A/N: Some Terminology

Torii - Red Wooden Gate in Shinto Shrines

Inari - Shinto Fox God

Komainu - Lion Dog statues that guards the shrine.

Neesan/Neechan - Big Sister

Niisan/Niichan - Big Brother

5/2/2017: Basic chapter update. Modified some dialogue, paragraphs and sentences.


Chapter IX: Spring Midterms

Sunday May 10, 2009 3:10 P.M. - Makoto's Room

On the day after what was like the most energy draining and difficult challenge Makoto had ever faced, he fell into a deep and long slumber, snoozing the day away until he heard a loud rock song echoing throughout his room. With a painful groan, he reached out with his right hand until he grabbed his phone near the bedside counter. He flipped it opened and pressed it to his ear.

"…H..ll.o…?" Because of the fatigue, the greeting came out like someone angrily mumbling something incoherent.

"Hello?" A perky voice responded back. "This is Elizabeth. I'm calling to inform you of a change in Tartarus. I believe a path that was blocked is now open. I thought you might like to know. I wish you a safe journey."

"...Huh?...Tartarus?...Okay…" He closed the phone and went back to sleep, not completely understanding what he was told. If his mind was clearer, he would've wondered how Elizabeth got his number and how did that strange ringtone appeared in his phone.


?

When Makoto opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was the large ancient door that he had seen about a month ago.

"Not again," he complained. Before he could even questioned why he was there, an unseen force compelled him towards the door like last time. Feeling mentally weak, he gave in to the force and walked through it, hoping that his life wasn't in any danger.

The door slammed shut with a loud bang that echoed throughout the dark room. Ahead of him, was the old man in the wheelchair who didn't look like he was bothered by the deafening sound at all. Rather, he looked like he was delighted at Makoto's appearance.

"Welcome, it's been a long time hasn't it?" The old man motioned to the black leather chair across from him.

After Makoto sat down, the old man continued in his mysteriously frightening deep tone. "About a month...it may seem long to you, but it is a mere moment in my life."

"Why am I here?" Makoto demanded in a tired tone.

"Direct aren't you?" The old man chuckled. "I heard that you went against Pestilence and survived. Well done my boy." The old man clapped heartily as if he was a proud parent congratulating his son for winning the basketball championships. "Hardly any mortal can come face to face with a Horsemen of the Apocalypse and live. Actually, you might be the only one..."

"I didn't do it alone. I had help."

"You mean that Archangel? True, if not for him then you would have ceased to exist. However, don't sell yourself short. If the battle had continued without you, then the Archangel would have been the one to suffer serious injuries. The power within you is indeed beginning to sprout. Or...should I say powers?"

"Do you know about my powers?" Makoto figured that this was the best chance to understand what was going on with his body. First, the dark power and then the light power. It was very different from the Persona powers he and the others had.

"Hmmm..." The old man placed a hand to his chin, falling into a deep thought. "...Maybe."

Makoto let out a sigh, realizing that the people around him don't like to explain anything.

"On the other hand, the Persona power I do know."

"What exactly is it?"

"Simply put, a defense mechanism that humans have. It is like the hidden inner power that they possess. Of course, your other powers are something entirely different."

"You talk a lot about my powers and abilities, but what was it you want from me again?"

"I need you to help me out with something. Only somebody with your abilities can do it. However, you are not yet strong enough to do that I'm afraid."

"Are you related to that Horseman?" Makoto looked around the room and suddenly realized something. "Now that I think about it, this world and that world feels very similar. A fearsome world voided of life that no man should ever enter..."

At Makoto's statement, the old man smile became wider and his piercing red eyes began to glow, which made Makoto involuntary shuddered. He wanted to move away, but his body was frozen in its place. It was like he was meeting Pestilence once again.

"No, I'm not like that Horseman since I'm not a creature of Death."

Makoto did not say anything else in response to the old man's words, but he kept his gaze on the old man, hoping to find something.

"He is incredibly strong though, that I can tell."

"You look like you have further questions, but this is enough for now. Until next time..."

