AN: Here's the update! Well, it is indeed within two weeks. Surprised myself as well. One sitting, and poof, 8K done.

I feel WAFFy with this Past chapter. I can't believe I managed to write the Kusanagi family that wonderfully – to me at least, I don't know about you. Care to review about that?

Ah yes, the Stat-based system. Yosuke also leans on the fourth wall this time, frequently revealing various tropes everywhere! And Naoto… oh Naoto is so fun to tease. Also an example of Rise being the Deus EXplainer Machina! As for being Campione… well, we're not to sure about that yet. After all, Rise still hasn't seen an established Campione, right?

I placed this here instead of the bottom AN to warn you guys: Erica's thoughts below are purely fantastical. It's all in her mind, and I'm not doing that kind of pairing! I just had a lot of fun doing that kind of gag, but that is what it is, a gag. Sorry, fangirls.

Playing with game mechanics have never been so fun before. Still not seeing the seriousness in my writing, though!

Disclaimer: I wish I owned either Campione or Persona 4, but sorry, I don't own them. Now as for being a Campione, that I could… *is shot by the Compilation Committee* …That was a joke, and I'm still here, most certainly not some kind of replacement writer. (DON'T BELIEVE THEM-!) …Really.

Chapter 1: Friends


Past:

"Hm? About my preferences for guys? I remember answering that in a previous interview, but I'm saying this now. I like our Sensei."

- Kujikawa Rise, in the magazine "Idols Revealed!"

Rise's legs collapsed.

"Rise!"

With a yell of surprise, Yosuke ran up to catch her before he fell, failing to do so because the idol simply caught herself, sending him a thankful smile and reassuring the rest of the team.

Yu however, couldn't see that smile. "Rise?! What happened to Rise?!"

"I'm alright, Sempai." The idol tried to reply as cheerily as she could through her brand-new headache. "It's just that Kanzeon's… abilities weren't too amenable for my tastes out here."

"What do you mean, Kujikawa-san?" Naoto asked, still sounding a little worried. "Were you unable to use them after all?"

She shook her head. "It's quite the opposite. I managed to access her abilities, but I truly hadn't realized the extent of them until seconds ago. Tell me, what do you think is the range of her scan?"

The detective looked contemplative. "Well, judging the size of some of the floors you've mapped, along with the distance from our base to some of the dungeons… at most, 400 meters."

Rise really managed a perky smile this time. "Bzzzt. It's actually 1.5 kilometers!"

"What?!" Kanji looked shocked. He had known Rise's Shadow was strong – heck, she was the only one other than Izanami that really came close to killing them – but that kind of distance was absurd! "You're serious?!"

"Calm down, Kanji." Yu's voice through the phone again, tiredly. A noise of something turning on also came through the speakers. "So, Rise, what about Kanzeon's abilities again?"

"Thanks Sempai." The idol replied. "Well, you guys all know how she analyzes the data I get, right? Well, I previously hadn't noticed the distance because, you know, other than the Shadows and dungeons, there were very few things in that world. The real world though, there are very many things you can find it that sort of distance."

"Sensing everything in 1.5 kilometers," Yosuke realized the gravity of such an ability. "Everything from the smallest insects to the buildings to the people and everything else?! That's gotta be quite worse than an ice-cream headache."

"Ping-pong~ Yosuke-sempai's right." Rise grimaced as she remembered the shock. "She's already set to limit the range a bit, and filter most of the things out, but it's still quite shocking the first time. Anyways, back to the subjects of our Personas."

Yukiko took out a pain-killer from her pocket and gave it to the idol. She had them pretty much all the time now after being delegated as the healer of their team. "Since you managed to use Kanzeon out here, something's changed about them, right?"

"Correct again, Yukiko-sempai." Rise opened the packet before gulping it down with the Tap Soda she bought earlier. She could already feel the headache fading away; where does the general store find these cures? "Apparently, we don't have to worry about them disappearing after all." The entire team let out a sigh of relief. "In fact, I think they would never disappear, without fundamentally changing us further than they already had."

"So wait, our Persona's have changed us and themselves?" Chie posed her question. She quite liked her Persona as she was after all. The laser naginata was awesome! "Hadn't we already done that, you know, when we fought Ame-no-Sagiri? And Suzuka Gongen is still the same from what I can feel, if a little… faded."

"They really haven't changed per se, it's closer to…" The idol tried to think of the right words, before giving up. "It's like this. We all have Personas, and while they are fundamentally part of us we can differentiate them from ourselves. Hmmm… aha, here's what happened."

"Let's say we have this pie as the psyche of the human mind. A third of it is for ourselves, and the rest is the Persona. It seems to us that they've faded when nothing really happened because right now the one that only has the third is the Persona, leaving us more than we used to have and completely ruining our sense of comparison."

"So, Rise." Yu spoke again, this time through a video image of a laptop on the table, shocking the rest of the IT team. He smiled at their reactions. "You guys were too busy talking to notice Teddie borrow a laptop for me to video-call in. Anyways, so does that mean the reason we can access our Persona abilities in the real world is because we are closer to them?"

"Correct!" Rise chirped. Seeing her Sempai's face always made her happy. Should she give Teddie some ice-cream later? "The terrifying thing is, the ratio isn't really like that. It's closer to the Persona being 3% and the rest of it is ours. The divide within our mind between us and our Persona is like almost not there. And that means something is changed between our bodies even here in the real world."

"Is it related to why Yosuke is smarter?" Teddie innocently indirectly insulted the Hanamura, causing him the cuff him in the head. "Ow! Yosuke hits harder too!"

"Yeah." The idol smiled at their antics. "Remember when I first talked to you guys about the stats?"

"Oh, I remember that." Yosuke frowned. "When we were still without you, we really didn't get anything about those numbers other than that if we got stronger they increased. Almost felt like being a real game character too. You said something about them being how we understand our abilities, right?"

Rise nodded. "The statistics are actually a close approximation by your psyche of the abilities they represent. Strength, for example, means the power of the body; Magic, of the mind; Endurance, of how tough you are; Agility, of how fast you move; and Luck is just that, luck. You guys also told me that when you first arrived in the TV World, Yosuke-sempai and Yu-sempai's were in single digits. What do we all have now, 80s and 90s ever since we fought Ame-no-Sagiri?"

Naoto widened her eyes. She hadn't thought of that. "When we gained that kind of greater connection with our Personas, usually in battle, their stats were also reflected in us, allowing us to cut and dent even through metals with our weapons. Even my guns and Yukiko-sempai's fans were affected. But if what you are saying that the connection became even closer, permanently… Our stats now have effects in the real world?"

"Yeah." Rise smiled as the others finally got the gist of what she was saying. "In fact, if it was someone else that got hit by Chie-sempai's kick earlier, he would've flown away a few dozen meters, shattering any walls that may stand in his path." Chie paled. "Even Yosuke-sempai as well, if he had done that knucklehead on someone else other than Teddie, he would've broken a neck."

Yosuke looked green. "You, Rise, are terrifying for saying that with a smile."

"I have been observing those kind of things since we entered the TV World, you know?" The idol looked scarily sheepish for almost scarring her teammates. "I'm kinda used to it already after all this time scanning the damage we did on our enemies. You try analyzing the amount of wounds, decapitations, burns, and holes you guys leave in Shadows and somehow not get used to it."

Yu looked at them with a long gaze. "By the way everyone, we are going to learn how to limit ourselves, alright?"

He wasn't taking no for an answer.

"Hai!" Each one of them jumped up in slight fear of Yu and their abilities.

"Good," He nodded. "So, Rise, care to give us some points of comparison?"

