"So, there's no exit except for that 'You in Wonderland', there's no good food anywhere, and we can't contact senpai and Aigis-san. Correct?" Naoto asks to the rest of the Team as they sit at one of the various tables in the fake culture show. How they had ended up here was beyond them. Something about the Velvet Room? Who knew, anymore.

"Seems like it," Yosuke rests on Teddie. "Also, that clock tower is creeping me out. What do you think, partner?"

"I'm not sure."

"Well, it's never been here as long as I've known," Yukiko stares out the window as the bell chimes. They hear murmuring from the phantom students that those who hear the bell chime will die, but they're not too worried. What was it senpai always says? 'Do battle with gods and entities? Don't fear death?'

Whatever.

The Team wanders around until they get back to 'You in Wonderland', and with no other choice, they head in.

"This just gets weirder and weirder," Yu evokes Izanami who blasts out a bolt of lightning, "First we can summon our Personas while not in the TV world, and there're Shadows. Not to mention that we're all weaker than before. What gives?"

"Who knows?" Teddie summons Kintoki-Douji and Bufu pierces a Shadow, "We'll need to be bear-y careful, right sensei?" The whole Team groans at the lame pun, and they keep trekking through the labyrinth.

"Hey, partner." Youske walks up to Yu, twirling his knives.

"Yeah?"

"Since this place is, you, a labyrinth, you want to draw a map or something?"

"That's...actually a good idea. Senpai, do you want to draw it?" Rise's static-y image flickers in front of them.

"Sure. It'll be annoying, but we'll get it done. Let's keep going - woah!" Two figures appear in front of them, dazed and confused. Some mild confusion later, they introduce themselves as Rei and Zen. A matching set, if you will, Yu thinks. She wracks her mind to see if she can remember them - yet despite all her time spent at Yasogami, she's never seen them, and her colleagues agree with her. Oh, well. Somehow, they can fight Shadows without Personas, and they have bigger issues - getting Rei and Zen's memories back, and escaping this place.

She notes it feels weird not having Minako and Aigis at her side. Whether it's their helpful advice or strong attacks needed to break through, she misses her...well...older sisters dearly.

"Damn...these guys don't stop coming!" Chie yells as her foot smashes another card soldier into the ground. Yu thinks back to Alice and Thanatos's Die for Me, but shakes her head, taking a swipe to the side. She cries out and goes to one knee, leaning heavily on her katana. "IZANAMI!" She shouts, and electricity flows through her blade. She leaps up and lunges, decimating another card. She looks up at the Queen of Hearts, weary, when suddenly, the wall explodes.

Twelve figures stand in a row, silhouetted by the light behind them. The middle figure steps forward, XXII pins twinkling in the light. The Team doesn't say a word as the younger Minako skips, drawing her evoker.

"Don't worry, guys," She says, and Mitsuru calls out, "Everyone! Charge!"

"Nice to meet you!" Not-Minako says from her spot next to Yu, Shinjiro to her right, and two other people behind them - a girl with a bow and a young boy with a long spear. "I'm Minako Arisato, but call me Minako! Alright, gang! Let's do this! Orpheus!" She evokes, and Orpheus blasts a card soldier with Agi.

"Wipe them out!" Yu calls, and they attack.

"Wow, that was fun! Anyway, as I said, I'm Minako, and this is SEES! We hunt Shadows just like you guys, I guess, and we're stuck here with you, I guess. Alright, team, introduce yourselves!" Young-Minako says and Yu leans into Yosuke.

"So, this must be younger Minako-senpai when she was with her old team. I'd say a few years ago. Actually," She raises her voice, "IT, can we talk for a second? I'm sorry, Arisato-san, just a moment."

Minako instantly replies, "Don't call me that, you'll make me feel old! Call me senpai if you're worried," And the Team snickers. The IT huddles around Yu, who begins to talk,

"Okay, listen up. This isn't the senpai and Aigis-san we know and love. Minako-senpai hasn't...died yet. So we don't mention that. We make it seem like we have no idea who they are. Same goes for the rest of SEES. Understood?"

"Hear ya loud and clear, senpai," Kanji says and sticks his hand in the middle of the circle.

"Jeez Moronji, you're slow on the uptake~" Rise chides and sticks her hand on top of Kanji's.

"H-hey! Don't be like that! I was the first person to say so!" He snaps and the rest of the Team puts their hands atop each other's.

"Sorry about the wait, senpai. So, who is the rest of your team?" Yu turns back to senpai and the rest and she continues.

Eventually, they reach Aigis, and the Team has to restrain themselves from what she does. "I am Aigis, and my sole duty is protecting Minako-san," Aigis clings to Minako's arm, and the girl blushes at this a bit. They know what a cute girl does to her sense of tact.

