Chapter 1

A/N: Hey guys, I'm back! Sorry it's been so long, but I kinda lost interest for a while. But, now I'm back, and I decided to write a short sequel (or spin-off, depending on how you look at it) for Persona: Merc for Hire. If you haven't read that story yet, it's fine! This story only spoils it to a minimal amount, and you can totally read it without knowing what happened in Merc For Hire. I'd still recommend it though (tooting my own horn here :D). Alright, I'm gonna include some of the reading aids for the new readers here:

Inner thoughts or sound effects

'Dialogue with/between Personas'

Spells

Disclaimer: I only own the OC


Dark Hour, Some Yakuza hideout in Tokyo

I kicked open the coffin in the middle of the room, waiting patiently as the man within tumbled to the ground and laid there blinking dumbly. Behind me, I can hear Sho tapping his toes impatiently while Elizabeth flipped through her grimoire with mild disinterest. The man in front of me stayed on the ground for a few more seconds before swiftly sitting up and stuffing his hand into his front coat flap, only to be confronted with the barrels of my Lupara to his face.

"Uh-uh-uh, I wouldn't do that if I were you." I clucked my tongue at the man before looking down to a piece of paper in my hand. "Let's see…. Kazuya Higashi, right? Local leader of the Yakuza, and… my, you've been selling some very bad drugs to very young children, haven't you?"

"And who's asking?" Despite being stuck in the Dark Hour, Higashi was quite calm. Eubuleus chuckled in the back of my head

'Impressive. Let's see how long he can keep it up.'

'Yeah… why not?' I smiled widely at Higashi.

"Let me introduce myself… my name is Caius Gevauden, Profession: contract killer. Interest and hobbies: drinking booze and kicking ass. Unfortunately, I'm all out of booze and there's a hefty contract on your death by…" I trailed off, stopping myself with a smile. "Ah, sorry, can't tell. Professional stuff, you know. Protect the client and all… You'd understand right? After all, you got a handful of clients yourself."

Wouldn't do to give away the poor mother's name to her son's drug dealer, now would it?

"What, them? You working with the cops or something?" Higashi spat at my feet. "How 'bout this, I spill a few names for you and you cart your sorry ass out of here and leave me alone?!"

'So much for honor among thieves…' Eubuleus snorted. I rolled my eyes, and I heard Sho snickering and Elizabeth clucked her tongue in annoyance. As we were doing that, Higashi looked around and his eyes widened.

"Wait… this ain't right… WHAT DID YOU PRICKS DO TO MY HIDEOUT?! WHY IS EVERYTHING BLOODY GREEN AND COFFINS EVERYWHERE?!" I blinked in surprise at Higashi's bewilderment. Even Eubuleus was shocked.

"What…?"

'So… he wasn't unfazed, just… stupid?!'

Behind me, Sho bursted out laughing while Elizabeth allowed herself a little giggle. The mobster in front of us, losing all composure and regards for the shotgun still aimed as his face, grabbed a pistol from his jacket and pointed it at me and my team with shaking hands.

"ANSWER ME, DAMMIT!" I sighed in exasperation as my teammates continued their amused chortles.

"Well… for starters, you should stop screaming. It kinda ruins the tough guy image that you had going on back there. And secondly, you might want to point that thing behind you, if you still wanna live for like, 5 more seconds or so."

Spinning around, Higashi was confronted by a mass of writhing Shadows. A simple Maya, to be clear, but still a Shadow nonetheless, and far above the mobster's ability to intimidate and fight. A few gunshots later, Higashi was engulfed by the murky ichor of the Shadow, his screams echoing through the empty room. On my left, Sho watched with an eager smile on his face, while to my right Elizabeth sniffed and looked on with slight distaste.

A gloved hand touched my arm and the elevator attendant drew close, whispering in my ear.

"That quite enough Caius. Put the poor man out of his misery. This is unbecoming of a gentleman." I smirked slightly before raising my gun.