"Hmmm, from what I remember of the initial scan, hmmm. Nakajima Shu-kun, the kid you once tutored before Sempai? Apparently, he's the person that's the smartest in this town right now, disregarding us." The IT team gaped in shock over that knowledge. "He doesn't have a Persona of course, but Kanzeon's scan of him had revealed that if he was one, his Magic stat, the symbol for intelligence, would be 32."

Their jaws fell. Rise failed to notice them as her eyes were closed as she tried to remember the comparisons. "And the bodybuilder down the shopping district who could lift 120 kilograms would have around 21 Strength. Aiko-chan, the track-and-field star of our school has an Agility of 14. The walls of Junes have an Endurance of 28, and the fox of the shrine has the Luck of 40. So, yeah, apparently we're all pretty much superhuman by now."

Yosuke felt the urge to whack his head on the table for that admission, but stopped himself in time, because apparently since the table only had the Endurance of 8, the metal would bend and bow and he wouldn't even have a scratch on himself. He instead said weakly, "So, the reason why we suddenly have all these high scores in exams is because, we have high Magic stats? I mean, there's a limit to how things could suddenly feel like a video game, like for example getting coined money from the remains of Shadows, before it gets weird!"

"Trust me Yosuke," Yu said as emphatically as he could through the screen of a laptop. "I feel the same sometimes. You don't even want to know how I replace my Personas."

Yukiko broke out into a fit of laughter. Chie sighed as she snapped out of hers to pat her – softly – at the back to let her breathe. "So, what was my Magic stat? 89? No wonder I got that score."

Naoto rolled her eyes. "No, Chie-sempai. Given that a proven genius is 32, you should've gotten at least a perfect score. It's quite amazing how you actually got an 89 when you were supposed to be at least four to ten times smarter than our teachers."

"Hey!"

"Wait, so if Teddie would enter a lottery, he would get the grand prize?" The blond in their team literally sparkled at the thought. Rise gave the bits of light a short scan. Nope, neither Shadow nor Persona magic; it was still inexplicable to any of them after all. "Yuki-chan, Rise-chan, Chie-chan, Nao-chan, if I win the tickets to an international date trip to Hongkong, will you girls go with me?!"

Kanji whacked him in the head, ignoring the other people's yelps and wide eyes. He may have the highest Strength stat out of all of them, but he knew well enough that Teddie would simply brush it off with his not-inconsiderable Endurance. Or so he would say to the others later. "Stuff it, bear! Isn't it kind of cheating to do something like that to those who hold those kinds of events? Also, show some respect for those who don't win!"

"Kanjiiii… You're so cooold. It's just because you have the lowest Luck stat of the rest of us."

"You…"

"Not only that, everyone." Rise interrupted their bickering. "While I doubt we could ever summon our Personas in their solid form anymore-" Chie moaned in sadness. Goodbye, laser-naginata! "-or at least without the same kind of fog Izanami makes, which we don't want to happen, there are still the Skills and magic that they could do that's available to us. I'm warning this now, if a punch is already bad, you guys don't ever want to say the names of your spells unless you want to cause wanton destruction."

"What?" Yosuke looked in disbelief. "So you mean, if I say something like Garu-"

A strong gust of wind blew through the food court, causing the other people around them to shout in surprise as their food and drinks were carried away.

"-Oops, we would cause something like that?"

"Great to make an example, Hanamura-sempai." Naoto facepalmed. "And that spell's been out of his reach since a long time ago, right? So apparently, all the skills we once had are reclaimed?"

"Yep."

"Great. Really, what more could one want, more wanton destruction. Same for the physical Skills, I suppose. So, what are we supposed to do with them, I don't know… change the world for the better?"

Everyone went silent. Yu coughed through the screen. "Well… I suppose-"

"Sempai, please, don't continue that sentence." Naoto rested her face on her arms. "Well, if apparently I'm now a super-genius to the level of Stephan Hooking, I might as well as try skipping through the rest of my high-school years with you guys."

Chie clapped her hands happily. "Hey, that sounds like a great idea!"

"Wait, what?" The detective immediately shifted her eyes to the martial arts enthusiast. "I was joking!"

Yosuke smirked. "Since when do you joke, Naoto-kun? Since we do have these abilities, we might as do our best with them, right?" The rest of IT, including Yu who was smiling at the thought of not being the only one who was the genius, nodded at the same time. "So, we're all going to try skipping a few years? I'm all for it, I need some extra time to myself that I don't feel like devoting to the school now."

"But, but-" Naoto sputtered before looking for a reason to convince the rest of the Team, "How about clubs – no, none of us other than Yu-sempai had them, friends – but we already have each other, and again Yu-sempai's the only one again with many of those, teachers – no, quite honestly I'm weirded-out by them as well and Yu-sempai's…"

"If I graduate early," Yukiko looked like she had attained enlightenment. "I could get some time before I end up taking over the Inn! I could travel around the world! Well, with the use of some Luck…"

"Is anybody listening to me-" Naoto tried to stop her from that thought process before going back to her own when she was promptly ignored, "Alright, Naoto, think, you must be able to think of a reason to stay in school…"

"Yeah! Yosuke's finally going have time to play with moi!" Teddie cheered. "Hey, Kanji, you can have some more time sewing those dolls you like to sell right?"

"Y-yeah, I guess I could." Kanji embarrassedly rubbed the back of his head. "I could help Ma with the house as well if I graduate early… But Naoto's probably got a reason to stop us, right?"

The detective shook her head, having debated with herself. "Nope, I'm now convinced. I can't think of anything that could happen other than having several people get shocked in surprise if we do so. Jobs could be rearranged, friends – well, we have each other, really – there are several things that could happen on the top of my head, but we can prevent them."

And then she gazed at the laptop, where the image of Yu smiling as he watched his friends act animatedly over the possibility of escaping school. "And it also means that we can get some time to visit Sempai ourselves."

Everyone went silent. Yu's eyes widened as he realized what Naoto was saying. "You mean…"

"If we somehow fix some kind of arrangement here in Inaba," Naoto nodded, "Yes, we could somehow come along with you. Your parents aren't at home over there either, am I right, Sempai?"

The leader of the IT looked downward. "Yeah… I'm actually set to stay over another home of my relatives in Tokyo."

Everyone else looked at each other guiltily. In their reverie over the possibility of freedom, they had forgotten about Yu again.

"Alright, we finally have a goal now." Yosuke nodded, along with the rest of IT sans Yu. "We really can't let you be with your parents; so somehow, just somehow, we're going to do something with that. I don't know really for now, but I'm tired of you helping us and us not helping back, so just wait for us and we'll do something. So, just sit there for a while, Partner, and even interact with your family, and just so you wait, and we'll do something for you."

"Yosuke… Everyone…"

"Don't say anything, Yu. I want to do this." The brunet replied to his best friend before sharing a glance with the rest of the Team. "And I've got a feeling they feel the same too."

"You betcha!"

And so, it was decided, the future goal of the IT after all of the murders.


That being said, it wasn't that quite simple.

First they had to explain away to the teachers why they should take the placement exam in order to prove themselves worthy of skipping years.

For Naoto and Yukiko, it was pretty simple as they were known for their intelligence, if not a bit difficult for the latter to get permission from her parents to skip grades. However, with a helpful convincing talk from the Shirogane, Ms. Amagi had agreed to let her have a chance.

The rest of them, however, didn't find it easy. First, while Yosuke had since then started getting perfect scores, the teachers still judged it too soon for him to attempt. Then Chie who didn't even have that kind of record to help her, although she soon started getting the same kind of scores as Yosuke's with his help – much to the teachers' surprise.

