Da Capo

Yu, Naoto, Kanji, and Rise had been pulled into another world. Again. They were pulled into the portal, and now they were careening through the void between worlds, feeling completely weightless as they hovered in nothingness. Then came the ground.

The four cursed and swore as they hit the ground, laying on the floor together. Naoto was the first to get up, pushing herself off the ground with her hands as she looked around.

"Is everyone okay?"

"Better than," Yu commented, and it took Naoto a moment to realize his voice was coming from below her. She glanced down, cheeks turning red as she realized Yu was lying beneath her, his face in line with her chest. She had landed on top of him, with his legs trapped between her own.

Naoto gasped, quickly standing up as she glared at her boyfriend. He simply lifted up his hands and laughed. "Hey, you fell on me. Can't blame me for this one." The detective rolled her eyes, before she helped her boyfriend onto his feet.

Meanwhile, Rise groaned in pain as Kanji sat on her back, crushing the poor idol. The blond gasped, quickly standing up.

"S-shit! Rise, I'm sorry!"

"It's fine. Just… my spine," the woman groaned, slowly getting up. Kanji helped up onto her feet as the four looked around. It was dim, but the group's eyes slowly adjusted to the dark to take in their surroundings.

The four were on a stage, when suddenly the whole area began to light up. Bright lights from above, and even the ground itself, illuminated the large room. The stage was massive, stretching out as curtains with bright, pink hearts hung on either side. A trio of bright pink heart lit up above the group, with Rise's name in the center, shining brightly.

"Well, that's just gaudy," Yu commented.

A voice laughed, the same one the group heard before they were taken. "Welcome Rise Kujikawa to our Midnight Stage."

"Midnight Stage?" Kanji repeated.

"That's right. An ideal world where no hurts, or gets hurt. I only intended to bring Rise-san here, but oh well. The stage will suit all of you."

"So, you've been the one kidnapping people, huh? Who are you? Why are you doing this?!" Rise growled, stomping her foot.

"Never mind that, Rise… I simply wish to connect with all of you. To form an everlasting bond, and I am not the only one."

It started as a low series of thuds, then growls. The four turned their heads, looking around them as Shadows rose up from the ground, surrounding the stage they were on. Their eyes widened as they saw the familiar monsters once again, coming in many familiar shapes and sizes as they stared at the group with piercing, bloodsoaked eyes.

"Shadows… Damn, there's like a hundred of them," Kanji muttered.

"What's with the gold ribbon on all of them?" Yu asked, pointing at the crowd.

Kanji quickly realized what his friend was talking about. Every last Shadow had a golden ribbon wrapped around their hands, legs, and even necks, connecting them together. When one creature lifted up their hands, another followed, like some kind of deranged puppet show. The monsters let out a groan, their bodies convulsing and twisting as if their bodies were no longer theirs to command.

Naoto's eyes sharpened as she watched the ribbon twitch, moving almost like a snake before the Shadows let out another groan, though this one turned into more of a scream as they shouted at the group.

"Listen to them cheer, they want to see you sing and dance, Rise-san," the voice cooed.

"You're insane!" Rise shouted, glaring up at the roof of the room. "You kidnap us, and now you want us to dance for you? No way! We want answers! Did you kidnap my friends?!"

The room suddenly became quiet, and the Shadows froze as the ribbon linking them went taut. That was when Kanji realized song that had been playing in the back of his head since getting here. It was easy to miss when someone was talking, or when the Shadows were making noise, but with the room so quiet, the sound was clear.

"You guys hear that music?" he asked, looking around.

As if in response the music began to grow louder and soon it was almost painful to listen to, blasting into the four's ears. The music itself was… distorted. It sounded artificial, like someone had taken an existing song and hammered away at it, making the pitch and tone contort and bend unnaturally. There was a haunting and eerie quality to it, with voices hidden just behind the distorted effect. It made each of the four teen's skin crawl as it spilled over them like a flood.

The Shadows heard it as well, and they began to move again, or rather, the ribbon linking the Shadows began to move. It made the Shadows sway and dance to the song, in a clearly forced manner. The ribbon was both the puppeteer's string and the puppeteer itself as it forced the Shadows to convulse and spasm.

"What an annoying… annoying… whoa," Yu groaned, holding his head.

"I suddenly feel… weak." Naoto shook her head back and forth, legs shaking as she tried to compose herself.

"Jesus, I feel like I just ran a mile… or two. M-maybe three," Kanji was shaking, almost falling to the ground. Rise stood behind him, just as affected as she stumbled in place and fell to the floor. Thankfully her boyfriend caught her as the song continued to stab at their ears.

"What's happening? I feel so weak." Rise struggled to speak as her boyfriend held her up.

"Isn't it wonderful? This song is my gift to you. Can't you feel everyone's desire to bond with you? To be one with you?"

"Yu! We need to put an end to that song," Naoto declared, unbuttoning her top. The others stared at her, eyes wide and faces scarlet as Naoto reached under her shirt and pulled out a small revolver.

"Wait, wait, wait! You brought a gun?! To dance rehearsal?!" Rise asked, clearly shocked.

"What the hell, Naoto?" Kanji shouted.

"Why would you bring a gun?! Have you been hiding that this whole time?!"

