—~—

"This is too easy!"

I rolled my eyes as I dodged to the side and narrowly avoided being impaled by a charging Shadow. "Easy for you maybe! You're just watching!" I said to Yuri, giving her an annoyed look as she flittered around several feet in the air.

I turned around to face the Shadow as it had skidded along the ground. A cloud of dust kicked up in its wave as its hooves dragged along. It turned around, letting out a snort from its snout. It glared at me with its two blood red eyes and gave a shake of its head, sending its white mane aflutter.

"Don't try it again," I warned the Shadow as it began to scrape its hoof against the ground and lowered its head, baring its two massive curved green horns at me. It gave a bellowing neigh and charged at me once more, again attempting to impale me.

I grinned. "Don't say I didn't warn you!" I called out as I gripped the weapon in my hand tightly.

The trick to dealing with a Bicorn was to goad them into charging you—once they started they couldn't stop, and with their head down it was near impossible for them to keep track of where you were outside of sound.

I waited until the last second before stepping to the side and thrusting my sword out.

The Bicorn let out a screech as the plastic blade carved into its muscled body. Its legs buckled and it crumpled to the ground. Its heavy body rolled several feet, carried by the momentum, before it burst into a cloud of red veined shadows.

I let out a quick breath and straightened up. I brought my sword up to eye level and admired it. Its silvery grey-blue blade gleamed under the light of the red sky and the wing-shaped cross guard stood proudly, undamaged, despite the fact that it was a cheap knock off.

I reached down and grasped the sheath at my hip, before I slid my sword into it and gave it a pat. "Now all I need is a Princess to rescue and I'll be a real hero!"

Yuri flittered down and hovered several feet away from me. Unlike all those weeks ago when I had first met her—she now wore something akin to clothes. Clothes which had taken a lot of effort to find! It was bad enough that she was fun-sized and at a size different than most doll companies made clothes for—but she also had a pair of large wings that made it impossible to put a shirt on her!

I had eventually succeeded in locating clothes for her—though at great cost to my pride. Yuri's one and only outfit consisted of a pink polka-dot miniature bikini-top and a matching miniskirt—beneath which she was still naked as the day I met her—something that became a real eye opener when she decided to fly by in front of my face.

Yuri fluttered close to my face and gave me an annoyed look, folding her arms across her bikini-clad chest. "Are you saying I'm not a Princess?!" Yuri asked indignantly. "I'm super princess-like!" She insisted, twirling in the air and causing her skirt to briefly lift up.

Despite my best efforts—an effort which I definitely made, despite what anyone else will tell you—I found myself being briefly flashed by the tiny winged girl. I didn't let it phase me, I'm very gentleman-like, like that. "Very Princess-like." I agreed. "But I don't need to rescue you, so you don't count, alright?"

Yuri considered my words, before beaming and nodding. "Okay!"

"But, you know," I began casually. "A real princess would probably wear underwear," I said, giving her a meaningful look.

Yuri puffed out her cheeks and folded her arms across her chest. "No! I don't want to! It's bad enough I have to wear these icky clothes!"

My eye twitched. I had been forced to go to half a dozen girly shops before I found those! I was never going to live down the shame of having a young girl ask her mother why a weirdo like me was looking at girl's toys! "There's nothing icky about those clothes!" I Insisted.

Yuri huffed and set her hands on her hips as her wings flapped behind her. "These clothes are the worst. I hate you!" She shouted at me and took off, flying up out of reach.

Just in time as well.

The shadows on the dusty floor began to grow, bubbling and rising up, forming half a dozen small disfigured shapes.

I groaned and brought a hand up to my forehead. "Dammit, not you guys again. Haven't I beaten enough of you?" I asked exasperatedly.

The shadows melted away to reveal the true form of these very, very irritating shadows.

They were called Onmoraki—but I chose to call them what they were. Death Turkeys.

The small horde of Onmoraki squawked as their onion shaped heads split and formed mouths. They writhed briefly as their half-cooked featherless turkey bodies began to move and the tiny drumsticks that they called legs began to carry them stumbling toward me.

I wasn't fooled.

I brought my hand up to my heart and reached inside, grasping hold of one of my newest Persona. My hand ignited with blue flame.

"Nekomata!" I called out as I tore my hand from my heart and squeezed down, causing the flame to burst and erupt outward.

The flames gathered and condensed in front of me, forming into a humanoid shape, before they extinguished, revealing the Persona I had summoned.

If you had told me several weeks ago that I would have a Catgirl living inside my heart—who would listen to my every command, I would have lost my mind in excitement and been the happiest guy you'd ever seen. I may have even tried to kiss you—even if you were a guy.

If however, you had done that, then I would have been obliged to try to murder you for the cruel prank you played on me. So perhaps it was for the best.

Nekomata was a Catgirl.

This much was true.

But unfortunately, she was more cat than girl.

Nekomata stretched lethargically, her body arching slightly and pushing her fur covered breasts out into the air. Her clawed hands reached into the sky and her tail curled behind her as she let out a delighted half-purr half moan.

I closed my eyes and reiterated to myself that she was a cat—even if she technically had the shape of a girl and wasn't wearing clothes. It was fine to look but it would be weird to touch, right? Right.

My eyes snapped open and I thrust my hand out, pointing toward the horde of Death Turkeys. "Nekomata! Dinner time!"

Nekomata let out a hiss and her yellow eyes snapped to the horde of Onmoraki. She dropped down onto her hands and feet and tensed up before launching herself at them.

The Onmoraki let out shrill squawks and they flapped their featherless wings and rose up quickly into the air and away from my Persona.

One of them was slower to take off than the others and was torn to shreds by a swipe of Nekomata's claw. It vanished in a burst of red veined shadow.

"Magaru!" I called out to my Persona with a grin.

