor a try?"

"As if," Kazuma says, aggravated. "C'mon, is rumors like that seriously what gets people entertained these days?"

Ken chuckles slightly. "Hahaha, yeah, right. If something like that existed, I wouldn't have to work as hard as I do."

In spite of this, Ken was already intrigued. 

"98.2... 77.9... 88.6... then switch to AM..." he couldn't help but wonder what would happen if he tried. The day passed on as his classes went by.

---

After finishing up, he went to meet with his college counselor and the dean for advising. As he reached the dean's office, he checked his smartphone. There was a radio app on it he'd never seen before. It's design wasn't static either. On the app icon's design, he could see that it was a radio, with the knobs dialing back and forth. He decided to leave it be for the moment.

The office door opened. A woman in glasses and long black hair opened the door. Her smile was warm and kind. This was the dean of Kansai University, Sakura Ogikubo. As the dean, she really cared for all the students and always worked to make time for meeting with students between her work in order to help in advising.

"Yanagi-san, glad you could make it. Please, come in!" Ogikubo opens her door. In another chair is a man in a white coat, with glasses and a somewhat swept haircut. He had some stubble on his chin and was sitting there with some snacks on the table.

"Doctor Maruki is already waiting for you Yanagi-san!" Ogikubo says gleefully.

Ken sits in the chair across from Doctor Maruki. On the table in the middle, there's a small bowl with snacks.

"Please, help yourself to some snacks. I'm sure you're wiped out after today." Maruki pushes the bowl slightly towards Ken.

"Thanks Doc." Ken says as he takes a melon flavored gummy from the bowl. "You know, a man of your caliber choosing to work at our university. I'm surprised is all."

"It's no big deal. I enjoy helping others with their issues. Especially those still trying to decide their paths in life." Maruki smiled in Ken's direction.

Ken smiles. "I suppose you and I are alike in that sense Doc."

The three discuss Ken's choices and degree plan for a bit.

"So, Yanagi-san," Ogikubo says looking at him with curiosity. "you're really intending to become a high school teacher?"

"More or less, yeah." 

"Then we'll do whatever we can to help." Ogikubo smiles and shakes his hand.

Maruki smiles as well. "That was enlightening, talking about Yanagi-san's aspirations but it's time for his personal session. Apologies Ogikubo-san, but I'm afraid it'll just have to be me and him, patient confidentiality and all that."

Ogikubo stands up. "Of course Doctor. Feel free to use my office as long as you need. I'll be on my way home, I have work I need to finish anyways. Just make sure to lock up when you're finished." And with that, the dean leaves the office.

At first, Ken is tempted to tell the doctor about his dream. But he then pushes that thought aside. He shouldn't have to know everything. It was just a dream after all. Instead he decides to talk about something else.

"So my hair's changed since we last had our session." Ken plays with his front sprigs a bit. "I decided to have blue streaks instead."

"I noticed. Adds nice contrast to your hair."

Maruki chuckles slightly. "Are you trying to impress someone?"

Ken looks at him in a confused manner. "Not at the moment. I mean, as far as intimacy goes? I... wouldn't say I'm exactly interested in anyone at this time."

The two chatted for a little while before Ken decided to return home.

---

As he reached his dorm Maruki called. 

"I just wanted to make sure you made it home safe. I was also curious, was anything bothering you? It just seemed like there was something you were keeping to yourself." Maruki genuinely sounded concerned. 

"I'm fine Doc. You're right, I was keeping something to myself, just... another time yeah?"

"Alright. Take care of yourself Yanagi-san." Maruki hangs up the phone. 

As Ken walks up to his dorm, he sees Ryoko standing outside. 

"Ryoko-chan? What are you doing out here?" Ken looked at her curiously.

"Well Ken-kun, you remember that rumor we heard earlier today? About that, I kinda wanted us to try it. Maybe, well maybe we'll learn something, ya know?"

Ken sighs and then lets Ryoko into his dorm. They sit at his table and Ken opens his phone. He then opens the app. He notices it takes the form of a radio on his screen.

"What's that?" Ryoko asks curiously.

"It's a strange new radio app that downloaded itself on my phone. I was gonna delete it but, well... strangely enough it seems to be... calling to me." Ken says in an intrigued manner.

He then turns to 98.2, 77.9, and 88.6 and switches to AM. Suddenly, a deafening static makes Ryoko and Ken clutch their ears, but it only lasts a few seconds.

Ken and Ryoko look around. Everything looks normal. However, Ken opens the door leading out of his dorm and sees that the entire world is looking very staticky, like a TV or the static in a radio. 

"What is this place?" Ken says as he and Ryoko walk down the stairs of his dorm to the streets.

Notes:

A new phenomenon has risen. What will come of it?

P.S. By the way, did ya’ll like the nice cameo? :D

Chapter 5: 4/20, ??? (The Radio World)

As Ken and Ryoko explore the phenomenon, they decide to head towards the entertainment area of Yotenbori. However, as they arrive, they happen to notice many peculiarities. 

"Hey, I thought Yotenbori was even more alive come night but... this place has suddenly become a ghost town." Ken can't stop looking around, noticing all the lit up shops and the entire area being all powered, yet not a single soul was in sight. In the sky, it looked like as if it were static on a TV, despite them listening to a radio program. 

"Hey, Ken-kun, what's going on?" Ryoko moves down the street to check out a takoyaki stand.

Suddenly, a small girl, looking around their age, appears from under the Takoyaki stand. At first it seems the girl is normal, but then it turns out that this girl has white fox ears and a white fox tail. Her attire is just like out of a manga and anime too, dressed as a shrine priestess. It was like this girl was right out of the manga pages.

"Hey, what're you doing here?!" says the girl.

"What the hell?!" Ryoko falls backward, startled.

 

[RECOMMENDED LISTENING: WHO'S THERE?]

 

Ken rushes over and sees her sitting on the ground. He also notices the fox girl.

".... what?" His face is just in pure confusion.

Ken stares at the girl with fox ears. 

"What are you doing here?! It's not safe for people like you! You need to leave!" the fox girl says aggressively.

Ryoko stands up again and speaks back, almost as aggressive. "Hold on, you need to give us an explanation! What is all of this? And what are you, more importantly?!"

"Please, tell us, what's going on here?" Ken still couldn't understand what was happening.

"Ugh, seriously? We don't have time for this." the fox girl sighs in reluctance. "Fine, you see this whole place around you? You're in another world right now. A world inside the radio frequencies. This world is dangerous. It used to be peaceful but lately, more and more people have been disappearing inside. Not only that, but it seems that some individuals are controlling other people. You need to get out of here quick, the Shadows target anybody in here that's not one of them."

"Hold up," Ken says, lost in her explanation. "Shadows? Control? A world in the radio frequencies? This is all a little much to take in. Just... how is all this possible?"

"It doesn't matter! All you need to know is that this world has been abducting those who've awakened, and even with all their power, they still fall victim to the Shadows!"

Suddenly, the static in the sky gets stronger for a bit. The fox girl begins to panic.

"Oh no, it's too late. They've already sensed your presence here!"

Out of the ground and the walls of the stores down the road, there are three dark blobs rising out from the surfaces. The blobs all have masks on them. Two of them remain as heaps of bile with masks on them, but one of them forms into a floating ball with a mouth and a giant tongue.

Ryoko stares at them in fear and surprise. "Wh-what the hell are those?! This can't be real!"

The fox girl then summons a guandao, which appears at first as broken crystalized fragments, which then join together into her hand. "Now would be a good time to use your power!"

"Power?! What're you talking about?!" Ryoko begins to panic even harder.

"Wait, don't tell me... you two aren't awakened?!" She looks at them both, surprised. "Then how are you-?! It doesn't matter, get behind me!"

The Shadows begin to approach, surrounding everyone, as they are pushed back and surrounded.

Ken tries to contemplate the situation but can't make heads or tails of it. The confusion just makes him even angrier.

"What in the hell is going on here?!"

Notes:

Sorry if the fox girl is a bit much. I wanted to add this group's animal companion, just like how we got Koromaru, Teddie, and Morgana, and this is the one that came to mind. Still, hope it doesn't take away from the story. I promise, I'll take this character just as seriously as every other character. :D

Chapter 6: 4/20, The Radio World (Nobunaga)

[RECOMMENDED LISTENING: INVOCATION]

 

The Shadows surround them and inch ever closer. The fox girl reaches into her robe and pulls out a coin. However, while holding it she seems to be panting heavily. Ken eyes the coin curiously. She puts it on her thumb, still hesitant. It looks like she's about to flip it. However, she thinks about it too late, as the giant Shadow with the tongue is about to strike her. She is frozen in fear, about to be hit, but is then tackled aside by Ryoko.

"What are you doing?! Don't just stand there!"

Ken, Ryoko, and the fox girl decide to make their escape quickly, but they are only able to go so far. One of the Shadows sink into the ground and then reappeared 10 meters ahead of them. Behind them, about 10 meters away, one of the bile Shadows and the giant tongue Shadow were coming closer. Ken's mind went into overdrive while trying to analyze a way out of the situation. Suddenly, his mind went blank, as a voice rang inside his head.

[RECOMMENDED LISTENING: AWAKENING (PERSONA 4)]

 

What's wrong? Is your history going to end here?

Ken clutches his head. "Wh-Who are you...?"

Did you not want to seize your own fate? Write your own destiny and leave your mark on the world?

Ken clutched his head even harder. "Dammit... I do..."

Then let us form our pact, here and now.

I am thou...

Thou art I...

Call me forth, so we may leave our legacies in history and cut down those who stand in the way of our unification!

 

Suddenly Ken feels a weight in his hand. He opens his palm and finds a coin, with a mask on one side, and on the other side, a carving of a demon mask. Without thinking, he naturally puts the coin on his thumb and looks down at the ground. With a quick flick, he launches the coin high up in the air. Instead of looking at the coin in the air, he feels for it, almost as if his mind is linked to it. As the coin falls, he whispers one word.

"Per-"

The coin begins falling down.

"-so-"

The coin is almost in front of him.

"-na."

He snatches the coin out of the air as it reaches his face. As he clutches it, blue flames come from it.

"RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHH!" Ken screams as he feels overwhelming power flow through his body.

He smiles wildly as his eyes turn gold and the flames begin to engulf the area around him. The Shadows are forced back momentarily until the flame dies down. From him, rises a black-colored figure in an oni mask, with a samurai bun, wearing heeled pointed boots, with a white hakama, wearing only a haori with its bare chest showing, holding a large tanto knife.

"What the... Ken-kun?" Ryoko looks at him in disbelief.

Ken cracks his neck. He then, in a similar manner to the fox girl earlier, summons bandages and begins wrapping his hands like a fighter.

"Now... let's get this started!" Ken yells.

[RECOMMENDED LISTENING: REACH OUT TO THE TRUTH (FIRST BATTLE)]

Ken rushes into the battle. He first kicks one of the bile Shadows and knocks it onto a wall. Once it hits the wall, he spins again and plants his leg on it, sticking it to the wall, as it disintegrates. The giant mouth Shadow with the giant tongue bites the arm of his summoned figure. He feels a similar pain rush up to his arm.

"Agh, dammit... GET THE HELL OFF OF ME!" His summon throws the Shadow off of it, with him following by rushing it. He then starts beating it down, punching it repeatedly, before grabbing it and kicking it towards his summon, which then impales it.

Suddenly a glint appears in Ken's eyes, as he calls forth the name of his summon. "NOBUNAGA!" Wind gales cut the Shadow that is stuck to the blade, and it disintegrates.

The final Shadow then tries to attack Ken, to which he dodges it, and then stands on top of it. Once doing so, he reaches his hand around its mask and rips it off. The creature then transforms into a fairy.

"Oh wow," the fairy says. "You managed to free me from my confines as a Shadow. Thank you so much! If you need my help, I'll gladly offer it. Just know, not all of us will join you right away. Some wanna see what you're made of boy!"

After finishing what she says, she turns into a coin.

Once the battle has finished, Ken walks over and picks up the coin. He then feels such a heavy weight in his body and collapses to his knees.

Ryoko rushes up to Ken and helps him up. "Ken-kun! What's wrong?! Are you okay?!"

The fox girl also helps up Ken. "I can't believe it, you're actually the first person to awaken in here. This is the first time I've seen someone awaken in this world!"

Ken was wiped out from his battle and awakening. "Look, we need to get outta here." Ken grunts as he lifts himself up. "You said the Shadows, those monsters here, they attack anyone who isn't a Shadow?"

The fox girl nods her head. "More accurate to say, they attack anyone not native to this world. They leave me alone because I was born here. That is, so long as I don’t try to stand against them or attack them first."

"Right." He's still confused, but is trying his best to follow along. 

Ryoko however was only able to think about Ken's condition. "In any case, Ken-kun is no good in a fight right now. That completely drained him, so if possible, do you have a way out of here?"

"Indeed I do," They return to the takoyaki stand from earlier. From under the stand, she pulls out a radio and props it on the countertop. "Just reverse the sequence you used to enter and press the eject button."

"That's it?" She looked at the radio suspiciously. "Alright here goes."

She begins turning the dial. Before she presses the eject button, Ken speaks to the fox girl.

"Hey by the way, we never got your name." Ken was clutching his head slightly.

"Oh, that's right I never gave it to you. But why do you need it? Don't tell me-"

Ken nods his head. "That's right. I intend to come back here. If all the things you said is true, I can't ignore it. Just wouldn't feel right. And besides, I've been hearing rumors at my school that are very similar to the things you've told me. So I gotta look into this."

"Alright, well if you're really intent on going, feel free to reach me whenever you need me." She approaches Ken and offers her hand out, as if waiting to receive something. "Here, let me see your device real quick."

"Device? You mean my phone?" He hands her his smartphone. The only thing seeming to be working on it is the strange radio app.

"Hmm? It looks like your phone is only able to use this app while in here. Well, it's no issue. In fact, this app is perfect. It seems to have a function to allow me to bookmark certain frequencies." She then enters a radio frequency number into his phone. "Here, I've made a folder for you with my frequency should you ever need to contact me anywhere here in this world."

Ryoko seems a bit surprised. "Wow, I'm a little shocked you know how to even use a phone, much less the capabilities of one and how they work."

Suddenly the fox girl's expression turns slightly sad. "Yeah well, I have to... so many people disappear into this world every day... the least I can do is try to help them and guide them out of this world... but I haven't managed to save a single person yet..."

Ken and Ryoko can't help but feel sorry for her. "Listen," Ken says, putting a hand on her shoulder. "If what you say is true, you shouldn't feel sad. You've been trying your best and it's been tough. But if something really is going on this world, then you can bet I'll be on it. And if helping each other is gonna solve what's going on, then I'm in this for good."

The girl looks at him in a surprised manner, then nods in determination. "Alright. Thank you Ken-kun, really."

Ryoko suddenly remembers. "Oh right, you still haven't told us your name."

"Oh right, silly me." She giggles a bit. "I'm Kitsune. But people usually just call me Kitsu."

Ken smiles and pats her head with her fox ears. "Pleased to make your acquaintance Kitsu. And rest assured, I'll be back."

Ryoko then presses the eject button on the radio, and suddenly the two are back in the real world again. The  two are back in Ken's dorm. They look outside to see the streets are bustling with people enjoying the Yotenbori night life.

"Jeez, it's hard to believe that was all real." You can hear the disbelief in her voice. "And what was that power of yours? What was it you said, Persona?"

"Yeah... I don't know.... It just... came to me somehow."

Ryoko starts getting a bit nervous. "Hey Ken, do you have a futon to spare? I just... I don't want to be alone tonight. That was all too much." 

"Yeah, sure." Ken opens his closet and gets an extra futon. He then sets it on the floor in his bedroom. "Get some rest alright?"

"Ken-kun?" She says shyly.

"Yeah?" He looks at her face, sensing her unease. "What's up?"

"Next time, I'm going to protect you. I promise." She tells him in a determined manner.

"Hmhm, course, I'll be waiting. Get some rest Ryoko." The two begin to fall asleep. Ken however, starts to fade into his dream. As his mind drifts, he finds himself once again waking up in a place between dream and reality.

Notes:

I was real hyped to write this chapter. I hope it's as pleasing to you all as it was to me. I chose Nobunaga as his Persona because my theme for this group of Persona users is great leaders in history. Explanation in the next chapter for why. Look forward to this wild ride with you all. :D

EDIT: Looks like I already explained, but don't worry, you'll still get the same full insight in the next chapter.

Chapter 7: 4/20, The Velvet Room (One more Wild Card in the Deck)

[RECOMMENDED LISTENING: ARIA OF THE SOUL]

 

Ken suddenly wakes up in that same dressing room as before. The mirror shows his face. He can't help but look at it from different angles. But he realizes it's no longer the time to be idle. As he rises from his bed and walks out the door, he sees that the lights are already shining in the center of the amphitheater. However, there is nobody in sight. Suddenly, another light shines down, and under it, is the same long-nosed man from his dream before.

"Igor... Am I right?"

"How kind of you to remember. I see much has changed since your last visit."

The little boy, Jose, appears next to him in his car.

"Hmm? Changed? Did he get thinner?"

"Observe him closer. As you can see, he has awakened to his power."

Jose gets out of his car and walks closer to try and study him.

"Hmmmm... Oh yeah, he really has gained some new power. Good job!"

As Jose walks back to his car, Igor chuckles slightly.

"Hey, there's something I've been wondering."

Igor turns his head in curiosity. "Oh? And what, pray tell, might be piquing your curiosity?"

"Why are we in an amphitheater? This place, it's a theater, but it also feels like an arena."

"Who can say? This room reflects the heart of its guest, and their perception of the world. To think it would take the form of an amphitheater. A place of performance, and competition."

Those words seem to be a bit sensitive to Ken. He suddenly remembers old thoughts, thoughts of how he always had to perform and work hard, pushing himself, far past his limits, to stay ahead of others in school.

"It seems you have awakened to your hidden power. The power you utilize is what is known as a Persona. You could refer to it as a facade of determination, a mask one wears when confronted with various difficulties in life. Your ability however is quite special."

"My... ability?"

"You possess the ability of the Wild Card. Compared to the Persona abilities of others, it is extraordinary. It is akin to the number zero... empty, yet within it, can be found, infinite potential. The root of this ability comes from the ability to control one's heart. And as such, the heart is strengthened through the bonds it forms."

"Control... my heart?"

"As you bond with others, your inner heart will also develop, strengthening your Social Links. I do not speak of superficial links with others, but rather true, genuine bonds, established through trials and tribulations. The power of these Social links will determine the strength of your Persona's abilities."

"I still don't understand."

"In due time, my great Unifier. If not by my teachings, then by that of your peers or your experiences."

"Unifier?"

"Many have possessed the ability of the Wild Card. Saviors, protecting the world from ruin. Seekers, aiming to grasp the truth. Tricksters, who change the course of fate. Ruiners, who seek the world's destruction. And as such, the Unifiers who have the ability to bring all of them together. As of this moment, the stage has been set. Soon, your role as the Unifier will become apparent to you. So, as you prepare for the destiny lain before you, I shall do my best to assist you. Allow me to introduce you to two of the residents here. They shall be the ones who attend to you."

A spotlight shines down on one, a girl, seeming slightly older, dressed in a blue corset with a white jerkin. She wears white thigh-length socks with black heeled boots.

"You may refer to me as Rosalina. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

Another light shines down, showing a boy, looking just around the same age as Rosalina. He wears a blue suit, with blue dress pants and black shoes and a set of rimless ovular glasses. His hands are covered by white gloves.

"And I am Ricardo. I am thrilled to meet another one of you."

Another one of them? Was he referring to him being another Wild Card? So was that the common thread that tied all of them together in his dream? So, Ken was just one more in the deck.

Igor looks at Ken with fascination. "Despite how they contrast in appearance, these two are twins. How lucky you are, being tended to by two of our residents. Regardless, I'm afraid our time alone will be cut short. The others shall soon be waking here as well. I shall depart, and allow you the chance to get acquainted with your fellow Wild Cards. But before I leave, allow me to give you this."

Igor presents Ken with a Velvet Key.

"The next time you come here, it will be of your own free will. Until we meet again..."

The lights shut off over Igor, Jose, and the attendants. Just as they shut off, more lights turn on. The first to turn on is a light covering a door that appears to his left. Aigis, the robotic girl from before, emerges from the door.

She looks around, as she begins to fully understand the situation. "So, that was no mere dream after all. It appears I have been called here for a purpose. Then that means that Minato-san and Minako-san are..."

The next light shines on a pair of doors. Out of those two doors, emerges the twins, Minato and Minako Arisato. 

Minato covers his mouth and yawns. "I fall asleep in one world, just to wake up in another. Will I ever truly be able to get some rest for once?"

Minako smacks the back of his head a little. "Come on little brother! At least try to be a bit more excited! Aigis is here!"

Another door lights up with the arrival of Yu Narukami. He immediately sits down on the floor the moment the door vanishes. "C'mon, the least they can do is give us some chairs."

Finally, two more doors are spotlighted, the doors of Ren Amamiya and Yuuki Mishima. Both emerge from their doors in their full attires again, only for them both to vanish again as the doors also disappear.

Ren plays with his front locks of hair. "Why am I not surprised to be back here again?"

Mishima chuckles slightly. "Heheh, guess you had a long day, huh Amamiya-san?"

All the Wild Cards have been gathered here in the Velvet Room, created by Ken's cognition. He can see that they've all had quite a day in their own rights. So he tried to dig deep in his mind and think up a door. A door that could possibly lead to an area for them to relax easier. Suddenly, a new door appears, with a gold V on it.

The other Wild Cards look at him with surprise. Yu approaches the door. "Damn, did you do that?" He tries to open the door. "Well, it's not like we can get in."

Ken remembers his key. He presents it to the door and as such, the key glows slightly, and the door's unlocking can be heard. Ken then opens the door, and inside is a lounge area. Small, but there are quite a few chairs. In fact, the area is reminiscent of the dean's office. 

Yu then pats Ken on the back. "Well well kid, you're full of surprises."

Notes:

Finally, with work stressing me out, and everything I've been doing in life, I finally got to write more again. Next chapters will sort of be recap chapters, for those reading this story and haven't played the games or read P5YL yet. Although, if you don't want spoilers for any of those, what're ya doing here? XD

Sorry for this chapter dragging on a bit. DX

Chapter 8: 4/20, The Velvet Room (The Dark Hour)

[RECOMMENDED LISTENING: ARIA OF THE SOUL]

 

The Wild Cards all take the time to relax. Yu is leaning against the wall, while Minato is laying down on the couch and Minako is sitting in an armchair with her legs crossed. Aigis remains standing behind the couch that Minato is laying on. The twins take the time to be updated by Aigis on what has changed. Mishima and Ren sit on the long side an L-shaped couch, opposite of Minato, and Ken sits on the short side. 

They look at Ken, eyeing him closely as he observes his coin between his fingers.

Ren was the first to address it. "Hey, what is that?"

"This? It's a coin I ended up obtaining after I explored a bizarre world. Apparently, this coin is a tool that contains quite an interesting power."

"So it's a means of summoning your Persona? You mean something like this?" Ren summons his mask in his hand.

Yu then comes closer and a card appears and floats down to his hand. "And like this?"

Minato then pulls out a gun. "We use these."

They all put away their summoning tools. Ren also notices another bit of Ken's statement. "You said you explored a bizarre world? What exactly happened in it?"

"You want me to answer your questions, first start answering mine."

Now that they were all here again and sitting down, Ken wanted some answers. "So... you're all Wild Cards? What does that even mean?"

Minato is the first to tell him. "It means you're in for a shitshow."

"Minato!" Minako chastises him.

"What? I'm telling it as it is. I'm not gonna sell him the whole 'it's a great honor' story." Minato looks over at Ken. "If you want to know what being a wild card is like, then buckle down, because we're in for a long story."

The others gather closer as they listen to Minato, Aigis, and Minako's story of their experiences as Wild Cards. 

"Do you want to do the honors and start us off big sis?"

"Oh, um... sure. Well... Aigis said it's 2027 now, right? So I guess that means it all started for us 17 years ago, back when me and Minato transferred to Tatsumi Port Island's Gekkoukan High School. When we got there well... things already were strange for us. We got off that train, and our MP3 players shut off, along with everything else in the city it seemed. And on top of that, the street was lined with coffins. Funny enough, we thought nothing of it. It was already late at night, and we just wanted to walk to our new dorm in Iwatodai."

Minato then sits up and starts getting serious. "This was where our story began. A young boy, named Pharos, he offered us the Velvet Room contract. And just like you, without thinking, we both signed it. That's when everything around us started to change. One school night, one of those creatures, Shadows as I'm sure you know by now, attacked the dorm. That was the night me and my sister awakened to our power."

"That night, our friend, Yukari-chan, she tried to protect us. She woke us up in the middle of the night, and gave us weapons. Then she took us to the dorm roof, where that Shadow ambushed us. In that moment, she tried to protect us by summoning her Persona, but... she panicked, and was knocked aside."

Minato's fists were clenched on his lap. "Her Evoker then fell in front of me. In that moment, my sister tried to protect me as well by standing between me and the Shadow. In that moment, I told myself that it was enough. My sister was willing to die if it meant protecting me. So I decided in that moment, I would protect her too, even if it cost my own life. To both of us, we weren't afraid to die so long as we kept the other safe."

Minako puts her hand to her heart. "And that's when it happened. He hugged me and told me, this time, he would protect us both. In that moment, we put our heads together, side by side."

"Without thinking, I put that gun to one side of my head, with her on the other, and pulled the trigger. That's when we both summoned our Personas. But with it, it seemed we had released another being, one of Death."

Ken paused for a moment to contemplate what he just said. "Wait, so you shot yourself and your sister in the head? How was that supposed to work?"

"These aren't normal guns, at least not in the sense that they shoot anything. The reason these worked with our Personas was because of what it signified and what our actions meant. 'Memento Mori'. Do you know what this Latin proverb means?

Ken took Latin back in high school, and knew it quite well. "Remember, you will die."

"By using these Evokers the way we did, we had accepted we would die, and embraced our mortality. That's how we awakened to our Personas."

Ken continued to contemplate. So, that's another method of how Persona Users summon.

Minako continues the story. "Afterwards, we both were brought into the Special Extracurricular Execution Squad, or SEES for short. We were a school club on paper, but our real purpose was hunting Shadows in a phenomenon known as the Dark Hour."

Everyone in the room seemed confused for a moment. "The Dark Hour?" Ren asked.

"What if I told you back during the year from 2009 to 2010, there were more than 24 hours in a day? Remember earlier when we brought up how all of the technology was shut off and the street was lined with coffins? That was the phenomenon known as the Dark Hour, a hidden hour that occurs every night at midnight, lasting between one day and the next. We learned that the Dark Hour existed because of an incident in Shadow research caused by the Kirijo group years back. Because of that incident, there were 12 dangerous Shadows that appeared on every full moon."

Aigis begins to speak. "After some time, I joined SEES and assisted in eliminating the 12 Shadows. Once the Shadows were eliminated, the Dark Hour would disappear. Or so we had believed. In fact, our information was being manipulated from the start, and in eliminating the 12 Shadows, they had rejoined with a being known as the Appriser, the bringer of Death. Years before, I had battled the Appriser. However, there was no means of defeating him. His power was just too great. So, I sealed the Appriser inside two children." She then looks over at Minato and Minako.

Minato then begins speaking. "We were tricked, realizing we had only hastened the Fall, which would bring about the end of humanity, by means of a maternal being known as Nyx. It turned out that the Appriser who would bring about the end was a boy from our school, Ryoji Mochizuki. Knowing that, he gave us the option to kill him, but we refused. Instead, he told us all how to face Nyx. Thanks to his help, we all fought to prevent the Fall, and yet it came at a great cost."

Ken notices the sadness they feel when mentioning Ryoji. "You speak of him as if he was close to you all, despite being your enemy."

Minako winces a bit. "Yeah... him and I... he... he told me that he loved me. But he also told me that it was a forbidden love that felt wrong... In spite of him being our enemy... he was quite dear to us... and well... sometimes I wish..." She tears up a little. "I wish he would come back and spend time with us again..."

Minato clenches his teeth a bit. "Yeah... and that just made it hurt even more when we had to fight him as Nyx's Avatar."

The twins both tense up. Minako is the first one to speak. "Nyx could not be killed. As it turned out, we were only fighting her psyche. Her real body was that of the Moon. So she couldn't be destroyed. Only contained. Me and my brother, we sealed her away. In doing so, we averted the Fall and brought about the end of the Dark Hour."

"But creating the seal came at a high price. Our lives."

The room becomes silent for a moment. Aigis then breaks the silence. "After they were gone, I had managed to inherit their ability of the Wild Card. We later discovered that Nyx, in spite of being the one to bring about the end, held no ill will or hostility towards humanity. It appeared that the true goal of the Great Seal created by them was to prevent Nyx from merging with another malevolent being, known as Erebus, manifested from the negative emotions of humanity, the true culprit to bring about the Fall. But what I wonder now, is how they are here despite having given their lives to make the seal all those years ago. And more importantly, what is the condition of the Great Seal, now that they are here? Minato-san, Minako-san, tell me, after the last visit here, what happened when the dream had ended?"

"That's where it got strange," Minako says. "Somehow, me and Minato, we woke up again, in Yotenbori."

Ken stands up from his chair surprised. "Wait, you're both here in Yotenbori?! Why am I even alarmed there?! In fact, if your story is true, how are you both alive?!"

Minato then speaks up. "That's where speculation comes in. It seemed that we had awoken in this room, a room created by your own heart, and shortly after meeting you, we're suddenly truly alive again and back in the real world. I believe this isn't a coincidence."

He stands up. "I believe the next act in this script-" He points at Ken. "-is completely centered around you."

Notes:

This is just a quick summary meant to help those needing to understand the plot of Persona 3. Sorry if it drags on. Like I said, I'm new at this and I'm gonna try my best to hopefully make this a cohesive and enjoyable story for you all! :D

Chapter 9: 4/20, The Velvet Room (The Fog)

[RECOMMENDED LISTENING: ARIA OF THE SOUL]

 

Ken is still having trouble understanding his situation. "Me? Why me? I lived a pretty damn normal life before all this happened. Last I checked, I wasn't summoning ethereal beings, or having to worry about being eaten by Shadows, before any of you came along!"

Minato remains unmoving. "Calm down. I didn't mean to point fingers... well, guess I did, but I didn't mean it in an accusing way. It's just that's how the facts of the matter are as of this moment. As for the matter of the Great Seal, I don't think it's been broken. It's just speculation, but I can still feel it."

"What do you mean, feel it?"

Minako begins to explain for the both of them. "What he means is that the Great Seal was made from our life force. Because of that, we can still feel that part of our life force is still left in the Sea of Souls. It's strange though, it feels like... our life force is leaving the Seal, but at the same time the Seal is being reinforced, greater and greater. I don't understand how it's possible."

Minato looks at Ken. "It makes me wonder, just what is your ability?"

Ken stops to contemplate himself. He never felt like he was important. Just what did being a Unifier mean? However, he pushed his thoughts aside as he shifted to the next person for answers.

"I think we'll just have to figure out where I tie into all of this as we proceed. For now, I want to hear the rest of your stories."

Yu is leaning up against the wall. "Guess it's my turn. Well, where do I begin... for me, it all started in my 2nd year, back in 2011. After finishing my first year in Tokyo, I transferred out to the country to Yasogami High School, in a small town called Inaba. At the time, I was staying with my Uncle Ryo and his daughter, my cousin Nanako. I remember that first day like it was yesterday. I bumped into Marie, this girl outside the train station, we stopped at the gas station, I shook hands with an attendant who helped fill our car, and I was even offered a job there, heheh. Who knew me arriving in town would set off a string of events."

"Your arrival caused it? What do you mean?"

"I'm getting there. You see, after starting school, I made a few friends, like my friends Yosuke and Chie. But then that day, something else happened too. It was raining, and after the rain, a deep fog set in. On the way home, there was a crowd gathered around a crime scene."

Ken realizes that this all sounds familiar. "I think I read about this in one of your books, it was the first one in the Seekers of the Truth series, The Midnight Killer. You're saying the things you wrote were actually real?"

Yu nodded. "It was heavily based on those events in Inaba. That day, my Uncle, Ryotaro Dojima, and his partner, Tohru Adachi, were assigned as the lead detectives on that case. The first thing I saw when I arrived, it was Adachi running off the scene and puking his guts out. Uncle Ryo scolded him so badly for acting like a rookie, heheh. Not long after though, we started hearing rumors in school. Rumors about a TV program, known as the Midnight Channel. The basis was that on a rainy night, if you stared into the TV at midnight, you could see your soulmate."

Yu then paces around the room and faces one of its corners. "At first, I was curious. So, I gave the rumor a try. That night, the first time I watched the Midnight Channel, a girl appeared on screen, and it seemed she was from our school. That's where it got even stranger. I touched the TV screen, and was somehow able to go in. Though, I couldn't exactly see what was in there since the one in my room was pretty small. The next day, funny enough, me and two of my other friends, Yosuke and Chie, we decided to go the Junes supermarket in town and check out the flat-screen TV's. That's when I touched the TV again, and this time, we all fell into that world completely. After that experience, the next day that girl we saw on TV the night before, was found dead. That's when we started to connect the dots. We learned one thing from our first visit to that world. Someone had been throwing people into the TV. And from what we gathered the day afterwards, they were doing it with the intent to kill." He then turns around and faces them. "In other words, there was a serial killer in Inaba."

"How did throwing them into the TV kill them? From what I can gather, it sounds like they were just sent to that other side."

"The Shadows. In that world, Shadows don't attack normal people. Under regular circumstances. That's because there's a thick fog that manages to keep them at bay. The Fog was also a mysterious supernatural phenomenon. And as I told you before, the victims were always found on a day with fog following a heavy rain. That's because when the Fog appeared on our side, the Fog lifted in that world, driving the Shadows berserk, causing them to attack anyone without discrimination."

Yu then sits down on the couch next to Minato. "Because of what we knew, we decided to investigate the world inside the TV ourselves. In the process, we found out about our hidden powers, our Personas."

"Wait," Ken suddenly thought back to Minato's story. "I remember during Minato's story that the way they awakened to their Personas was by fully embracing their mortality and accepting that they would die. But well... in my case I never did anything like that. So I can only assume it may have been different for you too."

Minato's interest is slightly piqued. "I see, I'm curious to know too. Tell us, was your experience different from ours?"

Yu nodded. "Yes, it was. In our case, to awaken to our Personas, we had to face our inner selves, our personal Shadows. For me, it seemed like I was a special case at that time. Regardless of my circumstance though, the key to unlocking your Persona was to accept your Shadow as a part of you. Choosing to deny it only made it stronger, causing it to lose control and go berserk."

Ken keeps talking to himself, as if taking mental notes. "So in Minato and Minako's case, it was acceptance of their mortality... while in Yu's case it was a matter of self-validation..."

Yu continues his story. "With our power, we formed the Investigation Team and made it our mission to seek the truth and foil the killer. Soon enough, we found out that the killer's identity was none other than my Uncle's partner, Tohru Adachi. Adachi-san, he was manipulating things from behind the scene as well, leading us in circles. On top of that, his actions caused Nanako to die once. So when we confronted him, we were all determined to put an end to his schemes."

"Wait, you said die 'once', what do you mean she died once?"

"She's still alive. But she died, her heart stopped beating. It was only thanks to a dear friend that she managed to live again." Yu smiles, as he seems to feel grateful to this friend. His expression becomes serious again once he continues his story. "When we confronted him, he had his own Persona too, but it was a warped and twisted version of mine. We managed to defeat him, but that wasn't the end of it. Turns out there was a being inside him, known as Ameno-sagiri, that was waiting for the right moment to unleash itself. Not just that. It was also a being that was creating the Fog, as it believed humanity's wish was to remain blinded to the truth in order to stop their daily sufferings. Its plan was to leak the Fog into the real world, and in doing so, turn people into Shadows to wander aimlessly, obliviously, and uncaringly. In defeating it, we dispelled the Fog. And on top of that, we brought Adachi in. He didn't even resist. In fact, after defeating him, he agreed that he would be willing to pay the price for his actions, and that he'd abide by the rules of this world. Of course that still didn't answer the lingering question I had in my mind."

"Which was?"

Yu taps his leg slightly with his finger. "The real question was, in spite of Adachi being behind the murders, that's all he was really behind. It made me wonder, if there was someone who was pulling the strings behind him. And to my surprise, there was. In fact, it was someone I had completely forgotten about and I only passed it off as a meaningless encounter. But on March 20th, 2012 the day that the school year was finishing up and I was supposed to leave, I got a letter from Adachi. Apparently, he had concerns wondering how him and I had gotten our powers. And honestly, I had wondered that too. So I retraced my steps, back to the beginning. And believe it or not, it was right at the very beginning that it all started."

The others looked in slight confusion. "The very beginning?" Ren asked. "What do you mean?"

"You remember that visit to the gas station at the beginning of my story when I arrived in Inaba? Turns out the attendant who shook my hand was no normal attendant. She, was the one who awakened my ability along with Adachi's. Her true name was Izanami."

The room becomes filled with surprise. "Izanami?!" Minako's shock couldn't be contained. "You fought the mother goddess of Shinto?!"

"Yeah... it seems her goal was to grant humanity's greatest desire. Somewhere along the year, she determined that humanity wished to be oblivious to the truth in order to end their suffering, which is why she unleashed the Ameno-sagiri. It took all my friends together to defeat her."

The story put Ken on edge, making him wonder just how powerful the people in the room were. "So what happened afterwards?"

"Well things get even stranger. I met Aigis and a few of her friends." He turns and looks at her. "You wanna take over from here?"

Notes:

This chapter is a brief summary of Persona 4 Golden. It'll hopefully help you all understand Yu Narukami's involvement in the Persona timeline. The next chapter will summarize Persona 4 Arena/Arena Ultimax, as well as his activities afterwards, during the period between Persona 4 and Persona 5 Years Later, as according to my timeline anyway. Hope you enjoy. :D

Chapter 10: 4/20, The Velvet Room (The Tournaments)

[RECOMMENDED LISTENING: ARIA OF THE SOUL]

 

The room was now focused on Aigis. "After the serial murder case in Inaba drew to a close, another mystery rose, during Golden Week of 2012. After the conclusion of the Dark Hour in 2010, SEES was disbanded, but instead we had formed a new organization, known as the Shadow Operatives. Just like before, the Shadow Operatives also hunted Shadows. Our encounter with the Investigation Team occurred when we were brought to the small town of Inaba. Our mission was to track one of our missing companions, another Anti-Shadow Suppression Weapon not unlike myself. However, in doing so, we were thrown into the chaos of the world inside the Television, in a distorted recreation of Yasogami High School. In that world, a mysterious entity forced us to fight each other in a tournament known as the P1 Grand Prix. Eventually, we had found Labrys, and discovered that she was the one who had created that world. To make things more difficult, a mastermind was manipulating her along with the aide of the mysterious entity."

Aigis looks in Yu's direction. "In spite of our initial difficulties, we succeeded in rescuing Labrys. That however was not the end. The real culprit had revealed himself and had managed to capture us Shadow Operatives. His identity was a boy named Sho Minazuki, a former experiment of the Kirijo Group to create artificial Persona Users. His goal was to destroy the world, with the help of the mysterious entity, known as Hi-no-Kagutsuchi. What was worse was that he had somehow managed to bring back the Dark Hour."

Yu then decides to continue the story from here. "On top of that he had been observing the Investigation Team solve the mystery of the Inaba murders. In his quest to destroy the world, he had also recruited Tohru Adachi. At first it concerned us. But thankfully, Adachi truly did change, because in the end, he helped us. Him and I together, we destroyed Hi-no-Kagutsuchi. In truth, Sho wasn't that bad of a person. In fact, just like us he had the potential to become a Wild Card. The problem though was that the only way he knew how to forge bonds was through conflict, and combat." Yu has a determined look on his face. "So I decided to become his rival. To this day, we've yet to settle things. I haven't seen him since that incident." Yu smiles slightly. "I sure hope he's alright."

Ken looks like his eyes are shining, as he's clearly very interested in Yu's story. "Wow, so what did you do after all of that concluded?"

"Well, I finished high school for one. Afterwards, I went to Tokyo for college. At first I sought a degree in media. I was gonna be a journalist, always trying to report the truth and such. After about 5 years working in journalism though, I decided to start writing novels based on the events in Inaba. Everyone else on my team went on with their lives too. Even Rise went back to being an idol."

"I heard you two got engaged recently."

"Yeah. We started dating during our time when we were investigating the murders in Inaba. Afterwards, well, we took a break for a while to study for college. But after that, we met again when I covered an article on her during my journalism years."

This was not the time to be talking about love lives. "So after the P1 Grand Prix, did the Midnight Channel disappear like the Dark Hour?"

"No. In fact, the Midnight Channel and the world in the TV, it's been quite peaceful. The Shadows used to be hostile but after the defeat of Izanami and Hi-no-Kagutsuchi, the Fog lifted and Midnight Channel has become rather peaceful."

"The Dark Hour however has disappeared." Aigis claims.

Ken contemplated his situation further. So if the Wild Cards had solved their own phenomenon, why were they getting pulled here? What made this one so special, and more importantly, what made him so special that his role was to unify all of them?

He pushed that thought aside as he tried to shift his focus back. Thinking on that now with no real clues to draw from would only be a waste of his time.

"You mentioned before, Sho was a Wild Card? If that's the case, how come he's not here with us?"

"Sho rejected the contract of the Velvet Room. I don't blame him either. The power of the Wild Card is only strengthened through trust and bonds forged with others. Hard thing to do when you don't trust anybody."

"Then do you think his potential as a Wild Card is gone completely after rejecting it?"

"That I can't say for sure. Cases like him are very unique. Whether it was a one-time offer or not, that remains to be seen." Yu then looks over at Ren. "It's a shame I quit journalism a few years ago. Otherwise, I think I would've made quite the headlines, covering someone of your caliber."

Ren smirks slightly. "And now we're here, 7 Wild Cards all in the same room. Must be fate." Ren then massages his wrist with his prosthetic hand. He then pats Mishima on the back. "Well Yuuki, looks like you and I are last."

Notes:

This chapter summarizes the events of Persona 4 Arena/Arena Ultimax. This chapter will summarize the events of the P1 Grand Prix and the P1 Climax. It'll also tell of Narukami's life after the events of both Persona 4 and Persona 4 Arena Ultimax. Hope the recaps help. :D

Chapter 11: 4/20, The Velvet Room (The Metaverse)

[RECOMMENDED LISTENING: ARIA OF THE SOUL]

 

Ren leans forward. "Hmmm, where to begin...? Well, seeing as you all started from the beginning, I guess I oughta do the same. I guess... It all started back in 2016, when I was first starting my second year of high school. I'm sure it's all public by now, my history."

Ken recalls the research he did on Ren for his college paper once. "I wrote about you in my college paper before when we were asked to cover people who faced adversity. We could've chosen anybody. But I decided to choose a present figure. So, I chose you, Ren Amamiya, CEO of the Velvet Foundation, father to a boy, husband to Makoto Niijima, commissioner of the Confidential Affairs Division in Public Security. I searched your story, and I found a lot more than I bargained for. You, a normal high schooler, stopped a sexual assault. That heroic act turned your whole life upside-down though, as it turned out that the offender had powerful connections. He even turned the charge against you, and you ended up with a criminal record. Now that guy must've had friends in high places, because he was able to force false testimony, have you found guilty, and make sure his name was never mentioned in your trial."

"As my punishment, I was put on probation for a year and expelled from my school. They sent me out to Tokyo for my probation. Because of my reputation as a criminal, my choice of high schools was restricted. The only place that would accept me was Shujin Academy. I was relocated to Yongen-Jaya. My parents were friends with a café owner there, named Sojiro Sakura. When we first met well... I didn't exactly give him the best impression of me. He thought I was a serious troublemaker for him. It wasn't exactly a normal year either. Tokyo was running rampant with mental shutdowns and psychotic breakdowns, all of which the police were trying to solve. Of course, things changed on my first day of school." Ren clasps his hands together, as if recalling all the memories in his mind. "Me and a good friend, Ryuji, albeit completely by accident and by pure chance, had entered a phenomenon known as the Metaverse. That world was one that existed inside the unconscious mind of humanity. However, it also generated distorted environments, known as Palaces. The Palaces were created by individuals who had extremely distorted desires."

Yu leaned forward with interest. "Shujin Academy, and a phenomenon known as the Metaverse... intriguing, please, elaborate."

"As I said, Palaces were created by individuals with extremely distorted desires. When we entered the Palaces, their Rulers were the Shadow's of their real world counterparts. The Palaces' design was based off of their distorted desires. Those desires varied from person to person."

"Very interesting. If I didn't know any better, I'd have thought you'd stumbled into the Midnight Channel." Yu crosses his legs and begins to explain. "The Midnight Channel was more than just another world in the TV. It well... how can I put this...? You all know how on TV, there's all sorts of channels and all kinds of shows to watch right? Well in the TV, the Midnight Channel created shows based on the people who entered the world inside the TV. And the Stars of each show was the creator's Shadow."

"Hmm, I think I understand what you're getting at. And from what I gathered in your story earlier, defeating those Shadows and accepting them as a part of you was how one awakened to their Persona. For us though, awakening was quite different. From what I could gather from you and the twins, you awakened through self-acceptance of your worse halves, while Minato and Minako awakened from embracing their mortality. For us, we awakened through our resolve to live true to ourselves."

Ken looked at him in confusion. "Live true? What do you mean by that?"

"Those with the potential hold the will of a rebel within their heart. A rebel that's shackled by society's expectations. In other words, they wear a mask to hide their true selves because they want to belong in society." He then summons the mask he had before. "By removing that mask, you remove the shackles over your heart, and allow your true self to show. In other words, your Persona." Ren then looks at the others intensely. "The awakening process isn't pretty either. The mask isn't something one can take off easily for their first time. When you're on the verge of awakening, a mask will appear over your face. Taking off the mask... it requires you to literally skin your face, basically peeling yourself like a grape. Once the blood subsides, it instantly heals, and you awaken, with your Persona, and draped in the garments of your newfound rebellion."

Ken couldn't help but feel a little uneasy. He couldn't imagine how painful it must feel to awaken that way, peeling the skin from your face. "So then, when did you first awaken?"

"In the Palace of Shujin's former P.E. teacher, Suguru Kamoshida."

"Kamoshida... why does that name sound so familiar?"

In the middle of Ken's thought process, Yu took the liberty to answer. "Suguru Kamoshida, former P.E. teacher at Shujin Academy, the "utter bastard of lust", and the center of an appalling scandal where he forced himself on female students. Otherwise known as, the first target, of the Phantom Thieves." Yu chuckles slightly. "Am I safe to say my suspicions of you were correct, Joker?"

The room remains silent. The twins are clueless, but everyone else in the room seems to be well aware what this means. Ren smirks slightly. "Oh, and what drew you to that conclusion?"

Yu replies with a smirk as well. "I used to be a journalist, remember? I already followed the Phantom Thieves during my career in journalism. Even wrote quite a few stories on them. I was already suspicious when you mentioned Shujin Academy and the Metaverse. After all, Shujin is where it all began, and what better way to not leave any clues for the police, than to commit the acts in a world that remains unknown amongst the public? Sound familiar?"

"You're referring to the Inaba murders? I agree, it is genius."

"Don't worry. I'm not comparing you to Adachi by any means. After all, you didn't kill people. And on top of that, you made criminals confess to their acts. In a way, you pushed for the truth, just like how we did. I can find a mutual respect for that."

"Thanks. Although that doesn't tell me how you knew I was Joker."

"The rest is simple. I knew that Joker had to be the leader of the Phantom Thieves. That much seems like public knowledge at this point, after the stunt you all pulled in Shibuya. I also know that everyone in this room is a Wild Card, just like me. And just like me, we all have the tendency to draw people to us and to help others. So it stood to reason that if you were not only a Wild Card, but a Phantom Thief too, it seemed like you'd be the only one to fit Joker's profile, as someone who naturally leads."

Ren smirks and slowly claps. "You got me. Yes, I am Joker. I gotta say, your deduction skills are on par with Akechi's, and he was good despite his Detective Prince personality being fake."

Yu laughs slightly. "Heheh, well I was friends with the original Detective Prince, and her skills were genuine. Makes sense a few things rubbed off on me."

"Back to the matter at hand though, our first target was the P.E. teacher of Shujin Academy, Suguru Kamoshida. His Palace was based on his cognition, that the school was his castle, and he was the king. After we made Kamoshida confess, we decided not to stop there. We used the physical manifestation of the collective unconsciousness, known as Mementos, to carry out more changes of hearts. But that's where things really started to change for us. Care to take over Yuuki?"

Mishima looks surprised. "Huh? Oh, sure! Well, after Kamoshida was arrested, the Phantom Thieves became a really popular topic online. So I set up the Phan-site, a website for those who gathered to support the Phantom Thieves. From what I can gather from what Ren told me, him and those who were with him, they pulled off more and more changes of hearts. But in the process, they made a lot of enemies. Eventually, those enemies came after the Phantom Thieves. It all started when the Phantom Thieves took down an international hacktivist group known as Medjed. But that was a trap, set up by their enemies. Following that, I added a polling feature to the Phan-site. But that was a mistake. The polling feature made them target Kunikazu Okumura, the CEO of Okumura Foods."

Yu recalls another piece he wrote. "I remember that incident. That was supposedly the first time the Phantom Thieves had ever killed. President Okumura suffered a mental shutdown. In my article, I questioned the circumstances. Just like with the Inaba murders, I didn't want to jump to conclusions without the full picture. So I tried to investigate and find out the truth myself. Thing is, despite my best efforts to investigate, it was like I was being stonewalled. The media was quick to blame the Phantom Thieves, and even quicker to put an end to my investigation. It was like they were trying to hide the truth, I just couldn't figure out why. How did they even cause a mental shutdown? And how did you not cause mental shutdowns, but instead enact changes of hearts?"

"When people's Shadows became a Palace Ruler from their distorted desires, they held onto their desires as a Treasure, which would physically manifest. Defeating their Shadows to make them return to their real selves, as well as stealing their treasure was what would make their Palace collapse, removing their distorted desires and forcing a change of heart. However, if you killed their Shadow, it would cause a mental shutdown in the real world counterpart. That's why we had to exercise extreme caution when trying to change their hearts. One misstep, and we could end up killing them through their Shadow."

"I see, so President Okumura was killed via the death of his Shadow."

Ren picks up the story. "And as you now know, we were set up. They facilitated our every move. They faked the hacktivist attack from Medjed, they hacked the polls and ensured President Okumura was chosen, and then they killed him with a mental shutdown, as a means to not only turn the public against us, but to also use the Phantom Thieves as a scapegoat for all the previous and planned mental shutdowns. However, they made one mistake."

Mishima takes over. "In the midst of their disarray, the enemy tried to sneak a traitor into the ranks of the Phantom Thieves. That was Goro Akechi. He was the true perpetrator behind the mental shutdowns, and his goal was to kill Ren, pinning all the blame on him. However, the Phantom Thieves were onto him from the very start. It was a small miscalculation on their end, but it was more than enough for them to turn the tables on them. In doing so, they evaded capture and found out the true culprit behind the incident."

Ken recalls the Phantom Thieves calling card in Shibuya. "Councilman Masayoshi Shido. A politician on the National Diet. I remember as well, the Phantom Thieves made him confess. On top of framing the Phantom Thieves, he was the one who orchestrated the mental shutdowns, as a means to secure his rise to the seat of the Prime Minister."

Mishima nods his head. "I can tell you've done your research. Of course this was a pretty viral incident that occurred back in 2016. Here's a bit of information they didn't put in the papers though. Going against Shido, it was more than just payback for the Phantom Thieves. In fact, it was deeply personal to Ren."

Ren clutches his hands together and leans on his knees. "Remember how I mentioned someone in a high position sued me and ruined my life? That man was Masayoshi Shido."

Ken looks in surprise. "Are you serious?!"

Ren looks up, a dead serious look in his eyes. "I wish I were joking. It's strange, how in a weird twist of fate, we ended up meeting again. And I was more than prepared to put an end to his schemes. We decided to hit him most where it hurt. His Palace. And his perception of the country was extremely distorted. He saw this country as a private luxury ship, sailing over a sinking country, with him as the Captain. So we made it our mission to stop him. And it wasn't easy for us."

Ren then leans forward with his hands clasped together. "Akechi was there waiting to stop us. And it was just as personal for him as it was for me."

Ken's curiosity was piqued. "Personal? In what way? Did Akechi have some kind of history with the incidents?"

"Not the incidents. But with Shido himself. You see, back when him and I started hanging out together for the first time, he told me about his story. He was a bastard child of a man and a woman. The man then left his mother, leaving her to take care of him. His mother's life wasn't pleasant either. She was a sex worker who brought home men constantly, and when she did, she'd always send him to the bathhouse. Eventually, his mother cracked under all the shame and the pressure. She took her own life, leaving Akechi with nobody but himself. And so, he blamed the man who ruined their lives, his father, Masayoshi Shido."

"Holy hell... so then the reason he was helping Shido... was it all a part of his plan for revenge?"

"Yeah. See, he couldn't do anything to Shido at first since he was a high-ranking official. But then he gained the powers granted by the cognitive world of the Metaverse. And so he offered his services to Shido, as his personal assassin in the Metaverse, inducing mental shutdowns and psychotic breakdowns. However, this was all part of his plan. See he didn't care what happened to him. Killing Shido wasn't enough for him either. His goal was to humiliate Shido, and destroy his reputation. He wanted to put Shido at his peak, right before tearing him down. In the end, he and I had finally understood each other. In fact, it was more than that. Over the past few years, both of us have been trying to deal with our mixed feelings about each other. But at the end of it all, we realized, despite all our conflict and our differences, we were still friends. But in spite of that, we couldn't avoid conflict. So we fought. In the end, I beat him. But I sure as hell didn't feel like I won anything. That's because after our fight, we were surrounded, and we were almost killed. But Akechi, he sacrificed himself to save us all."