"As you wish."

BAM. Higashi's brains splattered all over the wall behind him as the Shadow skittered out of sight. Sho snorted in annoyance next to me.

"Why did you do that? It was just getting fun!"

"It was too loud and unnecessary." I retorted, as we walked towards the exit. "When you start your own Merc group you can be as sadistic as you want, but here in Strega, you follow my rules."

"Tch, and you never let me kill anyone either. Why can't I slit a few throats?"

"Well, for starters, I think you've slit quite enough throats just for tonight." I answered, pointing to the corridor that lead to the room, which was splattered with Shadow ichor. All courtesy of Sho Minazuki. "And secondly, you're not a legal adult yet."

"Never stopped you when it came to booze…"

"Well killing someone is not the same as taking a shot of whiskey, is it?" I sighed, rubbing my temple with a thumb. "Look, once you turn 20, I'll let you have a few kills. But before then, get off my back about it and don't rush into this business of sullying your soul."

Sho quieted down, grumbling to himself about "unreasonable leaders" and "stupid fake brothers" and stuff like that, while Elizabeth hummed cheerfully and bumped against me slightly while skipping along. Eubuleus chuckled from the back of my mind.

'Dude you are so whipped, you don't even know it.'

'Shut the hell up.'

Chuckling to myself, I lightly bumped Elizabeth back as she skipped, causing the elevator attendant to stumble and playfully glare at me. I smirked, while Sho made a mock retching noise to the side. Elizabeth smacked me on the arm before strutting off ahead with her nose in the air, her smile softening the haughty gesture.

And none of us noticed it when a shining velvet blue door appeared back in the room where Higashi's remains now laid, where a feminine figure stepped out.

"My, my, my. Is this the kind of activity you entertain yourself with nowadays Elizabeth?" A mature, slightly seductive voice rang out along the corridors. "I expected somewhat better of you, sister."

Eyes widening, I spun around to see a tall, beautiful woman in a blue secretary outfit looking down at the mobster's remains with a slightly annoyed expression. Her platinum blonde hair, the same shade as Elizabeth's, flowed down to her shoulders. And in her right hand, she clutched a grimoire, of the same design but noticeable thicker than the one in Elizabeth's hands. Without speaking, I swiftly reloaded my Lupara. Apparently Sho had the same idea, going by the slithering of metal as he loosened his swords from their sheathes. The woman seemed unperturbed by our apprehension.

"Margaret! Sister, it is so good to see you again!" The cheerful voice of Elizabeth broke the tension in the air. The elevator attendant skipped over to Margaret, giving her a quick hug that the secretary accepted with a resigned face. "My, you haven't changed a bit in the last few years!"

"I wish I can say the same of you, dear Elizabeth. So much of you has changed since you left the Velvet Room…" Margaret sighed slightly. "But don't get me wrong. The title of 'Wild Card' fits you well… as does the title of 'Fool'." Elizabeth pouted at her sister's jab.

"Well that wasn't very nice…"

Sighing to myself, I cleared my throat, catching the attention of both sisters.

"I am truly sorry to ruin the moment, but we're are currently in a den full of transmogrified Yakuza members who we were not paid to kill, and half of the Dark Hour is already over. And that's according to this watch, which already has a few decades of wear and tear on it." I announced, tapping the mechanical stop watch I kept around my wrist. "So… I would kinda appreciate it if we can take this conversation somewhere else?"

"Yes, that would be wise, but except for Elizabeth, none of you have the right to enter the Velvet Room…" Margaret looked thoughtfully at the blue door shining on the wall. "Well Elizabeth, you won't mind if we move us all to somewhere more private, now would you?"