I felt a sudden drain of energy inside me and watched as Nekomata contorted its spine, rising back up onto its hind legs. It opened its mouth and let out a bellowing roar that caused the air around the Onmoraki to suddenly whip into a violent green-energy laced frenzy.

The Onmoraki exploded into shadow before they had a chance to react.

I beamed. "Good job Nekomata!" I praised my Persona.

Nekomata perked up and turned toward me, quickly crossing the distance between us and immediately beginning to rub up against me.

"A-aha…aha.." I gave a nervous laugh, flushing as I felt her curved—if fur covered body grind against mine. I reached out and pet Nekomata on the head, briefly running my fingers through her long brown hair.

"Glaarreeeeee."

I rolled my eyes. "Yuri I've told you before that you're not supposed to say 'glare' when you're glaring at me."

"But then how will you know I'm doing it when you're not looking?"

I sighed and decided not to dignify Yuri's question with a response—mainly because I didn't have one. I dismissed Nekomata and watched as she vanished in a swell of blue flames. I felt her take up residence in my heart once more moments later.

I felt myself beginning to tire. Even if I hadn't been physically hit by any of my enemies, there was still a spiritual toll that was beginning to rack up from having to call on my Persona so often.

It was time to end this!

I took a deep breath before I spun around and thrust my finger out dramatically. "Emperor Asshole! Come down here and fight me yourself already! Or are you more chicken than those Onmoraki?!"

There was a collective intake of breath from the legion of spectator shades that filled the classical colosseum that Yuri and I had been fighting in. The shades turned as one toward the ruler of the demesne.

The 'Emperor' sat upon a white and gold throne, high above the rabble in his own private podium. It was lavishly decorated with blood red banners and all manner of opulence— which had included several immaculately undressed servants who took turns feeding him grapes at the beginning.

Had being the key word.

Currently he was sitting empty in his podium with an ugly look of contempt on his face. "You are not worthy to face me in combat!" The Emperor snarled out, his voice booming and preternaturally loud in the colosseum. He slammed his fist against the marble arm rest before casting his hand forth. "Send in the benchwarmers!" He commanded.

Nothing happened.

I lifted my hands up and cupped them around my mouth before shouting up to him. "I already kicked their asses three waves ago you walking cliché! You're out of disposable minions!"

"I will end you!" The Emperor shouted at me and stood up abruptly, shaking his fist as spittle flew from his lips. "You will rue the day—"

I pulled down my eyelid, stuck my tongue out at him and blew a raspberry.

"I'll fucking kill you!" The Emperor shouted at my incoherently, his face as red as the banners he had surrounded himself with.

His face contorted and his form began to bulge as if he were about to explode.

With a deafening roar he leapt from his podium up on high.

His form exploded into a cloud of shadows that condensed and expanded into a massive humanoid figure.

He slammed into the colosseum floor. The ground trembled violently from the impact and a thick plum of dust bellowed out from where he had landed.

He began to rise to his full height—which was twice as tall as I was—and as he did, the pulsating shadows that covered him melted away. His body gleamed in the light of the black sun, as if someone had taken a metric ton of gold and hammered it into the form of a thickly muscled man. His skull extended up far beyond the norm in a flared crown-like shape, on the front of which were two pointed gold horns.

Two shimmering rubies sat where his eyes should have been. They gleamed with malicious intent and a hatred that was directly solely at me.

I looked upon my enemy and knew him for who he was.

Kin-Ki—which was thankfully just his name and not a description.

The massive golden figures mouth opened and something akin to speech erupted from it with deafening volume. "Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's."

"The only thing I'm gonna render unto you is an ass kicking!" I declared, gripping my sword by the hilt and tearing it from its sheath, dramatically pointing the slightly-pointy end toward the Shadow before me.

Kin-Ki let out a bellowing shout of challenge and slammed his fist into the colosseum floor. The colosseum rumbled again and with a brutal motion he tore a massive curved sword that was as long as I was tall, out of the ground.

Kin-ki slashed it through the air several times—the pressure of which buffeted my body and threatened to bowl me over backwards.

Yuri gave a shriek of surprise that quickly faded in volume as she was blown away.

Kin-ki bared its teeth at me—which were funnily enough, also gold—before it slammed the blunt side of its massive weapon against its chest repeatedly resulting in several loud clangs that caused the very air itself to vibrate with its intensity.

I stared wide eyed up at the golden giant in front of me as I waited for my bones to stop resonating.

I lifted my sword up and stared at the fake blade it bore. Somehow I felt as though this wasn't going to be up to the task. That little show of his had been done to intimidate me—which it had—but unfortunately for the big dumb brute in front of me, it also highlighted the fact that his skin didn't just look like metal—it was metal.

I had a feeling trying to beat it with physical attacks would be as effective as trying to beat off with no hands.

That is to say, not impossible if you were creative enough, but definitely not worth it in the end.

It was something you'd only do for bragging rights.

I sighed and sheathed my sword.

"Oh? Surrendering already? But we haven't even started!" Kin-Ki let out a bellowing laugh.

"No," I said bluntly. "Not surrendering. I'm delegating." I folded my arms across my chest. "Faunus."

Blue flames erupted in front of me and coalesced into the familiar sight of my original Persona before extinguishing.

Faunus floated several feet off the ground with its arms folded across its chest.

'It is about time. I was becoming restless.'

"I saved the best for you, shouldn't you be praising me?" I asked with a grin as the tension in my body vanished.

'I will endeavor to finish this quickly and give you the head pats you desire.'

My nose crinkled. "I don't want head pats!"

'There's just no pleasing you sometimes.' Faunus sighed before its eyes snapped to focus on the enemy before us. 'Thank you for being patient.'

Kin-Ki's lips peeled back, and it bared its gold teeth. "By all means. They are your last words. Say them well."

Faunus' eyes narrowed and it unfolded its arms. It reached out and drew its flute out of thin air, twirling it through its clawed fingers.

