DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything related to the Shin Megami Tensei series, which includes the Persona series, and Atlus!

"This" is talking.

"This" is thoughts.

'This' is book, writing.

'This' is transmissions, TV, radio, etc.

"This" is Persona

Chapter 3: The Dark Hour

4/9/2009

Makoto wakes up and sits up in his bed. "What a weird dream." Makoto gets ready for school. "It is just a dream and time for school." Makoto leaves his room, walks down the stairs and heads to school.

Makoto arrives at the school gate and sees Junpei.

"What's up!? Man, today is the perfect day! The sky is blue... We're young... What more could we ask for!?"

Makoto sighs. "You're full of energy."

"Of course! Dude, listen to this... Oh, wait! I'm not supposed to say anything! Sorry, man." Junpei chuckles.

"Ahh... okay?" Makoto and Junpei enter the school.

Makoto was sitting in class and listening to Mr. Ekoda.

"Ahem... I'm Mr. Ekoda. I'll be teaching you Classic Literature. I'll be teaching you about good old Japan all year. Some people say Classic Lit isn't relevant to everyday life, but oh, how they're wrong! Hey... Are you all listening to me?"

Makoto seems to be tired. "This teacher makes me want to go to sleep…" Makoto yawns.

"Let's begin. Open your textbooks, class. First on our syllabus is "Ise Monogatari," the origin of Japanese literature. It's a very interesting story. You youngsters might call it, "da bomb." Anyway..."

Makoto sighs. "I fell sorry for the person who has his homeroom..." Makoto yawns again and puts his head down.

Some time has passed and Mr. Ekoda leaves the classroom.

"Hey, man..." Junpei throws a small eraser at Makoto. "...his class is over."

"Must have fallen asleep." Makoto lifts his head. "Thanks." Makoto picks up the eraser and hands it back to Junpei.

"No prob!"

It is now after-school and Makoto walking back to dorm. He had just left Iwatodai Station and was walking pass some stores. "Almost back to the dorm and no..."

"Brother!" Minako was walking to her brother and is carrying some cloth bags.

Makoto sighs and turns around. "Hello..."

"Here." Minako holds out the cloth bags. "Can you carry these for me?" Minako smiles.

Makoto sighs again. "I don't think I have a choice." "Sure." He grabs the cloth bags. "So you bought some groceries."

"Yep. You know that I love to cook. So what do you want to eat?"

"I'll pass."

"What!?"

"Already ate." Makoto turns around starts walking.

"Really?" Minako is sadden.

"Yes."

"Oh… Well I can make you a box lunch for tomorrow."

"Sure."

Minako cheers up and catches up to her brother.

Minako and Makoto enter the dorm.

"So, where do you want your groceries?"

Minako points at the long dinner table. "Over there should be fine."

They both walked over to the dinner table. Makoto puts the bag on the table. "Well…" Makoto yawns. "I am go back to room..."

Minako cuts off her brother. "And sleep, right? Can't you stay up a little longer?"

"No, I am tried and just want to go to sleep."

"Fine!" Minako grab the bag off the table and goes through the door to the kitchen.

"Great, Minako is angry at me. Oh well." Makoto walks up the stair and to his room.

Minako, in the kitchen, puts the bags on the counter next to the refrigerator. "Idiot!" Minako said this quietly to herself. "I just want to spend more time him." She starts to cry. "I was hoping me and brother spend more time together eating dinner. I barely seen my brother since we got here. Idiot!" After a few minute of crying, she wipe away her tears. "Well, I guess I should start cooking."

Minako had made two box lunches and cooked dinner for herself. After eating the her food, she then went over to the couch near the wall and sit down on the couch. She starts reading a light novel, which she had brought before getting the groceries. It about a half hour before midnight.

Akihiko walked down the stairs and was about to leave the dorm. "Hey, umm... you're Akihiko, right?" Minako closed the light novel she was reading.