As the surroundings became white, Makoto suddenly wondered if the old man had any connection with the Archangel. He didn't seem to be surprised at all when he mentioned that Raphael had helped him in his fight. However, Makoto didn't get the chance to ask as he was forcefully ejected from this world.


Monday May 11, 2009 7:55 A.M. - Gekkoukan Front Gates

After nearly sleeping a whole day on Sunday, Makoto had almost fully recovered from his fatigue. He had left a little earlier than Junpei and Yukari so he didn't see them as he stepped on the train. At first, he felt uneasy about riding it because of the near death experience he suffered just two days ago. He could swear that the floor was shaking back and forth threatening to knock him off his feet. To take his mind off the problem, he closed his eyes and listened to his mp3 player all throughout the train ride.

Many thoughts about the recent underworld battle continued to circulate his mind. It felt like a dream, but it's all real. Not like anyone would believe him if he told them. To think that a Horseman of the Apocalypse would have his eyes set on him. At least he now knew that the dark being inside him was a creature of Death. He also had people from high places keeping watch over him...probably.

"I need to get stronger to deal with these type of beings." He smiled at the thought. It wasn't long ago when he feared his own strength, but now, he desperately wanted to get stronger. "I should start getting serious with my training." He didn't know what all of these mysterious events meant or what destiny had in store for him, but he decided to concentrate on one problem at a time.

After a few minutes, he forgot about the old man, Pestilence, Shadows, and other strange phenomenon that he couldn't understand while he drowned himself in relaxing classical music. It was so peaceful that he almost missed his stop.


As he approached the school gates, he felt someone tapped him on the shoulder from behind.

"Wazzup?" Junpei asked with unusual abundant energy first thing in the morning. "Today is just an ordinary day, huh? That was crazy though, the day before yesterday. I've never had that kind of thrill in my life. Don't you think it's been getting more exciting lately?"

"That's one way to put it," Makoto murmured. "If only you knew what else I had to go through."

"We won the battle and saved the city," Junpei continued while ignoring Makoto's depressing response. "Man, I feel like I can take on the world now." He pumped his right arm into the air and screamed, "S.E.E.S. baby!".


8:03 A.M. - Class 2-F

Makoto was sure that he could begin relaxing because of the recent successful mission, but he was reminded of reality when Ekoda made an announcement as soon as class started.

"I'm sure you all remember that midterm exams start next Monday. If you paid attention during class and studied diligently at home, you should have no problems. Of course, the best way to prepare for a difficult exam is to sleep through class, like Iori here."

The class turned their heads to look at Junpei who had his head down on the desk, sleeping peacefully without any concerns. His energy must have quickly depleted after he had the talk with Makoto a few minutes ago.

"If you choose to neglect your duty as a student and waste your life in idleness, then be my guest..."

Junpei's fatigue must have been contagious as most of the students ignored Ekoda and went to sleep. Hopping on the bandwagon, Makoto rested his head on the table and let his consciousness drift away.


3:05 P.M.

During the week before exams began, all of the school clubs' activities including the athletic ones were cancelled so the students would have ample time to study. For Makoto, it didn't really make any difference because he skipped kendo practice most of the time. Today, he would head straight home and study. They weren't schedule to explore Tartarus today so it was prudent that Makoto took this chance and seriously focus on his schoolwork, which have been slightly neglected as of late.


Tuesday May 12, 2009 7:55 A.M. - Gekkoukan Front Gate

"Morning," Makoto greeted when he saw Yukari walking to the gate.

"Morning. You hear the news? There've been fewer new cases of Apathy Syndrome the last few days. Senpai said it's probably because we beat that Shadow. Wouldn't that be great if it was true?"

Makoto wondered where did she get her news from and who was even reporting about it. He certainly didn't pay any attention to those kind of things except for what he actually saw as he walked around. She'd probably cared more about the problem than even he did.

"If that was true, then it would be great, but it could just be a coincidence so we shouldn't think too much about it."

"Yeah, I see what you mean. But sometimes you got to be optimistic about some things in life and this Shadow issue is one of them." Yukari nodded her head knowingly while Makoto just shrugged his shoulders in response.

"Are you optimistic about the exams?"

