Chapter 2

If I was something, then it was definitely not a morning person. And so was not Nyx. She ALWAYS took over my body and destroyed the alarm clock. In return she had to do the changing. Although that had its disadvantages.

*Knock, knock*

"It's Yukari. Are you-"

*CRACK*

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!"

I think she ran downstairs. You know I mentioned superhuman strength, when she was out? She punched through the door.

"I think I should take over."

Downstairs I found a very frightened Yukari and Minato with a face it was just amazing how it could show two to each other contradictory emotions. It looked like that: What happened? You know what, I don't care.

He was silently munching down his toast.

"Yukari-chan?"

"H-hai!" the girl shouted.

"Sorry about that...I'm not a morning person."

She just gaped at me, like I've told her how to create a 26th hour.

"I-I'll pay for the hole in the door." I tried.

Something was off. It was quite, too quite. Oh Minato stopped munching and was staring at me, full mouthed. He slowly choked down.

"Hole in the door?" he asked. But before I could come up with something, he said. "Forget it, I don't want to know. Reminds me, I need a new alarm clock."

"You too? Oh great, we can go and buy them together after school!" I exclaimed. "Yukari, will you...? Where is she?"

Minato pointed with his thumb at the door. It was open.

"And how do we get to school?"

"I know the way."

"How?" I asked.

"I've lived here before." he replied. Okay first we have the same last names and now this.

"You know a lot of things." I pointed out. He shrugged and ate another toast. "Who's this Pharos?" I asked.

He seemed to think about whether to answer or not. "He only appears during the dark hour." He finally replies.

"So he's a supernatural being." I figured. Minato nodded. "What was that about the contract?" I asked.

"You'll see soon enough."

"Aw, come oooon~. A hint?" I gave him the puppy dog eyes.

"Can't tell or the guys who make those will get mad at me. You'll see them soon enough, don't worry. Oh and don't tell anyone else. You don't want to go on their bad side." He told me.

"Are they supernatural, too?" I asked.

"Yeah, but different from Pharos. You'll see."

Suddenly Yukari rushed back. "Oh uh, well...Mitsuru-sempai wanted me to show you the way to school. Are you ready?"

Minato put his headphones on and turned his mp3 on. He walked ahead.

"It's okay, he told me he knows the way. He lived here before."

"Really? But I never saw him in my school." she pointed out.

"Maybe he was in another class or knows it from a relative? Older sibling?"

We made our way towards the train station. Students were busy entering the train. We were able to catch up to Minato. He just nodded at seeing us.

"We have to train from here on..." Yukari was distracted from Minato totally ignoring her. How rude could someone be?

"Ignore him, Yukari-chan. So-

wow~."

Yukari giggled. The view was totally awesome. The school slowly came closer. I could spot some cherry trees. I love cherry trees.

Minato...hmm? Was that a tear running down his cheek?

Yukari gave us a little 'tour' before she showed us the way to the faculty office. We looked first at our class assignments. We were both in 2-F. Afterwards we went to the faculty office.

"Oh are you two the new transfer students?" A woman asked.

"Yup, but we're not related." I said.

"Ah yes, you two have the same last names. Hamuko and Minato Arisato. Wow, both of you have been in a lot of different places."

I gave Minato a you-too look. He was looking straightforward.

"Let's see in 1999, both your *gasp*!" The teacher looked uncomfortable. However what was more something happened to Minato too that year? The same? On the moonlight bridge?!

Minato looked at me and gave me a sad smile. Maybe I did see him before and just can't remember? It was entirely possible.

"I'm sorry. I didn't have time to read all this, since it was a last minute decision. My name is Ms. Touriumi. I teach composition."

"Nice to meet you, sensei!"

Minato nodded, obviously trying to hold back a yawn.

"My, you look rather tired. Maybe you should go earlier to bed."

"That wouldn't change anything. I've been like this...forget it."

