The silver hued leader gazed in awe, the awe filled with.. shock. The harsh heat that swirled around his figure made it nearly impossible for him to breathe, to intake the humid and rather.. unsettling smell; the smell of burnt flesh. The dusty smoke gave him the guilty pleasure of not being able to see his greatest fear. But something swelled tightly within his heart and he screamed, he screamed the name of his friends. He wanted to hear their voices once more, to tell him that they're okay.

But no response.

He screamed again and again. "Yosuke! Kanji! Rise! Chie! Teddie! Naoto! Yukiko!"
The swelled heart of his churned as he took his first step through the dispersing smoke, only to see his greatest fear. His team of friends laying lifelessly on the floor with their weapons scorched to their blackened shade. "No.. How-" His body instinctively turned around, parrying a black steel blade. However, the force sent a heavy shock within his bones as he flew up into the air and readied his body for the impact of smashing to the ground. "Nngh.. Who.. the hell are you..?"

In one quick motion, the figure swung his halberd-like blade and rest it over his shoulder. Souji weakly gazed upon the silver-plated man who wore a full plated helm that covered his facial features, only allowing glowing yellow eyes pierce through the openings. "So.. This is the one who took down the Goddess? Hmph. How disappointing." A subtle chuckle echoed through the ears of the weakened leader.
"Well.. I should be thanking you in advance. Without you getting rid of that nuisance of a woman, I wouldn't be able to regain this strength of mine. Haha.. I nearly forgot how good it was to be able to move free once more."

"..What.." Souji slowly lifted himself up on his own two feet as he sunk his katana through the floor, using it as support from falling on the ground. "The hell.. are you!?"

"Oh? I don't recall you being able to interrupt me." The yellow hues narrowed into a deadly glare. "Kneel."

The leader's eyes widened as he felt an intense pressure surround him that snapped the bones of his knees, slamming them against the cruel hard floor. "..!" But he sank his fangs through his bottom lip to muffle his screaming. "Nn.. Sh..shit.." His hands planted themselves over the ground and weakly glanced up at the figure who pointed the tip of his blade at the forehead of the weakened leader.

"I find it impressive that you can look at me despite the pain you must be feeling now. It's been ages since I last met someone that has done that to me. I must say.. I rather feel nostalgic. However.." The figure sank his blade behind himself as his claw gauntlets clenched the collar of Souji's and lifted him off of his feet, pulling him close enough to clearly see the silver eyes of his. "..Like old times, you too will suffer the same fate." He spun himself as he threw the body of Seta's as if he was a ragdoll across the field of his fallen comrades.

Souji's vision blanked out from the force of his head smashing the ground as his lifeless hues gazed upon the figure of his closest comrade. All what his mind can focus on were the footsteps of the Godly figure that inched closer to him as an unfamiliar sensation swelled within his stomach. He never thought that there would be someone much stronger than the God of Death, Izanami. "What the hell.. is he..?"

"Souji...kun...?"

The leader's vision returned in instinct when he heard the sweet but yet.. weakened voice that tugged the strings of his heart. His bloodied lips formed into a light smile as he weakly placed a hand over the cheek of his lover. "Yukiko.. You're okay.. Thank.. Go-goodness.." Finally.. his strong-willed silver eyes glistened into a shiny hue as the tips of his fingers shakily caressed the warm cheek of hers.

"..Don't.. Cry.."

"They're all.. gone.. Yukiko.. I'm.. so sorry.. I.. I never meant for any of this to happen.."