"Don't remind me. I'm trying to keep my mind off of that!" She let out a sigh before continuing. "Since we're already on the subject, do you want to study together? We can also invite Junpei too, but I doubt that he'd even want to."

"Uh...Okay. Less work for me I guess."

"Hey, you have to help out too!" Yukari shouted as she pinched Makoto's left cheek until it began swelling in a pinkish-red.

"I was just kidding," Makoto murmured as he rubbed his cheek.

"You know, with your usual expression, it's hard to tell if you're joking or not."


3:03 P.M. - Class 2-F

"No thanks!" Junpei immediately refused after Yukari asked him to join the study session. "You guys study together if you want, but I'll study when I feel like it. See ya, I'll be heading to the mall." Junpei lazily waved goodbye before he walked out of the room.

"Shouldn't have even bothered in the first place," Yukari said, shaking her head with irritation.

"I wasn't surprised by his response."

"Me too honestly. But before we head back to the dorm, can we stop by somewhere first?"

"Bathroom?"

"No! The shrine."


3:32 P.M. - Naganaki Shrine

There were a few shrines within Iwatodai City, but Naganaki Shrine was the most familiar one to Makoto because of its proximity to the dorm. When he recently started doing his early morning runs again after joining the kendo club, he always took a breather when he got to the shrine before continuing his lap around the area. Despite that, he never actually went into the shrine before and only stood at the bottom of what look like about forty steps that ascended upward like a staircase to heaven.

After passing through the red rectangular Torii (shrine gate) at the top, he noticed that the shrine wasn't very big. The gray stoned walkway in the center was surrounded by small stoned lanterns and it led to a pair of stoned Komainu (lion dog) statues that protected the dilapidated wooden offertory box. It was housed by a small brown roof, which also hid the bells underneath. Beyond the box, Makoto could see the passageways that led deeper into the shrine.

To the left of the offertory box was a smaller red wooden Inari shrine, which had its own red wooden Toriis and to the right was a wooden fortune box. Further to the left of the Inari shrine was a large brown tree surrounded by a wooden fence. Makoto didn't know what was special about that particular tree other than it was bigger than the ones around it. However, the small white pieces of paper that adorned the tree, made it seemed like people viewed it as a sacred landmark. The tree's bark and rough outer layer seemed so ancient that it probably had been in existence for thousands of years.

Other than the typical structures and things found in a shrine, he also saw a green jungle gym, a wooden see-saw, a gray metal slide, and a swing set on the left side of the shrine. It was like a playground where young children can play after a long day of school. However, this one was barren with nobody around. It was completely silent except for the chirping of a few birds.

The grass was surprisingly properly trimmed and it colored a bright green. It was apparent that someone was taking care of the shrine despite the limited visitors.

Makoto inhaled the scent around him and he could smell the fresh air circulating the area as well as a faint scent of burning incense. There was a mysterious ancient force surrounding the shrine, but he couldn't quite pinpoint its exact location. This place may possibly be the oldest structure within the city.

The two continued walking until they reached the offertory box. As he peered down the small cracks, Makoto could see hundreds of shiny coins. It looked like the shrine was more popular then he initially thought.

"Don't tell me that you're going to pray for academic success," Makoto said as he watched Yukari threw a few coins into the box, held her hands together and closed her eyes. After a few seconds, she opened her eyes and shook the white rope attached to the bells. It sounded like the clanking of two empty cans.

"I don't usually do this because my grades have never been an issue," Yukari explained after she turned to face Makoto. "It's just that with the whole Shadows and Tartarus things lately, I didn't get a lot of time to study. I'm a little concerned so I wanted an extra bit of luck this time around. What about you? Do you want to pray as well?"

"No, I'm good."

"Confident aren't you?" Yukari joked. "Then let's head back now."

While they walked back to the stairs, they noticed a little girl sitting on a bench near the playground. She had short brown hair, big brown eyes and wore a teal colored skirt and white shirt. On her back was a red squared backpack that was commonly carried by elementary school students. She was looking down at the ground as she moved her legs back and forth as if she was walking on air.