Akihiko turns to Minako. "Yes. So, what are you doing up this late?"

"Can't sleep. So, what are plan on going this late at night?"

There was paused before Akihiko answer. "I was just out for a walk."

"He hiding something." Minako puts the light novel on the table. "Well, I'll join you."

"But shouldn't you get some sleep."

"I told you, I can't sleep tonight. And also if you told to go back to my room, I would just sneak out of my room and the dorm." Minako gets up from the couch. "So, I am joining."

"Okay, but stay close."

Minako smiles and walks over to Akihiko. "Okay, let's go."

Minako and Akihiko exit the dorm and start walking down the street. After walking of a few minutes, Minako notices a small orange ball on the ground. Minako runs over to the orange ball.

"Hey, I told you to stay close."

Minako picks up the orange ball and turns to Akihiko. "I just wanted get the ball." Minako walks back to Akihiko. "Sorry about that."

"So, why did you want the ball?"

"It reminds of the ball my brother gave to me, went I was younger. It made me so happy to get something from my brother."

"..." Akihiko look a little sad.

"He looks sad. Wonder why?"

They continue to walk down the street. After a few minutes, the time was midnight and the Dark Hour begins.

Minako looks over to Akihiko and notices tiny silver light hovering around him. "Hmm… He has a light like me and my brother, but has is silver light and floating around him."

"Get behind me!"

Minako looks in front and see weird monster. The monster seem only to be made of shadowy arms, wielding multiple blades and one hand was holding a blue mask. "What is that!?" Minako backs up.

Akihiko looks excited. "This is a Shadow." Akihiko pulls out a gun with his left hand and puts the gun upside-down on his forehead. "Polydeuces!" Akihiko pulls the trigger. Some being appear, it was shape like a muscular human. Polydeuces was wearing some armor and had a needle weapon covering part of one of his arms. Polydeuces has also blank eye and long hair. Polydeuces starts attacking the monster. "Zio." Polydeuces sent out a bolt of electric at the monster.

Minako notice the Shadow launching an attack that will hit Akihiko and without thinking pushes Akihiko out of the way, they both fall down onto the ground. The Shadow swing a blade right where Akihiko was.

"That was close, thanks." Akihiko gets up and then help Minako up.

"No problem." Minako is still holding the orange ball in her left arm.

Akihiko starts pulling Minako toward the way back to the dorm. "Let's go back to the dorm."

"Okay." Minako and Akihiko start running back and the Shadow started chasing after them. After a few second Minako started to here a voice in her head. "Summon thy power… Awaken to thy fate." The voice fades. "What? Summon thy power… Wait, like Akihiko!" "Akihiko, let me use that gun."

"It's not a real gun."

"I know that, you use it to summon that being, right?"

"Yes."

"Well, I think I can do the same thing. Trust me."

"Here then." Akihiko hands Minako the gun.

Minako puts the gun to her side of her head. As she was about to pull the trigger, when a word pops-up in her head. "Persona." Minako then pulls the trigger. Some kind of light and energy started swirling around Minako and she start hearing the voice again. "Thou hast now summon thy power… I shall grant thee some of my power… Thy journey hast begun." The light and energy swirling around Minako forms into a translucence white haori on top of current clothing. The haori was mostly white with some red ribbon around the end sleeves. "Okay, not what I was expecting." "Umm… Akihiko, is normal?"

"No, normal it is similar how I summon mine."

Minako becomes a little embarrassed. "Great, I have weird power." Another word pops-up in her head. "Bufu? Is it some type of attack?" Minako move the gun from her right hand to her left. Minako turns her head to look behind her and move right arm behind her pointing at the Shadow. "Bufu." Nothing happen. "Akihiko, do you know what Bufu is?"

"It is ice element attack."

"So, weird useless power."

They continue to run. Akihiko pull out a handheld transceiver and turns it on.

'Command room.' It was Mitsuru voice. 'Is that you, Akihiko?'