"Dummy.. We.. all knew what we.. were getting into.. We are proud of being here for you.. Even if it.. costs us our lives.." She spoke with the warmest smile and sincerity as her burnt hand slowly held onto his, intertwining her fingers into a loving hold. "..We love you, Souji-kun.. I.. I always will.. love—"

In a blink of an eye, the warm features of his lover sunk within the harsh ground with a cruel stomp from the evil figure followed with a crunching noise. The black silky locks covered her eyes as the red hairband slowly fell off her head. Blood slowly oozed from her nostrils as she took her final breath. "…"

"Yuki..ko..?" The feeling of his fingers being crushed by the immense pressure of the figure's boot was last of his concern. The sight of his girlfriend.. departing in front of his very own eyes made his lips churn as he screamed with every fiber of his being. "Izanagi!" A sudden burst of white aura surrounded his body, glowing brighter as a shattering sound caused Izanagi to appear behind him "I.. I'll kill you..!" His persona let out a roar as the black coat began to turn white as his sword began to transform into a halberd with a circular hilt. His silver eyes glared back at the shadow in front of him. "Ziodyne!" Okami quickly spun his halberd as thunder began surging from the blades while the shadow looked on in silence. "Go!"

Izanagi-no-okami raised his halberd in the air as it dispersed into blue energy. "What...?" Souji felt a surge of lightning struck his body as he fell on his knees.

"Is that all?" The shadow asked with a disappointed look on his face as he looked down at the fallen leader. "It's a shame when your own persona won't listen to you, isn't it?"

Souji gazed at the figure with utter shock, the blank gaze that made the plated being in front of him wipe dust off of his shoulder. ". . ."

"Ah.. And I had high hopes of you to entertain me more.. What a pitiful display." The figure said with a light sigh. "You're nothing with the way you are now. Sadly, I expected much more." He said as he looked at the leader who responded with silence. "Bonds. This is what makes you humans... strong is it not? I remember you had this interesting voice during the battle against Izanami." His yellow eyes quickly focused on Souji's fallen comrades. "These 'friends' of yours... They are power."

"Who.. are you..?"

"I suppose now would be an appropriate time to introduce myself to you." The figure said as he placed his hand on his mask. "Allow me to introduce myself…" He slowly removed it as he revealed his short silver hair and eyes. "The only one that would do this, is the very one who is the strongest. I am-"

Souji closed his eyes, looking away. "No. You're not. You may have my face, but that doesn't mean you're me."

"Are you sure?" The shadow asked with a smile on his face. "I'm you, and you're me."

"Don't bullshit me!" Souji growled as he struggled to lift himself up from the ground. "I would never kill for the sake of killing! Especially someone's loved ones!"

The figure growled as grabbed the leader by his head with his iron claw. "It doesn't matter anymore, does it? You're nothing but a pathetic weakling. I expected more. You're going to die. Just like everyone else that placed their hopes on you."

Souji closed his eyes as blood began seeping through the ends of his shadow's claws. "Yukiko.. My friends.. are not…" He slowly trailed his hands over the gauntlets of the shadow's before clutching it tightly with remaining strength he had.. "Garbage!" He tried his best to pull free from the cruel clutch but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't overcome the superior strength of the enemy in front of him. But even so, he continued to struggle. "I will never… accept defeat at the hands of people like you! Not for me… But for everyone I love!" His resolution seemed to grant him a new surge of energy only to cry out in pain as his shadow tightened his grip.

"For everyone you love?" His face was twisted in disgust almost as if he was going to end it here but stopped as a new idea appeared in his head. Keep taunting and break him just before he can hope to fight back. "Are… you serious?" His laughter filled the area around them. "Then… do you think your loved ones will be disappointed when they find out that their hero is gone…?"

Souji moved his hands towards his reflection, clawing at the cheek of his shadow. "I will not lose."

"Then why are you shaking?" He asked with a grin on his face as he decided it was time to end it. "Goodbye."

*Beep*… *Beep* … *Beep*

"Ah!" Souji quickly sat up as he quickly placed his hands on his chest as he heard his own heavy breathing, his fingers trembling against the thin clothing that covered his body. "Wha... What… kind of dream was that…?" The teen asked as he slowly trailed his fingers across his chest and over his neck, making sure he was reading his pulse. A moment of silence and subtle breathing filled the room as it began to calm his nerves from the nightmare. "I'm... okay. Just a dream." He muttered weakly with a light sigh of relief as he felt his lungs finally able to relax.