"Are you two...?" Naoto squints at the two, and Minako's blush goes down her neck.

"No!"

"I do not understand."

"H-hey Marie-chan," Yu stumbles, Kaguya pushing her forward. She glares back at the sub-Persona she has equipped, before righting herself.

"Hey, shorty," Marie winks and adjusts her hat, "fancy seeing you here."

"S-same to you." It's only recently that they've started...dating? Yu isn't sure how to put it.

"Hey! Lover girls!" Minako calls and the two bolt upright. "We're going to go explore the rest of the festival! You want in?"

Yu and Marie look at each and smile. Like before, Yu takes Marie's hand and follows her senpai.

It's...interesting seeing how SEES acts together. The camaraderie that the IT has isn't there in SEES. There are secrets abounding between members, and it is very odd to not see Minako and Aigis hand-in-hand. Sure, they're still close, but they haven't gone to the next step. Knowing that they're from the past is still a little odd, that this is the Minako and Aigis before she died. But still, the interactions are nice. Yosuke and Junpei bond almost instantly as fellow Magicians, Rise and Fuuka as analysts, Chie looks up to Akihiko with Ken, Kanji admires Shinjiro in a similar manner, Teddie fawns over all the girls and competes with Koromaru, and Yukiko and Yukari have a friendly acquaintance.

As before, Yu and Minako are magnetically attracted to each other. Minako jokes about the Wild Card to assure Marie that they have no romantic interest in each other, given that Marie has, in Minako's words, "staked her claim on Yu." She blushes and Minako smiles, because that is who she is.

Yu and the Team almost let it slip several times to Minako about their future, the Team's present. Information about her, about the world. However, they all work well together as they work through the labyrinth. Yu has to hand it to Minako - this younger one who leads her own team with her. There's a spark in her that's faded in the present, this drive to help everyone. She comforts Rei when she's down and confronts Zen when he's being overprotective. She is the heart of SEES, the binding member that links all their disassociated personalities together. But she's tough, tougher than now.

Yu realizes that it's because of the same reason why she herself is strong now - they both fight for others. They have separate goals in the real world, but here, with their one drive to get out and help Rei and Zen, makes them stronger. Back in Inaba, she fought her own war and Minako is tired.

But.

But.

She still cares. Here and now, in this maze of life, they live and fight and bleed together because they must. As two ends of the same soul, they fight.

"What's the matter?" Aigis looks up to see Marie sit down next to her. They haven't really interacted; the Velvet Room members mainly stick to themselves. For the past few minutes, Aigis has kept her attention on Minako and Elizabeth walking around the stalls, and for some reason, it's been bothering her.

"I am not sure, Marie-san. For some reason, I am feeling...unwell."

"Is it because of them?" Marie nods at Minako and Elizabeth as the attendant wipes some food off of Minako's face, and Aigis is sure that if she had a heart, it'd start beating faster.

"Haha, you're jealous!" Marie pokes Aigis's side and the robot does not respond.

"I am just concerned."

"Sure. You know, I'd tell her how you feel. But hey, that's you, not me," Marie shrugs and stands up, fishing a lollipop from her bag. She sticks it in her mouth and sucks, walking away.

"See ya, Aigis."

Aigis nods and resumes her watch. She wishes that she was with Minako like that.

It's near the end of their journey here in this alternate reality. In the map drawn by Yu's own hand there is an 'X', where Margaret is waiting for them. Izanami shifts in her mind as Yu is sure Orpheus shifts in Minako's. They march into the depths of 'You in Wonderland', until they reach the final door.

Yu reaches over to Minako and threads their fingers together. Like in the present, senpai still has all her callouses and scars from months of naginata practice, similar to her own katana callouses, but now they're firmer. She looks into Minako's eyes, grey to red and they nod.

"I am in your care, senpai."

"As am I in yours."

"Show me...show me your power!" Margaret calls, and hovers with her power. Minako rolls her head back and forth and readies her naginata, and Yu grips her katana firmly. Yu channels Izanami and she appears next to Minako's Orpheus, and they deliver a dual Zio-Agi attack that strikes deeply. They attack simultaneously, naginata and katana making an 'x' over Margaret.

"Hmm...good...but it'll take more than that to beat me!" Margaret shatters a card between her book's pages and Mazionga and Magarula tear over the two Wild Cards. They go flying, and Margaret glides over looking down at them.

"That can't be all, can it...? Show me your power!" She prepares Vorpal Blade, but Minako kips up, "Orpheus!" On her lips. The musician bursts forth with a Hientou, knocking the Velvet Room assistant back a few feet.