Akihiko hold down a button and starts speaking. "You're not gonna believe this...! This thing is huge! Unfortunately, I don't have time to talk... It's chasing us... I wanted to let you guys know. We're almost there." Akihiko release the button.

"Almost back to the dorm." The ball slips out of Minako arm. "No! The ball... You will be missed." The Shadow hits the ball and the ball exploded. Minako stop and look behind her. There was frost on the ground and one arm was partially frozen. "Maybe my power is not useless, just don't understand it." Minako look forward and runs towards Akihiko to catch up with him. They both finally reach the dorm and quickly enter.

It was the Dark Hour. Makoto was asleep in his room. Mitsuru and Yukari are in the control room watching Makoto.

Ikutsuki walks into the control room. "How is he?"

Both Mitsuru and Yukari turn their heads to Ikutsuki and Mitsuru speaks. "The same as last night."

Ikutsuki goes over to the cushion seat and sits down. "Hmm... Very interesting. Even those who have the potential tend to be unstable at first... Memory loss... disorientation... But, this subject is rather unique. He hasn't exhibited any of the common symptoms."

Yukari looks at Mitsuru. "But... we're treating him like a guinea pig."

"I understand your concern, but it's imperative that we recruit new members. I heard he's your classmate... Wouldn't you be more comfortable working with someone from the same grade?"

"Yeah, I guess. But, still..."

There was a beep that come from the panel. Mitsuru turns back to the panel and press a button. "Command room. …Is that you, Akihiko?"

'You're not gonna believe this...!' It was Akihiko on the transceiver. 'It's chasing us... I wanted to let you guys know. We're almost there.'

"Does that mean... he's bringing that thing here!?" Yukari eyes were wide in panic.

"Mr. Chairman!" Mitsuru get up from her chair. "Let's suspend our observation for now. We'll prepare for battle!"

"...R-Right! Be careful!"

Minako and Akihiko close both front doors and lean against them. Mitsuru, Yukari, and Ikutsuki come running to the front door.

"Akihiko! Minako!?" Mitsuru looks at Minako. "Why are you not in your room?"

"Oh… Well I couldn't sleep, and notice Akihiko was about to go walk and I joined him." Minako notices tiny light hovering around Mitsuru and Yukari, but no light at all from Ikutsuki. Mitsuru's light was light blue and Yukari's light was pink.

Mitsuru looks at Akihiko. "And you allow her!"

"She won't take no for an answer." Akihiko excited again. "Well, get ready to be surprised… It'll be here any second."

"This is no time to joke around!"

Ikutsuki looks at Akihiko. "It's one of them, Akihiko?"

"Yes, but not an ordinary one..." Before Akihiko could finish the ground suddenly shakes.

"Ahh!" Yukari is panic a little. "What the...!? ...You've gotta be kidding me!"

Mitsuru pulls out a gun. "Mr. Chairman and Minako, please head for the command room!"

"No, let me help!" "Plus, I did not want to be that man."

"Fine." Mitsuru turns to Yukari. "Takeba, go upstairs and wake Makoto up! Then, escape out the back."

"But, what about you three?"

"We'll stop it here."

Akihiko looks at Yukari. "What are you waiting for, Yukari? Go!"

"I-I'm going!" Yukari then runs to the stairs. Also Ikutsuki goes back to the control room.

"Oh… Akihiko, here." Minako hands Akihiko back his gun.

Mitsuru turns to Minako. "Can you summon a Persona?"

"Yes and no."

"What do you mean by that?"

"It's a little complicated…" Minako seems embarrassed again. "Maybe let's just talk about it later."

"Okay. Are you both ready?"

Both Akihiko and Minako nodded and open the doors. They exit the dorm and upon exiting Minako notice a sword laying down on the ground. Minako pick up the sword. "This looks like the sword the shadow. He won't mind if I keep it."

"There are shadows over here." Mitsuru found some shadows.