Rise met a bit of resistance as well, not because of her scores, but due to the principal begging her to stay for the fame of Inaba. It even reached to the point where they talked to the mayor, who the entire IT convinced that if they all managed to graduate high-school in the same time, even Rise's considerable fame would garner less attention, and thus, tourism.

And Kanji had it worst. Not only was his attendance on the previous year filled with holes, he had a bad rep with most of the town, making it very difficult for him to even make the principal stay and talk. The IT just managed though, with plenty of promises to 'watch over Tatsumi' from Dojima who they had to convince as well.

But that was just the permission to get the Exam. Chie had proved it after all; it didn't matter that you had high Magic stats when you honestly don't know what to answer with. While they had found that studying had become so easy it was terrifying, it was still that: all of them had to read ahead and beyond the entire curriculum of the Yasogami High.

Yu had sent his notes from the previous year and reading materials for the current year to them, making that process much easier, and by then, it also got out about their attempt to graduate early to the rest of the school public. Suddenly, they were swarmed by dozens of rumors of why and how they would graduate, plus several jealous glares from the less appreciative students. That kind of environment made it harder to study, but also provided even more reason to focus on escaping the school.

And while his teammates rushed to graduate, Yu on the other hand faced his new house-mates.


"Hello, my name is Kusanagi Ichirou. And this is my dear wife," the old lady beside the introducing old man gave her husband an affectionate pat on the shoulder, causing him to smile, "Kusanagi Chiyo – I still can't stop enjoying the sound of my name with hers even after all these years – and the two of our grandkids up inside the house behind us is Godou and Shizuka."

"Nice to meet you," Yu said with a half bow. Even if Dojima said that he didn't need to last time, it could be different here. He was in Tokyo after all, not Inaba. "My name is Narukami Yu."

"No need to be so formal, dear." Chiyo, the old lady, smiled at him cheerfully. He smiled back, already feeling welcome.

Even if his parents never took care for him, at least he had these really kind relatives. "Then should I call you Chiyo-baasan and Ichirou-jiisan?"

"Such a polite kid." Ichirou commented before leading him to the home at the edge of the Bunko ward. "It only makes me want to teach you how to charm the ladies even more!"

The old man gave him a mischievous smile worthy of Sayoko, the slightly… risqué nurse that became a good friend of his, causing the Devil Arcana to flicker a bit within Yu's soul. Playful. Flirty. Yu would've never thought he would feel it again without also feeling weird, especially from such an old man. He smiled at the nostalgic feeling. "No need to, or at least I think so."

Ichirou only laughed at the reply while Chiyo gave a short, but fond, long-suffering sigh. "Don't mind him, dear. Now, let us introduce you to our home and proud store."

When he entered through the sliding glass doors of what would be his new home, Yu let out a small gasp of surprise as the slightly acidic smell of old books hit his nose. He almost felt at home back in Inaba, back in his room where the stacks of his Man's Life series, Timid Teacher series, and collection of manuals and pre-teen books still remained. Yu had always loved books and reading them, spending multiple nights reading dozens, especially back during the times before Inaba-

He shook his head. Those days had passed, and he had friends now. "I love this place." He said earnestly before turning back to the smiles of the old couple. "Do you think I can borrow some of the books?"

"As much as you want to, my dear." Chiyo smiled at him before looking sadly at the stacks of books left untouched. "It's rarely that we have customers nowadays, anyway. All they want are those books called manga nowadays. It's best for someone to read them before they get eaten away into dust."

"There is no such thing as a worthless book." Yu strongly replied before walking up to one of the older shelves. He randomly picked up one book, with an old earthy leather cover. Collection of Shinto Gods. A small curl formed on his lips at the irony. "Can I start with this one?"

"Nice choice, my boy." Ichirou murmured behind him, causing him to start slightly. He sighed inwardly; he was still a little too jumpy from all the fights in the TV World. The old man continued, picking up several books himself. "Do you know, I'm a professor of folklore studies in a local university? Or rather, used to, as I just retired just this late March. I didn't know why, but I suddenly felt like I should."

"Really?" Yu turned back to him from reading several of the first brown pages of the thick book. It was interesting, and Izanagi and Izanami were actually the first of the gods being discussed about in the book. "Would you mind teaching me some of what you know then?"

"Aren't you supposed to be entering your last year in highschool, dear?" Chiyo tilted her head, her eyes dark with years of wisdom. "Are you sure you would have the time to be studying under Ichirou-san over here?"

Yu rubbed the back of his head, somehow embarrassed that part was revealed minutes into their first conversation. His face still remained blank though, as while he had slowly regained his Expression in Inaba, he was still hard to read unless he wanted others to. "Well, I had actually already finished high-school. I'm still going to wait some time for my friends before I decide to whether to go to college."

She gasped, not in surprise but in happiness. "So you skipped a year? Perhaps I may actually have someone to talk to other than Ichirou-san over here! As lovely as my husband is, the subject of the latest lady he has charmed gets tiring in some time after all."

"Hey!" Ichirou playfully rebutted. "My exploits are something to be proud of!"

"Yet something you shouldn't keep telling your wife over and over." Chiyo sighed, though she was still smiling. This time, Eri's Arcana, the Temperance also shimmered in Yu's soul. She then asked him, "So, when did you skip? Last year, the previous?"

"This year's actually. When I entered the school I was supposed to enroll in around here, I went straight to the principal and discussed about letting me to take a placement exam to graduate instead." Yu sighed at the memory. Not only was the man baffled, he also took too long lecturing him about the color of his hair before he managed to convince the man it was natural. "After seeing my records, he agreed to let me take the exam. Just gained my diploma this morning actually."

"That was… genius!" Ichirou roared in laughter like he had told the greatest prank, causing Yu to slightly blush in embarrassment. "Ahaha! I just know I'm going to enjoy your time here, my boy!"

Yu gave his first laugh in Tokyo in return. He might actually enjoy himself here after all.


Kusanagi Godou wasn't hiding. Really.

No, he was carefully watching the newest member of their home, like… like Suzuki-san. Right, like Suzuki-san from his favorite baseball team, he was carefully watching from the safe vantage point that was on top of one of the cabinets, studying the movements and actions of his target like a hawk. He really wasn't hiding.

No, that was Shizuka, who was locked in her room. Yes, she was the one hiding, not him! And he certainly wasn't crying, not even a bit. Those bits of moisture in his eyes were caused the knocked-up dust that got into them when he climbed here. And they were most undoubtedly not because he lost in rock-paper-scissors with his sister on who would watch up here.

Really. Wasn't he supposed to be the older brother?

"So, why are you hiding?"

He snapped towards the voice. "No! I'm not hiding! I'm- wuaaAHH!"

After a moment of silence, Godou opened his eyes when he didn't feel the pain of his back landing from the fall of the top of the tall cabinet. Idly he promised to himself to never turn again when on tall cabinets before his eyes were met with the smiling silverish-grey eyes of the person who caught him. The person said, amused, "Well, quite the way to make the memorable first impression."

Blushing in embarrassment, he escaped the arms of the one who saved him. "S-shut up! I'm-"

He was immediately stopped when a finger touched his lips and was raised in an admonishing gesture. "Language."

"Sorry." Godou immediately replied, blushing for even a few more moments before sagging in defeat. "That was embarrassing…"

His newest family member only smiled in reply, however the boy didn't see it as he was too busy staring at the floor. "Not the most embarrassing thing I've ever seen. And I've seen a lot, I assure you. So, you're Godou?"

He shuffled on his feet, eyes still not facing the person he had shamed himself to as he played with parts of his now-dirty clothing. Curse Shizuka and her lucky hands that never seem to lose at Rock-Paper-Scissors! "Y-yeah. My name's Kusanagi G-Godou. And you're Yu-san, right?"