"Akechi... so in the end he put his faith in you."

"Yeah... afterwards we finally faced off against Shido. After defeating him, he confessed to all of the horrible acts he committed in order to rise to power. But things didn't end there. It turns out in spite of Shido confessing to his crimes, the public still wished for him to become Prime Minister. Not only that, it seemed that they were trying to erase the Phantom Thieves from history. That was when we started getting the idea that reality itself had become distorted. So we decided that the entire general public needed a change of heart."

"The entire... public? Alright now I'm starting to get confused. How do you change the opinion of the entire public? From what I gather, and this is still difficult for me to wrap my head around, the only way you could really change someone's heart was through their Palace. I thought that palaces were limited to individuals with extremely distorted desires though. So how could you change the hearts of the general public without a Palace?"

"But there already was a Palace. I mentioned it before, remember?"

Ken suddenly recalls an earlier piece from his story. "... Mementos."

"Mementos was a physical manifestation of everyone's collective unconsciousness. In other words, it was everyone's Palace."

"So if Mementos had already existed before hand, did that mean the public was already well distorted beforehand?"

"Who can say? Fact of the matter was, it existed. And it was the root of everything, including the existence of the Metaverse. So we decided that would be our last heist. It turned out the Metaverse was created by a false god known as Yaldabaoth. At first he was too powerful for us. To make matters worse, the Metaverse began to encroach upon reality. But we weren't going to give up. So we faced him yet again. And this time, we faced him with more than just our power. We faced him with the will of the masses. With all of their power, we managed to put an end to it all, and erase the Metaverse. At least for the time being. To make things even more surprising, Akechi showed up again. Apparently, not only did he survive, but he was also willing to turn himself in and confess to all of his involvement in Shido's conspiracy."

Ken puts his hand under his chin and starts thinking. So, they had also stopped a god. He wondered what began to lay in store for his destiny.

"It all seemed too good to be true. Turned out it was. We later found out that despite erasing the Metaverse, it wasn't completely gone. You see, over our school year, we had been seeking counseling from our temporary school counselor at the time, Dr. Takuto Maruki."

"Hold on, you said Maruki? By chance, does he have somewhat messy swept hair, glasses, and a goatee? Also dresses pretty casually too."

"You know him?"

"Yeah, he's my academic advisor at my college. So he was involved with you all beforehand?"

"That's right. After the incident with Kamoshida, the school brought Dr. Maruki in as our counselor to help students trying to deal with the trauma from the scandal. Me and the rest of the Phantom Thieves even went to seek counseling from him, telling him how we wished things could be different from our circumstances. Back to the incident of erasing the Metaverse, well in spite of us succeeding, the Metaverse returned. It all started again when Akechi approached me, having been mysteriously released, despite being the prime suspect of the mental shutdowns. We later discovered a Palace had formed and was visible in reality, not just the Metaverse. Turns out that Palace was ruled by Dr. Maruki, and he was the the Metaverse together in place of the false god. Not only that, but he was able to change reality as well. He even brought back loved ones we'd lost in the past. At first we couldn't understand why. Humanity, after we defeated the false god put all their hopes into the Phantom Thieves, and yet somehow, the will of the masses was transferred to Dr. Maruki. As it turned out, that was because of us. In our counseling sessions, we had always told him what we wished for, putting our hopes and our dreams on him. It's even sadder knowing that he wasn't evil, not in one bit. In fact, his desire was to make a reality where everyone could finally be happy. This made it all the more difficult to stand against him. What made things even worse was when I found out the truth about Akechi. It turned out the only reason he was able to stand by our side was because I wished for him to live again, and Maruki granted that wish. In spite of that though, Akechi refused to accept the new reality, because he wanted to be free to decide his own fate, even knowing it meant he'd disappear. So in the end, we fought Dr. Maruki to reclaim the reality we worked hard for, despite how much better the new one was."

"Do you regret it? Erasing a perfect life?"

"No. Sure the choices we made leading up to it may have hurt us, but they make us what we are. To strip us of our identities, I don't think any of us wanted that. That's why we all fought to put an end to that reality. Maruki wasn't easy to defeat either. On top being a Persona User like us, he held the will of the masses. Yet in spite of all that, our resolve pushed through. And once again, it cost me a dear friend."

Ren holds a slight sadness in his eyes as he recalls his bitter memories. "The Metaverse has reappeared twice since then. The first was during the following summer when a AI virtual assistant known as EMMA had created a system known as the Penitentiary System, in which individuals known as Monarchs ruled over environments known as Jails. The purpose of that system was to enact city-wide changes of hearts. Eventually, EMMA had reached the Singularity, and what was once an AI ascended to the state of a deity. That however, was short lived, and we shut down EMMA and erased the Metaverse once more. The second time though was five years later in 2021. At that time, I was still battling my own demons, right when the Metaverse reappeared again. That's where things got real interesting. It turned out that Akechi truly had survived. But it seemed he was comatose for nearly 5 years. And the circumstances we met again under, well... it wasn't exactly the friendliest of reunions. Another god was trying to exploit the Metaverse's reappearance, and well they used Akechi as a pawn again. But of course, there's no keeping down his desire for freedom. And I'm sure you know our track record with gods by now, heheh." He smirks a bit cocky. "Still, it was far from easy." He rubs his prosthetic arm slightly. "I still feel the aches sometimes."

Aigis observes his arm carefully. "That prosthetic is a product manufactured by the Kirijo Group."

Ken couldn't help but notice Ren's emphasis on Akechi. "Why do you care about Akechi so much? Was he not your enemy?"

"He couldn't help his circumstances. Him and I both hated Shido for ruining our lives. And like I said, despite it being under false pretenses, we both grew fond of each other as friends. Hell, I won't lie, when we fought Shido, there was a point where he had separated my team, and it was just me and him. And honestly, for a bit, I really was intending to kill him... not even for what he did to me, but because he cost me a dear friend." Ren's face is serious as he recalls his dark moments. "It was my friends who kept me from going that far."

Ken's amazement had reached its peak. "So that's your story? I have to say, it's a lot more than what you read on the official papers and the biographies. I'll definitely have to ask Doc about this tomorrow."

"I almost forgot he worked at your school. Let me know how he's doing, yeah?"

Yu then speaks up. "Guess that means it's your turn kid. I mean, we don't even know your name."

He nods his head. "Fair's fair. Alright then. Allow me to introduce myself to you all."

He stands up and looks at them all.

"My name is Ken Yanagi. 2nd year in college at Kansai University."

Notes:

A brief summary of Persona 5 Royal, Persona 5 Strikers, and Persona 5 Years Later. If you don't want spoilers for the last one, link is down below to read it. As for the games, of course, be wary of spoilers. That's been the last few chapters after all. But thank god, with this done, I can finally start writing the original material again. XD

https://archiveofourown.org/works/33751666/chapters/83895631

Chapter 12: 4/20, The Velvet Room (Ken Yanagi)

[RECOMMENDED LISTENING: ARIA OF THE SOUL]

 

Ken paces around the room, rubbing his hand along the couches. "Where to begin? I guess I oughta talk a bit about myself. Well, I've been following the Phantom Thieves since their first appearance. My family, well we live in Tokyo. We were pretty well-off. My mom was a member of the Diet when she had me, and my dad was a leading physician in the medical field. I had a sister who moved to America to study politics. And well, a younger twin brother. My father worked hard as a doctor. He made sure we were all fed well, and were all able to do our schoolwork properly."

Minato, laying down, turned his head towards Ken. "Sounds like everything was pretty normal for you."

"Guess it was. I got along with my family pretty well. Well, except my brother, Shinra. Him and I were always at odds with each other. Mainly because of our completely polar opposition to each other. And well, I guess being twins didn't make it any easier either. Despite us being twins, we couldn't have been any more different. See, while I cared about things and always sought meaning in the things I've done, he's only ever been one to view things as how they can be useful to him. That's why once he was of legal age, he left. I haven't seen him since. My sister, Akari, she moved to America to study politics. She wants to go into the studies of foreign policy. Me on the other hand, well I desired to go into education.

Yu leans forward. "That's quite a far cry from your family's career paths."

"Perhaps. My goal has always been to bring people together through means of knowledge and teachings. So I chose to major in education. At first I started at the University of Tokyo. But then I decided to transfer to Kansai University when I was offered a scholarship. I figured at the very least, I could make things easier for my family by going to school on my own merit. So I moved to Yotenbori, got a place in the dorm, and now I live on my own, walking to school every day. Course, it hasn't been easy at all. It is a pretty prestigious university after all."

"So then when did you discover your powers Ken?" Ren asked curiously.

"Well, earlier today I heard a rumor from some students at my school. They were talking about an unknown radio frequency, with no real number assigned to it. They called it the Hidden Broadcast. Supposedly, that station is supposed to have all the answers you want, no matter what. So me and a friend, we decided to give it a try. It was pretty simple. In fact, without even prompting it, this radio app downloaded itself onto my phone." He pulls out his phone and shows them all the new application.

Ren's attention was piqued. "Intriguing. We've had a pretty similar application for the Metaverse. We called it the Metaverse Navigator. When we used it to enter someone's Palace, we entered a name, a real world location, and their distorted view of that location. It even had a bookmark feature so we could revisit them whenever we wanted, so long as the location still existed."

"That's pretty similar to what I have." He shows them the app. "To tune into the Hidden Broadcast, we would tune to radio stations FM 98.2, FM 77.9, and FM 88.6 in that order, then switch to AM. Doing so would then send us to the other world inside the radio frequencies."

Yu recalls something he heard on the radio. "Actually, I think this may be related to what you're talking about. You see, sometimes when I'm in the car, I would hear the radio station suddenly go static. Almost as if it were being hijacked. Then it'd turn on again, with a variety of radio shows. Thing is, I've seen people start acting strange the moment they hear those shows. It's like as if... those shows are changing them entirely."

Ken takes a moment to think about the meaning behind it. "That program, what's the purpose behind it?"

"Do you plan to investigate it?"

"I have to. I heard a ton of people have gone missing from the Hidden Broadcast. Some of the students from my school too."

The room is silent for a bit.

Yu breaks the silence. "The 23rd..."

Ken makes a confused expression. "Hm? The 23rd?"

"I can be in Yotenbori by the 23rd."

"Wait, you're coming here? Why?"

"All the Wild Cards are taken to your Velvet Room, and are all gathered here to meet you. That can only mean whatever is happening, revolves around you. And... I'd be lying, if I didn't say I was a bit curious about the Radio World."

Mishima scratches his head. "I'd help you but, well I'm sorry. My people need me here in Tokyo."

"It's alright," Ren says, patting his back. "I'll go, for both of us. I needed to stop in Yotenbori anyways, so this all works out for me. I can probably be there by the 22nd."

Minako stands up with her brother. "We're already here, so we'll probably meet you outside of your university after classes are out." Minato yawns slightly. "Yeah, well there was nothing else to do anyways, so might as well."

Aigis nods her head. "I will inform Mitsuru-san. She will help you as soon as she is available. And... perhaps she and the others will feel joyful knowing the two of you are alive." She smiles slightly.

A thought crosses Ken's mind. "Y'know, I've been wondering this since you guys told me you woke up in Yotenbori after being gone for 17 years, but uh... where are you two staying? Don't tell me you're dumpster diving."

Minato's facial expression becomes slightly more serious. "Do you want me to hit you?" He sighs slightly with his eyes closed. "We're staying in a hotel. We may have disappeared, but at least we had some cash on us beforehand."

"Well, if you want, you wanna stay at my place for a while?"

Minako makes a concerned expression. "Are you sure? We don't want to impose."

"It's fine. There's enough space for the both of you. I got 2 spare futons and a couch, whichever suits you."

"Oh wow, thanks! It's really sweet of you." She elbows her brother slightly. "Say thank you Minato!" His expression doesn't change at all while he rubs his arm and sighs. "Yeah, thanks man."

Ken stands up and walks to the exit door of the lounge room. He thinks of his dressing room, and opens to door. On the other side, his dressing room is waiting.

"Until we all meet again." He then walks through the door, and closes it behind him. In his dressing room corner is a couch. He lays down on it and closes his eyes. As he starts to drift off, he can't help but think about how it seems he's made new friends here. He feels as if a slight bond is beginning to form between them. Suddenly the voice of Rosalina, followed by Ricardo appears in his head.

 

I am thou... thou art I...

Thou hast forged a new bond...

 

It shall strengthen thy own ability to unite thy comrades,

reshaping the outcome of your journey.

 

With the aide of the Councillor Arcana, you have acquired the

power necessary to forge your own path in the 

perilous journey lain before you.

 

 

With that, Ken fell back to sleep, to wake again in the real world.

Notes:

Finally, feels good to be writing original material again. Also, I'll probably be using the notes here to update Social Link status and such between everyone. :D

Social Links
The Councillor (The Wild Cards) - Rank 1

Chapter 13: 4/21, Ken's Dorm (Returning to the Radio World)

Ken wakes up bright and early to his phone alarm again. On the floor, Ryoko is laying quietly on her futon. She's still asleep, resting comfortably. Ken decides to get up and start practicing on the wooden dummy again. 15 minutes in, there's a sudden knock on his door. 

The one standing at his door was Kazuma. "Yo, Ken! Ya up man? I decided to drop by this morning and see how you were doing! Heard you were almost late yesterday so I came to personally get ya this time!"

Ken opens the door, still in his sleepwear and lets out a yawn. "I'm up man, can you stop yelling? Ya got any idea how early it is?"

"8:20 man. And if we don't leave by 9, we're gonna end up being late. So c'mon, get your ass ready."

"Dude, can ya just let me get through my morning routine man?"

Ryoko then walks out of Ken's room, wearing a long shirt she borrowed from Ken to sleep in. The shirt reaches all the way to her thighs. Her legs are looking pretty nice in the light, shining a little.

"Jeez, and you complain about me being loud Kazuma-kun!"

Kazuma looks in surprise, eyes wide. "... Umm... Ken... did you two spend the night together?"

"Yeah we did." Ryoko says boldly. "So what?"

Kazuma's surprise grows even more. "So then does that mean... you two...?"

"Hey, don't get any ideas you jerk!" She then slaps him. "Nothing happened last night!" Following that, she picks up all her clothing then walks down the hall to her dorm. "And you better not start any rumors!" She says as she closes her door

Kazuma rubs his cheek. "Ouch. Man, what'd I do to deserve that?"

"Dude, you're a jerk man." Ken says chuckling a bit. "Relax, her and I are just friends."

Ken continues his morning training for a few more minutes before deciding to cook lunch. Opening his cupboard, he realizes he has bucatini pasta and olive oil. He then checks his fridge and finds pancetta, eggs, and grated parmesan cheese.

"I got it." He takes out all the ingredients and begins prepping. Kazuma walks in and turns on the radio in his dorm. Ryoko returns, fully dressed in her usual attire now. "Oh hey you're cooking? Mind if I help Ken?"

"Sure, can you cut up the pancetta? If possible, try cutting it into tiny little cube pieces."

"Sure, that should be easy enough." Ryoko immediately gets to work. Ken starts by heating up water in a pot and adding salt to the water. He then takes out four eggs, and cracks two of them into a bowl, while taking only the yolks of the other two and putting them in the bowl. He then takes the grated parmesan cheese and adds what he feels is about 2/3 of a cup to the mixing bowl, and starts whisking it all together into a slurry. Once that's done, he sets it aside while Ryoko finishes cubing the pancetta. 

"Is this good enough?" Ryoko asks.

"Yeah, that should work just perfect." Ken then takes the olive oil and pours it into a skillet, giving it about 3 minutes to heat up. Once it's sizzling hot, he then throws in the pancetta and begins to cook it until the bits are crisp. As soon as they're done cooking, he turns off the heat and waits for the pasta to finish. Once it's done, he turns off the heat and takes a small cup of pasta water, and drains the pasta. He then adds the hot pasta into the skillet with the meat and pours the egg slurry onto the pan, stirring it into the pasta, using the pasta's warmth to cook the egg slurry, adding in pasta water as needed. Once the whole mixture is done, he pours it into a container and packs it in his lunchbox.

"The perfect carbonara." Ken seems to be real pleased with himself.

"Hey, Ken," Kazuma seems to have something to ask. "last night, I got a little curious and tried the idea of the Hidden Broadcast myself. This may sound a little strange but, well the emcee was announcing some weird fight story on the radio. And well... it almost sounded like it was you and Ryoko on there."

Ken freezes slightly for a moment. He looks at Ryoko, and she looks back at him with a look just as concerning. He didn't realize his activities in the Radio World were being broadcast in the real world. Just what was going on? "Haha, you're imagining things Kazuma. C'mon, me, on a radio show?"

"Yeah I guess it is a bit strange." Kazuma chuckles slightly. "It sounded like the emcee was commentating on a fighting show. Sounded like there was a crowd on there too, as if they were cheering on the fights."

Strange, Ken didn't remember hearing an emcee or a crowd. Suddenly, he sees the clock and notices it's 8:55.

"It's time to go. Kaz, Ryo-chan, you guys wanna walk with me?"

The three of them leave together and start to walk to school. Ken and Ryoko slip back so they can talk privately for a bit.

"Hey Ken-kun, about last night..."

"Hey, don't get any ideas. Yeah, you stayed at my place but that was a one time thing."

"Oh, sure but... that's not what I wanted to talk about. It's about what happened in that world last night."

"You mean in the Radio World? Yeah... it's been bugging me."

"What were those monsters? And what was that power you got? I remember you saying something as those blue flames rose from you."

"Persona. That's right, I said that when I summoned it."

"Yeah, Persona. What is that?"

"To be honest? I'm not entirely sure either. The only explanation I got for it... well I guess it was a power deep in my heart. I don't know how to describe it."

"A power in your heart... a Persona... That being said, are you really gonna go back?"

"I made a promise didn't I? Relax. Besides, I think today, I may have some help."

"Help? What do you mean?"

"It's just a feeling I'm getting."

"Yo, Ken, Ryoko," Kazuma yells back towards them. "You guys coming, or what?"

"Sorry Kazuma-kun!" Ryoko says apologetically. They all catch up and continue their walk to the campus. The day passes on as normal. Ken is unable to remain focused however, as his mind is set on the Radio World and meeting the twins after school. Halfway through the day, Ken decided to give his academic advisor a call. 

His call is picked up pretty quickly. "Hello?"

"Hey Doc. Listen, you got a moment to talk today?"

"I should be free tonight, after 6. I don't have any appointments scheduled with any of the other students."

"Good. I need to talk to you, it's important."

"Oh, important is it? Did you meet a new girl?"

"Something along those lines."

---

The day ended with Ken paying a visit to Dr. Maruki's office. He's already sat down on the couch with his clipboard ready to take notes and talk to Ken. His coffee table has some snacks on it already, two pudding cups.

"Have a seat Yanagi-san. I'll bet you're real excited to talk about it."

"Excited? I'd say I'm more nervous about it."

"Nervous? You? That's funny. I never took you for the type to ever get nervous."

"Well, things haven't exactly been easy these days."

"That's funny, usually you're calm and collected in the face of adversity."

"Yeah well, you could say that's just a persona of mine. Just a mask I wear to hide how I really feel. I'm human after all."

He noticed Maruki pausing his notetaking on both of the words he emphasized.

"Well, many people in their later years develop a persona. It's their means of getting others to accept them and to make matters in their lives easier when dealing with troubles after all."

"And does trouble usually follow people like Ren Amamiya?"

"Based on my previous history with him, yes, I'd say so. Well then, I take it you two have met?"

"Only in my dreams. Course, I still am debating whether that was honestly real or not, but lately, I've been questioning that more often than I care to admit."

"If your circumstances are what I think they are, then I'd say there's a pretty high chance it's real. So, with what our conversation was alluding to, is it safe to assume you're a Persona User?"

"I'd say so. Of course, so long as it's safe for me to assume the same with you."

"You'd be correct in assuming so." His expression is now slightly serious. "So tell me, was this what you were hiding the other day?"

"Not at first. At first I had this weird dream, meeting people like Ren Amamiya and tons others like him. And after that... well I don't know if I should talk about it."

"Yanagi-san," Maruki says with a slightly serious expression. "This is a safe place. Even more so, now that we know each others' secret. Anything you tell me remains between us. Of course, you're free not to tell me. The choice is entirely yours. But know that you can trust me Yanagi-san."

"... Alright." Ken sat up straight. "Well, I guess it all started yesterday. I had heard a rumor about something called the Hidden Broadcast. So after leaving from counseling yesterday, me and Ryoko wanted to give it a try. So we did exactly as we had heard, tuned to radio stations FM 94.1, FM 77.9, and FM 88.6 in that order, then switched to AM. And well, that's when it started getting strange. The world suddenly felt like... I don't know how but it felt like as if I could feel the static inside a radio. My vision, it looked like static too. Then suddenly we ended up in a world inside the radio frequencies. I'd have left it there but then things got even more insane."

"Go on Yanagi-san. Tell me, what happened inside that world?"

"In that world, I met this fox girl. She told me that the world there was dangerous. From what I remember, I heard a lot of cases of missing persons has been appearing on the news lately. And after what that girl told me, it seems those disappearances are linked directly to this world. That's when I was attacked by monsters called Shadows. And truth be told, looking back on it now, I would've died if I hadn't awakened to my powers."

"Interesting... a world in the radio frequencies, a fox girl, and monsters called Shadows. Ya know, years ago, before I knew about any of this, I'd have ended up prescribing you medication. But now I know better."

Maruki puts his clipboard down. "So tell me Yanagi-san. Knowing all this, what do you intend to do? From what I can gather, you nearly died in that world. And yet it sounds like you intend to go back." His expression becomes slightly serious. "And from what I gathered, you don't seem like the kind who has a deathwish. So why are you choosing to throw yourself into danger again?"

"I can't just ignore it. Not with the power I've been given. And I've heard people from our school have been-"

"Yanagi-san, while it is my personal belief that we should always try to help others, from a practical point of view, your wellbeing should be taking care of yourself first. You're not obliged to do anything. So let me ask you again, why do you choose to throw yourself into a dangerous situation like this?"

"I get you're a bit skeptical about my beliefs. It's understandable. My beliefs are quite unusual. However, they are mine. And they're just as real as yours."

Maruki smiles again. "Of course. Forgive me if I insulted you Yanagi-san. Just remember to take care of yourself alright? If it's too dangerous, don't hesitate to back out."

"Of course. I understand that quite well. Don't worry, I'm not the type to lose my head. And well, I make sure I have friends to help me."

"Glad to hear it Yanagi-san. And if you're in need of someone to talk to about your 'otherworldly' affairs, my office is always open."

"Thanks for the offer."

As Ken is about to walk out he turns back around. 

"Did you really try and change reality to make everyone happy?"

"It was a personal desire of mine long ago. I wanted to try and save everyone who was suffering. But then I was shown that in spite of giving people an easy solution, people wish to decide their own future. So now, my goal is to help people see the road they want to take, and help give them the encouragement they need to strive for their goals."

Ken smiles and chuckles slightly. "That's very admirable of you Doc. I'll see you again, in our next session."

"Look forward to hearing from you Yanagi-san!" Maruki gives him a wide smile.

Ken couldn't help but feel he understood Maruki better. It was like he gained an entire new understanding of his counselor. 

 

I am thou... thou art I...

Thou hast forged a new bond...

 

It shall strengthen thy own ability to unite thy comrades,

reshaping the outcome of your journey.

 

With the aide of the Star Arcana, you have acquired the

power necessary to forge your own path in the 

perilous journey lain before you.

 

Ken suddenly remembered he had agreed to meet the twins at the front of the school today.

---

As Ken leaves the main building with Ryoko, the twins are already there waiting for him. 

"Sorry, did I keep you waiting long?"

Minako is the first one to notice him. "Not at all. Sorry, we kinda got a bit lost trying to get here, ahahah." She giggles slightly.

Minato scratches the back of his head while looking off nonchalantly. "She was dragging us around town trying to check out all the sites in Osaka." He sighs heavily. 

Ken laughs slightly but then regains his composure. "Hey, so there's a few new things we learned about that world. Come on, we can discuss this further at my dorm."

Ryoko pulls Ken aside. "Are these the ones who you said would help us?"

"Yeah, they are. I... well it's complicated, but to put it simply, I've met them. I think they're like me."

"Like you? What do you mean? They have the same power like you?"

"I believe so, but I've yet to actually see their power in action, or anybody else like me as a matter of fact."

As the four walk down the streets of Yotenbori, Ken notices a takoyaki stand. He suddenly recalls his last trip.

"Didn't Kitsu work in one of those?"

"Huh?" Ryoko also notices the takoyaki stand. "Oh yeah, that's right. Maybe we should ask her for takoyaki next time."

---

They all get themselves situated inside Ken's dorm.

"So, there's someone announcing what's happening and watching you inside the radio?" Minako was still having trouble wrapping her head around it.

Minato is looking down at the table. "And even stranger, your friend tuned into the broadcast and could hear you? From what you told me, he should've been taken in if he tuned in directly to the broadcast." Ken couldn't tell if he was tired, or just deep in thought.

Ken was deep in thought himself however. He wondered, how did he bring Ryoko in? How come Kazuma wasn't brought into the world despite tuning directly into the broadcast? This world's rules seemed very complex, and he didn't have a clue where to start. And if it wasn't the Hidden Broadcast, did it maybe have something to do with his abilities? Did being a "Wild Card" or the "Unifier" have something to do with it? Ken decided to take his mind off these questions, as they were questions without answers. So instead, he focused on a more practical idea.

"I'm going to go back in. I need to find out what's happening."

He then looks over in everyone else's directions, Ryoko sitting next to him, with the twins sitting across from him. "It'd be nice to have some extra help. Would you all be willing to join me?"

"We already agreed to meet up." Minato said. "May as well go the whole way."

"Don't worry." Ryoko opens her school bag and pulls out a katana. "I came ready."

Minako smiles and looks at Ken. "If my little brother is going, then so am I."

He can sense they're willingness to help him. "Alright then. Let's go."

The twins listen to him closely as he fiddles with the radio app on his phone. Ryoko leans closely, glimpsing at his screen. "98.2... 77.9... 88.6... then switch to AM..."

Suddenly, the world becomes static, as it fades away, becoming the world inside the Radio. Ken and Ryoko are the only ones in the room, with the twins being nowhere to be found.

"Huh? Hey, Ken-kun! What's going on? Where are the others? Are you sure you used that app correctly?"

"Hey, I did the same thing as last time! I don't know why they didn't come in with us!"

Ryoko also notices her sword is missing. "Hey, where'd my blade go?! Oh god, if my family finds out I lost it, they're gonna kill me!"

Ken puts his hands on her shoulders. "Hey, calm down, okay? Look, it's clear we're in the Radio World now. But it seems that the twins aren't with us. Not only that, but it seems like we can't bring in any weapons either. Although... I wonder..."

He imagines his hand wraps again. Suddenly, they materialize and appear in his hands. He begins wrapping his hands.

"Hey, I remember that from our last visit! How'd you do that Ken?"

"To be honest, I'm not sure. I just thought of my hand wraps I'd use when I would spar with others while training."

"Oh I see, so those are based off of your actual hand wraps." She tries to think of her sword. "Dammit, why can't I do it?"

"I'm not sure. But maybe Kitsu will have the answers." He pulls out his phone. "Last time, she told me I could use her frequency to try and contact her. Let me see..." He opens the bookmarked frequencies and finds Kitsu's. He then selects the frequency, and the radio app tunes itself. "Kitsu, do you hear me?"

There is no response but static at first. But then the radio starts to tune in. "I... hear... -lo... hello? Can you hear me? Who is this?"

"You forgotten my voice already? You gave me your frequency, remember?"

"Oh yeah, red-haired boy! What's up?"

"I told you I'd be back. Hey Kitsu, you think we could meet up at my place? It shouldn't be too far a walk from where we first met. Just follow the street down from the takoyaki stand we met you at until you see a tall residential building. That's the dorms I'm staying at."

"Alright, I'll meet you there."

He cuts off the radio call. "Let's go downstairs and wait for her."

Notes:

Just another day in school. Speaking of which, I will be going back to school soon so I may not have as much time to write, but I am gonna try. Thanks, all of you who are still interested in the story thus far. Means tons! Also, feels like I'm giving cooking lessons here. XD

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The Councillor (The Wild Cards) - Rank 1
The Star (Takuto Maruki) - Rank 1

Chapter 14: 4/21, The Radio World (The First Signal)

Minato and Minako were trying to figure out what exactly happened to Ken and Ryoko.

"What's going on?!" Minako is panicking slightly. "Where'd they go?!"

"Calm down big sis." Minato now seems less tired, and rather more focused. "So, his phone only brings in one other person."

"Do you remember how they entered that world? I remember hearing him say something as he was messing with it. What was it?" 

"98.2... 77.9... and then 88.6... and then switch to AM... from what I can tell, it sounds like they were talking about radio frequencies."

"You think we should try that?"

"It's well worth a shot. Just need to find a radio in the dorm somewhere."

The two begin desperately searching.

---

Ken and Ryoko are waiting at the bottom of his dorm building in the Radio World. While standing there, Ken is playing with the coin he obtained before.

"A power within one's heart... Persona..."

Despite the explanation he received from Igor and the other Wild Cards, he still had trouble wrapping his head around the fundamentals. His train of thought is cut short though, as Kitsu is arriving down the street.

"Heya!" Kitsu says cheerily. "Sorry, but I kinda forgot your name, haha."

Ken sighs. "I guess that's fair, seeing as you only heard Ryoko-san call me by my name."

Ryoko recalls their first encounter as well. "Thinking back on it, we never actually properly introduced ourselves even though you did."

He reaches out his hand to shake hers. "I'm Ken Yanagi. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"And I'm Ryoko Souji. Hope we'll get along." 

Kitsu shakes hands with the both of them. "So my red-haired friend is Ken-kun, and this short-haired girl is my other friend Ryoko-chan. Got it, I'll try to remember both your names." She smiles shyly.

"I'm surprised Kitsu-chan knows about shaking hands with others." Ryoko was quite observant.

"I may have been born in this world, but I've encountered a lot of humans. They teach me quite a lot of things."

Ken is leaning up against the wall of the dorm building. "Alright look, I agreed to help but I need more information here. What is going on with this world? Can you please go in depth more about what this world is? And more importantly, what was that power of mine? Persona was it? What is it?"

"It's going to be a long explanation. Are you sure you're able to sit and listen? It could be pretty dangerous, staying here for a long time. Although..." She looks at the dorm building. "You said you're staying here? Like, in your world?"

"Yeah, I am. Why, do you know something?"

"Well I'm sensing something from your place. Or rather, it's a lack of it thereof.  Can we go up to your dorm real quick?"

"Ummm... sure? What're you planning though?"

"It's just a hunch, but if it's correct, we may be able to make things easier for us."

---

Ken's dorm is nice and tidy. His radio was still in the kitchen where it always was. He pulls out a chair at his table and sits down, crossing his legs.

"So, what is it you wanted to see?"

"Give me a moment." Kitsu closes her eyes. You can see her ears slightly twitching, almost as if she's listening for something. "It's just as I thought, this place is a Dead Zone."

Ken eyed her curiously. "A Dead Zone? What's that mean?"

"It means we should be safe here for me to explain more about this world." Kitsu sits down in another chair and Ryoko leans against the wall.

"What exactly were you doing just now Kitsu-chan?" Ryoko said curiously.

"What you saw earlier was me sensing the radio waves. When people enter this world from the outside, they give off a unique radio signal. That's what drives the Shadows insane. It seemed that your signals were pretty weak since neither of you had awakened yet. Otherwise, if you had awakened to your Persona, you would've ended up being swarmed."

"So after Ken-kun gained his power, we would've been swarmed by the Shadows if we stayed any longer?"

"Normally that's the case, but Ken-kun seems to be an exception. I'll explain why shortly. But fact of the matter is, Shadows in this world target people based on the signals they naturally emit."

Ken contemplates the concept. "If that's true, then why is that the case in this world?"

"That I can't answer. Sorry, but even with all the time I've lived in this world, even I don't know the answer."

"Alright, well back to our original conversation, what is a Dead Zone? I mean, I think I get the general idea. In our world, it's a place where no cellular signals or radio signals can reach, making it completely untraceable and completely cut off from all means of communication. Is that what this Dead Zone is?"

"Something along those lines, but it's a little different here. See, the signals work as a two-way street here. You send out radio signals, but for the Shadows to track you, they have to send a signal back. This constant relay allows them to always know your location. But in this room, there seems to be no signals coming in. I can still feel your signal being sent out though. Like as if it's a one-way radio call. Not only that, but back to my original point about not getting swarmed, it feels like as if you're an advanced model of a radio. You seem to be able to send out a masking signal as well."

"Masking signal?"

"I guess, think of yourself as a portable jammer that's able to filter signals. Somehow, you can cover our signals and keep the Shadows from finding us. Of course, this doesn't help when we're in their direct sight, but it should keep us from getting swarmed. But you seem to also be able to allow communication between us despite jamming others."

"Well back to the topic of a Dead Zone though, so it's basically a safe area? Shadows won't attack us here?"

"That's right. To them, Dead Zones are areas that don't even exist."

"So then why is my dorm a Dead Zone?"

"This is just my speculation, but it's also based on what I know about this world. This world is a world within people's inner soul. The Shadows here are all beings that exist within people's hearts. So this is just me speculating, but I think you're quite special. Because you see your dorm as a safe place, it creates a safe space for you to gather and to avoid the Shadows."

Kitsu looks at him with astonishment and curiosity. "You're clearly special. Which begs the question Ken-kun. Just who the hell are you? Is this all the power of your Persona?"

He doesn't even have an answer. How come he was so special? "You make it sound like I know the answer. But I'm just as clueless as you. All I know is that I made the choice to get involved in this whole affair. But I had no idea this whole affair was going to revolve around me. And also, I never got a clear answer, but what is a Persona?"

"Oh yeah," Ryoko says, recalling his awakening. "I remember when he first got that power, he said the word 'Persona' and that figure came out of him."

"That's right. See, many people see their lives as a product of circumstances. They resign themselves to being told what to do and eventually give up on their own desires and aspirations. Doing so piles on all the negative emotions of hopelessness and despair, causing them to run away from their true desires. A Persona however is a manifestation of your heart. By protecting your desires and aspirations, by accepting that your fate is your own to author, facing your true desires head on, and pushing forward with unwavering determination, you awaken to your power."

Her words make Ken recall his contract. I chooseth this fate, of mine own free will. He also remembers Jose's summary of the contract. "It's nothing big. It just states that you'll take full responsibility for your actions from here on out." 

"Can anyone have a Persona?"

"That depends. While everyone does have a wish to take control of their own fate, not everyone has the potential. It takes a lot of willpower to awaken to a Persona, by any means. I'd say, in the whole population in the world, it's possible that even less than one percent have that potential."

"So then that makes Persona Users pretty special."

Ken then thinks about why he came to investigate.

"So you said people have been disappearing inside this world. But when we first met, you seemed surprised I wasn't awakened. Not only that, but you told us it was your first time seeing someone awaken in this world. Does that mean only those who have the power of their Persona are able to enter this world?"

"Normally that's the case yes. But It seems there's also been cases of people who've entered this world without a Persona. Lately well... I can hear so many voices over the radio waves. Persona Users getting overwhelmed and killed by Shadows... but among those voices I can hear different ones... they sound like... well... like their will is being drained out of them... and it sounds awful."

He can only imagine how they must sound. It must be terrible. Just what was happening in this world?

"By the way, I just remembered." Ryoko suddenly recalls her katana. "Did you see a sword anywhere around here? I'm not sure if I misplaced it or not?"

"Hmm? That's impossible. Wait, were you trying to bring in a weapon from outside?"

"Huh? Yeah I was, but what's that got to do with it?"

"Weapons brought in from the outside world don't work. If you tried bringing it in with you, it would've just remained in the real world."

"What?! Then how am I supposed to defend myself here?!"

"Only those with a Persona can fight against Shadows. That's how him and I are able to summon weapons." She summons her guandao. 

"So in other words, not only am I completely defenseless, but I'm completely useless here too?!"

Ryoko is extremely frustrated but is stopped when Ken speaks. "It's alright Ryoko-chan. You can still come with us. Regardless, I think we've sat here too long. Didn't we come here to investigate?"

"That's right. Come on, let's leave the Dead Zone. We won't get any signals from in here."

---

Outside, Ken, Ryoko, and Kitsu are gathered together. Suddenly, Ken's phone buzzes. He takes it out of his pocket and sees the radio app.

New signal located. What could that mean? Ken opened the app and noticed it was making static sounds, and showed a wavelength on screen. He begins walking around. The wavelength seems to grow and shrink. 

"Interesting..." He tries moving in a certain direction and the wavelength gets more frequent.

Kitsu looked at his phone in curiosity. "What's it doing?"

"This may just be a hunch but... I think it's trying to guide me somewhere. The wavelength gets more frequent if I go in a certain direction but gets more flat if I get further from it."

Ryoko is also eyeing his phone curiously. "So then what do you think it means?"

"I think it's a signal locater. And I think we just found our first point of investigation." He looks in the direction the signal is strongest. "We're headed that way."

Ryoko recognizes the direction they're aiming at. "Huh...? That way...?"

"Is something wrong Ryo-chan?"

"Oh no, it's nothing... let's go!"

And with that, the three of them set off into the great unknown.

Notes:

Social Links
The Councillor (The Wild Cards) - Rank 1
The Star (Takuto Maruki) - Rank 1

Chapter 15: 4/21, The Radio World (Wu Zetian and Hangaku)

[RECOMMENDED LISTENING:SUSPICION]

 

Ken, Ryoko, and Kitsu are walking down the streets of the Radio World's Yotenbori. He's tracking the signal on his phone. There are Shadows down the street, but they manage to go around them and stay out of sight. The Shadows are unaware of their presence thanks to Ken. As they get closer, they begin to see a classic traditional Japanese home. The signal on his phone starts to focus more and gets louder. Soon enough, he's able to make out voices through all the static. He was able to hear a woman's voice, followed shortly by a girl's voice.

"Huh? Why does this girl's voice sound so familiar?"

He moves closer and it becomes louder for him to hear.

"Ryoko-chan dear, please, try to understand. The dream you wish for is simply out of our reach. The clan's reputation is already in turmoil. Please, just focus on your studies. Don't worry about the clan's future dear."

"I understand, mother."

It sounded like she had left the room. But the girl was still able to hear her mother. It sounds like she's talking to another man.

"Boss, is this really how we're going to end things? A lot of our people won't go along with this."

"The Souji Clan has had a long history, and none of it is something to be proud of. Drugs, money laundering, sex trafficking. I've tried to shift us away from all that, but no matter what, our family name will always carry those sins with us. By year's end, the Souji Clan will be dissolved. My daughter shouldn't have to bear the sins of our past."

Ryoko is shocked to hear all of this.

"That's... my mom."

The pieces in Ken's mind finally click together. "So it really is you. But why? What am I hearing?" He realizes now what they're talking about as well. "And she said clan... does she mean like... a yakuza clan?!"

Ryoko nods her head. "My family, the Souji Clan has been around for about 200 years. Our family has been involved in organized crime since the end of World War II. Recently though, my mother was trying to turn over a new leaf for our family. But well... you can't just wash away the stains of the past so easily..."

"I understand what you mean..." He then realizes how he must've sounded. "Don't worry. I don't care what your family history is like. I've heard there are many different types of yakuza, whether they're serious criminals or those that try to offer public services. And besides, it's not even my place to judge. I don't know what people need to do. But Ryo-chan is Ryo-chan. No matter what, you're still my friend."

"...Thanks Ken-kun. I feel a little better now. Come on, let's go."

The three of them enter the house. It's decorated nicely on the inside with a wide garden in the back. In the garden, there's a figure on their knees.

Kitsu seems to recognize it. "Is that...?"

The figure suddenly speaks. "She's right... it's hopeless..." The figure turns around and shocks everyone. It's Ryoko, but her eyes are yellow. "I should just focus on school and forget about everything else..."

"Wh-what are you saying?!" Ryoko looks at her doppelganger with surprise. "Who are you?!"

"It's just as I thought." Kitsu says. "That's Ryoko's Shadow."

"What?" Ken tried to understand what she meant. "Her Shadow? I thought Shadows were those monsters."

"Those are just normal Shadows spawned by the general public. This however, is Ryoko's personal Shadow."

"Personal Shadow? What do you mean?"

"I told you before of all the negative emotions that are formed when one is forced to throw away their true desires. All of those negative emotions manifest into a person's Shadow. That figure right there, is a manifestation of Ryoko-chan's despair and hopelessness. Her Shadow."

Ken recalls Yu's stories about their personal Shadows and how they awakened to their Personas by accepting them as a part of them. But he also then recalled Ren's story about how it only took one misstep to cause a mental shutdown in the real counterpart. He also happened to recall what he went through for his own awakening.

 

[RECOMMENDED LISTENING:BORDERLINE OF MADNESS]

 

Ryoko's Shadow keeps wallowing in hopelessness. "There's no way we'll ever be able to change things... it's pointless... Mom's right..."

Ryoko seems to be taking on these thoughts with great difficulty. "But that's..."

"These desires are nothing more than a fantasy... and fantasies like this should just... disappear."

Ryoko then clutches her head. It seems her head is beginning to hurt. Suddenly a pillar of light envelops her Shadow and the Shadow lets out a scream, with Ryoko falling to her knees still clutching her head. A forceful wind is blowing against the three, originating from her Shadow.

Ken raises his hands struggling with the gales of wind. "Nnnrrrrgh, Kitsu-chan, what's happening?!"

"It's her Shadow! It's sending out a Kill Signal!"

"A Kill Signal?!"

"That's what the radio waves are telling me! This is my speculation, but because Ryoko-chan chose to discard her desires, her Shadow is sending out a Kill Signal as a means to try and erase itself! It means that soon, every Shadow that can sense it will be headed towards us to destroy her Shadow!"

"Speculation?! You mean this is the first time this has ever happened?!"

"It's my first time ever seeing something like this, but I can sense the Shadows going crazy! They're all headed here right now!"

"Shit, well then we should get ready for a fight!" Ken summons his cloth wraps and begins wrapping his hands.

"I'm not gonna panic this time, no matter what, I'm gonna stand and help you fight Ken-kun!" Kitsu then summons her guandao and pulls out her coin. Ken reaches into his pocket, expecting his coin, and sure enough, it's there. He clutches it in his fist as the Shadows begin to appear. Out of the ground, three masks appear, and then begin to transmogrify into three separate pools of bile.

"Ugh, those sounds are still gross." Their bodies begin to finally take form as arms sprout from them. 

Kitsu then prepares to flip her coin. "I think it's time I show you what I can do." She flips the coin high. "Come-" While it's in the air, she kicks her guandao, and turns it on its side, with the coin landing on the blade. "Wu Zetian!" The coin bursts into blue flames. From her, a Persona with long black hair emerges, wearing a giant red ornate dress, with sleeves reaching all the way to its waist. She has a white mask over her face, with closed eyes and lipstick. "This time, I'll fight with you!"

[RECOMMENDED LISTENING:WILLPOWER]

 

One of the Shadows tries to attack her, but she manages to intercept it with her Persona. A glint of light appears in her eyes. "Zio!" A bolt of electricity hits the Shadow, knocking it back. She then follows up by slashing it with her guandao, and the Shadow disintegrates. Ken follows up by attacking another Shadow.

"Persona!" Ken flips his coin and snatches it in the air. "Garu!" The Shadow is downed. He then follows up by proceeding to rip its mask off. From the Shadow, a figure emerges, a pumpkin with a lit up face wearing a wizard hat with a cloak. 

"Hee-ho! Finally free! Thank you for releasing me! If you need me, I'm at your call, don't you worry at all, hee-ho!" The figure then turns into a coin, but this time it floats and moves itself into Ken's pocket. 

"You did it again Ken-kun!" Kitsu seemed impressed. "What was that just now?!"

He reaches into his pocket and pulls out the coin. The last Shadow is circling around them, trying to look for an opportunity to attack. As it inches closer, Ken feels new potential. Instead of flipping the coin, he closes his eyes and rolls the coin between his fingers. "Persona!" Finally, after a bit of rolling, he flips it and calls out a new name. "Pyro Jack!" The figure from earlier appears in its ethereal form. "Agi!" A shot of fire hits the last Shadow, and it disintegrates.

"Whoa, Ken-kun! Was that the figure from earlier?! Don't tell me... you collected its coin and added it as another Persona?!"

"Is that not normal?"

"It's a rare ability! In all my time here, I've only ever met a handful of people who can use that ability!"

More Shadows start to appear. "We can discuss that later. But it looks like that wasn't the end to them!"

The Shadows begin to get more resilient. It seems like there's no end. Ken is starting to slowly tire out. 

"Kitsu-chan, isn't there anything we can do?!" Ken's breathing is getting heavy.

"I don't know, all the Shadows are swarming here because of Ryoko-chan's Shadow! They won't stop until that signal stops!"

Ken was trying to think on what to do. At this rate, they weren't going to last very long. Then he noticed Ryoko still on her knees clutching her head. Suddenly, an idea sprouted in his mind. "I think I have an idea! But we need to hold off the Shadows just a bit longer!"

"Whatever you do, make it quick!"

"Trust me, I got this!" He calls out to Ryoko. "Ryo-chan, what're you doing?!"

Kitsu is fighting the Shadows by herself, but more keep coming.

[RECOMMENDED LISTENING: REGRET]

 

"Ken-.... kun?"

"That is your true desire there! Why are you throwing it away?!"

"Shut up! You don't know shit about anything Ken-kun! What's the point?! Society carries our sins down from our predecessors! You think I want to give up my lineage?!" She begins to cry. "Because of my family history, nobody wanted to make friends with me! If I could change how society viewed my family, I would!"

"So then you're gonna give up without trying?! Bullshit! You think just because your family did all those bad things it carries onto you?!" He begins to walk towards her. "I told you before! Ryo-chan is Ryo-chan! And Ryoko-chan... IS MY FRIEND! So, yakuza?! Criminal lineage?! I DON'T GIVE A SHIT!" He puts his hands on her shoulder and lifts her up. "You are who you decide to be! So what do you want?!"

"I want... to accept who I am!" She begins to walk forward towards her Shadow, as Ken falls to his knees on the ground due to the gales coming from Ryoko's Shadow. "I want to show that I'm not my clan's past sins!" She gets closer. "And I want to inherit the clan, and show that despite all we've done, we are still capable of change! That we can still help people despite all the harm we've done in the past!" She hugs her Shadow. "And I want to decide my own fate! No matter what people think of me!" The pillar of light begins to dissipate. Her Shadow then slumps forward, then lifting her head up to speak with Ryoko.

Her Shadow smiles slightly and looks at Ryoko. "It's going to be a long and difficult road ahead. Your family's sins run deep."

Ryoko wipes her tears. "I know. I know how hard it is. I know how lonely it can be. But I'm not lonely. And no matter how deep the sins of our clan run, they're not ours. We're our own person." She lifts her Shadow up and her Shadow holds her hand. Kitsu and Ken have managed to earn a quick respite from their battle. "After all, you are me." She smiles as a tear runs down her cheek. Suddenly, three Shadows appear and begin to transmogrify. This time, they become the floating balls with mouths and giant tongues again.

"Hold onto your determination. And never lose sight of it" The Shadow wraps its left hand around her right, and clutches it tight with both hands as it begins to fade, but as she fades, she snickers slightly. 

[RECOMMENDED LISTENING: AWAKENING (PERSONA 4)]

 

My, my, it took quite a while for you to realize.

Ryoko clutches her head with her other hand.

Your mind was limited by others' opinions of you. Kept down by your own self-doubt.

She clutches her head harder. "I know what I want now!"

Truly now? Then let us forge our contract, free from all doubts.

I am thou...

Thou art I...

Let us lead the way for our people to follow. From this moment on, all shall know who we are, and we shall bring about change to our own design!

 

Ryoko opens the hand that was held earlier and finds a coin in it, just like Ken's. Just like him, she closes her eyes and flips the coin high. She then puts her hands wide open in front of her and slowly spreads them apart. As she does, a katana with its sheath begins to construct itself, slowly being drawn from its sheath. Soon it's out far enough for a fair amount of its blade to be showing. The coin starts to fall, and just as it's about to land on the blade, Ryoko calls out. 

"Persona!" The coin lands on the blade and bursts into blue flames. "ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHH!" She screams loudly as the power flows through her.

She smiles with her eyes, turned yellow. As the flames subside, her Persona rises from her, a woman riding a flaming horse, with her legs crossed. She wears a yoroi over a shrine priestess's attire with geta sandals. Her hair is tied in a ponytail with her face covered by a tengu mask, wielding a yumi bow. "Holy crap, so this is how it feels!" Ryoko then steps forward. "Ken-kun, you've protected me twice. No matter all the trouble I put you through, you seem to go out of your way to help me. But this time, it's my turn to fight for you." She draws her katana and points it at the Shadows. "No matter what it takes, I'm going to show you that I've got the strength to fight for myself, and for you!" Her Persona rears its horse as it racks an arrow.

"Let's do this!" She holds her katana drawn in one hand and her sheath in the other. "Don't miss your mark now... Hangaku!"

Notes:

Finally, another awakening. XD

P.S. I'll be putting Social Link and Persona info in these notes more often from now on most likely.

Social Links
The Councillor (The Wild Cards) - Rank 1
The Star (Takuto Maruki) - Rank 1

 
Ken's Party
Ken's Persona - (The Fool) Nobunaga
Kitsu's Persona - (The Aeon) Wu Zetian
Ryoko's Persona - (The Empress) Hangaku

Chapter 16: 4/21, The Radio World (Old Friends)

[RECOMMENDED LISTENING: LAST SURPRISE (SCRAMBLE)]

 

"Let's go Hangaku!" She charges the Shadows. Kitsu and Ken stand up and join her.

Kitsu starts explaining the basics of battle. "I'm sure you've noticed by now Ryoko-chan, but some Shadows are weak to specific elements. The last ones we fought were weak to my Persona's electricity and Ken's wind. But not all Shadows have the same weaknesses, and some are even immune or heal from certain attacks. Plan things out carefully Ryoko-chan!"

"Understood. Don't worry, I won't slow any of you down!" One of the Shadows swipes at her with its tongue, which she guards against by crossing her sword and sheath, getting knocked back slightly.

Ken follows up by summoning his Persona. "Nobunaga!" The masked warrior appears from him and blasts the Shadow with a gale of wind, but it only seems like it slapped it a little. 

"I don't think wind will do much damage against them!" Kitsu continued to analyze their attacks as they fought. "Zio, go!" A lightning bolt hits the Shadow and it does a considerable amount of damage, staggering the Shadow, but its still standing.

Ryoko summons her Persona. A shine appears in her eyes for a brief moment. "Burn them Hangaku!" A blast of fire hits the Shadow, and it gets knocked down. 

"You got it!" Kitsu yells. "Now, follow up with one more!"

Ryoko rushes in and slices it with her katana, and it disintegrates. The two remaining Shadows are circling around. Kitsu and Ken remain on their guard, but Ryoko hits one of them with fire and follows up with another combination with her katana. The last one tries to flee after seeing its allies get wiped out but Ken intercepts it.

"Oh hell no you don't!" He runs towards it and leaps from a rock in the garden, rolling his coin between his fingers. "Nobunaga!" As he leaps from the rock, he flips his coin midair and snatches it. "Tempest Slash!" Nobunaga appears and slices the Shadow three times before Ken lands next to it. "Ryo-chan! Here!" He then grabs it by the tongue and whirls it around, tossing it in Ryoko's direction, to which she responds by cleaving it in two with her katana. 

With the battle concluded, their Personas dissipate. Ryoko is suddenly overcome with exhaustion. 

Ken rushes up to her and lifts her on his shoulder. "Hey, Kitsu, what's going on?" Ryoko asks.

"Don't you remember? It's the post-awakening exhaustion. Surely you remember it too, with Ken-kun."

He recalls the moment he awakened. "Oh yeah that's right. I did feel pretty wiped after that. So, that's a normal occurrence?"

"Awakening takes up a lot of mental fatigue. Maybe in the real world you'd be fine, but here in the Radio World, matters of the mind, body, and heart take form. So it'd only make sense that whatever you feel from your mind would be felt through all of you." She sits down on one of the rocks in the garden. "Great job though, stopping her Shadow. She even awakened to her Persona. Believe it or not, this is the first time I've seen it happen that way in this world."

"What do you mean it's the first time you've seen it happen this way?"

"I mentioned it earlier didn't I? Normally I don't see it happen because most people who enter this world are already Persona Users."

"Huh? What do you mean most people?"

"I say most people because only recently have people without Personas started entering this world."

"Recently? So then there weren't people without Persona's entering before?"

"Yep, pretty much." Kitsu laid back on the rock to relax a bit.

Ken however only pondered this new clue even more. So normal people usually didn't enter this world. So did this world only bring in Persona Users? And if that's the case, it either meant the Hidden Broadcast changed and started to abduct regular people, or something else was responsible for people disappearing into the Radio World. He decided to put those clues in his mental storage for now to think on later. Instead, he had other questions. "So you told me before to awaken in this world, you had to accept that your own fate was your own to control, and protect your desires."

"That's right. Although, I never expected it'd take on a more literal form like we saw earlier. If that's how it normally happens in this world, then you're definitely a special case."

"Hm? How so?"