Kin-Ki let out another round of belting laughter and it stabbed its massive sword into the ground, leaning upon it for support. "Is that your weapon? I am most amused. Kneel before me and I will grant you the position of my jester."

Faunus said nothing and lifted its flute to its mouth.

"I assure you goatman, no amount of music will save you from—"

The golden oni let out a howl of agony as a shrill melody pierced through the air. Several deep fissures erupted all over its body, cracking the surface of its golden skin.

Kin-Ki snarled and launched itself across the colosseum floor to the sudden roar of the crowd.

The ground quaked with every lumbering step it took as it barrelled toward Faunus and I.

It took all my will power not to turn and run. I had faith in Faunus—that much was true. As long as he was by my side then there was nothing to fear. Still, it was akin to standing in front of a speeding train so it was certainly nerve wracking.

'You should probably run,' Faunus remarked, before it turned and launched itself out of the way of the charging Shadow.

"F-fuck!" I yelped and did the same, turning and running on the opposite direction as quick as my feet could carry me—and just in time. Kin-Ki's sword slammed into the ground where Faunus and I had been moments prior, carving through it as if it were sand and sending large chunks of the ground flying through the air as it tore the massive weapon free from the ground.

It turned toward Faunus, paying no attention to me as I ran away.

Its face was contorted in an enraged snarl as it charged again toward Faunus. Who quickly proved to be the more nimble out of the two of them.

Kin-Ki reached Faunus and swung its massive sword.

Faunus twisted in the air, narrowly avoiding being bisected by the blade. The fur on its body rustled by the force of the wind in the weapons wake. Faunus lashed out with its flute and smacked Kin-Ki across the face with it, resulting in a loud resonating 'ping' and Kin-Ki's head being snapped to the side. I doubt that it hurt the golden oni at all—but from the howl that it gave, it certainly angered it.

It soon became clear that Faunus was toying with the golden brute. Its lithe form easily slipped around the massive enemies' attacks, after which it would needle and prod with its flute, further enraging Kin-Ki until the Shadow finally had enough.

"I'll kill you!" Kin-Ki howled and turned its massive sword over in its hand, clutching the handle with both of its hands. Its body erupted with a flare of pulsating orange energy that poured into the sword it held. Kin-Ki thrust the sword into the ground. "VAJRA BLAST!" It snarled out and unleashed the energy it had gathered into the ground.

There was a brief moment of stillness and then the ground beneath Kin-Ki exploded. Massive fissures erupted outwards from the golden oni and the colosseum floor shattered as the explosive orange energy tore through it.

The explosion propagated outwards from Kin-Ki and I could only watch as it surged toward me, preceded by an upheaval of the very ground itself.

I tucked my chin down and crossed my arms in front of my face.

I heard Faunus shout my name briefly before the ground beneath me erupted and the force of it smashed into me with half the force of a speeding freight truck. Through some merciful act of a god, I briefly blacked out from the sheer shock to my system—but that only lasted a second.

The next moment I was aware again, and felt shards of rock and earth rain down upon me.

My body was wracked with pain. My muscles felt like they'd been torn and if you had told me you'd replaced my bones with dust I would have believed you.

Through sheer force of will I remained on my feet. I gritted my teeth and pushed through the pain—I couldn't afford the luxury of moaning about it.

Through the dust that had risen from the explosion, I could see Kin-Ki half way across the colosseum, once more attempting to kill Faunus, and once more, having the same luck as a drunk trying to swat a fly.

Faunus looked worse for wear, and I could see several gashes on its skin—no doubt from taking the brunt of Kin-Ki's attack.

I had gotten cocky and paid for it. I had been so assured that Faunus had this in hand that I had been content to sit back and just watch him make a fool out of the massive lumbering Shadow.

That had been a mistake.

It was time to end this.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out my secret weapon.

I looked down at the small pineapple-shaped plastic toy in my hand. It was a cheap replica of the Type Ninety Seven grenade that was used in the Second World War. I had found it along with several others—which I had already used—in a bargain bin. I took a deep breath before exhaling grimly. "Faunus! Fastball special!" I called out.

Faunus looked away from Kin-Ki, just long enough to nod before it engaged Kin-Ki with renewed fervour.

I was too far away to throw the grenade reliably—especially with the muscles in my arm feeling like jelly. I gritted my teeth and forced my legs to move. The first several steps were painful, but soon I found myself running, clutching the toy grenade in my hand.

I stopped a dozen meters away—behind Kin-Ki in his blind spot.

I watched and waited for an opening.

Unlike modern grenades the Type 97 had no fuse. It relied on hitting something hard in order to detonate. It was super unreliable and was a desperate measure to say the least.

Faunus suddenly lunged forward and smashed into the giant golden oni, sending it stumbling back several steps.

I threw the grenade in my hand without hesitation.

It soared from my hand, tumbling through the air toward Kin-Ki's exposed back.

My aim was true.

There was a deafening roar as the grenade detonated and engulfed Kin-Ki' in an explosion.

The explosion cleared, revealing Kin-Ki. His back was covered in several dozen painful looking wounds—several of which had metal fragments still visible. It was only by some miracle that I avoided the same fate as the fragments from the grenade tore through the ground around me.

Kin-Ki collapsed forwards onto its hands and knees, and I watched as it began to shrink, its body rapidly losing its golden lustre as it returned to its vaguely familiar human form.

The colosseum crowd had gone silent once more and the only sounds that could be heard were the agonized gasps from the Shadow before me.

I moved closer and each step I made was deafeningly loud.

The Emperor—whose name I could honestly not tell you—took notice, and turned around, slipping onto his ass and immediately backpedalling away from me. His clothes were torn in several places and the laurel wreath that had rested upon his head was broken.

He looked upon me, his eyes filled with fear, where they had once been filled with distain and contempt. "Why… why are you here? Is it wealth? I-I can give you anything you desire… anything!" he began to plead as he attempted to crawl backwards.