Although Makoto didn't have a clear view of the girl's face, she somehow reminded him of himself a few years back. The two just stared at the girl for a while until Yukari spoke up.

"She looks lonely..."

Makoto couldn't see the expression she had when she said it, but she sounded sad.

Yukari then quickly walked up to the girl as if she just made some kind of resolve. "Are you waiting for someone?" She crouched down so she could look directly at the girl.

In response to Yukari's question, the girl looked up and her expressionless face betrayed nothing. She appeared to be around ten years old. "...Not really," the girl mumbled.

Makoto couldn't help, but think that if he was the one who had asked the girl, he would have received a completely different response, a really bad one. Feeling a little hungry, he took out a melon bread he bought earlier and begun munching on it.

"Say, do you want to play with this, big sister?" Yukari asked with a wide smile.

"No thanks. I don't want to bother you when you're on a date with your boyfriend."

"Wha-?" Yukari's cheeks slightly flushed at the statement that came out of nowhere.

"Cugh cuhh cuf." Makoto suddenly choked on a piece of bread he was mindlessly chewing on.

"Yuki-kun! Are you okay?" She quickly moved toward him, but he raised a palm out to signal her to stop.

He beat his chest with his left fist until he was able to painfully swallow the piece of bread down his throat. After overcoming the difficult battle, his breathing became erratic and he struggled to keep himself from heaving over.

"Here."

Makoto looked up and saw the girl holding a clear bottle of water toward him.

"Th-Thanks," he mumbled before taking the bottle and emptied it in one large gulp. Feeling refreshed, he handed the bottle back. "You're a lifesaver."

"You should remember to carefully chew your food before swallowing," the girl reprimanded in a stern voice.

"But that wasn't why I started choking though..."

"Now that we got that out of the way..." Yukari began as soon as she realized that Makoto was perfectly fine. "About before, we aren't dating."

"Really?" The girl asked as her eyes grew wider in surprise. "You both were in that kind of mood..."

"You were mistaken." She flatly denied. "Anyway, now that you know that we aren't dating, how about playing with me?"

The girl thought deeply about what to do for half a minute before she made a decision. "...Well...okay!" The girl's original stoic face quickly became excited with the prospect of playing with presumably interesting people.

"And as for thanks for the water, that gloomy "Big brother" will play too," Yukari declared as she pointed a thumb at Makoto whose shrugged his shoulders indifferently.

"Yay!" The girl raised her arms and pranced around before coming to a sudden halt. "Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Maiko Oohashi."

"Maiko-chan, huh? I'm Yukari Takeba and the one that choked was Makoto Yuki-kun."

"Yukari-neechan and Makoto-niichan, let's first play on the swings."

"Okay."

The three of them went to the large swing set with four black leather flat seats attached to a chain that held it in place.

"Yuki-kun, why don't you push Maiko-chan?" Yukari suggested after she and Maiko sat down. With a nod, Makoto went around behind Maiko and gently pushed her forward.

"Weeeeeeee!" Maiko screamed at the top of her lungs each time she reached near the top.

Meanwhile, Yukari swung at an ordinary pace while glancing at Maiko from time to time.

After a few minutes, Yukari and Maiko moved to the see-saw and took turns moving up and down. Yukari however, had to adjust her weight so Maiko could actually push down. In the next hour, the three climbed the jungle gym and played a game of tag while they were on it.

While they were playing, Maiko told them that she usually waited at the shrine after school because no one would be at home waiting for her. Both her parents worked late and so rather than stay at home alone, she decided to kill time at the nearby shrine.

When it was around five o' clock, Maiko announced that it was time for her to go home.

"Do you need us to walk you home?" Yukari asked.

"No, I don't live very far. But anyway, can we play again sometime?"

"No problem. When we have time, we'll do it again."

"Okay, I'll see you then." Maiko waved goodbye while she walked to the stairs before disappearing from their view.

"Since it's already this late, how about getting something to eat?" Makoto suggested.

"Huh? Oh, that's a good idea. I didn't think this much time had already gone by."

They left the shrine and headed to Iwatodai Station to grab a few burgers before heading back to the dorm.


6:05 P.M. - Minatodai Dorm

"Doesn't look like anybody's home yet," Makoto announced once they walk through the front door.