"Think about it. You didn't need to face your Shadow. I guess that means you're already pretty certain about what you want."

Thinking back, Ken was always the kind of person who kept to himself. He was always reserved and preferred solitude. That's because he used to always be afraid of being rejected by others. However, at some point in his life, he decided to make friends and get out of his shell. That no matter what, whether he was accepted or rejected, at least he'd try. And no matter what happened, his actions were his own to accept. Soon that desire to get out of his shell bore fruit and he made good friends. That desire changed over time, and it eventually grew to his true aspirations now, to bring people together and form bonds like he did. Perhaps that's why he wanted to be a teacher. As a teacher, he felt maybe he could put himself in a position to help bring people together easier.

The three of them take a moment to rest. Ken starts to realize he didn't prepare properly before entering. 

"Hey, Kitsu," She turns her attention towards him. "So we can't bring in anything from the outside world into this one? Why's that?"

"Not necessarily. I mean after all, your clothes are still on you."

Ken takes a moment to think about that. If they couldn't bring in anything from the outside world, why did things like their clothes stay on? "So then what exactly can I bring into this world?" He notices she's eating from a box of takoyaki. "When the hell did you get that?! Hey, no fair! Let me have some!" He tries to grab the box.

She swallows one of the balls and moves the box away. "Hey, what the hell man, calm down would you?! At least let me explain first!" She puts the box aside. "See as far as I know, the only thing that's limited in this world is weapons. If you try to bring a weapon from the outside world, then it won't follow you. I'm not sure why but this world won't allow any weapons. But that's where your Persona comes in. This is a world where your power is defined by your Existence. Those who've awakened can create a weapon, constructed from their mind. Therefore the weapon your mind makes is whatever weapon has left the biggest impression on you, for instance something you use the most, or something you saw and always wanted to try, or something you own."

Ryoko recalls her katana. "Oh yeah, so that's why I was able to construct my sword." She summons her sword again. "This was something I asked for as a gift when I was younger. I really wanted to learn how to use one, like in the samurai and yakuza movies."

Ken looks at his hands. So, that was why he used wraps. "Back to the topic at hand, so as long as it's not something we perceive as a weapon, we can bring it into this world?"

"That's right. And if you bring provisions into this world, they'll be deconstructed and you can summon them at any time if you need them." She summons another box of takoyaki. "Enjoy, you two!"

Ryoko looks like she's about to drool after smelling it. "Whoa, thank you Kitsu-chan!"

Ken and Ryoko wolf down the takoyaki. "Mmm," Ken is stuffing his face with it. "so good! You made this Kitsu-chan?"

"Hehe, you're welcome."

The takoyaki is amazing. Ken and Ryoko both feel their energy coming back. "So, how do I bring provisions into this world?"

"It shouldn't be hard. You brought in your clothes because you just subconsciously thought of what would be in this world with you. If you think about bringing in your provisions with you, they should follow. Hm?" Kitsu closes her eyes.

Ken notices Kitsu. "Hmm? Is something going on?"

"I'm getting a signal from outside! Towards where my takoyaki stand is!" She closes her eyes and focuses more. "Three signals. They're Persona Users! They've been found by Shadows!"

Ryoko stands up but she's still quite exhausted. "Nrgh, dammit we need to help them!" Ken pulls her arm over his shoulder.

"It's fine Ryo-chan. We'll save them. Just let us fight, you're exhausted." 

Kitsu summons a drink. "Here, drink this Ryoko-chan, and take some time to recover. At the very least, it should give you the energy to move easier."

"Thanks Kitsu." She drinks the drink and stands up. "Come on!" The three nod their heads and rush towards the signals.

---

The three of them rush to the center of Yotenbori. In front of the takoyaki stand, a familiar brown-haired woman and a blue-haired guy are fighting against Shadows. There's also a white-haired man Ken has never seen before, wearing a suit with a large coat. On his belt, is a police badge. They are currently surrounded by eight Shadows.

Ken calls out to them. "Minato-san! Minako-san!"

The three of them rush to their side. "Ken-kun!" Minako seems happy to see them. "Sorry we took so long, we had trouble finding the radio in your dorm."

Minato is on edge, trying to focus on the Shadows. "That can wait, we got bigger problems to worry about!" A Shadow tries to strike Minato but is blocked by Kitsu. "Thanks! But this is a problem, we don't have any weapons! And our Evokers are gone!"

The white-haired guy punches one of them with little effect. "This makes no sense! We don't need our Evokers anymore! So why can't we summon our Personas?!"

Ryoko blocks an incoming attack from a Shadow with her katana and staggers. "Dammit, I'm still worn out..."

Ken recalls what Kitsu told them. This is a world where your power is defined by your Existence. Those who've awakened can create a weapon, constructed from their mind. Therefore the weapon your mind makes is whatever weapon has left the biggest impression on you, for instance something you use the most, or something you saw and always wanted to try, or something you own. Thinking deeper on that, he wondered, did that only apply to weapons? If this was a world created from the impressions and experiences left on people's souls, perhaps that concept applied to everything.

"Hey, white-haired guy, reach out your hand."

"Huh, what? Why?!"

"Just do it! Trust me here!" The white-haired guy puts his hand forward. "Now picture your Evoker in your hand. "

"Hope you know what you're doing kid!" He grits his teeth but does as he says. As he shapes his hand, the grip materializes, forming the rest of the shape until you see an Evoker in his hand. "What the hell...?"

"The rest is up to you! Use it how you would always do it!" The white-haired man closes his eyes and puts the gun to his forehead and pulls the trigger.

"Polydeuces!" A large Persona with long blond hair appears from the man. "What the-?" A hand shaped Shadow tries to smack him, but he dodges it. "I guess it'll have to do for now."

"If you have weapons, summon them the same way!"

The white-haired man summons a pair of black leather gloves. He stretches them over his hands. "It's been a long time since my boxing days."

"So that's how it's done." Minato follows suit, placing his hand outward and summoning his Evoker. He then points it to his head and pulls the trigger. "Orpheus!" A red-eyed Persona with short white hair emerges with a lyre. Minato then summons a shortsword.

"We've got this little brother!" She summons her Evoker and pulls the trigger on her head as well. "Calliope!" She summons a figure that is similar to Minato's Persona, except it has longer hair that is brown. It's lyre is also instead shaped like a heart. She then summons a naginata.

The enemies consist of two table-shaped Shadows, one hand-shaped Shadow, three Shadows with the giant tongues, and two that are bile. The first one is a table Shadow, which tries to attack Ken, to which he guards. He then follows up by grabbing it and throwing it at another one of the giant tongue Shadows, followed by a wind attack from Nobunaga. With that, two Shadows disintegrate. The other table Shadow tries to shoot its utensils at Ryoko, to which she blocks with her katana. However, it makes her stagger, as she is still exhausted. Following up, Minako attacks it with her Persona. 

She puts her Evoker to her head and pulls the trigger. "Calliope!" Her Persona emerges from her and strums the lyre. "Agi!" The table Shadow is knocked down. The two remaining giant tongue Shadows are circling the group. Kitsu intercepts them with her Persona.

She flips her coin and catches it on the side of her blade. "Wu Zetian!" Her Persona emerges out of her with her hands tucked in the sleeves of her dress. "Zio!" A bolt of lightning hits one of the Shadows and knocks it down. With her advantage, she follows up and hits the other one with lightning as well, knocking it down. "Blue-hair, show us what you got!"

Minato rushes one of the bile Shadows with his sword. He swipes it twice, and then leaps up into the air and brings his sword down on it, knocking it down. The white-haired man then punches the other bile Shadow twice, uppercuts it, and then hits it with a haymaker, knocking it back. Ken then attacks the hand Shadow, grabbing it and breaking one of its fingers by kicking it in the joint, and then doing a back kick, knocking it back.

Kitsu notices the opportunity. "That's it, everyone, this is a perfect chance!"

Ken looks in her direction. "A perfect chance for what?"

"It's time for an All-out Attack!"

"What're you talking about?"

"It doesn't matter, just everyone charge in and hit them all!"

With her command, the entire group charges at the Shadows. The entire group attacks with speed. The white-haired guy dashes and lands a haymaker. The twins follow up by doing a cross-slash. Kitsu swings her guandao around and around, slashing all the Shadows. Ken then takes one of the Shadows and swings it around, hitting all the other Shadows. Once they're all grouped up, the Persona Users regroup.

"Now finish 'em! Give them all one final blow!"

All the Persona users line up and pull out their tools. The twins and the white-haired guy put their Evokers to their heads. Ryoko stands up and joins Ken and his team in the final attack as they all pull out their coins. In one attack, they all act in unison.

"Persona!" Nobunaga, Wu Zetian, Hangaku, Orpheus, Calliope, and Polydeuces all appear together. In one blow, they combine all their elemental attacks, finishing off all the Shadows. As the Shadows disintegrate, they all take a moment to relax, with Ryoko collapsing to her knees again due to exhaustion. Minako then hugs the white-haired man.

"Aki!" Minako is hugging him closely. "It's so great to see you again! It's been so long."

"Minako..." He smiles and hugs her back. "Yeah it has..." The man looks like he's holding back his tears. "I can't believe it's really you..."

Minato pats him on the back. "It's great to see you again Akihiko-senpai." 

"You don't have to call me that. I'm not your senpai anymore, remember?"

The three seem to be very close. Ken then remembers they're still out in the open. "Hey, let's go somewhere safe first, then we can all catch up and talk."

They all nod their heads in agreement. The group departs as Ken leads them to his dorm. From behind one of the alleys, another man, with black hair, who had been observing them appears. "Minato-san... Minako-san..."

Notes:

Social Links
The Councillor (The Wild Cards) - Rank 1
The Star (Takuto Maruki) - Rank 1

Ken's Party
Ken's Persona - (The Fool) Nobunaga
Kitsu's Persona - (The Aeon) Wu Zetian
Ryoko's Persona - (The Empress) Hangaku

Chapter 17: 4/21, The Radio World (New Allies)

Ken leads the entire group into the dorm. As he comes close, he sees a blue door. Rosalina is waiting outside with Ricardo. Suddenly the Velvet Key comes to his mind, along with Igor's words.

The next time you come here, it will be of your own free will.

He decides to move towards the door and head on in. Rosalina lowers her head to greet him. "Welcome kind sir. We've been waiting for you." With that, Ken walks through the door, to again be found in the amphitheater. In front of him is the center stage again, with Igor a ways off. His high-toned laugh is still as eerie to Ken as ever.

"Welcome back, my esteemed guest. The time has come for me to introduce my services to you." A spotlight shines over a contraption next to Igor. On closer inspection, it appears to be a coin press. "Your ability as a Wild Card holds infinite potential. Thus, we must nurture that potential, through the process of Fusion. I shall have your attendants explain this further to you."

He half expected to see a little buggy drive over to him, but nothing this time. "Jose isn't here this time?"

"He has other duties to attend to. I however, am here to aide you in adjusting to your new power."

From the Shadows, Rosalina appears, with a book. Inside the book are pages with circle inserts. It appears to be a coin collection book. She closes the book and shows him the cover, with a mask on it. "This is your Persona Compendium. Throughout history, Wild Cards have collected many personalities and created many faces. Thus Compendiums have been created and archived for each one throughout history. With the Persona Compendium, we can make records of the many faces and personalities you gather." Ken comes closer to the book and touches its cover. It glows slightly. He then opens it and see three coins with the names recorded on it, being Nobunaga, Pyro Jack, and Pixie. "Do your best to complete it, and try to keep your records up to date."

Ricardo then appears by the coin press. He operates the machinery seamlessly as if he'd done it before countless times for others. "This process of fusion requires you to discard old personalities, giving rise to new ones. It is a necessary step in nurturing your ability. Please, allow me to show you just how the process works." He reaches out his hand, as if waiting to receive something. "I require at least two of the coins you've collected thus far."

Ken summons two coins in his hands and gives him the coins for Pixie and Pyro Jack. He places it in the coin press. First, it's flattened together by a press, then it's put into the machine and rolled out into a new coin. From the new coin, a feminine figure appears, with a blindfold and wings and some very tight leather over its chest, with a chain coming from a collar around its neck.

"My name is Angel. You've brought me forth to serve you. Please, use me as your heart desires." With that, the Persona turned back into a coin, floating into Ken's pocket. He takes the coin out of his pocket and begins rolling it between his fingers, sensing Nobunaga and Angel.

Igor chuckles. "Well, you've adjusted to your new life magnificently. It is quite a shame however, one of the cards in the deck has been removed for now."

"Hmm? Are you talking about Mishima?"

"Worry not. For though he may bow out from this act now, perhaps he will reappear in another. After all, as the Unifier, they are all tied to your fate."

Tied to his fate. That sounded too ominous for Ken to let it slip up. "What does that even mean?"

"As the Unifier, you bring together all those who've shared your power in the past, as well as their comrades. In doing so, their fates and the fates of their comrades are bound to yours, along with their abilities. In other words, their power and their destinies rest on your choices. Should you fail to see this new mystery through, their fates will undoubtedly end in misfortune as well."

The weight on Ken's shoulders intensified. "So in other words... if I die, that's the end for everyone else too...? Well then, guess I just gotta find a way to live..." He meant for it to sound confident but as he was feeling stressed and tense, so too did the words come out the same way.

"Worry not in the slightest, for your ability is quite remarkable. I have high faith in your power. But for now, you must return to your comrades. Farewell, and until we meet again, my esteemed guest."

Ken nods his head and exits the Velvet Room. Ryoko is the first one to speak with him. "Spacing out Ken-kun? Come on, let's go." She proceeds up the stairs to his dorm.

Minato then pats him on the back. "You were in the Velvet Room just now weren't you?"

"Huh? So wait, she can't see the door?"

"No, she can't. In fact, it seems the only people who can see it are people like us. Although, Aigis did tell us she was able to bring others into that room as a Wild Card. But that only seems to happen on rare occasions."

"I see. So then does that mean you were able to see the door?"

"Yep. But I couldn't access it. Looks like only you have the key. I'll need to go in again some time so I can access the Compendium again and recall my other Personas." He notices that they're falling behind. "Come on, let's catch up with the others."

---

The twins sit down around Ken's table, with the white-haired man sitting down with Minako. Ken sits in the chair across from them, with Ryoko standing and Kitsu leaning against the wall.

"Alright, we should be safe here." Ken rubs the back of his neck. "Oh yeah, what took you two so long to get in here?"

"Sorry Yanagi-san." Minato also seems to be rubbing the back of his head. "We had trouble finding a radio in your dorm, so it took some time." 

"It's fine." Ken's attention turns to the white-haired man. "So who are you? You seem like you know these two. And what're you doing here in this world?"

"Of course, it's only fair I introduce myself." The white-haired man stands up and politely bows. "My name is Akihiko Sanada. I'm the Chief Inspector in the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department." He offers his hand for Ken to shake, and Ken returns the gesture. "I'm investigating a lead on the missing persons cases that have been appearing across the country. That lead has led me to this world." He sits back down. "What I don't understand is why this world is so different from the Dark Hour. My Persona has even reverted back to its original state. Even stranger, while it makes me happy to see you two, I can't help but wonder, how are you two alive again? I thought... well after all this time I thought you two were gone forever."

Ken's mind was still caught on his remark about his Persona. "Original state? What's that supposed to mean?"

Kitsu steps in to explain. "The Personas you gained through collection come in handy, sure but they're quite different from your true Persona."

"True Persona? I'm sorry, just those words are a little contradictory to me. Isn't a Persona just a fake? A mask one puts over themselves for others to see?"

"That's not true at all. See, awakening to your Persona means accepting that everything is a part of you. So whether it's a face you put up or a mask you use to hide yourself, it's still a part of who you truly are."

"I see. So then back to our original topic, what's a true Persona?"

"A true Persona varies from individual to individual. It's a Persona that can't be collected from Shadows like how you've been doing. True Personas are Personas that are created when one awakens to their power. Just like the one you awakened to the first time we met."

Ken recalls Nobunaga. So that was his true Persona, the one he had awakened to through his own power. "So then that makes Nobunaga my true Persona, but how does that differ from Personas like the ones I collect?"

"Humans only have a single heart, therefore it means they only have one true Persona. The same rule applies even to people like you who use multiple Personas. Your true Persona is the one closest to your heart that you associate most with who you are. Therefore, the more you grow and evolve, so will your true Persona. So while you may collect powerful Personas, they're nowhere near a match to the power of your true self."

"I see. I think I understand it somewhat." He then remembers what Akihiko said about his Persona. "So you said your Persona has reverted to its original state, what's that mean? Was it something else before?"

"That's right. Before, my Persona was much stronger, due to my experience with the Dark Hour." He looks at the twins. "I'm sure they've told you about it. Which makes me wonder, if that's the case, how are they both here right now? It was a really painful memory for me to remember, but that's why I remember it so clearly... the two of them, they gave their lives. So how is it they're here now?"

Ken was about to explain, but Minako took the lead instead. "We actually were quite surprised too. See, after 17 years, we woke up again, in the Velvet Room."

"The Velvet Room? You two came back there?"

"That's right. I heard Aigis and all the others came there once. I'm sure she probably should've reached Mitsuru by now."

"Aigis was there too? And you say she should've contacted Mitsuru... I see. Well, I haven't been in touch with her lately, but that's because my investigation has taken quite the priority." He suddenly remembers his earlier question and his voice gets a little more unsettled despite his rational manner. "But forget about that, I'm serious, how are you two alive? Did... your sacrifice fail? What's going on?"

"Oh don't worry Aki!" She puts her hand on his lap. "It's nothing like that, I promise!"

Minato continues from her story. "The Great Seal still seems to be in place. And funny enough, I think we have this guy to thank for being able to come back." He points at Ken. "This whole act, all this crap about coming back, the Great Seal holding, and this whole new world, I believe it all centers around him."

"Him?" Akihiko looks in his direction. "You think he's the reason for it all?"

"When we woke up in the Velvet Room, it was different from what we knew. The elevator we usually visited changed to an amphitheater. And it was all based on him. He's just like me and sis. He can use multiple Personas. And on top of that, there are even more people like us. Persona Users and the Wild Cards among them." Minato crosses his hands and crosses his hands, placing them on his knees. "And they were all brought together because of him."

Akihiko takes a moment to ponder all this new information. "I see. And does he have a name?"

"Oh right, where are my manners?" Ken stands up and shakes hands with Akihiko. "My name is Ken Yanagi. I'm a student in the education department at Kansai University."

"Sure, it's a pleasure." Akihiko grips his hand firmly as the two shake. "So, I take it you didn't just come here for the fun of it did you?"

"Like anyone would." Ken sits back down in his chair. "I'm here because of the rumors I heard. At first, I stumbled upon this world by chance. But then I heard from Kitsu that apparently, people have been disappearing into this world."

"Ah I see." He looks at Kitsu. "By the way, is she... real?" Kitsu is completely oblivious as to what they mean. "She's not some cosplayer of anything is she?" Suddenly, that catches Kitsu's attention.

"Hey, rude much?!" She puffs up her cheeks and gets mad. "My ears and my tail are as real as it gets! Jeez, how much of a dick can you be?! Are you that insensitive?!" She starts comedically pounding on his head with her fists. 

"Hey, calm down, I didn't mean anything by it!" Akihiko has his hands up shielding himself from her. Once she calms down, Akihiko decides to resume his conversation. "So she's the one who noticed people disappearing. So what, you decided to poke your nose around? Ordinary kid like you? Half expected you to hightail it outta there and never look back."

Ken chuckles slightly. "Haha, I think you can tell by now but in spite of me wishing I was just an ordinary college kid, I'm anything but. Besides, it would've felt wrong not to. Even though I'm not obliged to and I'm not the only one with the power to, I felt as though it was something I had to do. Just would've felt wrong if I'd turned my back, knowing full well what was going on."

"Interesting. With a sense of justice like that, I'm surprised you're not studying criminal justice. So tell me, you found anything interesting?"

"Nothing concrete, but I've got plenty of theories. It's all farfetched but... it took a lot of reasoning." He puts his hand on his chin. "When we first entered this world, me and Ryo-chan first encountered Kitsu by chance, along with Shadows. She told us that not only have people been disappearing into this world, but there's also individuals in this world that can control others. Then she reacted in a surprised manner when she found out we weren't awakened to our Personas. That's when I started to question the facts of the matter. The matter of control, it sounded too much in relation to this cult I've been hearing about known mainly as The Following. My suspicions were heightened even further when today, we tried to enter the Radio World the same way, through this app on my phone. But strangely enough, it didn't bring in Minato or Minako. Instead, it only brought in me, and Ryoko who was sitting closest to me. What intrigued me even further were your stories." He pointed to Minato and Minako. "This morning, a friend of mine told me he tried out the Hidden Broadcast and tuned into it. But strangely enough, he wasn't dragged in. In fact, he told me that he could hear a radio host, and it sounded like they were narrating our trials." He looks at the twins. "Tell me, when you tuned into the Hidden Broadcast the way I mentioned earlier, you used my radio right?"

Minato looked at him strangely. "Hmm? Yeah? I think so. What about it?"

"So what did you hear on the Radio Station?"

"Nothing at all. In fact, it seemed like the moment we tuned into that station, we were dragged here into this world."

"Interesting. So, why was my friend able to hear it but you weren't? The way I see it, there's only one real difference between you two when it comes to this world. It's that he didn't awaken to a Persona. At least not yet. So that makes me wonder, what was the special rule that allowed me and Ryoko to enter? And even stranger was why my friend Kazuma wasn't brought in through the Hidden Broadcast, yet the both of you were. The pieces are there, but I feel like there's still more. At the very least this is what I can piece together." He leans forward on the table. "This world is a danger. Someone, or multiple people are using it to control individuals in the real world, albeit I don't know how yet. If I piece together the information Kitsu told me along with your experiences and mine, I think I can make a pretty safe conclusion that this world is targeting Persona Users. That's why the Hidden Broadcast doesn't bring in normal people. But from what Kitsu also told me, there's also been normal people appearing in this world as of late. If that's the case, how have they been entering this world? The conclusions I make just lead to more questions, and frankly, it feels like none of the pieces seem to fit."

"I see..." Akihiko also ponders the new information. "You're quite sound with your deductions. Sadly though, I can't think of any explanations either. In fact, it seems like you've gotten further than I have in this investigation." He adjusts and loosens his tie on his collar. "Well if you're the one that all of this centers around, I'm not surprised." He then stands up from the couch. "Look, we've been in this world long enough. Mind if we get out of here?"

"Sure, I'll get us out of here." Ken stands up and walks everyone to the radio in his dorm. He begins fiddling with it to prepare for their exit.

"Well I guess I'll be waiting to see you until next time," Kitsu says dejectedly. "Just come back soon yeah?"

"Hmm? What're you talking about? You're coming with us."

She pauses for a moment. ".... I'm sorry, what?"

"What, you can't come to our world?"

"I mean, I've never tried before, but I don't think that's a good idea."

Ken sighs. "Look, just shut up and come with us will ya? Seriously, you're just gonna stay here?"

"Hey don't blame me for not wanting to go into another world I know nothing about."

"Fair point. Look, just come with us okay? I'll make sure everything's fine." He grabs her by the hand and presses the eject button on the radio.

"Hey, wait!" She has no time to object however, as the world begins to distort once again as they exit from the Radio World. Once again, they're all in Ken's dorm, albeit a little unsettled by the change.

Ken rubs his head slightly. "Ugh, fucker..." It's difficult for him to adjust to the static signals that seem to run through his head every time he enters that world. The others seem to feel the same way, as they adjust from the static. It looks like it's become nighttime, as they've been gone for a few hours. Akihiko seems to be worried, drawing Ken's attention. "What's wrong?"

"Shit, what the hell happened to my gun? I know I had it on me!"

Ryoko notices her sword on the floor. "Hey, here it was. Thank god, I would've been dead if I lost this!"

"Hey," Kitsu asks. "Where were you when you entered that world?"

"Hmm? I was inside my car when I tried using the radio. Why?"

"If that's the case, your weapon should probably still be in your car."

"Why's that?"

"I told Ken-kun this already, but you can't bring items you perceive as weapons into that world. Instead, weapons are forged from your experiences that define your Existence. It's the experiences that left the biggest impression on you. However, only those with a Persona can forge weapons."

"So that's the rules of that world. By the way, I saw you had coins earlier. What was up with those?"

"That's how we summon our Personas. By protecting our desires and accepting that our fate is our own to author, we gain the opportunity to awaken to our Personas."

Ken has his hand on his chin, thinking back to their encounter with the three. "Although it seems like it only applies to us. From what I could gather, your awakenings were different because your past experiences in another world left everlasting impressions on you. I suppose those are the moments that defined your Existence."

"I suppose that's a possibility." He looks at everyone else.

Ryoko suddenly speaks up. "I just realized, but I still don't know who any of you are apart from the white-haired guy."

Minako also realizes this. "Oh that's right! I never properly introduced us to you." She stands up. "I'm Minako Arisato, and this is my little brother Minato! The three of us are former students of Gekkoukan High School." She bows slightly.

Minato leans back and rubs the back of his head. "Yep. That's us."

Ryoko also stands up. "My name's Ryoko Souji. I'm a student at Kansai University, and the heir to the Souji Clan."

Kitsu grabs a drink from Ken's fridge. "And I'm Kitsu!" She takes a sip of the bottled tea she grabbed. "You could say I'm their... what's the best description...?"

Ken scratches the side of his head. "Our guide. And hey, you're buying me another one of those."

Kitsu gets all pouty with her ears and tries to sad-eye him. "Awww, can't I just have this please?"

"Not a chance." Kitsu keeps pouting. "Uggh, fine, I did eat your takoyaki anyways, so I guess you can have that."

"Yay! You're the best Ken-kun!" She pats his head, albeit he finds it a bit condescending.

Akihiko then stands up. "I need to get back to my safehouse. I've set up my investigation materials there." He looks at Ken. "Hey kid, you're pretty good. I'll be coming to you about this investigation. If everything truly does center around you, then I think I'll find plenty promising leads if I stick close to you."

Ken smirks slightly. "Hmph, don't make it a habit. After all, I got school to deal with." He then stands up and walks towards the door. "C'mon, I'll walk you to your car. It's the least I can do after hosting you here in my dorm."

"I appreciate it. Oh yeah, by the way, Minako-san, Minato-san, you two got a place to stay?"

"Well we were gonna stay here." Minato yawns and covers his mouth.

"If you don't mind, you can come stay at my safehouse. We've got a bed and two couches for you to rest on. Plus, these days I'm hardly getting any sleep anyways, with my investigation and all."

"Are you sure?" Minako asks. "We don't want to impose on you, especially if you're doing something so important."

"It's fine. Besides, in all honesty, I'd love to see you guys around again. It's been far too long."

Minato stands up from the couch. "17 years. Well, so long as it's alright with you Yanagi-san."

"I don't mind. At the very least, you're with another old friend of yours." He puts his hand on the door, ready to open it. "Well, I've kept you all long enough. Come on, let's go."

"I'll be right here!" Kitsu says as she chugs his tea.

"We'll be waiting for you Ken-kun," Ryoko says holding her sword.

He opens the door, only to notice there's a black-haired guy with a pointy sprig and a yellow scarf at the front, that was standing right outside it.

"Oh, I'm sorry! It's not what it looks like, I promise!" The man takes off, running down the stairs of the dorm and fleeing as fast as he could. Who was that person? More importantly, was he eavesdropping on their conversation?

Akihiko peers out the door. "Something the matter? What'd you see?"

"... Nothing. Don't worry it's nothing."

They leave the dorm and begin walking to Akihiko's car, with him leading the way. As they're walking down the one of the bridges to cross the Yotenbori river, Akihiko receives a phone call. He pulls out his smartphone and Ken notices the caller ID as 'PubSec Confidential Affairs Division', to which he answers quickly. "This is Chief Inspector Sanada... apologies for not answering your calls earlier Commissioner... no, it's nothing serious. I was  investigating a lead that sounded promising... well how do you expect me to investigate when you're withholding information from me?! What....? Look I'm sorry, but with all due respect ma'am, field investigation is a lot more difficult that you think. I understand I'm on loan to the Confidential Affairs Division under your supervision, but I investigate at my own pace, with the information given to me. It'd help if you'd let me meet your source, but until then, I'll work using the resources that are given to me. I'll update you as soon as I have something tangible for you to work with." He hangs up on the call. "Sorry you had to see that. But as you can tell, my superiors are very demanding of me." He then puts his phone back in his pocket. "We're here. Well, thanks for coming with me." He reaches into his pocket and hands a card over to Ken. "I think you can be very beneficial to this investigation. Please, if you're ever looking to work together, give me a call."

Ken nods his head. "I'll be sure to do that." He takes the card and puts it in his pocket.

"We'll catch you later Yanagi-san." Minako bows politely.

"Take care of yourself, yeah?" Minato reaches out his hand and the two shake.

They finally part as the twins get in the back of Akihiko's car. Ken begins his walk back to the dorm. The day is drawing to a close, as the night life of Yotenbori begins to wake. Ken heads to the dorm building and goes upstairs. He enters his dorm and sees only Kitsu there.

"Looking for Ryoko-chan? She told me to tell you she left. She's gone back to her dorm room." Kitsu has finished drinking her bottle of tea. "Hey, there was something I wanted to talk to you about." They both sit down at the table.

"What's up? You sound pretty serious."

"I want to ask a favor of you." She scoots closer to him. "It's my first time ever coming to this world. See, I was born in the other world and well... 20 years growing up by myself, with nothing but Shadows and random people showing up. But here, I want to explore and see how everyone is compared to what I've heard. I really want to see if this world is as enjoyable as I've heard about."

Ken looks at her ears and tail. "You're certainly gonna stand out. Hopefully, like Akihiko, I think most people will just see you as a cosplayer." He looks at her clothing. "We will need to get you a new outfit though. Something a bit more... casual, you know?" Kitsu looks at her clothing in confusion. "Don't worry, I'll have us go shopping for clothes with you at some point."

Kitsu smiles. "Thanks Ken-kun. In the meantime, I don't know where I'll stay in this world, but Ryo-chan's allowed me to use her dorm for now. Thanks for agreeing to help me Ken-kun!"

The two share a sweet moment of laughter, as Ken feels a slight bond forming between the two. He smiles happily, as he's made another friend.

 

I am thou... thou art I...

Thou hast forged a new bond...

 

It shall strengthen thy own ability to unite thy comrades,

reshaping the outcome of your journey.

 

With the aide of the Aeon Arcana, you have acquired the

power necessary to forge your own path in the 

perilous journey lain before you.

Notes:

Finally, I managed to write another chapter. With school and all, it's been tough, but I'm dedicated. Hope you'll all enjoy and stick with me on this ride. I plan to have many later chapters also take on the perspective of other characters too. I hope it'll make an amazing story. :D
Social Links
The Councillor (The Wild Cards) - Rank 1
The Star (Takuto Maruki) - Rank 1
The Aeon (Kitsu) - Rank 1
Ken's Party
Ken's Persona - (The Fool) Nobunaga
Kitsu's Persona - (The Aeon) Wu Zetian
Ryoko's Persona - (The Empress) Hangaku

Shadow Operatives
Minato Arisato - (The Fool) Orpheus
Minako Arisato - (The Fool) Calliope
Akihiko Sanada - (The Emperor) Polydeuces

Chapter 18: 4/22, Akihiko's Safehouse (Bonds of Old)

The twins were sitting in the back of Akihiko's car. It had just past midnight. The two of them were sat next to each other as Akihiko was driving in the front. 

"So tell me," Akihiko's eyes glint in the rear view mirror. "How did it feel, being gone for the past 17 years?"

Minako pondered his question. "It's hard to describe. When we were a part of the seal, me and my brother honestly felt nothing. It was like we were just... floating. In an endless void, with nothing but each other. But then there was... this voice that called out to us."

"A voice? What do you mean?"

"It was a strange voice." Minato is looking outside the window, but he seems pretty serious thinking about what's on his mind. "The voice... it told us that... well it told us that creating the Great Seal wasn't the end for us. In fact, I think I remember exactly what was said. This is not the end of your journey, as your story has yet to reach the final conclusion. Your fate, and the fate of those bound to you, has been woven into yet another tale. The outcome of this script will be influenced by the actions of all the threads tied together, and decided by the one at the center. Next thing I knew, me and big sis woke up again in the Velvet Room, this time it looked like an amphitheater. Hearing something like that, and then experiencing what we did, there's no doubt about it. Yanagi-san is the center of it all."

They pull up to the safehouse. It's an old warehouse that's used for storage for a nearby club. Akihiko gets to use it because he managed to help out the owner once with disruptive customers. It's a perfect safehouse for his investigation. The three of them get out of Akihiko's car. As they're about to walk in, Akihiko stops Minako. "Hey, Minako-chan... can we talk?"

"Hmm? Oh sure..." She looks over at Minato. "Hey little brother, you mind going in first without us?"

He yawns and rubs the back of his head. "Sure. Do whatever you guys want. I'm gonna crash on the couch..." He yawns again. "It's been such a long day." Akihiko opens the door for him and Minato crashes on the couch. 

Akihiko and Minako are now alone outside. They're both blushing slightly, as it's been a while. The awkward silence continues for a bit until broken by Akihiko. "I can't believe that... it's really you. 17 years... for 17 years we were separated."

"I can't either... I... when Minato and I made our choice... it was difficult, knowing we'd never see any of you again." She clutches her hand over her heart. "I... that last day on the school roof... before me and Minato fell asleep for such a long time... the last things we thought about... well it was all of you. And well, I thought of you especially. I was so happy seeing you by my side then..."

 

[RECOMMENDED LISTENING: MEMORIES OF THE SCHOOL]

 

She laughs slightly while a tear comes to her eye. "And my brother... ahaha, he could only think of how Yukari-chan was gonna be pissed at him for leaving her." She begins to cry slightly but she tries to smile. "The final moment we saw what would become of humanity... of what would happen if Erebus succeeded... my brother and I... it was the first and only time I've ever seen him cry."

Akihiko smiles slightly. "Almost nothing ever bothered Minato. He always shrugged things off like he didn't care. He never smiled or got angry, he just... was. Course, over time that changed and he actually started to show a little more to himself. And in his final moments well... I saw..." Akihiko grips his hand over his chest. "I finally saw his smile." He then looks at Minako. "When we found out you two had passed on, well... things were difficult for all of us. I think Takeba took it the hardest out of us all... and Shinji... well he left Tatsumi Port Island after you were gone... and he never came back after that... thankfully, they managed to treat his sickness from taking the suppressants, and he recovered physically at least. But after you were gone, well... I don't think he ever stopped blaming himself. He knew you and I were an item and well... he blamed himself as much as I did to myself for not being able to keep you safe. I haven't spoken to him since that day after he left..."

"I heard what happened from Aigis... I heard that Yukari-chan broke down badly... and Shinji... I hope we meet again, and that he can move on knowing he did his best..." She turns to Akihiko and hugs him. "Aki... I truly missed you... more than you could ever know..." She clutches his back while blushing bright red. "The truth is... I'm just so happy to finally be back... to be with you... and this time... I'm not going anywhere..." She looks in his eyes. "Akihiko... I'm glad to see you again..."

Akihiko looks at her and his expression softens quite drastically. "Yeah... me too..." He smiles and hugs her back.

"I love you..." She then lifts her chin up and the two share a passionate kiss, reuniting again, after 17 years.

---

Akihiko and Minako have gone inside to sleep. Minako is sleeping on the bed and Akihiko is sleeping on the second couch.  In the middle of his sleep, Minato has woken up. Currently, it's only 3 in the morning. Minato decides to pace around and check out the safehouse. He sees a coffee machine in the corner, with a ton of cups scattered about. It seems to be used quite constantly. Not surprising, as Akihiko was always trying to keep himself busy. He also noticed Akihiko's investigation board. On his board were many scattered details, with threads tying one lead to another. Minato couldn't make heads or tail of it. On his desk in the corner, he could see many personal items of Akihiko's. Tied to one of his cabinets were his boxing gloves, and a bit to the side of the desk was a punching bag. He also saw Akihiko's computer, and a framed picture of SEES all together from their high school days, along with a framed picture of a newer team with a girl he didn't recognize. He then turned to his sister who was sleeping on the bed and smiled slightly. He then turned to Akihiko, who was asleep on the couch, although his phone was unlocked, and laying on the floor. An idea then crossed Minato's mind as he picked up the phone.

---

Yukari Takeba had travelled across Japan quite often, as part of her acting career. Her role as Pink Argus was her debut, but since then, she'd managed to branch out even further than that. She had participated in a role in the latest Like a Dragon movie, alongside Ann Takamaki. In their new movie, Yukari played the role of a brash detective and Ann was an informant for her. The lead character was an honorable yakuza, who never let others tell him what to do. Yukari was currently in a Shinjuku karaoke bar, when suddenly, her phone rang.

"Hmm? It's 3 in the morning, who could that be?" She pulls out her phone and checks the caller ID. 'Akihiko' was the name listed. She was surprised to be hearing from him all of a sudden. But if he was calling, it must've been urgent. So she answered the phone. "Hey Akihiko-senpai. It's been a while. Everything alright?"

For a moment there's silence on the line. She then hears a soft grunt, followed by a sharp exhale, as if the person on the other line is calming their nerves. "..... hey."

Yukari's eyes open wide. "Who-"

"It's been a while."

Despite recognizing the voice, she can't help but ask. "Who... is this...?"

".... It's me... Yukari."

She still has her mouth agape in disbelief. "This... can't be real..."

"It's been 17 years... I... I really needed to hear your voice again." Yukari just sits in silence and disbelief as he continues talking. "17 years... that day on the roof... before I fell asleep for a long time... well... I thought of you... and all our time together... that time we spent together in Yakushima... our battles together... and in that final moment... I saw you on the roof by me..." His voice starts to break a bit as he reminisces about other details. "When we were forced to make the Great Seal... in my last moment, I... I couldn't help but break down and cry for the first time in forever... not only because I wouldn't be able to see everyone else anymore... but because... I wouldn't get to see you anymore... and knowing that, it was..." He starts to tear up on the other side of the phone. "... more than I could take!"

Minato begins to cry, causing Yukari to tear up and weep as well, covering her mouth with her other hand. "Minato... I... I can't believe it... it's really you... for 17 years... my love for you stayed with me for 17 years... I had just about given up hope of you ever coming back, and now... it's like a dream... Minato... you're back! It's really you! When I told you that I loved you... when we went to my room... when you helped me through all my troubles with my mom and helped me cope with what happened to my dad... Minato... you truly did everything you could for me... so while holding your cold hand... I promised myself I'd do everything I could to achieve the goal you worked so hard for... but I was too weak... I... I just wanted to see you again!"

Minato cries even more. "You... dummy... I heard what you tried to do... ahaha, you really fought against everyone..." He seems to be laughing slightly while crying. "You really did try to stop me and bring me back... I know how you felt, and it means so much but still... you dummy, ahaha..."

Yukari is still crying heavily but she smiles and giggles slightly too. "Hehe, yeah, I'm a dummy..." She wipes her tears. "I've missed you so much..."

"Me too..." He smiles happily and clutches his chest. "We finally get another chance... But before that, there's something we need to do. My sister and I, we've been brought back for a reason."

"Minako-chan's alive too?"

"Yeah. Something big is happening. And it's all happening in Yotenbori. Akihiko is already here too. I heard about the Shadow Operatives. That's why I was wondering, is there a way you can come down here to help us? With what it seems like we're facing, I think we're gonna need all the help we can get."

He takes a moment to explain all the details, telling her about the Radio World, how they were brought back, and how there are more Persona Users and Wild Cards.

"I see... I'll try and head to Yotenbori right away. If what you said is true, then I don't think Mitsuru or any of the others can ignore it. I'll be headed to Yotenbori as soon as I'm able in the morning."

"Thanks. I gotta admit, it'll be nice, working together again, after 17 years."

"I agree." She smiles and puts her knees on the seat, curling up with her arm around her legs. "Minato... I'm glad you're back."

"Yeah. I'm happy too. We finally get a chance again..."

She smiles as his words bring her warmth. "I love you."

Notes:

Social Links
The Councillor (The Wild Cards) - Rank 1
The Star (Takuto Maruki) - Rank 1
The Aeon (Kitsu) - Rank 1

 
Ken's Party
Ken's Persona - (The Fool) Nobunaga
Kitsu's Persona - (The Aeon) Wu Zetian
Ryoko's Persona - (The Empress) Hangaku

Shadow Operatives
Minato Arisato - (The Fool) Orpheus
Minako Arisato - (The Fool) Calliope
Akihiko Sanada - (The Emperor) Polydeuces

Chapter 19: 4/22, Ken's Dorm (New Accommodations)

Ken had awoken from his rest and made a morning coffee for himself. He made it using a French press and Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee. As it tasted, it was rich and aromatic, but he decided to add creamer and sugar to it, just because this morning, he was in the mood to make his coffee a bit sweeter. He puts bread in his toaster and then sits at the table. Quickly getting bored, though, he decided to step outside of his dorm and see what everyone was up to. Upon exiting however, he sees the same man as last night with the spiky sprig and yellow scarf, sitting next to his door, asleep. The surprise makes him spit out his coffee.

"What the hell?!" He slightly nudged him with his leg. "Who are you?! Why're you outside my dorm?!"

The man suddenly woke up. "Hmmm, what...?"

"Dude, are you stalking me or something? Come on man, I saw you yesterday and now you're back here?!"

He realizes quickly what's going on and stands up, bowing apologetically. "Oh I'm sorry! I didn't mean any harm!"

Ken rubs the back of his head and realizes he's making a scene as it appears others can see him. "Uggh, look just come inside already, I'll ask you more inside!" He drags the man in and closes the door behind him. He then sits him down at his table and yells at him. "Alright look, why've you been stalking me man? Twice now, I've found you outside my dorm!"

"I'm sorry... I just... well..."

Ken sighs. "Uggh, fine, since I dragged ya in here anyways, at least let me treat you to some coffee." Ken gets up and starts using the cafetière again. "So tell me already, what do you want with me? You've clearly been tryna follow me since yesterday." 

"It's... complicated. Something strange, talking about something so personal." He's twiddling his thumbs while sitting down. Ken sets a cup of coffee next to him. "Do you believe in second chances?"

Ken sips his coffee and butters the toast that finished. "With everything that's happened as of late in my life, I'd say it'd be difficult not to."

"Even after you've... hurt your closest friends?" The man takes a sip of his coffee.

Ken grips his cup a bit tighter. "I can't speak from experience. Used to be I was always on the receiving end of it. But being on the receiving end of it well I guess the best I can say is... it all depends on the person. Not everyone is as forgiving as another."

"And if I can't get that forgiveness?"

"Then you just go on living. Whether you move on, or you work to try and earn that forgiveness. But you do it on your own account. And you do it for yourself, not for anyone else."

"I see..." The man stands up and walks towards the door. "Thanks, for your advice and your hospitality."

Ken sips his coffee more. "You know, you're a pretty weird dude, laying heavy stuff on someone you hardly know."

"Well, it may be strange to say but... you're the only person I could ask about this." The man leaves, closing the door behind him.

"Heh, whatever you say man." Ken finishes his coffee and heads to class.

---

The rest of his day went pretty normal. During his speech class, he couldn't help but gaze out the window at the college track team. To the side, he also noticed other athletes practicing their high jump. His day proceeded pretty normally until he got a phone call after his classes. Taking his phone out, the caller was labeled as 'Sakura Ogikubo', with the description being Dean of Kansai University. He was wondering what she could want with him since they only had a counseling meeting just a few days ago. Without second thought, he answered the call.

"Hey Ogikubo-san, what's up? Did you need to talk to me?"

"Oh, hello Yanagi-san. Well, not me in particular. Could you come by my office when you get the chance today? There's someone here who wants to meet you."

Ken was surprised. Somebody was here to meet him? He wondered who it could be. With that being said, he proceeded to make his way to the Dean's office.

---

Outside of the Dean's office, he straightened up. He then proceeded to knock on her door.

"It's me!"

"Come in!" Opening the door, he was immediately greeted by the Dean. Sitting in a nearby chair was Dr. Maruki, and in another chair was another man with glasses. "Thank you for coming so quickly Yanagi-san! We have a special guest here to meet you today! His name is Ren Amamiya!"

Ren adjusts his glasses and stands up to shake Ken's hand. Over his prosthetic hand is a glove. "It's a pleasure." The two shake hands and Ren says quietly. "It's nice for us to finally meet in person Yanagi-san."

He then shakes the hand of Dr. Maruki who smiles happily. "It's been quite a bit since we last saw each other Amamiya-kun. I trust you're taking care of yourself well enough?"

Ren chuckles slightly and smiles. "As best as I can Doc. Ogikubo-san, mind if we have the office to ourselves for the time being?"

"Oh not at all, my office space is free for you to use it as you need. Hehe, at this point it's not even really my office. Please, make yourself comfortable!" She leaves them in her office and gives Dr. Maruki the key to lock up when they're done.

Ken sits across from Ren an Dr. Maruki. On the center table as always, there are snacks. Ken grabs himself an orange gummy candy. "Dude, in all seriousness, the hell man? When you said you'd be here on the 22nd, I didn't think you'd call me to the office here at the university."

Ren couldn't help but laugh a bit. "What can I say? Wanted to take the opportunity to flex a little. That and I wanted to visit Dr. Maruki again for a bit."

Maruki also chuckles slightly. "Don't let it get to your head now Amamiya-kun. You had some pretty humble beginnings after all. But I'm flattered you thought of me when you decided to come to Yotenbori."

Ken goes to the corner of the office and opens a minifridge, grabbing a bottle of green tea. "I thought you said you were coming to Yotenbori for business."

"Oh there's business here. I'm establishing a new joint scholarship program with the Kirijo Group."

"New scholarship program? With the Kirijo Group?"

"Yep. We're calling the scholarship program "Shuffle the Deck". Name still needs work. Seems like a normal scholarship that picks out people at random on the surface, but the general idea is that we'll provide boarding and support for confirmed Persona Users helping us. The program gets more money and resources allocated to it the more Shadows we hunt. Calculations for that are compiled weekly and distributed every Sunday. It's a program that only adds more people through referral and screening." He stands up and pats Ken on the back. "And lucky you, you're our first recipient."

"Sorry, what?"

"Congrats, you've now got new lodging and a support fund to help with pay for your college courses. You're welcome dude."

"Hold on just a damn second, the shit?!" He chugs his bottle of tea real quick to try and calm down.

"We're already moving your stuff from your dorm to your new apartment in the building we purchased."

"Hey man, I never asked for any of this! Also, you're moving my shit already?!" Despite his initial reaction, Ken quickly cools down and sighs heavily. "Ugh, fine, if it'll make our investigations easier sure."

Maruki chuckled. "Sorry Yanagi-san, I guess I should've mentioned it. Amamiya-kun can be a little imposing at times."

"Tell me about it." Ken continued drinking his bottle of tea. "So where's this new apartment?" 

"It's in past the Junkomon Mall in Yotenbori, bordering Yakaboshi."

"I see. So I'll have to start taking the train from now on."

"The train station isn't too far from the complex. It's a pretty big building too. We bought it out and they're currently furnishing the place."

Ken finishes his tea and then throws the bottle. It lands directly in the Dean's disposal bin. "So, are you the only one who's here? Or did you manage to get ahold of anyone else?"

"For now, it's just me. I did manage to get ahold of a few other friends. They're on their way tomorrow. Thankfully, we've all left our kids with a good friend. He's taking care of them while we're gone."

"And your wife?"

"She's got enough on her plate." He steps behind the Dean's desk and puts his hands on it. "Being the Commissioner of Confidential Affairs is hard enough. Used to be it was just a small task force before it became its own division. And handling the Metaverse was already a lot for her to deal with. She doesn't need to know about a whole other world." He turns back to the others and gives Ken a quick smile. "I'll show you to your new room tonight. See ya there."

---

After the meeting had concluded with Ren and Maruki, Ken saw he had a few hours left in his day. With his remaining time, he decided to meet a few other friends of his in some of the other departments. First he stopped at the medical department building. More specifically, he went to the labs. In the lab, a good friend of his was working with compounds and chemicals. She was a first year majoring in medical science.

"Hey Kana-chan. Busy as always I see." 

The girl turned her attention to him. Her name was Kana Amano. She was wearing an open white doctor's coat with rolled up sleeves and a t-shirt. She wore jeans with white sneakers. Her long silver hair is tied in a side ponytail. She takes off her safety goggles as she notices Ken. "What do you want Yanagi-san? I'm pretty occupied at the moment if you didn't notice."

"Nothing in particular. My classes ended so I decided to go visit a few friends. Can see you're busy as always."

She adjusts the heat of a Bunsen burner under a flask. "It's fine. I'm just practicing my chemistry and synthesis of medicine. Maybe I'll be able to learn something and make my own some day."

An idea crosses his mind. "Hey, real question, if I asked for you to synthesize medicine for me, would you be able to?"

"I could." She takes another liquid and pours it into the boiling flask. "Of course, I do need to ask, what're you using that medicine for?" Ken remains silent. "Well, it doesn't matter. In any case, I can make medicine for you, but you'll need to compensate me for the material."

"Well hopefully, money shouldn't be a problem." With news of the Shuffle the Deck scholarship program, it seemed like getting the funds he needed wasn't going to be any difficulty.

"Then it's a deal. I'll make medicine for you if you can compensate me for the material."

"I'm surprised you're not majoring in pharmaceutical science. Instead, you're trying to become a doctor."

"Yeah well... it's not easy. Studying to become a doctor I mean... especially considering who I am."

Ken knew what she was talking about. Sure it was 2027, but even now, there was sexism in the medical field. In the hall, he could hear a few others in the medical department. 

"Is that Amano-san?" A boy said.

"Yeah, I hear she's working towards becoming a doctor." This boy sounded worse than the first one.

"Shouldn't she just stick to making medicine? Let the men do the other work." They didn't mince words as they passed by.

Ken's about to walk outside and tell them off, when he feels Kana's hand on his shoulder. "Don't. Just leave it." She was always tough. Despite all the horrible things they said, she seemed to always power through.

"I remember their faces. I'll make sure to mess 'em up later." 

Kana sighs. "Jeez, you're always so hard to read Yanagi-san. One moment, you can be calm and normal, then the next you're rash and hotheaded." She giggles a little and blushes slightly.

---

Ken passes by the library while on his way out the campus. He sees another friend researching law books. The boy has short brown frizzy hair. He's dressed formally, with a dress shirt and tie, along with a suit jacket draped over his shoulders. He holds a book open in his hand.

"You're still criticizing law books Akira-san?"

Nagase Akira had a stern expression and his piercing gaze is one to be reckoned with. "Everyone talks of how justice is about fairness. But that's all based on a shift in perspective. Justice and fairness isn't a mass concept that everyone agrees on. It's constantly changing, and constantly molding and evolving, based on the individuals."

"... Did you get that from a fortune cookie or something?"

"I'm just speaking my mind. I hate seeing all these old law books where they act like everyone is the same. Not everyone believes justice is about fairness. Some believe it's about retribution."

"Guess you and I have very contrasting views." Ken smiled and chuckled a bit.

Ken waved to him as he left, heading to the train station.

---

On the way to the train station, a boy bumps shoulders with him and trips. The boy has light blonde shaggy hair, covering his eyes. He wears a sweater with cargo pants and sneakers. As he tripped he dropped his bag, with a few papers falling out. He stands up and bows politely. "I-I'm sorry!"

Ken stood up and brushed him off. "No, don't apologize, that's my bad! I shoulda stepped outta the way for you." He helps him pick up his things. He picks up a student ID and sees his name, 'Arata Kuronuma'. Without delay, he hands him his items. "Here, again, I'm real sorry." 

The boy takes his student ID. "I-" He bows politely and then runs off again.

"What a strange kid." Ken continued his trek to the train station. As he boarded the train, he reminisced about his days back in high school, riding the train in Tokyo. It was much more crowded and packed in Tokyo than in Yotenbori however. Once he got off at Yakaboshi, there was someone waiting to pick him up in a car. It's a woman with purple pigtails and a pale complexion. Her outfit is like a butler, but she also wears a maid's headband.

"Greetings sir. My name is Kikuno Saikawa. I am a servant to the Kirijo household. I was instructed to transport you to your new accommodations."

"... I'm not getting in your car."

"Apologies, forgive me for my insistence sir."

He continues walking to the new apartment, with Saikawa following next to him in her car, driving close to the sidewalk. Ken slowly starts to get annoyed as she follows him. "Ugh fine, I'll get in the damn car."

"Of course sir, please allow me to get the door for you." She presses a button and the back car door opens automatically. Ken gets inside and sits down. She starts to drive normally. The air conditioning in the back gets slightly cooler. "Is that better? Just doing my best to make things more comfortable for you sir."

"I guess. So if you're a servant of the Kirijo household, does that mean that Kirijo-san is here?"

"She's running late. However, I was told by Kirijo-san that you would require my service arriving at the new apartment. She however will be joining us later." The car pulls up at the new apartment, which looks more like an apartment complex, as it's a large building with multiple floors. And Ren is already waiting there. Ken is about to open the door, but Saikawa opens the door for him already.

"I can open the door myself you know."

"Apologies sir."

He gets out the car and scratches the back on his head. "Look, Saikawa-san, I'm not tryna be rude. Just... I'm not used to having a servant try and do things for me. And I like doing things myself, that's all."

"Understood sir. I will try my best to refrain."

Ken walks towards the  entrance, to which Saikawa opens for him. Ken sighs and just accepts that's how she is. He then meets Ren inside. "Welcome to Yakaboshi Grand Apartments. Please, let me show you around."

"So I've upgraded from a dorm to an apartment?"

"It's not just for you. It makes it easier for us adults to live here too, since we'll all need to help each other."