I crouched down in front of him and smiled. "We could have avoided all this if you had just said that in the first place, you know," I said to him amicably. I extended a hand toward him and pointed to his neck. "I want that."

"N-No! A-anything but this!" He pleaded, his hand coming up to his neck and clutching the object of my desire—or rather, his, I suppose?

"Look." I found myself unable to keep the irritation out of my voice. "Either you give it to me, or Faunus can take it from you," I said.

A shadow fell over the 'Emperor' as Faunus made itself known.

"F-fine! T-take it!" The Shadow panicked.

"Good man," I said before reaching down and grasping his Shard of Desire and summarily tore it off.

The shadow gave a pitiful whimper.

I turned and left without another word, making my way across the shattered remains of the colosseum toward the gladiator's entrance. I passed through, and as I did, I felt Faunus return to my heart.

I glanced over my shoulder to make sure that I was alone, and seeing that I was, I let out a whimper of pain that I had been holding in. "Ow, ow, ow, ow," I moaned out and stumbled onward before leaning against a wall to steady myself.

I heard the faint sound of tiny wings beating moments before Yuri appeared in front of me, her silver eyes filled with worry.

"Issei! Are you okay?" she asked, biting down on her bottom lip. "That was a scary one!"

I gave a faint laugh—which I immediately regretted. "Y-yeah you sure know how to pick 'em," I said, before shaking my head and grimacing. "I messed up," I admitted tiredly. "It was easier than the last one—this one was just a big dumb fighter. The last one breathed fire and everything, remember?"

"Ooh! I remember!" Yuri nodded rapidly, before she fidgeted. "Do you… have it?" she asked hopefully.

I gave her an amused look and held my hand up to her, revealing the contents.

"Oooh!" Yuri flittered closer and reached out. "What's this one?" she asked excitedly as she held up the comparatively large Shard of Desire.

"It's a whistle," I told her as I pushed off the wall and began to walk forward, continuing my search for my way out of the Demesne I was stuck in. "You blow on it and it makes a loud sound. I guess he was a sports coach or something?" I said with a shrug.

Yuri landed on the top of my head, sitting down and inspecting the silvery whistle she held in her hands. "Oh, should I blow on it?" She asked.

"I wouldn't. Who knows where that guy's mouth has been?"

Yuri's nose crinkled. "Yuck!" she exclaimed and let go of the Shard.

I was ready for that, and caught it.

I saw a faint blue glow around the next corner and relief flooded me. "Finally," I said, and eagerly began to walk toward the light.

I felt Yuri leave my head, and a moment later she flittered into my vision. "Are you going back to your weird club thingy?" Yuri asked, puffing her cheeks out in irritation. "Come home with me!" she insisted, "We can watch anime!"

"That sounds wonderful," I told her honestly. "But I have something I need to do first, alright?" I reached up with my free hand and gave her a gentle pat on the head. "Be a good girl and go wait for me at home, okay?"

Yuri pouted but nodded. "If you keep me waiting then I'm going to pick something to watch from your special collection!" she said, waving a finger warningly.

I snorted. "Good luck. After you scratched the last dvd I moved my hiding spot."

Yuri glowered at me, before she turned and… it was hard to describe what she did—mainly because I had no clue how it worked. One moment she was there, and the next she sort of slipped out of reality. Yuri had the unique ability to come and go from this strange world on a whim—which I imagine had something to do with how she was born.

The first time it had happened was entirely by accident.

One moment the sun had set and I found myself in the World of Desire alone. The next, she nonchalantly appeared out of thin air.

When I had asked she just said that she had followed me. Since then we had experimented with her strange ability—and discovered that with a bit of extra effort she could pull me along with her, both into the World of Desire, and back into reality.

In the same experiments we had discovered that she also had the uncanny ability to locate demesnes, or more specifically, the Shards of Desire that their owners carried. We'd amassed a small collection of them over the past several weeks.

I shook my head.

This wasn't the time to get lost in thoughts.

I pushed through the pain and made my way through the doorway to the Blue Velvet Room.

The pains and aches throughout my body melted away as I stepped through and found myself at the familiar entrance to the Blue Velvet Room. The faint sound of piano and the serenade of an ever absent female singer drained away what little remained.

I closed my eyes and briefly basked in the sensation, before I opened them and stepped through, into the main lounge.

"Welcome back, honoured guest."

I smiled at the long nosed proprietor of the club. I began to walk over, and as I did, I noticed—to my disappointment—a distinct lack of feminine charm in the room.

"Hey Igor," I said as I hopped onto one of the many barstools in front of him. "How's it going?"

"Pleasant as always," Igor replied, his veiny eyes regarding me for a brief moment. "I sense that you have gained another Persona, as well as another Shard of Desire."

I beamed and nodded.

I reached out and set the whistle that I had taken from the Shadow on the bar, before I reached up to my heart and focused. There was a brief flash of blue beneath my hand. I squeezed and felt several weights materialize in my hand.

"Check them out!" I said eagerly, drawing my hand away and opening my fingers, revealing half a dozen silver and gold coins, each with a different depiction.

I reached up with my other hand and began separating them. "Let's see, Faunus, Nekomata—I already showed you Hua Po, right? She's sorta like Pixie—except she has red skin and can only make bird noises—Oh! Silky, she's really pretty, even though the green skin is a bit weird… Ah here it is!" I beamed and drew out my new Persona, holding it up. "This is Apsaras! She was one of the girls feeding the Shadow I just beat!"

I set my older Personas down on the bar and held it up. "She's pretty as well! She's got pale blue skin and is a really good dancer—but she's like Silky, she can use Ice and can heal," I explained to Igor, before crinkling my nose.