"Naoto, honey, we've talked about this," Yu groaned, before his lips curved into an amused smile. "Do you really need to bring a gun everywhere we go?" Despite the fatigue his body was experiencing, he still found the strength to chuckle.

"Considering our typical luck, and our current situation? Yes, I do."

Yu shook his head with an amused smile, before looking at Rise and Kanji. "Last time we were making out, I almost grabbed her gun and-"

"They don't need to hear that!" Naoto shouted, glaring at her boyfriend with scarlet cheeks.

He chuckled again, before holding out his hand. A blue card formed before his fingers as he smirked. Naoto lifted up her gun and took aim, firing into the crowd as Yu crushed the card.

"Persona!"

Izanagi-No-Okami formed above him, and flew towards the crowd of Shadows. The mighty Persona was dressed in his white coat and mask, the same one he wore when he defeated Izanami with Yu. He wielded his two sided blade, swinging it into the army of Shadows, only to freeze in place.

"Huh?" Yu and Naoto blinked, watching the Persona struggle to move. Suddenly he began to dissipate, as if time had been forced to rewind, and Yu had never summoned him in the first place. "What the hell?!"

Naoto stared into the crowd with wide, shocked eyes. Her bullet never hit it's target. It had vanished like smoke in the wind, and now the group was defenseless as the music grew louder and louder.

"I told you. This is a world where no one hurts, or gets hurt," the voice laughed.

"Ahh! I… beg to differ," Yu groaned, holding his head.


Rise leaned against her boyfriend. He held her tight, holding her as she struggled to breathe.

Kanji stared into his girlfriend's closed eyes as memories flashed through his mind. Old wounds reopened, mental scars blistered apart as suddenly he was back in Inaba, roughly one year ago...

"Rise!" He tried to save her. He tried as hard as he could, but...

"Kanji, I-" Rise was taken from him. He saw into her eyes, and he saw how terrified she was as the Shadows dragged her into the ground.

"No… No!" He lost her. He loved Rise, and he lost her. For all of his strength and bravado, he failed to save her.

Kanji looked at Yu and Naoto. They'd save her. They had to, he knew they could. They were the ones to save Rise before….

"Come on, guys, there has to be a way out of this!" Naoto and Yu looked at one another, before Rise's legs suddenly gave way. She crumbled in Kanji's arms, almost falling to the ground as he caught her. "Rise!"

The memories flashed again, and Kanji felt his blood turn cold. He saw the black, knife-like fingers of the Shadows clawing at Rise's skin, dragging her down into the abyss. Everyone was screaming. Kanji could barely hear them. He was smashing his shield against the stone, trying to find Rise.

Then those same hands grabbed at his body, but he couldn't waste his time thinking about it. He had to save Rise, but… he couldn't. He wasn't strong enough.

The blond man felt tears pooling in his eyes, blurring his vision. He wiped them away, scowling as he tried to bring himself back to reality. Suddenly something else caught his ear, and he turned his head as a musical beat began to play against the distorted song.

"Huh?"

Rise's phone had fallen out of her pocket when she fell. It slid on the ground and began to play a random song from the idol's playlist, and the song clashed with the draining symphony.

As the songs fought with one another, each of the four felt a moment of clarity. The pain was gone, and their strength was slowly returning to them as the beat continued to play.

"The Shadows…" Naoto pointed at their 'audience,' and the others followed her gaze. The Shadows' bodies were shaking, bending and twisting as if they were being pulled in two different directions. As if two different forces were trying to possess them. "What's happening to them?" Her eyes widened as she looked at Rise's phone. "Could it be…?"

Kanji could tell her mind was moving a mile a minute, before Naoto dashed to Rise and Kanji. He began to help the idol up as she spoke, "The Shadows are being affected by the music. Look!" She gestured to the Shadows again.

"The yellow ribbon. Doesn't it look like it's chaining the Shadows? What if the music was forcing them into their dance?" She looked at Yu now, a grin forming on her face as she pieced together a theory. "I believe that song can only take away our energy in conjunction with the Shadows' dance. If we interrupt their song, we interrupt their dance, and that is our key to escaping."

Yu shared his girlfriend's smile. "That's a hell of a theory, Naoto, but it's as good as we got. Alright, how do we do that?"

"The music playing is a good first step, but it's clearly not enough…" Naoto snapped her fingers and pulled away from Rise and Kanji. The three watched as she picked up the fallen phone. "If we force them into a different song and dance, one of our choosing, perhaps that-"

She stopped. Like someone had just hit pause on her mind. Naoto froze as Yu and the others stared in confusion.

"Naoto? You okay?" Yu stepped forward, only to be stopped by Rise clinging to his arm.

"Senpai, wait! Look at her leg!" The three glanced down, finding a long, yellow ribbon wrapped around Naoto's leg, slithering up her body like a constrictor.

"What a chatty child," the Eerie Voice hissed.

"Naoto! No!" Yu fought against Rise and Kanji, trying to reach his girlfriend as he saw the bright, navy eyes of the detective begin to dim.

"Stop… stop their…" Naoto was pulled to the ground, falling as more ribbons wrapped around her arms and legs. One even curled around her neck, squeezing tightly as she gasped for air. "Their dance."

"Naoto!"