"You're boarding here too? Well, I guess that makes all our meetings easier if we need to meet up."

The first floor had a dining table, along with a few couches and a TV. There also appeared to be a reception area, which was managed by a girl with short red hair with twin tails made of hearts was what it looked like. However, it seemed she wasn't real, but rather a holographic projection made by many projector lamps placed in the ceiling. 

"Welcome to Yakaboshi Grand Apartments. You must be Yanagi-san! I'm Sophie, humanity's companion!"

"Wow, I'm impressed, you even got Sophie as the assistant program here."

"Yes and no." Ren put his hand on his chin trying to think how to explain it. "You see, Sophie isn't just an assistant program. She's an AI yeah, but she's much more human than you think. See, when Sophie is an assistant on your phone and such, that's just a part of her, but she's actually a conscious living being. You could say that she's a human without a physical body, floating through the technical realm. Course, doesn't mean she doesn't have a body. When she focuses herself in an area, you could say that's where her true self is. Am I making any sense?"

"Not in the slightest."

Sophie tries to explain. "Think of it this way. A piece of me exists in every bit of technology, but the real me is right here with you all right now. Is that easier to understand?"

"Somewhat I guess." He looks at her in amazement. "Jeez, we got androids, and now holographic AI's. We really are living in the future, with this technological marvel."

Ken walks up the stairs, as Ren and Sophie give him the grand tour. 

"This building is 5 floors, and we've got 48 rooms in this building, 12 on each floor above the ground one." Sophie said.

"Each room is equipped with a kitchen, but you got much more to work with. It's not as cramped as the dorms, with their square design split in half, which makes it pretty cramped. Here, things are much more spacious. You've even got proper room to train with your dummy."

Despite Ken's initial reaction to the whole plan, he actually liked the idea of a less cramped living quarter. It was a pretty short walk on the 2nd floor before he arrived at his room. He saw his room number, room 101. 

"Let me get that for you." Sophie moves her hand towards the handle, and the sensor turns green. "I'm able to open doors for anybody here at the dorm. It's a safety measure for everyone, that way only residents can come in, and no uninvited guests. If you need to open your apartment, just call for me and I'll help you." Her expression turns a little serious though, as she puffs up her cheeks. "I'm not going to open the door of an apartment that's currently occupied by someone else though, so don't think about asking for my help to peep on the others."

"The hell, what made you think I was like that?!"

Ken walks inside to see that his apartment is already furnished. He sees his wooden dummy and gives it a soft punch. Ren smiles, seeming satisfied with himself. "Everything look good?"

"It's great. Really, I appreciate it. With a lot more room, I'm able to train a lot easier."

Ren leaves him to his own devices, as Ken puts his bag down and begins practicing with his dummy again. He practices for about 25 minutes before hearing Sophie's voice from outside the door. "Yanagi-san, would you be willing to come downstairs? There's some people here to meet you."

"Hmm? Sure. Who are they?"

"They said you'd recognize them when you saw them."

"I'll be down shortly." At first he thought it was Ryoko and Kitsu, but then he remembered that they probably didn't even know about the existence of the new apartment yet. So he wondered, who were the friends she was talking about? Making it downstairs, he saw three familiar faces.

"Yanagi-san! Glad to see you're here!" She waves at him and smiles.

"It's nice to see you're doing well Yanagi-san." Minato says.

"Glad you're doing alright friend." Akihiko grinned. "You're one tough nut, I'll give ya that." He adjusts his tie. "Mitsuru gave me the rundown. Looks like we'll be staying here for the time being."

Ken smiles at them. "Glad to see you're all still doing well after our troubles in the Radio World." He chuckles slightly, until a car pulls up outside. Once stopped, a red-haired girl comes inside. Her expression seems quite stern and icy. However, once she sees the twins she steps forward, her expression lightening.

"Minako-chan, Minato-kun!" She hugs the both of them. "It's really you!"

"Mitsuru-senpai!" Minako smiles happily as she also embraces Mitsuru.

"It's great to see you again senpai." Minato hugs her back as well.

She lets go and smiles, quite warmly in fact. "Please, I'm sure Akihiko's told you the same thing, but I'm not your senpai anymore." She then walks over to Ken. "I heard about you from Aigis and Akihiko." She then bows politely. "You have my utmost thanks for taking care of them."

He averts his gaze and rubs the back of his neck. "Umm, I didn't really do anything though... these guys pretty much took care of themselves."

"Nonsense. You've done plenty. For that, you have our gratitude."

"Are you the only one who came?" Minato asked.

The door opens again, and this time, it's someone Ken recognizes. It's Yukari Takeba, the actress. She rushes over to Minato and slaps him across the cheek, albeit not too hard. "It's actually you..." She then hugs him tightly, to which Minato returns the hug, smiling warmly as he reaches his arms around her back.

Mitsuru smiled at the sight of them. "She was nervous to go in with me. After all, it's been 17 years since she last saw you."

"Hah, sorry. Guess I've been gone for quite a while huh?"

"You dummy..." Yukari says happily.

The five of them are happy to see each other again. They all reminisce and catch up with each other. Ken notices that one is missing. "Where's Aigis by the way?" 

"She's currently undergoing maintenance at the lab. She'll be here tomorrow."

Ren then comes forward to meet Mitsuru. "Kirijo-san, thanks for agreeing to this so quickly. I think this'll really make working together a lot easier."

"It's no worry. After all, if there's one thing I learned in my experience, a place where everyone can gather quickly is important."

Ken is happy to see everyone gathered together. However, it's getting late, so he decides to return to his apartment. Before returning though, Ren gets his attention. "By the way, is there anybody else you might be able to bring here?"

He suddenly remembered that the others didn't know about the new apartments yet. "Oh yeah, that's right. Hey, see if you can find my friend Ryoko Souji. Her dorm is just down the hall from mine. There should be another friend with her too. She's a bit different though, appearance-wise. You'll know what I mean when you see her."

"Really? Well now I'm curious. I'll get to work on it tomorrow. For now, get some rest. If I remember correctly, Narukami-san should be here tomorrow."

And with that, Ken went back to his new apartment. Back in his apartment, looking around, he could see how much more space he had. Instead of his bed, he crashed on his couch. Tomorrow, it was going to be even busier.

Notes:

Social Links
The Councillor (The Wild Cards) - Rank 1
The Star (Takuto Maruki) - Rank 1
The Aeon (Kitsu) - Rank 1
Ken's Party
Ken Yanagi - (The Fool) Nobunaga
Kitsu - (The Aeon) Wu Zetian
Ryoko Souji - (The Empress) Hangaku

Shadow Operatives
Minato Arisato - (The Fool) Orpheus
Minako Arisato - (The Fool) Calliope
Akihiko Sanada - (The Emperor) Polydeuces
Mitsuru Kirijo - (The Empress) Penthesilea
Yukari Takeba - (The Lovers) Io

Phantom Thieves
Ren Amamiya/Joker - (The Fool) Arsène
Sophie - (The Hope) Pandora

Chapter 20: 4/23, Yakaboshi (Building the Deck)

[RECOMMENDED LISTENING: ARIA OF THE SOUL]

 

Ken was still fast asleep. However, he woke up in the Velvet Room. In the Velvet Room, Igor was sitting at his desk. Jose was leaning on his car next to him. In the Velvet Room, he is joined by the other Wild Cards once again, although Mishima is excluded. Looks like Igor meant what he said about not being in this act.

"Your tale is only beginning. However, not all the cards are in the deck yet."

Ken sighs. "Do you ever say things normally or are they only ever in metaphors? Whatever, it doesn't matter. So what is that supposed mean?"

Jose takes the chance to explain. "Hmm, think of it like how a wild card is in most card games. While Wild Cards are strong cards, they're strong in the fact that they affect the other cards in the deck, and in turn are affected by those cards in the deck. In other words, you haven't gathered everyone yet. You're still building your deck. Does that make it any easier to understand?"

"I think I get the metaphor now. So then how many more 'cards' do I need to add to this 'deck'?"

Igor chuckles. "In due time my dear Unifier. The events that will unfold in the coming year shall make things much more clearer."

Minato remembers something he needed to ask Igor earlier. "By the way, where's Elizabeth? I heard she was looking for a way to bring us back."

A spotlight shines down on a woman with a blue elevator attendant's uniform. "A pleasure to see you again dear. It's been quite some time." She walks towards Minato and gives him a kiss on his cheek. Minato looks away, hardly reacting but his face turns slightly reddish.

"Hey, stop that." He rubs his cheek.

"A pleasure to see you again darling." A spotlight shines on a man who is also dressed in an elevator attendant's uniform.

"Theo!" Minako rushed over to hug him, she's laughing as she smiles. "It's great to see you again!"

"It's been a long time. 17 years in fact."

Elizabeth grins. "My my, you're quite overjoyed little brother. Well, I can't blame you. I feel the same way after all."

"Does this mean you found the answer to the issue of the Great Seal?" Aigis asked Elizabeth.

"I have." Her expression becomes slightly more serious. "I need you all to listen carefully." The Wild Cards all gather around her. "Minato-san and Minako-san have been freed from the fate that bound them. What's more, the Seal has been growing weaker over the past 17 years. However, it seems their removal has not weakened the seal. Rather, the opposite effect. It seems it is all thanks to the power of a Unifier and those tied to his fate."

Minato tried to press for more details. "What does that even mean? Is there a deeper explanation as to why he was able to release us while keeping the seal intact?"

"There is a possible explanation, however, I am unsure of it at this time. But there is something I can say for certain." She looks over in Ken's direction. "The Great Seal will not hold forever. As a matter of fact, it was nearing its undoing. The Unifier's arrival only delayed it, but in three months time, it shall most likely become undone entirely." The room suddenly gets nervous.

Minato, in a rare moment, actually gets mad. "Are you serious? So then the work me and my sister put in, it was for nothing?!"

Elizabeth puts her hand up to stop him. "I did not say there was no hope. There is a way for the Great Seal to be made to stand eternally." She points at Ken. "His power is what will bring this about."

"My... power?"

"The power of the Unifier is quite special. And in this case, it is key to our goal. In fact, you can think of the Great Seal as a lock. His power is the key to that lock. However, there is a great concern. His power as I said is a key. It can be used to lock the Great Seal. But also to unlock it. Should his power fail and go awry... I fear all of your hard work truly will be for nothing." 

Ken took a moment to consider the thought. He could either prevent one old calamity from rising again for good, or unleash it and bring about the Fall that the SEES and Shadow Operatives worked so hard to prevent. He tried to settle his nerves. "So this all rests on my shoulders? I'm not even sure I'm qualified. Shit, I hardly even have any experience with my Persona!"

"In that there is no doubt. For now, you are still too weak. But I have faith in your ability. As does my younger sister and brother."

A spotlight appears over Ricardo and Rosalina. Rosalina's smile is warm. "Believe in yourself, for your ability is far greater than you can imagine."

"... alright. I'll try my best."

Minato had even further questions. "When we were in the Radio World, it seemed like as if our powers have been reset to their base. At first, I chalked it up to being rusted after 17 years. But now... now I'm not so sure." He looks over at the other Wild Cards. "Aigis, Narukami-san, Amamiya-kun, please try and summon your Persona, but in its truest form."

The three of them looked confused. Yu was the first to give it a try. "Alright then. I don't know what you're getting at but I'll give it a try." A card floats down from the air. "Izanagi-no-Okami!" He crushes the card, yet nothing happens. "What the...?" He tries to call the card again, but it doesn't work. He then tries to summon another Persona instead. "Izanagi!" As he crushes the card, an mysterious masked being appears from him, draped in a trench coat, with a giant naginata. He can't help his confusion. "I can sense Izanagi-no-Okami, but... I can't seem to call him."

Aigis tries to summon her Persona as well. "Come, Athena!" Again, nothing seems to happen. She tries again but to no avail. "Why...?" She then tries to summon a different Persona instead, just like Yu did before her. "Palladion!" From her, a mechanical being in a blue dress emerges with a Spartan helmet and a giant spear. It also has a mask in front of it as well. "I cannot understand what is happening. My Persona seems to have reverted."

Finally, Ren tries to summon his Persona. In a flash of blue flames, his Thief Attire appears, draped in a black coat. "Raoul!" He takes off his mask, which dissipates into flames, yet nothing happens. "It's just as you said..." He tries again, removing his mask, this time summoning it in its base form. "Arsène!" And from him appears a winged figure with a demonic looking face, as if backlit by flames, with heels, dressed in red. "So we've all been reset to our base forms. Why?"

Igor chuckles slightly. "It is as I told our dear Unifier, your fates are all tied together, as is your powers, with him being the center of it all. As you all grow over this coming journey, you will perhaps rediscover your true strength. That is all dependent on his actions." He points at Ken. 

Yu sighs and rubs his forehead. "So, we're all back to where we started because he's still a fledgling. Well, guess it can't be helped." He then remembers another crucial detail. "So then our True Personas may have reverted to our original selves. But we can still draw our old Personas from the Compendium right?"

"You would be half right in that assumption," says a more mature voice. A spotlight shines over a woman in a blue dress  wearing heels, with wavy hair, kept together with a hairband.

A spotlight shines on a shorter woman in a blue dress. "While you are still able to recall Personas from your Compendium, I am afraid that would be impossible now." She smiles at the sight of Ren. "It is great to see you again, my Trickster."

Ren smiles back and slightly nods his head. "Always happy to see you Lavenza."

Yu on the other hand is still focused on the other woman's statement. "Margaret, define half right for me please. What exactly is that supposed to mean? In fact, what does she mean, it's impossible to recall Personas from our Compendium despite retaining that power?"

Ricardo steps forward to explain. "I shall take the liberty to elaborate for you. As my sister had once explained before, I shall tell you all now. Throughout history, Wild Cards have collected many personalities and given birth to many new faces. To record all of their faces and personalities, us attendants required the use of Persona Compendiums. Moreover, the Compendiums we've created for Wild Cards would be archived, in a location only known as the Velvet Library. That library holds more knowledge than you could ever imagine." He seems to wince over his words. "Well, to be more accurate I should say, held." He adjusts his glasses. "Due to unforeseen events, the Velvet Library was destroyed, its contents erased." He looks at Ken and then the other four Wild Cards. "We weren't able to recover even your Compendiums from the disaster."

The other Wild Cards can't seem to contain their shock at the news. It's even showing on Minato's face, as his mouth is open slightly. "You're... actually serious?"

"I see..." Aigis says thinking about the matter.

Yu is clenching his fists. "So then, all of our progress... was destroyed?"

Ren is forcing a smile but he seems pretty mad. "You must be joking."

Ricardo bows to them. "I truly apologize for this inconvenience and great loss. It's with a heavy heart and regret that I inform you of this."

Lavenza pats his back and has him lift up his head. "Chin up little brother. I understand your frustration. But all is not lost." She then turns to address the Wild Cards. She flips through her book, which holds a small collection of masks. "While we do not have your previous works, we are able to transcribe the new works gathered by the Unifier to allow you to draw from the many personalities he collects."

Margaret flips through her book. It seems to also be a collection book, with collections of a few cards. "As your attendants, it is our duty to aide you to the best of our abilities."

Elizabeth then cycles through her book. In that book are drawings of the previous Personas that were collected by Ken. The group is slightly relieved that all is not lost. Igor's permanent smile seems to widen. "It is good to see you are all getting along. You are all bound together in this journey." He snickers slightly. "However, it is time for you to return to your world. You shall all be waking soon enough."

With that said, their vision seems to fade.

---

Ken wakes up back in his new apartment. He begins his training again, hitting the wooden dummy. Downstairs though, he can hear some people gathering. Out of curiosity, he exits his apartment and goes downstairs to listen in on their conversations. Downstairs, he can hear Mitsuru speaking with Ren. They're sitting on the couches, opposite one another.

Mitsuru sips a cup of tea. "So these friends of yours who'll join us, will they be arriving soon?" 

"Later today." He's sipping a cup of coffee. "We won't be able to do this alone. But these two are some of the most reliable people I can count on."

"You sure you don't want to involve your wife? She's the Commissioner of the Confidential Affairs Division. There are rumors, but I've heard they deal with the more... supernatural matters."

"The Kirijo Group's information network is extremely talented. You're right, and her being the Commissioner is why I don't want her involved. She already has a lot on her plate, far past her fill. I'm not going to give her more than she can take."

"I see... you're a kind person Amamiya-kun." She smiles slightly.

"Please, just call me Ren. It'll make things easier if we're all familiar with each other." He flashes her a smile as he sips his coffee.

Ken decides to join them down below. "Heya. What's up with all of you?" He sits on the couch next to Ren. 

Ren shifts a cup of coffee over to Ken's direction. "Try it. Trust me, it's good."

Ken sips the coffee. He can feel the power of it flowing through him along with the rich aroma. "This is amazing. I try using a French press and even then it never comes out as great as this."

"I learned from a great teacher." Ren is leaned back into the couch while Ken tries more of the coffee.

"So your friends who are coming, will they be here any time soon? I know Narukami-san was supposed to be here today too."

"There's plenty of time before they show up. For now, go and enjoy the day. We got just plenty of time."

Ken is about to protest but then he remembers his promise to Kitsu, and that he doesn't have class on Fridays. "Know what, that's not a bad idea."

---

He had decided to return back to his old dorm to visit Kitsu, taking the morning train back to Yotenbori. It's currently only 11 in the morning. Outside, he notices that Ren and Mitsuru's people are already moving her things out. Kitsu is waiting outside, trying to keep them from moving everything. He notices that Ryoko has been let off from class and is coming down from the hall, noticing all her stuff was being moved.

"Hey, what the hell?!" Ryoko is confused but also mad that some random people are touching her things. "What're you doing to all my stuff?!"

"Sorry Ryoko-chan!" She's pouting. "I was trying to stop them but they wouldn't listen. They said they had permission!"

Ken decides to step in before things escalate. "Relax, they're moving it out because I told them to."

Ryoko ends up flipping out on him instead. "WHAT?! You ass! Why're you making them move my stuff out?!"

He explains to her and Kitsu their situation about their new accommodations. He also explains how he had met Ren, Yu, Aigis, and the twins in his dream in the Velvet Room. If they were going to join him in his journey, he figured it only be fair they knew everything that was happening.

"I see," Kitsu says attentively. "So a man with a long nose brought all of you together?"

"Normally I wouldn't have believed this either, but considering these past few days I don't think I should be surprised anymore." Ryoko returns back to her upset mood. "Still, you couldn't have texted or called before giving them permission to start taking my stuff to the new apartments?"

Ken scratches the back of his head. "Sorry, must've slipped my mind." He suddenly remembers why he came here. "Hey, you wanna hang out today? I was wondering if the two of you were free."

"Do what you want. I'm going with my stuff to make sure they won't break anything." Ryoko leaves with the movers to make sure her furniture stays in one piece. Kitsu is left behind with Ken.

"You don't really have any furniture so I think they're probably gonna buy you some. Just make some requests and I'm sure they'll accommodate. In the meantime, wanna hang out?"

"Sure. I did ask you to show me more of this world." She tugs at her shrine robes. "I should probably get a change of clothes too."

"Yeah I'd love to help you with that but, I don't know the first goddamn think about fashion for girls..." He then thinks back about his sister who's moved across seas and realized that wasn't quite true. "Well 'kay, scratch that, I know pretty damn well, thanks to my sister. Still, it'd be nice to get a girl's opinion on this too." Suddenly, another one of his dormmates approaches him. It's a girl dressed in a mix of punk, goth, and emo style, with black combat boots and a black frilly dress, with long black twin tails with purple streaks.

The girl can't seem to help but notice Kitsu. "Um excuse me...? Can I... floof her...?" Ken and Kitsu are both about to protest, but before they even get a word out, she starts touching her ears and tail. "So soft... it feels so real... Are you a cosplayer too?"

Ken laughs slightly seeing her get petted. Then a thought crosses his mind. "Actually... this might work out. Hey, you. Mind tagging along with us? We were about to go clothes shopping for her anyways and I could really use a girl's help. I'll let you keep playing with her tail and ears if you want."

Her eyes shine brightly. "Oooh, can I really? Please I'd love to."

"Thanks. I really appreciate it."

Suddenly, they both feel a chill as Kitsu grabs both their shoulders from behind. Her gaze is intense and frightening despite her small nature. "Hey, you two, if you're going to grab my tail or use me as a bargaining chip, at least wait for my approval first."

Ken giggles a little. "Ahaha, sorry Kitsu-chan." He then turns to the other girl. "By the way, I'm Ken, Ken Yanagi." 

She giggles slightly as well. "I'm Saki Kunagiri. It's a pleasure." The two of them shake hands.

Kitsu puffs up her cheeks. "Mrrrmm, she's really gonna keep petting my ears and playing with my tail?" She sighs in defeat. "Fine, if it'll help us.

Ken giggles and then proceeds to lead them. "Then to the open mall we go!" He turns around and smiles at them both. "Come on, let's go!"

Notes:

Social Links
The Councillor (The Wild Cards) - Rank 1
The Star (Takuto Maruki) - Rank 1
The Aeon (Kitsu) - Rank 1

Ken's Party
Ken Yanagi - (The Fool) Nobunaga
Kitsu - (The Aeon) Wu Zetian
Ryoko Souji - (The Empress) Hangaku

Shadow Operatives
Minato Arisato - (The Fool) Orpheus
Minako Arisato - (The Fool) Calliope
Akihiko Sanada - (The Emperor) Polydeuces
Mitsuru Kirijo - (The Empress) Penthesilea
Yukari Takeba - (The Lovers) Io

Phantom Thieves
Ren Amamiya/Joker - (The Fool) Arsène
Sophie - (The Hope) Pandora

Chapter 21: 4/23, Bunkokichi Open Mall (A Day Out)

Bunkokichi Open Mall, a completely outdoor shopping area. There's plenty of shops out in the open, from phone repair and sales, to clothing and electronics. Because it's a Friday, the mall is quite populated, with many people out shopping. You can see a couple at a jewelry store shopping for an engagement ring, along with high school students shopping at the video game store. 

"I still don't understand why we keep these around, especially in the digital age," says one of the students.

Another student seems to laugh at his ignorance. "Because collection and display my friend. Think about it, you think when people go to your house, they wanna see you turn on your console and show them your whole digital collection? Nah nah, they like seeing bookshelves lined with these. That's why physical copies are still in business. Albeit well admittedly... their demand has decreased quite significantly."

On the other hand, the jewelry store couple was having a much more bland conversation.

"Come on sweetie, pleeeeeeeaaaase?" The woman is eyeing the pink diamond ring intensely.

Ken sighs as he's not surprised by these people. However, he's here to help Kitsu get new clothes, so he pays no heed to their nonsense. Instead, him, Kitsu, and Saki enter a high-end clothing store first. In this store are some pretty formal and brand clothing. 

"So what should I try on first?" She's eyeing all the clothing in a very astonished manner. Ken on the other hand is analyzing the clothing, thinking on which would fit her best. He's also analyzing based on his budget, which while not small, he's very mindful of how he spends. "Oooh, how bout these?" He sees her holding a very expensive looking fur jacket. 

"Uh-uh, no way. A lot of reasons why not. Tacky, flashy, expensive." He keeps looking around.

"Yo, Ken, what's up dude?" That familiar voice was easily recognizable. Ken turned around and saw Kazuma.

Ken's notice of Kazuma takes his attention away from Kitsu. "What're you doing here on a Friday?"

"You forget dude? I ain't got class Fridays either." He notices Kitsu. "New friend? She a cosplayer?"

Kitsu gets slightly agitated. "Why does everyone keep assuming that?"

Kazuma also notices Saki. He smiles and elbows Ken. "Popular, aren't you?"

Ken sighs. "Don't even start."

Saki then introduces herself to Kazuma. "I'm Saki Kunagiri. I just met Yanagi-san, but he asked me for a favor, so I'm helping him. Do you know Yanagi-san?"

Kazuma smiles. "Yep. This here's my best bud. I'm Kazuma Miyamoto. Nice to meet ya."

"And I'm Kitsu. Nice to meet another friend of Ken-kun!" She says happily.

With Kazuma joining them, the four of them kept trying on new clothes for Kitsu. Outside of the changing room, Kazuma and Ken waited while Saki helped Kitsu with her clothes inside. Plenty of the choices seem a little out there, but some seem to be somewhat acceptable. Ken buys the clothing pieces that aren't too out there before they head to another store, with more casual clothing. 

"Ooh, what about this shirt?" She grabs a t-shirt with a loud design on it that says 'Bring on the fights!'. It seemed quite a bit oversized for her. She also picked out a plaid skirt and a frilly black one.

"Can't get any regular pants?" Kazuma asked.

"I would but my tail wouldn't fit. So I gotta get button-up skirts instead." She's browsing from an assortment of shirts.

"Can't just take off the tail?" He says to himself quietly. "She's quite dedicated."

Finally, she chooses from an assortment of shoes, which include choosing platform boots, thick-sole high top sneakers, and winter boots. Finally, after purchasing all the clothing choices, she enters a dressing room. Saki is waiting outside of it to hand her more clothing to try on.

She first opens the curtain to show them her first outfit, her wearing a blouse with a pleated skirt and thigh-length platform boots. "Well, how do I look?" She's nervous, holding her skirt while blushing a bit.

Ken is blushing as well. "Umm well... it looks really good."

Kazuma chuckles and puts his hand on Ken's shoulder. "Oh, so she's your kinda girl huh?" His remark makes Ken elbow him in the stomach slightly.

Kitsu then goes back into the closet to change into another outfit. She comes out again with a plaid skirt with the high-top sneakers and the oversized t-shirt, slightly off her shoulder. However, this time she's more confident, with one eye-closed, posing for Ken.

"Well, what do you think? I look good?" She says, laughing while saying it.

"Well that was a major turnaround in attitude!" Ken says surprised. "But in all honesty, yeah, it's nice on you."

"Hehe, why thank you Ken-kun." She giggles slightly.

She then goes back, testing out more clothing. Kazuma on the other hand nudges Ken, whispering to him. "Yo man, wanna catch a quick peak? If we each take turns distracting Kunagiri-san, we can get a good look inside!"

"Seriously dude? What's wrong with you man? Thought guys our age outgrew their perving out tendencies from high school. Hmm?" Ken sees Saki looking their way.

It seems she overheard Kazuma, noticing Kazuma whispering to him. "Could you say that a little louder Miyamoto-san, I could've sworn I heard you say something about peeping." Kazuma suddenly starts laughing nervously as Saki is glaring at him while smiling disturbingly. However, her disturbing glare is cut short, as it seems a disturbing aura is emanating from Ken instead, something even she notices. "Yanagi-san?" She looks at him concerned.

Ken's look is that of seriousness. He then quickly changes the look on his face, closes his eyes, and smiles. "Would you excuse me for a moment, Kunagiri-san?" He says that as he cracks his knuckles. Then in one quick smooth movement, he turns around and punches Kazuma in the gut, making Kazuma's eyes bulge out and spit, as he doubles over, like as if his ghost just left his body. Ken turns back around, trying to maintain his smile, while a vein seems to be popping from his head. "Sorry about him. That's my best friend for you, haha."

Saki laughs slightly, a bit shocked at what happened, but still finding it funny nonetheless. "Didn't think he could be an idiot like that."

Finally, Kitsu comes out with her last outfit, a short winter coat with her a blouse underneath, some winter boots and leg warmers, and thigh-length socks and a longer frilly skirt. "Here's my last outfit! Although, it's kinda hot in it." She sees Kazuma on the bench outside slumped over. "Hmm? What's up with him?"

Ken looks over at the dejected Kazuma. "Him? Nothing. It's not like he had anything weird planned. Right?" He looks over at Kazuma threateningly.

"Ahaha, no, nothing at all." He's intimidated by Ken's glare.

Once Ken paid for the clothing, the four of them went on their own separate ways. 

"I'll see ya in class Ken. Had some errands I had to run today, so Ima catch ya later dude." Kazuma took off in a flash. A text appears on Ken's phone. It's from Kazuma, saying 'Lemme know if you get some' which causes Ken to sigh.

"I've got homework I need to do today too Yanagi-san. Sorry, I was going to do it but got completely sidetracked when I saw Kitsu-chan. But it was nice meeting you both. Let's hang out again some time!" She and Ken take out their phones and trade info. "Until next time Yanagi-san!"

Kitsu and Ken were by themselves now. "Hey Ken-kun, thanks for hanging out with me today. I know I asked but, well I didn't think we'd actually get the chance."

"It's no problem. I had fun. It's nice going out and checking out the city every now and then."

"If it's okay with you, would you be willing to keep hanging out with me every now and then?"

"Sure. Just let me know when you're free." The two of them smiled. He couldn't help but feel he started to understand Kitsu better.

---

The rest of the day went pretty smoothly. Ken went back to the apartment but it seemed like none of the others had arrived yet. Ryoko however was sitting in the commons area on the ground floor.

"There you are Ken-kun!" She got up from her seat and walked up to him. "Next time, give me a heads up before you have my stuff moved."

"Sorry." He laughs nervously.

"Anyways, I was wondering if you wanted to hang out, go get something to eat tonight. Want ramen? It'll be my treat."

He thinks on it, and wants to stay in but then remembers what Igor said about his power being strengthened through bonds. After considering that, he decides to hang with her instead. "Know what, why not? But please, I'll pay for my own part of the bill."

---

The two of them wandered the streets of Yakaboshi, before stopping in front of a ramen stand. Ramen Ichiban was the store's name. It was an open bar, which the two of them sat down at.

"Get what you want Ken-kun. It's on me tonight."

"Please, just let me pay for my part."

"I insist. After all, it's the least I can do for what you did for me."

"You shouldn't feel like you need to pay me back. We're friends after all."

Sat down at the bar, they browse their options. Ken decides to order Sapporo style miso ramen, while Ryoko orders Shoyu. The two first start by sipping the broth.

"Ken-kun, in all seriousness, thanks for what you did. I don't know if I could've come to terms with what I wanted out of my life if you hadn't stepped in. I was always so worried about others judging me, but you didn't."

"I said only what I was thinking. That's all."

"You did a lot more than that. Seriously, thank you. But despite all I said well... I'm not sure how I'm going to get there. My mom wanted me to get a regular career and distance myself from the clan, but well... it's something that's been passed down for generations. My mother, my grandmother, and my great grandfather before her. And despite being women, my mother and grandmother before were still able to hold their positions as the matriarchs. I want to carry on that tradition. That said though well... I know the public doesn't exactly think highly of us. We're a yakuza clan after all. And knowing that, I'm not sure how to change their opinion of us."

"So you're giving up?"

"No. I already made my choice. I want to change how they think of us. It's just a matter of how." She looks in Ken's direction. "You think maybe you could keep talking with me? I feel that maybe so long as I got you, I might be able to somehow figure this out."

Ken smiles. "I'd be glad to." He slurps up some noodles while drinking up more of the broth.

"Thank you. I promise, soon, I'll figure out what to do."

He smiles at her, glad to see she's determined. He couldn't help but feel her was growing closer to her. 

 

I am thou... thou art I...

Thou hast forged a new bond...

 

It shall strengthen thy own ability to unite thy comrades,

reshaping the outcome of your journey.

 

With the aide of the Empress Arcana, you have acquired the

power necessary to forge your own path in the 

perilous journey lain before you.

 

Suddenly, Ken got a text from Ren. It told him that everyone had finally arrived and to meet back at the apartments.

---

Ken and Ryoko entered the commons area on the first floor, for Ken to immediately notice a familiar silver-haired man, along with a red-haired woman and a blonde short haired guy. Next to Narukami, a guy with messy parted hair and a pair of orange headphones is sitting there, jamming to his music. Other than the new faces, Mitsuru, Ren, the twins, Yukari, and Akihiko are present. In another section of the room, Sophie and Kitsu are playing with a cat, each one seeming fascinated by the other.

"Wassup?" said the short-haired blonde. He looks in Ren's direction. "How ya doin' Renren?"

"It's great to see you senpai," says the redhead.

Yu laughs and looks in Ken's direction. "Glad to finally be here. And nice of you to finally join us Yanagi-san."

Yu nudges the guy with headphones, and he takes them off. "Hmm? Oh, we're ready now?"

Ren picks up the cat and sits on the couch nearby. "Easy there Morgana."

Everyone is gathered in the commons late at night. Ken and Ryoko sit down and join them all. Mitsuru seems to draw all of their attention.

Yu nudges his friend again. "Gonna introduce yourself?"

"Oh, right! It's great to meet you! I'm Yosuke Hanamura!" 

The blonde-haired guy leans forward. "Well seeing as we're all introducing ourselves, I'm Ryuji Sakamato. Nice to meet ya man!"

"And I'm Sumire Sakamato, his wife." says the redhead. "Although, you may know me by Yoshizawa, from the Olympics." 

"I do recognize you!" Ryoko is in awe. "You won the gold for rhythmic gymnastics in 2024!"

Ken smiles and laughs a bit. "Got a lot of high profile figures here with us.”

Mitsuru smiles, but then clears her throat. "It's a pleasure to meet all of you. If everyone is gathered, then I believe we can finally begin." She looks over at Ken. "Yanagi-san, please, tell us what you've discovered."

Notes:

Lately, school has been tough, but I've been trying. At first this was just a side hobby, but I truly wanna try and make something big outta this now. That's why I'm doing a ton of edits, rewrites, research, all to make this a smooth readable experience. I only hope you can all enjoy it. Just as I learn and evolve as a story creator, so does this story evolve in its contents. :D
Social Links
The Councillor (The Wild Cards) - Rank 1
The Star (Takuto Maruki) - Rank 1
The Aeon (Kitsu) - Rank 2
The Empress (Ryoko Souji) - Rank 1

Ken's Party
Ken Yanagi - (The Fool) Nobunaga
Kitsu - (The Aeon) Wu Zetian
Ryoko Souji - (The Empress) Hangaku

Shadow Operatives
Minato Arisato - (The Fool) Orpheus
Minako Arisato - (The Fool) Calliope
Akihiko Sanada - (The Emperor) Polydeuces
Mitsuru Kirijo - (The Empress) Penthesilea
Yukari Takeba - (The Lovers) Io

Investigation Team
Yu Narukami - (The Fool) Izanagi
Yosuke Hanamura - (The Magician) Jiraiya

Phantom Thieves
Ren Amamiya/Joker - (The Fool) Arsène
Morgana/Mona - (The Magician) Zorro
Ryuji Sakamoto/Skull - (The Chariot) Captain Kidd
Sumire Yoshizawa/Violet - (The Faith) Cendrillon
Sophie - (The Hope) Pandora

Chapter 22: 4/23, Yakaboshi Grand Apartments Commons (A Dangerous Show)

Every available member is gathered together. Ken and Ryoko are sat on a couch, while Kitsu, back in her original outfit, is leaning behind them on top of the couch. Mitsuru is sat on the center of the couch opposite, with Akihiko and Minako beside her, while Minato leans on the side next to his sister and Yukari is leaning on the back of the couch. On an armchair to the right of them, Ren is sat with Morgana, while Ryuji and Sumire stand to his right, with Sophie projecting to be standing on his left. Yu and Yosuke are standing on the right side of Ken's party, with Yu leaning on the side of the couch while Yosuke is sat down at the coffee table.

Mitsuru sips her tea. "So this new world, you're saying it exists within the radio frequencies?"

Ken nods his head. "We entered that world by accident, thanks to this program on my phone." He shows it to them. "I'm not sure of the specifics, but it looks like this app is only able to be used to bring in one other person. What's more, it seems that if a normal person tries to tune into the Hidden Broadcast, it's like a radio show on there. Not only that, but it seems Persona Users are dragged into this world instead, and with this world's new rules, a lot of Persona users seem to end up dying in there if they can't adjust quickly. Even stranger is that I've heard some Persona Users are using that world as a means of control."

"Then there seems to be only one choice. We'll have to explore this world for ourselves."

Minato rubs the back of his head. "We've got an even bigger problem." His nonchalant expression suddenly turns serious. "Our work on the Great Seal, it looks like it can be made to last permanently. But to do that, Ken needs to get stronger. And he's only got about three months to do it."

Minako nods in acknowledgement. "We found out that by the end of July, the Great Seal will be completely undone. But Ken-kun has the power to ensure that it stays put. We just need to help him reach it."

Akihiko seems to take these words heavily. "So then, everything we've been working for, it now all rests on this kid." He looks in Ken's direction. "I hope you're up to the task Yanagi-san. Because our hard work, and the fate of the world depends on this."

Ren clears his throat to get their attention. "Back to the matter at hand, we need to find out all we can about this new world too. I think this can work to our favor in training Yanagi-san as well. The more Shadows he faces in this new world, the more training he'll get. And well... I think this new world may be at the center of something even bigger. It's just a feeling I'm getting." He looks at the cat as it meows loudly and moves pretty frantically. "Hah, who knows. We'll just have to see."

Suddenly, Ken gets a vocal notification on his phone from the mysterious program.

"New Shows and Programs are waiting for you to explore!"

"Give me a moment. I need to get something from my room." Ken goes back to his dorm for just a brief moment and fetches his radio. It's not long before he goes back downstairs and places it on the coffee table. "I think we should keep this here. We can use it to enter the other world."

"Smart choice." Ren says.

"I just got a notification on the app on my phone. It says there's some new shows and programs available. I think we should check it out. This might be important."

Everyone nods their heads as Ken starts to tune the radio. Something then crosses Yosuke's mind. "Hey, Yanagi-san, this new world, if it's really designed to kidnap Persona Users like us, then what do you think is the bigger purpose behind it?"

Ken paused for a moment to think on that. "I thought that might've been the purpose. You think there's a bigger endgame to it?" He tries to wonder what could honestly be the endgame to it all. "It's not a point we should consider now. Not when we have too many questions. For now, we should focus on the matter at hand."

Ken turns the knob to FM 98.2, FM 77.9, and FM 88.6 and presses AM. Followed by that, they all seem to clutch their heads briefly as static rings through their heads and their ears. Once again, they're in a world inside the frequencies. Suddenly, the Phantom Thieves are in their attire. Everyone goes outside of the dorm real quick to see the world. Aside from Ken's Party, everyone is looking around in shock.

Yukari sweats slightly. "I can't believe it... it's actually real."

Yu looks at the sky and reaches his hand out. "It's all... static in the sky. Just what the hell is this place?"

A young boyish voice speaks up. "Is this place a byproduct of the Metaverse?" Ken looked around trying to find that voice. "Down here dummy!"

Ken looks down and sees a cartoonish looking cat-like figure. "What in the goddamn...?"

Ryoko looks and screams louder. "Monster cat!"

The cat-like creature gets mad. "M-Monster cat?! Seriously?! Still?!"

The Phantom Thieves, particularly Ren, takes a moment to explain the situation. "This is Morgana. He's the one who first taught us about the Metaverse and how to steal hearts. He's also one of the founding members of the Phantom Thieves."

Ken straightened up and bowed courteously. "Sorry for my reaction. Just took me by surprise."

Ryoko follows suit. "Me too. I didn't mean anything by it, honest."

Kitsu on the other hand begins playing with Morgana's cheeks and petting his head. "So soft..."

Morgana begins to protest but quickly changes. "Hey stooooooo... mrrreoooooooww....."

Sophie also pats his head. "There there. Feeling any better Meowgana?"

"Mreeeeeoooooowww.... don't call me that.... mreeeeeooooooowww..."

Ken was surprised by Sophie's presence. "Wait, Sophie's here with us? Does that mean...?"

"Yep," Ren replied. "She's a full fledged Persona User, just like the rest of us."

Ryuji looks down at Morgana unsurprised. "Dude, the cat's drooling."

"So then Morgana, your cat in the real world, that's actually him?" Ken said.

"Yup," says Ryuji. "believe it or not, this crazy guy is the cat."

Everyone regroups inside the Yakaboshi Apartments. Kitsu takes the moment to tap into her senses and scan the signals. She closes her eyes and concentrates intensely. After a few minutes of concentration, she opens her eyes again. 

"It's just as I thought," she says. "This place is a Dead Zone as well."

Yosuke and the others looked at her in confusion. "Dead zone? What's that supposed to mean?"

Kitsu takes the time to explain to them the inner workings of the Radio World, how everyone sends off signals and how Shadows track them using signals, and Ken's unique ability to keep their signals hidden helps all of them.

"I see," Ren says. "So these places are pretty much like our Safe Rooms back in the Metaverse. But why is this place a Dead Zone?"

"Again, it's a hunch, but I think it's because of Ken-kun's cognition of this place. Just like how he viewed his own dorm, this is a place he can relax and feel safe in, so in this world, it reflects that."

"So in theory, Yanagi's the one who's creating these Dead Zones?"

Morgana is sitting with his arms and legs crossed. "I don't like this new world. At least Jails were similar to Palaces in a few ways. But this place? It's all unfamiliar to us. That makes it more dangerous than anything before."

Ren puts his hand on his chin. "Perhaps but on the bright side, it seems that Yanagi has some sense of control over the world." He looks at Ken. "By the way, what was going on with your phone earlier?"

Mitsuru leans forward from her chair. "Actually, I was wondering about that too. What's that mean? New shows and programs?"

Kitsu's ears twitch. "Only one way to find out. Ken-kun, you ready to go outside and tune into the new shows?"

Ken nods and everyone stands up. Once they step outside, Ken opens the app on his phone, noticing quite a few new signals. However, unlike the last signal with Ryoko, this time it's allowing him to tune into the signal and listen. He tunes his phone to focus on the new signal, and as he focuses, a mysterious voice begins to broadcast. 

"Good evening everyone, thanks for tuning into our show tonight! And it's quite a show! Tonight, we got ourselves not one, but two special guests on our show. And boy, are they an interesting couple."

In the background, they can all hear faint voices.

"Chi.... ta... I'll.... protect...."

"Jun... going on...? What is.... where....?"

"Tune into tonight's broadcast, and see where the show goes, people. Which one will be consumed by the Shadows? Him? Or her? An amazing show, only available 'til the end of May!"

The show then cuts off, with everyone confused and concerned over what they had just heard.

"We need to hurry." Minato said. Looking at his face, everyone could see he was serious.

Yukari addresses his urgency. "You think it's... who we think it is...?"

Akihiko seems concerned as well. "I somewhat recognized the voice. If it's really him, then there's no doubt who the other person is as well."

Minako nods her head. "We'll need to rescue them, quickly."

"Hold on." Yu says. "We're venturing into dangers we're completely unaware of. The least we should do is prepare and get stronger."

Mitsuru interjects. "We can't just sit around and wait. If our hunch is correct, two of our friends are the guests on that show. And from what it sounds like, the guests of these shows are in the most danger."

"You're right, but listen to the broadcast entirely." Yosuke says. "They said the show was available 'til the end of May didn't they? Now I don't know much about shows, but I do know if they're filming with them as the special guests, they'll need to keep them alive for that long. So since we have some time to work with, I think it'd be best if we prepped ourselves, just like Yu said."

"At the very least, we should try and investigate what's going on with the show." Morgana says. "If we can come up with a plan to secure our infiltration route, then at least we'll be a step closer to making our rescue plan." Everyone nods. "Then if we're all agreed upon, lead the way Yanagi. We'll follow from above." Following that, the Phantom Thieves disperse quickly. Looking around, everyone notices that they've climbed the buildings around the streets and are watching over them. Ren gives a quick nod to Ken. It looks like they've got everything covered from above.

Ken nods and pulls out his phone, using it to lead the way. There are many Shadows wandering the streets, but they manage to avoid them thanks to Ken's ability. As they proceed to wander the streets in search for the signal's source, they begin to notice that the Shadows are searching more resiliently, almost as if it's their mission to find them. Ren and the other Phantom Thieves are running across the roof, looking to see if there's anything that may be of use. Looking forward, they see a large warehouse building. However, it's strange, as it looks like that building is shrouded in static compared to the other buildings. The Phantom Thieves jump down, with Ren approaching Ken.

"There's a warehouse ahead covered in static. It looks like it's in the direction your tracker's leading us."

Ken nods and they proceed to advance in the direction of the static building. As they come closer, they see the shrouded building in sight, the static disappearing the closer they get. The entrance to the warehouse is open, with a strange looking vortex. 

"That vortex is pretty familiar." Yosuke says. "During our time in the Midnight Channel, there was always a strange portal that would lead into someone's TV show. This could be the same thing."

The group walks inside, with the environment around them changing drastically. What should've been the inside of a storage warehouse, changed into a production studio for a radio show. Inside the studio, there was a booth high above them, which is where they probably broadcast the show and edited the sound. There was a set of audience seats, with the center piece being the main show in the center. Looking at the center, there was a giant pit of Shadows, with two cages suspended above them. In those two cages was a guy with a goatee and a baseball cap, while the other cage had a woman in a white gothic lolita outfit. The two are trying to reach out to each other.

Akihiko is the first to notice them. "It's Iori and Yoshino!"

Suddenly, they hear slow clapping over the speakers. A man's voice is heard over the speakers as well as a sinister laugh. "Well, well, well, it looks like the participants have arrived, just as I had expected. And quite the interesting group indeed. The Shadow Operatives, The Inaba Investigation Team, and the Phantom Thieves all in one place. Not to mention a fresh new group of Persona Users as well. So, looks like you'll be this episode's participants. You should be honored." 

Ryuji starts getting mad. "Who's there? Show your face, asshole!"

"Hahaha, no I don't think I will." They look up at the booth high above them, and see a shadowy figure. his face is obscured with his back turned to them. 

Something Kazuma told Ken earlier comes to mind. This may sound a little strange but, well the emcee was announcing some weird fight story on the radio. "You're the host? So then you're the one behind the Hidden Broadcast?"

The shadowy figure offers no response, other than a condescending smile. He then disappears into the shadow. As he disappears, a final announcement plays. "Our contestants have arrived! Will they be able to save our poor victims? Find out by the end of May. We'll be bringing you daily updates on our heroes across their journey. This will be quite entertaining indeed." As soon as he finishes his broadcast, he turns his attention back to the group. "I think that's enough for one night." He then snaps his fingers, summoning a ton of Shadows, dressed as security guards.

"Not good." Sumire says. "There's too many for us to take right now."

Ken clenches his teeth. He wanted to find out who the host was. But seeing as they were surrounded, that was an impossibility at the moment. "Then now's the time to retreat."

With that said, the group flees as quickly as they can. They retreat, back to the Dead Zone in the Apartments, before returning to the real world.

---

Back in the commons, they take a moment for themselves to get situated.

"Dammit," Yukari says. "How the hell did you end up in there Junpei?"

"Shit!" Akihiko slammed his fist on the wall. "We didn't find out anything, and worse than that is we have two friends in danger." 

"That's not necessarily true." Sophie points out.

"She's right." Everyone turns their attention to Morgana. "Remember, because the show has to last until the end of May, the host will probably keep them alive until then. And from what we saw, it looks like we won't need to make our way to the target the same way we did before."

Yosuke looks in confusion. "Before? What do you mean? For us and the Midnight Channel, we had to fight our way up multiple floors before reaching the very top, where the Star of the Shows were waiting."

"It was a bit similar that way for us too." Minato says. "We had to fight our way up Tartarus, until we reached a blocked off floor. Then, every full moon, a powerful Shadow would appear, which we would destroy, opening up higher floors of Tartarus."

"It was different for us. We had to go through a cognitive version of a location, generated by our target's minds. First we would secure a route to the core of their world, created from their twisted desires, what was known as a Treasure. Then to steal that treasure, we would send a calling card, and carry out the act the following day."

Ken contemplates with his hand on his chin. "I remember Amamiya-san telling me about all of that."

"Please, just call me Ren." he says with a smile.

"Right, sorry Ren. Regardless, I heard about that procedure. So what's different now?"

Morgana nods. "I'm sure you noticed, but here it seems we can enter that place any time we wish."

"What was that place? A production studio?"

"Can I finish my explanation first?" Morgana says, getting a bit annoyed. "So, as I said, it seems we can enter the Studio pretty easily. The hard part is that it looks like once we enter, we're going to need to fight our way through a ton of Shadows in order to reach them."

Kitsu realizes where this is going. "So then we don't need to secure an infiltration route. We just need to make a plan to rescue them and be strong enough to face the onslaught of Shadows in our way."

"That's right. So from now until the end of May we need to all focus on getting stronger, to a point where we're good enough to deal with the Shadows in there." Everyone nods.

Mitsuru adjusts her hair. "One more point of contention. I feel we should make a decision on who will lead us. Whoever that is will decide when we go in and when we'll pull off the rescue. I would've suggested Minato again, but I wanted to hear all of your opinions first."

Minato then points at Ken. "I believe we should follow his lead." Everyone looks at him.

"My brother is right." Minako looks at Ken and nods. "As my brother has said before, we believe he's at the center of this."

Ryoko nods too. "Ken-kun saved my life, so of course I'll follow his lead."

Kitsu's ears twitch. "We made a deal, so of course I'll follow you."

"No objections here." Yu says. "Sometimes it's best to have the younger generation light the way for us."

Ren laughs. "Come on man, we're not that old yet. Still, I agree. Not only that, but it seems Yanagi-san is quite sharp, and he's able to think impartially. That's a valuable asset when we're in the middle of the action."

"If our leader says so, then I'm all for it." Yosuke says, smiling and giving Ken a wink.

"I see no issues." Sophie says. "If he really has the potential to lead us all, then I say we give him a chance."

"Well, if Renren's vouching for ya, then I'm in too." Ryuji flashes Ken a grin.

Sumire gives Ken a warm smile. "Do your best Yanagi-san. Senpai and all the others believe in you."

Akihiko smirks. "Not my first choice, but if Minato and Minako are vouching for you, then I see no reason to go against it."

"Agreed." Mitsuru says.

"If everyone's going to follow him, guess I will too." Yukari smiles at Ken. "Don't let us down, okay?"

Ken sighs. "Well, if I have to, so be it. Alright, so our plan to rescue them begins now. First thing we all need to do is get stronger. Is everyone on board?" They all nod. "Great. Then tomorrow, it begins."

Morgana nods. "We'll be counting on you Yanagi."

"Now that being said," Mitsuru added, "As adults, we have many obligations we may need to attend to, so you can't always expect all of us to be able to join you on a whim. However, we'll make sure to keep the important dates cleared so that we'll be at your disposal when you need us the most."

Yanagi nodded. "It's a fair arrangement. Everyone else has lives outside of this too, so I appreciate you trying your best."

"Then it's settled." Mitsuru smiled. "We'll be waiting for your go Yanagi-kun."

Everyone seems to have agreed to work with Ken to see this through. In spite of his protest, he can't help but feel happy they trust him. He can feel a slight bond forming between his new team.

 

I am thou... thou art I...

Thou hast forged a new bond...

 

It shall strengthen thy own ability to unite thy comrades,

reshaping the outcome of your journey.

 

With the aide of the Fool Arcana, you have acquired the

power necessary to forge your own path in the 

perilous journey lain before you.

 

"Hey, I just realized but..." Ryoko was the first to notice, before it finally snapped in place for everyone else. "Why is the cat talking in this world?"

Notes:

Social Links
The Fool (Persona Users) - Rank 1
The Councillor (The Wild Cards) - Rank 1
The Star (Takuto Maruki) - Rank 1
The Aeon (Kitsu) - Rank 2
The Empress (Ryoko Souji) - Rank 1

New Generation
Ken Yanagi - (The Fool) Nobunaga
Kitsu - (The Aeon) Wu Zetian
Ryoko Souji - (The Empress) Hangaku

Shadow Operatives
Minato Arisato - (The Fool) Orpheus
Minako Arisato - (The Fool) Calliope
Akihiko Sanada - (The Emperor) Polydeuces
Mitsuru Kirijo - (The Empress) Penthesilea
Yukari Takeba - (The Lovers) Io

Investigation Team
Yu Narukami - (The Fool) Izanagi
Yosuke Hanamura - (The Magician) Jiraiya

Phantom Thieves
Ren Amamiya/Joker - (The Fool) Arsène
Morgana/Mona - (The Magician) Zorro
Ryuji Sakamoto/Skull - (The Chariot) Captain Kidd
Sumire Yoshizawa/Violet - (The Faith) Cendrillon
Sophie - (The Hope) Pandora

Chapter 23: 4/24, Yotenbori River Bridge (Breakfast and Counseling)

The morning is quite average for Ken. Waking up at least, it's routine as usual. He practices on his training dummy for about 30 minutes. Although, with all the room he has now, he's able to practice more moves. Suddenly, there's a knock on his door. Curious, he opens it to find the Wild Cards are waiting outside for him.

"What're you doing here?"

"We came to see if you'd like to have breakfast with us downstairs." Minako says.

"Trust us, I think if anything, we could all use a break. And the chance to get to know each other better." Yu says.

Ken takes a moment to think about it, but then decides to join them. "Alright. What're we having?"

"Well actually," Ren says. "we were hoping to work together to make something. Just felt like a nice idea, trying to work on making something together."

Minato yawns. "Gotta eat something. We got a long set of days ahead of us."

Yu gives a confident smile. "No need to worry. I used to cook all the time back when I was in high school. It... usually turned out good?" He laughed slightly, and with his last remark, Ken felt it was a 50-50 chance of tasty or terrible with Yu.

Ren scratches the back of his head. "I'm a pretty good cook. Managed to cook a ton of dishes from all sorts of places, when me and my friends were on a cross-country road trip." He also flashes a cocky smiles. "And you know I make a great cup of coffee."

Minato averts his gaze. "Ummm..."

"Me and my brother have never cooked before!" Minako says with a bright smile, as if somehow that was something to be proud of.

Guess this would be a good way to get to know the others better. Ken was free for the day since he had no classes until Monday again, so he decided to hang out with the other Wild Cards for the morning at least. Maybe he could also learn how to coordinate better with them if they tried working together in the kitchen first.