I had the feeling he wanted to say, since the accident. I gave him one of my random hugs. He froze a second. "Better?" I asked, giving him my biggest smile.

"Th-thanks." he stuttered. I laughed, letting him go. "Jeez, no need to blush. I do that to everyone."

"Really?"

"Wanna see prove?" And so I ended up hugging Touriumi sensei.

We went towards the auditorium, but we seriously could have skipped the whole thing. Well Minato and I did. Turning on music and dozing off. We heard nothing of course and were more or less out, but we noticed when people started leaving, like the air, when someone is going in front of you.

We followed Touriumi sensei to the class, where we were introduced.

"Class, these are Hamuko and Minato Arisato. They're not related. I expect you to treat them with respect."

I resisted the urge to remind her, that in a school something like respect was totally uncommon. Just listening to the gossip was proof enough.

"She's so hot."

"Dude her eyes, totally awesome." (At least a compliment that was not about my sexuality)

"Her curves are perfect."

And then there was the stuff about Minato.

"He's mysterious."

"He's hot."

"Oh, he looked this way!"

"Here we go again." muttered Minato.

"I totally feel you." I whispered to him.

He nodded. We both took a vacant chair. He was right behind me, while I was behind Yukari. I almost dozed off multiple times, but since this was again a new school, I needed the information. It would be awkward to ask others later. They thought of you the wrong way and the first impression was always the one most important.

During lunch, I went to the cafeteria, the most important place in school. Minato followed me.

"Don't tell me."

"If I could make a bet with you, I'd bet 5000 yens he has the same addiction to melon breads you have." Nyx whispered with my lips.

She just HAD to be right. I bought the first half of melon breads and Minato the second. He even followed me to the rooftop. I was normally a lively person, but I preferred to eat alone. Well at least Minato picked a corner on the roof, while I sat down on a bench next to the fence.

Strange enough, we finished at almost the same time. "Now things are getting scary. Did my parents give away my fraternal twin when we were born?"

Class resumed as boring as never, not worth mentioning anything. Afterwards I was about to go, when someone spoke to me and Minato.

"'Sup, dudes?" Looking up it was the cap wearing teen who was sitting to my right.

"Hey, who're you?"

"Me, I'm Junpei Iori. Nice to meet ya."

"*Sigh* At it again? I swear you talk to every new girl you see."

"Hey, it's Yuka-tan! Funny coincidence we're in the same class again." Junpei cheered.

"What kind of Yukata?"

Oh, Minato did it so on purpose. I could see it on his face. It was a lame joke, but we laughed anyway.

"Hey, where ya going?" asked Junpei, when Minato was heading outside. "Need a new alarm clock."

"That's right! I destroyed mine today too! Wait for me!"

I could hear Junpei asking Yukari something, but I was too far away.

Minato knew his way around town. He used some shortcuts. Had he the opportunity to come back on vacation? It would explain how he knew his way around so well.

We both bought a stock of alarm clocks, so we didn't need to come again so soon. We bought the cheapest of course.

"Did you really punch a hole in your door?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Uhh, well I'm not a morning person." I laughed nervously. Minato shrugged.

We both headed back towards the dorm. Inside Mitsuru-sempai, Yukari-chan and a man in a suit were waiting on the couches. Minato visibly tensed and made a fist.

Well he didn't do it yesterday, neither around me or the other two girls, so it had to be the man. Someone he knew?

"So, these are our new guests." the man said. Nope, but why was Minato pissed off like no tomorrow?

"Good evening. My name is Shuji Itsukutsi. Itsukutsi, hard to speak, isn't it? That's why I don't like introducing myself." he grinned.

I wasn't sure what to think of that guy. Minato-

Why the hell was he listening to his music again?! He gave him a shrug and went upstairs.

"Arisato! Wait!"

He didn't listen to Mitsuru sempai.

"We want to talk about the dark hour."

Now that got his attention.

"Oh, I told them you called it that way." I said.

Minato sat down. We all did.