"Come on, Yu! Now isn't the time to give up now!" Minako reaches down to give a Yu a hand up, and she accepts. They stand back to back and close their eyes, Yu raising her hand and Minako raising her evoker to her head. There is the shattering of glass, and the Fools circle each other, waiting for their wielders' commands.

"Orpheus!"

"Izanami!"

"WE ARE THE ONES WHO WILL OPEN THE DOOR!"

"Don't you feel that something's...changed?" Margaret muses after her battle, and Yu and Minako nod at her words. Behind them, Izanami-no-Okami and Messiah form with a ringing of bells.

After it is all said and done, Minako realizes what she's been missing this whole time. Yu is...familiar. A weird sense of deja vu emanates from the younger girl with grey hair, her long braids flapping behind her. When she rests in this alternate dimension she dreams of her, leading her Team through the upside-down world inside the TV, at home in Inaba and beyond.

Ah, now she realizes it. It's the feeling she gets when she meets someone she'll meet again, later in life.

She remembers Igor's words, that she only has one year. Only a few more months now. Messiah chides her, you will not go until you are done.

Yeah, yeah. I know.

Well...not yet. Elizabeth waits for them at the top of the Clock Tower.

"One last trip, huh?" Minako giggles. "Lead us, leader."

Yu snorts and waves her hand, her skirt fluttering in the wind. Izanami-no-Okami churns in her mind, more peaceful than the old Izanami. She's no longer blunt, but more...mature. What is on your mind, Yu?

I'm just worried, as always, Yu thinks back, both teams following behind her. Minako-senpai and I can both feel the power in those orbs we've been collecting. Elizabeth is gonna do something...big.

Elizabeth crushes a card and a bolt of lightning pierces the heavens, striking the attendant directly.

"Come...I am Zeus! Show me the strength of your bonds, sheep!" Elizabeth - Zeus - challenges, lightning smashing the field. Yu raises her hand and the Maziodyne arcs around her, lighting her braids from the aftershocks. "Let's go!" Yu shouts and crushes her card, Izanami-no-Okami shimmering into existence behind her.

"These bonds of ours...they aren't something to laugh at!" Minako shouts back, Messiah using Debilitate. She ducks under a Rampage and evokes, Megidolaon slamming into the possessed avatar. The whole gang bombards Elizabeth/Zeus mercilessly, but she shrugs almost all of it off. Eventually she ducks back and uses Diarahan, the whole team groaning. Elizabeth evokes Zeus again, switching from Warrior Zeus to Zeus. It's... a little confusing, Yu has to agree.

But before she can do more, Elizabeth casts a quick Mind Charge to Keraunos, and she and Minako are the only ones left standing, breathing deeply.

"Is this the extent of your power? Art thou not but sheep, baaing in a meager herd?" Elizabeth bellows and Minako shakes her head.

"That's not right at all! We've struggled and fought and bled to this point, and we're not going to stop now! Eat this!" She dashes forward and Yu can hardly believe her eyes when Minako punches Elizabeth in the face. Elizabeth stumbles back from the hit and with a blast of Megidolaon, knocks Minako back.

"Senpai!" Yu runs over to Minako, skidding down to her knees.

"Hey, come on now. Just a bit more, and we can all get some healing. I'm counting on you...!" And Minako passes out. Yu nods and stands up, striding towards Elizabeth."

"Oh? Art thou a wolf in the wildness, alone in your struggles?"

"No! My friends...my friends are my power! Izanami-no-Okami...let's do this!" Yu charges forward, katana at the ready. She can feel her Persona powering her up, the world slowing down for her. She lunges with her katana, meeting Elizabeth's strike with her own blade. The two clash quickly and repeatedly, Yu keeping Elizabeth on the defensive. Zeus howls and Keraunos erupts around Yu, who casts Heat Riser and dodges and weaves between the thunderbolts. Electricity flows through Yu's blade, and she delivers one final strike.

Yu and Minako stay last after everyone has already gone through the doors back to their worlds, 2009 for SEES and 2011 for the IT.

"Well," Yu starts, and falters. How do you say goodbye?

"Well. Time to go back. It's been fun, Yu-chan. I hope...no, I know we'll see each other again. And even if we forget everything here, we'll know that this happened. That we made a connection. That for once, both bookends of the same soul met and made great things happen."

"And that together, we are more powerful than when we are separate. And you're right, you know. We will see each other again. I know because back home, you're on the Investigation Team. You and Aigis-san. So if you go back and forget everything I want you to remember to tell her how you feel. See you later, Minako."

"See ya, kiddo. Ha, kiddo. Enjoy life, Yu Narukami, and everything that it entails." Minako waves and walks through her door, as Yu does with hers.

