Hey, it only took me about a week to update! That's not so bad. :)

I can only hope this chapter is are probably a lot of problems with; no matter how I tried to write it I couldn't be completely happy with it.

This chapter ends in a weird place, and I don't know if the next chapter will make up for it or not. Sorry...

Well, let's get on with the chapter.

"I… I'm going to save her...! Don't interfere!"

What emerged from the cluster of shadows was not Namatame, at least not anymore. Though it spoke with his voice, the creature towering above them high in the air held almost no semblance to the unstable man they had just faced. From under the large, spiked halo-like object atop his head, bright red eyes glared down at them as he raised his hand to attack.

By this point fighting shadows was almost second nature for the Investigation Team, and it was with an instinctive cry of 'Persona!' that they charged towards the culprit, the one behind the murders. There was no one else it could be, after all—with the way they found him in the TV world with Nanako they had essentially caught him red-handed. Once they defeated him, it would all be over.

But two people stayed behind. The first was Rise, the support of the Investigation Team. As she couldn't fight with her Persona her role in battles was backup by scanning enemies and providing buffs. She had no choice but to stand back during these sorts of battles—that didn't explain the presence of the one next to her, however.

Yu was still knelt on the ground, his arms around Nanako's unconscious form, his eyes dull. He seemed almost unaware of the beginning battle.

"Hey, Senpai?" Rise looked at him worriedly. Her eyes drifted down to Nanako, and she tried to show what she hoped was a reassuring smile as she lowered to his eye level. "Senpai, I'll look after Nanako-chan, okay?"

Blinking, Yu seemed to snap out of whatever trance he had been under. It took a few seconds for him to register Rise's words, but then he nodded, gently placing Nanako into Rise's open arms.

"Right. Thank you," he said as he stood, and hearing Rise's call of, "You can do it, Senpai!" Yu ran forward.

The scene taking place was normal. Their leader in charge, the Investigation Team would defeat this shadow just like any other. The others looked to him almost expectantly, watching as Yu raised his hand and called for his Persona.

At this point, the familiar blue light would surround Yu and a card would fall to his palm, whichever Persona he had summoned appearing behind him. That was what always happened.

But this time, there was no build-up of power, no change. Yu called for his Persona and there was no answer.

Something was wrong, his teammates realised. They had clearly heard Yu summon his Persona—so why didn't it appear?

Yu froze. He tried once again, calling out different names this time, searching for that familiar power. But nothing happened.

Namatame's red eyes fell on Yu. His lack of activity while his friends were doing their best to attack, albeit now in a slightly more distracted way, had caught his attention. With an almost confident sort of slowness, Namatame raised his arm and attacked him with Unerring Justice.

The attack hit him at full force—Yu fell back, slamming into the ground, his glasses clattering down next to him. His friends yelled, alarmed and worried. The first reaction that sprang to mind was to run to him and make sure he was all right, but Namatame attacked at them this time, again and again, leaving the others with no choice but to jump out of the way of the lighting striking at them and without a means to get to their leader.

It was Yosuke who found an opening, rolling out of the way and running to Yu the moment Namatame paused in his assault. He trusted that the others would be able to hold off Namatame until he and Yu could re-join the fight.

Yu was sitting up now, still obviously dazed, shaking his head as if trying to clear the fog from his mind.

"Hey, Yu!" Yosuke slowed to a stop beside him, offering a hand to help him up. Yu looked up to him listlessly, eventually moving to grab his hand. "Are you all right? What happened?"

"I…" With the help of Yosuke, Yu climbed to his feet. He frowned at nothing, troubled. "I can't summon my Persona."

"Seriously?! Not even one?" Yosuke glanced back to the huge form of Namatame. The others were fighting him just fine, but the fact that he only needed the slightest opening to hit one of their weaknesses and send them flying was a threat hanging over their heads. "Well, this is just great timing," he mumbled, shoulders slumped. Yu's gaze fell to the floor, and Yosuke quickly tried to backtrack. "I-I mean, um, we just need to—"

Yosuke fell silent, as did the battle behind him. Yu blinked and looked up. An eerily blank expression had formed on Yosuke's face, one devoid of his usual warmth. He stared at Yu with cold eyes.

"Senpai!" Rise yelled, her voice urgent. "Get back! He's—"

Yu stepped back in time for Yosuke's natta to slice at the air where he had been standing. His friend was stood in a fully offensive stance now, ready to spring forward and attack again.

"Yosuke?" Yu tore his eyes away from Yosuke and stared at the scene beyond. The remaining members of the Investigation Team were all turned towards him, all with same blank expression. Through the fog, Yu could see Namatame's eyes light up in glee.

"Namatame's controlling them!" Rise warned. "Senpai, they're going to attack!"

His friends, now nothing more than puppets for the enemy, advanced towards him slowly. Yu couldn't begin to imagine how he was supposed to defend himself, let alone attack. He couldn't summon his Persona. There wasn't anything he could do in this situation.

Yu closed his eyes and raised his katana.

—Chapter end.