The same finger that admonished him poked him in the forehead, making him look up. "Ow! What was that for…"

Godou then faced the smile of the Fool. He was blinded by the honest welcome in it, unlike the evil ones that only terrified him that sometimes came from his sister and mother. The man graced by it said, "Look at people when you talk to them, Godou, or else they wouldn't respect you."

He blinked, as he was too entranced by the smile to hear. "Huh?"

Narukami Yu only grinned at the slightly dumb but funny face his newest cousin was making. "And listen to them as well, by the way."

"Hey!"

The Star Arcana blinked brightly like its namesake in the skies.


"And so- and so- Shizuka never calls me 'big brother'! No, not Oniichan, nor Nii-san, nor even Aniki – though I wouldn't like that anyways, it makes me sound like a thug – not even once! Nope, it's always 'Godou, buy me this', 'Godou, hide on top of that cabinet', 'Godou, embarrass yourself in front of Yu-san!'"

Yu nodded a bit acquiescently, letting the boy talk as he found a bit of amusement in his words. While he loved Nanako like a dear little sister, in the beginning it was still a little awkward before he got her to talk. No such problems with this one though, because apparently his own sister was causing him enough exasperation to require a bit of venting. Which Yu could provide.

From his probably-excessively lurid descriptions of Shizuka though, Yu felt a bit of thankful that Nanako was one of the most mature kids he had ever met. Godou though reminded him of Eri's stepson, Yuuta. They both certainly liked to shout their aggressions out after all.

When the boy stopped he was already huffing. With an amused smile, Yu patted him in the back a few times to help him breathe. "There, are you feeling better now, Godou?"

The boy whined, "Were you even listening to me, Yu-san?"

Godou was certainly smart for a ten-year old, he noted to himself. It was more akin to him talking to a middle-schooler. "I certainly did. So what further grievance do you have about Shizuka?"

"Well-" The boy was about to continue before a knock at the wall behind them interrupted their conversation. It was Chiyo-baasan, and she looked very amused and pleased about the two of them. Yu would've bet several Personae that she was listening in to what Godou was saying earlier. She opened her mouth, eyes sparkling with cheer.

"Well, Godou, Yu-kun, dears, would you care to eat? Or would you rather talk there till the night ends, all about your sister who is already eating at the table? Too bad if you do, I made my special Nikujaga!"

Apparently still being a boy of ten years of age, the name of one of his favorite – or at least, enjoyed – foods was enough to distract Godou from his latest soliloquy about the horror that was Shizuka. He ran out the room, bypassing both Yu and Chiyo to run off to the table, all the way yelling, "Nikujaga!"

Both Yu and Chiyo laughed.

"He's a wonderful boy, isn't he?"

"Yes, yes he is."


Yu yawned as he walked in the hallways of his new home.

It was pretty large for a family of four, especially compared to the Dojima's, and even though the front was used for the secondhand-bookshop there was still a large amount of free space within the two-story wooden building that was owned by the Kusanagi. That was little surprise though, as there was plenty of history in its walls, going back to the Second World War and was thrice renovated and extended to this date.

And there, sitting at the edge of one of the first-floor windows, he saw the last person he still had to meet from the Kusanagi family. She had ran off to her room after all, apparently had rushed her eating just so she could have more time before actually meeting him.

"Y-you're Y-Yu-san, right?" The girl who was so differently acting from the way her brother had described her fidgeted as she also didn't meet his eyes. But unlike Godou's embarrassment, Yu could see the reason for her doing so was entirely out of shyness. "S-Shizuka's my name. Nice t-to meet you."

The Fool tilted his head with a smile. "Hmm? You seem pretty different from what Godou told me."

Shizuka blushed. "D-don't listen to my idiotic Oniichan." From her tone, idiotic almost seemed affectionate. Almost was the acting adjective, however. "H-he's only mad that he l-lost in Rock-Paper-Scissors, that's all!"

She finished with a flourish, her hands in fists straightened out at her sides, and staring at Yu in the eyes. Immediately after, she turned away in embarrassment. Ah, there it is, the sibling resemblance.

"Alright, alright, I understand." Yu reassured her. He asked another question then, "So, you actually call him Oniichan?"

The blush became even deeper. "No!" She denied, waving her arms for emphasis. "I call him Godou! Godou! He's too stupid, too idiotic, too simple, too similar to Grandpa, and too much like himself that I can't call him that!"

She then murmured this to herself, shifting her eyes from Yu to turn almost callingly to the full Moon. "Not that he expects me to ever do so anyway. Not after this so long a time."

"Is it really so?" Yu placed a hand on her shoulder. "Because I can remember him moaning for an hour earlier about how he wanted you to call him that."

Shizuka turned her head so fast Yu wouldn't have been surprised if she got whiplash. "R-Really?!" Then realizing how she had just reacted, she shook her head over and over again like a broken machine, stepping back a few steps as she did. "I m-mean, what? Like I care?" Yes, it was indeed with a question mark, as if she was questioning herself. "I don't care whether Oniichan wants me to call him that way or not!"

Then she slapped her incriminating mouth closed, blushing so red Yu would worry for her extended health if it happened daily. Just as he made a mental note to ask the old couple as soon as possible, she spun on her feet, and dashed as quickly as she could away from him. Yu winced at the sound of her tripping in the darkness, and just when he had almost decided to go after her and help her up, she was already off to run again.

Yu could hear though, as she ran away, a soft "Thank you."

He then turned back to the full moon, at its yellowish-white face as it looked back down on him, the white moonlight playing on his face like the rabbits making mochi. And in the same time, the Moon Arcana of Ebihara Ai sparkled in the depths of his soul. It almost felt poetic.


That morning, Narukami Yu woke up the sound of his phone ringing with a message. Opening it, he read with a wide smile the caption that accompanied the photo of his friends smiling triumphantly.

We all passed, Yu! We all now have graduated out of Yasogami! – Yosuke

He looked up to the morning star through his window.

It promises to be a great year.


Present:

"Live News Report:

A ten-year old boy had been found saved after a terrifying crash with a bullet train. He had fallen into the rails when it approached, much to the fear of his parents. However, when he was hit, a flash of light blinded those who were watching, and all that was left was an immobile train and the boy, unhurt, back off the tracks.

A human adult-shaped indent was all that was found from the incident, dented into the train's front. Anonymous donations have already been given to the owners of the station to help fix the damages. All the boy said to the reporters was:

'I was hugged and protected by a kind silver-haired angel.'"

- ZNN* Special Report, almost 4 years ago in Washington DC.

Ever since Kusanagi Godou became a Campione, he gained an astounding recovery speed from the majority of physical ailments like disease, injuries, and of course, things like exhaustion caused by worrying too much about the arrival of your favorite cousin to actually sleep.

Over things like embarrassment and mental horror however, he found out soon enough that being a Campione did little on that matter. That's why when he opened his eyes to see the not-familiar but still-recognizable ceiling of the school clinic, Godou immediately closed his eyes again and hoped that it was all a dream and he would wake up and the day was still not over and…

"What a way to make a first impression as always, Godou. Open your eyes, it's not a dream. You did suddenly faint in your classroom."

Yes, that was certainly the voice of his brother-figure. And weren't those words annoyingly familiar?

He shot up, and immediately covered his face with his palms. "So embarrassing…"

Why is it always this person who he ends up shaming himself on? And he had thought he had grown out of that habit…

A chuckle, then a finger poked at his forehead just like all those years and forced him to look up. It was the same voice, the same tone, and the same smile. "Look at me Godou. You don't have to be scared about me judging you, you know?"