Naoto opened her eyes to an utter void. Darkness surrounded her as she gasped for air, clawing at her neck. There were no ribbons though. Nothing but her own skin and clothing.

"What…?" Wherever she was, it was cold. Her body felt a chill run down it as she saw her own breath.

"Naoto Shirogane, is this who you want to be? Some pampered up bimbo hanging off a man's arm?"

Her eyes widened as anger burned her cheeks. "Excuse me?!"

"This isn't who you want to be, is it? Some whore who needs a man?" That same voice mocked Naoto as a mirror formed before the woman, showing her reflection. Except it wasn't the present day her who looked back at her.

It was who she was before she met Yu. Hiding her gender, stoic stare on her face.

"You allowed him to change you. Make you something you aren't. Bond with us, and we will make you right again. Accept you for your true self."

Naoto began to change. Her eyes widened as her long hair began to evaporate, as if someone had lit a match at the end of each blue thread until her hair was back to its old length.

Yellow ribbons wrapped around her legs, trapping them together as they continued to coil around her. It was like she was being trapped in a cocoon and every inch the ribbons covered was like more poison entering her mind.

"Don't you want to be bonded to us?"

"Y-yes…"

A place to be loved. To be respected. Wasn't that what she always wanted? To be needed… Naoto's eyes lost their color, fading into a dull, blue-grey tone as she stopped struggling.

The ribbons wrapped tightly around her, pressing her breasts against her chest like a sarashi. Her new, femininity was wrong. She shouldn't be proud to be a woman. She wouldn't have been proud to be anything. Only one of many.

The ribbons were so warm to the detective… She went limp as they wrapped around her head, blinding her and dragging her to hundred other cocoons just like hers. She was one of them now, just like them, indistinguishable from those she bonded with. Any unique traits, such as her body, hair, and eyes was hidden, erased from her mind.

She was one of many bound forever by the same ribbon.

This was what she wanted. What she needed. Yu made her into his plaything. Into what he wanted. He didn't love h-

No! In an instant, the color returned to Naoto's eyes and she began to claw at the ribbons binding her body. She forced the invading thoughts out of her mind as she struggled to escape, thrashing her body within the chrysalis.

She felt a warmth touch her hand, and the sleuth felt her strength return to her. She tore at the ribbons as her hair grew back, ripping the ribbons apart until they stopped squeezing down on her chest and she could breathe again.

Naoto burst free from her prison, gasping for air as realized her hand was glowing, or rather, her ring. The ring that Yu gave her, the one that held the Orb of Truth on it, shined bright. As Naoto stared at the ring, she also saw her watch, and the sight of these possessions calmed her racing heart.

She loved Yu. One day, she would marry him. They changed each other, yes, but that was because they helped each other grow. He helped her accept who she was, to believe in herself. Naoto helped him like how he helped her, and they were stronger because of it.

More ribbons came to coil around her body, but she pulled herself free.

"You won't control me!" Naoto continued to pull away and break free from the ribbons as she screamed out to the abyss. The ribbons could only slow her down as she fought against them, swarming over her like the tendrils of some undersea beast.

As she fought against them, a song tickled her ears. She turned her head, seeing a light shining in the darkness. She didn't know what it was, but… she trusted it. She knew who it was from, feeling his presence in the light.

"Yu…"


Yu, Rise, and Kanji watched as the ribbons pulled Naoto away from them and into the air, holding her body up like a marionette. The silverette was shaking with rage as he dug his fingers into the palms of his hands, before he let out a low sigh.

Stay calm, he told himself. You always make stupid mistakes when you get angry. Stay calm, and think. What would Naoto do?

"She said we need to change their song and dance. How do we do that?" He looked at his friends, before looking at the phone Naoto had dropped. "A different song playing helps, but-"

"What if you danced?" Rise spoke without thinking, and her eyes widened as Kanji and Yu stared at incredulously. "I know how it sounds, but think about it! Dance is all about expressing yourself! Music gets the Shadows to stop dancing, what if you dancing will make them dance along!?"

Kanji clearly didn't believe in her idea, shaking his head in disbelief. "Come on, Rise, that's-"

But Yu held up a hand, stopping his blond friend. "Let's give it a shot."

"What?!"

"Wait, really?" Yu nodded his head as Rise blinked, astounded he was actually taking the idea seriously.

"We can't fight these Shadows, and the song isn't going to keep them confused for long. Rise, can your phone play that song any louder?" The idol picked up her phone as ribbons slithered onto the stage, their bodies writhing and twitching as they surrounded the three.

"This is as loud as it gets… Wait, I got it! Persona!" The card floated before Rise and she clapped her hands, crushing it between them. Her Persona, Kanzeon, formed behind her, and the young woman gave her phone to her other self. "I hope this works…"

Her Persona slid her finger over the phone, as if picking a track, before tapping her finger against the screen. She then pressed her hands together, keeping the phone tightly snug between her palms as a new song began to drown out the distorted melody.

"It's working!" Kanji gasped, staring the ribbons as they retreated, as if the Shadows themselves pulled them back.

"Only halfway. Come on, Kanji. You and me need to dance," Yu declared.

"W-wait, what? No way, uh uh, I can't dance, Yu-senpai, you've seen me!"