---

Downstairs in the commons, the kitchen is pristine. There are a ton of things to work with, such as a grill, a gas stove, a deep fryer, an oven, and much more.

"Well damn." Ken can't hold in his amazement. "And this is all for us to use." He opens the fridge, but there's nothing in there. "But we haven't got any ingredients we can use."

"Oh, that's not a problem." Suddenly, Sophie's hologram appears. "What do you need to order?"

"Oh, good morning Sophie. Hmmm... well I was thinking a traditional breakfast, so how about some eggs, salmon, rice, and miso soup? Could go for some green tea too. Guess we're taking a trip to the supermarket."

"As I said, that shouldn't be a problem. I've already placed the order."

Yu turns his head in confusion. "What's she talking about?"

"Just trust her." Ren says. "You'll see right about.... now."

Suddenly there's a knock on the front door of the apartment building. "Hello! Expedited delivery!"

"How in the fu-?" Yu is shocked.

"Oh wow!" Minako is surprised. "That was fast!"

They open the door to see the delivery person. "Just sign here, and you're good to go!" Ken signs the pad, and then takes in the box. After the group opens the box, they're all amazed, minus Ren, who already knew about the delivery.

"I can't believe it..." Ken is amazed it all got here so quick.

"It's an independent courier service that delivers very quickly." Sophie explained. "So long as you're ordering items prepared and ready to ship, they can bring it by immediately. I'll make sure to send you an invoice for reimbursement."

"Oh, right," Ken says. "Need to pay for these." He pulls out his phone. "Do you take electronic payment apps by any chance?"

"Of course. Just give me one moment." Suddenly, there's a notification on Ken's phone, costing him ¥4000. "If there's anything you need, just call for me. I'll leave you all to it then!" Sophie then disappears, leaving the Wild Cards to themselves.

"So this is how much things have changed in 17 years." Minato was surprised, albeit it was difficult to read it on his face since his expressions and tone never really changed much. "To think we can now get almost instant delivery."

"Oh man, and they look fresh from the supermarket too." Yu says as he checks out the eggs.

The group then enter the kitchen and begin working on breakfast. 

"Let's divide the labor fairly." Ken looks around and analyzes the spots around the kitchen. "Narukami, could you work on grilling the fish?"

"Sure. Leave it to me. And please, just call me Yu." He begins seasoning the salmon.

Ken nods and then turns his attention to the twins. "Mind cooking the rice and brewing some tea maybe?"

"Sure." Minato says. "I may not cook much, but I at least know how to make rice. So long as I'm using a rice cooker anyways..." He fills up the rice cooker in the kitchen and turns it on.

"I'll work on the tea." Minako says. "I may not cook, but I'm actually pretty good at making tea. Even Mitsuru likes it." She smiles and begins heating a kettle.

"Thanks." Ken then turns to Ren. "Ren, you mind making the miso soup?"

"Giving me the easy job? Sure, consider it done." He begins boiling water and adding dashi.

"Great. I'll work on the rolled tamagoyaki." He begins cooking the eggs.

After a few minutes, everything has been finished. They then set the table and everyone's servings for breakfast, having Sophie call everyone down.

Ken and the other Wild Cards are standing by the table. "Breakfast is ready. Please, enjoy." Soon, they are all sat down. Not long after, they savor their meal.

"My my, this tea is quite refreshing." Mitsuru says, smiling. 

Minako returns her compliment with a smile. "Thank you!"

"Mmm, this salmon, mmm, sho good!" Ryuji can't help but grin from ear to ear, almost tearing up from the food.

"Careful there lovebird! But you're right, these rolled omelettes are amazing!" Sumire says as she swallows one.

"This brings me back when you used to share your school lunch." Yosuke grins, looking at Yu.

Akihiko just gives a simple smile. "It's good."

"My family would have breakfast like this every day." Ryoko was sipping the miso soup.

Kitsu takes a piece of everything at once. Her tail is wagging side to side. "So good...!"

"Did you all work together to make this?" Yukari says as she swallows a portion of rice.

"Yep." Yu brushes his bangs slightly with his hand.

Morgana looks to be pouting. "Mmmm, can I have some of the salmon?"

Ken smiles and leaves a raw salmon fillet on a plate for him. "Here, for you little guy."

"Salmon!" Morgana smiles as he happily eats the fillet. "You're the best Yanagi-san!"

Once breakfast is done, the Wild Cards all return to the kitchen to clean their utensils. They're quite proud of themselves, making a breakfast that everyone enjoyed. Cleaning the dishes, everyone enjoys conversation with each other.

"You're all pretty good at cooking." Minato says while washing the rice cooker.

Minako is cleaning the kettle. "Did you all cook a lot?"

Ken smiles while cleaning the grill. "I grew up, wanting to cook a lot after I entered high school. I told you before that my mom was a member of the Diet when she had me and my brother. But when she was home, she always did her best to cook and take care of us too. A lot of recipes she made got passed down to me. That, and a passion for cooking." 

Yu is cleaning the plates. "I cooked my school lunches back in high school, when I lived with my uncle. Most of the time, I'd usually eat with someone. Usually, they liked it. The rest, well..." He averts his gaze. "The rest of the time it was either terrible in taste or completely inedible. But sometimes, I made pretty good food."

Ren is cleaning the cups. "I learned my skills from Sojiro Sakura, a man who's like a second father to me. I was put under his care when I got arrested. At first we didn't get along. But eventually, after trials and tribulations, we grew closer. He taught me everything I knew about culinary arts. From making the perfect cup of coffee, to making the best kind of curry."

Ken smiles. "I enjoyed working with you all to cook a great meal."

Ren returns his compliment with a smile as well. "I enjoyed it too Yanagi-san."

Yu pours takes a drink from some of the remaining tea. He looks at Ken and also gives him a smile. "The way you split us up for the tasks, you're pretty good at dividing tasks fairly. I'll admit, it was admirable."

Minako gives Ken a kind look. "You're such a nice guy Yanagi-san. When it comes to the nature of Wild Cards, I've heard we're able to draw people together, because of our ability to understand ourselves and others."

Minato gives a slight smile while cleaning the plates, talking to himself. "Makes you wonder, just how special does that make you, being able to bring us together, along with everyone else tied to us." He then turns to Ken. "Yanagi-san, why do you choose to throw yourself in this whole mess?"

"Why did you?" Ken asks in return.

"We had the power, so we had the responsibility. Simple as that."

"I suppose that's one way to put it. But it's not just that. Sure at first that's what I wanted but well, after we first met in the Velvet Room, I realized something. You're all great people. And after hearing your stories, about your adventures and your teams, and all you did for others well, how could I not help you guys? Especially if it looks like Persona Users we know, friends of yours need help. So yeah, it is my responsibility but... I wanna do it to help you all as well." Ken looks back at them all with a smile. "I know I'm still a novice, in spite of you choosing me to lead. But I'll try, and I'll try to do my best for everyone."

All of them look at Ken in surprise. They all then turn back to their tasks, happy with his answer.

"A good kid," Yu says to himself. "I wonder what's in store for him. This journey will be quite the story, I'm sure."

Ren smiles, satisfied with his answer. "He'd have made a great Phantom Thief. Maybe we can all learn something from him."

Minako giggles to herself. "Boys like him, who always try to take care of others, always were the cutest. Hmm, guess that's why I fell for Aki." She's happy knowing that there are more people like him, kind people who always help others.

Minato slightly cracks a smile while cleaning the plates. "Well I'll be damned. He may be a kid. But he's got a heart of gold."

Ken was happy knowing that he made new friends, and that they were like him. He couldn't help but feel that he was growing closer to them, and the gap was closing ever so more.

---

For the most of the afternoon, Ken went exploring Yotenbori before returning to his apartment in the evening. He then received a text message from Dr. Maruki.

 

Yanagi-san, are you free tonight? Was wondering if you were interested in a quick personal session. I'll be waiting in my office on campus.

Sure thing. I'll swing by. I'll pick up a snack on the way for the both of us.

Now you're getting the snacks? It's nice, but really, you don't need to do that.

It's fine. Least I can do.

 

Ken stopped by the Triple Seven convenient store to purchase two cups of pudding. Once he was finished, he made his way to the campus. Once reaching Dr. Maruki's office, Ken knocked on the door twice.

"Come in!" Dr. Maruki was typing up a report before Ken entered.

"Writing something important, Doc?" Maruki closed his laptop.

"Just a bit of research I'm doing. It's nothing important." He stands up and sits on the couch. "Please, feel free to sit if you'd like."

"Thanks." Ken takes the snacks out of his bag. "Hope you like pudding Doc."

"I appreciate the gesture Yanagi-kun. Quite the reversal, huh? Normally I'd be giving you a snack."

The two open their pudding cups. Ken also brought a bottle of tea for himself.

"So tell me Yanagi-san. How's life? Able to keep up with school despite your other activities?"

"Well enough. Tell me, during our personal sessions, you say I can always talk about anything I want right?"

"That's right. I'm here to listen and discuss any matters you wish to discuss. So please, feel free to discuss whatever you wish with me."

"Alright. Well, I wished to learn more about you Doc."

"Oh? Interested in learning more? You could always ask Amamiya-kun."

"I could. But no better place to learn than straight from the source. Of course, you don't have to share what you don't want."

"Using my own words? Haha, I'm kidding. But of course. If there's anything reasonable you want to know, I'll be happy to talk."

"Alright. So tell me Doc, what was your tenure at Shujin like?"

"I'm sorry, but you'll need to be a bit more specific. Where do you want me to start?"

"I guess start at the very beginning, like what made you start working at Shujin in the first place?"

"If we're starting there, I'd say it all started after Shujin faced that scandal involving the P.E. Teacher, Kamoshida. The school called me and asked if I could work as their counselor. Of course, there was a lot of rumors about their decision, like the possibility that they only hired me in order to make their image seem better. But I agreed because I genuinely wanted to help the students."

"That's nice of you. So how did you meet Ren?"

"Well, I was assigned to specific students who had the biggest issues with Kamoshida. But of course, I can't tell you anything we discussed, patient confidentiality and such."

"Understandable. At the very least, I'm curious, but what was your first impression of Ren when you met him?"

"First impression huh? Guess you could say I didn't have one. See, I've never been one to try and guess how people are based on my precognition of them. I'd rather speak with them first and figure out how they are before I come up with any ideas. That's how I was with Amamiya-kun as well."

"And is that how you are with me too?"

"That's right."

"So then what is your idea of the kind of person I am?"

"I'm not sure yet. Maybe I'll see in time. The only thing I can say about you is that you're quite determined. What about you though? What do you think about the kind of person I am?"

"Hmmm..." Ken takes a moment to think about his answer. "You're a mystery Doc. But I trust you."

Maruki smiles. "Unfortunately, our time's about up. Still, it was nice talking to you. Thanks again for the snack Yanagi-san. I'll see you next time?"

"Yeah, see you round Doc."

Ken was glad to come in for another session with Dr. Maruki. He felt that Maruki gained a better understanding of him, as did he of Dr. Maruki. In doing so, he felt closer to him, as if he could feel the roots of their friendship growing deeper.

Afterwards, the long day had finally passed, and Ken returned to his apartment, exhausted and ready to rest, getting in at least one hour of studying before finally laying down and drifting off, ready for the days to come.

Notes:

Social Links
The Fool (Persona Users) - Rank 1
The Councillor (The Wild Cards) - Rank 2
The Star (Takuto Maruki) - Rank 2
The Aeon (Kitsu) - Rank 2
The Empress (Ryoko Souji) - Rank 1

New Generation
Ken Yanagi - (The Fool) Nobunaga
Kitsu - (The Aeon) Wu Zetian
Ryoko Souji - (The Empress) Hangaku

Shadow Operatives
Minato Arisato - (The Fool) Orpheus
Minako Arisato - (The Fool) Calliope
Akihiko Sanada - (The Emperor) Polydeuces
Mitsuru Kirijo - (The Empress) Penthesilea
Yukari Takeba - (The Lovers) Io

Investigation Team
Yu Narukami - (The Fool) Izanagi
Yosuke Hanamura - (The Magician) Jiraiya

Phantom Thieves
Ren Amamiya/Joker - (The Fool) Arsène
Morgana/Mona - (The Magician) Zorro
Ryuji Sakamoto/Skull - (The Chariot) Captain Kidd
Sumire Yoshizawa/Violet - (The Faith) Cendrillon
Sophie - (The Hope) Pandora

Chapter 24: 4/25, Ken's Apartment (The Diligent Student and the Yakuza Heiress)

Ken had woken up in the Velvet Room dressing room again, the familiar sight of his mirror being the first thing that entered his gaze as he rose from the spot he was laying on. As usual, he exited the dressing room and headed to the performance area, only this time he was alone. Suddenly, a spotlight shined down, revealing Rosalina.

"Welcome. It is good to see you again."

"Why am I here again? Is something the matter?"

"I have summoned you here to inform you of another service we offer. It is not utterly important, but I felt perhaps informing you of this service will be useful to you." She snaps her fingers and the arena lights up. "This theater is also an arena. With that said, you can use the Arena as you wish for training. Should you wish to train with your allies, you shall be able to fight to your heart's content here. All damage to you or the environment will only be temporary. As such, you can face your allies with all your strength without any repercussions."

"I see. So then I can get stronger here if I train with my allies."

"The answer to that is not so straightforward I'm afraid. As I'm sure you understood my explanation, there is no risk factor involved in training here in the Arena. As ones with the power to solve this mystery, you can only get stronger through risking your life in true battle, Wild Cards even more so, by collecting and creating new personalities. The only use of training in the Arena is to refine your strategy and technique."

"I see. So the Arena won't get me any more ready for the upcoming catastrophe in three months. Guess I have no choice but to return to the Radio World every now and again to get stronger."

"Fret not. Should you show improvement in your technique here in the Velvet Room, my brother and I have set aside special rewards for you. But that shall be a subject for another time. For now, return to your rest. We shall meet again soon enough." 

---

Ken was in big trouble. Not because of everything that was going on. Something worse. The one thing he had been dreading suddenly popped up in his mind. To think he had completely put it aside until the very last minute. 

"Oh god, I completely forgot," He says as he checks his academic calendar. "I got a test for math tomorrow! Shit, I had completely forgotten about it!"

Ken looks online to try and find the study material. He's in a panic because he really didn't like to leave things until the very last minute. Thankfully, he manages to find the study guide that the professor left online. 

"Alright, so this material should be easy." Suddenly his stomach grumbles. "Dammit, I gotta study, but I'm hungry. But if I go make food, that's gonna waste time I could use studying." He's trying to consider his options. Should he go to a café? But then he'd spend money, and it'd just waste more time walking to the café. He was in a real dilemma. "Dammit, it'd be easier if I could have someone help me."

"You called?" Suddenly Sophie appeared. "If you're having trouble studying, I can help you with that."

"Seriously?" Ken seems surprised.

"I am humanity's companion after all." She then presents a holographic display of his work. "It should be quite simple. You can study while making food if you'd like."

The two of them go on to study for hours. As the two study, Ken can't help but feel that he's getting smarter. It's like as if Sophie's aide is boosting his brainpower. Soon enough, before you know it, it's already evening. 

"Did any of that help, Yanagi-san?"

"Yeah, as a matter of fact it did. But I think that's enough for now." He stands up and stretches. "Thanks for all your help Sophie."

"No problem. I simply researched the best study methods that would suit your needs for time management."

"You're a smart girl. Glad to have ya round."

Ken felt like his brain was boosted thanks to Sophie's help. Hopefully, with all the studying they did together today, he could at least pass his test tomorrow.

---

Ken was sitting in the apartment commons on the first floor, reading a shoujo manga he bought online on his tablet. Suddenly, Ryoko approaches him.

"Hey Ken-kun, you free to hang out this evening? I wanted to continue talking about our last conversation."

He had a test tomorrow, but then he realized this may be a good way to relax and unwind, as he had been stressed all day. So he closed his tablet.

"Sure, why not? I'll even treat you tonight. Wanna go to this café I know? They serve some pretty good pasta there. They got some amazing gelato too."

"Hmm? What's gelato?"

"It's an Italian style of ice cream. Trust me, I think you'll like it."

And so the two of them left the apartments. The place Ken was talking about was Café Roma. Inside, there is a sweet aroma of coffee. At the front counter, there is a casing lined with different choices of gelato. The two of them are seated at a table. Ken looks at the menu to see what they should eat. 

"Anything you like Ryo-chan?"

"Hmmm. I think I'll try the Pasta al Limone. It's a pretty simple lemon pasta."

"Alright. I'll order myself a Spaghetti Aglio e Olio."

Ken stepped up to the counter and ordered their dishes, taking a table marker. A few minutes later, their food was ready. The two of them savored their food quite nicely.

"This is so good!" Ryoko was smiling.

"It's on me tonight." He says as he chows down.

Ryoko takes a drink of her water. "Hey so Ken-kun, about what we talked about last time..."

"Yeah I was gonna ask you about that. I just realized, but I don't know the whole story. Tell me, why did you want to be a yakuza anyways? It's not usually the first thing that comes to mind when considering career choices."

"Well that's quite a long story." She takes another bite of her food. "My mom wasn't always the head of the clan. Before that, it was her brother, or my Uncle Tadashi, whichever one you'd prefer. He was a good guy. He may have been a yakuza, but he was always honorable. He never hurt those that didn't deserve it, and never caused issues for anyone who didn't have it coming. Hell, I guess he could've been a cop, if his methods for stopping crime weren't outside of the law."

"So why did your mom become the head of the Souji Clan?"

"My uncle always tried to hold onto his honorable principles and morals. Thing is, being a good person as a criminal makes all the bad ones your enemies. A gang of bikers tried to cause trouble in town, wrecking some food stands and local shops. My uncle himself went to deal with them. He rarely ever made his own people fight for him if it was something he felt he could handle. He just didn't like risking people's lives unnecessarily. I heard that's when one of the bikers drove a knife in his back. And from what I heard, that didn't stop him. There were about 9 bikers in that gang, and he beat the living hell out of every one of them. Eventually, the police came to arrest them all. My uncle collapsed from his wounds and well... that was the day we lost him."

"I didn't know... I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring up such a hard subject."

"It's alright. I'm just happy he was a great guy despite what he was." She smiles slightly. "Hey Ken-kun, you're a great guy too you know."

"C'mon, you don't have to say that." Ken looks away shyly. "I don't see myself as a good guy. I just do what I believe. It's nothing special, so I don't think I deserve any merit for that."

Ryoko giggles a little. "You remind me a lot of my uncle. He always said the same thing." She puts her fork on her plate, her meal finished, same as Ken's. "Come on, let's try that gelato!"

The two of them stand up and approach the front. 

"I'd like it coffee flavored!" Ryoko says with a smile.

"Alright, one coffee flavored gelato, and one ube please!"

The two of them sit down as they enjoy their gelato. Ryoko seems quite pleased with hers. "This is so different from regular ice cream! It feels so much smoother, and it tastes so good! Thanks for showing me this!"

Ken smiles at her thrill. "Any time Ryo-chan. Thanks, for talking to me. You really opened up."

Ken couldn't help but feel the gap between them closing ever so more, as he learned about her history. He was happy knowing that they were friends.

---

As the night ended, Ken received a text notification on his phone. It looked like it was a new group chat for the new team.

 

Ren
I set up a chat for us all to discuss our activities. You all receive this?

Loud and clear.

Ryuji
Yo!

Sumire
Smart choice, senpai.

Ryoko
Just got this.

Akihiko
This should be helpful. It'll make talking to each other easier,
considering all our different schedules.

Ren
Just got a new phone for Kitsu and the twins so they should hopefully
be checking in soon, once they figure out how to use it.

Mitsuru
I'm currently helping them with that.

Yu
Shouldn't be too hard hopefully. Two of them have been gone for 17
years and one of them has never been to this world before. XD

Yosuke
Dude, you realize this is a group chat, right?

Yukari
Great, this'll be fun. 😑

Minato replying to Shouldn't be too hard...
🖕

Minako
Minato!

Kitsu replying to Shouldn't be too hard...
I didn't need Mitsuru to show me anything. I know how to use a smartphone, jerk!

Ren
Morgana and Sophie says hi.

Tomorrow, you guys wanna head into the Radio World? After class, I should
be free. The deadline is just drawing closer, and I feel we need to train.

Yu
We're following your lead here. You wanna gather us all to go, just
send a message and we'll come on over.

Yukari
He's right. I'll be waiting for your notice.

Ren
Lead the way.

Ryuji
Ya got this man, I'm sure of it.

Kitsu
If you wanna go back, don't forget about bringing me along.

Sumire
Could never forget to bring you along Kitsu-chan.

Ryoko
Yeah, how did the clothes shopping go by the way?

Kitsu
It went great! Got some nice new clothes for when I go outside.

Akihiko
Whatever the case, let me know whenever you're headed in. I could use a
chance to knock off the rust. 

Mitsuru
Agreed.

Where is Aigis by the way?
I thought she was supposed
to join us yesterday.

Mitsuru
It appears her maintenance will take longer than expected. There’s no certain date when she’ll be available.

Well just keep us updated then.

Akihiko
By the way, there's something on the side I'm working on. If it pans out,
it could be helpful. I'll give you more details once I find out more.

Good luck on that then. If that's all settled, I think I'm gonna get some
rest. Got a long day ahead of us.

And with that, Ken drifted off in his bed, ready for the next day to come.

Notes:

I will be skipping days from this point on that don't have any real story value, as in the days where they just grind, as I'm sure you're aware of how it was in the game. However, I will still be writing and covering every step of each link he makes. With that in mind, I hope you enjoy the story between these characters. :D

Social Links
The Fool (Persona Users) - Rank 1
The Councillor (The Wild Cards) - Rank 2
The Star (Takuto Maruki) - Rank 2
The Aeon (Kitsu) - Rank 2
The Empress (Ryoko Souji) - Rank 2
New Generation
Ken Yanagi - (The Fool) Nobunaga
Kitsu - (The Aeon) Wu Zetian
Ryoko Souji - (The Empress) Hangaku

Shadow Operatives
Minato Arisato - (The Fool) Orpheus
Minako Arisato - (The Fool) Calliope
Akihiko Sanada - (The Emperor) Polydeuces
Mitsuru Kirijo - (The Empress) Penthesilea
Yukari Takeba - (The Lovers) Io

Investigation Team
Yu Narukami - (The Fool) Izanagi
Yosuke Hanamura - (The Magician) Jiraiya

Phantom Thieves
Ren Amamiya/Joker - (The Fool) Arsène
Morgana/Mona - (The Magician) Zorro
Ryuji Sakamoto/Skull - (The Chariot) Captain Kidd
Sumire Yoshizawa/Violet - (The Faith) Cendrillon
Sophie - (The Hope) Pandora

Chapter 25: 4/29, Yakaboshi Grand Apartments (The Arcade and a Boxing Match)

Ken had created a separate group chat with the other Wild Cards. He figured, maybe there was stuff that should be privy to only the leaders of each group, so he decided to make it so.

Hey, any of you free today? I was wondering if we
could all hang out. I'm done with classes

Yu
I'm open for the day. I'm at the open mall right
now, but I can come meet you.

Minako
Me too. I've just been sitting here at the dorm, so I haven't
really had anything to do all day.

Ren
You can count me in.

Minato
Well, it's either do something or sleep all day. So, what'd you
have in mind? Gonna eat or something?

Was actually thinking of hitting up the arcade. Any of
you like racing games or shooters?

Yu
Count me in, I'm curious to try.

Ren
Believe it or not, I'm actually pretty good with a gun.

Minako
Sure, I'd love to join!

Minato
Guess I'll go with. Still, don't rely on me too much if we're
teamed up together.

Great! I'll meet you all at the bridge!

---

Everyone had gathered at the Yotenbori River Bridge. Ren was wearing a black blazer, with a glove covering his prosthetic hand. Minato was dressed in jeans with a sweater vest and a blue dress shirt. Minako was wearing a sweater and a pink scarf, with knee-high boots. Yu came wearing a grey hoodie with a black tee. Meanwhile, Ken was dressed in a white dress shirt with his sleeves rolled down.

"Hey, you guys actually came." Ken was surprised.

"Of course we did." Yu smiled kindly. "You invited us after all."

Minako was also happy to see him. "It's only fair of us to arrive cordially once we accept."

Minato's gaze is diverted to the river. "It was either this, or I just slept in."

Ren adjusts the glove over his prosthetic. "I think we're gonna have fun together."

Ken smiled. It had been a bit since he'd gone to an arcade with friends. And knowing these people, it was gonna be pretty entertaining. He couldn't help but smile, as he lead the way.

"Alright come on, let's go!"

At the arcade, they're all excited. So many games are available to play, many of them new. So what were they going to try out first?

"How about this?" Minato was standing in front of a row of ten booths with guns. It was a new group shooter game.

"I heard about this game." Ken immediately took interest. "It's a rail shooter, called Ops Squad. The goal of the game is for players to work as a team to wipe out the fortified enemies. Wanna give it a try?" 

"Sounds fun!" Minako seemed excited.

The five of them stood in front of a booth. Soon, once the game started, they began shooting wildly at the screen. Ren was aiming pretty fast. Minako was pretty frantic with her shots while her brother moved pretty slowly, almost as if he didn't care if he lost or not. Yu on the other hand was pretty accurate. Ken however, was shooting both fast and accurate. He realized the key was to prioritize the ones that appeared first. Soon enough, they had managed to finish the game, with a combined score of 25,000.

"Yes!" Ren pumped his fist.

Looking at their individual scores, Ren had scored the highest out of everyone.

"You're pretty good." Minato said while rubbing the back of his neck.

Once they had finished at the arcade, the five of them were walking down the streets of Yotenbori. The smell of takoyaki and yakitori. There was also yakisoba and crepes, as well as taiyaki, dango, and candied fruit. Ken decided to stop and get some food.

"Hey yo, you guys want anything?"

"I'll take a crepe and some candied fruit!" Minako says excitedly.

"Sure you're okay paying?" Yu said concerningly. "I can help if you want."

"Relax. It's on me."

"In that case, I'd love some yakisoba. If you don't mind, I really appreciate it."

"I'll have some takoyaki if you don't mind." Ren was busy checking something on his phone.

Minato looked tired as always. "I'll just have myself some dango."

"Got it." Ken then stops at each food stand, ordering everyone's food, along with some yakitori and taiyaki for himself. Once they had ordered all their food, they found a nearby bench to sit at. "Wait here, I'll get us a few drinks." Ken stopped at the nearest convenience store and got them some convenience store sake in the small jars.

Ren was still staring at his phone. Ken couldn't help but be curious. "Something on your mind Ren?"

"Nothing big. Just making sure to check on my kid." He puts his phone away. "Sojiro's looking after them, so I just wanna make sure they're not causing too much trouble."

"Must be nice, having a kid." Yu smiled. "Rise and I are still dating. We've been together for a while now, ever since we got out of high school. Truth be told, I'm nervous."

"Hmm?" Ken turned his attention to Yu. "Why's that?"

"Because in spite of being together for about 15 years now, I'm still worried to ask her the question." 

It took a few moments for the gears to turn in everyone's heads to see what he meant. Ken was especially surprised. "Wait... 15 years?!"

"I asked her out when we were still in school. Just, well, I get nervous thinking about it."

"But you've been together 15 years haven't you? I'd say it's the perfect time for you to ask."

"I would too, but... well it's just, she's got a career you know? As Risette, the famous idol everyone loves. She already left the scene once and came back to it again. If I decide to ask her to settle down with me well... I feel that would mean she'd have to finally leave the idol scene for good. And that there'd be no shortage of people harassing us. So... I mean, should I really?" Yu genuinely seemed concerned for Rise's career. So much that he'd put off advancing their relationship any further.

Minato yawned, almost as if he didn't really care what Yu said. "So what?"

"Huh?" Yu looked at him with confusion. "What're you saying?"

"I said, so what? Look at me and Yukari-chan. She's a famous actress. Yet here I am. I'd have no problems asking her to marry me. Besides, if it works and she can continue her career, then that's great. If not, well she can decide what to do, whether she wants to put it aside to go with me, or continue her career. Either way, it's not like I'd tie her down. She's someone who makes her own choices." He takes a sip of his sake and and one of his dango. "The only reason I haven't asked her yet is because I want to make up for the time we lost before I do so. But you, you've had 15 years to be together. So I say go for it."

Yu was pretty surprised by his advice. "I'll think about it."

Ren takes a piece of his takoyaki. "So Minako-chan, I heard you and Akihiko were an item before all of this."

"That's right. Me and Aki got together during our school year."

"Heh, guess we're both attracted to figures of authority."

"Hmm? What do you mean?"

"Akihiko didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

"He's currently working under Makoto Niijima, the Senior Commissioner of the Confidential Affairs Division." He takes another piece of takoyaki. "Also, my wife."

Minako seems surprised. "Akihiko works under her? Speaking of which, why does she go by Niijima?"

"We use our own last names for our careers."

"I see. I can somewhat understand that." 

The five of them continued eating. They then turned their attention to Ken.

"What about you Yanagi-san?" Minako is taking a bite out of her crepe. "You interested in anybody? Plan to settle down?"

Ken feels he's been put on the spot. "Honestly? I try not to think about that. At least not yet. I believe the time will come when I'll know who I want and what I'll want with them." He looks at all of them and smiles. "You're all so grown up. Me, I'm still just barely starting my life."

Ren smiles. "Don't mean it's too early to fall in love. Who knows, the person you want may be just round the corner." 

Minato smiles and raises his sake glass. "To love, and who we may choose to join us in our adventures in life. Cheers everybody."

"Cheers!" everybody says as they clink their glasses.

As they down their sake, Ken feels their bond strengthening. Hearing them talking about love and their domestic lives gave him hope about possibly some time finding someone to have a domestic life with himself. Once they finished their food, they returned back to the apartments.

---

There was a knock on Ken's door. Curious to see who it was, Ken opened it, only to find Akihiko standing outside. He definitely wasn't expecting him.

"Can I help you Sanada-san?"

"Please, just call me Akihiko. Everyone does."

"So what brings you to my door this evening?"

"I wanted to ask you a favor. But not here. Come with me."

"Alright then." Ken was curious what Akihiko could want from him. Following his curiosity, he followed him as well. He led Ken downstairs. The two then got in his car and drove off.

Ken still had no clue where they were going. "Where are you taking me?"

"You'll see in just a moment. We're arriving right now."

As the car stopped, they pulled up at a place called Gilded Gym. Now things were even more confusing. "You brought me here to exercise?"

"Somewhat. I brought you here because I wanted to train."

"Train? What do you mean?"

"I saw how you fought in the other world. You're pretty good with your fists and your legs. I knew another lady once who was good with her legs. One kick from her, felt like getting kicked by a horse." He turns around and looks at Ken. "So I wanted to take a chance to train by sparring with you myself, wanted to see what you're made of. So I figured we'd duke it out in the ring."

Ken realized he was still wearing his normal clothes with his white shirt and all. "In these clothes? You sure you wanna? I mean you're still wearing your suit."

"It's fine. I'll just take my jacket off. Besides, in the real world, we won't get the opportunity to wear whatever makes us most comfortable. And besides, these clothes aren't necessarily difficult to move in. I guess the only reason people have a problem fighting in clothes like this is the mental factor, since they don't wanna get these kinds of clothes dirty."

"You make a fair point. If I remember correctly, you box don't you?"

"You've got a good memory. Come on, let's go inside. We'll talk more in there."

The two got out of the car. Inside of the gym, there was equipment everywhere, like bench presses and treadmills. However, Akihiko was more interested in the fighting ring at the center of the gym. The two of them stepped up to the ring, each in a corner. Akihiko then tossed Ken a pair of padded fingerless fighting gloves. He was also putting on a pair for himself. Without second thought, Ken put his on.

"So what're the rules here? Just using our hands?"

"Hmm? When'd I ever say that?"

"We're not boxing?"

"Not tonight. No, tonight, I wanted to train with you against your full fighting style."

"Are you sure? Doesn't that mean you'll be at a big disadvantage?"

"Heh, don't count me out just yet. I think you'll be surprised at what I can do."

The two stood up from their corners and moved towards the center of the ring. They then touched gloves and began the match. Akihiko then started hopping around a bit. It was like as if he had a rhythm. Suddenly, in a flash moment, Akihiko sent a straight at Ken's face. Taken off guard, it hits Ken right in the middle of his head, between his eyes. He backpaddles back, surprised by the sudden blow. 

"Damn, you're a fast one."

"Key element in boxing." The two square up again, this time, Akihiko hits Ken with a cross. It lands again right between Ken's eyes, knocking him back. Ken however squares up again. He takes another straight, followed by a hook and an uppercut. Akihiko was starting to get a little confused. "Just gonna stand there and take it?"

"Not just standing." Ken wipes his lip. "Studying. Learning."

Akihiko strikes again, with a cross jab, only this time, Ken deflects it out of the way, spinning around, and elbowing him in the back of the head. Following, he then turns again, grabbing Akihiko's arm, and placing his forearm around his neck, following with a sweeping kick to his legs, knocking Akihiko to the ground.

"Shit!" He's taken by surprise and guards his face with his arms, as Ken then proceeds to do repeated cycling punches to his face. Akihiko then rolled back and stood up again. Ken then rushed him and locked his hands behind Akihiko's head and gave him a knee to the side. Akihiko then pushes him off and tries to hit him with a straight jab, to which Ken follows by doing the same, locking their arms together as their heads dodge out of the way.  He then proceeds to punch Akihiko in the side with his other free hand, before grabbing his arm again, and sweeping him in the same manner as before. He then proceeds to have his arm in a kimura lock before Akihiko taps. "Alright, that's enough, I'm done!"

He releases his lock and then offers Akihiko his hand. He graciously takes it and stands up. Ken however is concerned. "I'm sorry, did I go too far?" He was worried Akihiko might've been a sore loser.

"Don't worry, it's fine. It's my fault for making the rules too free in the first place." He stands up and leans against the ropes of the ring. "Still, I'm surprised. Most people usually can't keep up with my strength or my speed. That's how I was the captain of the boxing team back in high school." He remembers the starting phases of their sparring. "Hey tell me, if you were able to avoid getting hit the whole time, why did you take it for so long?"

"It's not as simple as that. I was using my head at the beginning of that fight to try and analyze. Before I knew how to react, I was trying to gauge your speed and how strong your strikes were. I gotta say, you pack a pretty fast and a pretty strong punch. But once I had that figured out, I tried creating possibilities in my mind of how to follow up based on whichever kind of attack you threw."

"I see. So you analyzed me and came up with possibilities. I didn't think that was possible in the heat of the moment."

"Well not always. That tactic is pretty much useless if someone tries to come at me with a weapon. If that happens, I wouldn't wanna stand there and take it to analyze. I'd just have to either work my brain quicker or go with my gut."

"I see. So you try to use your rationale in a fight in the real world. But what about when you were fighting those Shadows? Was that the same? Or were you working on your gut there?"

"The latter. Still, I've used it quite a few times, and it's helped me so far." Ken then unwrapped his hands. Looking at Akihiko, he couldn't help but be curious about him. "Can I ask you something?"

"Hmm? What's up?"

"Why didn't you pick Minato to lead instead?"

"Hmm? Where's this coming from?"

"I remember when we were choosing someone you said I wasn't your first choice. I wouldn't have been the first choice either. So why'd you all back me?"

"Heh, you're right about not being my first choice. But not for the reasons you think."

"Huh? What's that mean?"

"It's that right there Yanagi-san. You got the skill, the brains, and the impartial nature of a leader, and you know how to plan things and organize. But you lack the confidence of one. That's why Minato was my first choice. The only difference between you two was he never second-guessed his choices. He was always certain of what to do. But he backed you. Yanagi-san, you got the potential to be a great leader. You just need to start feeling more trustful of your own judgement." He reached out his hand. "Besides you're at the center of all this. No matter what, it looks like we're all going to be following you. Whether we like it or not. But if I'm being honest? I'm starting to see your potential. So I've got your back, and so do the rest of the Shadow Operatives." The two shake hands. Akihiko grins slightly. "I believe in you Yanagi-san. I speak for all of us when I say I'm sure you won't let us down."

Ken couldn't help but smile. Akihiko and the Shadow Operatives seemed to have faith in him despite being the youngest out of everybody. If they had a high faith in his ability, he wanted to make sure to try his best not to let them down. If more people were going to depend on him, he was going to make sure he did his best to live up to their expectations.

 

I am thou... thou art I...

Thou hast forged a new bond...

 

It shall strengthen thy own ability to unite thy comrades,

reshaping the outcome of your journey.

 

With the aide of the Hermit Arcana, you have acquired the

power necessary to forge your own path in the 

perilous journey lain before you.

 

"It's about time we headed back. Come on, I'll give you a ride again." And with that, the two returned back to the apartments.

---

Hey you all busy? Was wondering if I could discuss
the Hidden Broadcast with you guys. I'm still curious
about it myself.

Yu
Well, perfect timing actually. I was just researching an online
article about the whole Hidden Broadcast.

Ren
Oh? And what did you find?

Yu
All that's said right now is that it's a trend among teens and that this
channel seems to have quite a lot of content that sounds pretty
dangerous.

Minato
Like what?

Yu
Sometimes it sounds like one of those fucked up escape rooms, with the
host providing deadly challenges for the contestants. Other times, it's poll
shows, where someone dies based on audience response. On top of
that, he's narrating the whole thing. It sounds pretty disturbing.

Minako
So this guy is like some sick puzzlemaster who plays with people's lives?

Damn, that's messed up.

Ren
There's something else bothering me. Our power is tied to Yanagi's, 
which means the reason we're back at the start of our power is because
he's at the start of his. It's gonna be more difficult for people like us,
who were used to powers like True Arcana.

Yu
True enough. It's hard, being unable to tap into our full potential right now.

Sorry I've caused you all such inconvenience.

Minato
It's fine. I don't really care. Besides, no use crying over it now. We'll just
have to make the best of it.

We just need to hunt more Shadows in order to get
stronger yeah? Plus that scholarship program will
pay pretty well for it.

Ren
Before you guys ask, it's a thing me and Mitsuru set up. Hopefully,
we can all make it before the deadline by the end of May.

Yu
Don't forget about the one at the end of July. World depends on it after
all. But it'll be fine. I'm sure Yanagi-san has a plan.

Minako
Just waiting for whenever you wanna hop in. Just say the word.

Got it. For now though, I'm going to bed. It's been a long day.

And so Ken rested his head, drifting off. He was readying himself for the difficulties to come. Thinking back on what Igor said, he had an obligation to see the journey through.

Notes:

Social Links
The Fool (Persona Users) - Rank 2
The Councillor (The Wild Cards) - Rank 3
The Star (Takuto Maruki) - Rank 2
The Aeon (Kitsu) - Rank 2
The Empress (Ryoko Souji) - Rank 2
The Hermit (Shadow Operatives) - Rank 1
New Generation
Ken Yanagi - (The Fool) Nobunaga
Kitsu - (The Aeon) Wu Zetian
Ryoko Souji - (The Empress) Hangaku

Shadow Operatives
Minato Arisato - (The Fool) Orpheus
Minako Arisato - (The Fool) Calliope
Akihiko Sanada - (The Emperor) Polydeuces
Mitsuru Kirijo - (The Empress) Penthesilea
Yukari Takeba - (The Lovers) Io

Investigation Team
Yu Narukami - (The Fool) Izanagi
Yosuke Hanamura - (The Magician) Jiraiya

Phantom Thieves
Ren Amamiya/Joker - (The Fool) Arsène
Morgana/Mona - (The Magician) Zorro
Ryuji Sakamoto/Skull - (The Chariot) Captain Kidd
Sumire Yoshizawa/Violet - (The Faith) Cendrillon
Sophie - (The Hope) Pandora

Chapter 26: 5/1, Ken's Apartment (The New Month)

April had already passed. It seemed to have gone by so quickly. For the past few days, when Ken wasn't trying to deal with school or help anybody, he was training in the other world, hunting Shadows with everyone else. But it was already May, and he felt he wasn't anywhere near prepared to head back to the studio, much less face a demonic being by the end of July. This just made him feel like he was carrying a ton of bricks with how heavy his tasks were. But that was all the more reason to keep pushing.

Suddenly, he got a text from Kitsu.

 

Hey Ken-kun, you free today? I wanted to urgently talk to
you about something.

Sure, what's up?

It's about the Radio World. 

Wanna go talk about it over ramen?

That'd actually be nice. Thanks. I appreciate you taking
time out for me.

---

The two of them were sat down at Ramen Ichiban. The two were just getting a drink at first. Soon enough, their food had arrived. Ken had ordered his favorite, Sapporo style miso, while Kitsu ordered a basic tonkotsu. He was slurping his noodles quite loudly. Kitsu is dressed with her blouse, button-up skirt and platform boots, while Ken is dressed in his usual white shirt with his sleeves rolled down.

"Hey, Yanagi-san, what do you think I am?"

"Hmm? What do you mean?"

"I mean, I know I was born in that world. But I don't even know what I am. I'm not exactly human. So just, what exactly am I?"

"You're you. Doesn't matter what you are. It's like us humans. All we can be sure of is that we think, therefore we are."

"But I want to know more than that. I want to know how I came to be. And I feel maybe the mystery of what I am lies in the Radio World somewhere."

She puts her chopsticks down and looks at him sincerely.

"Will you help me find out the truth about what I am?"

"Course I will. We're a team after all."

The two of them finished their meals quickly. Ken quickly drank the broth from his bowl before setting it down.

"Truth be told, there's some things I wish I knew as well about myself. Like why I was chosen for such an important task."

"You mean leading everybody?"

"That, and being the Unifier. I still don't even understand, just what is that supposed to mean? And why me of all people?"

"I'll help you search for the answers too Ken-kun. It's like you said, we're a team after all. So I'll stick by you."

After their little heart-to-heart, Ken remembered his deal with Kitsu. 

"Say, wasn't there anything else you wanted to learn about here in the city?"

"Well I do wanna try and go to a karaoke bar. I hear people love going there to hang out with friends."

"Oh, so we're friends?"

She looks at him concerned. "I'm sorry, is that too much?"

"Nah, not at all. In fact, kinda like it. Just didn't know if you thought of us that way was all."

"Well I do." She looks at him with a kind smile. "You're a nice guy after all."

The two of them entered the Shifuku Karaoke Bar near the park. For a few hours, the two of them belted it out. It was quite a bit of fun, singing together. If anything, he felt closer to Kitsu, knowing that they had each other's backs.

---

On the way back home, he passed by the gym. Inside, he saw Ryuji and Sumire exercising together.

"Hey Kitsu-chan, why don't you go home without me?"

"Hmm? Sure. Gonna be okay by yourself though?"

"Don't worry about me."

"Alright. See you back at the apartments Ken-kun!"

Curious, he entered the gym to greet the two. They were both in the middle of running on the treadmill. Taking note of Ken however, the two of them stopped.

"Oh, Yanagi-san. What are you doing here?" Yoshizawa said curiously.

"I just happened to be in the neighborhood. Am I interrupting? 

"Not at all man!" Ryuji grabbed a towel and wiped his face.

Ken remembered the Phantom Thieves being able to scale buildings when they were exploring the Radio World. 

"Hey, I remember how you moved in the other world. Is that how you all operate in the Metaverse?"

"Yes, that's right Yanagi-san. Are you interested in learning?"

"Yeah actually. How'd you guys learn to move like that?"

"Heh, well if you're curious, Sumi here can teach ya." Ryuji pats Ken on the back.

"Really?"

Sumire nodded. "Yes, I was in gymnastics during my time at Shujin, and not to brag, but I competed in the Olympics. I'd say I could definitely teach you a thing or two about movement."

"In that case I'd be glad to learn!"

Ryuji smiled. "Well then ya better get ready to train, cause it's gonna be tough man!"

Ken grinned. "Bring it." He and Ryuji clasp hands, and he nods at Sumire, who smiles back at him.

 

I am thou... thou art I...

Thou hast forged a new bond...

 

It shall strengthen thy own ability to unite thy comrades,

reshaping the outcome of your journey.

 

With the aide of the Strength Arcana, you have acquired the

power necessary to forge your own path in the 

perilous journey lain before you.

 

"Can't wait to learn. But tonight, it's getting late. I'll catch ya all again soon enough."

"'Til next time man!"

"We'll teach you well Yanagi-san!"

---

Ken was sat at his desk studying slightly before he received some text notifications on his phone.

Ryuji
Anybody still awake?

Ryuji
Something I've been thinkin' bout.

What's up?

Sumire
Something bothering you lovebird?

Ren
Just saw this. I'm still up.

Yu
Me too. What's up man?

Ryuji
I been thinking, why's everyone so different?

Minato
You're gonna need to be a bit more specific than that.

Minato
Because we're all quite different.

Ryuji
I've just been wondering, we all seem to have our powers
taken from different worlds. For us, it was the Metaverse.

Ryuji
And what was it you Shadow Ops had? The Dark Hour?
And you guys from Inaba, you had the Night Show or 
somethin' like that?

Yu
The Midnight Channel, yes. And I'm starting to somewhat
see what you're getting at.

Ryuji
We all came from different worlds, faced different things, yet
some things always remain the same.

Yosuke
You're talking about Shadows and Personas right?

Ren
That's actually a pretty interesting detail. I didn't honestly think
about that part.

Yosuke
Thinking on it like that, you're right. Why do these things seem
to exist as a constant no matter where we are?

Yukari
Yeah, now that you actually mention it, it does seem strange.

Ryoko
What about that bastard before from the Studio? Y'know the
one who sounded all high and mighty. God that guy seemed
like an asshole.

You think maybe that mysterious figure might have
some answers?

Akihiko
Hard to say. For all we know, he's just another human like us
who's using the other world to his advantage.

Minako
Maybe Morgana-kun or Kitsu-chan know. After all, Kitsu-chan
says she was born in that world right?

Kitsu
Sadly, I don't seem to remember much about that world despite
being born there. Hopefully, the more we explore, the more answers
we can find.

Ren
Morgana says that while he knows about the Metaverse, he's not sure
why Personas and Shadows draw across the other phenomenon too.

Mitsuru
The answers to the important questions that matter never come so easily.

I guess that's just something we'll need to think on
and hopefully find the answers to. But for now I'm gonna
get some sleep. It's doing no good thinking on this when
 I'm completely wiped out.

Ryoko
Can't argue with that.

Yukari
True enough.

Ken was too tired to think on the answers now. Instead, he laid down, closed his eyes, and drifted off.

Notes:

Social Links
The Fool (Persona Users) - Rank 2
The Councillor (The Wild Cards) - Rank 3
The Star (Takuto Maruki) - Rank 2
The Aeon (Kitsu) - Rank 3
The Empress (Ryoko Souji) - Rank 2
The Hermit (Shadow Operatives) - Rank 1
Strength (Phantom Thieves) - Rank 1
New Generation
Ken Yanagi - (The Fool) Nobunaga
Kitsu - (The Aeon) Wu Zetian
Ryoko Souji - (The Empress) Hangaku

Shadow Operatives
Minato Arisato - (The Fool) Orpheus
Minako Arisato - (The Fool) Calliope
Akihiko Sanada - (The Emperor) Polydeuces
Mitsuru Kirijo - (The Empress) Penthesilea
Yukari Takeba - (The Lovers) Io

Investigation Team
Yu Narukami - (The Fool) Izanagi
Yosuke Hanamura - (The Magician) Jiraiya

Phantom Thieves
Ren Amamiya/Joker - (The Fool) Arsène
Morgana/Mona - (The Magician) Zorro
Ryuji Sakamoto/Skull - (The Chariot) Captain Kidd
Sumire Yoshizawa/Violet - (The Faith) Cendrillon
Sophie - (The Hope) Pandora

Chapter 27: 5/13, Kansai University (The Good Doctor and The Athletes)

Dr. Maruki was in his office, typing up his report on Ken. Suddenly, the door opened, and a man entered, wearing a tan peacoat, with a hoodie underneath, with the hood over his head, hiding his face. Underneath was a man with shaggy hair.

"Am I interrupting, Maruki-san?"

Dr. Maruki turns his chair around and is surprised. He flashes a kind smile. 

"Not at all." He closes his laptop and wheels his chair over. The man sits down on one of his couches.

"You seem to be enjoying your work in counseling."

"It's quite fulfilling for me. Helps keep me focused. But I assume you didn't just come here to talk about my life. Or dropped by for a counseling session. So what brings you to Yotenbori?"

"I'm here as a favor to Amamiya-san. I'll admit, I was surprised he managed to find me, much more so that he was able to contact me. As a favor to him, I'm looking into someone."

"Oh? Anyone we know?"

"Kenichiro Yanagi, a student here at Kansai University."

"Yanagi-san? What makes you want to look into him all of a sudden?"

"Amamiya believes there may be a lot more to his story. Something that he's either hiding, or perhaps something even he isn't aware of. So I'm using my former connections to find out the truth."

Maruki had a serious look on his face. "You sure that's safe, considering all that happened in the past?

"Save your worry for someone else. I can handle myself just fine." He leans forward. "I came to see you because I'd figure perhaps you'd know something about him."

"Even if I did, I can't tell you, you know that. Patient confidentiality and the like."

"Hmm, I thought as much." He stands up and walks towards the door. "I'll just have to find things out the hard way then."

"Akechi-kun..." He stops before opening the door. "I spoke with everyone else before. They came to me about what had bothered them the most. It doesn't help, keeping everything in and trying never to think about it. If you want, my office is always open you know."

He clenches his fist by the knob. "That's where you're wrong, doctor." He turns around to face him, a serious expression on his face. "I always think about the things I've done. I think about them every single waking second." He opens the door and leaves.

As he leaves, Ken enters.

"Who was that?" Ken asked curiously. "Old friend of yours?"

"Something along those lines." He wheels his chair to his minifridge and throws a bottle of tea to Ken. "Have a drink."

Ken catches it and sits down on the couch. "Hope I'm not interrupting your work doc."

He laughs slightly. "Not at all Yanagi-san! I was actually just about to see if you wanted to come in for a quick session." He then rolls his chair closer to Ken. "There was actually something I wanted to get your opinion on, Yanagi-san."

"Sure you want mine? I'm no medical or psychological expert."

"It's fine. I think it might be better to get the opinion of a normal mind."

He picks up his clipboard and begins writing. As he writes, Ken takes another sip of his bottle of tea.

"Tell me something. Before my job here at Kansai University and Shujin, I always studied the pain of the heart. Psychological trauma, scars, and effects on cognition. One subject I studied that fell under that was pain derived from guilt. Tell me Yanagi-san what are your thoughts on pain caused by guilt?"

"It's necessary. It makes you realize that you've done wrong but..."

"But?"

"There's no use dwelling on it though. Sure you can feel bad and accept that things were your fault. But if you don't move on from that guilt and try to be better from it, then you'll end up worse off."

"I agree wholeheartedly. So tell me, what would you do if you knew a friend who was determined to hang on to their guilt, even knowing it'd be the end of them?"

"I'd try my best to save them. Even if they didn't want me to."

"That's the answer I was expecting from you. You really do try your best for others don't you?"

"Isn't it the same in your case?"

"I suppose so. That's why it's my job after all."

"So then why that big question on guilt? Is it something personal?"

"Perhaps. But you don't need to worry about me." He gives him a kind smile. 

Ken was glad that Dr. Maruki was always willing to listen. The two of them continued to chat for a bit longer, as Ken started to feel closer to him.

---

After working hard on his homework back in his apartment, Ken decided to message Sumire and Ryuji. He was still curious how to move like they did, so he decided, why not try and take up their offer on training.

Yo, you guys busy?

Ryuji
Nah man, just chillin'. What's up?

Sumire
Is there something you need Yanagi-san?

You guys wanna train tonight? I'm free.

 

Ryuji
Hey man, I ain't got nothin' to do. So let's go for it.

Sumire
Want to meet us at the gym?

I'll see you both there.

---

Sumire and Ryuji put Ken through the ringer. He's been training with them for the past 2 hours, his body now feeling sore all over. He's extremely sweaty, and it seems like he's all worn out from the exercising. He's taking a drink from his water before sitting down on a bench.

"Man, you guys really work hard." He says, breathing heavily and panting.

Ryuji is also sweaty. "Gotta keep in shape somehow. I'm curious, you ever take interest in any sport when you were in high school man?"

"Nah. And martial arts only started as a hobby before I made it something I wanted to learn. What about you two?"

Sumire smiles as she answers. "We were actually quite the athletes in high school. I was an honor gymnastics student, while lovebird here was the star of his track team."

"Track team and gymnastics huh? Interesting choices. So how'd you two meet Amamiya-san?"

Ryuji scratches the back of his head. "It's a long story actually. Him and I were the first two to discover the Metaverse together. Was a complete accident too."

"Oh, so you're like, one of the founding members of the Phantom Thieves?"

"Yeah, guess I am huh?"

"And what about you Sumire-san?"

"Well, I met senpai coincidentally once on the train to school. Funny enough, I would keep running into him over and over during our school year. He's the one who helped me really find who I was."

"She means it both figuratively and literally man."

"Well now I'm curious."

Ryuji laughs. "Well ya can think on that another time dude. For now, let's work those muscles out man!"

Ken started to feel anxious, as it seemed he was going to be pushed far. In spite of that, he felt like he was getting closer to them. These two were some of Ren's closest friends. They must've been really glad to have met him.

---

Outside of the apartments, a hooded figure is waiting outside the front, leaned against the wall. Ken is about to walk inside, just to be stopped by the hooded figure.

"Kenichiro Yanagi. Age 22, student at Kansai University. Went to Kanzo High, a standard class high school. Currently working towards an education degree. Anything else I should add?"

"... who are you, and what do you want?"

"You could say I just want to know about you. Think of me as someone with a heavy interest in you."

"That doesn't answer my questions well enough."