He sat on the white bed in what he felt to be a comfortable silence as he heard the continuous beeps from the machine next to him. What the hell was that dream? Why did it feel so.. real? No, more importantly, why didn't his Persona listen to him? But wait.. it was just a dream, right..? If that's the case, why is he in the hospital? His silver eyes stared at the machine in silence as he tried to remember how he ended up in what seems to be in the hospital.

Could it have been that the dream was real? No... He could have sworn that... that the shadow finished him off. He shook his head as he thought of the only way that could confirm if his dream had happened or not. He slowly placed his shaking hands by the collar of his shirt as he began to remove the white shirt, but stopped as he closed his eyes from the sudden feeling of heavy soreness throughout his body. He growled in pain as he struggled to even lift his arms above his head.

"Why the hell am I at the hospital...?" The nightmare popped into his head as he tried to shake it off, hoping that it was fake. Regardless of the terrible pain, he pressed on with his slow movement and once again began to remove his shirt as he felt intense soreness from his chest. His eyes stared at nothing in particular due to the feeling of fear beginning to dull many of his senses as his worry is becoming to come clearer.

"No..." It couldn't have happened.. right? He felt his heart begin to beat faster than before, his breathing becoming more rigid than before. A part of him wanted to stop all of this but.. He needs to know. In one full motion, he removed his shirt completely. Only to have his eyes widen at the sight of his own chest. "W-what...?" The EKG monitor that signaled how his heart is faring began to beep rapidly as his eyes focused at what seem to be a cut that was recently stitched closed. "No... It couldn't have happened.."

He quickly looked over at the monitor next to him as it continued to beep more frequently than before. The panic swelling furiously within his weakened body made the rapid beeping fill his heart more with fear. "Come on Souji... Relax." He told himself as he closed his eyes and tried his best to calm his nerves, but the monitor continued to beep at a faster pace. "Haaa.." The images of his fallen comrades flashed before his eyes as the pupils of his begin to dilate. "..Haa.. Aah.." Yukiko's breathless lips popped within his mind.

"..Nngh.. Come on.. It was just a dream.. Yukiko.. I'm so sorry.. " Souji slowly closed his eyes as he clenched his hands into fists as he felt his stomach sink further from the fruit of despair but froze at the sound of the door being open. His eyes shot open and focused his sorrowful gaze at the figure in front of him.

"Souji-kun..! Are you alright?!"

It was as if time itself stopped. The lifeless lips he dreamt about faded away as it was replaced by the woman in front of him. The lively dark brown hues that gazed intently at him, the pupils radiating the worry she held for him. Despite such wonderful eyes of hers, he couldn't help but hold his head with his own two hands, fighting back the tears that swelled within his strong-willed eyes. "You're.. fine.. Thank.. goodness.."

"Souji-kun.. Wha-No.. Of course I'm fine..!" The black haired beauty smiled softly at such a heartbreaking sight as she held her hands together across her chest in hopes of easing her rapid and yet.. hurting heart. "I'm so glad that you have woken up.."

"..I'm sorry for worrying you." He spoke in a soft whisper as he began to stroke his fingers across his forehead as a mean to calm himself down. After a moment of silence, he cleared his throat and finally removed his hands from his face, his eyes gently welcoming hers. "How are you doing?" He asked as the monitor began to beep slowly. He couldn't have help but smile as he felt a huge sense of relief. If the dream was real, she wouldn't have- No. He refused to think of the dream as he let out a light chuckle. "It really was just a dream... Thank goodness."

"..You.. How could you.. ask that when.. you're in that condition?" The future Inn keeper slowly covered her mouth with her hands as tears she viciously fought back the entire time began swelling in her eyes. Her arms trembled as she slowly walked towards her leader, the weight of sadness slowing her feet could be seen from Souji's point of view. "S-Souji...kun..." She stopped when she reached his bed and she slowly sat down next to him. Her eyes refusing to part from his, even blinking made her mind to instantly worry of him. But she couldn't help to begin to cry. "Y-you are..."

"Yukiko? W-why are you crying-"

"You're alive Souji-kun!" She blurted out with clear relief shown across her gorgeous features as she covered her face with her hands, refusing to let the person who she cared the most about to see her like this. She never thought he would be alive.. especially from what the doctors told her and her friends. "You are.. alive.."