"Naoto is in trouble. Rise is in trouble. I need your help to try and get them, and us, out of here. Now, you with me?" Yu grabbed his friend's shoulder, squeezing it.

"I... Yeah, I'm with ya."

"Good. Let's-" Yu blinked. He knew he heard this song from somewhere before... He turned his head to Kanzeon, an amused frown on his face. "Really, Rise? A boy band song?"

"Hey, I didn't pick it, Kanzeon did!" Though judging by the smile on her face, Rise certainly didn't mind the pick.

"Heh. Come on, Kanji! We're dancing!" Yu grabbed his friend's arm and ran forward to the center of the stage. Kanji followed, mentally groaning as the song played louder, and a young man's voice began to sing.

The song was a pop song sung by a group of young, almost teenage boys, and it carried an uplifting, happy-go lucky beat as it filled the stage.

"You're insecure. Don't know what for. You're turning heads when you walk through the do-o-or!"

Yu bobbed his head to the beat, swaying his shoulders side to side. Kanji did his best to imitate his friend, trying to move his body in rhythm to the song.

"S-Senpai, are we sure about this?"

"You got a better idea?" Yu shot back. He saw Naoto's strung up body out of the corner of his eyes and he tried not to let his anger and fear stifle his moves. He refused to let Kanji see the terror in his eyes, so Yu smirked at his friend, trying to inspire his friend. "Don't worry about how you look. Try to let the rhythm control you. Let go. Relax."

"Pretend like our lives don't hang in the balance?"

Yu's smirk didn't falter for a moment. "Now you get it."

The song continued to play and Yu stepped up his game. He stomped a foot to the ground, before stomping the other. His hands glided through the air as he closed his eyes and let go. He remembered Halloween night, and Naoto's smile as they danced the night away.

The song's fast paced and uplifting tone made Yu grin as he jived his body side to side,

"Everyone else in the room can see it, everyone else, but you!"

Yu lifted up his hands. Framing his face as he smiled, stepping forward as his body bounced to the beat. Kanji watched his friend with wide, shocked eyes, before he realized the Shadows seemed to imitating Yu, moving their bodies in time with his.

"Baby you light up my world like nobody else! The way that you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed, but when you smile at the ground it ain't hard to tell… You don't know, oh oh… You don't know you're beautiful!"

Yu saw Naoto's blushing face, her beautiful smile, and her dancing body. She danced with him just like she did that night, and he found himself actually having fun as his heart knew he'd save her. Izanami couldn't keep the two apart. Death couldn't keep them apart. Some voice and a few ribbons certainly weren't.

The silverette was an extension of the music, or perhaps, it was an extension to him. His movements were fast, like jabs of lightning as his feet moved like a storm, bouncing off the ground with amazing speed and grace.

"If only you saw what I can see you'll understand why I want you so desperately! Right now I'm looking at you and I can't believe. You don't know, oh oh… You don't know you're beautiful, oh oh! That's what makes you beautiful!"

But for Kanji, dancing beside Yu was sort of like watching a weightlifter lift thousands of tons up with a single hand, while you struggled with a ten pound weight.

While Yu was wowing the crowd, he was standing around like an idiot. Kanji shook his head and tried to join his Senpai, stomping his feet and moving his arms through the air like Yu was. Unfortunately, his moves weren't nearly as graceful as the silverette's, and the Shadows seemed to notice this.

They turned their black, hollows eyes to Kanji, growling and stomping their feet in displeasure. The Shadows could feel Kanji's fear, taste his own self-doubt. They were like a swarm of piranhas after tasting a drop of blood. Riled up, aggressive, and wanting nothing more than his end. They were kept back only by the yellows ribbons and the stage as they groaned in displeasure.

Yellow ribbons shot out of the audience to lunge at Kanji. The blond's eyes widened, only for him to be pulled out of the way. Yu held Kanji in his arms, their hands linked as Yu continued to dance, controlling Kanji's moves like a puppet.

"Just follow my moves. You got this. Focus," Yu advised, helping his friend move more in time with the beat.

"So come on, you got it wrong. To prove I'm right, I put it in a so-o-ong. I don't know why, you're being shy, and turn away when I look into your eye eye eyes!"

Kanji blushed as Yu held his hands, feeling humiliated as his friend led him through the dance. Rise seemed to enjoy it though, laughing as she cheered the two on.

"Way to go, you two! It's working! The Shadows are dancing with you!"

It was true. The Shadows were now dancing to their beat almost entirely. Few if any were remained frozen as the distorted song couldn't be heard over the other song, or the stomping feet of those dancing.

"I'm going to dip you," Yu warned, a mischievous smile on his face.

"Huh? Whoa!" Kanji was spun around and dipped, leg pointed at the sky as Yu wrapped his arms around him, holding Kanji over the ground. The blond clung to his friend, holding onto him as Yu lifted his friend back onto his feet.

"Na na na na, na na naaa na na!"

The song began to slow down and Yu clapped his hands, freeing Kanji as the blond quickly did the same. The Shadows, and Rise copied in time as the singer slowly sang the next verse.

"Baby you light up my world like nobody else. The way that you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed, but when you smile at the ground it ain't hard to tell… You don't know, oh oh. You don't know you're beautiful!"

