Chapter 2

There was one thing Hamuko made clear the previous day: she loved her brother over everything and was ready to kill for him.

How so?

As Mitsuru announced the rest would stay at the dorm, Hamuko overreacted, grabbed her naginata and was ready to slice Mitsuru apart, even with a fake blade. If it wouldn't be for Minato, Mitsuru would have gotten some hits, at least.

Mitsuru knew what she saw in the junior's eyes: pure hatred. Hamuko was pretty emotional and showed what she thought of the idea of leaving her brother.

In the end she complied or so Mitsuru thought. She heard that the Arisato girl skipped school, in order to be with her brother and his friend, IF it was really her brother that much was unclear at the moment.

After school she straight drove to the hospital with her special bike. She already received a phone call. It seems that Nyx is very sensitive about her body being proper analyzed.

Well she was unfamiliar with hospital checkups. She knocked out two doctors, until there was a third female doctor who explained, why it was necessary to examine her properly.

Mitsuru arrived in the hospital earlier than thought. She'd been lucky with the traffic lights. She met the doctor (female, since the two males were still passed out. Just what had she done?).

"Ah, Kirijo-san. I assume you're here for the results?"

"Yes, please."

"Well, we confirmed Minato-kun is indeed first human and second Hamuko-chan's sister. We found no abnormalities. He has the potential."

"So his story might be true." concluded Mitsuru.

"Yes, well, we have no idea how he survived without any drinking or food, but according to him it is the first time he felt hungry and thirsty in ten years."

"This is vague, but on the other hand we don't know that much about Tartarus and the dark hour as we want to. What about the shadow?"

"Oh, Kuraiko-san."

"San?"

"She doesn't like the suffix chan." The doctor looked a bit uncomfortable. "Well, surprisingly her body is pretty much human."

"What? She said herself she's a shadow."

"Well the only thing that indicates to this is her blood. It is black. One of the nurses passed out."

"Where is her blood now?"

"We've sent it directly to the Kirijo facility for proper analyzes and in a safe container of course."

"But everything else is human?" Mitsuru asked.

"Yes, well, she couldn't identify that she was hungry, thirsty or needed to go to the toilet. It was all new to her."

Mitsuru blushed a little imagining how embarrassing the situation must have been.

"Alright, I want to talk to them, if it is possible."

"The last checkups were finished an hour ago. Of course you can."

XXX

Minato was listening to his sister, telling him about all the new inventions. He listened as if he didn't know a thing. Nyx was the one asking question about this or that, but listened as well most of the time.

It was better she made herself acquaintance to human society as soon as possible.

She tried not to think about what happened earlier that day. At one point, Mitsuru stepped in.

"Ah it's the popsicle." Minato pointed out. Mitsuru's mood was immediately dangerously low.

"Why are we calling her that again?"

"She's pretty much known as the ice queen at school." Hamuko said, ignoring said ice queen. Shewas sitting on her brother's bed, a plate with food on her lap.

"Arisato, about-"

"I wouldn't have been able to focus anyway." Hamuko waved the ice queen off. "Why do you care anyways? My scores were perfect since the dawn of time." she said, while munching down some cheese bread.

Hamuko felt the temperature drop and equipped herself with Apsaras. Next she held out her glass with juice."Some ice cubes please, while you're at it?"

That was the last straw. Mitsuru casted a bufu towards Hamuko. However she froze her brother's arm, who held it out in protection. He didn't even flinch. He had equipped himself with an ice persona, who he taught Agidyne in the process of fusion.

Minato broke some ice from his arm and put it into Hamuko's juice.

"Thank you, my dear brother." She took a sip.

Afterwards both could control their laughing fit anymore, even Nyx found it amusing. She smiled, a bit.

Minato defrosted his arm.

"That was quite refreshing, Mitsuru-san. Maybe you should think of becoming a bar keeper?"

"How dare you!" she shouted. The twins laughed again.