"Not at all, sister." Smiling to herself, Margaret placed a hand onto her grimoire, murmuring incantations under her breath. Magical circles emitted from her, engulfing us all in a bright flash of light…


I waited restlessly at the peak of Heaven with Sho as the two sisters talked and laughed with each other on the other side of the plaza. It wasn't just me either, the punster was also on edge, eyes darting left right and center. After all, the last time both of us were here, roughly one year ago, a crazy primordial god tried to rip both our Personas out to strengthen himself. So it would make sense that being in this place again, even after a year's time, would set both of us on edge.

No such memories plagued Elizabeth and Margaret though, as they chatted happily away in the other corner of the plaza. Sho shot a glare in their direction and then snorted in annoyance.

"How long are they gonna take?" Sho snarled. "They should really hurry it up. This place gives me the creeps…"

"Same here." I agreed. "But I'd rather not push them. This place is a decent place for a meeting, and Liz hasn't met any of her family for at least a year, I think. You know how these Wild Cards are. Bonds are everything to them."

"I know, I know. He was the same way as well. Narukami." Sho spat out the name like an insult, but the soft amusement in his eyes lessened the venom in his voice. "Always playing the buddy-buddy guy. World Arcana my ass, he's just a bloody Fool like the rest of his team."

"True… but then again, you can't really hate him for it." I replied, a smile coming to my face at the thought of Narukami. After Strega was reformed, we officially opened the revenge site once more and entered government employment as a side job, and of course as Strega we clashed with the Shadow Operatives more than once. And obviously, Narukami being Narukami, he always tried to make friends with us every time our two teams clashed. He even managed to e-mail a Christmas card to our revenge site e-mail address last year, which we had a good laugh at and sent back with our own holiday greetings. After that, Elizabeth told me that she received a boost from Social Link of the Fool Arcana. No guessing who that represented.

'She still won't tell us which arcana Strega represents for her though…' Eubuleus grumbled at the back of my head. 'Even though we did a fuck ton of research on the major Tarot arcanas and pestered her for ages…'

'Hey, I pestered her, okay? You could've just went up to any one of her army of Personas and asked, but nooooo… you failed at that as well. How hard is it to convince ONE Persona in MILLIONS to tell you?'

'The only Persona she uses with enough frequency to know about her Social Links is Thanatos. And no way in Hell am I engaging in an extended conversation with Thanatos.' Eubuleus shivered slightly. 'That Persona is creepy as all Hell.'

'Awww… are you scared?'

'Look Chucko, imagine Pyramid Head from Silent Hill only with the dialogue of an immortal PTSD suffering war veteran who's been through WWII, Vietnam, AND Afghanistan along with a dozen other smaller wars. That is Thanatos. He's seen some shit, including Minato's fate. And… let's just say he doesn't deal with it that well…'

'Okay… that does sound bad…'

'Hey, I think they're done talking.'

Sure enough, as I raised my head I saw the two sisters walking over, both still laughing as some inside joke. I could distinctly make out the words "Theodore" and "dog food", but everything else was lost in giggles and hushed whispers. By the time they got to us, I noticed empty cola cans in both of their hands. Elizabeth turned around and faced her sister with a smile.

"Well, sister, this has been an absolutely charming visit. But I do have to leave now. It is getting late, and while us Residents would not really need to eat or sleep, I do have to keep a mind out for the basic needs of my human companions." Elizabeth gave a small bow to her sister. "However, I would suggest that we arrange a weekly or monthly meeting somewhere in this TV dimension. It's simply been too long."

"Actually… I was about to ask you about your human companions." Margaret responded, her eyebrows furrowing slightly. "I understand that after your quest to free the soul of your former guest came to an end, these companions are the reason that you did not return to the Velvet Room. I also understand that these companions are not the ones that accompanied your guest in his own journey. And in addition to that, it seems that you don't quite have your own journey yet, instead aiding this young man along his own story as a supporting character."

"That is correct." Elizabeth answered, a bit of wariness creeping into her voice.