Suddenly two cards appeared above Yu and Kanji, falling between the boys' hands. They shared a look, Yu grinning with pride as Kanji's jaw fell open in shock. Both men clapped their hands, crushing the cards above them as the song came to one last bombastic end.

Izanagi-No-Okami appeared in front of the silverette, his weapon replaced with a large guitar. Rokuten Maou appeared beside him, a drumset appearing in front of the large, red Persona. A pair of club-like drumsticks were in his hands as Kanji blinked.

"Uh… Are they holding instruments?"

"Cool." Yu grinned as the three Personas, Kanzeon, Rokuten Maou, and Izanagi-No-Okami worked in tandem.

The two male Personas played their music, hitting the right notes as they strummed their guitars and hammered their drums. They shared a look, bumped their fists together, before they continued to play. Kanzeon played the song loudly for the grand finish, and the force of the music literally burned the yellow ribbons in a blue fire.

"If only you saw what I can see! You'll understand why I want you so desperately. Right now I'm looking at you and I can't believe, you don't know, oh oh! You don't know you're beautiful, oh oh!"

Yu ran to his girlfriend, watching as the fire burned away at the ribbons. Her skin was left untouched as Naoto's arm broke free, and she began to tear the burning binds off of her body. The flames didn't seem to bother her as she broke free, falling into Yu's arms.

"That's what makes you beautiful!"

"You okay?" the silverette asked his girlfriend, who groaned in pain, rubbing her head.

"What happened…?"

"Oh, you know. The usual stuff. Shadows, monsters, lives on the line. You're the smartest person here so the bad guy tried taking you out, but I rescued with my awesome dance moves." Naoto stared at Yu incredulously, lifting up her brow as he chuckled. "What? No thank you kiss for your hero?"

"Way to go, you guys! That was amazing!" Rise cheered, running over to her friends. Kanji was panting, trying to calm his racing heart as adrenaline finally began to die down. His Persona threw the sticks into the air, flexing his muscles, before he vanished.

"That's what I felt…?" Naoto uttered, catching Yu's attention.

"Huh?"

"When I was captured, I had a bizarre dream. Perhaps nightmare would be more appropriate. Regardless, I felt a warmth calling to me, trying to help me break free. That must have been you…"

"Nothing's gonna keep us apart, Naoto. You know that," he grinned, glancing at his watch. She followed his eyes, and the watch, just like hers, read 'Distance: 1m.'

Izanagi-No-Okami floated by, and Naoto could almost feel the Persona's happiness as it looked upon her. He nodded his head, before strumming one last chord and vanishing before her eyes.

The navy-haired detective smiled, and she gave her boyfriend a peck on his lips, before he let her down. Rise hugged her own boyfriend's arm as the four regroped, assembling in the center of the stage as they watched the fire consume the Shadows, but not burn them.

In fact, it seemed to free them instead.

The Shadows began to ascend, bathed in a glorious blue light as they floated into the air, vanishing into a light.

"Uh… Where are they going?" Kanji asked, aloud.

"Heaven?" Yu shrugged.

The tattered, burned remains of the ashes floated down to the ground, reduced to ash before they even touched the floor. The vanishing Shadows glowed and shimmered as they faded away, reflecting off of the shreds of yellow, creating a spectacular light show.

"Wow," Rise whispered, squeezing Kanji's arm. "It's beautiful…"

"I believe you just saved them," Naoto declared. "I believe they were being held prisoner here, just like us."

"Whoa. Weren't we supposed to save people from Shadows, not save Shadows from evil ribbons?" Kanji wondered. "The hell's wrong with this place…?"

"Those Shadow felt different," Rise commented. "I don't think they were like the ones from our first adventure, but I can't really describe it. I don't think they want to hurt us. They just want to go home."

"Leaving my stage?" The Eerie Voice hissed, her voice low, yet almost booming into their ears. "After all the work I did to create it?"

"There's that voice again," Yu sighed.

"Come out and fight! We'll kick your ass! W-with our… dance moves," Kanji grumbled, blushing as he realized the facts of this world.

"Hmm. Very well. If you don't appreciate my hard work, I won't force you to stay here. Besides, there are plenty more lonely souls desperate for friendship and love… Countless others to forge a bond with..."

"We won't let you hurt anyone else!" Naoto growled.

"You don't get a say in the matter. Unlike you, Tamami and the others appreciate all I do for them."

"Tamami…?" Rise's eyes widened. "You kidnapped the Kanami Kitchen girls, didn't you!? Let my friends go!"

"What do you care? It has nothing to do with you," the voice replied with a laugh.

Rise ground her teeth, before she summoned her Persona. She wouldn't let this entity hurt anyone, especially not her friends! Kanzeon gave the young woman sight beyond the stage they were on, and the copper-haired woman gasped as her senses extended for miles.

"I-I feel them," she whispered, her voice a mix of horror and hope. She also felt the heavy, crushing weight of Shadows. There were so many, packed together into four different areas. That has to be where they were, she realized. "There are a lot of Shadows, but I think I feel them…"

Suddenly a voice cried out. Rise could feel fear in the air, terror as she tried to pinpoint the origin of the scream. That voice. It had to be Tomoe Sayama!

Wait! I-I think I feel Tomoe! She's-"

"Ah, ah, ah. The venue is off-limits to unauthorized personnel. Goodbye, Rise Kujikawa."