The gamer in me told me that having multiple Persona with the same element was a bad idea. In games you always needed good type coverage—and that was the same here. I'd noticed that certain Persona were weaker against certain elements and stronger against others. It wasn't always easy to pick out a weakness based on how a Shadow looked, but it was possible to figure it out through trial and error.

Igor steepled his fingers upon the bar. "You have amassed a fine collection of Personas," he said, "It is time I revealed to you another function of this establishment." He lifted a hand and gestured at the coins I had laid on the bar top.

"You are the Wild Card. This gives you the ability to handle more than one Persona."

I nodded. I knew this—the evidence that I could was on display between us.

"With the ability to wield multiple Persona comes infinite possibilities. To that end, this establishment will assist you in nurturing that potential." Igor reached down and carefully plucked one of the silver-gold coins from the table's surface, holding it up and offering it to me.

I extended my empty hand.

"No, the other one."

I blinked, before I held out my other hand—the one holding Apsaras' coin.

Igor dropped the coin he held—Hua Po—into my hand, before he slipped one of his glove covered hands beneath mine, and carefully closed it with his other hand until my fingers wrapped around the two coins.

I blinked and looked up at Igor questioningly.

"Close your eyes," Igor said, his veiny eyes staring intently into mine.

I reluctantly did so, despite the fact I was super creeped out by the weird looking man holding my hand with both of his.

"Personas are personalities that exist within you. They are masks that are used to endure hardship."

I began to feel anxious, and attempted to draw my hand away from Igor's.

His hands firmly clasped down on mine and held tighter. "Do not shy away. What you feel is not anxiety, but the vast potential that lay within your mind. Infinite as the universe and unending as time."

I bit down on my bottom lip. I really wanted to ask where he was going with this. It was starting to get—

I jerked back and tore my hand out from between Igor's, my eyes snapping open and my heart racing. "What the hell was that?!" I demanded.

Igor smiled and slowly lowered his hands into the usual steeple. "Infinite potential," he said.

"Really?" I asked skeptically. "Because it sure felt like a skeleton dressed like a Matador!"

Igor chuckled. "Do not be alarmed. You know what it was, do you not?"

I grimaced but nodded. "It was a Persona, right?" I asked, looking to him for confirmation.

Igor nodded. "Indeed it was." He gestured toward my hand.

I opened it and looked at the two coins I held. "…I don't understand," I admitted.

"It is possible to unite individual Persona in order to birth new Persona. This is known as fusion," Igor said. "Persona created in this method have the potential to inherit the abilities of their predecessors."

"So that was… what Hua Po and Apsaras would become?" I asked carefully, staring down at the two coins. "I… why would they become that—why couldn't they become a tiny blue singing dancer with wings?" I shook my head. "No—more than that, what happens to the old Persona? I don't want to lose my Persona!"

"Persona used in fusion return to the Sea of Souls," Igor explained to me. "You fear for your Persona?" he asked, his tone fascinated.

I folded my arms across my chest. "Yeah, so?" I asked irritably. "Is that so weird? It's natural to worry about cute girls, isn't it?"

Igor blinked once. "I would not know," he admitted. "You should not fear for your Persona. As I have said, they are infinite in being," He extended a hand toward my chest. "Fusion is not the destruction of a Persona, it is a rebirth. Once you have accepted a Persona into your heart, you need but desire their return, and they shall."

"W-wait really?" I asked suddenly. I leaned forward. "How do I do it?" I all but demanded to know.

"Ah. I see. You wish to bring the Pixie persona back into your heart?"

I flushed and nodded. "Y-yeah. I mean…"

Igor held up a hand. "You do not have to explain your reasons. I do not judge, I merely accept."

I gave Igor a grateful smile.

"Unfortunately, if your wish is to resummons Pixie, then I am afraid you will have to sacrifice one of your existing Persona to do so."

"What, why?" I asked in alarm.

"Though your potential is unlimited, you are only just beginning to become accustomed to your power," Igor said. "To accept a seventh Persona into your heart at this stage would have undesirable consequences for you."

"Oh…"

I frowned and looked down at the coins on the bar top, my eyes roaming over the various designs.

My eyes lingered on a particular one.

'Issei…' Faunus said warningly.

"What? I wasn't thinking it!" I denied instantly.

'I am you! I know exactly what you're thinking, and I'm telling you to not think it!''

I glowered. "Fine, I was thinking about it. But I wouldn't do it."

I just didn't want to give up any of my cute Persona!

Hua Po was adorable! Silky was super beautiful! Nekomata was… a Catgirl! Apsaras was super sexy when she danced! And… my last Persona was a walking wet dream!

I gulped and picked up my most dangerous Persona—dangerous to me that is. I couldn't focus on fighting when I summoned her!

She was top tier in all areas! She had the most amazing breasts—both large and gravity defying! She had wide sexy hips and a slim delicate waist with a taut stomach that when combined put gravure to shame! She had long ears and purple skin as well—just like those elves in that one game! The crowning jewel on all of that was that she was always topless—the only thing covering her jugs was her long dark hair, and once she started fighting that wasn't an issue either!

I gave a happy sigh.

Yaksini really was the best.

'Issei you're drooling…'

I huffed but reached up and wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. "You were saying something about having to sacrifice a Persona to make room for Pixie right? Can it be Faunus?" I asked Igor, only half serious.

'Issei!''

Igor paused. "While it is indeed possible to discard your original Persona, I would heavily advise against it. To do so would leave you irrevocably changed. One of the other existing Persona within you would take residence within the core of your identity and its traits would become your own."

I stiffened. "Wait, you mean—?"

I felt the Faunus' smugness' before he even said anything. 'That's right. I'm everything that makes up the desire of 'Hyoudou Issei'. If you get rid of me, your love of women, of breasts, would vanish. Perhaps Apsaras would take my place, and you'd find yourself getting horny for dancing. How does that sound, huh?" Faunus needled me with his words incessantly.

It sounded awful.

"P-point taken," I said weakly.

