Me: I said I would be back again. Despite the title, I will say this once and for all. This is NOT a crossover with Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne. Nocturne is in the title, but just because that is so doesn't necessarily mean Nocturne is required in this story. Anyway, I hope you readers enjoy.

Disclaimer: I don't own Persona 4 since it belongs to Atlus.

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Soul's Nocturne

Chapter 1

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Gray eyes reflected everything. In this heavenly world, the striped figure hovered before him with its gear-like halo and robe fluttering as it lazily swung back and forth, drained from the extent of battle. It wasn't the only one though; his eyes darted around. His party too was drained, resting on knees, shields, and shaking legs, but telling themselves to continue within their minds. Their personas fueled them to stand on weary limb and hold steady as the striped creature moved to attack.

"This isn't good! Can someone please heal Chie-senpai?"

"I got it," he answered calmly as he usually did, lowering his sword. He raised a hand, warmth flooding him as a card came to his hold. He snapped his hand into a fist, yelling, "Persona!"

The warmth from him flooded out as a purple-skinned woman with silver markings raised two blades and crossed them, rising to the sky. He heard sighs of relief as his own energy lowered considerably, but he didn't mind. That's what happened when one casted Mediarahan. He shook his head and nodded, "Kanji, Vile Assault. Yosuke, follow up with Garudyne while it's still strong. Chie, while they're doing that, Power Charge and at the first opening, use Black Spot. If he tries attacking, Naoto, Yukiko, or Teddie, you have to counter. He's on his last legs. Don't give him anymore chances."

"Got it senpai!" Kanji exclaimed and moved first. His glasses glinted as the brilliant blue card fell before his eyes and he heaved his shield around, "Crush 'em, Rokuten Maoh!"

"Yosuke, go!" Souji yelled as the giant - almost robotic - flaming persona manifested and raised its red and orange curved sword.

"Alright then partner! Take this!" Yosuke hollered. His glasses glared at the card before him and he flipped, cutting the card with his daggers just as Rokuten Maoh swung down. The striped shadow, Kunino-sagiri, cringed at the blow and then stunned at the sudden assault of wind.

"This is our chance!" Chie hissed as sparks burst around her. She pushed her glasses down the bridge of her nose slightly as the cards fell before her eyes. Kunino-sagiri was getting ready to attack as she crouched.

"Sukuna-Hikona!"

A card shattered behind the front line four and all that could be seen was a blur of white from the beam sword as the tiny, insect persona flashed forward, arc leaving a trail as it swung, halting Kunino-sagiri's attack.

"Go!" Chie cried, card breaking on contact with her heel. Red, double-bladed naginata twirled as the black-and-white armored persona leapt forward. An explosion burst before Kunino-sagiri and he let out a grunt. Souji frowned. That still wasn't enough.

"Ah! It's about to attack!"

"Hear me, Amaterasu!"

The ougi sliced the card cleanly, the shards scattering as the shining sun goddess appeared, metallic feathers spreading as fire blasted on Kunino-sagiri. The crimson gears started lurching on its head as they began to stop turning, the shadow's eyes closing from exhaustion. Its body descended to the ground and soon crumbled, dispersing in a multitude of black and red smoke. The platform cleared and, gradually, everyone lowered their guard, staring at the spent form of Namatame as he reappeared in his delivery uniform. He was hunched forward, panting, "D-Dammit… why…?"

That was all he could gasp out before his dusty brown eyes rolled back and his knees buckled. They hit the ground and he collapsed, landing with a thump on his stomach, his feet bouncing and striking again with a sharp click. Souji stared at the man as he lay there, his own breathing heavy, but collected until…

"N-Nanako-chan!"

The yell slammed reality back and he turned at Rise's yell. Everyone had gathered around her and his cousin; the major reason they had sprung into the TV. Yosuke, Kanji, Naoto, Yukiko, Chie, and Teddie only stared as Rise held Nanako carefully. The little girl's face was contorted, her eyes shut tightly and her eyebrows furrowed, curled upwards as she trembled. He ran over, worry blooming in his chest, "How is she?"

"She looks like she's in pain… but she doesn't seem injured anywhere…" Rise replied, concerned.

Teddie's eyes sharpened and he scowled, "This place is not good for her… We need to carry her out, quick!"

Nobody said a word, but instead, nodded in agreement. Souji bent to the ground, scooping Nanako's prone form into his arms and rose to his feet, sprinting down the stairs with several pairs of feet accompanying him as Yukiko, Chie, Rise, and Teddie followed. Yosuke, Kanji, and Naoto hung back, turning back to Namatame's unconscious figure. Naoto was the first to speak up, "We should take him with us as well."

"Yeah… We can't just leave him here, I guess," Yosuke said, though, his voice rang opposite. What he wouldn't do to leave this man behind in all honesty. Kanji was just silent, waiting for a decision to be made. He noticed Yosuke uncross his arms and walk onto the platform to Namatame's body. Kanji followed without a word and knelt down as Yosuke did, looping an arm behind Namatame's back as they hoisted him up. Naoto watched as they walked back and passed her, teetering occasionally due to the height differences between boys.