It's the fall of 2009 when Minako wakes up. She listens to Elizabeth ramble on for a bit and walks home slowly, taking in her shaky memories. She picks up the pace as she remembers that Shinjiro's cooking for the dorm again. After last time had been a rousing success, they all made sure to be there again, especially since the food was so good. She breathes in the clean air of early fall, the typhoon having cleared all the smog that hovered over Tatsumi Port Island.

"Hey, dude! You're late!" Junpei's voice reaches her first when she gets back...home. Yeah, home.

"Welcome back, Minako-san." Aigis intones, carrying over some plates from the kitchen to the table, Yukari a step behind.

"Hey, Minako-chan!" Yukari says in response, "Good to see you!"

"Smells a bit good for cooking. Did you let Fuuka-chan into the kitchen this time?" Minako jokes, bending down to pet a barking Koromaru. She squeezes his cheeks as he breaks off to run around the living room.

"Uh, well, only briefly!" Fuuka calls from the kitchen as Shinjiro leaves the kitchen, taking off his apron. "Is everyone here?" He asks, taking his beanie off to smooth his hair.

"All the seats are full," Akihiko jibes as the whole gang sits down.

"I didn't ask you, idiot," Shinjiro places the last plate on the table and sits down opposite his friend and they keep arguing. Ken and Mitsuru sit stunned, but Mitsuru eventually closes her eyes and smiles.

"You gonna sit down eventually?" Ken asks to Minako, who has been staring at her friends for a few moments.

"Yeah, yeah. Geez, you're awfully nosy today, huh?" She pulls out her chair and sits at the head of the table, Aigis moving to the seat next to her.

"W-well..."

"Leave Mina alone, man. Persistence isn't that cool."

"Yeah, Ace Defective, like you'd know what women like."

"Yuka-taaaaaan! Uncool!"

Eventually, conversation dies down when Minako taps a fork against her glass, standing up.

"I...I'd like to say thanks. For, well, everything. Not just the food. Thanks for that, by the way." Minako stops talking briefly as a round of applause spreads through SEES, and Minako can see Shinjiro's face blush from the praise.

"I'd also like to thank you for...well...something. I can't remember what. But thank you for supporting me in our quest to end the Dark Hour. Thank you for lending me your strength. Together...!"

"We can do anything, right? Leader?" Junpei stands up, glass in hand and looks her dead in the eyes. One by one, the rest of the team stands up, glasses in hand. Koromaru barks and jumps onto Ken's chair, pouting at Minako. She sighs and nods, and the Shiba barks again.

"Cheers, everyone. To us. To the future!"

"Cheers!" They all respond, and they dig in.

In the back of Minako's mind, she remembers flashes - friendly students from a familiar high school, long grey hair and piercing eyes. Orpheus plucks a melody as she digs in.

And she smiles, because that's what she does - here, surrounded by people she loves, and who in turn, love her.

Yu wakes up, back in Inaba. She remembers - well. Damn. Something's blurry and fuzzy in her memory. All she can remember is a pair of piercing red eyes and a smile a mile wide. She bolts out of bed, thankful it's a Sunday and throws on some clothes. She says a quick greeting to Nanako and Dojima and straddles her bike, cruising to the shopping center. She pulls up to Wiping All Out to see Minako and Aigis taking a quick snooze while there're no customers. Yu smiles and grabs the nearby emergency nap blanket (so dubbed by Rise) to thrown on top of them. She and Aigis make eye contact and the robot smiles.

"Hey, Aigis-san. Do you remember...well. Do you remember us meeting before?"

Aigis tilts her head, running through her memory banks. There's a hint of a memory deep in her core, of a strange school back when she and Minako were in SEES, of a familiar pair of grey eyes. She delves deeper, and the memory deletes itself, leaving her perplexed.

"I am sorry, Yu-san. I thought we met back after we shortly opened. I apologize. But there is something in my data banks that suggests we met some time ago. A mysterious pair of students and a clock tower? I would not worry too much about it. Nothing happens to Wild Cards for no reason. Actually, would you like to assist me in putting the next batch of muffins in the oven? I am...preoccupied." She looks down to the sleeping figure laying on top of her, a thin line of drool going out of her mouth as the robot adjusts the blanket more securely over her.

"Of course, Aigis-san." And Yu smiles, because that is what Minako would do.

Eventually, the rest of the gang shows up with their textbooks and everyone gets to studying, and Nanako shows up too. Together...together, they all can do anything. Here, surrounded by people she loves and those who love her.

"Hey, big sis! Your friends are pretty cool, huh?" Nanako pulls on Yu's jacket, and she nods.

"Yeah...you're right."