I felt sick just thinking about it. What would I be without the intrinsic love I felt for the glorious divinity that is housed within a girl's chest? I would be… I would become something unrecognizable.

"Ahem. If I may?"

I shook my head and gave Igor a shaky smile. "S-sorry. I understand now. I can't get rid of Faunus, right?"

At least… not until I found a female Persona with as big of a love for breasts as I had.

'Hey!''

I ignored Faunus and smiled at Igor. "So! What were we talking about?"

"Your desire to draw Pixie from the Sea of Souls, and your inability to take on another Persona," Igor said calmly. "Your desire and efforts in seeking only female Persona are known to me. Perhaps I could offer a solution?"

I nodded. "Sure!"

"Very well." Igor reached down and drew two coins from the small pile on the table. "Hua Po and Yaksini. If you fused these together they would bring forth another female Persona whilst freeing up space within your heart."

I grimaced. "Ah… but I really like Yakisini she has great… uh... personality," I finished lamely.

Igor gave me a look.

I reluctantly reached down and picked up Hua Po and Yaksini's coins.

I closed my fingers around them and shut my eyes tight.

For several moments there was nothing, and I felt a bit silly as I sat there, clutching the coins tightly in my hand. But slowly, I began to feel something.

I felt… the warmth of a mother's embrace and the steadfast devotion of the perfect wife. Through the darkness in my mind, a figure slowly took form. Igor had been right. This time it wasn't a menacing skeleton.

It was a woman—a beautiful woman with caramel skin that was decorated by finely painted ankhs. Her clothes were… not to my taste, far too conservative. She wore a golden headdress and her upper body was decorated by ornamental golden feathers that began at her breasts, cupping them gently, and spread all the way out to her wrists, becoming progressively larger and more extravagant.

Beyond all of that, I felt a spark of something… more.

I slowly opened my eyes and looked down at the two coins in my hand, feeling pensive.

She… whoever she was, was stronger than both Yaksini and Hua Po. That much was obvious. It was certainly a case of the 'stronger than the individual components'.

I found myself torn.

On one hand, I loved my Persona.

They were everything I ever wanted in this life.

A harem of beautiful women all for myself!

I was the one who wasn't strong enough, so why did my Persona have to pay for my weakness?

I didn't want to sacrifice them!

"Perhaps a discussion for another time?" Igor suggested, his tone gentle. "We have other more pressing matters to discuss."

"What could be more pressing than my harem?!" I demanded, before catching myself and flushing. "Ah, s-sorry!" I said quickly. "I was, I mean."

Igor held up a hand and I fell silent. He regarded me for a long moment in silence, before he began to speak, his tone measured and calm.

"Your growth over the past few weeks has been pleasing to observe. However, in the coming days you will find yourself facing your first true test," Igor said. "If you are unable to prove yourself greater, and are found wanting, the future you so desperately strive for will be lost."

My eyes had gotten progressively wider and wider with every word that Igor said, until they may as well have been the size of dinner plates.

I… what did he mean by 'future lost'? I was doing great, right? He even said so! I'd gathered several Persona and I was collecting the Shards of Desire—at least one every few days! I'd beaten Monsuda—Akamine as well! I'd even defeated another dozen or so other Shadows who'd been overcome by their desire!

I was ready, right? I was, I was certain of it.

Still… I couldn't help but be apprehensive.

I gave a nervous laugh. "T-the way you say that makes it sound like you know what's coming." I hesitated, before asking. "Do you?"

Igor simply smiled at me. "As always, your visits, while unorthodox in nature, are pleasant. I look forward to seeing you again, once you have overcome your trial."

My eyelids began to feel heavy.

I shook my head and reached up, slapping my cheeks to wake myself up—or rather, keep myself asleep?

"W-wait. I don't want to… wake up yet. I haven't… had my… maid service…" I said weakly as my heavy became too heavy to keep up.

I don't know why I even tried. It was impossible to stay in the Blue Velvet Room once I began to wake up. No matter how much resistance I put up it always ended the same, with my falling asleep in my 'dream' and waking up in the real world.

I opened my eyes and gave a soft sigh.

I blinked and glanced down along my body.

Yuri smiled at me, her adorable face mere inches away. She had her chin propped up on her hands and I could see her legs playfully kicking back and forth behind her. "Good morning darling~" Yuri said, her voice sweet and lilting as the words rolled off her tiny tongue.

I stared down at the tiny girl on my chest, stunned.

I…

"Would you like breakfast, darling?" She slowly shifted, dragging herself up into wariza with her hands planted between her legs. "Or maybe a shower?" She slowly lifted a hand up to her lips, touching them with a single digit. "Or perhaps, you'd prefer to have me?"

I blinked slowly.

That line… it sounded familiar. Very familiar. In fact, I was certain that It belonged to one of the porno's that I kept hidden in my secret stash.

My mind slowly connected the dots. "You…" My eyes narrowed. "You… you!"

Yuri's smile widened.

I lunged at her, trying to catch her with my hands.

Yuri gave a cackle and she launched herself out of my reach with a flap of her wings.

I tried again, only to get tangled in my sheets and fall to the floor with my limbs skewed at weird angles.

Yuri zoomed out of my room, laughing as she went.

"Dammit Yuri!" I shouted out after her. "I told you to not to touch my stuff!" I forcefully pulled myself out of the sheets I had been tangled in. "You keep scratching the discs!"

By the time I was free my alarm clock had begun to ring.

I briefly considered foregoing school in order to hunt Yuri down and get my revenge before I pushed the idea aside.

School first, then vengeance.

I could plan my vengeance at school and it would be all the sweeter and possibly involve a flyswatter.

By the time I was ready to leave I had seen no sign of Yuri. If there was one thing she was good at it was staying hidden when she didn't want to be found.

"Don't touch my stuff!" I said grumpily into my 'empty' house, once last time before shutting the door.