"Well then, in that case I have a request to your friend. Mr. Caius Gevauden." Margaret directed her gaze to me. "I will challenge you to a battle. Here, one on one, within anytime in the next month. You shall show me what my dear sister has seen in you. Although I should also remind you that the with power I hold, you need to fight me with death in mind. As would I."

At those words my mind went blank. Sho was also slack-jawed with shock. Even Elizabeth gasped slightly at her sister's request.

"Sister…"

"This is my request, Elizabeth. Please do not interfere." Margaret's soft voice hid a bit of an edge. "Your answer, Gevauden-san?"

"…." I swallowed deeply. Margaret arched an eyebrow.

"Pardon me?"

"No. No, no, no, nada, nope, no-can-do, not my problem, NOPE!" Throwing my hands up, I repeated my answer like a mantra as I paced back and forth in front of Margaret, who seemed fairly surprised and amused at the same time. "No. I JUST survived an encounter with one cosmic entity last year by the skin of my teeth, and that was because the bloody sonofabitch wanted to wipe out humanity. AND I had the entire Shadow Ops with me. AND Elizabeth. AND Sho. AND Minazuki. And still it was CLOSE. Like WAY TOO CLOSE.

"I mean I admit that I am, in some ways, a personification of the word 'death seeker', but I do NOT want to pick a fight with a friggin' cosmic Goddess from the other end for no good reason. No, no, no, fuck no. I'm out. Sho, Elizabeth, let's go home. Fuck this shit I'm out." Spinning on my heels, I grabbed both Elizabeth and Sho by the hand and started dragging them towards the exit, leaving a very amused Margaret behind us.

"Would it change your answer if I said that once a month has passed and you haven't challenged me yet, I would come and return Elizabeth back to the Velvet Room? By force if need be. And that also applies if you don't prove yourself to be worthy of my sister's companionship." Margaret's voice was as sweet as ever, but it stopped me dead in my tracks, a chill running down my spine.

"Well fuck me sideways with a cactus…." I grumbled.


An hour later, apartment suite owned by Strega

I collapsed on the sofa in my room, rubbing a finger against my temple. Sho should be either in bed or trying to connect with Minazuki in the TV world at this point, or he might just be raving into the void about Margaret's request. Judging by what his ranting on the way back home, Sho didn't take to Margaret's request any better than the rest of us. Elizabeth, however, was silent all the way back.

And talking about Margaret's request…

'What a bloody mess… Eubuleus, did you get a read on her at all?'

'She's at least Elizabeth's level, that's for sure. I can't tell you anything else.'

'Can we take her, at least?'

'Nah. With Elizabeth taking the brunt of it maybe we can be an annoyance to her, but that would go against the rules… As it stands though, we have about as much chance of beating her as a praying mantis does a house cat.'

'Well… this means we're just as screwed as we were a year ago.'

'Pretty much, yeah.'

Margaret has not demanded an answer from me yet, instead being happy with waiting in the top of Heaven for a full month. But that was only a small comfort… in that I am 100% sure I will not have any major leaps in combat abilities that would help me win this. Just thinking about it gives me a headache. My recent shower helped alleviate the headache a bit, but not by a lot.

A knock came from my door, which I answer with a yell.

"Come in!"

The door creaked open, and Elizabeth came in, barefoot, wearing a set of navy blue velvet pajamas and lacking the blue cap that usually adorned her head. I smiled at her, reminiscing about how that set of pajamas was the first thing she bought with her cut of the paycheck from the new Strega's first mission together. Moving to one side, I made space on the sofa for her, but she just walked closer and stood there with an unsure expression on her face.

"Caius… I…" She hesitated, and I can almost taste the words that she's contemplating. "I've thought it through and… I think I will return to the Velvet Room with Margaret."

'Figures.' Eubuleus snorted in my mind. I silently agreed.

"Do you really want to return, Elizabeth?"

"It's my duty to be there. I've shirked it for long enough." The elevator attendant replied quietly. "Margaret is right, it's past time I returned to my post."