"They could be in their rooms," Yukari replied after she placed her book bag down onto the dining table. "I'm going to grab a few things from my room before we begin the study session."

After Yukari went upstairs, Makoto returned to his room to grab some textbooks. On his way, he couldn't feel anyone's presence on his floor.

"How well do you usually do on exams?" Yukari asked after she sat down on the dining table and Makoto sat across from her. Their textbooks laid sprawled out across the table along with other notebooks.

"Not bad."

"Okay, if you need any specific help then feel free to ask me. Alternatively, I'll ask you if I need help."

In the next hour, the two looked through their notes and textbooks and occasionally asked each other for help regarding certain questions. Other than the sound of papers being turned or ruffled, it was mostly silent in the dorm's lounge. Surprisingly, the one who broke that silence was Makoto who became curious about something.

"Why did you approached Maiko when we were at the shrine?"

"What?" Yukari looked up and was momentarily confused before she realized what he was talking about. "Oh that..."

"Never mind, you don't have to answer if you don't want to." Makoto suddenly felt like he was intruding on something personal.

"No, I'm fine with telling you." She cleared her throat before continuing. "It's just that she kind of reminded me of myself. I used to be quite the lonely child." She chuckled softly to hide her embarrassment.

Makoto slightly raised his eyebrows in surprise at the sudden confession. "That was unexpected." Based on what he noticed, she was a very popular girl who many in the school held in high regards. Particularly the male students. Although, there were times when he felt that her headstrong and cheery personality was meant to detract others from seeing something else. Whatever the case, he wasn't that close to her or even knew that much about her past to make any accurate assumptions.

"Well, remember how I said that my dad used to work at a lab run by the Kirijo Group? Because of that, he was usually busy and wasn't home very often. My mom too...she worked late as well. I didn't have many friends back then. Especially ones that would hang out after school because they were usually picked up as soon as school ended. Like Maiko-chan, I lived nearby to the school and could let myself in the apartment, but I chose to just wander to a nearby park and waited. It sucked...you know?"

"...Hmmm, I guess I could see why you and Maiko are similar." Makoto nodded his head knowingly. "She probably had a tougher time than I did."

"Yeah, that's why I felt I couldn't just leave her like that. And before you ask, no I don't normally bother people and intrude in their lives. It was just the spur of the moment thing. Sorry for dragging you into my selfish request."

"I wasn't bothered by it. If only somebody had extended a reaching hand to you too, right?"

"Don't get me wrong though, when my family were together, it was great. So it wasn't too bad, but those were rare occasions...And there was someone..." Yukari quietly mumbled the last part to herself that Makoto couldn't hear.

He did however saw that there was an expression on her face that he had never seen before. Her cheeks faintly glowed pink and her soft smile reflected the indescribable happiness that she was experiencing. "Must be thinking of a fond nostalgic memory."

"W-What!" Yukari stammered after she broke out of her recollection when she caught Makoto staring intently at her.

"What were you thinking about?"

"N-Nothing." Yukari frantically moved her hands from side to side. "A-Anyway, what about you? Were you also lonely as a child?"

"When I was around Maiko's age?" Makoto closed his eyes and rubbed his chin as he deeply thought about the question. A moment later, he opened his eyes and said, "I don't know. I have no memories before 10 years ago when I was 7 years old."

"Oh...right...Sorry about asking. I just forgot about that."

"Don't worry about it. I'm already used to it." He shrugged his shoulders in a nonchalant manner.

"Still..." Makoto's reassurance however, did little to sway her regret. Before she could say anything else, the front door opened and in walked Mitsuru.

"Oh? What are the two of you doing?"

"We're studying for the midterms," Makoto replied.

"Is that so? That's good to hear. You should always remember to keep up with your schoolwork as it is essential to your future. With that being said, I think we should take a day off from Tartarus so the others could prepare for the exams as well. It's not like we know if the obstruction has been taken down yet.

"I'm okay with that," Makoto answered.

"Me too," Yukari agreed.

"I'll tell Akihiko and Iori later so keep up the good work." Mitsuru then left them and walked upstairs.

