Welcome to the Velvet Room, dear visitor.

Ah, you seem lost. I'm sure you didn't mean to stumble upon this humble place…but I digress from the point. You see, I brought you here.

Haha, you are even more confused then before! Be calm, dear visitor, or I will not be able to tell you my tale.

Curious, are you? Don't worry, the tale does not involve you. In fact, from your view point, it hasn't even happened yet.

Yes…I know you're confused. How can I tell you a story of something that hasn't happened yet? That's very simple, dear visitor.

This Velvet Room exists at every single point at time and space…and none at all. I'm afraid that is the best and only way to describe this place.

Oh! We are beginning to run out of time…For now, why don't I give you the introduction of our tale…?


End to End

Rated: T for violence, blood, and swearing.

Pairings: Have mostly not been decided. Vote time, anyone?

Warning: AU, obviously. Also, any knowledge from P1&P2 is from the Wikia, so it may not be completely accurate…

Disclaimer: Not mine not mine not mine….

AN; Hey. I really wanted to do a new AU that kept most of the stuff from the original series but put them into a new concept. I hope this works well…Also, the 'Golden Age' refers to the 20th and 21st centuries.

Introduction

Prelude


'The year is 1006 AGA. AGA as in After the Golden Age. Today is the day we begin the Persona Projects 3 and 4. Again, we shall assign 'names' for the subjects based on Tarot Arcana. Likewise, we shall attempt to create the ability of multiple Personas in a single being…Though, not on such a large scale as before. Instead we shall have only three subjects.

'The first two shall be apart of the Persona Project 3 while the last while be apart of the Persona Project 4. This is an attempt to try and divide the power between the two groups.

'As of today, all subjects being created for the multiple personas shall be referred to as 'Wild Cards.' To keep those moronic men from the Anti-Shadow suppression division from learning of the Wild Cards, we shall refer to them as the Fool Arcanas…The Zeros.'

The woman hummed softly to herself as she finished writing her first entry of the new projects. Mary Mandolan was her name and she had been apart of the Persona Projects since the first—Which failed miserably. It could be said that it failed due to one simple fact: The subjects never gained true control over their Personas.

Mandolan hoped to rectify that with the next two projects.

She was close…almost too close to the tanks. There had to have been a about twenty of them, each divided into two different sections. One had a large '3' painted on the ground and the other a large '4.' Mandolan was currently surveying the development of the subjects in the '3' section. Their eldest of the two Fool Arcana was already appearing ready to be 'born.'

To say that she was not excited for the moment would be a lie. After all, even if they had to raise them like real human babes, that didn't mean they wouldn't be powerful. Mary's grin turned just a tad bloodthirsty.

"So, this is your newest set of test tube babies."

Behind her was standing the head of the Anti-Shadow Suppression Division…Arc Seta. Mandolan glared at the man, "That they may be, but I have no doubt in my mind they shall exceed your precious ASSWs in no time." Seta only smirked at her in response.

Mandolan crossed her arms. "Why are you so confident all of a sudden?"

He chuckled. "Well, you'll be finding out soon anyway. We've had a breakthrough."

"Oh? And how do we know your newest breakthrough won't break, like the four before this one?"

Seta clutched a fist. "Just because you view your dear Persona subjects as a god send, I see them for what they really are: A waste of time, energy, and money."

The young woman pursed her lip tightly, biting the inside of her lower lip. "I could say the same of you."

"Oh, don't worry, Dear Mary, Labrys won't fail. It's worked too hard for this."

Mary sneered and turned back to the tanks.

"We'll see."


"How should I say this? Oh, I know!"

"Don't you dare you bi—"

"I told you so."

Mary crossed her arms across her chest, her wide smirk dancing on her lips. Arc snarled. "Labrys didn't fail!"

"It so definitely did. Or else, why is it in a Kirijo storage facility?"

Seta glowered at her before turning away. Mandolan gloated silently over him. "It doesn't matter, we've almost found the secret to getting the ASSWs to stabilize. Once we do, your little Persona subjects will be obsolete—"

"Persona Users."