"That's not what I asked Elizabeth." I waved a hand impatiently. "Do you want to go back to the Velvet Room?"

"It… It's not a matter of want or not! It's my duty!" Elizabeth insisted. "A duty so sacred that I stopped my relationship with… him just to uphold it!"

"And you, quite wisely, abandoned it to save his soul." I replied. "Look, Elizabeth, did the Velvet Room not exist before you came into being? And has the Velvet Room ceased to function since your absence?" Elizabeth opened her mouth, just to close it again and look down.

"No…"

"So what is this really about? Because your duty is clearly being upheld by someone even without you there."

"I…" Elizabeth refused to meet my eyes, instead staring intensely at her own feet. "I've stayed under your hospitality for too long, even regarding your debt to me for the events last year. And… I don't want you being hurt by Margaret."

"So that's it, isn't it…?" Sighing to myself, I stood up and walked towards Elizabeth, lifting her chin until our eyes met. "Look, I'm not as suave as Narukami or Arisato with this, but I can tell you that… this whole friendship and emotional ties thing is not measured in debts. You saved my life a year ago, and you've pulled more than your own weight in our little Merc company since then. You are no burden to me, or Sho for that matter, at all. And as your teammate and as your friend, it's my duty to fight for your wishes just as much as it is your duty to fight for mine. So answer me… Do you want to go back to the Velvet Room?" A long pause followed, while Elizabeth started trembling slightly.

"No… I don't. How could I?" Elizabeth's eyes started filling with tears. "After… after him… and after you… after this team and everything I've seen that this world, transient as it is, has to offer… How can I go back to the never-changing world Velvet Room, while this world still exists…?"

"That's the answer I'm looking for. There, there, no need to cry. You won't be returning to the Velvet Room while I still draw breath." I smirked confidently at Elizabeth. "And I am very hard to kill. Just ask Project Prometheus, the Shadow Operatives and all of those who stood against us a year ago."

"But… Margaret…"

"Is scary as all fuck, which only means that we need to do more planning in order to defeat her or impress her, whichever is easier." I gently head-butted Elizabeth in the forehead, prompting a reluctant giggle from the elevator attendant. "Just checking though, if we all jumped her, You, me, and Sho, do you think we can beat her back?"

"No. Her powers are much more developed than mine. I fear that neither you nor Sho would survive the encounter if you jumped into a serious clash between Margaret and I. And she will still be the victor."

"Figures. Still worth asking though…" Sighing to myself, I fell back onto the sofa and patted the space next to me, inviting Elizabeth to sit down. "Alright then. Tell me about Margaret then. I need to know all I can about her if I am to pull this shit off." Elizabeth hesitated for a second, then smiled and sat down next to me. As she sat down, she pulled her legs up to her chest and leaned against me, her head resting on my shoulder.

"Well… Margaret and I were born in the Velvet Room several human centuries ago, but as time doesn't flow the same way in the Velvet Room it just felt like a decade or two for us…"


Name: Caius Gevauden

Persona: Eubuleus Arcana: Death

Affinities:

Physical: Resist Fire: Weak Ice: Null Wind: - Thunder: - Light: Null Darkness: Null

Skills:

Jester's Privilege (special skill. Heat Riser + Debilitate)

Bufudyne

Mabufudyne

Amrita

Angelic Grace

Atom Smasher

Ghastly Wail

Power Charge


A/N: As ya'll can see, this short fic (I'm guessing 3 chapters maximum) would be focused on Caius/Elizabeth fluff. But of course there will be the customary loads of action fight scenes because this is a fic written by me. :D

Also, in the highly likely case that this does not attract the attention of many readers who read and loved "Persona: Merc for Hire", do you guys thing it would be a better idea to tag this as a new chapter in that old story? Just leave a review telling me so.

So I'll try to update next week, like usual. Seeya guys, please R&R!