"Yeah, sorry I forgot about it again, Yu-niisan." Godou said a little weakly before immediately throwing off the finger on his forehead to give his cousin a tight hug, not caring at how childish he might look. Yu gasped in surprise before slowly returning it. Godou murmured, almost piteously, "I've missed you so much."

His newest teacher smiled behind him as he kept on the hug, nonetheless Godou knew that he did. Yu whispered in his ears, "I'm sorry about leaving like that, leaving you guys without saying goodbye."

Godou pulled away from the hug, wiping a bit of moisture from his eyes. He still wasn't crying though. "You can be pretty stupid sometimes, Yu-niisan. Don't you remember? You did say goodbye… it's just that I didn't listen. Even Shizuka agrees with me at that." He then shook his head. "No matter, I'm don't care about that anymore. I'm just happy to meet you again."

Yu smiled. "It's always meet-you-again, instead of goodbye, right?"

"Yeah," He immediately replied, feeling much happier. It felt like the pressure of being Campione, of the pain of how he faced gods and deities every other month had already faded away from his shoulders. "And you're always welcome to come back if you have to leave again, Yu-niisan."


"I don't know how you somehow convinced me to go along with you."

"Sshh! Yuri, I may not hear what my Godou is saying!" Erica snapped back before looking back at the image imposed on the wall. "But honestly, I'm feeling a bit envious. Why does Godou not sound so happy when he meets me?"

She could've used something better, Erica mused silently, as she stared at the magic diagram forming a 'one-sided window' on the wall of the classroom beside the clinic. She was the Diavolo Rosso after all, so she could've done something to watch from somewhere farther away. But that would also mean letting a too big distance between her and her Godou after all, so she chose this kind of viewing.

It wasn't that she didn't trust Narukami Yu, the cousin/brother-figure Godou had worried to the point of insomnia for, as she already checked his background, but because she didn't trust Godou himself. And she was sure she was proven right soon enough.

"To think, Godou actually swung a bit that way… Is it how he always resists my charms?"

She had doubted the sincerity of Godou's request to leave him alone with his 'brother' after all.

Yuri, ever so innocent in the more modern uses of language and in the subject of romance, tilted her head in confusion. "What do you mean, 'swing'? There aren't any playgrounds inside the clinic, right?"

"Playground…" Erica chuckled a bit. It sounded like a euphemism to her, but she knew the Hime-Miko was totally being naïve about what she could've meant. "Well, Yuri, mind if you look into the window and tell me what is happening?"

Yuri did so, feeling a bit guilty for intruding on the privacy of two close boys. Then she saw and heard:

"…missed a match today, Godou. And I heard; you've quit the sport? I remember it being so fun when I played with you years ago."

Godou tried to look away. "I hurt my shoulder in a previous match, and ever since then only the position of batter is left for me. Since I can no longer pitch as well as I could, nor could I catch, I ended up not signing up for baseball when I started highschool."

"I understand then." The older boy then chuckled. He came closer and poked Godou in the forehead again, forcing him to look back. "Now, don't look away. Like I told you, I won't judge you for anything, right?"

"Yeah…"

The guilt had turned menacing, and Yuri promptly turned away from the image. She felt like a bad person for even peeking into such a brotherly time between two guys. She then turned to the person who made her do it in the first place.

"Have you no shame…"

Erica rolled her eyes. "Tell them that. Now tell me, what did you see?"

The Hime-Miko sighed again. Truly Erica Blandelli was the kind of person to never care for things like propriety and manners. "They're talking about a game they both to enjoy together. Something about a pitcher and a catcher? Then Kusanagi-san explained how he wasn't good at any of those two positions anymore because of an injury he gained in a previous game."

The knight of the Copper Black Cross had blushed, slowly and further going to red as she listened to what Yuri was saying. She felt satisfied; so Erica had finally felt a little discomfited over the fact she was peeking into something so personal, so private between those two boys?

However she continued. "Then Narukami-sensei came closer to Kusanagi-san, saying that he wouldn't judge him for that. Kusanagi-san then agreed with what Narukami-sensei was saying- huh? Erica-san, are you alright?"

The Diavolo Rosso was now completely opposite of how she looked before, completely pale with a ghastly white appearance. Erica then took a second before standing up, snapping her fingers to dispel the 'window', and pulling Yuri along by the arm as she left the room, all of this done silently, if also urgently.

Mentally however, Erica was screaming.

Pitcher?! Catcher?! Played so hard that he gained an injury?! Won't judge?!

She then stormed into the clinic, pulling along with her the tired Miko.

Meanwhile:

"Wait, Godou, before you go back to your classroom, let me first check you for any injuries. I better disinfect them before you leave."

If there were any injuries, Godou thought to himself, they would've already healed with his supernatural recovery speeds. However, Yu-niisan wouldn't know that, and may get a little suspicious over not finding even a small mark. That didn't sound good to him.

"Ah, no." He waved his arms frantically as he tried to leave the bed. "I'm completely fine! Really!"

His brother-figure however, apparently misconstrued it to be him fearing the sting of alcohol on scratches. "Don't try to act tough, Godou. Now do hold still so I can look for carefully for any scratches your chin might have made from that landing on your desk."

And that was when Erica arrived with Yuri. The Hime-Miko saw it for what it really was, but as for the knight, well…

Yu's hand was on Godou's chin, his face close with the other's as his eyes carefully studied the face of his younger cousin. Godou on the other hand, looked both slightly frantic and receptive to the ministrations of his brother-figure, eyes carefully slanted away just so to both focus on the other's eyes and to the rest of his body. The bed was also messy, the bed-sheet mussed as the younger male's earlier attempts to escape ruffled them, and the other arm of the teacher placed on the shoulder of his student in order to prevent him from leaving.

All it lacked, in Erica's eyes, was the sparkles and flowers. And she didn't like it.

"Get away from Godou!" She yelled, running up to the two surprised males and pulling them apart. She then snarled at her new homeroom teacher. "He's mine!"

"E-Erica?!"

And here, we veil the scenes of what inexplicably turned into a one-sided catfight.


Fifteen minutes later, Erica Blandelli, the famed Diavolo Rosso of the Copper Black Cross, was sitting painfully in seiza on the cold hard floor of the clinic. She then bowed, truly apologetic, "I apologize, Yu-sensei for peeking and misconstruing about your… relationship with my Godou."

The silver-haired teacher only chuckled. "No worries. It's not the first time it happened with me anyways. Several of my friends have said the same about my relationship with my best friend many times before."

The Kusanagi in the room, on the other hand, was torn from between horror and embarrassment, face entirely red and his mouth gaped as tried to process what the knight was thinking he and his brother figure was doing.

"Godou? Are you alright? Blandelli-san, I think you might have broken my cousin over here. And as you say, you're my brother's girlfriend?"

"You can call me Erica. You are, of course, the person closest to being the brother of my Godou, so it's only correct for you to call me informally. Godou would be alright; he's had worse."

"Very well, Erica-san it is. And as for you, may I ask what is your name?"

"I'm Mariya Yuri, one of their schoolmates. Sensei, you can call me Mariya-san."

"Then, Mariya-san it is then."

That was when Godou's jaw snapped closed and he started banging his head over the nearest wall. After several whacks, he then took off, blushingly not looking at his brother, taking with him the two girls who had stormed into the clinic earlier. Before he left, he yelled back, "See you later, Yu-niisan!"

Then he slammed the door closed behind him. Yu smiled at his antics before heaving a sigh and taking out a velvet-blue phone. Pressing a speed-dial, he weakly said to the other side,

"Yeah. You guys were right. Godou's a Campione now…"

He cut off the call before they could reply, and then sighed to himself again. "Why of all people, why Godou?"