I turned and left, making my way to school.

My journey to school proved to be uneventful, as did the first half of school. The classes were more of the same mind-numbingly boring schoolwork. I forced myself to pay attention all the same, but by the time lunch rolled around I was ready to call it quits.

I stretched my arms and leaned back in my seat, letting out an almighty yawn.

"Yo, Issei!" Motohama clapped me on the back and sat down on the edge of my desk. "You want to grab something to eat? My treat!" He flashed me a smile and a thumbs up.

"Why?" I asked suspiciously. "What do you want?"

"Don't be like that!" Motohama protested, waving his hand in dismissal. "I figure we haven't really done anything together, all three of us for a bit, yeah? We should totally have lunch together and talk like we used to!" He slung an arm around my shoulders. "Come on! What do you say?"

If there was such a thing as 'killing intent' I was certain that in that moment I felt it.

The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end, and I felt an irritated gaze aimed toward Motohama and I.

I craned my head back and glanced around my glasses wearing friend and saw that several girls—Katase in particular were glaring daggers at Motohama's back.

"Hurk!"

Motohama's grip around me tightened. "C-come on man! J-Just the t-three of us!" he stammered, apparently well aware of the looks being sent his way, but unwilling to give in.

"What are you doing?!" I hissed at him and began to try and pry his arm from around my neck. "You're gonna get us both killed!"

Motohama's grip reluctantly loosened and an annoyed look overcame his features.

"…Lunch sounds good though," I admitted, offering him a smile. "And we can talk about… the weather?"

Motohama blinked slowly at me. "…I don't even know you any more man."

I rolled my eyes. "I mean talk about the weather," I repeated.

Motohama's eyes widened. "Oh! The weather, right!" He nodded quickly and gave an exaggerated wink as he hopped off my desk.

I screamed at him incoherently inside my head as I stood up and grabbed my bag. "Matsuda, you coming man?" I asked, glancing over at my bald headed friend who had been attempting to casually sneak out of the classroom.

Matsuda stiffened and turned around, giving a nervous laugh. He reached up and scratched the top of his head. "Haha, yeah that sounds good?" He gave me a brief look that promised retribution.

The three of us left the classroom and made our way down to the cafeteria.

"So," Motohama began to say as we waited in line. "I've gotten an early copy of Kaben Rider Pinky's latest adventure, you both interested?" He asked, waggling his eyebrows. "I haven't watched it yet, but I hear there are tentacle monsters!"

I stared at Motohama for a long moment before giving a laugh. "There is nothing else in the world I'd rather do," I said with a smile, before hesitating. "But… I'm kinda busy at night these days," I admitted reluctantly.

"With what exactly? Did you get a night job or something?"

I shook my head. "No, not a job. I just can't… explain it really. It's important though."

Motohama clucked his tongue and turned toward Matsuda. "How about you?"

"Heck," Matsuda began, reaching up to rub his neck. "I'd love to as well, but after club I just want to lay down and relax, you know? It's exhausting—fun, but exhausting."

Motohama sighed. "I figured," he said. "Just thought I'd try and ask you know? We see each other at school every day but it feels like we're not spending the same quality time we used to."

I began to feel a bit guilty.

I'd been so caught up in my nightly missions with Yuri for the past few weeks that I hadn't really had time to spend with my friends. Matsuda seemed fine, he had his renewed club activities to keep him occupied, but I hadn't stopped to think about how Motohama would feel, being left by himself.

From the look Matsuda was giving me, he felt the same way. "You know," Matsuda began to say. "The world probably won't end if I miss one day's practice. How about you, Issei, think you can make Friday?"

That was… a terrible choice of words.

Still, the world probably wouldn't end if I didn't go into the World of Desire for one night.

"Yeah. I'll be there."

Motohama looked at us both in surprise, before he gave a genuine smile. "Friday it is then."

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the three stooges," a terrifyingly familiar voice drawled from behind me.

I stiffened and Motohama's smile dwindled as he looked behind me.

I turned around and startled as I found myself confronted with the devil herself.

Kiryuu Aika smiled at me from mere feet away. Her brown hair was tied into two pigtails as it usual. Her pink-rimmed glasses gleamed as she looked at me, amusement in her eyes. She glanced toward my friends, before, she lifted a hand up and pointed at Matsuda. "Small dick."

Matsuda let out a sound of protest.

She pointed at Motohama. "No dick."

"That's factually untrue!" Motohama said indignantly.

I watched as her finger landed on me, and her smile, if it were possible, widen. "My dick," she said, her voice filled with mirth.

I felt each of my friends eyes turn toward me, despite the fact I was standing there frozen like a statue and staring at the brown haired girl in front of us.

"Issei! Is that true?! Did you let her touch your thing?!" Motohama hissed out at me, his hand grabbing at my arm roughly.

I turned to Motohama aghast. "Wha—No! I mean…"

Kiryuu rolled her eyes. "Hyoudou, can I talk to you privately?" She asked, sparing a glance toward Motohama. "Maybe in an empty classroom?" She waggled her eyebrows.

Motohama made a strangled sound. "Don't do it! It's a trap!" He hissed out at me.

The brown haired schoolgirl reached over and poked me. "Hey, you owe me one, remember?"

I looked at Kiryuu in surprise. I owed her one? Since when? I thought back to the last few times I'd talked with her, only to come up with nothing.

Kiryuu continued to look at me expectantly.

"Alright," I said finally, to my friends protests. "Let's go."

Kiryuu smiled and nodded, before she turned and began to walk.

I followed her.

We left the cafeteria and as soon as we entered the hallway, she stopped and turned toward me. She reached up and began to absently toy with one of her hair braids. "I need a favour," she told me.

"What is it?" I asked, almost dreading the answer.

"Nothing big," she reassured me and let go of her braid. "I just need you to meet me out at the front gate after school ends, alright?"

She looked at me, her eyes surprisingly serious.