Suddenly a portal opened up below the four, and all they could do was scream as they fell down, vanishing into the abyss.

The group hit the ground together, groaning in pain as they laid on their backs. They were back in the dance room, back in their world as the portal vanished above them.

"Everyone okay?" Yu groaned, rolling his neck as the others muttered their reply.

"Unpleasant landing aside, yes," Naoto declared.

"I'm fine… This is so not how you treat an idol," Rise huffed, before Kanji let out a low groan. Rise looked down, before gasping as she realized she had landed on her boyfriend, digging her rear into his back. "Kanji! Are you okay?! I'm so sorry!"

"I'm… I'm okay," he sighed, reaching under his stomach to pull out a crumpled up water bottle he had landed on. He tossed it aside and sighed again. "So, that just happened, right?"

"Which part? The kidnapping, the portal, the Shadows, the Eerie Voice, or the dancing?" Yu joked. Kanji just sighed for a third time as the silverette chuckled.

"Wait! We have to go back! Tomoe and the others needs our help!" Rise gasped. She looked around the room, desperate for a way back to the Midnight Stage, before Naoto spoke up.

"Rise-san, please, calm down," Naoto placed a hand on her friend's shoulder, giving it a squeeze. "First, are you sure you saw them in that world?"

"I'm positive! Four readings, one for each of the kidnapped idols! I only found Tomoe, but I know the others are in there, I just know it."

"That's enough for me." Naoto gave her friend a smile. "A good detective trusts her gut when it's sure of something. I imagine it's the same for idols." She looked at the others, and her friends stood up straight as they all thought the same. "Kidnapped idols, another world, and now the involvement of Shadows and that strange voice… This demands an investigation from only the very best."

"Looks like the Investigation Team has another case on our hands," Yu grinned. "The others will be here in the morning. We should start heading back to the hotel to get some rest before they get here."

"B-but what about the others?" Rise asked. "They're my friends, what if they're hurt?!"

"We don't have a choice, Rise," Naoto reminded. "The only way to that world is through LMB website at midnight, which has passed." She held her phone up, showing Rise the time. It was pass one, meaning they lost their chance. "But next time, we'll be ready, and at full strength."

"Yeah, cept we can't fight that thing," Kanji sighed. "We're supposed to beat that thing by just dancing." He didn't say it aloud, but he finished his sentence in his mind, bitterly thinking, Which pretty much makes me useless.

"We'll manage." Yu placed a hand on his friend's shoulder, squeezing it as the silverette grinned. "When we work together, nothing can stop us. We can take care of this thing."

"Yeah!" Rise beamed, nodding her head. Her good mood fell for a moment, and she glanced at the ground. "What do we tell Kanami, though? I know her, I bet she's really worried about the others…"

"Unfortunately, explaining the details of this case would be… difficult to say the least. Not to mention she might want to help us save them, and without a Persona, she would prove to be a liability," Naoto thought aloud.

"Meaning we'll have to avoid telling her… Alright, no problem. We can do that." Rise put on a smile and Naoto returned the gesture, before continuing.

"That does bring something to mind, though. I will message Mitsuru-san about what we've discovered as soon as possible." Naoto lifted up her head, looking at her three friends. "There's something else, though. Before we split up, I wish to recount what happened to me when those ribbons captured me."

Yu walked closer to his girlfriend, standing by her side with a sympathetic and compassionate smile. His hand found Naoto's and the two held each other as the detective continued to explain. She didn't even seem to notice her hand was naturally drawn to her boyfriend's.

"When I was captured, I felt as though my sense of self was being eroded. It was as if I was only what others made of me. That all that mattered was I be exactly what others wanted me to be, without any care of my own wants and desires." Naoto's fingers dug into Yu's hand, but he didn't pull away. The sleuth sighed as she combed her fingers through her hair. "The most terrifying thing was… was that I felt like I wanted the same."

"It was as if someone was inside my head, telling me what I wanted, and I believed them, even when I knew it wasn't true. Were it not for Kanji and Yu's song, and ring on my finger, I fear what would have happened to me."

Yu and Naoto's eyes both fell on the ring she wore. The yellow sphere glowed faintly, as if to remind the group of its great power. The silver-haired man kissed his girlfriend's head as he grinned.

"I bet you would have broken free even without it."

"I appreciate your confidence," she smiled, before giving everyone a serious look, trying to stress just how severe the situation was. "But we should still be careful. That experience was… well, it scared me, if I am to be honest. Even against my Shadow, I felt like control of my own mind was torn from me. I knew what I was thinking was wrong, but it was almost impossible separating my genuine thoughts from what was forced onto me." Naoto sighed, shaking her head.

"As surreal as it may be, those ribbons might be our biggest threat, at least until we find this mysterious speaker."

"No problem, Naoto!" Rise beamed. "We'll be careful." Kanji nodded in agreement.

"Agreed," Yu added. "Now then, we should probably get back to our beds. We'll need all the rest we can get, tomorrow."

"Agreed. The case has begun, and just like before, we will be victorious." Naoto and Yu smiled at the group, and their combined confidence helped Rise feel the same.

But Kanji wasn't so sure. He stood a few feet from the three, wondering what the point of him being here was if strength meant nothing...