Was all she could say. The news that the group was given, was something that they all refused to believe. She was the first one to refuse to accept what they said about him, and.. his parents.

Her tears continued to seep out of her eyes as she couldn't help but be thankful by having to be the first to rush at his aid. "Souji-kun.." He's alive, that's all what matters. But.. Her mind trailed off into sadness as she was reminded of his parents when her eyes meet his. She knew that she had to tell him, but why did it had to happen? Why to him, of all people, why him? She knew the sudden feeling of happiness from them two will be shortly lived.

But he needs to know. He needs to know why he is here, and.. what happened that caused all of this to occur. Even with her growing conviction.. She struggled to say the saddening news. "S-Souji..." Her lips struggled to spout the words that are needed to be said as they shut tightly in hopes of muffling more of her cries. She can't do it.

Souji gazed in silence as he looked on at the most important woman in his life. The relief that she's okay and that if she's alright then the others must be too. But.. he still held onto the heavy and guilt ridden sensation that lingered across his chest. His eyes wandered across the snow white hospital room as they locked onto the beeping monitor as they sat in silence. He's happy that he was finally able to see her again. It may have not been the way he wished, but it was nice to know that she didn't end up like in his nightmare.

After a few moments of silent crying, the black haired beauty slowly wiped her tears away and focused her attention at him. "Souji-kun... H-how are you feeling?" She finally asked as she fought bravely through the tears that wish to be shed.

"I'm.. I'm alright. Just.. feel a bit relieved I suppose. How are you holding up?"

Even when he's in this condition, he cared for her.. She really is an idiot. The memories of her past, the last time they both saw each other.. it made her throat to dry up while her mind was greeted from the words she spewed at him at their last time they were alone together. The.. time when he had to leave Inaba. Specifically the one in which she-

No. Right now isn't the time to think of past. She knew that she'll have to be reminded of the past later on, but all she wants to do is just be with him.

"I'm fine.." The teen knew she has to tell him about the cause of the accident. She quickly let out a light sigh as she began to regain her composure. "Souji-kun."

"Hmm?" He slowly looked away from the monitor as his eyes focused on hers.

"Um.. I-I.."

"If you can't speak, then you don't have to."

"No. I have to speak." The sudden statement made the silver headed teen stare at her with a confused look on his face. "You need to.. know why you're here." She felt the nerves come back even stronger than before, but she continued to fight them back. She has to tell him!

"I do. Like you said, why am I here?"

She clenched her hands into tiny fists as the next words finally came to light. "You're at Inaba. I'm sure you don't remember why, but.. you came here to visit Dojima-san and Nanako-san. You came by car with your parents."

The leader stared on in silence as he struggled on figuring out the events that took place before he awoke. He doesn't remember that he came with his parents, but he did remember his mother wanted to visit her brother. "I see.." He said lightly as he looked down at his hands. He doesn't know why, but he began to feel a huge sense of dreadfulness. "Yukiko.. Where.." He stopped himself from speaking any further as he felt it as if he was struck by a sudden wave of force against his lungs.

"..I'm sorry Souji-kun."

He knew it. Souji smiled lightly as he desperately began fighting his own tears back. He tried to speak but felt the silent cries began to over flow him. He refused to accept this. His hands trembled from the rapidly increasing sorrow from his body.

"Souji-kun.. Please, if you have to.. If you have to cry, then please.. Let it all out." She said softly as she slowly moved her hands towards his. "I'm here for you-" She stopped herself as she noticed him pulling his hands away from hers. "Souji-kun?" Her dark-brown eyes met his glowing silver eyes.

"I'm fine." He said gently as he fought his tears back with every inch of strength he has. He chuckled at his own response as he knew it was all but a big pile of crap. Fine? How could he be fine when he lost two of the most important people in his life? How could he be bed ridden and not be able to see his own mother and father? Why is he forced to stay here?

He clenched the bed sheets that laid over his legs as he tried to fight through the intense soreness of his body and his mind. He awoke from a nightmare only to live through a beginning of another one? What kind of bullshit is this?