"So, how do you know it is called the dark hour?" asked sempai.

"It just fit." he replied.

"And how long are you two aware of it?"

"Ten years." we both replied. I gave Minato another glance. Just how much did we have in common? The others gasped at our response.

"Ten years?!" exclaimed Yukari. We nodded at the same time.

"Do you know what shadows are?"

"Yes/No." At least something different. But what were shadows?

"Shadows are black monsters, take various forms. You need a persona to fight them." Minato explained. The others stared at him.

"What's a persona?" I asked.

"It's your true self in form of an ancient being. A god, demon, famous person...everything is possible. Like this." he stood up.

"Messiah!" he announced. I heard the sound of glass shattering as a white person appeared behind Minato. I stared in awe.

"Awesome..."

Apparently, not everyone had my opinion.

"How can you summon outside the dark hour?!" the Kirijo heiress exclaimed. He didn't answer her. I just noticed, but his full attention was on me. He totally ignored the others. He did the same yesterday.

"Normally you awaken to it under stress. Many can't summon their personas under normal circumstances. I used an empty gun to simulate stress, until I got the hang on doing it without one."

That explained the gun Yukari had been carrying. Messiah disappeared.

"Totally awesome...You think I have one too?"

He shrugged. "Maybe." He then came closer and whispered into my ear: "The people you signed the contract will tell you."

He turned his music on and went outside.

"Arisato, wait!"

And he was gone.

"Weird guy." I commented. The next thing that followed was a long explanation about a tower called Tartarus, the nest of shadows. They also asked me to join. But Nyx totally felt uneasy and I have learned to trust her judgment.

"This is all so sudden, can I think about it, a day or two?"

"Take a week, if you must. Just don't think too long."

"Don't worry, I won't take forever."

I decided to go to bed early, so Nyx and I could talk properly. However, where we found ourselves was a blue room.

Or rather I only found myself there. I immediately felt something off.

"Welcome to the Velvet Room." greeted me a man with a really long nose. But that wasn't the issue. The issue was why I felt SO empty. The long nose guy must've read my mind.

"Excuse me for your uneasiness. It seems I made a mistake when summoning you within your dreams."

So he WAS the reason she was missing. But how could something from within my mind go missing just like that?!

I panicked. I stood up franticly looking for an exit. I didn't bother listening anymore to the old man's speech. There were a lot of doors. Some had a blanket over them.

There! Right behind me was a door that looked like the exit. I kicked over the table and headed to the exit.

"What a troublesome guest." Igor chuckled to himself. For him it was rather refreshing.

"What was that all about?" asked Minato, coming out from his hiding spot.

"It seems that when I summoned her here, a part of her personality didn't follow." Igor explained.

"I don't think I get it..."

"Think of it as when I summon you here and all of the sudden one of your personas is missing."

"Wow, I guess I'd panic too. Hey, wait a moment..."

"Nyx!" Finally I could feel her again. She was there, everywhere like always. I ran towards her and gave her a big hug.

"What happened?" she asked.

I told her about my short trip to the Velvet Room.

"I felt something taking you away and fought against it. I'm sorry, I was taken by surprise. It won't happen again." She told me determined. I felt immediately better. Without her I was weak, nothing. She was everything for me. I owed her so much, I couldn't possibly repay her.

"Nyx, could it be that you're my persona?" I asked.

"Maybe. This would mean that you're my other self."

"But I'm weak on my own!" I protested. "I can't do anything without you. I-mmmmpfffff!"

She put a hand on my mouth. "You're not weak, understood? You have so much potential, you just need to see it for yourself. And I'll help you to awaken to that potential. Next time, I'll be there with you."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

It felt good talking to my other self.

"So, about this group..." I began.

"Let's ask Minato about the old man first. Maybe he knows a more orthodox way talking to him."

Just a tiny bit longer. Pharos? I've thought of him as well. Reviews are appreciated. By the by: 6 favs in 2 hours!? And now 8 favs and 10 follows!?