"Oh, come on, senpai. A little fun is never wrong. Besides it was you who assaulted my brother and it was you who said NOT to abuse our powers. You're a perfect role model."

"She's not." said Nyx.

"It was sarcasm. It is when you say something, but means the complete opposite of it." Minato explained.

Mitsuru breathed a few times to calm her down.

"I want to hear your story just ones more."

"Why?" asked Hamuko and Nyx at the same time.

"To find any inconsistencies, which would point out, that we're lying." Minato said.

"I don't remember much about the accident and honestly I don't really want. I think...there'd been a blonde girl. Sometimes I dream about her shooting from her fingers at a big shadow. I must have hit my head pretty bad."

Mitsuru barely controlled her face. 'ASW Aigis.' she thought.

"What I do remember is I woke up in Tartarus pretty bad wounded. Nyx healed me and showed me how to fight. Eventually I awoke to my personas."

"Personas? You have more than one?!"

"About two hundred on my last count." Minato shrugged.

"WHAT!?"

"That's not fair! I have only three!" Hamuko pouted. "And I can't even summon Thanatos for some reason."

"You too?!" Mitsuru shouted.

"Didn't Yuakri tell you? I used two personas on the first night. I got Apsaras during my Tartarus trip, yesterday. But I can't use Thanatos! Why?!"

"Maybe because he's too strong." said Minato. "Every time I received a persona stronger than I am, I couldn't use it."

He was surprised his sister could identify Thanatos already. She didn't even start the social link yet or at least should have.

Mitsuru needed to swallow the new information. Yukari didn't tell them, but they had seen it. They were not sure at the time they saw it, what the power really was.

She knew they needed those three at their side. A shadow that can operate outside the dark hour is dangerous alone, but having two persona users with the ability to summon more than one against them was pure suicide.

"I will make arrangements, so you two can stay at our dorm."

Everyone looked up surprised.

"Why all of the sudden?"

"To keep an eye on us." this time it was Nyx speaking. "Minato and I are the most powerful people at the moment and you will most likely become as strong as your brother. Having us as enemies is utterly foolish. You might as well jump from top of Tartarus and try to survive."

"250 floors. I always wanted to try that out. Too bad the parachute was burned down." It was no lie. You could find a lot of crazy stuff in Tartarus. Not to mention the noodle stand.

"Parachute?"

"I ones found a coffee mug. I gave it to one of the doctors." How that thing survived the final battle and why Minato carried it a whole month with him, he did not know. It was something even the universe could not answer.

XXX

Mitsuru already had enough of a headache, but it only increased, when Arisato (male) turned out to have the brain of a genius. Nyx turned out to have the knowledge of a junior high school student. So Minato would go to Mitsuru's class, while Kuraiko would go to Hamuko's.

She just hoped the male Arisato would remember how to behave himself in class and that Nyx would be informed. Maybe Mitsuru should do it herself.

The chairman seemed nervous about meeting the two new (not really wanted) recruits. Who could blame him? One of them was a shadow.

XXX

Hamuko decided to show her brother and Nyx around town. She looked curiously around and asked about many things, which were common to the siblings. At least Hamuko took some of the explanation from Minato.

They came near the back allay, when Nyx pointed at it.

"What is this light from over there?" she asked.

Hamuko looked at the direction she pointed. "Dunno, let's check it out."

...

"A door?" Nyx asked.

"You can see it too?" Hamuko asked.

"Of course." Nyx scoffed.

"Well this door is special." said Minato.

"Minato, you...!" Hamuko gasped.

"Let's go in first, okay?" he said.

Nyx noticed a familiar, yet different aura, when she entered the strange blue room. It kind of reminded her of the dark hour.

The window indicated that they were going up; a clock was spinning to no end. A man with a long nose was sitting behind a table. Beside him was a man in a blue outfit, with blond hair and yellow eyes. Strange wasn't there a woman too just a second ago?

"MIANTO-SAMA!" A cry erupted and said boy was soon in a really tight hug by an avatar of power.