After the Midnight Stage ordeal, Naoto and Yu returned to their hotel room. The young man went to take a shower as his girlfriend contacted Mitsuru. She sat on the bed, speaking to the older woman.

"So you were transported to another world because of this video?"

Naoto nodded her head. "Yes. It was almost like a more aggressive version of the Midnight Channel. Instead of a human being kidnapping us and bringing us there, we were abducted by the mysterious entity and dropped into the world."

"Hmm… Due to how similar the cases are, do you think this has something to do with Izanami? Perhaps this is her doing again."

"I doubt it. Izanami was focused on humanity's desires through the use of three chosen avatars. The entity that kidnapped us seemed to care more about forcing a sense of unity onto us. The voice, the personality, it doesn't click to me as if they were the same."

"Perhaps the creature that kidnapped you was a spawn of hers? Like Ameno-sagiri?"

"Perhaps…"

Naoto could hear the shower turn off, and she saw out of the corner of her eye that the door was opening. Her boyfriend stepped out, wearing nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist, droplets of water clinging to his naked chest. Her cheeks became flushed as he walked towards her.

"Hey." Yu greeted his girlfriend, kissing her cheek. "Everything okay?" he asked, before glancing at the screen. Mitsuru Kirijo stared at him, eyes wide and fair cheeks a faint shade of red. "Oh, hey Mitsuru. Naoto fill you in yet?"

"N-Narukami," Naoto muttered, her voice a mix of annoyed and amused.

"Hm?"

"Your clothes?" Yu glanced down, staring at his body. His sculpted, smooth chest was on full display, like a piece of art. Water glistened on his muscular, sleek frame and his shiny, silver hair. The only thing hiding his more intimate area was a small, white towel, wrapped loosely around his body.

Yu Narukami was, of course, a handsome and gorgeous young man. His dashing features and slender physique had won the attention of many men and women in his life. He was the perfect blend of muscle and sleek, smoothness. A man who could be as handsome and dashing as one could be, while still called beautiful. Even against the stoic, calm nature of Mitsuru Kirijo, he won himself a blush and a sideways glance.

Actually, when he looked at the small screen in the corner of the video, the one that showed him and Naoto, he realized just how bad things looked. From the angle he was at, the camera made it almost look like he was completely naked. He chuckled at the idea, as Naoto and Mitsuru blushed.

"Oh. Sorry, Mitsuru-san. I'll just go change in the bathroom." He kissed his girlfriend's cheek again, before walking away, an amused smile on his face.

When he was gone, Mitsuru looked at Naoto with an amused smile. "I see your fiance hasn't changed much."

"No, he has not," Naoto sighed, a small smile tugging on her lips. She chuckled, shaking her head. "He is still the same as he ever was." She brushed the happy thoughts aside for a moment, and looked at her friend. "Anyways, about the case. Will you be sending us any reinforcements?"

"Unfortunately, most of the Shadows Operatives are preoccupied with other cases," Mitsuru replied. "Or prior engagements. I'm not able to send anyone at the moment."

"Unfortunate, but I understand," Naoto replied with a quiet sigh.

"Besides, with your unique team arrangement, I believe your team might be better suited to deal with this than any of the Shadow Operatives, myself included. This enemy makes traditional combat a null factor. Strength, and weaponry serve no point. Your team's recent training in dance, and Rise's own connection to the idols, might prove invaluable."

Naoto nodded her head. Mitsuru was right, and the detective reminded herself that they were equipped to handle this.. "We'll do our best to keep you up to date."

"Thank you, Detective Shirogane. If there's anything you need, or anything we can do to help, please notify us." Naoto nodded her head, before the two bid their farewells and ended the call.

Yu walked over, smiling at his girlfriend as he pulled his head through the top of a shirt. "Good chat?"

"Good enough. She's given us the go ahead to investigate and attempt a rescue."

"As if we needed permission," he joked. "Wanna get ready for bed?" Naoto nodded her head, standing up and walking over to the bathroom. As Yu got comfortable, his girlfriend changed and walked out of the bathroom wearing a large Feathermen shirt over her body, a birthday gift from her boyfriend.

Yu took one look at his girlfriend, and he saw something was off. "You okay?" he asked, watching her lay in the bed beside him.

"Just thinking about what I saw when I was held captive. I've never felt something reach into my mind like that, changing my own thoughts." Yu nodded his head in understanding, before he wrapped his arms around her. He pulled her into a hug, gently stroking her head as she closed her eyes.

"I love you."

"And I you… It was terrifying. It was as if I was young again, and I saw my body as wrong. When I allowed society's view of me control me." Naoto took a deep breath. "I feel stronger knowing I have all of you with me. My friends. My strength. You and the others are what gave me the strength to break free, to even attempt to resist."

Her boyfriend listened intently, before he held her tight and smiled. "Something I learned from my time in Inaba is that the bonds we have with others is a powerful thing." Yu kissed his girlfriend's head. "But that strength only grows when we remember how strong we are here." He placed a hand on his chest and smiled.

"I will always be here for you. Our friends will always be here for you, but never forget how strong you are, Naoto. Don't belittle yourself by thinking you're only strong because of us."