On the roof of the school, Godou promptly stopped running, and quickly turned angrily at the unrepentant Erica.

"Eriiicaaa!" He said as strongly as he could through his gasping breaths. "Why?! Why do something like that?!"

The knight was still unashamed. "It's your fault Godou, acting so close with your cousin. Of course I would misunderstand."

"Misunderstand… eh?" It seemed that it was just now that what Erica's words meant reached Yuri. Idly behind his furious thoughts, Godou wished that he was that slow when it came to understanding Erica sometimes. It would've been nice to go along his day without knowing that one of his friends thought that he… he…

He fought back that blush again. "Didn't you promise to give me at least a day before I make you two meet? Now he might think that I've gotten weird over the years because of you!"

"Don't worry Godou, I won't ever judge you." Erica repeated the words said earlier in the clinic. "Hadn't he said that to you earlier?"

"But still- but still! You just don't do that and say embarrassing… things to my brother just because we're alone together!"

"Eh?" Yuri was still blushing, shifting her eyes from Godou and back every now and then. "Eh?"

The Campione groaned to the heavens.

Erica ignored him. "So, Yuri, what did you see when you met Narukami-sensei?"

The Miko snapped out of her trance. "Spirit vision?"

The knight nodded. Seeing this, Godou spoke up again. "Wait, Yuri's spirit vision works on humans?"

Yuri shook her head. "You misunderstand. Spirit Vision isn't specific in what it targets, and it's all up to luck for it to actually work. But yes, I saw something with my Spirit Vision about Narukami-sensei. It was a man, with a satchel tied to a stick in his hands leaning on his shoulder. Beside him was a dog, and he was surrounded with the feelings of journey and change."

"The Fool…" Godou murmured in recognition. "It fits…"

"Fool?" Erica turned to him. She was surprised; normally, she or Yuri were the ones knowing about the supernatural aspects of the world, but this time it was Godou who recognized the meanings first. "What does it mean, Godou?"

He was smiling; of course, Yu-niisan would be a Fool. Godou then turned to the knight. "Sometime after I first met Yu-niisan, he got into this book about the Tarot. He then started giving me some lessons on them, like their basic meanings and descriptions. The Fool is number 0; potential, adventure, and travel. Zero means nothing, but also the ability to be anything after all."

"Tarot…" Erica murmured. "Hey, Godou. Do you think your brother ever dabbled in magic or anything similar?"

"What? No!" He vehemently shook his head. "And if you ever think of dragging him into the mess that is the supernatural world, trust me, Erica, all I would say is no!"

"Tch. You're such a cheapskate, Godou."


When Godou returned back home, there was a girl she didn't know in the house. A girl who, somehow managed to get Shizuka to welcome her and was currently chatting with her like they were old friends. A girl who, somehow sparked a bit of recognition within him. But he didn't know her.

"Ah, ignore that. That's probably Oniichan who's arriving with one of his girls again."

"Just like how my Oniichan arrives sometimes with Yosuke-nii?"

"I think it's very far from what you are thinking. Or at least, I wish it is. You have it good though, Yu wouldn't do something like my brother does…"

He only sighed as he entered the living room. "Shizuka, would you mind not talking about me being like a playboy like Grandpa all the time? Erica and Mariya are just friends!" He then turned to the other girl in the room. "Hello, may I know you?"

Shizuka tsked, but the other girl looking around her age only stood and bowed. "It's nice to meet you, Godou-san. My name is-"

She was interrupted when the door opened again and Yu this time walked in. He then uncharacteristically stared blankly at the new person in the house before doing a facepalm. "Nanako… why are you here?"

"Oniichan!" Dojima Nanako ran up to the silver-haired man, enveloping him in a flying hug. Godou felt the inexplicable pang of possessiveness before shaking it off. She had met the man first after all. "I've heard that you're finally back here in Japan, so I packed my stuff and rode the train here. Yosuke-nii helped a lot!"

Yu nodded with a smile, before straightening up and taking out a phone. With a press of a speed-dial, he whispered into it with a scary voice. "We have to talk later, Hanamura-kun."

Godou shook at the tone. He was just happy that it wasn't him this time.

"Nanako…" The silver-haired man then sighed. "Don't you have classes back in Inaba?"

She took a few steps back before sheepishly grinning. "Yosuke-nii and the rest of them helped me transfer in. You're now looking at the newest transfer student of 3 – B, seat number 10. Dad gave me permission, saying: 'As long as it's Yu!'"

"Hey wait just a minute," Shizuka interjected with wide eyes. "That's my classroom! And the seat behind me!"

Not for the last time, Godou wondered just how his brother figure's friends managed to do something like that. He had descriptions, but they were already years out of date. Plus, his memory of those childhood stories was getting pretty faded.

"So…" The oldest one in the room said weakly, "Starting today, you're staying here as well?"

Nanako nodded brightly. "Yeah! And the rest of them are coming along soon!"

Godou really should've realized just what that meant for him. However, he was then promptly distracted when the call of a certain swordsman Campione arrived through the telephone.


Whispers. Whispers. Whispers behind his back. Previously, it was glares and stares from jealous classmates. That at least he was used to. But this time, it was worse as it was filled with a kind of awe and wonder. And Godou himself hadn't done anything, really.

"Starting today, I'm your new music teacher. My name is Hanamura Yosuke! Nice to meet you too, Godou!"

When the world's youngest multimillionaire entrepreneur and upcoming-CEO of the Junes Multi-Company entered his class before homeroom, introduced himself as their new teacher, and introduced himself to Godou in particular, he immediately felt his stomach drop. It was the feeling of something very terrible would happen to him soon.

He was proven right when right after the new music teacher exited the room, the Japan's number one policewoman when it came to making arrests immediately replaced his position up front.

"Ahem – how do I start this again, ah right… I would be your PE teacher! I'm Satonaka Chie, and I like meat, kung-fu, and being a policewoman! Huh, why am I here? Well, Leader wanted to teach Godou-kun over here, so I came along! Nice to meet you!"

Why? Why didn't Yu-niisan tell him just who his friends were?

"Hey, have you heard? That idol duo is coming here in Tokyo! Yeah, it's those two who always comes along with the rest of the Team. I can't wait to see Risette!"

"No way, I think Ted's way better than old chirpy Risette."

"Who cares?! IT's finally coming to Tokyo!"

Ah yes. They, the IT, short for Investigation Team. Godou should've connected the stories his brother told him about his team back in Inaba with the same team that was currently the most famous eclectic band of geniuses in history. Nobody actually why they called themselves that, but it was commonly accepted it was due to one of their member's jobs of being a detective.

"I'm heard Kanji-sama's now the Arts-and-Crafts club teacher! I just love his clothes designs and toys, kyaa~"

"I don't know about you girls, but I'm more focused on Yukiko-hime being the Tea Ceremony club teacher now! And I heard she's also the nurse!"

"The White-Red Princess or Kanji-sama? Which club should I enter?!"

"The Detective Queen is in the nearest police station, right? She's always there when the rest of IT is in a single place!"

And all of them, as in all of them, when asked as to why they were here, always answered,

"Well, we wanted to meet Senpai/Sensei/Partner/Leader's brother, Kusanagi Godou!"

Why, Yu-niisan, why?


'Why, Yosuke, why?' Narukami Yu thought to himself as he held back the urge to facepalm in front of his exhausted cousin. While he had no qualms about getting attention, there was such a thing as too much flamboyancy even for him. And the entire IT basically forcing themselves into the school and city, completely ignoring any thought of subtlety, was one of those which managed to faze him.

It was even worse than back then in the Amazonian Rainforests- He shook his head frantically. That didn't happen. Nope, it never happened, and he was never ever crowned by the locals as a king because the rest of the gang had the idea of impressing them- nope, that never happened.