"Well frankly, I don't care if those answers are good enough for you." He stands up from the wall and walks away. "We'll speak again another time. Goodbye for now then."

The hooded guy walks away. Ken keeps his eye on him, sharply. "What a strange guy. Just who is he? And what else does he know?"

Notes:

Social Links
The Fool (Persona Users) - Rank 2
The Councillor (The Wild Cards) - Rank 3
The Star (Takuto Maruki) - Rank 3
The Aeon (Kitsu) - Rank 3
The Empress (Ryoko Souji) - Rank 2
The Hermit (Shadow Operatives) - Rank 1
Strength (Phantom Thieves) - Rank 2
New Generation
Ken Yanagi - (The Fool) Nobunaga
Kitsu - (The Aeon) Wu Zetian
Ryoko Souji - (The Empress) Hangaku

Shadow Operatives
Minato Arisato - (The Fool) Orpheus
Minako Arisato - (The Fool) Calliope
Akihiko Sanada - (The Emperor) Polydeuces
Mitsuru Kirijo - (The Empress) Penthesilea
Yukari Takeba - (The Lovers) Io

Investigation Team
Yu Narukami - (The Fool) Izanagi
Yosuke Hanamura - (The Magician) Jiraiya

Phantom Thieves
Ren Amamiya/Joker - (The Fool) Arsène
Morgana/Mona - (The Magician) Zorro
Ryuji Sakamoto/Skull - (The Chariot) Captain Kidd
Sumire Yoshizawa/Violet - (The Faith) Cendrillon
Sophie - (The Hope) Pandora

Chapter 28: 5/24, The Velvet Room (The Investigation Team and the Shadow Operatives)

[RECOMMENDED LISTENING: ARIA OF THE SOUL]

 

Ken had drifted off once again, appearing in the familiar dressing room of his. He exits his dressing room and enters the stage once again. Suddenly, a spotlight turns on, illuminating that familiar long-nosed man from before. No matter what, his presence was always still unnerving for him.

"The time of action draws near. This shall be your first true trial to test your power."

Ken looked serioius. "You're talking about the deadline to save Junpei and Chidori?" 

"You must push yourself to the absolute limits. Then, once you have reached your limits, surpass them."

"You really like telling me to do the impossible don't you?"

"Unattainable, perhaps for others. But you are no ordinary being."

Ken felt himself drift off back to his rest once again, waking up back in his room.

---

Ken had woken up, feeling exhausted after the few previous days training with everyone, trying to get stronger so they'd be able to face their upcoming battle. However, he had no choice, as he knew that it was going to be tough inside the Radio World. It was already difficult having to face the wild Shadows outside, but the ones inside the Studio seemed even stronger. If he didn't have everyone prep thoroughly, then it would be a one way trip. Granted, the training they had done gave Ken quite the opportunity to explore the Radio World's version of Yotenbori and Yakaboshi. 

Ken was getting ready for his classes. However, he received a knock on his door. Curious, he opened, only to find Yukari Takeba standing outside.

"Hey Yanagi-kun. Hope I'm not bothering you."

"Not at all. Was just about to head to class today. What's up?"

"Have you got time after classes? I was wondering if you and I could talk."

Ken thought for a moment. "Sure, I don't think I have anything planned. Wanna meet up after class is over?"

"Sure thing. I'd appreciate it."

---

Ken's class today was on government. His teacher was giving him a long lecture of the function of the National Diet. Ken spent the whole day taking notes. Once class was out, Yukari messaged him.

Yukari
Hey Yanagi-kun, you free?

I am now. Where do you wanna meet?

Yukari
There's a yakiniku restaurant here in town. Was wondering if you
could meet me there.

On my way now. I'll see you there.

---

The two are sat down inside the restaurant. Yukari had ordered quite a bit of food for him. She had also ordered oolong tea for the both of them.

"Go on, it's on me today."

"Huh? What's the occasion? I didn't do anything."

"But you did." She places a piece of meat on the grill. "Minato and his sister told me everything. How they believe the reason they're back is thanks to you."

"C'mon, you don't really believe that do you?"

"Ha, who knows? But they believe it, and that's enough for me." She turns the piece of meat over. "That's the reason I wanted to see you today. I wanted to thank you properly. For bringing them back."

"Like I said, I don't know if it's actually thanks to me."

"It's okay. Still, I'm glad they're back again."

The two are sat down, still a bit of awkward tension between them, since they hadn't exactly met before. Plus, Ken had no idea how to deal with a famous actress.

"So, you've got a role in the latest Like a Dragon movie huh?"

"Oh, you a fan of those movies Yanagi-kun?"

"I am actually. Love martial arts movies. Although, when I was a kid, I used to watch Phoenix Rangers Featherman."

"Oh? Then I take it you're familiar with my role as Pink Argus?"

"Yeah, you were pretty good." Ken places a piece of meat on the grill as well. "Sorry, I'm a little nervous meeting one of my favorite actresses."

"Oh, don't be. It's nice meeting fans. On top of that, we're fighting together. There's no need to act like strangers. Just try and treat me like you would any of the other team members."

Ken was happy to see she was actually quite a nice person. Despite being a famous actress, she was humble and sweet on top of that. "Did you know Iori-san and Yoshino-san for a while?"

"Yeah, we went to school together, me and Junpei. Although, I always called him Stupei, haha. That always made him so mad." She takes a sip of her tea. "But despite our childish antics, he was still a great guy. He really loves Chidori-san. It's funny, considering she used to be our enemy."

"Your enemy? What do you mean by that?"

"That's a story I'd rather leave for Junpei to tell you." She takes her meat off the grill. "Seriously though, for now we should eat. And really, thank you for everything you've done for Minato and Minako-chan."

Ken was glad Yukari Takeba didn't try to put herself on a higher level than him. He was glad that even the most famous member of the Shadow Operatives didn't let their status get to their head. It made him feel like he was able to understand them more.

---

Back at the dorm, Ken was sitting in the commons. He noticed Yosuke rocking to music with his headphones. Without a second thought, he tapped him on the shoulder.

"Yo, Hanamura-san. You busy?"

"Oh yeah Yanagi-kun. I didn't expect you to still be up."

"I still got time. Was wondering if you and I would love to get a bit of time to ourselves, get to know each other better."

"Oh sure. What'd you have in mind we do?"

---

The two are sat in the Shifuku karaoke bar. Yosuke is drinking a Valentino 10 Years Old whiskey. Ken on the other hand is drinking a Yuzu Highball. 

Ken takes a big sip of his highball. "Damn, that's some top shelf stuff."

Yosuke sips his whiskey. "Damn, this is some high quality whiskey."

"Yo man, the karaoke machine is free. Wanna play a bit?"

"Ah hell, why not man?"

The two of the sing for a few hours. Yosuke and Ken's faces are slightly red along with their ears.

"Hey so tell me, how did you and Narukami meet?"

"Us? That's a funny story actually." He laughs and takes another sip of whiskey. "I crashed my bike and ended up rolling around inside a trash can."

"Haha, you're kidding me."

"Not at all dude. He helped me out of it." Yosuke takes another sip. "That's not all he helped me out with though. He helped me awaken to my Persona. If it weren't for him well... I wouldn't be here now."

"He sounds like a great guy."

"He trusts you. I can tell. If he does, so will I." He reaches his hand out. "We'll all follow you, Yanagi-kun."

The two shake hands. Ken felt a bond forming between them, as he chose to place his trust in him.

I am thou... thou art I...

Thou hast forged a new bond...

 

It shall strengthen thy own ability to unite thy comrades,

reshaping the outcome of your journey.

 

With the aide of the Sun Arcana, you have acquired the

power necessary to forge your own path in the 

perilous journey lain before you.

 

The bartender pounds the counter. "Closing time! Last call! Finish up your drinks, and then get on out!"

"Ah hell," Yosuke downs his whiskey. "Well, time to go!"

---

Ken returned home back to the apartments with Yosuke over his shoulder. That guy from before with the yellow scarf is standing outside, looking in. He notices Ken and quickly leaves. Ken walks inside with Yosuke and leaves him on the couch, before going to his room and turning in for the day.

Notes:

Social Links
The Fool (Persona Users) - Rank 2
The Councillor (The Wild Cards) - Rank 3
The Star (Takuto Maruki) - Rank 3
The Aeon (Kitsu) - Rank 3
The Empress (Ryoko Souji) - Rank 2
The Hermit (Shadow Operatives) - Rank 2
The Sun (Investigation Team) - Rank 1
Strength (Phantom Thieves) - Rank 2
New Generation
Ken Yanagi - (The Fool) Nobunaga
Kitsu - (The Aeon) Wu Zetian
Ryoko Souji - (The Empress) Hangaku

Shadow Operatives
Minato Arisato - (The Fool) Orpheus
Minako Arisato - (The Fool) Calliope
Akihiko Sanada - (The Emperor) Polydeuces
Mitsuru Kirijo - (The Empress) Penthesilea
Yukari Takeba - (The Lovers) Io

Investigation Team
Yu Narukami - (The Fool) Izanagi
Yosuke Hanamura - (The Magician) Jiraiya

Phantom Thieves
Ren Amamiya/Joker - (The Fool) Arsène
Morgana/Mona - (The Magician) Zorro
Ryuji Sakamoto/Skull - (The Chariot) Captain Kidd
Sumire Yoshizawa/Violet - (The Faith) Cendrillon
Sophie - (The Hope) Pandora

Chapter 29: 5/31, Apartment Commons (The Deadline)

Today was the deadline. There was no longer any time. If they didn't save them today, they would lose two valuable friends. The time to act was now. There was no other opportunity.

Ken was sat on an armchair, with the others sat and standing around him. "It's time. We've been training hard. But we don't have anymore time. If we don't do this today, then we'll Iori and Yoshino entirely."

Mitsuru nodded in acknowledgement. "Agreed."

Yu was sat with his leg crossed. "Once we go in, there's no opportunity to turn back. We all ready?"

Everyone nodded their heads in agreement. Ken started to tune the radio. "Alright then, let's do it!"

---

Once again, they entered the world within the Radio. The static is enough to nearly split their heads. However, it only lasts for an instant. Inside, they are once again surrounded in a hostile environment.

Ken begins wrapping his hands. "The last day of the show is today. We gotta get to the studio. Come on!"

 

[RECOMMENDED LISTENING: LIFE WILL CHANGE (INSTRUMENTAL)]

 

The team rushes through the city, making their way to the studio. 

Ken is leading the groups on the ground. "Phantom Thieves, watch us from up top."

"You got it." Ren gives him a 2-finger salute and grapples up top with the others. As they rush towards the studio, they encounter Shadows that try to stand in their way. The Shadows are quickly dispatched as they proceed forward. 

"Yoshino and Iori are waiting for us, we need to move!" Mitsuru says as she slashes through a Shadow in the shape of a dancing couple.

Ryoko deflects a samurai Shadow's katana with her sheath and slices through it with her own. "We'll make it!"

The warehouse is just up ahead. Just like before, the same vortex is there. They dive inside, once again finding themselves in the production studio. They're rushing straight towards it without any delay. Inside, it seems Chidori and Junpei are still in their cages. Up to the side, is the shadowy figure again, his face dark, looming over them behind the glass booth.

The shadowy figure claps his hands. "Looks like our contestants are back. A pleasure to see you all again."

Ryuji was mad. "Dammit, this asshole pisses me off, lookin' down on us like this."

"Relax, contestants. The game is only just reaching its climax!"

Ren points his gun at the glass. "We're not playing your game."

"Hahaha, oh but you will. My show, my rules." He snaps his fingers. "So let's see who the audience voted for to be sacrificed!"

Suddenly, a statistics board appears from above. The votes are shown with bars, sorted by percentage. Junpei has an overwhelming 72% while Chidori has 28%. In the cages, Chidori and Junpei are held captive over the pit of Shadows.

"Relax Chidorita, it's gonna be okay!" Junpei was holding onto the side of his cage.

Looking at the looming figure, Ken also couldn't help but feel pissed off. Something about his condescending nature and act of total control over everyone just irked him.

Chidori was also holding onto the bars of her cage. "Junpei-kun, please, help me... I don't understand what's going on."

"It's gonna be okay baby! Dammit, this make you feel good you sonuvabitch?!" he yells at the looming figure.

The shadowy figure laughs. "And the votes are in. Too bad for this moron. Was actually starting to get entertained by him a bit." He snaps his fingers and the cage drops into the pit of Shadows.

Ken cursed. "Fuck! We need to save him!" Ken rushed forward. "Ryo-chan, Amamiya, Narukami, c'mon!"

Without a second thought, Ken dived into the pit. Ren, Ryoko, and Yu followed suit. The shadowy figure snapped his fingers again, and a ton of Shadows, dressed as security guards appeared, ambushing the rest of the crew that stayed above.

"JUNPEI! NOOOOOO!" Chidori screamed as his cage fell.

Now was the time for action. Either they saved Junpei and Chidori, or they all perish.

Meanwhile the shadowy figure was laughing mischievously. "Will our contestants survive this ordeal? Let's find out, shall we?"

Notes:

Social Links
The Fool (Persona Users) - Rank 2
The Councillor (The Wild Cards) - Rank 3
The Star (Takuto Maruki) - Rank 3
The Aeon (Kitsu) - Rank 3
The Empress (Ryoko Souji) - Rank 2
The Hermit (Shadow Operatives) - Rank 2
The Sun (Investigation Team) - Rank 1
Strength (Phantom Thieves) - Rank 2

 

New Generation
Ken Yanagi - (The Fool) Nobunaga
Kitsu - (The Aeon) Wu Zetian
Ryoko Souji - (The Empress) Hangaku

Shadow Operatives
Minato Arisato - (The Fool) Orpheus
Minako Arisato - (The Fool) Calliope
Akihiko Sanada - (The Emperor) Polydeuces
Mitsuru Kirijo - (The Empress) Penthesilea
Yukari Takeba - (The Lovers) Io

Investigation Team
Yu Narukami - (The Fool) Izanagi
Yosuke Hanamura - (The Magician) Jiraiya

Phantom Thieves
Ren Amamiya/Joker - (The Fool) Arsène
Morgana/Mona - (The Magician) Zorro
Ryuji Sakamoto/Skull - (The Chariot) Captain Kidd
Sumire Yoshizawa/Violet - (The Faith) Cendrillon
Sophie - (The Hope) Pandora

Chapter 30: 5/31, The Radio World (To Save Our Friends...)

Ken was at the bottom of the pit, accompanied by Ryoko, Ren, and Yu. At the bottom of the pit, Junpei's cage is busted open. He's getting surrounded by Shadows. Yu is the first to rush in, slicing two Shadows in half with his katana.

Yu reaches his hand out to Junpei. "Can you stand?!"

"Shit," Junpei gets up on one knee. "Yeah, shit. I'll be fine. What the hell's going on?"

Ken kicks a Shadow and sends it flying towards a wall. "We'll explain later. Can you move?"

"I can try." He looks around in confusion. "Who are you guys?"

A Shadow in the shape of an overweight cop tries to shoot at Ken, but is intercepted by Ren, who removes his mask. "Curse them Arsène!" Ren's Persona hits it with a dark energy, knocking it down.

"Whoa," Junpei gazed in amazement. "Are you guys Persona Users too?"

"Yeah, we are." Ryoko says as she cuts down a ball-shaped Shadow with a giant tongue. "We can talk about that later! Right now, there's a lot of Shadows looking to kill us here!" She flips her coin and catches it. "Light 'em up, Hangaku!" With her Persona, she blasts them with fire.

Suddenly, they are joined by the twins, who jump down to join them. Junpei is shocked and frozen in surprise. "Minato-san... Minako-chan! Is that really you?!"

Minato summons his Evoker. "Persona!" Angel appears and hits a Shadow with Kouha. "Yeah, it's us. We can explain later."

Minako slashes one of the Shadows with her naginata and follows up with her Evoker. "Cut them down, Eligor!" Suddenly, a red knight appeared on horseback, with a spear, slashing through the Shadows. "Are you okay, Junpei? Can you fight?"

"I've been having trouble summoning my Persona. How am I supposed to do that here?" A Shadow tries to attack him but he kicks it away. "How did you guys do it?"

Minato blocks a baton strike from a Shadow in the form of a security guard. "A little busy right now!"

Ken blows a Shadow away with Nobunaga, while another giant Shadow, dressed like a pro-wrestler, tries to punch him. Ken catches it's fist with his hands, but it's pushing him back. "Just, urgh, think of, your weapon materializing in your hands!" Ken deflects its punch to the side and follows up with a punch himself, knocking it back. "You saw what they did with their Evokers. Do the same!"

"This doesn't make any sense!" Junpei dodged out of the way of another Shadow.

Ken kicked another Shadow. "At a time like this, you really gotta apply logic?"

A table shaped Shadow is about to launch a knife at Minato. Suddenly, Junpei jumps in the way. "Minato, watch out!" Suddenly, without thinking, he summons a baseball bat, deflecting the Shadow's knife away. "Holy shit, did I just do that?!" He suddenly opens his other hand. "Just gotta picture it in my hand huh?" He closes his eyes for a brief moment. Suddenly, an Evoker begins to materialize in his hands, to which he points to his head. "Let's do this, Persona!" From his action, manifests a black-armored, gold-winged Persona. "Hermes? Shit, guess it'll have to do for now."

Minato looks at him and smiles. "Thanks." They turn to face the Shadows. "Just like the old days."

Suddenly, the Shadows begin to go crazy. Two of the security guard Shadows turn into the balls with tongues. Ren is trying to hold them off with Yu. His dagger is being pushed up against by another security guard's baton. "Forget about fighting them head on, we need to get out of this pit!" He knocks the Shadow back and grapples up the pit, making his way out. "I can hook you all and bring you up!"

Minako cuts down a samurai Shadow with her naginata. "Make it quick Amamiya-kun!"

Ren's grapple hook first hits the ground next to her. She then picks up hook and wraps it around her naginata. "Go! Pull!" Ren then retracts the hook, pulling her back to him.

Ren then notices Yu facing off against a Shadow in the shape of a tower, brandishing a sword and a scale. "Narukami, you're next!" 

Yu blocks its attack, which knocks him back. "Could use that escape about now!" Ren's hook lands next to him, which he takes and wraps around his hand, allowing him to be pulled out. 

A Shadow is about to attack Ren from behind, but is attacked by Ryuji, who blocks its sword with his pipe, before kicking it back, followed by Sumire, who jabs it multiple times with her rapier before slashing it.

Ryuji brushes his nose and smirks. "We got your back Joker!"

Sumire looks back at him and nods. "Don't worry senpai, we won't let them come close while you help the others!"

Yosuke slashes one with his kunai before tumbling back. His attack is followed up by Yu, who cleaves it in half with his katana. "Nice follow-up, Leader!"

Sophie and Morgana are surrounded. Morgana smirks. "Perfect time to try out a new tactic. It's showtime Sophie! Just like we practiced!" 

Sophie unwinds her yoyos. "You got it Mona-chan!" Morgana grabs her yoyos together with one hand with his sword in the other. Sophie then swings him around and around, as he slices through the Shadows, with Morgana finally letting go and being launched through a crowd of Shadows.

Ren smiles. "Nice one you guys!" He grapples Junpei and pulls him up.

Ryoko cuts through a Shadow shaped like a crow before turning to Ren. "Time to go! Amamiya!" He shoots his hook at her, allowing her to grab on, followed by Minato.

Ken kicks the giga Shadow away, before finishing it by jumping up and ripping its mask off. From its disintegrating body, appears an armored warrior with a bowl cut. The warrior then tries to attack Ken with its spear. "So, you're the one who freed me from my shackles. Show me what you're made of boy!"

The Shadow tries to thrust its spear at Ken, to which he dodges and retaliates. He rolls his coin between his fingers before flipping it, and summoning his Persona. "Succubus! Warp his mind!" A woman in skin-tight clothing appears before him. It follows up with a psychokinetic attack, addling his adversary's mind. Ken then rushes up and kicks him, knocking him down and knocking his spear away.

The armored warrior laughs. "Haha, not bad. Perhaps you may be worthy of my aide." It stands up. "I am Setanta, may my power serve you well." Suddenly, the warrior turns into a coin, which then dematerializes and floats into Ken's hand. Suddenly, more Shadows spawned inside the pit.

Finished, and realizing the Shadows would just keep spawning, Ken gestured to Ren. "We gotta go! I need your help, now!" Ren shot his grappling hook at Ren, to which he caught with his hand. "Pull up!" And with that, Ren retracted his hook, lifting Ken out of the pit.

Suddenly, they hear a blood-curdling scream. As they ascend from the pit, they notice Chidori's cage has been busted open. However, it seems Chidori is clutching her head, unaware of their presence. Behind her, a figure seems to be slowly manifesting, with red legs and arms, and a black body, possessing a ram's skull with golden hair. In one hand it holds a ceremonial knife while the other holds small brazier with fire. 

"I can't believe it..." Junpei says to himself. "It's impossible... how did she...?"

Ken looks at her. "What's going on...? Is that...?"

Suddenly the demonic figure attacks Ken and knocks him back, leaving a gash on his arm. "Shit, what's going on? What are we up against?"

Minato readies his sword. "Be careful. This isn't any normal enemy. We're gonna have a fight on our hands."

Minako readies her naginata. "This is Chidori's Persona, Medea."

Ken stands up and gets in his stance. "I don't understand, shouldn't she be on our side?"

Junpei holds his bat tightly. "It's not her fault." He walks in front of everyone. "She doesn't have full control over her Persona like we do."

The shadowy figure claps his hands in amusement. "Haha, well now things have just gotten interesting. It seems she's lost control. Quite the development. I really should stay and watch. But I think it's about time I take my leave. I shall await you all, for the next show, assuming you make it to the next one, hahahaha." And with that, he disappears into the shadow of the booth.

Suddenly, Medea lets out a bloodthirsty cry. Everyone tenses up and gets themselves in a ready stance to face it. Medea is standing tall, looming over all of them.

Ken looks in anger, as the shadowy figure disappears, and he is faced with what appears to be a powerful enemy.

He tightens the wraps around his hands. "Fuck."

Notes:

Social Links
The Fool (Persona Users) - Rank 2
The Councillor (The Wild Cards) - Rank 3
The Star (Takuto Maruki) - Rank 3
The Aeon (Kitsu) - Rank 3
The Empress (Ryoko Souji) - Rank 2
The Hermit (Shadow Operatives) - Rank 2
The Sun (Investigation Team) - Rank 1
Strength (Phantom Thieves) - Rank 2

 

New Generation
Ken Yanagi - (The Fool) Nobunaga
Kitsu - (The Aeon) Wu Zetian
Ryoko Souji - (The Empress) Hangaku

Shadow Operatives
Minato Arisato - (The Fool) Orpheus
Minako Arisato - (The Fool) Calliope
Akihiko Sanada - (The Emperor) Polydeuces
Mitsuru Kirijo - (The Empress) Penthesilea
Yukari Takeba - (The Lovers) Io
Junpei Iori - (The Magician) Hermes

Investigation Team
Yu Narukami - (The Fool) Izanagi
Yosuke Hanamura - (The Magician) Jiraiya

Phantom Thieves
Ren Amamiya/Joker - (The Fool) Arsène
Morgana/Mona - (The Magician) Zorro
Ryuji Sakamoto/Skull - (The Chariot) Captain Kidd
Sumire Yoshizawa/Violet - (The Faith) Cendrillon
Sophie - (The Hope) Pandora

Chapter 31: 5/31, Dr. Maruki's Office (The Analysis of Goro Akechi)

Dr. Maruki was working late in his office, typing up his reports. To the side of him was a juice box, and in his trash can was multiple cans of coffee. Just as he was finishing his reports for the day, there was a knock on the door outside.

"It's open!" He takes a sip from his juice box.

Opening the door, was a familiar sight, of a hooded, brown shaggy-haired man with a tan peacoat. Dr. Maruki put down his juice box and gave a kind smile.

"I wasn't expecting to see you again so soon, Akechi-kun. So, you here to try and get the information about Yanagi-san out of me again?"

"If I was, would you give it to me?"

Dr. Maruki laughed slightly. "Haha, sorry but I can't do that. So, why are you here?"

Akechi sits down in one of Maruki's couches. "A good question indeed. Why am I going to see a counselor? Do I really need to spell it out for you?"

Maruki looked in surprise. "Huh?! You mean-?!"

Akechi sighed. "Dammit, don't make me say it!"

Maruki still couldn't contain his disbelief. "No, it's fine it's just, I never expected you to actually take me up on my offer! I thought you didn't want to talk."

"Well everyone else had their turn with you back when you were working at Shujin. It may be 10 years late, but I might as well give it a try now."

Maruki sits across from Akechi. The two are sat in silence for a moment. It is a very awkward presence, as Maruki is at a loss for what to say, while Akechi is starting to get impatient.

"Are you going to say something, doctor?"

"Oh I'm sorry, I know this was supposed to be a counseling session but, now that we've started, I'm at a loss for words."

"Oh, forget it then. I thought after hearing about your services from Amamiya that perhaps there was something to be found here. But looks like I was mistaken."

"Well... that's a bit harsh."

"I didn't come here to act nice, doctor."

"Interesting. Tell, me, do you feel you always need to be hostile towards others?"

"Hostile? Now what kind of shit are you going on about?"

"Well, forgive me for saying this, but I always noticed this when you were with your teammates during our battle as well. Despite being your team, you always had an aura of hostility with them. I'm curious, why?"

"You tell me Maruki. Aren't you the counselor here?"

"I can only help lead you to your answers. It's up to you to accept them. Tell me, when it came to your time with the Phantom Thieves, would you have called them your friends?"

"Pfft, of course not! Where would you get that idea?"

"You're acting quite defensive about that idea. Are you sure you didn't have some kind of attachment to them?"

"Are you serious? What the hell would make you think that?"

Maruki's expression turns serious. "If you wanted counseling, then you should be prepared to at least be honest with yourself. Counseling is useless if the one receiving it refuses to at least acknowledge their thoughts honestly. If you won't talk to me seriously, then I think this is pointless."

Akechi growled. "Pft, fine." Akechi's posture loosens up and he sits forward. "When I had first approached the Phantom Thieves, it was under the guise of cooperation. In truth, my goal was to kill Amamiya, and throw the Phantom Thieves into disarray. I had my own plans in motion for my revenge against Shido and I couldn't let them get in the way. I worked with them, fought with them, eventually reaching the point where I had believed I'd gained their trust. From the moment we met, I collaborated with them, with every intention to destroy them afterwards." He clasps his hands together. "I already had a prior history with the Phantom Thieves. I even killed the parents of two of them, under Shido's orders. I even kept telling myself that. And yet... in spite of all my efforts, I couldn't help myself. I ended up still getting attached to them. Especially with Amamiya." His grip tightens. "He did as he pleased, with nobody to hold him back. If anything was an obstacle in his path, he'd overcome it. His ability to attract others, his uniqueness, seeing all of those traits in him irritated me. Because he had everything I wanted, in spite of my hard work. And over time, we grew to be rivals... no. Over time, in some strange sense, we became friends. In spite of how I felt for him and the others though, I chose to throw it all away, for my revenge." Akechi appears lost in his thought. "To rub even more salt in the wound, they were the ones who understood me the most. With them I could have had a place to finally belong, had I truly approached them with sincere intent. But there's no chance of that now. Not after what I did. I may have fought with them, but I will never truly be one of them. I joined the Phantom Thieves with every intention to betray them." He slightly bites his lip. "And it should have stayed that way."

Dr. Maruki sat for a moment to contemplate. "So that's where all of it comes from. Tell me, when you would hang around your teammates, were you with them or separate from them?"

"What do you think?" Akechi snapped back.

"If that's the case, then what you just told me explains quite a bit. So, you distanced yourself from your teammates."

"It's not a place I deserve to be welcomed in. And frankly, it doesn't matter to me anymore. After all, that's why I chose to fight against your paradise. I decide my own choices, my own path. Whatever consequences follow are mine to bear." Akechi pulls out his phone and checks the time. "Unfortunately, that's all I have time for. I'm meeting someone in a bit." He stands up and opens the door to the office.

"Will you be back, Akechi-kun?"

Akechi remains in silence, as he opens the door further and leaves. Meanwhile, Dr. Maruki sits back in front of his laptop and begins typing a new report.

After writing up his notes, he tries to think of a title. "Hmm..." He then writes down the first title that comes to his mind. "The Analysis of Goro Akechi."

Notes:

Social Links
The Fool (Persona Users) - Rank 2
The Councillor (The Wild Cards) - Rank 3
The Star (Takuto Maruki) - Rank 3
The Aeon (Kitsu) - Rank 3
The Empress (Ryoko Souji) - Rank 2
The Hermit (Shadow Operatives) - Rank 2
The Sun (Investigation Team) - Rank 1
Strength (Phantom Thieves) - Rank 2

 

New Generation
Ken Yanagi - (The Fool) Nobunaga
Kitsu - (The Aeon) Wu Zetian
Ryoko Souji - (The Empress) Hangaku

Shadow Operatives
Minato Arisato - (The Fool) Orpheus
Minako Arisato - (The Fool) Calliope
Akihiko Sanada - (The Emperor) Polydeuces
Mitsuru Kirijo - (The Empress) Penthesilea
Yukari Takeba - (The Lovers) Io
Junpei Iori - (The Magician) Hermes

Investigation Team
Yu Narukami - (The Fool) Izanagi
Yosuke Hanamura - (The Magician) Jiraiya

Phantom Thieves
Ren Amamiya/Joker - (The Fool) Arsène
Morgana/Mona - (The Magician) Zorro
Ryuji Sakamoto/Skull - (The Chariot) Captain Kidd
Sumire Yoshizawa/Violet - (The Faith) Cendrillon
Sophie - (The Hope) Pandora

Chapter 32: 5/31, The Radio World (Restoration of the Mind and Soul)

Medea is looming over the team, her presence unsettling. Ken is gathered with the team at the ready, their guard at their highest with the new threat.

"What the hell...?" Ken said.

"Be careful!" Yukari is readied with her bow. "That Persona's power is fire."

"We need to find a way to stop her Persona!" Akihiko says with his fighting stance up.

Suddenly, a blast of fire is projected at the group. However, before it can hit them, it is blocked by Hermes and absorbed.

"Nrgnh, shit!" Junpei cries as the flames die. "Her flames are still as hot as I remember. But I should be able to take it." He turns to everyone. "I don't know who all of you are. But if you're all working with my old friends, I'll trust in you all. Please, help me save Chidorita."

Everyone nods in response. Suddenly Medea attempts to slash and Junpei with her dagger. In quick response, Ken pushes Junpei out of the way. "Move!" He flips his coin and catches it quickly. "Nobunaga!" His Persona suddenly appears, blocking her dagger with his tanto. He closes his eyes and grits his teeth, as he can feel the strength of his Persona against hers. Without a doubt, it's strength is far greater than his. Perhaps it had to do with the berserk state it was in.

"Shit, she's strong!" Ken backs off and stands in front of everyone. He starts to feel concern over this enemy, as it seems like this may be a battle that they might not be able to succeed against. Suddenly, he feels a hand on his shoulder. He looked to his side and saw Minato. 

"Now's not the time to worry Yanagi-kun." His gaze is serious, as he looks into Yanagi's eyes. "Junpei trusts us, and we all trust you. So don't you worry, you got this."

Ryoko runs up next to him on his other side and nudges his other shoulder. "We just gotta save her like you did with me right?"

Mitsuru holds her rapier in a ready pose. "Call it my intuition, but you have a lot more potential than you think Yanagi-kun."

He starts to feel his unease melt away. A small smile appears across his face instead.

"You're right. Now's not the time to worry. It's not about whether or not I can do this. I WILL, do this. So, let's save her!"

Everyone cheered in unison. "Let's do this!"

 

[RECOMMENDED LISTENING: UNAVOIDABLE BATTLE]

 

Suddenly, more Shadows begin to spawn. As the Shadows surround them, Medea also prepares to engage the team.

Morgana looks around, assessing the situation. "It's no good, there's a ton of Shadows coming after us. You'll need to split us up. You and a few others go after that rogue Persona. The rest of us will hold off the Shadows!"

"Then I'll need help from quite a few of you. Ryo-chan, Kirijo-san, Minato-san, you guys good to help me?"

Ryoko flips her coin, catching it in her hand and summoning Hangaku. "We're with you all the way Ken-kun!"

Mitsuru points her Evoker and summons her Persona. "You can abandon your worries Yanagi-kun. Penthesilea and I will ensure you succeed."

Minato also points his Evoker towards his head and summons Orpheus. "I'll make sure we save her. Junpei already lost her once. I won't let that happen again."

Junpei materialized his baseball bat, and summoned his Persona. "I don't know who you are, but thanks. C'mon, let's save her!"

The 5 of them then posted up, ready for a fight on their hands. 

"I'll back off and focus on support." Mitsuru said. "Be careful everyone!"

"You got it Kirijo-san!" Ryoko held her sword tight.

Ken rolled and flipped his coin, summoning his Persona. "Jack Frost!" A small smiling doll appears, and blasts Medea with ice. The attack hardly phases her however.

Junpei then fires his Evoker at his head. "Hit 'em hard, Hermes!" His winged Persona appears, bashing the enemy.

Minato also follows with his Evoker. "Aide us, Apsaras!" A large flash occurred, but as it subsided, the party felt that their sight became more focused, making it easier for them to identify critical points on their enemy.

Ryoko then flipped and caught her coin. "Don't miss Hangaku!" Suddenly a barrage of arrows hit Medea, knocking her back.

Chidori was still holding her head tightly. "What's happening...? What is it I'm seeing...?"

Ken was observing. "She still seems confused about what's going on. We gotta stop her Persona and help her!"

Suddenly, Medea swung her dagger in their direction. However, Ken reacted quicker and summoned his Persona. "Get back!" Nobunaga appeared, blocking her strike with his blade once more, and striking back, damaging her drastically. 

Chidori looked like she was mentally in pain. "Did I... die...?"

Ken and Ryoko didn't understand what she was saying, but Junpei, Minato, and Mitsuru appear slightly unsettled by her statement. 

Junpei especially seems concerned. "What did she just say?"

Minato was also surprised. "Could it be... she... remembers?"

Mitsuru remained on her guard. "Everyone, watch out! I can sense her Persona gathering energy!"

Everyone suddenly put their guard up, prepared to defend themselves against her attack. Following their decision to guard, a heavy blast of fire followed, burning them all pretty heavily. 

"Shit!" Ken said as the flames burned hot.

Minato fired his Evoker. "Cadenza!" Suddenly, every felt their wounds mend, along with a surge of energy, increasing their perception and speed, numbing their pain they received, and making them feel stronger.

Chidori was still muttering to herself. "Junpei... what... did something happen? Did I... forget something...? What... is this...?"

Junpei's worry grew. "No way... does she... remember?" Suddenly Junpei let his guard down. "Guys, I think I got an idea."

Another barrage of flames hits them. Ken can feel the heat intensely. "Better be a good one!"

"I'm gonna try and walk up to her! Maybe I can help her regain control of her Persona!"

"You crazy man?! She'll kill you!"

"Just keep me safe and distract her as best you can! I'm gonna try!"

Ken tried to think but couldn't come up with any other ideas. "Well I guess we got no other options. Stay safe yeah?"

Junpei ran forward, as Medea prepped her flames. Mitsuru was the first to notice and ordered everyone accordingly. "Everyone, attack her with all you've got! Make her focus on us!"

"You got it!" Ryoko said, flipping her coin. "Don't miss!" Hangaku followed by firing an arrow barrage.

Ken flipped his coin. "Persona!" Suddenly, Jack Frost appeared, blasting her with ice.

"Come, Orpheus!" Minato says as he fires his Evoker. Orpheus then follows by hitting Medea with fire.

The cycle continued on until Junpei was able to get closer. As he got closer, Medea caused the area in front of Chidori to burst into flames, effectively walling her off. For a moment, Junpei winced in pain. "Damn, those flames are hot!"

Suddenly, Ken realized his opportunity. "Now's our chance! It's focused on keeping up that wall of fire! Hit it with all we got!"

"You got it Ken-kun!" Ryoko said as Hangaku fired arrow-shaped flames from its bow.

"You've got this Junpei!" Minato says as Apsaras hits it with ice.

The three of them kept up the barrage until eventually, Medea's flame wall weakened. It seemed like Medea's strength was starting to finally wane.

Chidori still seemed to be muttering to herself. "Junpei... would keep approaching me... and I... I tried my hardest to wall him off... and yet he still kept coming after me..."

Overhearing her, it seemed as if it gave Junpei a sudden burst of motivation. "Damn right Chidorita! No matter what, I won't leave you!" Thanks to his newfound motivation, he manages to run through the weakened wall of flames, and hugs her tight. "I'm here Chidori!

"Junpei...? What happened all those years ago...?" Chidori sounded frightened, almost as if she was afraid to know the answer. "WHAT IS THIS...??? WHAT AM I SEEING?? ARE THESE.... MEMORIES???" Suddenly, Medea was clutching her head as well. Following that, Medea began engulfing both Junpei and Chidori in their flames.

"Nrrrgh, hot, hot, HOT!!!" Junpei said excruciatingly. 

"We need to help Iori-kun!" Mitsuru says, urging everyone to move forward

"Stay back!" Junpei gestured at them to not interfere.

 

[RECOMMENDED LISTENING: LIVING WITH DETERMINATION]

 

"Junpei..." Chidori's voice was much quieter amidst the flames.

"It's okay Chidori-chan. I'm here for you." He hugs her tighter amidst the flames. "It's because of what you did for me that I'm able to be here in the first place."

"What I... did...?"

"It's okay. It's okay to remember." He smiles through the pain.

"I..." Suddenly, Medea stopped the flames, and in a quick flash, the flames dissipate, followed by her Persona vanishing. "I remember..." A tear slightly runs down her eye. "I remember it all now... How we met... How I fell for you..." Her voice gets shakier. "How you died... and how I gave my life to save you..." Suddenly, tears start to flow from her eyes. "How did I forget something so important to me...?"

"You saved my life all those years ago Chidorita-chan. I'm only able to be with you now because of the life you gave me."

Her tears glisten as she cries, in a sense of sadness, but also with feelings of happiness as she remembers her past with Junpei. "Even if we were first enemies, you soon became someone close to me that I couldn't be without. Someone I was truly afraid to lose. Someone I wanted to live for. Thank you truly Junpei. For everything."

 

[RECOMMENDED LISTENING: AWAKENING (PERSONA 5)]

 

Suddenly, a sharp pain ran through Chidori's head. In response, she clutches it with her right hand. Junpei suddenly becomes concerned. "Chidori, what's wrong?!" She responds however by gently brushing him off, trying to signal that she was fine despite the pain. Suddenly, a voice speaks in her mind.

So, you finally remembered. You remember your purpose.

Chidori clutched her head tighter.

You remember the reason for everything you had done.

Chidori clenched her free hand into a fist, tightly.

Everything you had done, was all for the sake of love .

Her nails began to pierce into her palm, as blood ran down her fist.

All your actions, good and bad, were all for the man
you loved so dearly. Your atrocities, your sacrifices,
all to save the one closest to your heart.

"Yes... it was all for him. No matter what, for all he did for me, he will always have my heart!"

Is that so? Then let us reforge our contract, here and now

I am thou...

Thou art I...

Protect the love you hold so dear, no matter what atrocities and sacrifices follow!

Suddenly, Chidori releases the grip on her first, blood running down her hand. She then forms it into a different grip, as an Evoker materializes in her hand. She then places the Evoker under her chin, pointing up at her head. "Come back to my side... Medea!" Firing the Evoker, her Persona appears once more in its familiar form.

Junpei looks in amazement. "No way, I can't believe it."

Mitsuru is astonished. "I didn't think it would be possible but..."

Minato is also awe-struck. "She did it. She managed to restore and gain full control of her Persona."

Suddenly everyone else regrouped with them. Together, they were all circled around as the final large number of Shadows spawned. 

Minako brandished her naginata. "Glad you managed to get that solved. But it's not over yet!"

Akihiko cracked his knuckles. "They can throw all they got at me, no way they're taking me down!"

Yukari notched another arrow on her bow. "Makes for good target practice."

Yosuke was back to back with Yu, holding his Kunai. "Man, they just keep on coming, huh?"

Yu brandished his katana and smirked. "Heh, that a problem?"

"Not one bit dude. You know we got this!"

Ren was holding his pistol. "It's like shooting fish in a barrel. Hope you're not too preoccupied to join us now."

Ryuji pumped his shotgun with one hand while holding his pipe in the other. "Just gotta keep on hittin' 'em til they stop comin'!"

Sumire had her rapier pointed up. "Just like countless times before, right?"

Morgana racked his slingshot with another round. "These guys are small time. Just gotta give 'em hell!"

Sophie was spinning her yoyos around. "The chances of them beating us, is nonexistent."

Ryoko brandishes her katana. "Jeez, just when we were done too, you gotta bring more of 'em to us?"

Kitsu laughed. "C'mon Ryo-chan, you know you wanted in on the fun too."

Minato sighed. "Know what, I don't care. Let's get this done with."

Ken smirked and then wrapped his hands tightly. "Guess we got no choice. Yoshino-san, do you think you can handle yourself?"

She looks back at him and nods. "I won't slow any of you down." She then summoned a hatchet attached to a chain.

"Heheh good. If that's the case.... let's tear 'em all apart!"

They all nod as they turn to face the Shadows. Chidori then summons her Evoker and calls forth her Persona.

"Accompany me once more... Medea!"

Notes:

Hope you're all having an amazing month! Sorry for being absent, school and stuff has been keeping me busy. But I'm trying to invest more time into writing, as this is such a passionate project for me. So I hope you'll stick around, and I can't wait to see where this story goes with all of you. :D

 

Social Links
The Fool (Persona Users) - Rank 2
The Councillor (The Wild Cards) - Rank 3
The Star (Takuto Maruki) - Rank 3
The Aeon (Kitsu) - Rank 3
The Empress (Ryoko Souji) - Rank 2
The Hermit (Shadow Operatives) - Rank 2
The Sun (Investigation Team) - Rank 1
Strength (Phantom Thieves) - Rank 2

 

New Generation
Ken Yanagi - (The Fool) Nobunaga
Kitsu - (The Aeon) Wu Zetian
Ryoko Souji - (The Empress) Hangaku

Shadow Operatives
Minato Arisato - (The Fool) Orpheus
Minako Arisato - (The Fool) Calliope
Akihiko Sanada - (The Emperor) Polydeuces
Mitsuru Kirijo - (The Empress) Penthesilea
Yukari Takeba - (The Lovers) Io
Junpei Iori - (The Magician) Hermes

Investigation Team
Yu Narukami - (The Fool) Izanagi
Yosuke Hanamura - (The Magician) Jiraiya

Phantom Thieves
Ren Amamiya/Joker - (The Fool) Arsène
Morgana/Mona - (The Magician) Zorro
Ryuji Sakamoto/Skull - (The Chariot) Captain Kidd
Sumire Yoshizawa/Violet - (The Faith) Cendrillon
Sophie - (The Hope) Pandora

Persona Users
Chidori Yoshino - (The Hanged Man) Medea

Chapter 33: 5/31, The Radio World (Medea)

[RECOMMENDED LISTENING: MASS DESTRUCTION (LOTUS JUICE REMIX)]

 

Surrounded by Shadows, the group circled up to defend themselves. 

Yanagi looked around to assess their situation. Suddenly, the Shadows hit them with a barrage of attacks. Without any time to react, they could feel the pain from their assault, falling to their knees. However, Chidori seemed okay.

"I feel... a new power." She closed her eyes and pointed her Evoker under her chin. "Breath... of Life." 

Suddenly, the others could feel the pain starting to subside, with a power to rise up again. Chidori however, started panting, and from what it seemed, it looked like she used up a lot of energy.

Junpei was the most concerned. "Be careful Chidorita! Last time you used something like that, it didn't end well!"

"I'm fine Junpei. Just focus on the enemies." She said while breathing heavily.

Ken flipped his coin. "Nobunaga!" Summoning his Persona, he healed Chidori, giving her a bit more energy again. "I'll do my best to keep you up, so let's push through them together!"

Ren was firing his pistol. "These guys are small time!"

Kitsu summoned her Persona with her coin. "Mazio!" A ton of Shadows were shocked by her attack. "You handle yours Ken-kun, we got the rest!"

Ryoko flipped her coin in the air and slashed a Shadow twice before catching it. "Persona!" Hangaku appears, bow at the ready. "Rain fire on them Hangaku!" With her command, a bolt of fire struck the Shadow, causing it to disintegrate.

"Pandora!" Sophie's Persona appears. "Makouha!" Suddenly, a holy white light appears, hitting all the Shadows.

"Once more Sophie!" Morgana yelled as he readied himself.

"You got it Mona-chan!" Unwinding her yoyos once more, Morgana grabs on as she swings him around, slicing through the Shadows before being launched through a crowd of them. As they all fight together, they make quick work of the Shadows, wiping them all out with minimal effort. Seeing the veteran Persona users fight, Ken could see the difference in experience between his techniques and theirs.

After a long battle, Chidori was facing off against one of the last Shadows. It was one of the ball-shaped Shadows with the long tongue. Seeing Sophie and Morgana, Chidori was hit by inspiration. "Junpei!" He swings his bat, knocking a Shadow away and causing it to disintegrate. Following her call, he turns his attention towards her. Chidori then launches her hatchet at the Shadow, the head landing on the Shadow and remaining stuck on it. "Right here!" She then pulls the hatchet back, throwing the Shadow in the air and sending it in Junpei's direction. 

"Oh hell yeah!" Junpei says excitedly as the Shadow was thrown his way. He then swung his bat, launching the Shadow far away. "Hell yeah, homerun!"

After the Shadows had been finally dispatched, everyone had finally regrouped. Suddenly, a wave of exhaustion hit Chidori, and she fell to her knees. 

"Hey, you okay?!" Junpei holds her. "Hey, Chidori, what's wrong?"

"I'm fine Junpei..." She says breathing heavily. 

Ken was looking back up to where the shadowy figure was. It pissed him off how much he seemed to enjoy this. He clenched his fists. All he wanted was to find him and lay him out, for toying with them.

"Hey, you alright Junpei?" Yukari said concerningly.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks for coming for me. I honestly didn't think anyone was gonna help us." He looks around at everyone else. "By the way, who are they?" He then looked down at Morgana. "And what the hell is that?!"

"Hey, no need to be rude!" Morgana yelled back. "I, am Morgana!"

Ryuji slumped his head. "Yeah dude, his reaction seemed pretty normal to me..."

Sumire giggled. "It's okay Mona-senpai."

Sophie patted Morgana's head. "He's just confused is all," she said in a sweet voice. "Most humans react that way when something out of the normal appears."

Morgana pouts. "Is this supposed to make me feel better...?"

Ken was still lost in thought about the identity of the mastermind behind it all. Suddenly he felt a hand on his shoulder and turned around to see Minato. All Minato did was nod his head. It seemed he understood how Ken was feeling. Ken then nodded back at him and turned to address the team.

"We did what we needed to do. Let's go back." Everyone else nodded and followed him.

---

Back at the apartment complex, everyone was standing outside. They had filled Junpei and Chidori in on their situation on the way. 

Junpei was still shocked. "I can't believe it. So they really are back. After 17 years, they're back."

Ken looked over at Junpei. "Do you remember anything at all how you ended up here?"

"I got no idea dude. All I remember was that while I was practicing my swings, some guy was fiddling with a radio, just like how you speculated. Can't remember his face though. Next thing I knew, I was here in this world, and knocked out cold. When I came to, I was already in that cage, and Chidori was in a cage across from me."

"I see... was the other guy who messed with the radio the one who knocked you out?"

"Nah, it wasn't him. In fact, I didn't see him anywhere. I don't think he honestly came in with me."

Ken was trying to put together the pieces of the puzzle. So if the guy didn't come in with him, was he not a Persona User?

Chidori was thinking about their circumstances. "So, this world is inside the Radio frequencies?"

"That's right," Ken said. "It turns out there are many worlds out there, formed by the depths of the human subconscious. From what I've heard, they take on a ton of different forms. If you're with Junpei, then I assume you also experienced the same things the Shadow Operatives did."

Chidori was looking down at the ground. "It all came back to me just now, what we all went through. What... what I went through."

Ken nodded. "I was told about the Dark Hour, the Midnight Channel, and the Metaverse. Each world seemed to have its own rules."

"That's right," Yukari chimed in. "In the Dark Hour, it seemed like time moved differently. It was the moment that lasted between one day and the next."

"It was a phenomenon that was amplified further by the effects of a full moon." Akihiko added. "However, there were times that it felt either less than an hour or longer than one."

Mitsuru was thinking. "On top of that, most of our battles were usually confined to Tartarus. So this is quite a different experience from what we've usually faced." 

Junpei chuckled a bit. "Hey say what you will, at the very least, I'd take the Dark Hour over this shit any day. At least I'm not put on display for entertainment there."

"The Midnight Channel was quite different from that." Yosuke was standing with his arms crossed. "For us, we entered during the daytime through a TV. But it wasn't necessarily restricted to any certain time. We just usually went during the day since we had to use the night to rest up for school. In that world, new unique environments were created by the individuals who entered. Time also seemed to actually move pretty normally in the Midnight Channel."

"Yeah, well that sounds pretty close to the Metaverse dude," Ryuji scratched the back of his head. "Man, how can I describe it...?"

"Perhaps the best analogy would be the Earth to the universe." Sophie said.

"Huh? Sorry it's goin' over my head," Ryuji still seemed confused.

"I think I get it," Sumire said. "The Metaverse was a universe in its own, consisting of several worlds, known as Palaces."

"That is correct Violet. Yes, and the way we all entered was through the use of a smartphone. Time also seemed to move normally in the Metaverse as well."

Ken took a moment to ponder the information they gave him. "From what you told me though, this place has plenty of differences from your past cases."

"Yeah, those were immediately noticeable when we entered." Minako said.

Minato yawned. "Yeah, like the fact we're unable to bring in our own weapons."

Ken then remembered back to when he first entered and exited the Radio World. "If I remember correctly, I left the world in the middle of the street back when I first entered. But when I returned to the real world, I was back inside my dorm. So it seems that we're able to exit this world from anywhere, but it'll take us back to the last Dead Zone we entered from. At least that's what I speculate."

Morgana recalled an important detail. "The Metaverse was sort of like that too. Only difference was we couldn't exit without going back the exact way we came in."

Ren chuckled. "Believe it or not, that crucial detail was vital to one of our plans."

Ken was curious, but that would have to be a story for another time.

"The Midnight Channel definitely differs on that aspect." Yu said. "From what I believe, you could enter a TV anywhere. The thing is we never tried it, because from what we were told, we wouldn't end up in the same area. So we chose a set point to enter from every time. And we never tested it, but if that logic applies, then I wonder if we could have exited the Midnight Channel from anywhere as well."

Ken then remembered another point Yosuke brought up earlier. "I remember Yosuke saying that the Midnight Channel generated worlds based on the individuals who entered it. Well from what I can tell, I seem to create Dead Zones, or safe spaces as they are. Meanwhile, that Shadowy figure..."

"Hmm? What about him?"

"He seems to be making the opposite of me. It's speculation, but I think he made that production studio with the Shadows. In other words, it's possible he makes the dangerous spaces that are meant for Shadows to gather. Not only that but he seems to control them. Which begs the question, who is he...?"

He stood contemplating before Kitsu chimed in. "Well, standing around isn't gonna do us any good. Hey, let's go back to the real world."

Ryoko agreed. "Yeah, you're right. We've been standing here for a while haven't we?

And so the party entered the complex, before tuning the radio and pressing the eject button. Once that was done, they had returned.

---

Chidori was exhausted. Everyone had finally returned to the real world, and were inside the lobby of the apartment complex. After a long day, everyone decided to head back to their rooms. However, not everyone was ready to go to bed yet. A few people were visiting room to room, checking on the others. For the new arrivals, Sophie was registering their rooms for them.

Minato and Minako were on the 5th floor, room numbers 401 and 402. However, before they get to their rooms, Junpei was waiting out in the hall wanting to talk to them. 

Junpei looked over in their direction. "Hey you two."

Minako was surprised to see him. "Hey Junpei. You alright?"

"Yeah... no. Not really. It's just, I'm still having trouble processing all of this."

"I don't blame you." Minato says. "I don't think any of us were expecting this."

"I'm not just talking about the fact I got kidnapped and all that. I didn't expect you'd be back again, after 17 years."

They looked down the hall at room 412. That was the room Chidori was staying in.

"Wanna go check on her?"

The twins nodded and followed Junpei. As he reached the door, he knocked, calling to Chidori.

"Chidorita-chan, it's me. I'm here with Minato-kun and Minako-chan. Can we come in?"

She sounds very quiet but gives a slight confirmation. "Mm-hm..."

The three of them enter, the first thing they notice is Chidori, dressed in her usual gothic-lolita attire, sitting on the bed curled up hugging her legs, her boots on the ground next to her bed. Promptly, Junpei sits on the bed next to her. 

"Ya know, I remember proposing to you, the night after my team won the WBC. I came home with that trophy, so proud of myself."

"You two are married?" Minato asked.

"Nah, not yet anyways. We're just engaged for now."

"That's amazing!" Minako said gleefully.

"It's funny Chidorita-chan. You were also curled up like this that night, before accepting." Junpei's expression gets serious. "You okay baby? I'm worried about you."

Chidori curls up more. "I just... need a bit of time to think..."

Junpei seems a little saddened. "Alright... take your time. I'm here for ya if you need me y'know." Junpei then looked at the others, signaling them to leave her alone for a bit. The three then leave her room. As they leave, her face becomes redder, as she then turns over to the side, blushing really hard.