"Shadows… As in multiple Shadows." Minako and Akihiko go over to Mitsuru. They saw three small shadow. They look like puddles with arms and blue mask. "Oh… Three small one."

"Mitsuru, none of these Shadows are the one that was chasing us."

Shadows started coming towards them. "Can you cover me, I need to inform Yukari."

"Yes, come on Minako." Akihiko went up to the one of Shadows and started attacking it, by punching it.

Minako to run toward another Shadow. "Okay, just have to hit it." Minako was a little nervous. Minako got to the Shadow and started slashing at it. First slash hit the Shadow, the Shadow dodge the second slash, and the third slash hit and the Shadow dissolve away. "Did I beat it?" Akihiko also defeated one shadow.

Mitsuru was on a radio transceiver. "Takeba, do you read me!?"

'Y-Yes! I hear you!'

"Be careful! There's more than one enemy! The one we're fighting isn't the one they saw!"

'What!?'

Mitsuru ran to join Akihiko and Minako. "Only one left..." Mitsuru see two more shadows approaching. "Two more Shadows are approaching!"

They started attacking the Shadows and defeated them. After defeating them they hear something break. Akihiko turns to Mitsuru. "Sounds like the Shadow breaking into the dorm!"

They head back into the dorm. "Let head back to the control room!" Mitsuru and Akihiko head for the stairs.

"Control room?" Minako follows them.

Makoto was awoken by the shake and noise. "What is the world is going on down there?" Makoto gets out of his bed and then hear knocking on his door.

"Wake up! Sorry, I'm coming in!" Yukari unlocks the door and enter Makoto room. "I don't have time to explain. We have to get out of here, now!"

"Okay" The ground shakes again.

"Hurry! Downstairs! We'll leave through the back door!" They were about start heading for the stair. "Wait! ...Take this, just in case." Yukari hands Makoto a short sword.

"What am I getting myself into?"

"Okay, let's go!" Makoto and Yukari run to the stairs and head down them. After get to the first floor they head to the back door. "Alright, we should be safe now..."

'Takeba, do you read me!?' It was Mitsuru on the transceiver.

"Y-Yes! I hear you!"

'Be careful! There's more than one enemy! The one we're fighting isn't the one they saw!'

"Enemy?"

"What!?" There is several loud knocks on the back door. Yukari gasps. "L-Let's pull back!" Yukari and Makoto went back to the stairs. "What are we going to do...? They're downstairs! Do we have any choice but to go further up?" They move to the second floor. "W-Whoa, whoa! What are we going to do!?"

"Keep moving up!" "Probably a bad, but got nothing better."

They keep going up till they get to the fourth floor. The ground shakes again and sound of something breaking. "What was that!?" The ground continues to shake. "It's getting closer! K-Keep moving! Hurry!" They move up to the fifth floor, where the door to the rooftop is. "O-Oh yeah! If we go out through here...!" They both go through the rooftop door and Yukari close and locks the door behind her. Yukari lets out sigh of relief. "I think we're okay for now..."

"Safe, but no escape route."

The ground shakes again and Yukari become frightened. Makoto and Yukari turn around and saw the Shadow climb into the roof. The Shadow look around and saw them. The Shadow started moving towards them. "Those monsters… We call them Shadows!" Yukari pulls out her gun and puts it to her forehead, her hands were shaking. There was energy columns spring up from the ground. Yukari take a deep breathe and was about to pull the trigger, but an energy column hit her, knocking her back and the gun falls in front of Makoto feet.

A vision of the young boy from the first night appears. "Go on..."

Ikutsuki in the control room. Akihiko, Mitsuru, and Minako enter the control room. Mitsuru and Akihiko went and sat down in front of the monitors. They were changing the camera feed to find Makoto, Yukari, or the Shadow.

"Hmm… So there was a camera in my room." They spot Makoto and Yukari on the monitors. "Oh, there!" Akihiko and Mitsuru got up quick, and Minako, Akihiko, and Mitsuru begin to leave.