He looked back at Godou with a sheepish smile. He had prepared lunch today. "So… do you want to eat lunch together?"

The student didn't manage to open his mouth before another person came in between them. Erica gave him a calculating glance before replying for his brother. "Ah, Narukami-sensei. Godou's already promised to eat with me at the roof. If you want though, you could join in…"

Before Yu could point out that Godou was shaking his head like crazy behind her, he was also interrupted.

"Get out of the way!" Shizuka came running through the door with Yuri in tow. She balked momentarily at the sight of them before shaking her head and pulling her upperclassman in front of her. "O-Oniichan! M-Mariya-sempai's got something to ask you!"

The miko sighed something beneath her breath like 'why do people keep pulling me around' before turning to his brother. "Kusanagi-san, I made lunch today… would you want some?"

Immediately glares were directed towards his brother. Godou noticed them, along with several stares of his female classmates, spoke back weakly. "A-Alright then… Yu-niisan and Erica's already coming along, so let's eat over there…"

"Oniichan!" Another feminine voice came running in. It was Nanako, and she went up to Yu. "Want to eat lunch together?"

"I'm sorry, Nanako." He sheepishly replied. "But I'm eating with Godou today…"

"Then I would join with Godou-niisan!" Nanako nodded, sending the poor Godou a short asking glance. "I can… right?"

"Ah, yeah, I suppose…"

"Yu!" Yosuke came running in the room now. Everyone pretty much gasped when they saw the famous entrepreneur suddenly pull their new homeroom teacher into an arm-hug. "Want to eat- oh, are guys eating together?"

Godou gulped at the sudden shift of stares again from the entire class towards him. "Yeah, I guess… Hanamura-sensei, are you going to join too…?"

His eyes were saying 'Say no, say no, say no!' but Yosuke, being his not-really-that-perceptive best friend, dashed his brother's efforts and nodded. "Yeah! If Yu's coming along, the entire team's coming along! It'll be okay with you with Kanji, Chie, and Yukiko-san's going too, right?"

Oh, lunch's going to be pretty crowded.

People started pressing buttons on their phones like crazy; several girls were already running off to tell their friends of what just happened.

"S-sure…" Godou caved in with a sigh. "So, let's go to the roof, shall we…?"

Everyone stared as they walked away. Yu wouldn't be surprised if everyone in school knew of what happened today by tonight.


"Godou, eat this as well."

"Wait, let Kusanagi-san swallow his food first, Erica-san!"

"So, Godou, how was it?"

Chewing on the garlic braised pork of his brother, Godou knew that he was in trouble with his sister the moment lunch ended. Somehow, Shizuka had found something to get mad about letting Yu and his friends along for lunch. Erica too, seemed to be of the same thought, as she kept sending short glances over his brother.

Speaking of his brother and his friends though…

"Eh?! She's your brother's girlfriend?! How did that ever happen?"

"Shush, Yosuke. Don't talk like Erica-san isn't here beside us. Yukiko, how do you like the fried tofu?"

"It tastes as wonderful as always, Narukami-kun. Chie's enjoying her pork cutlet too."

"I can see that for myself. Here's some tea, Chie, before you choke on a bone or something."

"Thank you, Leader~!"

One of them suddenly turned to him. He was wearing both high-end clothes and a pair of brown shades, quite frankly making him look like he just arrived from a business party. However, from the lack of comments on their part, it seemed that it was his casual wear, if it could be even called that.

"So, you're Godou?" He asked, revealing a surprisingly easy-going smile for a man who previously looked easy to anger. "My name is Tatsumi Kanji, the new teacher for arts and crafts around here. Nice to meet you."

The name sparked a memory inside Godou. It was when his sister, who was currently gazing starry-eyed at the teacher, was complaining on how it was hard to buy the designer clothes of a certain fashion artist. Tatsumi Kanji, the new upcoming star in the fashion industry, and funnily, the toy industry as well.

Because of that, all Godou could do was stare at him. "Wait… So you're…"

"That fashion artist?" Tatsumi-sensei heaved a sigh, like he was used to being questioned for it. "Yeah, I'm him. Any problem?"

Godou quickly shook his head. "No, no! It's just that it's kinda a little surprising for a guy like you to be specializing in that sort of thing."

Thankfully, the response was well accepted. The bleached-haired teacher smiled for it. "Well, my Ma's the owner of a textile shop back at Inaba. I got used to being around needles and cloth all my childhood. Even got a little alienated for it when I was young too."

Shizuka gasped at that. "Eh?! But your designs and toys are so good too!"

Tatsumi-sensei's eyes softened. "When you're a kid, you tend to dislike those different from you. Girls didn't like it when I sewed something beside them. Guys teased me for doing girly things." He then shook his head. "I ended up hiding my talents until Sempai and the rest came along, and of course, part of the reason I even became famous was due to my connection to them."

"Sempai?" Erica asked beside him. "Is that Narukami-sensei, Godou's brother?"

"'Sempai would always be Sempai.'" The teacher chanted. "Ask anyone else in our team and they have their version of that. Yosuke-sempai still keeps calling Yu-sempai Partner, so we all decided to keep our nicknames ever since Inaba. We also call him Leader, but only Chie-sempai really calls him that frequently. Teddie always calls him Sensei though."

"So you all have respect for him then?" She continued after swallowing down a piece of her lunch. "It's a little weird though… while all of you are famous, I haven't heard of Narukami-sensei at all in the mass media."

"We all have our secrets." Tatsumi-sensei grinned. "Ours is Sempai. Of course, now that we're back here in Japan, it's only alright that we finally let that go. Or else it would be hard to talk to him in public."

"Hey, Kanji!" A new voice came running from the entrance to the school roof, also revealing behind the door more than a dozen interested students who were trying to eavesdrop on their conversations. When they were exposed though, they all ran away, slamming the door behind them. The new arrival only blinked innocently at them before turning back to Godou's surprised brother. "Hey, Rise-chan managed to let me have some free time to visit! Can I join your lunch?"

Yu-niisan looked like he swallowed a lemon before trying to smile. "A-Ah, hello Teddie. Weren't you supposed to be at the other side of town by now?"

"Ah! Sensei!" The blond man came running up to his brother and pulling him into a hug. This time, Godou didn't hold back the rush of possessiveness. When it was Nanako-chan, he could ignore it, but this man… "I missed you! And Nana-chan here too!"

His brother heaved a sigh. "Teddie, you just met me the day before. And you haven't answered my question yet."

"I rode a taxi and sped all the way here, yessir!" The man named Teddie play-saluted. "I have thirty minutes left before I have to go, and I'm spending it by tasting Sensei's food again!"

It went on like that for a few minutes, the new arrival chattering like an excited kid beside his brother. That made Godou's urge to wrangle the man off him slowly fade away, as the interaction between them was more alike to an adult and an excited kid. In fact, Godou found the sight quite similar to the times all those years ago when he was young and Yu-niisan was still a newcomer in his home.

How could he interrupt them, when he knew how much it just meant for both of them?

Tatsumi-sensei sighed beside Godou. "And there you see it. That's our Ted."

"Ted?" Shizuka again looked wide-eyed. "I knew Yu knew a lot of people as his friends, but even that Ted? The Innocent Beast, the supermodel Ted?"

"Teddie's as much as part of the IT as I am." The teacher solemnly nodded. "He's even part of the reason why there is an IT in the first place. Yu-sempai was our leader back then, and so Ted really respects him for it. Heck, from what I've heard he was the reason Yu-sempai was the leader in the first place!"