Arc shot her a vaguely confused look. Mary tightened her crossed arms. "We've labeled them as Persona Users, to make it easier to not only differentiate them from the PP1 and PP2 but also make them notfeel like experiments. Besides, we need to treat them like humans, or else they will have no desire to defend humans. Unlike your ASSWs…" Seta scoffed at her jab.

"Like that will make that big of a difference."

"It will. Besides, one of the PP3 has already been born, so to speak." Mary smirked at Seta's frown.

The dark haired male turned his head away. "I was unaware of this development. Why has the ASSW Division not been informed of this?"

"There was, and is, no need."

"Then, why tell me now?"

"Because," Mandolan's smirk went wide, "I enjoy torturing you with the knowledge that you are inadequate…especially as Kirijo-sama has given my division more funds to begin development for the Evokers."

Arc froze.

It was a well known fact that only the divisions that the head of the company considered useful for the future survival of mankind got any sort of funding what so ever. The fact that the Persona Division was now receiving extra funding…was that Kirijo truly believed that this division would find a way to kill the Shadows.

Seta glared at her from under his fringe of dark brown hair. "Don't think you've won yet. Aigis will definitely be a success, once we begin it's building."

Mandolan's only response was a cheerful but mocking laugh.


PP3 Fool Arcana 1 was glaring up at her with sharp gray eyes. The child was only a year old yet was already showing signs of being rebellious. How lovely.

Perhaps, though, PP3 Fool Arcana 2 will do something to calm the behavior before it truly begins. Hopefully, he will view the newborn, eventually, as his younger sister. Thankfully, they had used the same genetics for the two, unlike the third Fool, who had not yet been born(though he was close).

Mandolan pursed her lips and gave the child a hard stare. He seemed to scoff at her attempts and shifted his view to the two year old Star Arcana. Frowning, she slowly placed the toddler on the ground. To her surprise the elder of the two moved over and sat next to Fool 1. Star gave the child a tiny smile before taking a more defensive-guarding post next to him.

How odd.

She would have to make note of that…Actually she had to make note of all the toddlers' behavior around the Fool. In fact, once the Magician of the PP3 made contact with Fool 2, he seemed to act in a similar action that he did so with Fool 1, though he was far more gentle with the girl.

"I wonder…"

Did it have something to do with their Wild Card aspects? The other subjects from PP1 and PP2 had not acted like this…

But, then, most of them had the ability to use at least five of their own persona. Of course, when she thought back on the projects, this fact may have been part of the downfall of the first two Persona projects.

Mary tapped her chin. What would happen when the two Wild Cards finally met? She was rather excited by the prospect.

"Mandolan-san?"

Well, if it wasn't Arisato.

"Yes, Arisato?"

The brackish-brown haired man bowed his head slightly. "Well, I was thinking…If we want the best outcome from the Persona subjects, shouldn't we raise them the same as normal children…? As in, enter them into normal schools and have a normal home life, not live in a lab and learn in a lab?"

Mary paused in her note taking and eyed the young man. Behind her, the silver-gray haired PP4 Fool was playing with a sheet a paper. PP3 Fool 2 had found his activities intensely interesting.

"Why?"

Arisato gulped.

"Well, even if we change their label from Persona Subject to User, it won't matter if we don't actually name them and allow them to develop like normal people do." He sucked in a breath. It was obvious he had been sitting on this for a long time. "That itself may have been part of the issue with PP1 and PP2."

Mandolan returned to her note taking.

"…Alright."

"Oh, but what if it fai—Huh? Y-you're saying yes?"

Mary shot him a dry look over her clip board. "Obviously. Now, I can tell, you wish to take one of these children yourself...Which will it be?"

Arisato wrung his hands.

"…PP3 Fool 1 and 2."

She almost dropped her clipboard.

"And Takeba-san said he would take one of the PP3 girls too."