"Liz...need air...!" he pleaded. Hamuko looked confused. Last time Hamuko saw Elizabeth, she tried to keep up a fake smile.

"You're alive, you're alive, you're alive!" she kept cheering.

"Urrgh...Liz..."

"Now, now, Elizabeth. Please have a bit more self control in front of our guests." Igor said, but smiled brightly. He summoned two more chairs immediately.

"Truly intriguing." he whispered to himself.

"Minato, you know her?" Hamuko asked.

"Yeah, well..." 'Oh god, what do I say now?'

"Please take a seat."

...

"This is a pleasant surprise. Our contract has long ended. Still, here you're again. Very interesting."

"Let's just say, I got bored." Minato smiled. "And I thought I could help my sister a little bit."

"Hate to interrupt, but can anyone explain please what is going on?" asked Hamuko. "You two signed a contract too?"

"Only he. It is my first time here as well." Nyx replied.

"Ah, where are my manners? My name is Igor. I am delighted to make your acquaintance. These are my assistants Elizabeth and Theodore."

"Pleased to meet you." replied Elizabeth.

"It is my honor." Theodore said. "My sister has talked a lot about you Minato-sama."

"O-kay? Anyways, nice to meet you Theodore."

"Please, call me Theo."

"Alright, but could you two drop the sama already? It makes me feel uncomfortable. Oh yeah, this is Kuraiko Nyx. She helped me out, so I can be here."

Nyx merely nodded. Elizabeth's eyebrow twitched a bit.

"So, what about your contract?" asked Hamuko.

"Long story short, I thought a really big shadow." Minato shuddered at the thought of fighting Nyx. That was more than just a close call. "I almost died, but Nyx saved me in the very last moment. I owe her and I really mean I owe you, Nyx." he said.

Nyx raised an eyebrow. They'd been arch-enemies just a day ago and he really sounded like he meant it.

"You are welcome?"

"Hey, I really mean it. I know we had our differences, but if you really want to learn about bonds, the first step is to forgive each other, if there'd been a fight."

Meanwhile Hamuko hit her brother pretty hard on his head. "Baka, don't just risk your life like that!"

"Oww..."

"What is the purpose of this room?" asked Nyx.

"Igor, can I?"

"Of course."

"Well, basically we can fuse here personas and summon old ones in exchange for money."

"I see." Nyx nodded.

"Normally only those who signed a contract can see this room. My best guess is because your first form inherits the fool Arcanum is what makes you see this room."

"Why?"

"Wild cards are normally of the fool Arcanum."

"Now then" interrupted Igor "time marches on in your world. I know you have many more questions, but they will have to wait."

Minato looked at his watch. They've entered the Velvet Room pretty late and the talk they would have with SEES would take even more time.

They excused themselves and headed outside.

XXX

Minato felt knots in his stomach when they came closer to the dorm. Shuji would be there for sure. He took a few deep breaths and put on his natural poker face.

"Huh, nobody here?" asked Hamuko.

"Probably in the Com- I mean in another room." suggested her brother.

"Oh yeah, the command room. This way." she skipped towards the stairs. Minato and Nyx followed her.

"You seem rather distract." said Nyx to Minato.

"It's because we're going to meet your worshipper." the universe hissed back.

"You hate him."

"I have problems to hold Thanatos back."

To his surprise Nyx put a hand on his shoulder. Inside his mind Thanatos immediately relaxed.

"What? How...?"

"I am his mother, forgotten? Eventually you will learn when you have children."

Minato picked his jaw and headed after his sister, who was about to call the two.

XXX

The first thing that Nyx noticed in the command room where a lot of different blinking lights, too many blinking lights in different colors.

Before she began to feel dizzy, she turned her gaze towards the humans sitting on the couches. She recognized the boy with the thing on his head, the girl who was wearing completely pink (talk about color dizziness), then there was a young man with silver hair and a red vest which jumped into her eyes (again color dizziness), then there was Kirijo and last but not least the man in the suit, her worshipper as Minato liked to dub him.