Ikutsuki spoke up. "Wait."

Mitsuru and Akihiko stop, but Minako exit the control. "No way am I not going wait, when my brother needs brother."

Makoto picks up the gun, recalls what Yukari did with it, and lifts it to his side of his head. He was hesitating at first, but then calms down and pulls the trigger. "Per-so-na." Beads of energy start to stream around Main, and an odd looking being appears above him. The being was human-shaped that was mostly white with a platinum torso and his face was dark, white hair. He had a speaker in the middle of his torso. He also had a red scarf and big lyre.

The being starts to speak. "Thou art I, and I am thou. From the sea of thy soul I cometh. I am Orpheus, master of strings…"

Mitsuru, Akihiko, and Ikutsuki look on from the monitors. Mitsuru speaks. "As we suspected…"

Suddenly, Makoto head starts to hurt and Orpheus begins to convulse. Eventually Orpheus is ripped apart from the inside as a larger Persona bursts from within him. This Persona is human-shaped, wearing mostly dark clothing, and coffins that are all connected by a chain and the chain going behind him. The coffins also seem to float. Also wields a long sword.

Minako, from the other side of the rooftop door, tries to open the door, but it is lock. "Why is this door lock? I hope brother is okay." Minako starts tries to bust open the door, by kicking it.

The huge Persona lunges at the Shadow, and cuts its mask in half with a swipe of its blade. As the Shadow begins to split apart, the Persona grabs a tendril of it and squeezes it into nothingness. It then floats into the air and roars. It then reverts back to Orpheus.

Mitsuru, Akihiko, and Ikutsuki are still in the control room. They were are surprised. "What on earth is that!?" Said by Akihiko.

Minako use her short sword aiming for the lock on the door, with all her force hits it and breaks the lock. Minako open the door and see Makoto and his Persona, Orpheus. She also notices that Makoto now has tiny white light hovering around him, but is still a tiny red light inside him. "So, now one of his lights is hovering around him."

Orpheus disappears. "What was that."

Yukari gets up. "Is it over?"

"Seems like it. ...So, tried." Makoto then collapses.

Yukari gasps and runs over to him. "Are you okay!?"

Minako starts runs over. "Please be okay?" Minako seems worry.

Yukari starts shaking Makoto. "Come on...! Say something!"

Mitsuru and Akihiko finally arrive on the roof and rush over to them. "Are you alright!?"

"Can you hear me!? Please...! Answer me!"

Minako decide to see if he has a pulse and he does. She also make sure that still breathing and he is. Minako worry disappears. "He is still breathing and also has a pulse. Probably just exhausted." "I would be, if I could."

Mitsuru looks at Minako. "Are you sure?"

"I am pretty sure, but to be on the safe side, we take him to a hospital."

Mitsuru turns to Akihiko. "Akihiko, can you take Makoto to the hospital?"

"Yes." Akihiko goes over Makoto and pick him up.

Minako get up. "I will come with you."

Mitsuru looks at Minako. "Shouldn't you get some sleep."

"I can't. Plus I want to make sure that my brother is okay." Minako and Akihiko leave the rooftop and went down to the third floor. Minako notice she still had the sword. "Oh… I need to go to my room. I will catch up."

"Okay." Akihiko continue going down the stairs.

Minako runs to her room, opens the door, puts the sword near her desk, and grabs her school bag and diary. After that she leaves her room and catch up with Akihiko, who was near the front doors. Akihiko and Minako start walking to the hospital and the Dark Hours ends.

Author Notes: A month later again… But this time 28 days this time… Kind of an improvement.

I was going to originally going to have April 10th in this chapter, but I think April 10th is going to be pretty long. Also April 9th Diary entity will be in the near the beginning of the next chapter.

Thanks for the follows, favorites, and reviews.

I am enjoying writing this story. I hope you enjoy this chapter and keep enjoying the story.