The woman turned and met his eyes. Arisato was very obviously earnest. Perhaps this would work with her main plan after all…

"Fine. Just don't mess them up." She gave her best stern look, which made the timid man gulp softly. And you'd think with all the Shadows, being timid would be nearly impossible…

Mary placed her clipboard on the nearby table, leaning forward to pick up 4 Fool. He protested softly as he was moved away from Fool 2 but once he was up and away he fell silent. "You have a week to get everything you need for Fool 1 and 2. Get it done. Oh, and pick her up for me, will you?"

Arisato scurried to follow her demands.


"Ah, dear Mary. How are you this evening?"

Said woman pursed her lips. Had it been Seta she would have snarled and possibly slapped him with a clipboard. However, this was Kirijo, the head of the Kirijo Group…AKA, her boss. "I'm lovely, Sir."

The man hummed lightly, patting his granddaughter's shoulder. Why the girl was here, she had no idea, but she had an odd feeling, if only because of the odd gleam in her boss's eyes. Mitsuru Kirijo stared up at her with tired and slightly blank eyes.

Man, it really sucked to be a kid in AGA was her brief thought but she gave a light shake of her head. "Why did you need to see me, sir…?" Kirijo chuckled, the normally cheery noise sounding slightly dark.

"Mary, I do remember you once writing that you may be able to give a person the Persona Ability without manufacturing them." For some reason, the term manufacturing made her angry, despite the fact that was indeed what she did with the PP3 and PP4 subjects.

She sucked a somewhat shaky breath. "Yes, sir. But I don't know how dangerous it could be for the person in question. Why?"

Kirijo patted Mitsuru's shoulder.

"Why! I want you to do the procedure of my three year old granddaughter of course!"

What.

"S-sir…She could die. And—"

"Now, none of that! Why, she's the same age as the Star Arcana, isn't that correct? I'm sure they'll get along splendidly." He chuckled again.

"B-but, sir…!"

Kirijo ignored her and pushed Mitsuru forward. Once she was closer to Mary then him, he turned and began to leave. He paused in the doorway. Kirijo gave her a dark smile over his shoulder. "If you don't do as I ask, I'll have the Persona Project shut down entirely and every one of the subjects shot to death…as well as Mitsuru."

Mary froze.

What the hell.

The man was gone before she could retort.

Apparently, Mandolan had no choice whatsoever. Especially with weighed with the possibility of the Persona Project ending and all her Arcana shot to death…

Well, one life or many?

It was too easy for her to choose.


"Ah, Shirogane-san. I'm glad you've finally arrived."

The old man frowned at his cousin's daughter. He snapped gruffly, "What the hell are you doing now, Mary?" The woman paused and stepped back.

"Well, you see, you are the only one I could think of…"

"'Think of'…for what?"

Mary turned away and then moved over to one of the many crib-like beds. It was also the only one that still had someone within it. She pulled out the PP4 Fortune Arcana—No, she is Naoto now—and looked her relative in the eye. "I am going to die soon. However, I will not allow perhaps the only hope for humanity to die. Not until it's their time."

Shirogane stared at the 4 year old sleeping child in her arms. "…What have you done?"

"I would explain, but Kirijo's son will be here soon. I have already decided that I will take the blame for his father's death in place of him." His head jerked up.

"What."

"Look, I know we have never been on good terms, but for Naoto…will you do this? Will you take her and get her out of her? And will you tell everyone she is your granddaughter?" He stared in shocked silence at Mary.

Finally, he spoke. "…I will, if only for this child and your mother…" He looked her in the eye. "I suppose this is good bye, Mari Junko."

Mary Mandolan…no, Mari Junko laughed softly. "It was truly a pleasure. The only thing I regret is that I was truly not the one to take Kirijo's life."


Mari stood alone in the cold lab. All of the beds, each labeled with a number and arcana, stood empty and frozen. The woman allowed herself a tight smile. At this point, each of the Arcana from the project would be safe and by the time they could track them down…they would at least be teenagers.

She chuckled. Even if she had not taken Kirijo's life herself, at least she got her revenge after all.