'Why do I always get the weaklings praying to me?' she thought.

She noticed Minato always keeping an eye on the man. Maybe she should place herself next to him in order to keep Thanatos calm. Minato ended up in the middle of his sister and the goddess. Again he felt his mind calming down, specifically Thanatos. Minato felt a bit jealous, because of his parents, but waved the thought of. He focused more on the bastard.

"W-welcome. My name is Shuji ********* (I still can't spell the name) hard to say isn't it? That's why I don't like introducing myself."

"Ever thought of changing your name?" Minato couldn't hold back that question.

"Well...no."

Minato rolled his eyes. "Anyways, I guess you guys know our names already, right?" he asked.

"Then let us get straight to the point. We would really appreciate it if you two would join us. We're the (that long name I always forget) SEES for short."

"And you need our help because we've been living in this tower for ten years, right? Then I guess you're all persona users, right?" Minato asked. Time to get the ball rolling.

"Everyone except me."

"Then how are you still alive?" asked Minato.

"What?"

"Everyone who is not a persona user, will his soul having devoured by the shadows." said Nyx. "Yet you are still here. How is this possible?" she asked.

"Well...uhh..I've been trained-"

"Shadows pray on the mind. The strength of your body does not matter." the goddess pointed out. "When your mind is not strong enough to hold a persona, than you should not be able to experience the dark hour." she continued.

"Oh..uhh..." The chairman was now sweating bullets. Minato gave Nyx a surprised glance. Why was she helping him?

He could feel satisfaction going through him, while watching the chairman being nervous.

"You said you've been trained." said Minato. "Maybe you could share some information, so it would all make sense."

"Oh..uh, I'm sorry, b-but...this is...secret information, I'm not allowed to tell."

"And you expect us to help you, while holding back information? Yeah right, try again. I'd prefer to take my sister to Tartarus and leave you guys."

Everyone looked at him, like he was crazy or something. He felt a touch on his shoulder and this time it was his sister.

"Um, I think I'd prefer to stay."

"I won't let you stay with people who are obviously suspicious and possibly dangerous for you. In Tartarus I can at least protect you." he said sternly. Of course they wouldn't go to Tartarus in the worst case scenario, but he wouldn't let his sister even come near this creature.

"Aww..." Hamuko hugged her brother. "Come on, you're just a bit overprotective." she said. "Belief me when I say, you can never be careful enough. Ok, I will help you, but only because of my sister to make this fact clear. Oh and if anything happens...persona!"

Minato summoned Thanatos in front of everyone who let out a roar. "I might let my friend do what he wants."

"This is...!" Yukari screamed.

"Hey, that's the same I summoned the first time! How come you have him too?!" Hamuko exclaimed.

"What are your other two personas?"

"Orpheus and Apsaras."

"Orpheus!" Minato shouted and summoned his original persona. "Apsaras!" he shouted and summoned the other persona. He dismissed it after everyone had taken a good look on them.

"I have every persona you will have in the future." he said.

"Two hundred? No problem." Hamuko said with confidence. There were multiple what-screams.

"T-two hundred?! Are you freaking serious!?" exclaimed Junpei.

"Plus, minus a few, so yeah, around two hundred."

"How can you summon a persona outside the dark hour!?" exclaimed Akihiko.

"Huh, you guys can't? How weak are you?" Okay now he was teasing them a bit.

"Who're you calling weak!? Arrrgh!"

"Akihiko, your injury!"

"Yeah, yeah, I know..." the boxer sighed and took his seat again.

"You're injured?" Minato asked.

"Tch none of your business." 'Man now I am sounding like Shinji.' the boxer thought.

"Messiah!" Minato summoned the persona he used to seal Nyx. He could see the goddess tensing up a bit.

"Salvation." he announced.

Finally 3000 words. Took me a while to finish this. I'm actually using my brain and it kind of hurts.