I really wanted to know more, but for some silly reason, I decided to let it go. "Alright," I agreed.

Kiryuu blinked. "Wait, really?"

I smiled at her. "Really," I said with a nod.

"Huh. I thought I was going to have to blackmail you."

I blinked and a seed of dread sprang to life inside my stomach. "Blackmail me with what exactly?"

Kiryuu waved her hand dismissively and beamed at me. "Doesn't matter. Thanks Hyoudou! Remember, right out the front of school as soon as the bell rings!" She said, before turning and leaving me there watching her go.

"…I have a bad feeling about this," I muttered under my breath, before turning and making my way back into the cafeteria.

What could she possibly need from me? Maybe she had gotten into a fight with someone and needed a guy to help her out? That… sounded like it made sense. With how she acted it was no wonder that she'd have people angry at her!

I nodded to myself.

That made perfect sense.

I found Motohama and Matsuda sitting off to the side by one of the tables. Both of them were munching down on what looked and smelled like freshly baked curry bread.

Motohama perked up as he saw me and picked up a brown parcel off the table and tossed it at me.

I caught it and tore it open before biting down and letting out a muffle moan of delight as the tantalizing taste and smell of curry invaded my mouth and nose. I sat down at the table beside Motohama and swallowed the mouthful of delicious food.

"So what'd she want?" Matsuda asked.

I shrugged a shoulder. "Hell if I know. She said she wanted me to meet her out the front of the school for something."

"Sounds suspicious," Motohama said with a frown, lowering his half eaten curry bread to the table. "…What if she's going to try to drug you and steal your organs?"

Matsuda and I stared at Motohama for a long moment.

"What?" Motohama said defensively. "It could happen! I've been watching documentaries about it! Cute girls lure guys into hotels and they wake up in an ice bath without their kidneys."

I grinned. "You know, what I'm getting from this is that you think Kiryuu is cute. Should we be worried that you've gone to the dark side, Motohama?"

"What?! No!" Motohama exclaimed, seemingly alarmed by the very thought. "I mean, she's sorta cute yeah, but—no, just no! Her boobs are way too small!"

I laughed as I watched my friend attempt to rationalize his repressed attraction to Kiryuu and took another bite of my curry bread.

This is what I had been missing for the past few weeks.

I'd been so caught up in fighting against Shadows that I had forgotten to take joy in the little things—like one of my best friends having a mental breakdown over a cute girl, or the bonding experience of watching a brand new porno for the first time!

I felt good.

This was great.

My good spirits continued on until the end of the school day, so much so that I'd forgotten about my promise to meet Kiryuu at the school gates.

I waved Matsuda off as he went to practice, and Motohama and I made our way out of the school building. I listened to him talk animatedly about the latest iteration of the Kaben Pinky franchise

I was so caught up in the vivid descriptions that Motohama was lavishing me, that I didn't notice a certain brown haired girl approaching until she latched onto my arm and yanked me away from Motohama.

"Come on," Kiryuu said, "We don't have much time!"

I heard a vague half hearted sound of protest from Motohama before he shrugged and turned away, continuing on unperturbed by my abduction.

Kiryuu let out an anxious sound and let go, before reaching into her bag and pulling out… a comb and a can of what looked suspiciously like hairspray. "Don't move," Kiryuu said and stood on her tippy toes, reaching up toward my hair.

"Wha—stop!" I protested, reaching up to knock her hands away.

"Relax! I'm just fixing your hair," Kiryuu insisted, knocking aside my hands and beginning her assault on my hair.

My face contorted in displeasure as I felt her yank her comb through my hair, and the smell of hairspray soon reached my nose. I sneezed.

"Don't move!"

I glowered, but endured. I had no idea why she was so intent on messing with my perfectly awesome hairstyle, but it was over after a minute—though it hadn't finished quickly enough if you asked me.

Kiryuu stepped back and looked at me from several different angles. "It'll have to do," she said reluctantly, before sighing and putting away her comb.

"Do I want to look?" I asked, dreading the answer.

Kiryuu rolled her eyes. "It looks fine, better than before if you ask me. Anyway, come on, we're late." She reached over and grabbed my hand, tugging me along.

"H-Hey wait!" I protested as I found myself being pulled along by the shorter girl.

She didn't wait.

I quickened my pace and found myself walking beside her, her fingers squeezing mine as we walked toward the front gate. "Can you tell me what this is about now?" I asked, beginning to feel very, very nervous.

Kiryuu paused for a step, before she shook her head and continued. "Listen, Hy—Issei," she corrected herself. "All I need you to do, is stand there, smile, look pretty and nod, alright?" She said, giving me a pleading look. "That's it. After that we can go back to everything being normal, alright?"

"O-Okay."

Kiryuu smiled in relief and nodded at me, before she continued to lead me out of the front gates and over toward a dark sedan, where a man and a woman were waiting.

The man was wearing a suit that was unbuttoned and missing the necktie. He had a no nonsense look on his face and his dark hair was cut short and groomed well. The woman beside him was wearing a blouse and a suit skirt. She had a fair amount of makeup on and her brown hair was tied back into a tight bun.

Kiryuu let go of my hand and gave a forced smile. "Here he is, just like I said." She turned toward me. "Mum, Dad, meet Issei."

Wait—Mum and Dad? These were her parents?!

My eyes went wide as I found myself suddenly under the intense scrutiny of the two adults.

Kiryuu's Dad frowned, but stepped toward me and extended a hand. "Issei, was it?" He asked, his tone collected, but somehow cold as well.

"Ah, yeah. Nice to meet you," I said awkwardly, reaching out to shake his hand. As I did, I glanced to Kiryuu, giving her a 'what the hell' type of look, only to hold in a whimper of pain as her father's hand clamped down on mine and squeezed my fingers together.

"So. You're my daughter's boyfriend, that right?"

—~—