Doors slammed open.

The young woman calmly sat down and clasped her hands in her lap. She was not scared. This was her final act, after all.

There was another slam of doors and Takeharu Kirijo stormed in, followed by Shuji Ikutsuki. Mari cocked an eyebrow at them. "Oh? Why, I had no idea you were still in the Japan, Kirijo-san." She surveyed his face, noting that he looked extremely upset.

"Mandolan! Do not play games with me. What have you done to my daughter? !"

Mari pursed her lips.

"Did Kirijo-sama not tell you? He was the one to request the procedure. If he didn't tell you, then that it is hardly my fault—"

"My daughter," Takeharu snarled, "is unresponsive. She will not answer to her name nor will she eat—"

"And that condition is far better then any of the others who went through the procedure! In fact, your daughter will probably recover in only a few weeks, at most. If not, then she will suffer the same fate as the others who went through that procedure." Mari glared at him over her spectacules.

Takeharu was trembling. Interesting, she mused, as she had never seen the man lose control before.

He steps forward, bringing up a pistol that had been held loosely at his side. Mari eyed with disinterest. Did he really think that it scared her? Like hell it did…

Ikutsuki stepped forward. "Perhaps, Takeharu-kun, we're being a little too hasty." The woman met the brunette man's eyes, seeing the greedy gleam. Mari smiles sweetly: He would never know where the Persona Users had been moved, not on her life.

"I made a choice six months ago."

Takeharu and Ikutsuki blinked.

Mari stood up.

"So don't think you'll get any answers from me, because not even Kirijo was able to get the knowledge about the Persona Users."

She stepped closer.

Takeharu just stared at her in blank confusion while Ikutsuki glared back at her.

"You'll never know where they've gone. Never, not on your or my life."

Her hand flashed forward and ripped the pistol from Takeharu's hand. Before he could scrabble to get it back, Mari had leapt backwards. She held the gun up…

"I'll take this secret to the grave."

A gunshot rang out.

Silence reigned.

After what seemed like hours, Ikutsuki spoke up.

"She's…dead."

Mari Junko, known to the Kirijo Group as Mary Mandolan, was dead. She had taken her own life to prevent the Persona Users from being rediscovered…

Too bad she forgot about the copies of her reports she had entrusted to Seta…


Introduction

Prelude

END


Character ages in the story are as follows

20- Mitsuru, Akihiko, Shinjiro(Dead)

19- Minato, Junpei, Yukari, Fuuka, (Technically, Aigis)

18- Minako, Yu, Yosuke, Chie, Yukiko, (Technically, Labrys)

17- Ken, Naoto, Kanji, Rise

Time line change to having the P3 storyline take place the year before P4 (2009-2010), though the actually years will be 1024(P3), 1025(P4), & 1026(Current Story).

Arc Seta- He was, in this, head of the Anti-Shadow Suppression Division, which were in charge of creating Labrys, Aigis, ETC. The first name, Arc, comes from the developers of P4 Arena and Seta from the Manga name for the P4 Protagonist(Will be using the animation/arena name for said protagonist). Dies in the incident that creates the Dark Hour. (Mary trusts him 100% more then Ikutsuki)

Mary Mandolan/Mari Junko- Head of the Persona Projects. She developed the theory of Persona and began to try and create it in people. Procedures on volunteers failed in their deaths so she turned to manufacturing artificial(though, geneticial the same) humans. The first two project failed because they pushed the subjects too far and they failed to control their Persona. Added to that was the stress of too many persona in their psyche…They ended up going crazy and trying to kill Mandolan. Because of this, they were shot down. PP3 and PP4 she handled differently. All of the location records for each of the PP3&4 subjects were burned before Takeharu's father was killed by his own son. Mari took her own life to prevent Ikutsuki from learning where any of the Persona users besides Mitsuru were. Fake name is based off of Mary Magdalene and last name of real name is based off of goddess Juno.

Minako is four months older then Yu, so…yeah.