---

Ken was exhausted, but he wanted to check on Chidori, and make sure she was alright after they saved her. Walking up the stairs, he noticed Junpei and the twins heading downstairs to the common area. As he reached the fifth floor, he called for Sophie.

"Hey Sophie, I need your help with something."

Holographically, she appeared in front of him. "Is something the matter Yanagi-san?"

"I want to check on Chidori. I'm worried about her."

"Hmm, normally I shouldn't let you just go in."

"I know but I'm just concerned is all. She's been through a lot. I really wanna see if she's okay."

"Hmm alright. If it's for the sake of making sure a friend is alright, I'll help you."

"Thanks a ton Sophie."

As he reached her room, he knocked on the door. "Hey, it's Yanagi. I wanted to talk to you Yoshino-san. Do you mind giving me a moment?"

There's no answer. 

"Please, I just want to make sure you're okay. I was gonna have Sophie open the door, but I really would at least rather make sure it's okay for me to come in first."

In the most quietest voice, he hears her approval. "Mmm-hmm...."

"I'm coming in." He opens the door, and notices her curled up on the bed. "Hey, what's wrong?" She turns over, and he can see her face is flushed red, but also noticed there were tears running down from her eyes.

"Hey, you okay?! I'm sorry, should I come back?!" 

"No, it's fine... just ask me what you wanted..."

"Oh... alright..." He sits down on the bed next to her. "I saw the others leaving. They see you already?"

She nods her head slightly. "Thank you by the way... for rescuing us..."

"Eh," He scratched the back of his head. "I wouldn't say I really did much. Everybody just wanted to make sure nothing happened to either of you." He was a little curious about the others. "What'd you and the others talk about?"

"I... didn't really talk about much with them... I just wanted some time to myself..."

"You sent them out? Why?"

"It's personal..."

"Too personal to be able to talk to them about it? They've known you longer than I have."

"It's embarrassing..."

Ken then turns towards her. "Hey, I'm all ears if you need a third party to talk about it with. I'm a pretty good listener, and what you say can stay between us."

She sits up. "Perhaps I can tell you... just... don't judge me..."

"It'll be fine, I promise."

She then sits on the bed, legs down the side of it as she confides in Ken. "The truth was, I had a normal childhood. Everything you'd expect of a girl growing up. However, my life changed when the original Kirijo Group began abducting children for experimentation. Through countless experiments, they forced me into awakening my Persona. The experience itself left me very hurt... I eventually stopped caring about my life... and started to lose value in everything... It was the only way I could cope at the time... For the longest time, that was my mentality towards my life... Death just meant not waking up anymore to me... and I had detached myself from everything I used to deem important. That was, until I met Junpei-kun... His carefree demeanor... at first it was annoying, but then I saw, he was living his life to the fullest, as best he could, in spite of everything. Despite being enemies, he would visit me in the hospital every chance he had. Soon enough, I developed certain... feelings towards him... And that was when I realized my greatest fear.... I was afraid of attachment... no, more accurately.... I was afraid of losing what I was attached to... And that came to pass when Junpei was shot, and killed..." She starts to cry, remembering the painful memories of the past.

"Was that what Junpei was talking about earlier during our battle?"

She nods her head. "I saved him, giving my life for his.... and when I awoke again, I had no recollection of any of it. But today, after everything that happened, it all came flooding back, the memories, the emotions... all of it...." She hugs her knees again in her chest. "I... don't know what to do... or how to feel... I ended up forgetting a large piece of who I was, and now that I remember... I just am unsure of the kind of person I am... what can I believe now...? How am I supposed to feel about Junpei...?"

Ken takes a moment to hear it all before talking. "Is it really that complicated?"

"Hmm...?" She turns to listen to him.

"Think about it. It's a large piece of you, but in the end it's only a part of you. The time you spent together, all of it was true, even if you had forgotten about the past. In the end, nothing's really changed has it? You still feel the same way for Iori-san. So the way I see it, there's not much you need to think on past that."

She takes a moment to think about what he said, and then smiles. "No, you're right. Perhaps not." Ken then stands up to leave before Chidori ends up calling out to him. "Yanagi-san!" He turns around. "Thank you again. For saving me and Junpei."

Ken smiles and then leaves, closing the door behind him, as Chidori smiles, knowing that the feelings she has for Junpei won't change, in spite of remembering her past.

---

While everyone has returned to their rooms, Ren had left the apartment, walking down the street, until he finally reached a designated alleyway. Standing around, he was waiting for someone. Suddenly, he feels someone's presence. He waits for them to get closer, before something pressed against his head, something thin and pointed.

The person chuckles. "I know you're already aware of my presence. You're late, Amamiya."

Ren snickers. "Got held up, sorry. Heh, and here I thought we were on a first name basis." He turns around and notices a familiar face with his hand in the form of a finger gun that was on the back of his head. "You know I don't find that amusing... Goro."

Akechi smirks. "Brings back old memories. Still amazed how you managed to deceive me, but that's in the past. By the way, Ren-" He puts his hood down and looks up. "You can tell that skulking cat to stop hiding."

Out from above, Morgana jumps down and sighs. "Still the same old Akechi, I see."

Akechi smirked but then got a serious expression on his face. "So, I assume you called me here to ask what I found out."

"That's right." Ren said, putting his hands in his pockets. "What've you got?"

He opens his coat, and pulls out an envelope. "All the details about Kenichiro Yanagi I managed to dig up." He opens the folder. "And on top of that, it seems there's more information about his mother and father, Hanako and Satoshi Yanagi."

Ren then looks over the file after removing it from the envelope, followed by a shocked expression on his face.

"This is-!"

Notes:

Social Links
The Fool (Persona Users) - Rank 2
The Councillor (The Wild Cards) - Rank 3
The Star (Takuto Maruki) - Rank 3
The Aeon (Kitsu) - Rank 3
The Empress (Ryoko Souji) - Rank 2
The Hermit (Shadow Operatives) - Rank 2
The Sun (Investigation Team) - Rank 1
Strength (Phantom Thieves) - Rank 2

 

New Generation
Ken Yanagi - (The Fool) Nobunaga
Kitsu - (The Aeon) Wu Zetian
Ryoko Souji - (The Empress) Hangaku

Shadow Operatives
Minato Arisato - (The Fool) Orpheus
Minako Arisato - (The Fool) Calliope
Akihiko Sanada - (The Emperor) Polydeuces
Mitsuru Kirijo - (The Empress) Penthesilea
Yukari Takeba - (The Lovers) Io
Junpei Iori - (The Magician) Hermes

Investigation Team
Yu Narukami - (The Fool) Izanagi
Yosuke Hanamura - (The Magician) Jiraiya

Phantom Thieves
Ren Amamiya/Joker - (The Fool) Arsène
Morgana/Mona - (The Magician) Zorro
Ryuji Sakamoto/Skull - (The Chariot) Captain Kidd
Sumire Yoshizawa/Violet - (The Faith) Cendrillon
Sophie - (The Hope) Pandora

Persona Users
Chidori Yoshino - (The Hanged Man) Medea

Chapter 34: ???, ??? (???)

Walking down a long corridor was a set of two familiar figures, one with blue hair and another with auburn hair. The two are walking together, their ID cards reading 'Kotone Shiomi' and 'Makoto Yuki'. 

'Makoto Yuki' straightened his tie. "Can't believe we're doing this. This feels like the kinda thing you see outta the movies."

'Kotone Shiomi' brushed her hair a bit with her fingers. "Gotta admit little brother, it's quite exciting."

As the two were walking down the corridor, they encountered another familiar figure, her long red hair swaying side to side as she approaches them.

"Give it to her, quick. We only have so long." She says as she passes by casually, slipping 'Kotone' something, a badge that seemed important.

As they head down the corridor, they turn right, into another meeting room. Seated, was a woman with brown twin-tails, a blue-haired woman with a braided ponytail and computer, and a frizzy haired guy. "You guys got it?"

'Kotone' held the badge between her two fingers. "Right here."

"We got no time to waste," says the frizzy-haired guy. He then touches his finger to his ear. "Unity 0-1, it's me, Royal 9-0. I'm here with Shadow 6-2, and Golden 0-6. We're gonna try and duplicate the badge as quickly as possible and hand it back before Shadow 7-1 has their cover blown."

A static male voice responds over the earpiece. "We gotta hurry. Once the meeting is over, they'll be headed back. We only got one chance to slip into the Osaka branch. Royal 1-1, Unity 0-8, how's their channels sounding?"

A female voice responds over the radio. "Mwehehe, they got no clue at all."

The response is followed by the sound of a timid male voice. "We're in the clear. Geez, this makes me so nervous."

A punkish voice responds over the radio. "Dammit this is harder to remember. Man, codenames were much easier. Why we gotta do this complicated crap man?"

Another guy's voice chimes in. "It's what Unity 7-1 suggested man. But although it helps conceal our real names, I do feel it's a bit much."

A female voice speaks over them. "Well, he is a military kid. I guess it's just more natural for him."

"Real question," says the punkish voice. "But don't we got two badass hackers? Why can't we just do that?"

"The files we need are only kept as hard-copy archives. Prevents sensitive information from getting found by people like those two badass hackers. The only way we get this information is up close and personal. That's why I came up with the callsigns. Even less of a chance to be found out if someone's listening in on our communications."

Suddenly a stern voice speaks over all of them. "Focus, all of you. This is Unity 5-2, I'm with Unity 0-1. We're currently sitting at the café down the street to blend in."

"Let's hope Royal 0-6 can stall him long enough before he finds out." Unity 0-1 says. "It's a good thing she brought Golden 0-3 and Shadow 0-5 as security."

"Let's just hope they don't see through Royal 9-0's ruse in meeting with the Kirijo Group's Entertainment Division." says Unity 5-2.

"This is Shadow 6-2. We got it!"

"Great work Shadow 6-2. Now get that badge back to Shadow 7-1 before we're blown."

As the red-haired lady leaves with the badge to return it to its owner, 'Kotone' and 'Makoto' head back down the corridor before entering the elevator. They then manage to get down to the lobby and exit the building before meeting up with the others at the café.

"Me and Shadow 2-0 are out. We'll meet up with you now." They then sat next to them and order coffee, slipping Unity 0-1 the badge under the table.

"Thanks a bunch." He looks at their fake IDs. "Heh, those IDs aren't half bad. Glad Kirijo-san came through for us."

"Still think the names suck though." says the blue-haired guy. "So, meeting with Miyamoto soon?"

"Yeah, he'll help me get in. And it should be easier now that we have that ID." He then stands up. "Don't leave all at the same time. I'll get the information we need." He turns to Unity 5-2. "Nagase, you leave first."

They all nod their heads. 'Kotone' gives him a supportive cheer. "You got this. We'll be waiting."

"We'll be counting on you, Yanagi-san." says the man named Nagase.

Yanagi nods and turns around, walking out of the café. 

"It's time we unmask the identity of the one pulling the strings."

Notes:

A preview chapter, flashing forward on what's to come. As for why they got callsigns now? Just wait and see. :D

Chapter 35: 6/1, Kansai University (No Leads)

Yanagi was still thinking about the previous night before. His mind drifted off, and before he knew it, he started spinning his pen, drifting off into a sea of his thoughts. Who was the shady figure? What was his end goal? And what happened to Junpei and Chidori exactly? As these questions raced through his mind, he hadn't noticed that the class had ended for the day. With that in mind, he had packed up and decided to head straight back to his apartment. However, before he left, he got a text. It was from Yu.

 

Yo, I'm in front of the campus. Meet me at the gate. It's urgent.

 

Ken was curious what could be so important that Yu was waiting for him at the campus gates.

 

I'll see ya there then.

 

Leaving the main building and heading towards the campus entrance, Yu was leaning against the gate, waiting for him, his bowl cut slightly blowing in the wind.

Feeling Yanagi's presence, he glanced in his direction. "Hope you didn't have any serious plans today Yanagi-kun."

"I just hope this is important enough to make up for any plans I might've had."

"Believe me it's very important. We'll discuss this back at the apartments."

On the road, Yu's car is parked. It's a black fancy sedan, with very nice seats on the inside

The two of them got in the car, with Yanagi sat on the passenger side as Yu took the wheel. The three of them then begin driving down a long stretch of road, before entering the highway. As Ken gazes out the window, he can't help but look around and notice how much of the city he still has yet to see. 

"It's a nice sight isn't it?" Yu asked.

"Yeah. I had my doubts when I first moved here but, I gotta say, it's beautiful, both during the day and at night."

The car continued down the highway. Ken couldn't help but wonder what it was he wanted to talk about.

"So what's this important thing to discuss?"

"Just wait man. We'll talk about it when we're back."

The drive continued until finally they had returned to the apartments. As they entered, everyone was sat in the common area, even Chidori. It looked like they were all gathered for a serious meeting.

"Please, sit down." Mitsuru was holding a box in her hand. "There's a few matters I wish to discuss. As we all know, last night, we managed to rescue both Iori and Yoshino. It seems as though Yoshino has regained her memory of our time at Tatsumi Port Island."

Chidori winced a little, scratching her wrist. It seemed as though the memories were painful for her.

"We were hoping that you could lead a normal life, after having lost the potential and your memories of those events so many years ago." She then stands and bows forward. "Yoshino-san, please, accept my deepest apologies. We should've kept both you and Junpei safe."

Chidori shakes her head. "It's okay Kirijo-sama. You did the best you could for each of us. I can only apologize for putting you all through so much, now and back then as well."

Mitsuru then sits back down. "Thank you. Your kindness knows no bounds. That being said, I may have one more selfish request for you." She then clears her throat. "Now that you've reawakened to your former power and regained your memories, we were hoping you could join us in our exploration of the world inside the radio waves. I realize how selfish that sounds of me, but we believe your power could help all of us."

"You mean you're asking me...?"

"I know it seems sudden, but I believe there's much you could bring to the table with your help. That's why I want to formally ask you, Yoshino-san. Will you join the Shadow Operatives?"

Everyone was looking at her, but Junpei seemed the most concerned at her side. It only made sense after everything they'd been through.

"Chidorita, you gonna be okay? It's dangerous. I'm worried bout ya, and this is just gonna put you in more danger."

Chidori shook her head again. "It's okay Junpei. It's my choice." She turns her head to Mitsuru and nods. "I'll join you. You've all taken on so many risks to protect us and save me and Junpei. If I knew, I would've joined you sooner."

Mitsuru smiles. "Thank you, Yoshino-san. It's only a formality but-" She then opens the box. Inside is an Evoker. "This is for you. They may not be useful anymore in this new world, but I suppose there's a meaning behind it."

Chidori bows forward slightly. "Thank you, Kirijo-sama." She takes the Evoker and examines it slightly.

Ren then cleared his throat to get everyone's attention. "Now that this matter is settled, I think it's time we discussed the other details of what happened last night."

Everyone gathered closer. 

"This is a first for all of us."

Yanagi was confused. "What do you mean by that?"

Ren takes off his glasses. Yu was pulling at his sleeve on his shirt. 

"This is a first for all of us when facing someone like this. When me and the Investigation Team were trying to track down the killer in Inaba, it took us nearly a whole year for us to find even the smallest clues to his identity."

Ren's expression seemed more serious. "And it took just as long for The Phantom Thieves to uncover the truth behind Shido's conspiracy. But this time, it seems as though the one who's behind all this has no problem showing himself before us. As if he wants us to know he's behind it all. Makes you wonder why."

Minato's hands were clasped. "It's unexpected. Back during our time at Tatsumi Port Island, there was this one person who was masterminding the Fall. His name was Shuji Ikutsuki. He was originally our group's club manager, before revealing he used us. I'll never forget what he did."

Mitsuru's gaze averted slightly. "Father..."

Yanagi could see that there were scars everyone was still bearing.

"He's taunting us." Yanagi was pissed off thinking about that shadowy figure. "The way he was speaking, saying that it was his show and his rules, he wants us to know he's in charge. He wants us to know that he's in control of the game and that there's nothing we can do about it."

There was silence for a moment between the group.

Ryuji was the first to break it. "Dammit, this sonuvabitch! I'm gonna break his damn teeth!" His fists are clenched.

Sumire puts her hand on his shoulder. "Please lovebird, calm down." But she seems just as angry.

Yosuke was thinking. "Can't believe how confident he seemed. On top of that, he knew who we were. The Phantom Thieves I can understand, since they're public knowledge at this point since 2016. But he specifically mentioned the Investigation Team, and the Shadow Operatives."

Yanagi could see they were getting mad, so he tried to calm down and do the same with the others. "It pisses me off knowing he's looking down on us. But getting mad isn't gonna help. For now, I think it's best to table this discussion until we get more details on who he is."

Akihiko nodded in response. "Agreed. As an inspector, I can tell you clearly, jumping to conclusions doesn't ever seem to go as planned."

Yukari brushed her hair a little. "Guess we'll be in the dark for a while."

Everyone else nodded in agreement.

Mitsuru spoke up again. "With that said, it's good to welcome Yoshino-san to the team."

Chidori bowed her head happily. "I won't let any of you down."

Junpei smiled. "I'll be right there with you baby!"

Yukari's eyes were closed, but she seemed proud. "It's nice to have another girl on the team."

In one of the many rare moments, Minato smiled. "To think the first time we met was as enemies. And yet so much has changed after all this time."

"Glad to be on the same side Chidori-chan!" Minako had a pleasant expression on her face.

The aura in the room was cheerful. Ken couldn't help feeling he was growing closer with all of them.

---

That night, Yanagi had been studying before there was a notification on his phone from Yu.

 

Yu
Yo, Yanagi-san, was wondering man, ya wanna hang out?
Me and Yosuke-san were bored outta our minds.

 

Yanagi was thinking a bit on if he should accept, but then decided it would be more fun than just studying.

 

Sure, what'd you have in mind?

Yu
Was thinking we'd go hit up a bar tonight.
See ya at the river bridge.

---

After leaving the apartment, he took the train to Yotenbori. In the town, he walked around until he managed to make it to the bridge. Yu and Yosuke were already waiting there for him.

"Anybody else joining us?" Yanagi asked.

"Nah, just us 3 guys." Yu said

"Can't wait to see how much we can get in us!" Yosuke was excited.

Yanagi didn't like the sound of that. "What does he mean by that?"

"Oh I guess I forgot to tell you Yanagi-san." Yu had a mischievous smile. "We're doing a pub crawl."

After hearing Yu say that, and Yosuke's enthusiasm, Yanagi was thinking on what to say.

"I'm gone."

Yu and Yosuke laughed.

Yosuke was laughing extremely hard to where he doubled over. "C'mon man, let's just have fun."

Yanagi sighed and saw that there was no real way he was getting out of this.

---

They had reached the 5th bar, and things for Yanagi started getting blurry.

Yu and Yosuke were sat up on the bar together along with Yanagi. 

Yu was slurring his words but he sounded like he was actually trying to say something serious. "Ya know something Yanagi-kun, I'll admit. I wasn't expecting to be on another adventure so soon. Honestly, as bad as it is for me to say, I kinda am glad this brought me out of my writing career. Hell, gives me inspiration for new material too."

Yosuke chugged a highball. "Man, to think, you're now one of the most famous authors in the country man. I heard they're even trying to translate your books to English too."

Yanagi was thinking for a moment. "Man, I feel like it would've been so awesome to join your adventures. Hell, Minato saved the world, you guys stopped a serial killer, and Ren and the others stole a nation. Damn, I wonder if my story will live up to standard with yours."

Yu got upset. "Hey, don't say that man. C'mon, you're a good guy. And if there's one thing I learned as an author, it's that writing your own story is something you should be proud of. Regardless of what others think of your story, it's your story, and you should always be proud of it."

Yosuke slammed down his glass after chugging another highball. "Yeah man, don't worry too much bout your life! At the very least, we're all working together and I'll bet your story is gonna be real interesting."

Yanagi was listening to what they said and after thinking on it, he realized he was worried about being in their shadow. But after hearing Yu's advice, he was happy to know that it was his own story. After everything they told him, he couldn't help but feel closer to them. Soon, they finished their pub crawl and took the train back to Yakaboshi.

---

Meanwhile, in a yakiniku restaurant, a guy with messy curly hair is laying down a strip of wagyu on the grill. Across from him is another guy in a hood, but with shaggy brown hair, and next to him is a lady with red hair.

"So, the research on Yanagi-kun, I trust it was what you were looking for?"

The messy haired guy slipped him an envelope of cash. Meanwhile the red-haired lady drank some tea from her glass.

"There. Thanks for all your help."

The red-haired lady smiled. "We appreciate your willingness to meet with us, Akechi-kun."

"Glad you and Kirijo-san found some use for it, Amamiya. Feel free to call me again should you need my investigative services."

They then take their pieces of wagyu off the grill and drink some of their tea.

"Are you surprised, Ren? About his family?" Akechi was dipping his meat.

"... It caught me off guard. I didn't think after all this time, that would be brought up again. I can only imagine how you must've felt, Kirijo-san."

"I must admit, I didn't think too much at first when I heard his father was a doctor. But I never imagined that's who he was."

Akechi was taking small bites out of his meat, along with some rice. "There's a lot more to him than I had thought. To think his family was involved all those years ago. It must've been difficult for him, growing up. Quite frankly, I'm shocked he doesn't remember any of it."

"Or perhaps he's trying to block it out." Mitsuru said. "What do you think, Amamiya-san?"

"Hmmm." Ren took a moment to think. "For now, we'll just have to see what's in store. We should trust him. He's a good kid. I'm sure whatever happens, he'll do what he can to see this mystery through."

The other two of them nod their heads in agreement, as they finish their meals and departed for the night.

Notes:

Social Links
The Fool (Persona Users) - Rank 3
The Councillor (The Wild Cards) - Rank 3
The Star (Takuto Maruki) - Rank 3
The Aeon (Kitsu) - Rank 3
The Empress (Ryoko Souji) - Rank 2
The Hermit (Shadow Operatives) - Rank 2
The Sun (Investigation Team) - Rank 2
Strength (Phantom Thieves) - Rank 2

 

New Generation
Ken Yanagi - (The Fool) Nobunaga
Kitsu - (The Aeon) Wu Zetian
Ryoko Souji - (The Empress) Hangaku

Shadow Operatives
Minato Arisato - (The Fool) Orpheus
Minako Arisato - (The Fool) Calliope
Akihiko Sanada - (The Emperor) Polydeuces
Mitsuru Kirijo - (The Empress) Penthesilea
Yukari Takeba - (The Lovers) Io
Junpei Iori - (The Magician) Hermes
Chidori Yoshino - (The Hanged Man) Medea

Investigation Team
Yu Narukami - (The Fool) Izanagi
Yosuke Hanamura - (The Magician) Jiraiya

Phantom Thieves
Ren Amamiya/Joker - (The Fool) Arsène
Morgana/Mona - (The Magician) Zorro
Ryuji Sakamoto/Skull - (The Chariot) Captain Kidd
Sumire Yoshizawa/Violet - (The Faith) Cendrillon
Sophie - (The Hope) Pandora

Chapter 36: 6/2, Kansai University (Cosplay Café, Followed by Counseling)

Ken was just waiting for his class to be over. They were lecturing on the Bakumatsu Period and the Meiji Restoration. After explaining about the bakufu and Yoshinobu Tokugawa's rule, he started falling asleep. However, he was woken up by a hand on his shoulder.

"Yo, Yanagi, ya good man?"

Opening his eyes, he saw Kazuma. His familiar bandana around his neck, and a smile on his face.

"By the way, guess what dude!"

"Huh? What do you want man?"

"Aww dude, that any way to talk to your best friend? Especially after he's snagged the best prize for ya?"

Ken laid his head back down on his desk. "Do I even want to know?"

"C'mon dude, check it out!" He waves a flyer near his face, to which Ken ignores. "Check it out dude, it's a cosplay café! With all sorts of cuties! I hear they wear really short skirts and dresses too! And their outfits are super revealing! And best of all, they got private rooms where you can ask for private services!"

Ken suddenly opened his eyes and his face was flushed, but he quickly shut them again and ignored his friend. "Dude, seriously? This the only kind of thing on your mind these days?"

"Aw c'mon dude, don't do me like that!" He leans in and whispers in Ken's ear. "Ya know ya want it too!"

Ken opens his eyes again, even more flushed. He then sits up and pulls Kazuma in, squeezing his head. He then gives him a menacing glare, somehow still being flushed at the same time. "Are you forgetting what happened last time you suggested something like this?" 

Kazuma still had a grin on his face, albeit a sweat drop rolled down the side of his head. "Oh come on man, there's no need for violence."

Ken lets go of his grip. "I'm gone. Do whatever creepy thing you want, but leave me out of it dude."

As Ken is about to leave, Kazuma cuts him off, right before he steps out the door. He then claps his hands together and bows his head. "Wait dude, please, come on man! I need a wingman here! You're the only guy I trust dude, c'mon, c'mon, c'mon, I'll treat you even, please, I'm beggin' ya man, please-"

Ken puts his hand on his neck and drags him out the room. "Alright, alright dude, would ya stop making a scene?! You're starting to make us look like weirdos!"

Suddenly Kazuma's mood changes. "Great! See ya after classes are out!"

He sighed to himself and put his palm on his face. "What is my best friend planning?"

---

[RECOMMENDED LISTENING: WICKED PLAN]

Yanagi was outside of the café, Kazuma seeming overly giddy about the place. Just what kind of café was this place?

Kazuma giggled. "Man, you are gonna love this place dude!"

Ken sighed and rubbed his head. "Not. Likely."

Entering the café, Ken was greeted by a familiar face. One of a familiar fox girl. Except this time, she was dressed in a maid's outfit

"Welcome master!"

Kazuma grinned at Ken. Ken on the other hand didn't know what to think. "So then... was this your idea or his?"

"Well, I'm sure this should come as no surprise to you, but turns out, the desires people have in this world cost money. And my, have I found a lot of things I enjoy! Manga, internet cafés, movies, fancy food, you name it! And since you got our funds from the scholarship locked up tight, I gotta make money on my own somehow." 

She then leaned in closer to him trying to make a cutesy face. "So please tip me extra master?"

Ken was straight faced and pinched the bridge of his nose. "What'd I do to deserve you?"

---

They sat Ken and Kazuma in separate booths.

Kitsu went on to give a full rundown of the place. "Here at CosCafé, we try and make sure all our customers have a personally tailored service! So we ask you to take a brief survey so we can choose the best server for you!"

She then proceeded to hand him a tablet. It showed him a survey of all sorts of questions.

Ken read the questions aloud. "Cosplay fantasy: Maid, ninja, idol... Are you a boy or a girl... Are you dominant or-"

The last question had him surprised. Kitsu looked at him with confusion. "Is something wrong Yanagi-kun?"

Ken looked up at her. "Um, yeah, what the hell are these questions?"

Kitsu sighed. "Of course you can't answer these. Here, give it to me."

Kitsu took the tablet away and answered all the questions at random. "There, all your choices are made. So just give us a few minutes and we'll have someone right out for you."

"Um, okay...? I feel like this is gonna be something off-putting."

Kitsu laughed loudly. "Oh don't worry Yanagi-kun, you'll love it, I'm sure."

---

For 20 minutes, he's stuck waiting for service. Looking around the place, the décor was pretty eye-catching though. A lot of anime and manga posters were splattered across the walls. He also noticed a flyer on the wall next to his booth, telling him about idol performances every day in the afternoon. According to the poster, there'd be one happening in a few minutes. He looked around, and saw a stage at the far end of the café, surprised that he hadn't noticed it earlier.

The lights suddenly dimmed and a light shined down on the stage in an instant. Suddenly, Kitsu's voice played over the speaker.

"Hope you're all comfy! Get ready for tonight's idol performance!"

 

[RECOMMENDED LISTENING: SHADOW WORLD]

 

A girl dressed in a bright white and pink idol outfit appears on stage and begins singing. She has black twin tails with streaks of purple. Seeing her, Yanagi can't help but feel he's seen her somewhere before.

"WHOOO!! Go Saki Saki!!"

Suddenly it clicked, albeit surprising for Ken. The crowd was cheering her on and soon enough, he started doing the same. Soon enough, after the show ended, she got off stage and began shaking hands with everyone.

Ken decided to approach her.

"Hi! Can I help you?" she asked.

Ken was surprised. "Kunagiri-san? Is that you?"

"Do I know you?" She looked confused.

"We met the other day. I was with Kitsu."

It then suddenly clicked for her. "Oh! That's right." She then turned to the manager who was handling the audience. "Hey boss, I'm gonna take a quick 15."

He signaled her with the okay.

---

Saki and Ken were sat down together at his booth. Kitsu arrives as well.

"Sorry we're taking longer than usual Yanagi-kun."

"It's fine." Ken said. "I got someone here with me already."

"That's great! I'll leave you both be then!" She waves to Saki. "Take care Saki-chan!"

Saki then waves back.

"So..." Ken started off. "You're an idol here?"

"Oh... yeah. Surprised huh?"

"Well, yeah considering how you're usually dressed. It's a different look on ya."

"It's nice to let out my energy once in a while. Believe it or not, I love performing. I'm a junior with a theatre major at Kansai University."

"Oh, no way. I go there too!"

"That's nice. I'm on a scholarship for my education." She pouts. "My parents think theatre is a pipe dream for me. Tell me to be more realistic. I get they care for me and want me to get a stable career but still..."

"Yeah. They care. But at the same time, they're shutting down your dreams. It's difficult I'm sure." He smiles and looks at her. "I believe you can do it though, Kunagiri-senpai. I loved your performance up there."

She smiles. "Thanks Yanagi-san." She stands up. "Hey Yanagi-kun, do you think you could come watch me perform again? I'm happy you enjoyed my performance."

Ken nods his head. "Sure, I'd love to see you perform."

The two smile at each other. He felt a bond forming between them, as he chose to give them support in their hopes and dreams for the future. 

 

I am thou... thou art I...

Thou hast forged a new bond...

 

It shall strengthen thy own ability to unite thy comrades,

reshaping the outcome of your journey.

 

With the aide of the Lovers Arcana, you have acquired the

power necessary to forge your own path in the 

perilous journey lain before you.

 

"Hey quick question." Ken said.

"Hmm?"

"Were you the one who got Kitsu her job here?"

"Haha, is it that obvious?"

The two chuckled for a bit before Ken decided to leave.

---

Ken decided to visit Dr. Maruki's office late at night before heading home. Despite his hard work, he always tried to make time to listen to the woes of the students. As Yanagi opened the office door, he saw Dr. Maruki tidying up his office.

"Hey doc. Got a few moments to spare?"

"It's no worries Yanagi-kun. My door is always open to listen to any student's troubles."

He brushed off his coffee table with the snacks before sitting down in his usual chair. Yanagi then sat opposite of him on the couch.

"I did want to expand a bit on our last topic of discussion though."

"You mean about pain derived from guilt?"

"It's a bit of a new topic as well in a sense."

He pulls out his notepad and begins discussing with Yanagi.

"There are many factors in the human condition. Tell me, which do you think is the most essential?"

He showed Yanagi a complex diagram. Despite its complexity, he discovered many key points, such as the Heart, the Mind, and the Soul. But above all there was one thing encompassing them all.

"It's a human's sense of Existence right? Above all, one's Existence is made up of everything else. Those are all what defines a person."

"That's right. The Heart, the Mind, and the Soul all bind together to make up one's sense of Existence. That's why pain derived from guilt is such a strong feeling. All these three factors, they absorb that feeling more than anything."

He writes down more notes.

"Perhaps the best analogy is that physical pain like a slap to the face will hurt. But it'll go away slowly over time. But pain to one's Existence, it can stay. It can linger, and even alter one's Existence."

"Are you speaking from experience?"

"Heh. Perhaps you're right. Everyone has their reasons I suppose. Some things happened to me before. I suppose that's why I chose to follow this path."

"Well our choices and experiences are what define us. Even if it's pain."

"So then tell me. If you faced a strong emotional pain, would you let it alter your Existence?"

Ken thought hard about his answer. 

"Your Existence, who you are, is affected by pain, one way or another, whether for good or bad. You can't choose whether it'll affect you. It'll do so regardless of your choice."

Maruki smiled. "That's right. I have to say, you're more self-aware than I expected Yanagi-kun."

The two of them then chatted about personal anecdotes and enjoyed the rest of their time. Ken couldn't help but feel a little closer to Dr. Maruki.

---

Saki Kunagiri decided to change out after a long day at school and coming back home from work. She put her usual attire back on as she was preparing to go out and enjoy a night in the town. 

"Yanagi-kun... what a nice guy."

Suddenly the doorbell rang, just as she finished putting on her boots. 

"Coming!"

As she opened the door, a familiar face appeared. 

"Miyamoto-san? What're you doing here? How do you know where I live?"

"Look, there's no time. I'm here to warn you. When you left work, there was this guy with a hoodie who was following you. You need to-"

Suddenly, a shadowy figure comes from behind and begins to put him in a chokehold. Kazuma tries to fight back, but the figure behind him is able to easily keep him down, despite his attempts to fight back. 

"Miyamoto-san!" As Kazuma slips out of consciousness, Saki has fallen back on the floor, afraid. "Who are you?"

"Shhhhh." He then covers her mouth until she passes out. He chuckles to himself, then pulls out his phone, bringing up a familiar application.

Notes:

I'm finally back. Sorry my time has been occupied. What with moving and all, it's kept me busy. But I'm finally able to get back to it. Hope you liked this chapter! :D

 

Social Links
The Fool (Persona Users) - Rank 3
The Councillor (The Wild Cards) - Rank 4
The Star (Takuto Maruki) - Rank 3
The Aeon (Kitsu) - Rank 3
The Empress (Ryoko Souji) - Rank 2
The Hermit (Shadow Operatives) - Rank 2
The Sun (Investigation Team) - Rank 2
Strength (Phantom Thieves) - Rank 2
The Lovers (Saki Kunagiri) - Rank 1

 

New Generation
Ken Yanagi - (The Fool) Nobunaga
Kitsu - (The Aeon) Wu Zetian
Ryoko Souji - (The Empress) Hangaku

Shadow Operatives
Minato Arisato - (The Fool) Orpheus
Minako Arisato - (The Fool) Calliope
Akihiko Sanada - (The Emperor) Polydeuces
Mitsuru Kirijo - (The Empress) Penthesilea
Yukari Takeba - (The Lovers) Io
Junpei Iori - (The Magician) Hermes
Chidori Yoshino - (The Hanged Man) Medea

Investigation Team
Yu Narukami - (The Fool) Izanagi
Yosuke Hanamura - (The Magician) Jiraiya

Phantom Thieves
Ren Amamiya/Joker - (The Fool) Arsène
Morgana/Mona - (The Magician) Zorro
Ryuji Sakamoto/Skull - (The Chariot) Captain Kidd
Sumire Yoshizawa/Violet - (The Faith) Cendrillon
Sophie - (The Hope) Pandora

Chapter 37: 6/3, Kansai University (Taunts From the Shadows)

During class, Yanagi had spaced out. His mind was focused more on the kidnappings and the other world rather than the studies given right in front of him. He was stuck, wondering what his next move would be. Wondering what their enemy might do for their next move.

His phone started buzzing in his back pocket. Curious, he decided to check his messages. Unlocking his phone, he found a single message from Ren.

 

 

Head straight back once you're done. It's urgent. And I don't think
you're gonna wanna wait on this.

Is something wrong?

It's worse than you think.

---

Returning to the complex, the twins were outside, arriving just  as he was.

"What's up?" Minato said, waving at Ken. 

"You get Ren's message too?" Minako asked.

"Yeah. Wonder what he's got to show us that's so bad."

As they entered, he noticed a new face, and a rather a familiar one, in the form of a blond young lady. However, her look from before was different, as she didn't look as mechanical. In fact, she looked completely normal. The new face belonged to a scruffy guy with long hair, kept together with a beanie. He had a large coat that he wore over his shoulders. Next to the two of them was Akihiko. 

Minako suddenly rushed over and hugged the new guy. "Shinji-san!"

"Minako-chan!" The big guy hugged her back. "I can't believe it, it's actually you. I had my doubts about what Aki told me... but you're here."

Akihiko chuckled. "You can finally let go of your guilt Shinji."

"I'm happy to see you again Shinjiro-san. Do you still have it by the way?"

Shinjiro reaches in his pocket and pulls out an old damaged pocket watch. "Yeah. I never got rid of it. It's only because you found  it that I'm still here today."

Minako smiled happily. "I'm glad to see you're well Shinji. You hear Morgana speak by the way?"

"Yeah, they took me to the other world to get acclimated to his voice. Still shocked, hearing a cat speaking." Shinjiro scratched the back of his head.

The newly human looking Aigis approached Minato. "It is good to see you again. I'm so happy you've returned."

"Wow, Aigis... you look so... human."

Mitsuru smiled, happy to see the two reunited. "Robotics have improved vastly over the past 17 years Arisato-kun. With each advancement, androids start to look even more human. We also figured that this would maybe be an advantage, since with this body, she isn't a weapon. Therefore, it should be easy for her to enter the other world with us."

Aigis shed a tear. "I wanted to show you how much I had changed since we last met. How much I've grown. While my body may still be machine, I've learned so much."

Minato returned her feelings with a smile. "I'm proud of you Aigis."

Everyone is happy to be reunited. However, from across the room, Yanagi notices Ren shooting him a look. Without further ado, Yanagi walked straight over. 

"You messaged me with something urgent?"

"Come with me. I think you should see this first before anybody else."

The two walked up the stairs to Ren's apartment on the 5th floor. In Ren's apartment, the decor was quite simple. He had a workbench to craft items, a couch to relax on, a TV on a table, a bed, and a table with a laptop on it.

"What did you want to show me?"

Ren opened his laptop. "It's not good. Let me start by saying, whoever it was, they know well who we are. Last night, this video was sent to us while we were asleep. Even worse is that it was sent directly to Sophie."

"How is that worse?"

"Sophie's an AI, operating on a secure server. Her servers are supposed to be inaccessible to anyone except the ones who host her servers, at least according to Kirijo Technology. And access to the servers are only available to two people, me, and Kirijo-san. Any time our IT departments need to do hardware maintenance, or anybody needs to update the server software, only the two of us can sign off on it, verified by our login, RFID tags in our access cards, and our biometrics."

Yanagi is trying to process the information. "So then basically, any access to her servers requires a high level of clearance and security?"

"That's right. I trust Kirijo-san, and I know for certain she would never have sent anything like this. What that means is whoever sent this to us knows how to bypass all that security."

"I see. So what'd they send us?"

"It's a video. Captured from a drone camera. I think you should take a look for yourself."

He then pulled up the video and enabled playback. In the camera, a young guy had his back turned to it, facing an apartment door. He knocked, and then turned around. For a brief moment, his face was clear, and Yanagi could see who it was.

"Kazuma-san? What's going on?"

The apartment door opened, and suddenly, a second familiar face appeared.

"And... Kunagiri-san? Is that her place?"

A shadowy figure then appeared behind Kazuma and began choking him. Kazuma tried to fight back by slamming his back on the wall, but is unable to shake him, slowly passing out. 

"Kazuma!"

He then sees Saki cowering, right before the assailant covers her mouth, causing her to pass out.

"Kunagiri-san!"

He then brought out his phone and controlled the drone, bringing it closer. Once he caught the drone, he turned to face the camera. He was wearing a pair of sunglasses, a hoodie, and a surgical mask. He then began to address the viewers.

"You think you're all heroes? Then here's your chance to save some others. I suggest you act quickly. Before the next month rolls around."

Yanagi was shocked, considering he had only seen the both of them yesterday.

"Look at his phone after he's on the home screen." Ren said.

They zoomed in, and on his phone, there was a familiar program.

"He's got the same app as me. But how?"

"Didn't you use that app to bring in Souji-san at one point? So then that means he may be using it for the same reason."

Ken remembered other details too. 

"He targeted Kazuma and Kunagiri-san. I only spoke with them yesterday. That means he knew who I was and who to target. He sent the video straight to Sophie too. That means he most likely knows who we are, and what we're doing."'

"You're right... that had crossed my mind. We need to let the others know."

The two nod at each other, and close the laptop, bringing it downstairs.

---

"So, we're being targeted?" Mitsuru asked.

"It would appear that way," Ren replied.

"This is not good." Yukari says. Her gaze is distressed. "How does he know so much about us?"

"Dammit..." Ryuji was clenching his fists. "So that asshole took two people? And nobody frickin' noticed a damn thing?"

"Ryuji..." Sumire put her hand on his shoulder

"That bastard..." Morgana hissed.

Yanagi was trying to remain calm and analyze the situation. "It was late at night, so I don't think anyone was really paying attention."

"But why?" Sumire asked. "Why is he even doing this? What's the point?"

"I don't know..." Yanagi replied.

The room was quiet. Aigis was the first to break the silence.

"You had told us this video was sent directly to Sophie. Did she manage to find its source?"

"No, I'm sorry," Sophie replied. "The moment I received this, I tried to trace the signal but was shut out. It's as if they had defenses ready to keep me from pursuing them. The firewall they put up was too strong to break through."

Yosuke was biting his thumb slightly. "Just who the hell are we dealing with?" 

Suddenly the lobby doors opened, and in walked Yu. "Hey, Sanada-san, Aragaki-san. Did you guys manage to find him yet?"

Akihiko shook his head. Shinjiro sighed. "What's the big deal with him anyways? You really think he'll be that useful?"

Akihiko scoffed. "With all the trouble he causes, he better be worth it."

"Damn..." Yu cursed. "What about you Iori-san? Yoshino-san?"

Junpei sighed. "He's a tough guy to find." 

Chidori nodded in response to Junpei's remark. "I hope he'll listen to us. From what I've heard about him a while back, he isn't exactly the most reasonable person."

"Alright, well let me know if you find out anything." Yu then went upstairs, leaving the others to their discussion.

"Hey Kitsu. Did they say anything at your job about Kunagiri-san?" Yanagi asked?

"No but don't worry. I told them she needed to take some time off due to family and school. Just hope she's going to be okay."

"I'll be ready to start looking for her whenever everyone else is. I can't believe that someone still took her." Ryoko clenched her teeth.

"It's no use getting angry over it now." Ren said

"He's right," Minato followed. "The best we can do is just figure out what to do next."

"Yeah." Minako said afterwards. "Our top priority should be saving them."

"Just what I was thinking." Mitsuru chimed in. "If that's settled, then I think we should call our meeting here. We'll let Yanagi decide when our next visit to the other world will be."

Everyone nodded their heads and then left the lounge area.

---

It was 8:30 P.M. Yanagi was in his room, prepping to enter the world in the radio again, when he heard a knock on his door. Wondering who could be visiting him now, he opened the door surprised to see Yu standing in front of him.

"Narukami-san? Why the late visit?"

"I've come to ask you a favor. I need you to get to bed early. We got a trip to make tomorrow."

"Okay? But why? Will anybody else be coming?"

"No. It's just gonna be you and me."

"How come?"

"Because tomorrow, we're leaving to meet an important friend of mine." Yu opened up his phone and got a notification. "Looks like I just got the confirmation for tomorrow."

"Confirmation? About what?"

"We need advice on this case. It's about time we got a consultation."

Notes:

Social Links
The Fool (Persona Users) - Rank 3
The Councillor (The Wild Cards) - Rank 4
The Star (Takuto Maruki) - Rank 3
The Aeon (Kitsu) - Rank 3
The Empress (Ryoko Souji) - Rank 2
The Hermit (Shadow Operatives) - Rank 2
The Sun (Investigation Team) - Rank 2
Strength (Phantom Thieves) - Rank 2
The Lovers (Saki Kunagiri) - Rank 1

 

New Generation
Ken Yanagi - (The Fool) Nobunaga
Kitsu - (The Aeon) Wu Zetian
Ryoko Souji - (The Empress) Hangaku

Shadow Operatives
Minato Arisato - (The Fool) Orpheus
Minako Arisato - (The Fool) Calliope
Akihiko Sanada - (The Emperor) Polydeuces
Mitsuru Kirijo - (The Empress) Penthesilea
Yukari Takeba - (The Lovers) Io
Junpei Iori - (The Magician) Hermes
Shinjiro Aragaki - (The Hierophant) Castor
Chidori Yoshino - (The Hanged Man) Medea
Aigis - (The Chariot) Palladion

Investigation Team
Yu Narukami - (The Fool) Izanagi
Yosuke Hanamura - (The Magician) Jiraiya

Phantom Thieves
Ren Amamiya/Joker - (The Fool) Arsène
Morgana/Mona - (The Magician) Zorro
Ryuji Sakamoto/Skull - (The Chariot) Captain Kidd
Sumire Yoshizawa/Violet - (The Faith) Cendrillon
Sophie - (The Hope) Pandora

Chapter 38: 6/4, Tenzo Line (The Consultant)

The station was packed tight. Yu and Yanagi were waiting at the Tenzo Line in order to board the 7:30 AM train to Tokyo. From there, it was a transfer to the next line for Yamanashi prefecture. 

"So the person we're consulting, we're meeting in Yamanashi?"

"No." Yu said quickly.

"Huh? I thought we were going to Yamanashi to meet a friend we were going to consult with."

"No. We're going to Tokyo to meet up with my friend. Once we meet with them, we'll head to Yamanashi and stop off in Inaba. Then we'll be headed back to Osaka, and we'll meet our consultant there."

"Huh? It's a little out of the ways to go meet someone already in Osaka. Why're we making a round trip like this? And what's in Inaba? I thought it was a town out in the sticks."

"Yeah, but I got some people to meet there. In fact, they're the ones who're helping me get this consultation."

"I see. Gonna tell me who they are?"

"It's better you wait and see."

With that, the two rode on in silence. Looking outside, Yanagi couldn't help be amazed. It's been a while since he rode on a bullet train to another city in Japan. The sight he saw outside, seeing the city awake as he passed by, was truly a beautiful sight. Once he had arrived, the two of them quickly left the train and proceeded to the next line. 

---

"My friend was supposed to be waiting at the next line. Where is she...?" Yu looked around. "There, take a look."

Yanagi followed Yu as they approached his friend. As he looked, forward, he noticed a woman with long blue hair with a blue newsboy cap, wearing a blue coat, with long corduroy pants and platformed boots. He swore she seemed familiar before though, as if he'd seen or heard of them before. Then it hit him. Her style was exactly like Nozomi from the Seekers of the Truth series by Souji Seta, or as Yanagi knew him as now, Yu Narukami.

Yu smiled, as him and her noticed each other. "It's been a long time, Naoto-kun."

"Likewise, Yu. Or should I call you Souji-san now?"

Yu chuckled. "Haha, Yu's fine." He then turned to Yanagi. "Let me introduce you two. Yanagi-kun, this is Naoto Shirogane. Naoto, this is Ken Yanagi."

Yanagi politely bows. "It's nice to meet you."

"Likewise." She studies him. "That look on your face, seems like you've seen me somewhere before."

"Well, not necessarily seen, but I've read about you. Narukami told me about how his books are based on his real stories in Inaba. So you must be Nozomi from the novels, right?"

Naoto smiled. "Yu told me you were sharp. He also told me about everything you're investigating." She turns back to Yu. "You're sure consulting him is a great idea?"

Yu nodded. "We don't have much choice. The only way to stop him is to also get inside his head. He's the only one to consult on this."

The three then boarded the train for Yasoinaba Station. On the way there, they saw a news report about the mayor of Inaba speaking to the townspeople.

"It is all thanks to this community that we're able to be where we are now. Don't forget, only together can we foster a place where all can thrive."

Yu and Naoto were observing the news report closely.

"Man," Yu said. "To think Namatame actually got elected mayor."

"I've heard he's actually really good. People seem to like him," Naoto replied.

The train then pulled up to Yasoinaba Station. It was already 12:45 in the afternoon. As they got off the train, they all piled into a taxi cab.

"Where are we going?" Yanagi asked.

"The Inaba Police Department." Naoto replied. "There's someone we need to see."

"My uncle." Yu said.

As the cab rolled up to the police station, the three exited the car, and walked up to the reception in the lobby. 

"Can you notify Detective Dojima I'm here? I need to see them concerning something urgent."

The woman nodded and paged him over the phone. Shortly after, a woman came down to meet them. She was in a light pinkish pantsuit, with long hair. Her serious look suddenly softened up when she noticed Yu.

The woman seemed surprised. "Oh my god, is that really...?" 

Yu was also confused. "Um what's going on?"

"Is it really... is it really you, big brother?"

Suddenly the pieces started to fit together. "Big brother... Nanako-chan?!"

"Nanako?!" Naoto was also surprised.

That left Yanagi out of the loop. "Umm, is this who we're meeting?"

"There must be some mistake," Yu said to the receptionist. "I was asking for Detective Dojima." 

The receptionist was confused. "That is Detective Dojima."

"Huh?!" Yu and Naoto said at the same time.

"That's right," Nanako said. "I'm Detective Sergeant Nanako Dojima, of the Inaba Police Department." She bows her head. "It's a pleasure."

"Wait," Yu said. "Then what about, Detective Ryotaro Dojima?"

"Oh you're talking bout dad?" Nanako asked. "He's an inspector now. Chief Inspector Ryotaro Dojima. I'll go get him for you."

Nanko rushed off to get the inspector. 

Meanwhile, Yanagi was surprised. "Big brother?"

Yu recomposed himself. "That's what she calls me, but we're actually cousins. Her and I got to know each other a while back. We're really close, her and I."

"It's been 5 years since our last reunion." Naoto added. "We did hear she was going to school, but who knew she'd follow in her father's footsteps. Or more precisely, in Yu's."

Nanako then returned with an older man, with greying hair, in a grey shirt with a red tie, with his suit jacket slung over his shoulder.

"Holy crap, well I'll be damned, if it isn't Yu and Naoto!" says the older man. "C'mon, let's go to the cafeteria to talk."

The five of them walk to the station cafeteria, where it seems real busy. The five of them are sat at the same table, with Yu, Naoto, and Yanagi sat on one side.

"So who's the friend?" Dojima asked.

"Oh." Ken stood up and bowed. "I'm Ken Yanagi. I'm uh... a student, studying under Narukami. It's a pleasure."

“Likewise. I’m Chief Inspector Ryotaro Dojima.” He bowed his head as well.

"So," Yu starts. "You're an inspector now, Uncle?"

"Yep. Got promoted about 2 years ago. It's a tough job but it's not as bad as you think. It's crazy, to think I'm still in this line of work, nearing 60."

"I'm not sure what's more surprising." Naoto says. "You being promoted, or Nanako becoming a full-fledged detective."

"Oh please, it's not that big a deal." Nanako replied.

Dojima chuckled a bit. "She says that, but she's actually one of my best detectives in the department."

Yanagi was sat in silence, in awe of these people. To think, these were the people from the novels he loved. Yuta Nakano, Nozomi Shirakaba, Nanoha and Rintaro Daidoji. 

The others laughed a bit with Ken's awkwardness. Not that he minded, it was pretty surprising, that he was meeting his heroes.

"By the way, Dojima-san, does Chie-chan still work here?" Naoto asked.

"Nah. She got transferred to a bigger job in Tokyo. I hear she works in some special department in PubSec now."

"PubSec, huh...?"

Dojima then gave a sealed envelope to Yu.

"Those are the papers you'll need. You're sure about this Yu?"

"Yeah. I don't have a choice."

Dojima chuckles slightly. "Well, if you see him, tell him to keep outta trouble for me would ya? Heck I'm sure he doesn't need me to tell him that though."

They all sit and chat for a bit before leaving. Afterwards, Nanako and Dojima chose to drive them to the station. She then hugged her cousin before he boarded the train.

"Come visit again soon big brother, promise?"

"Of course, Nanako."

"Take care Nanako-chan." Naoto said as she waved her goodbye.

The three of them boarded a train back to Osaka. It was already 1:15 in the afternoon. Soon after, it was just another ride, back to where they had started.

"Hey, Yu-san, I've decided." Naoto-said. "I'm going to help you with this case."

"You sure? You don't have to go out of your way for this."

"It's alright. Besides, what kind of detective would I be if I strayed away from a mystery?"

"Well, it's not my choice anyways. You'd have to ask him." He looks at Yanagi.

Naoto looks over the Yanagi. "Would you be okay if I joined you all?"

Ken was shy in response. But ultimately, he gave his answer. "Umm sure. I mean, hell, when I was younger, reading those novels Yu wrote, I always loved all his characters. In fact, Shirogane-san, you were honestly my favorite character. The detective hiding behind the guise of being a boy. And you really showed, being a detective has nothing to do with one's gender. So yeah, to hear that you're Nozomi, and that Nozomi is the famous Detective Prince, I'd love for us to work together."

Naoto's cheeks grew red due to the admiration. "My god, you sound just as shy as my husband."

Yu looks like he's in tears. "So, Naoto... I mean... Nozomi was your favorite character huh?"

"Oh, well, I mean... Yuta Nakano was my second favorite! He's the lead character after all!"

Naoto chuckled and Yanagi shyly laughed. Yu continued weeping slightly as the train rode back to Osaka.

---

Leaving the train, a cab is ready to pick them up. The three of them immediately board. It's already 4:30. The three of them are riding on the highway when suddenly, they pull off. All of a sudden, they're in front of a large building surrounded by  a large fence. 

"Is this...?" Yanagi asked.

"Osaka Detention House." Naoto said.

Yanagi began to get nervous. "Who did you say your consultant was again?"

"I didn't." Yu replied. "The person we're consulting, is an inmate. On death row."

"Oh? What for?"

"... Murder."

Scratch nervous, Yanagi was straight up starting to become disturbed. They approached the visitor's center, and presented their documents. The guard nodded and let them in. Inside was two chairs, separated by a glass window. Narukami sat down on the first chair while the other two stood. The door in the other room then opened, revealing an inmate,  a man wearing a white shirt and grey pants, standard for prisoners. Immediately, Ken noticed, his shaggy looking hair and lazy demeanor, as referenced in the Seekers of the Truth novels. He'd already met the heroes in that story. But now, he was meeting the villain.