Why? Why did it have to become like this?

"Maybe.. maybe it would have been better off if I was-"

"Don't you dare say that." A voice called out as the silver headed teen looked over at the door and noticed all of his friends standing behind Yukiko. Yosuke's strong voice temporarily broke the despair that took over Souji as the heir of Junes stared in silence.

Teddie wore the same outfit they bought him from Junes as his bright blue eyes were glistening from tears. Next to him was the detective prince, who held her hat between her hands as her silver blue eyes softly gazed at her Senpai. Next to her, was the pop star idol who had her arms around Naoto as her light cries echoed across the room. Kanji stood behind Rise as he looked away while he rested his hand over Rise's shoulder. Chie stood behind Yukiko as trails of tears lingered across her cheeks.

"G-guys.."

Yosuke shook his head and trailed his fingers through his hair with a soft sigh. "What kind of person would tell himself that?"

Souji chuckled lightly at such a question. He felt ashamed of himself as he found himself looking away from his friends and at his own two hands. He knew what Yosuke said was right, who would tell them self that? He knew that the future owner of Junes would be the one to say that to him. He felt a sense of relief that he still kept his promise from the fight they had a year ago, when Yosuke was struggling with the death of Saki Konishi. At the time, they both promised each other that they will help themselves when the time become rough and it happened to be that the time is now. "You're right. Who would tell them self that they would be better off dead?"

His friends stared on as they were kept to themselves since they all had trouble on what to say to try and make the situation better.

"I know that it must hurt to know that your parents are gone." Hanamura said softly as he felt his throat become drier as he continued to speak. "But damn it.. You're alive." He said as he looked on at his friends, who all stared at him in silence. "And I'm sure that they would have wanted their son to live on."

Souji stayed silent as he felt his arms tremble from the urge of letting his cry to be heard, but he refused to. He doesn't know why now of all times but.. He was reminded of his position he had over his team of friends when they worked through the mysteries of the Midnight channel. He can't show such a weak side to them. And.. A huge part of him refused to believe that his parents were dead, but when his friends are all in the room, it made it even harder to deny the fact that his parents may.. in fact have perished.

Yukiko wiped the remaining tears on her face as she looked up at Yosuke, who responded with a light nod as he looked at his friends. Chie looked at her best friend with a worried look on her face, but smiled lightly at her. Naoto grabbed Rise from her arm as Teddie followed them towards the door, but stopped as he glanced at Souji before Kanji placed his hand on his shoulder. They all walked out as Yosuke stopped at the door and looked over at his best friend one last time.

"Don't forget that you still have your family with you. They'll be waiting for you to get up and will support you when you need it.. Just like old times." He said with a light smile as he left the room leaving Yukiko and Souji in the room.

The silver headed teen chuckled lightly at the words of his best friend and at how right he is. He has his friends, who all care about him and wouldn't want him to be this way. That's why he remembered that he made a promise that he would return to Inaba to meet them, to meet his family. He felt his lips slowly move as they turned into a very faint smile. He smiled, but yet he felt empty. He respected Yosuke's courage to speak during this hard time, but a few petty words can only do so much to heal the wound of losing their parents.

The two who were left in the room became silent as the leader of the group could feel her eyes gazing at him. He could hear her light breathing as she slowly moved closer to him. He thought to himself if he were to feel her touch, could he release his tears? Could he let out his growing cries within his body? Could he show his emotions to someone he truly loved? Souji felt her hands touch his as he slowly opened his eyes and meet her soft brown eyes. Could he let his emotions out on Yukiko?

They stared at one another in silence as Amagi closed her eyes gently, her smile made Seta feel at ease. Maybe he could show his cries to her? His eyes stared on as they focused on her smile and reminded him of their last meeting. Before the fight of Izanami, he spent what he thought could be his last hours of his life with the person who he truly cared about, Yukiko. He remembered her soft skin brushing against his as their hands intertwined with one another and their lips touching gently. They both had the mentality that they would both die, but that didn't stop them from fighting.