"So Narukami-sensei used to be the leader when you were all teenagers." Erica gave a calculating look at his brother. Godou didn't know what that meant, only that he was against it. "So, who's the current leader? And why didn't it remain the same?"

Tatsumi-sensei sighed. "That story's for another day, but Yosuke-sempai's the current de-facto leader of the Investigation Team. Our Naoto doesn't like it, but then again, he was already the second-in-command back then."

The knight smiled evilly. "I see…"

"Don't even think of it, Erica." He sent her a short glare before turning back to the arts teacher, who had a strange look on his face. "It was certainly nice to meet you, Tatsumi-sensei, and thanks for explaining things a bit for me."

"Oh don't worry about it." Tatsumi-sensei waved a hand. They were covered with calluses and scars. "It's just the tip of the iceberg, I tell you. You really haven't known things yet until you talk with everyone else."

That was when the bell rang and announced the end of lunch.


Mariya Yuri sighed as the day ended and she left for home.

Today was a combination of surprises, brought along by the arrival of Kusanagi Godou's brother. Even her club, Tea Ceremony, was affected when a new teacher arrived and announced herself as their new club adviser.

Demure, elegant, and beautiful with long black hair and red-themed clothes, Amagi Yukiko looked like the perfect Yamato Nadeshiko, and had easily fit in the ceremonial preparation of tea along with her and Shizuka. Of course, she began a small conversation between them, asking and answering about their respective friend/brother in the Kusanagi family.

Tagged along with her however, was Dojima Nanako, the 'sister' of Narukami Yu, therefore step-cousin of Kusanagi Godou. She also managed to fit in well with the rituals, easily following the rules with glee.

And the strange thing was, Yuri managed to glean several spiritual signs above them, not unlike the case of Narukami-sensei and his other friends. The image was slightly hazy, like looking through the lens of a frosted telescope, however it was still clear for her to identify them. And that was what made her curious.

She had attempted to 'see' into her other teachers as well beforehand during lunch, when she thought that they couldn't notice her staring. And with her recent attempts to study into the Tarot classifications, she identified them properly this time without Godou's help. All of them had a Tarot symbol above them. Narukami-sensei was the Fool, Hanamura-sensei the Magician, Satonaka-sensei the Chariot, Tatsumi-sensei the Emperor, Teddie-san the Star, and lastly, Amagi-sensei and Nanako-san as the Priestess and Justice respectively.

It was strange that they all managed to fit in so perfectly in the Tarot classifications and that she could 'see' them without sensing anything supernatural.

Amagi-sensei, for example, she could easily imagine her being another priestess in a Shinto shrine, but from what Yuri could tell, she was a completely mundane, if not famous, human. She couldn't detect any presences of magic, but there was still a small thing scratching at the back of her mind that she wasn't seeing everything. Like a fog hiding the brightness of the lighthouse near the sea.

That thought, along with the slight frustration that she never managed to swap phone numbers with Kusanagi-san, was still in Yuri's mind as she arrived at the History Compilation Committee's library at Aobadai.

Amakasu-san had asked her yesterday on the matter of a certain Grimoire, and this time, with the commendation of her recent successes in her Spirit Vision, she had thought to ask him again for another attempt to see into the book and identify its contents.

Of course, before that, the mischievous man had teased her for several minutes on her success in asking Kusanagi-san out for lunch, ignoring the fact that many of the Campione's friends and family tagged along. After pushing in her hands several more… reference materials on how to approach Kusanagi-san, he had rushed off for another meeting.

She had remembered then what had happened to her on the previous attempt, that fainting spell with a strange vision of that Campione… it was a bad omen, especially for her, but she was a Hime-Miko and she had taken on the responsibility of identifying that Grimoire properly. She had to complete her job.

Stepping into the reception hall, Yuri noticed with a slight worry the lack of Compilation personnel around the area. They were at least a few members along this location before, so why was it completely devoid of people this time?

She wandered around the corridors. There were no people.

The reading room on the first floor, she entered with a ball of slight anxiety forming in her chest. Not a soul.

The stairs that previously had at least a single person coming down or going up were also void of any personnel.

And the guide that was promised to her in the place of Amakasu-san also never did arrive…

Not just a little unnerved, Yuri ran up the stairs, looking for any person she could meet, she could talk to that would tell her that there was just something that caused this strange emptiness in the building. Going as fast as she could, she burst into the second floor reading room.

And then she saw. Like perverse effigies of human beings, more than a dozen pillars of salt stood all around the room. Like the effigies they were, they looked human, horrified people with faces of those who stared into the eyes of the Devil. And they were all staring into the center of the room, mouths agape as they failed to scream before they faced their ends.

At the center of the room, a tall old man belying a wisened appearance smiled at her arrival. At his side, was a female knight looked torn out of a fairytale.

"Finally found you, Hime-Miko."

That moment, Yuri's heart dropped cold. He could be here, he shouldn't be here, she was promised that-

"Miko, from now on you belong to me, and become part of my property. Understood?"

Her legs collapsed in fear and she fell to her knees. This couldn't be true, shouldn't be true, but it was true. Now.

To meet Sasha Dejanstahl Voban, the First Campione and closest to being the Devil King of them all again, all after the meager length of four years… Inside her heart, Yuri screamed.


"That man is here, Senpai."

"I felt it too. Any idea as to why?"

"I don't know myself, but there's something I know. Mariya Yuri-san… she's in danger!"

A hand slammed to the nearest wall. Thankfully, nobody was there to see it break apart into fine powder.

"Damn it… We'll talk later, together as a team."

"I'll tell them as well, Sempai!"

"Yeah…" The man who broke the wall with a single punch sighed. His silver hair glimmered in the light of the setting sun. "Tell them, thanks for coming along with me all this time again. You as well, Rise."

"Don't worry about it, Yu-sempai! Now then, where should we meet…"


AN: Only 12 K words… *sigh* Writing longer chapters is difficult.

I had the timeline and I PLAYED IT! It wasn't planned however, as it was more of a random thing.

Haha! Those who get the joke to Erica and Yuri's scene, please… do tell of your reactions. I love reviews. As for those truly slow or innocent who didn't, well the term for pitcher and catcher for baseball is 'seme' and 'uke', respectively. They are, however, also used by yaoi fangirls to classify the *ahem*positions*ahem* in the intercourse process. After that, the rest should make some sense.

The baseball match is actually canon for that timeline, for those who don't remember, and would be where Erica, Godou, and Yuri would be if it weren't for Godou fainting in homeroom. When I ended up writing the discussion for it for the first time, I realized the wonderful potential and couldn't resist.

The information on the Kusanagi family and home comes from the light novels as well, for those who don't recognize them, and while kid!Godou and kid!Shizuka is mostly original to me, Chiyo their grandmother is from what I managed to understand of her character in the small snippets that mention her. In fact, now I like her character so much I'm weeping over the fact that she died. younger!Ichirou the grandfather is also based on how I expect him to be before his wife died and as well as on his references to her.

The Arcana lines (Devil, Temperance, Star, Moon) actually mean little in the story though, other than being flavor text and my personal classifications between the characters. Yu had maxed out all of his Links already after all. So don't be surprised if multiple people end up sharing a single Arcana.

The Lunch Scene as well brought along huge problems with it, as I'm still unused to large conversations. I had to choose as to who would speak to Godou then, and surprise surprise, our dear Kanji took the chance. Yosuke and the rest didn't want to stop eating after all…

References:

^ - Steven Hawking ΅ - Nikujaga is a kind of beef-stew.

* - CNN

Merry Christmas everyone! (_)

"Ah, reviews and favs~/ All a brand-new author craves~/ To feed the… babes? (*'o_o)"

- ReaderDreamer (and failed poet XD)