"Kanji kneel down a bit," Yosuke grumbled, almost tripping as more weight shifted to Kanji's side. Kanji glared a bit, refusing to kneel since it would just throw off his own weight. Naoto shook her head, about to follow them, but paused, looking over her shoulder at the platform. She heard some kind of snapping sound like a spark, but it was so brief, she wasn't one hundred percent positive. A yell made her turn away and back to Yosuke and Kanji. For some reason, their senpai was on the ground while Kanji was still holding Namatame up. Yosuke glared up at Kanji, "Dammit! We need to hurry! Just… toss him over your shoulder or something!"

"He's too heavy for me to get all the way down," Kanji grumbled, shaking his head. Naoto rolled her eyes and reached into her pocket.

"I have a Goho-M for emergencies, but this is enough. You two are wasting too much time," she said, holding the little gem in her fist. Neither boy said anything. Yosuke rose to his feet and dusted his clothes off, seizing Namatame's other arm while she moved closer to them. Just as she was about to activate it, she heard the snap again. "… Did either of you hear something?"

"Like what?" Kanji asked.

Yosuke shook his head, "No. Naoto-kun, I don't think we have time for noises anyway. We have to go see if Nanako-chan is okay."

She nodded with some reluctance and raised the Goho-M in hand. Light engulfed the four of them and, with a flash, they disappeared.

Time passed as Heaven intended, silence broken occasionally by sharp snaps. As night fell, they progressively became worse; louder and darkening the thick fog at the center of the platform. The shadow particles of the vanquished Kunino-sagiri were returning, swirling clockwise, joining together at the central point. They flattened down, forcibly splitting the stone, tearing into it as a black space opened, red sparks dancing around the edges. Even in Heaven, it was causing rumbling throughout the TV realm. Other dungeons rearranged to lessen the damages done while shadows scurried into hiding, cracks following in their wake.

Claws reached from the black void, digging into the rubble as effortlessly as grabbing soft earth. One shot up and grasped more as they dragged their body up, out of the space that now devoured whatever fell in. Shoulders, torso, flank, almost animalistic in form as the legs curved backwards and down, causing a hunched stature. The claws tore minute cracks into the stone as the creature moved away from the void which reversed, starting to shut. It didn't matter; the damage was already done and would be repaired in several hours.

Its body crackled like fire, it body darker than the twilight casted in the fog-covered Heaven. Two, gleaming ruby eyes opened and it craned its neck leisurely, vision piercing through a minimal amount of fog. The void released a sudden wave of energy through the TV once again, quakes shaking the other planes and the creature was gone in a flicker of its ruby eyes.

Beyond the TV, she bit her lip, her hand balling into a fist. She felt the tremor, the power that shook HER world. 'Namatame… he failed to contain the gift I gave him.'

This wasn't working in her favor. She should've chosen someone more competent of containing it such as that new kid or that detective. Still, it didn't matter. As long as she remained, the fog would remain, obscuring the truth within the TV. There was no chance though. Those kids were slow to take onto Namatame; she smirked. They would never make it in time. Both this world and the other would be lost in the fog. She had been planning this before her sister Nyx, it was only right she succeed instead of her. Heh, to be defeated and then sealed by a brat, but then again, Nyx probably didn't care. It was all Erebus's idea she come down in the first place.

"Hey! We have a customer! Stop standing around!"

Resisting the urge to glare at her human boss, she forced a smile, "Oh, sorry sir! I'm right on it!"

Her footsteps struck the ground and she briefly remembered the pain from all those years back. The claws ripping into her undying flesh, her seal that stalled him near death… the tears that fell against the cold earth that would soon be no more.

This… what she did was for the better of humanity and her siblings. They were just in the way; they were just foolish. She placed the gas nozzle back into its holder, biding good evening to the driver as they got in the car and drove away. No acknowledgement; just like humans.

"… Whe…re…?"

"Nowhere you'll ever reach."

"I-Iza-nami."

"You struggle to even speak. That human had more control than I thought," she hissed, slipping her hands into her uniform's pocket. She could see the growl, the furious ruby eyes flickering in the fog as they searched around. She smiled, "Having a hard time? You're trapped in this world alone. Never again will you---"

She disappeared back, the claws swiping at air before being swallowed in the thickening fog.

"How uncouth of you."

Nothing responded, but a bestial growl which slowly faded. Her smile twisted into a smirk, "You'll never find what you seek. In that Hell that envelopes the truth, so shall you remain."

"You… fall…"

"I will never fall," she growled and turned away from it, tilting her cap down. That beast beyond her control; that form of power borrowed from a place sealed to them. The very place that, while she had gone there to accept it, she tore out of it due to a Fool. Her grip tightened on the brim of her hat, but outwardly, she remained calm. Her smirk returned as she walked back to the small office. It was flawless…

"F-Fa…il…"

Failure… Not her. She wouldn't fail. She couldn't. That… abomination and the rest of them would remain lost in the fog. Namatame fell, she still had Adachi… she could still persuade Souji. Izanami's crimson eyes flashed.

"Father… you'll never leave that place," she whispered under her breath. A roar from beyond the TV burst in her ears, but she just bared it and continued on with her undercover disguise.

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Me: More next chapter. Please review.