He knew at that time that they both truly cared about one another.

Or so he thought.

The sudden memory of his leave appeared before his head. He stood inside the train as his friends stood outside with smiles on their faces. He heard their cries of happiness and their final goodbyes as their leader began to drift away from them. He looked on with a smile as he placed his hand on the window. He already missed them as they began to shrink little by little as he soon drifted from what felt like home, Inaba. His eyes focused on his hand which was resting against the window as his eyes soon trailed at the faint reflection of himself. The face he met was one that had a saddened smile. He was waiting for one more face to say goodbye to, but as he drifted away he knew that she wasn't going to appear. Where was Yukiko?

The feeling of ease slowly disappeared as he pulled his hands away from hers. "Thank you." He said with a wry smile as he stared at her. "But I feel like it's best that I should be alone. Actually.. I need to be alone." He slowly raised his hand up as he stopped her from speaking. "I won't be thinking any idiotic thoughts, don't worry. I just.. I just need to be alone and let it sink in. Please, leave me be. I'll make sure to give Yosuke a call when I feel better."

The black haired teen responded with a light nod as she slowly stood up from his bed and stared at him with a worried look on her face. She didn't want to leave him alone, but what could she do? She tried to speak, but stopped as her eyes meet his. She felt her heart sink as she saw the hurt within his eyes. Amagi closed her eyes as she turned around and walked towards the door. How foolish could she be? How could she hope that he would forgive her from what she did?

She stopped at the door as she struggled to open her mouth, but only to hear his voice.

"I'm sorry."

The words that she heard made her heart squeeze from the suffocation she was greeted to. Why? Why is he sorry? This.. This isn't his fault. The fault lies with her.. She never knew hearing.. 'Sorry,' could hurt so much. Yukiko tightened her hold of the doorknob as she couldn't help but want to run. To run away so she can breathe from all these thoughts in her mind.

"..I'm sorry too."

She opened the door and walked out of the room. She stopped in front of her friends as they all looked at her. She responded to their stares by running away as fast as she could. She couldn't stand being with anyone after what happened then, and what happened a few moments ago.

Chie quickly stood up as she called her best friend's name, but stopped as she felt Yosuke's hand on her shoulder. She let out a light growl as she faced him and punched the June's heir at the shoulder. Their eyes met as she knew what he was going to tell him. She shook her head as she slowly looked down at the floor.

"Why did this had to happen...?"

Souji slowly rested his back against the bed as his head felt the softness of his pillow. His silver eyes gazed upon the ceiling in silence as he decided that enough was enough. He slowly raised his hand in the air as he remembered the last time he saw his parents. The smiles they gave him as they began to head towards Inaba. The laughter filled the car from one another as they told funny stories of their experience within Inaba. Such experience of how Dojima has a great dislike to Souji's father, but always ends up having a good time with his parents.

A gentle smile appeared in his face as his vision began to blur lightly. He remembered the long silver hair in front of him, who spoke to him with a graceful voice.

"Souji, you've grown! W-what's with that look you're giving to your own mother?! Look... I'm saying this because you have the look I once had before I left Inaba. Oh come on, you're my son! I know you! You have the look of living an adventure, the look of happiness. Souji... I know that you wish to go back to Inaba. You made so many memories in such little amount of time, and I won't stop you from making anymore.

W-what do you mean what's wrong with me? How can you say that to your own mother!? Ugh... My brother didn't teach you any manners did he? Well, I'm going to have a talk with him! Hmm? Talk about what? Well... The talk of you moving in with him."

His vision blurred even more than before as his hand began trembling. He felt tears coming out of his eyes as they fell down his cheeks and were absorbed by the pillow underneath him.

"I know that you'll be okay Souji and you know that wherever you go, we'll always love you."

He closed his eyes as his will finally broke. The tears that he desperately held back began to flow out of his eyes and he laid his hand on his face. His cries filled the room as he knew in his heart, that his parents have left him into a better world.

"D-damn it... Mom... Dad... I-I... I miss you two so much..."

- To Be Continued. -