"Taro Akutsu... under the guise of a rookie detective... he was the Midnight Killer from the novels..." Ken whispered to himself.

Narukami seemed to have heard him, as he nodded, confirming Yanagi's suspicions.

"To think we'd see each other after so many years..." Naoto said.

The inmate sat opposite of them. "It's been a while hasn't it, Narukami-san?"

"You really have changed a lot haven't you... Adachi-san?"

The inmate then smiled. His smile then turned serious and he crossed his hands.

"So, you need my help, don't you?"

Notes:

Social Links
The Fool (Persona Users) - Rank 3
The Councillor (The Wild Cards) - Rank 4
The Star (Takuto Maruki) - Rank 3
The Aeon (Kitsu) - Rank 3
The Empress (Ryoko Souji) - Rank 2
The Hermit (Shadow Operatives) - Rank 2
The Sun (Investigation Team) - Rank 2
Strength (Phantom Thieves) - Rank 2
The Lovers (Saki Kunagiri) - Rank 1

 

New Generation
Ken Yanagi - (The Fool) Nobunaga
Kitsu - (The Aeon) Wu Zetian
Ryoko Souji - (The Empress) Hangaku

Shadow Operatives
Minato Arisato - (The Fool) Orpheus
Minako Arisato - (The Fool) Calliope
Akihiko Sanada - (The Emperor) Polydeuces
Mitsuru Kirijo - (The Empress) Penthesilea
Yukari Takeba - (The Lovers) Io
Junpei Iori - (The Magician) Hermes
Shinjiro Aragaki - (The Hierophant) Castor
Chidori Yoshino - (The Hanged Man) Medea
Aigis - (The Chariot) Palladion

Investigation Team
Yu Narukami - (The Fool) Izanagi
Yosuke Hanamura - (The Magician) Jiraiya
Naoto Shirogane - (The Fortune) Sukuna-Hikona

Phantom Thieves
Ren Amamiya/Joker - (The Fool) Arsène
Morgana/Mona - (The Magician) Zorro
Ryuji Sakamoto/Skull - (The Chariot) Captain Kidd
Sumire Yoshizawa/Violet - (The Faith) Cendrillon
Sophie - (The Hope) Pandora

Chapter 39: 6/4, Osaka Detention House (Personal Links)

The serious look on Adachi was piercing. It was almost as if he could see right through them, as if he knew what they were already thinking, long before any of them even said it.

"Am I really that readable, Adachi-san?" Yu asked.

"It's quite simple to figure out really. Generally, you rarely ever come to visit. The last time you came was when they had transferred me here 8 months ago. Before that you didn't visit for another 10 months. But every time you do come, you always got that look on your face. Like you're visiting an old pal." He chuckled a little. "Honestly, it's frickin' annoying. But I don't hate the sentiment. Regardless, the look on your face is different this time. The look of someone who needs something. So if you're here, you're probably here for my help aren't you?"

Yanagi was impressed. "Damn, he figured all that out by the look on your face?"

Adachi chuckled and looked at him. "I may not look it now, but I was a full-fledged detective before I ended up in here you know." He then turned to Naoto. "Hey, who's the new kid?"

"He's someone like us Adachi-san. I'm sure you can guess what that means."

"Huh?" His eyes focused on Yanagi. "So, he's got the power too, huh?"

"Back to the matter at hand," Yu said as he tried to steer them back on course. "There's someone out there. Someone who's killing again. Similar method."

"With the Midnight Channel? Wouldn't that mean he's using the same method, not a similar one?" Adachi questioned.

"No, you heard me right the first time." Yu corrected. "It's a whole new phenomenon separate from the Midnight Channel. In fact, I've met some people who've experienced other phenomenon, and so have you. You remember those other guys during Golden Week?"

"Yeah. What about 'em?"

"They're helping us too. And the Phantom Thieves you heard on the news?"

"Yeah I heard about 'em too. Least they still let me watch the news in here. You saying they're also like us as well?"

"That's right. They're with us too, trying to figure out what's going on."

"So, the reason you approached me with this is to get into the mind of a killer, is that right? Gotta say, that's something crazy right there." He crosses his arms and leans back. "Tell me, you're certain someone is kidnapping people and trying to kill them?"

"What do you mean by that?" Yu asked.

"Tell me, where did you first figure there was someone behind all this?"

"We were trying to rescue two of our friends. He took them and was planning to kill them. That's when we saw him, a shadowy figure, looking at us all."

Adachi continued. "So you saw him personally?"

"We did, yeah, but couldn't see his face. The way he sounded though..." He looked to Yanagi to explain.

"It was like he was just toying with us. Like it was all a game for him."

"And did anything particular stick out?" Adachi inquired.

"He... gave me a really condescending smile. The moment I spoke to him. No words or nothing. When the others were yelling at him, he laughed, but for me, I got nothing but that condescending smile on his face."

"Hmm that's not really much to go on. I can tell you one thing though, with that smug attitude and the way he's acting based on what you're saying, he's definitely toying with you. Otherwise, if he really were just killing, the others would've been dead by now, without any delay. The real question you gotta ask though, is why he's toying with you guys."

Yanagi remembered something. "Each of us, each of our groups, he knew who each of us were. He specifically called us by each of our groups."

"If he knows your group names, then he may have something personal held against you all."

The guard suddenly spoke up. "Afraid times up. C'mon, let's go, inmate."

"Guess our visit will have to be cut short." Yanagi said.

"It's alright." said Yu. "My uncle managed to help get the paperwork in order, so we'll be able to visit him when we need."

The group stood up to leave. Before leaving, Adachi addressed them.

"Hey, kid." Yanagi turned around and it seemed Adachi was actually addressing him. "Have we met before?"

The question caused him to raise an eyebrow. "I don't think so. I've never seen you before today."

"Never mind then." Both groups then left the visitor's area, Adachi returning back to his confinement.

---

The train ride back was quiet. Sure the train was crowded, but the others were hardly talking to one another. Instead, they were all busy contemplating what Adachi told them.

"Something personal against us..." Naoto said. "I haven't seen this figure yet. But it's best to assume that he knows who I am and my ties to you, Yu-san."

"I'll say, I haven't got any clue who he is. There's only one other person I know who'd have something against us, but he's got no ties to the Phantom Thieves. So who is that guy?"

---

As the three of them exited the train, Ken noticed a familiar blue door near the platform. Outside, Rosalina and Ricardo were waiting for him. Following their prompting, Yanagi decided to enter the Velvet Room.

Inside, the siblings stand by the long-nosed Igor. He chuckles a bit before decided to enlighten Yanagi of the reason for his visit.

"Your bonds are growing immensely. The power of your Social Links have improved much over this short period of time." He chuckles. "However, this is only a fraction of the potential you have. To achieve the peak of your abilities, you must take the time to deepen your bond, individually with each of your companions. Only when you have strengthened your Personal Links, can you unlock a power even greater."

Yanagi took not of this as he replied with a silent nod, exiting the Velvet Room.

---

After a long day of train-hopping, he was just glad to finally be back. Naoto was shown to her new accommodations, while Yu continued to contemplate on what he spoke to Adachi about before they ran out of time. Soon afterward, there was a knock on Yanagi's door.

"Yanagi-kun," A familiar voice said. "It's Ren. Was wondering if ya had some spare time. Wanted to see if we could maybe hit the town. Have a drink or two."

He then remembered what Igor said. "Only when  you have strengthened your Personal Links, can you unlock a power even greater."

"Sure," he replied. "I was actually thinking of a karaoke lounge. Ya down for that?"

"Awesome, I'll  see ya downstairs."

---

As the two cruised the town, it was lively. Food stalls, restaurants, clubs, the night life was truly wonderful in Yotenbori. Shifuku was packed that night, so they ended up waiting for at least 20 minutes before securing a room. After belting it out for a bit, the two had decided to pay the bill and continue walking around town.

"Hey Ren, I wanted to know more about you."

"Really? What's to know? I mean you did do an entire research paper on me."

"Guess I wanted to hear about that night. The one that turned your whole life upside-down."

"Oh... it's not something I really like to talk about much. But if it'll help you understand things better I'll try to answer as best I can."

They then ordered drinks from a nearby vending machine and sat down on a bench, with Ren rolling up his sleeves. "So what did you want to know?"

"What made you intervene that night?"

"I couldn't just stand and do nothing. That asshole looked like he was shoving her in his car, ready to do whatever he wanted with her. Every time I think back to it, it still disgusts me that Shido would just force his way on everyone else, in any matter."

"Would you have done things differently if you knew how things were going to turn out?"

"Maybe I could've just walked away. But the guilt of just turning a blind eye woulda stuck with me forever."

Ken smiled. He could appreciate his sense of justice. "I'm sure my mom knows what that woman was going through."

Ren suddenly sat up. "Oh? Do tell."

"I told you before, my mom was a member of the Diet. She was always doing her best, to make sure that any policies passed benefitted the country. She wanted a bright future for Japan, one where the young could truly prosper. And she was always making sure any corrupt politicians were brought to justice. Hell, I bet if she had gone up against Shido during her time, she would've put him behind bars herself."

"During her time? What happened to her?"

"She ended up having to resign from her position... from what she told me, she had been helping another member, until he began making advances towards her. It was always tough for her in the office, dealing with someone so inappropriate I guess. So when I was 11, she resigned and we moved away. My dad still held his position as a physician, before retiring a few years ago."

"Hmm..." Ren muttered to himself. "Your mom sounds like she was a brave woman during her time on the Diet." He took a drink from his can.

"Yeah, needless to say, I'm proud of the both of them. They worked hard to make sure I was taken care of." Yanagi then checked his phone. "It's getting late. We oughta head back."

"Fair enough. Hey, Yanagi-kun," He raised his can. "You got this man. I'm sure you'll be able to solve this mystery. And no matter what, we'll make sure to rescue your friend."

Yanagi raises his can in return. "I'll drink to that."

The two then finished their drinks before returning, contemplating what the next day would bring.

Notes:

Social Links
The Fool (Persona Users) - Rank 3
The Councillor (The Wild Cards) - Rank 4
The Star (Takuto Maruki) - Rank 3
The Aeon (Kitsu) - Rank 3
The Empress (Ryoko Souji) - Rank 2
The Hermit (Shadow Operatives) - Rank 2
The Sun (Investigation Team) - Rank 2
Strength (Phantom Thieves) - Rank 2
The Lovers (Saki Kunagiri) - Rank 1

 

New Generation
Ken Yanagi - (The Fool) Nobunaga
Kitsu - (The Aeon) Wu Zetian
Ryoko Souji - (The Empress) Hangaku

Shadow Operatives
Minato Arisato - (The Fool) Orpheus
Minako Arisato - (The Fool) Calliope
Akihiko Sanada - (The Emperor) Polydeuces
Mitsuru Kirijo - (The Empress) Penthesilea
Yukari Takeba - (The Lovers) Io
Junpei Iori - (The Magician) Hermes
Shinjiro Aragaki - (The Hierophant) Castor
Chidori Yoshino - (The Hanged Man) Medea
Aigis - (The Chariot) Palladion

Investigation Team
Yu Narukami - (The Fool) Izanagi
Yosuke Hanamura - (The Magician) Jiraiya
Naoto Shirogane - (The Fortune) Sukuna-Hikona

Phantom Thieves
Ren Amamiya/Joker - (The Fool) Arsène - (Personal Link) 1/3
Morgana/Mona - (The Magician) Zorro
Ryuji Sakamoto/Skull - (The Chariot) Captain Kidd
Sumire Yoshizawa/Violet - (The Faith) Cendrillon
Sophie - (The Hope) Pandora

Chapter 40: 6/5, Kansai University (2nd Visit, Followed by New Addition)

Maruki was continuing his work as a counselor for Kansai University, currently typing up a report on one of his students. However, he was interrupted suddenly by an abrupt knocking on the office door.

"It's open," he says calmly.

"You should really consider keeping your door closed for a change," said a familiar voice.

Swinging his chair around, he saw a familiar face. "Welcome back Akechi-kun." He rolls his chair forward slightly. "So, you here to try and get information out of me again?"

"Would you give it if I asked nicely this time?" Akechi said, in a semi-joking manner. "No, this time I'm here again, for my own personal reasons."

"Well, then please, sit." He gestured to the couch.

Akechi chose to make himself comfortable. After a bit of an awkward silence, he spoke first. "Aren't you going to ask me anything?"

"Oh sorry... I guess... Apologies, I'm not always the best at starting conversations." 

"I suppose I'll just have to lead then." He started thinking. "Tell me doctor, do you really believe people like me are worth saving, even after everything I've done?"

"Why do you ask that? Do you believe you're not worth saving?"

"I've died twice before. A third time wouldn't make a difference to me. Honestly, I'm surprised it's taking as long as it is."

"Interesting that you feel that way about yourself. Although, isn't it a bit contradictory?"

"What do you mean?"

"You talk of carving your own path, with your own choices towards your own future. Yet you're chaining yourself down with your past."

"I can't change the things I've done. As such, I have to accept the consequences of what I've done."

"There's a difference between accepting the consequences and making excuses Akechi-kun."

Akechi snarled slightly. "Excuse me...?"

Despite that, Maruki remains unwavering. "Tell me, did you ever actually try to approach them again honestly after all false pretenses were gone? Or did you keep telling yourself there's no way you could, whether if they'd be willing to talk to you, or if you even had the right to talk to them?"

"And so what if I did? What does it matter now?"

"It matters because believe it or not, you still have the chance. You have the chance to fix things for you and them."

"Well, what makes you think I want to fix things?!"

That reaction shocked Maruki slightly. "Akechi-kun...?"

"You ask if I made excuses, told myself I didn't have the right to speak with them? You're right, I have told myself that. Over and over, because that's the undeniable truth. I told you before, I approached them under false pretenses. I worked to sabotage them and gain their trust. And as I said before, it should've stayed that way. Because despite everything, I truly started to care about them." He clenched his fists. "I started to feel like they were my friends. Knowing that, I still chose to betray them, all for my own selfish gain. So you ask my opinion on someone terrible enough to cast away those they care about, and those who care about them. Someone who so easily for their own desires severs their bonds, deserves any kind of remorse, or redemption? My answer is no. I do not. And the irony is that they gave me what I had wanted in the first place. Feeling like an abandoned and unwanted child, they gave me a place to belong. And even then, knowing that, I willingly made the choice to sacrifice everything all for the sake of my revenge. And in the end, the consequences of my revenge became my punishment." 

"... Do you intend to push them further away then?"

"What else can I do...? After what I did, I have no right to expect anything more than a transactional relationship."

"I'm sure Amamiya-kun would think differently. So would all the others."

"I... have to think about it." He then checked his phone for the time. "I have to go. 

He quickly left the office as Dr. Maruki rolled back to his computer. "One day, I hope you can forgive yourself, Akechi-kun."

Akechi couldn't help but think to himself as he roamed the halls. "Do I really deserve such  a luxury?"

---

"Allow me to introduce a good friend of ours." Yu said. 

"Pleased to meet you all. My name is Naoto Shirogane. I'm a consulting detective," She bowed her head.

"Pleased to meet you again," Mitsuru says with a nod.

"Well, who woulda thought, it'd take a whole other case to see you again," Akihiko says with a smile.

"You guys are already acquainted?" Ren asks.

"We met a while back, during the tournaments Narukami told you all about," says Yosuke

Naoto then takes sight of Morgana, Ren, Sumire, Ryuji, and Sophie's projection. "You must all be the Phantom Thieves. I recognize most of you, from the broadcast you all did across Japan. And from what Yu-san has told me, the cat must be Morgana, and that must be Sophie."

She heard Morgana let out a meow. "Yu-san told me that you can actually talk. I've yet to understand you, but I'm sure that'll change once we work together."

Suddenly, Yu's phone went off, forcing him to take the call. On the other line, it was Shinjiro. "We found him."

"Where is he?" Yu asked.

"Seems he's staying at a place in Kabukicho. Want us to get him?"

"No, let me go myself. Him and I have unfinished business." He then hung up his phone and turned his attention to the others. "Sorry bout that. But we'll have to continue this another time."

Everyone nods, as Yu leaves the building.

"Wonder who they're talking about," Yukari says curiously.

"Whatever it was, it seemed important enough to involve Shinji," Minako adds.

"Yeah, wonder what it could be..." says Minato in a curious matter.

---

After their meeting, Yanagi was approached by Aigis.

"Yanagi-san, I was wondering if you might spare a moment," she requested.

"Sure, what's up?"

"As I am sure you noticed, this body of mine is different from what you saw before in the Velvet Room. See, I asked Mitsuru and the others if there was a way I could become more human. Obtaining a body like this, one more designed to appear and feel like a human body. My sensory has also been attuned to be like that of a human. But while my body has changed, I still have much to learn about humanity and others. So that's why I was wondering, if possible, could you show me around the city? I feel in doing so, I may learn more."

He thought about it for a moment. "Sure, I'll help you."

And so they left together to explore.

---

Exploring the city during the daytime, they noticed the open mall. 

"Over here, what is this location?" Aigis asked.

"This is the Bunkokichi Open Mall," Yanagi explained.

"A mall, a place where people come to shop for various goods." She sounded like she had just looked up the definition. "And this one is different in the fact that it is an open mall where the shops are not located in any kind of building or complex." She observes all the shoppers. "Why do people spend so much at places like these?"

"All sorts of reasons. A mall is the most convenient place to find all kinds of things that a single shop won't have. Sometimes I just get food here."

"I see." She thinks to herself. "As a machine, I do not require any food, or nourishment of any kind. Yet despite that, I was made to learn and think like a human. Sometimes I wonder, had my programming been simple, would I have to go through all the pain I have faced?"

"That's just part of being human." Yanagi answered sincerely. "Pain is what shapes you. It may hurt, but you learn from it."

"Perhaps you're right Yanagi-san. Even now, if I feel pain, I must learn to accept it. Just as I've accepted the joy I've experienced as well." She looks at Yanagi closely. "I'm truly happy, to see them back again."

"I'm glad to see you feel that way." He looks around the mall. "Anything you wanted?"

"Hmm, thinking on it now, I'm not sure." She then sees an MP3 player for sale. "How much for this?"

"This?" He saw the price on it. "It's about ¥7000. Want it?"

"Please," she says earnestly.

Paying for the MP3, the two then began to  return back to the apartments. 

"Why'd you get that anyways?" Yanagi asked.

"So that perhaps I can understand Minato-san and Minako-san better." She says, inspecting the music player.

Ken smiled, happy to see that she was in high spirits.

---

As the day transitioned into night, Yanagi heard a knock on his door. Curious, he opened it, only to be greeted by Naoto and Yosuke.

"Heya partner, you busy?" Yosuke asked.

"We were wondering if you wanted to explore the town with us. Yosuke said he'd show me around, but we both think it'd be best to have someone who's been here for a long time."

After careful consideration, he decided to join them. "Sure, I'll show you around."

He then grabbed his bag before heading out.

---

The night was beautiful. All the usual food stalls and clubs that were open really shined even brighter once the sun went down.  The three of them sampled items from takoyaki to taiyaki. 

"I've actually got something I wanted to show you. It's one of my favorite things to do here at night," Yanagi said, leading them.

"Where are we going?" Naoto inquired.

"Patience, Naoto-san." Yanagi replied.

Leading them forward, they followed him to the Yoton river.

"This is one of my favorite spots." He grabbed a nearby plastic bin to use as a seat.

"You brought us out here to fish?" Yosuke asked.

"It's the best time  to fish honestly. There's a lot of fish that only come out at night here." 

"Sounds fun," Naoto added. "However, I'm afraid I didn't bring any tools for that."

"Thankfully, I come prepared." Yanagi pulled a collapsible fishing rod from his bag. "Got some bait here too. There's also a shop around the corner if we run out."

"Well, you come prepared for everything don't you?" Naoto said admiringly.

The three of them then sat down, patiently waiting for a bite at the rod.

"So tell me something Yanagi-kun." Yosuke was watching the water carefully. "When you were a kid, what was your life in school like?" 

"Truth be told, I moved a lot as a kid. My family always had to move for their careers. And in school, I was always getting into fights with others. My parents always told me that I should've been more well-behaved, like my sister."

"Your family, were they busy when you were younger? Sounds like they weren't home much." Naoto was also gazing at the  water.

"Yeah, they were busy people. They had important jobs, being a doctor and working in the National Diet. And since that provided for me and my siblings, they had to work their hardest."

"You said siblings," Naoto noticed. "You have more than one?"

"Yeah," Yanagi replied. "Got a younger twin brother. When we were in school, he was the one all the girls would flock to, and all the guys dreamed to be. He was good-looking, smart, and knew how to play to people's tunes, while having them play to his as well. Me on the other hand, I wasn't so popular. I'd get in fights, people wanted to always try and mess with me, and I mainly kept to myself. I guess because unlike him, I didn't want to just roll over and cater to everyone else. I wanted to remain true to who I was."

"I guess we have that in common," Naoto said. "I used to deny who I was and what I was for the longest time, deeming myself inferior somehow because of it. But after accepting that, I could finally move forward with myself." 

"And you turned out pretty well didn't ya, Naoto-kun?" Yosuke said, smiling.

Suddenly the line was pulling.

"Oh crap, we got a bite!" Yosuke yelled.

"Quick, grab the pole!" Naoto lunged at the pole and held it with Yanagi, followed by Yosuke.

They pulled back as hard as they could, finally obtaining their catch of the day, only to find that on the other end of the line was nothing more than a piece of driftwood.

"Damn," Yosuke said. "Ah well, there's always next time yeah?"

"Agreed." Naoto was smiling. "Regardless I had fun."

Yanagi was also happy. He could feel that he understood the Investigation Team a bit more. Knowing that, he felt that he was becoming closer to the team that trusted him.

"C'mon, let's go back." And so Yanagi and the others returned home, ready for the next day to come.

Notes:

Social Links
The Fool (Persona Users) - Rank 3
The Councillor (The Wild Cards) - Rank 4
The Star (Takuto Maruki) - Rank 3
The Aeon (Kitsu) - Rank 3
The Empress (Ryoko Souji) - Rank 2
The Hermit (Shadow Operatives) - Rank 2
The Sun (Investigation Team) - Rank 3
Strength (Phantom Thieves) - Rank 2
The Lovers (Saki Kunagiri) - Rank 1

 

New Generation
Ken Yanagi - (The Fool) Nobunaga
Kitsu - (The Aeon) Wu Zetian
Ryoko Souji - (The Empress) Hangaku

Shadow Operatives
Minato Arisato - (The Fool) Orpheus
Minako Arisato - (The Fool) Calliope
Akihiko Sanada - (The Emperor) Polydeuces
Mitsuru Kirijo - (The Empress) Penthesilea
Yukari Takeba - (The Lovers) Io
Junpei Iori - (The Magician) Hermes
Shinjiro Aragaki - (The Hierophant) Castor
Chidori Yoshino - (The Hanged Man) Medea
Aigis - (The Chariot) Palladion - (Personal Link) 1/3

Investigation Team
Yu Narukami - (The Fool) Izanagi
Yosuke Hanamura - (The Magician) Jiraiya
Naoto Shirogane - (The Fortune) Sukuna-Hikona

Phantom Thieves
Ren Amamiya/Joker - (The Fool) Arsène - (Personal Link) 1/3
Morgana/Mona - (The Magician) Zorro
Ryuji Sakamoto/Skull - (The Chariot) Captain Kidd
Sumire Yoshizawa/Violet - (The Faith) Cendrillon
Sophie - (The Hope) Pandora

Chapter 41: ???, ??? (???)

The day was nice, and the atmosphere lovely. However, despite the beautiful day, it was unable to hide the ugly feeling lingering inside two men. The ugly feeling of doing something one could never take back. Something that could change things forever. For these two men, it wasn't a feeling that would wash away easily. Instead, it stuck to them, like how gum would stick to a shoe.

One of the men had short brown hair and stubble. The other man had blue hair and glasses. Both were sat opposite of each other, at a café. Each one of them had ordered coffee, black, but neither of them were taking a sip, with much heavier things weighing on their minds.

The man with glasses then took out a tape recorder from his pocket and then began recording. 

"So, it's really come down to this." The man pushed up his glasses. "Is there truly no other way?"

"I'm sorry my friend." The brown haired man was clasping his hands tightly. "I wish there was something else we could do. But there's no other way."

"So that's it then. His madness has gone too far." Finally, he took a sip of his coffee.

"I'm sorry you had to be roped into this too, old friend," the brown-haired man said apologetically. "You had a promising career. Heck, you're not even married yet. And now, here we are. With no other options left."

"I can't believe that he has me studying their creation, as head medical researcher. And for such a nefarious purpose."

"We'll make sure that their project fails. No matter what happens."

"So then what's the plan?"

"Simple. We burn it all down. With some extra help."

Two other figures joined them. One man with black hair and another with long hair and glasses.

"Sir? Shu-chan?" The blue-haired man seemed surprised.

"You didn't really think you could leave us out of this did you?" the man with black hair said. "We want to help." He then placed a bag on the table. Just looking at it, they could tell what it was. "It's dangerous. But it should put a stop to the project for good."

"Agreed," Shu added. "This project was originally meant to help people. We can't let it go in this direction."

"I know you, sir." He looked at the man with long hair and glasses. "Who's this?" The brown-haired man asked.

"He's on our side. He wishes to also put an end to this project," said the black-haired man who seemed to be in charge.

The four of them then nodded, looking at each other. The blue-haired man looked at the man with the short brown hair. "Ei-kun, you're sure about this?"

"My mind's made up. We're all in this together, Sato. We were all in on this project from the beginning. It's only fitting we're the ones to put an end to it."

---

 The night came quickly. The research team had been quickly assembled, with the an older gentleman, the head of the organization marveling at their creation from the monitor. The 4 of them were ready to enact their plan

"Yes... it's perfect," he spoke, sounding like a madman. "With this, the time is nigh."

"So, this is the being they've created..." the man with the black hair said to himself. "I'm sorry, father."

Suddenly he pulled out a pistol and pointed it at the research team and the older man, holding them hostage.

"Takeharu! What do you think you're doing?!" the older man asked.

"Kouetsu Kirijo, my dear father. Your research is the devil's work. You'll destroy us all with this foolish venture. As your son, I'm begging you, stop this madness!" Takeharu urged.

"Madness? You think this crowning achievement of ours to be madness? It is a gift! The Fall will bring about a new world! One free of pain and suffering! We'd be fools to stop this now!" he urged, slipping further into his delusion.

"Then you leave us no choice." He hands the bag to the others. "Ikutsuki, help Takeba and Yanagi. I'll keep them here."

"Understood." Ikutsuki replied. "Takeba, Yanagi, let's go."

The two then proceeded deeper into the facility. "There are three ways in and out of the incubation chamber, from the west, north, and east side of the facility. Each entrance can be locked from the inside of the chamber as well. We should be approaching the entrance from the west side." Ikutsuki told them as he led the way.

As they arrived in the chamber, they saw the horrifying sight. There were 13 incubation chambers throughout the room, and in the center was the being. The body of Death was complete. All that was left was the stabilization. 

"I can start working to reverse the stabilization process." Takeba said. "With any luck, the body should break down into nothing." He began flipping switches and working on the consoles. 

"Then leave it to me to deal with the generator." Yanagi told them. "Once that's dealt with, this whole facility will be going up in smoke."

"I'll go look for our way out while Takeba works here and you work on the generator." Ikutsuki insisted. "Someone needs to make sure we all leave here alive."

Yanagi nodded. "Thanks Shu-chan." He then looked back at Takeba. "Ei-kun,  think you can handle this?"

"Don't worry about me. Just get to the generator." He was busy working the consoles. "I'll be fine."

Yanagi then rushed towards the generator room, exiting through the east side. The weight of the bag felt heavier, as he approached. Once he had reached the generator room, he then took the bag from his shoulders and unpacked it. Inside as he expected, was an explosive and a detonator. He then placed the explosive against the generator and primed it to be detonated.

"I'll make sure this project goes up in flames." The detonator was primed and Yanagi was about to press the trigger.

Suddenly, before he can trigger the explosive, he is hit in the back of the head, knocking him unconscious.

Waking up shortly after, he looked around. As he picked up the detonator, he noticed it was cracked. "Shit, when did..." He couldn't remember how he had fallen unconscious, but there was no time to think on that. "Damn, there's no way to trigger it now." He didn't know what to do now that there was no way to trigger the explosive, so he put it back in his bag. "I need to go find Ei-kun. He he may have an idea on what to do."

With that, he turned back to meet up with Takeba. Upon arriving, he noticed that he was distressed.

"It seems more complicated than I expected," Takeba said. "The destabilization of the body of Death is unable to destroy it completely. Instead, it's split them into twelve more dangerous Shadows." He looked around and showed Yanagi. The other 12 incubation chambers were filled with dangerous looking monsters. "These beings were created by splitting them apart from Death. Maybe, just maybe, we'll have a way to destroy them and Death for good."

"That's good progress Ei-kun, but we got a problem."

"What do you mean?"

Yanagi briefed him on all that had happened in the generator room. The two are sat down, lost on what to do.

"So, you were knocked unconscious, and someone destroyed the detonator? What do we do without the explosive...?"

"I don't know..." He then looked at the incubation tanks. "There is another option to destroy the facility, but even saying it aloud, it feels wrong..."

Takeba also looked at the tanks. "They could do it for us... they'll run rampant but... so long as we stop Death, the Fall won't happen right? It's the only way at this point... and one of us will have to stay behind to do it."

"And with an explosive accelerant, we can make sure the facility won't be left standing." Yanagi then stood up. "I'll set them loose. I'll make sure that this place goes up in flames."

Takeba stood up. "What?! You can't!"

Yanagi grabs Takeba by the collar. "Don't give me that Ei-kun." He's shaking. "I know what I'm doing. You have a daughter don't you...? You have a family you gotta go home to." 

"My daughter... she'll be 6 this year..."

"Exactly, so you need to make it home to her again. No matter what it takes."

"I..." He contemplated for a moment. "Right. Alright then. I'll help prepare everything."

The two of them then started prepping with him and Takeba working together to create a makeshift trigger for the explosive using stray wires in the room. 

"Hey, Sato, we have a camcorder. Anything you wanna say? Before it's time?"

Yanagi paused for a moment. "No. I've devoted my whole life and my whole career to this work. I never gave time for anything else. So this is how it'll end."

"Alright then..." Takeba seemed on edge.

"Once I short circuit the trigger, it should set the bomb off. Then the facility will be nothing more than rubble. The Shadows will still survive, and cause rampage, and with that finished, you can go and reunite with your family."

"Thank you, Sato." He reaches out to shake his hand. "Thank you for helping me put an end to all of this. And being a good friend, even to the end."

"It's the least I can do Ei-kun." He shakes his hand.

"And forgive me, Sato..." Takeba says mysteriously. Yanagi is confused when suddenly, he swings Yanagi around and throws him out of the north side exit to the incubation chamber. Before Yanagi can protest and run back in, Takeba locks the door. 

"Ei-kun! What the hell are you doing?! This isn't funny! Ei-kun!"

"Please, I'm sorry Sato. But I can't let you throw your life away."

Suddenly, Yanagi starts to tear up. "Damn it, why...? You told me you had a daughter... Why, why are you doing this?"

"Because you can't die yet Sato-kun." He appears to be pouting. "Yes, I have a daughter. And because I have a daughter, I know she'll live on and carry on my legacy. But you, you don't have anyone. And if you die, your legacy will end with you here, having never experienced life with a family, with a child that you can watch grow, just as you grow." He flashes him a smile. "So you can't die here. Not before you've felt the joy I have."

"Damn it... Ei-kun..."

"Please, go. In 30 minutes, I plan to set off the explosive."

"Damn it... Damn it Ei-kun!" He then looks at him with resolve. "No matter what, I'll always remember you. And I promise Ei-kun, we'll see one another again soon!"

With that, Yanagi turned around and fled from the facility.

"It's alright, this is how it was meant to be..." Takeba said to himself. Observing the Shadows, he noticed one with many legs and arms, holding swords. It was moving savagely in a contained space. Suddenly, it sliced off one of its own legs. At first he thought nothing of it but then the leg disintegrated into a dark miasma like substance. One would have expected that substance dissipated into the air but instead, it flowed in a specific direction. Following it, it flowed back to the body of Death. "The Shadow... its leg was... reabsorbed, by Death!"

Looking around at the 12 other Shadows in horror, he realized what it meant. "Dammit! So there's  no way to destroy Death?!" He was lost, as his plan had failed. Destroying the 12 Shadows meant fusing them back together with Death, a plan he wasn't expecting. He then saw the camcorder. "No, I can't give up. If I can't destroy Death, the least I can do is prevent it from ever returning to its full strength for the Fall." He then started filming. "I can only hope that this recording reaches someone with a conscience..."

After recording, he ejected the tape. Suddenly, from the east entrance to the lab, Ikutsuki bursts in. "What's going on? Where's Yanagi?" He looked at Death and the 12 Shadows. "What are... those?" For a moment it looked like he was rather amazed by it. But Takeba shook the feeling aside. He then explained the situation to him.

"Ikutsuki-san, please take this." He handed him the tape. "No matter what, everyone needs to know the truth."

"Takeba, what are you planning?" Ikutsuki asked.

"So long as those Shadows are kept apart, Death will never return to its full strength. I'm going to destroy this facility, and scatter the Shadows. Please, understand Ikutsuki-san. I need to do this."

He took a moment to think. "You're sure you're okay staying behind? You have a daughter waiting at home for you."

"I know, but I need to do this. Please... I know it's asking a lot, especially considering I'm someone you met just yesterday. But please, I need you to do this. The fate of the world depends on it! Please... there's nobody else here I can ask anymore. I've already sent Yanagi-san away. You're the only one that's still here that I can ask for help."

He took a moment to contemplate. "Alright..." Ikutsuki said. "I'll make sure everyone sees this footage and knows the truth."

"Thank you, Ikutsuki-san."

As Ikutsuki exited the room, he had a devilish smile on his face. "The truth, hmm...? Well, who is to say what the truth is...?"

---

In a meeting room, a red-haired woman, along with a man with black curly hair are sifting through files. They are currently listening to a recording.

"And so the only survivors that night were me, Kirijo-san, and Ikutsuki-san," The recording stated. "Ikutsuki showed us the footage Takeba recorded. To destroy the 12 Shadows was to save the world and eliminate the Dark Hour."

The recording stops there. "So, he was unaware that Ikutsuki was a traitor," the red-haired woman says. "Turned out he doctored that footage to fool all of us into playing his game."

"Sorry Kirijo-san," says the black-haired guy. "I know it's tough, hearing all this again after what happened with your father."

"It's alright. This is necessary after all. So, his father was the head medical researcher. It's strange, but I feel like I've at least heard his voice before." Mitsuru was busy thinking. "Amamiya-san, did Akechi-kun acquire anymore materials relating to the incident?"

"Not as far as I know. He did give me another recording however. This one is a DVD related to his mom."

"His mother? According to these old files and recordings, his father didn't meet his mother until long after the incident."

Ren then read the label on the tape. "Trial #21215. An important court trial? He said she worked in the Diet."

He then placed the DVD in the player and started watching. "This trial is..."

Notes:

Another glimpse at events of this timeline. Hope ya'll like it :D

Chapter 42: 6/10 (To Live Anew, To Face the Past)

Classes for the day had ended, leaving Yanagi listless. Wandering around campus, he was checking out all the clubs that were being advertised.

"Gaming Club huh?" Yanagi loved video games. He remembered his first time playing one of the Like a Dragon beat-em-up games. It taught him so many moves that he would use in his fighting style. In fact, he'd enjoyed it so much that he purchased all of the Like a Dragon series. He noted it down and looked to the other clubs.

"Culinary Arts Club?" Inside he could smell some delicious food being made. He did enjoy cooking plenty, and the intoxicating scent of aromatics like onions and mushrooms only enticed him further. In the corner, he noticed a very familiar guy with a beanie.

"Aragaki-san? What're you doing here?" Yanagi asked.

"Don't look so surprised kid. I went here for a few years of college," he replied.

"You went to college here?" It surprised him to think one of his teammates had gone to his same school.

"Only for 2 years. Never graduated. Did have some good times while I was here though. Formed the Culinary Arts Club when I was here. A few of the faces in there probably recognize me."

"So why don't you go in?"

"It's better I don't. I don't really want others to recognize me." He turned to face Yanagi. "Hey Yanagi-kun, ya wanna practice cooking with me back at the apartments?"

He realized that this was a chance for him to get closer to Shinjiro.

"Sure, I'll give it a go. Wanna stop by a grocery store before we go back?"

---

The two of them are standing outside of a Junes after riding the train. As they're about to enter, they notice a college girl being harassed by a two thugs.

"C'mon sweet cheeks, have some fun with us, baby," says one of the harassers.

"Please leave me alone, I'm supposed to be meeting someone." she says insistently.

"Oh don't be like that, shit, come on girl," says the other thug.

"I said stop!" She pushes him away and slaps him.

"Oh, you bitch!" Just as he's about to hit her, Shinjiro catches his arm. "The hell?" He shakes him off. "What the hell are you doing, dumbass? Can't you see we're busy here?"

"You really don't know how to take a hint do ya?" Shinjiro replied.

"What'd you say?!"

Yanagi interjected. "Can't you see she doesn't wanna go with you?"

"Oh yeah," the thug posted up, looking ready to fight. "And who the hell are you clowns?"

Shinjiro moved forward intimidatingly. "I'm the one who's gonna make sure you're eating through a straw for the next month of you don't fuck off right now."

One of the harassers tries to take a swing at Shinjiro, but he dodges and then headbutts him in the nose. The second one tries to punch Shinjiro, but Yanagi catches his arm and shakes his head, signaling for him to back off. The two harassers then decide to cut and run after seeing how tough Shinjiro is.

"Damn, you're a tough nut Aragaki-san."

"Yeah well they pissed me off."

The college girl then approached Shinjiro and bowed her head.

"Um thank you for your help sir! I really appreciate it!"

"Hmph, it's no big deal. Just make sure you start going home with a friend if you can."

She nods and then leaves. Shinjiro rubs his head.

"Damn, I've lost the mood to shop now. Guess we'll have to pick up on this next time." He turns to Yanagi. "Hey kid, you seem pretty capable of handling yourself."

"Thanks." Yanagi smiled a bit

"Next time, we'll definitely get this done without any problem, don't worry." Shinjiro smiled back at him.

Yanagi nodded. He could sense Shinjiro's acknowledgment. With his acknowledgment, he couldn't help but feel a little closer to him.

---

Back in his room, Yanagi was reading through a book he had bought, when suddenly he heard a knock on his door.

"Yanagi-kun? It's me, are you busy?"

Yanagi opened his door. "Yoshino-san? Is everything alright?"

"I'm fine Yanagi-kun." She adjusted her hair. "Say, do you mind if we talk? Maybe over a drink of so."

"You sure?" He was surprised she came to him for that request.

"Junpei's busy tonight. He's gone to the batting cages to practice his swing so that he can fight at his best."

"Alright, well if you're sure, I know a place."

---

In the Shifuku Karaoke Bar, there were patrons scattered around, with a few friends singing together at the karaoke machine.

Chidori took a considerable sip of her drink and gagged a little.

"Careful, Yoshino-san!" Yanagi said in response.

"Sorry, to tell you the truth, I'm actually not much of a drinker." Yoshino coughed and gagged a little bit before settling.

"You sure you want to have a drink and talk about it then?" Yanagi said.

"To be honest the drink isn't the main reason I asked you to come with me." She clasps her glass tightly. She  then turned her stool to face him, her frilly dress rippling against the air slightly. "I remember everything from before. Since my childhood, to my awakening, and... my death, and my revival. I grew up very normal. That is until when I was captured by the former iteration of the Kirijo Group and turned into an experimental test subject at a very young age. I remembered my first time awakening. My Persona killed everyone in the room, then tried to strangle me. Luckily for myself, at the time, there were suppressive medications for one's power going berserk. Many test subjects before me died from their Personas awakening artificially, without the help of the suppressant medications. If it weren't for the tests done on the others first, like Takaya, I may not have survived."

"Do you miss them?" Yanagi asked. "You were comrades after all."

"Comrades is a strong word. A more accurate term would be that we were... rogues, working together, but out to live for ourselves, to use every last moment to prove our existence. Perhaps in a way that did make us comrades. And Jin, his loyalty to Takaya was unwavering. After all, he gave us a lot of hope despite the atrocities we had to face. They were a big part of who I was and who I am now. I guess, I do kind of miss them."

"So was that why you wanted to go out for a drink? To reminisce about them?"

"No, that's not it. At least not entirely. But it is a part of what I wanted." She takes a small sip of her drink this time. "I wanted to try and experience more of what it is to be normal for a change. Despite the fact that none of us are normal in the other world, we're still able to live normal lives here in this one. And after all that happened, to me, Junpei, and the rest of the Shadow Operatives, I've started to realize that despite what world we're living in, it's always worth living those lives to their fullest. I used to just live in the moment with Jin and Takaya but that's because I was just waiting to die. I held no attachments because I wished not to lose them or for them to lose me. But with my memories of my past restored, and the present, I see now that things are different. Living in the moment was all we chose because we weren't truly living. To live, one must look towards the future, even in the face of death. One must hold the bonds they've forged, close to their hearts, and embrace the choices they make."

"You sound like you've learned a lot these past few days." Yanagi smiled, knowing she was in a better place mentally. He couldn't help but feel closer to her, seeing as she confided in him about her troubles.

"I want to try singing." She said suddenly. "I've never tried karaoke before if I'm being truthful."

"Well go for it." Yanagi said encouragingly.

She then approached the machine and selected a song. "Memories of You. I'll go with this." Hearing her sing, it was angelic.

---

The two of them arrived back, with Chidori having gone inside already. Outside, Yanagi is approached by the same hooded figure again. 

"Kenichiro Yanagi. We meet again." His expression was still as mysterious as ever.

"You again? What do you want this time?" 

"Your father was a doctor yes? Not just your average doctor either. One of the best, nationwide."

"So what?" Yanagi asked.

"Were you aware of what the nature of his work entailed? While he made many contributions to the modern medical field, his research was much deeper than just medicine."

"My dad worked on a lot of medical research, for all sorts of studies. What does it matter?"

"So you have no idea of what his true research project was. Interesting indeed."

Soon afterwards, the hooded guy left, leaving Yanagi by himself. What could he have been getting at? All he could do was return to his room and prep for the next day. Whatever he meant, he'd just have to resolve after he saved Kazuma and Kunagiri-san.

Notes:

Social Links
The Fool (Persona Users) - Rank 3
The Councillor (The Wild Cards) - Rank 4
The Star (Takuto Maruki) - Rank 3
The Aeon (Kitsu) - Rank 3
The Empress (Ryoko Souji) - Rank 2
The Hermit (Shadow Operatives) - Rank 2
The Sun (Investigation Team) - Rank 3
Strength (Phantom Thieves) - Rank 2
The Lovers (Saki Kunagiri) - Rank 1

 

New Generation
Ken Yanagi - (The Fool) Nobunaga
Kitsu - (The Aeon) Wu Zetian
Ryoko Souji - (The Empress) Hangaku

Shadow Operatives
Minato Arisato - (The Fool) Orpheus
Minako Arisato - (The Fool) Calliope
Akihiko Sanada - (The Emperor) Polydeuces
Mitsuru Kirijo - (The Empress) Penthesilea
Yukari Takeba - (The Lovers) Io
Junpei Iori - (The Magician) Hermes
Shinjiro Aragaki - (The Hierophant) Castor - (Personal Link) 1/3
Chidori Yoshino - (The Hanged Man) Medea - (Personal Link) 1/3
Aigis - (The Chariot) Palladion - (Personal Link) 1/3

Investigation Team
Yu Narukami - (The Fool) Izanagi
Yosuke Hanamura - (The Magician) Jiraiya
Naoto Shirogane - (The Fortune) Sukuna-Hikona

Phantom Thieves
Ren Amamiya/Joker - (The Fool) Arsène - (Personal Link) 1/3
Morgana/Mona - (The Magician) Zorro
Ryuji Sakamoto/Skull - (The Chariot) Captain Kidd
Sumire Yoshizawa/Violet - (The Faith) Cendrillon
Sophie - (The Hope) Pandora

Chapter 43: 6/16 (The Magicians)

It was a rainy day in Yotenbori. Despite the fact he wore a coat, Yanagi was drenched from the downpour. Thankfully, he had left early that day. In the hallway, he was met by another one of his schoolmates. It was Nagase Akira, a student in law. Yanagi hadn't spoken to him much since the semester began.

"Akira-san? Can I help you with something?"

"It's a rainy day today Yanagi-kun." He was staring at the downpour outside of the window. "I have to ask, but have you seen Miyamoto-kun lately?"

He had to pause for a moment. He couldn't exactly tell him that he was stuck in a world between the radio frequencies. "No, I haven't. Why, something bothering you?"

"Nothing particular. It's just that he hasn't been to school for a few weeks at this point. And he was usually always seen beside you. I just figured if he was going somewhere, he'd have told you at least."

"You and Miyamoto know each other?"

"We've known one another since our high school days. It's not like him to just disappear without explanation. His father called me. He hasn't been able to reach him for the past few days."

"His father? What does his father do?"

"He doesn't talk about his family much, but from what he's told me, his father seems to work in the government in some sense."

Interesting. Come to think of it, Kazuma never really talked about himself too much. "Well, if I find out anything new, I'll let you know for sure."

With that, the two parted ways.

---

On the way home, Yanagi received a text notification. Opening his phone, he noticed it was sent from Junpei.

 

Junpei
Yo, Yanagi, ya wanna hang out my dude? We ain't had a chance to actually talk yet.

Thinking on it, he never really had a chance to speak to Junpei personally since him and Chidori were rescued. So with that in mind, he decided to shoot him a reply.

Sure, I'm free. What'd you have in mind?

Junpei
Was thinking we'd go to the batting cages. Know where I'm talking about?

Sure, I'll see you there.

---

Shinada Batting Center in Yotenbori. It was a great place to let out steam or to just practice your swing. For ¥1000, you could reserve one of the batting cages. Renting a bat cost an additional ¥500. 

"You ain't gotta worry about renting equipment dude," Junpei told him, almost as if he was reading his mind. "I brought stuff for us to use."

The two of them began practicing their homerun swings. Junpei managed to hit each ball head-on. It was like he was a natural. When Yanagi stepped up to bat though, he missed almost every single ball, hitting only 2 of them. It made him a little envious of Junpei's talent.

"Man, that sucks," Yanagi said poutingly. "Wish I had your talent for baseball."

"I wouldn't necessarily call it talent," Junpei replied. "Back when I was still in high school, I was nowhere near as good as I am now. It took a lotta training to get here." He looked down, as if reflecting. "Truth be told, I don't really got talent. I'm not a natural leader like Minato or his sister. And I'm not gifted like how Sanada-san is when it comes to boxing, or like how Yuka-tan is when it comes to archery. Back then, I wished I coulda had things easily given to me like how they did."

"Sadly, things like that aren't just given."

"Yeah, I know." He looked up at Yanagi. His look was determined. "That's why I trained. I learned that if you're not gifted like others, then you gotta make up with that through resilience. That's how I decided to stand by the others. If ya ain't got talent, then ya gotta persist til your hard work pays off." His smile returned and suddenly he seemed much more chipper again. "That's why I'm the coolest dude ya see before you now, man!"

"Haha, I wouldn't go that far. Still, you're a pretty cool guy man."

The two chuckled. Yanagi couldn't help but feel a little closer to Junpei.

---

Yanagi was busy studying when he suddenly got a text from Ren.

 

Hey man, ya busy?

Not really. What's up? Did you wanna hang out?

Actually, I'm messaging you on behalf of Morgana.
He was hoping you'd take him out to see the town for a bit.

He didn't think he'd be hanging out with just Morgana. But know what? Stranger things have happened lately.

Sure. Where's he wanna go?

There's this sushi restaurant nearby. It's a pretty expensive one too.
Would you be willing to take him? Don't worry bout the bill. I'll cover it.

---

Kawa Sushi. Out of all the restaurants, he had to pick the most expensive one in the area. It was a restaurant right by the river, with an exquisite view, so you knew it was classy. However, this night was one for Morgana. They handed him a piece of tuna sashimi, to which he took very kindly.

"Mmm, so fatty!" Morgana exclaimed, enjoying the exquisite taste. 

"Jeez, I hope you remember this is all on Amamiya-san's tab." Yanagi was slowly eating his fill.

"Sorry, just never get to eat this good!"

Yanagi took a sip of his sake as well. The flavor was exquisite. It made him remember the first time he went out to have a drink with friends.

"So tell me, Morgana-kun, how'd you and Amamiya-san meet one another?"

"Back when Ren was still in high school, him and Ryuji ended up stumbling into the Metaverse by accident. During that time, I ended up getting locked up in Kamoshida's Palace."

"You talking bout that scandal from Shujin with the volleyball teacher that was accused of sexual assault and battery? I'd read about that years ago, when I was doing a research paper on Amamiya-san."

"He was the very first palace. I was stuck behind bars until Ren and Ryuji ended up springing me out." Despite the fact he was a cat, Yanagi could see a somber look on his face. "Back then, I was obsessed with the prospect of being human."

"Well I'd say you seem pretty human to me. Despite the form you're in, you talk, think, and even act humanly."

That made Morgana smile a little. "You're too sweet Yanagi-kun. Hey, you know, we should hang out more like this. I don't know why, but you're pretty easy to talk to."

Yanagi smiled, taking his compliment to heart. He felt like Morgana was opening up to him.

---

The scene changed to a dark alleyway. A guy with a green shirt with the look of a drifter was running from men in black suits. He was trying his best to hide but his leg was bleeding pretty badly. 

"Dammit!" He curses in his head. Suddenly, he's cornered in a dead end. "I'm not going back, I'll die before I let you take me!

The men in black slowly approach him, with the leader stepping forward. "Sorry, I think you're under a misconception here. We're not with the Group. And we're not here to take you back alive." He points his gun at him. "Sorry, but your running ends here."

In his head, the running drifter can't help but think to himself. "Dammit, is this where I die? Is this... the end? Before I even got the chance to face him again...?"

Suddenly, another gunshot rang out. However, instead of feeling the embrace of death, he saw a miracle before he passed out. The man in black was wounded by another bullet in the back, fired from behind him from a service revolver.

"Osaka Police!" A gray-haired man yelled aloud. "Drop your weapons!"

The men in black then fled, leaving behind their target. As the drifter passed out, he saw a guy with grey hair and another face he'd never seen before wearing a beanie.

"Hey Aki, this is really him?" 

"Yeah, that's right Shinji. It's been a long time since we last saw him, but it's definitely him." He then opened his phone and called the first person he could think of. "Commissioner, we need your help here. I'll explain later. Right now, I have a gunshot victim." He listened carefully to the other end. "Of course I thought of that first, but we can't take him to a hospital." He paused again as the other side of the call demanded an explanation. "It's complicated, alright? Do you know any doctors that are willing to work off the record? We need to keep him hidden... There's one you can call from Yongen-Jaya? Alright. We'll take him there." He then hung up the call and holstered his firearm.

"What'd she say?" Shinjiro asked.

"There's a safehouse we can take him. It's got medical supplies and all. We just need to keep him stable until the doctor comes. Thankfully, she's already here in Osaka on business."

The two then hoisted the drifter on their shoulders and carried him into their car, placing him in the backseat, with Shinjiro applying pressure to the wound with his hands and a cloth. They then started driving in a hurry, working to ensure that their victim of attempted murder would pull through.

"That call didn't sound pleasant. Something we should worry bout Aki?"

"Yeah. I know Amamiya-san wanted to keep this private, but with what's going on, I doubt we can hide it any longer from my boss."

Notes:

Social Links
The Fool (Persona Users) - Rank 3
The Councillor (The Wild Cards) - Rank 4
The Star (Takuto Maruki) - Rank 3
The Aeon (Kitsu) - Rank 3
The Empress (Ryoko Souji) - Rank 2
The Hermit (Shadow Operatives) - Rank 2
The Sun (Investigation Team) - Rank 3
Strength (Phantom Thieves) - Rank 2
The Lovers (Saki Kunagiri) - Rank 1

 

New Generation
Ken Yanagi - (The Fool) Nobunaga
Kitsu - (The Aeon) Wu Zetian
Ryoko Souji - (The Empress) Hangaku

Shadow Operatives
Minato Arisato - (The Fool) Orpheus
Minako Arisato - (The Fool) Calliope
Akihiko Sanada - (The Emperor) Polydeuces
Mitsuru Kirijo - (The Empress) Penthesilea
Yukari Takeba - (The Lovers) Io
Junpei Iori - (The Magician) Hermes - (Personal Link) 1/3
Shinjiro Aragaki - (The Hierophant) Castor - (Personal Link) 1/3
Chidori Yoshino - (The Hanged Man) Medea - (Personal Link) 1/3
Aigis - (The Chariot) Palladion - (Personal Link) 1/3

Investigation Team
Yu Narukami - (The Fool) Izanagi
Yosuke Hanamura - (The Magician) Jiraiya
Naoto Shirogane - (The Fortune) Sukuna-Hikona

Phantom Thieves
Ren Amamiya/Joker - (The Fool) Arsène - (Personal Link) 1/3
Morgana/Mona - (The Magician) Zorro - (Personal Link) 1/3
Ryuji Sakamoto/Skull - (The Chariot) Captain Kidd
Sumire Yoshizawa/Violet - (The Faith) Cendrillon
Sophie - (The Hope) Pandora

Series this work belongs to:

• Part 1 of Persona: Unity