Naoto was blushing at his words, and she was left smiling and she cuddled against him. "I love you…"

"Love you too, my Navy Sweet." And the two held one another, sharing butterfly kisses as they fell asleep in each other's arms.


Kanji couldn't sleep. He glared at the ceiling, burning a hole in the roof. He just couldn't sleep.

He thought about the last few hours. How worthless he had been. He thought about how Rise had to lie to everyone about him.

'Oh, he's just a friend.'

'Just my tailor.'

'Just a boy.'

Kanji sat up. He threw the sheets over him and he got off of the bed, standing up.

He felt useless. Just like he had been… He still remembered the fear in Rise's eyes as she was dragged into the ground. He failed her. Only reason she was saved was because of Yu. Only reason Kanji was even alive was because of his friend.

Because Kanji wasn't strong enough.

Kanji's fists shot through the air, striking like bullets. He punched the air, scowling as he tried to move faster. He wasn't sure what the point was. Strength didn't matter in this fight. All his muscles, all his power, and he was just going to make a fool of himself again.

The young man worked into the night. Doing push ups, sit ups, and punching the air, until he was sweating. He trained because he wanted to protect Rise, his girlfriend. Because he wanted to do save lives, like Yu. Because he didn't wanted to be useless anymore.

Kanji didn't get much sleep that night.


Rise combed her fingers through her hair. She was tired, hungry for sleep, but she pushed her thoughts aside. She wished Kanji was here. She was lonely, and desperate for someone to talk to, or better yet, cuddle with. The young man was an incredible cuddler, soft and warm, like a big teddy bear.

She wished she could hold him right now. She wished she could convince herself to text him, but it was late. He was probably sound asleep by now…

The young woman sat on her bed, typing away at a laptop. She grabbed at a nearby can, which was still filled halfway with an energy drink she had sponsored once. She downed the drink, emptying it, before dropping it by the bed.

Rise needed the energy. She couldn't sleep regardless, her mind to… wild. She felt like she was filled to the brim with responsibility, with the drive to work, she just wasn't sure how to apply. She had the energy and means, but with everything piling up in her life, she just wasn't sure if she could do it all…

She fought not just one uphill battle, but several. She fought to fix things with Kanji, knowing her life as an idol was taking its toll on their relationship, she fought to reclaim the fame she had before as an idol, and now she felt the weight of her friends' lives on her shoulders.

Rise watched a video on her laptop as she downloaded songs into her phone. She watched a group of professional dancers moved to the beat, controlling it and moving as one as they danced.

"Alright… I can do that."

The others were counting on her. They expected her to shine. If this evil voice made it so only music and dance were their only weapons, that meant she had to carry her own weight.

Rise stood up, off of the bed, and she began to imitate the dancers, dancing with grace, like a ballerina. She lifted up her leg, telling herself to be light as a feather.

As her body moved and exercised, her mind wandered to the past. How many times did the others charge into battle while she stood behind them, watching them throw their lives into the maws of so many monsters and beasts…

She saw them face Shadow after Shadow, watching them nearly die as she shouted out what little information she could gather for them. A word of support. A cheer. Nothing that would change the fate of the fight…

Rise had only really fought beside her friends twice. The first battle, where she and Kanji worked together to defeat a Reaper and help save Yu. The second was against Izanami, where she was the first to fall against the goddess…

She had always hated her role in the group. Teddie was just as good at finding Shadows, if not better. After all, he was the one to find Adachi. Everyone else was a better fighter than her, so what was the point of her being around? A glorified cheerleader?

This was her chance to really shine. To be useful. She had to take it.

As Rise worked to prove her worth, a figure from beyond the veil of reality watched her and her boyfriend with a thousand eyes. It smiled with a hundred faces faces. It smiled with dozens of mouths, because it found her key to victory.

After all, a chain was only as strong as its weakest link, and this chain had two links ready to break.

END

Perspective means a lot. For Yu, Naoto, and most of the team, this adventure is a silly, fun adventure. Yeah, the stakes are dire, but they're a team. They got this. Yu and Naoto will especially be pretty calm about the situation.

It's not that they're taking it too lightly, they know people's lives depend on them. It's just that they're confident that things will be okay. They have each other, they're at their best, things are good.

In Just a Delinquent, things were always at their worst when the team was fractured. Naoto's near death during the Heaven stage, the battle against Adachi, when Yu thought his friends were dead. If the group's bonds are strong, they're going to be okay. That's why Rise and Kanji are in danger.

Mad at themselves, mad at their lives… The two are not in a good place, and that means that the adventure will not be as fun for them. The scars of the past, as well as current stress and problems, will hurt them.

I'm excited to have them be the stars of this adventure.

Anyways, hope you enjoyed the chapter! I love writing these characters. They're fun. This will be the last update for a while. I got another project I'm working on that I'm super excited to do for the Persona fanbase, and it'll be taking up my time for the next while.

Until next time, folks! Stay safe, be good, and know that you are loved. Bye!

I don't own 'That What Makes You Beautiful,' by One Direction, obviously. Why would you even think that? By the way, 'Da Capo,' is Italian. It means, 'from the beginning.' More you know. Oh, and full disclosure? I totally stole the Featherman shirt idea from Zanmat0. Hope they don't hate me….

It's not stealing! It's a homage!