"Let's get back to studying," Makoto said as he tried to find where he left off in his notebook.

Yukari nodded and murmured something in response.


Wednesday May 13, 2009 5:13 P.M. - Minatodai Dorm

"Sup dude?" Junpei greeted from the couch when Makoto stepped through the door. He let out a sigh before continuing. "I'm tired of studying, so let's go to Tartarus."

"Hit the books."

"Are you serious?" Junpei jumped onto his feet. "Isn't saving the world more important? Come on, Yuka-tan wants to go."

"I never said that," Yukari denied from the dining table. She had her face buried in a pile of books.

"I don't think the world will end just because we skip a few days of Tartarus. So you should take this time to study."

"Whatever..." Junpei sighed and slowly walked upstairs to his room.


Thursday May 14, 2009 5:30 P.M. - Minatodai Dorm

"Hey, let's go to Tartarus," Junpei said when Makoto returned. "You can study anytime. We need to get stronger ASAP. Me and Hermes will take down the next big Shadow ourselves!"

"That's good to know," Makoto said, clapping his hands. "I'll be sure to let you handle it the next time, but for now...time to hit the books."

"C'monnnnn, give meee a break..." Junpei slouched into the sofa's cushions as he announced his frustrations.

"How are your grades, Iori?" Mitsuru asked from across him. She continued to read her book without even looking up.

"How are yours-never mind. I already know." Junpei slouched even further into the cushions.

"I'm currently studying college-level material, for your information."

"Man, now I don't feel like doing anything at all." Junpei closed his eyes and tried to fall asleep.

With a sigh, Makoto left the lounge and went back to his room.


Friday May 15, 2009 7:52 A.M. - Gekkoukan Front Gates

"Yuki, good morning." A voice called out to Makoto from behind as he was walking up to the gates. He turned around and saw Mitsuru quickly walking up to him. She looked like she was in a good mood.

"Morning, Kirijo-senpai."

"Exams begin next week. Are you prepared?"

"Not really..." Makoto replied as he scratched his head.

"I see..." Mitsuru's expression darkened when she heard his reply. It lasted only a quick moment as her frown turned into a large smug smile. "A talented hawk hides its talons, hm? Well, I'll be looking forward to seeing your grades."

"Talented..." Makoto murmured and narrowed his eyes.

"If they're good, then I'll give you something. Consider it a reward. And when I say good, I mean top of the class of course. This deal extends to the other members as well."

"What is this something?" Makoto interest had been piqued.

"If you want to know, then get the top score." Mitsuru chuckled as her eyes reflected something devious. "Well to be honest, I'm not as well prepared as I should be. I'm still preoccupied with monitoring Shadows. At any rate, the number of incidents have decreased since our last mission. If we can defeat them, we may be able to rid the public of their fear. However, every time a new Shadow appears, it seems to be more powerful than the last. And even after Akihiko returns to battle, we still won't be at full strength."

"I'm guessing you're referring to yourself?"

"Correct. I want to join the frontlines as well, but it is more important for me to give support."

"Maybe we should hire more people?" Makoto suggested.

"Worse case scenario, I'll use my Student Council President powers and force people to join," Mitsuru declared with a laugh.


Saturday May 16, 2009 7:54 A.M. - Gekkoukan Front Gates

While Makoto was heading to school, he saw Akihiko near the gate. His face was soaked with sweat and he was slightly bent over as he tried to catch his breath.

"Running late?" Makoto asked.

"Hmm? No, I was just exercising." Akihiko wiped his forehead with the back of his hand and stood upright. "The doctor said I'm almost fully healed, which means that I'll be ready for battle after midterms. It's about time I start training now if I want to get back to my original state before the injury."

"That's good to hear. It's getting more dangerous as of late so we really need some more skillful teammates."

"You can count on me," Akihiko said as he pointed a thumb at himself.


5:25 P.M. - Minatodai Dorm

"Welcome back," Mitsuru greeted when Makoto, Yukari, and Junpei returned from the dorm.

Junpei mumbled something incoherent and stumbled to the sofa before falling down onto it with a loud flop. His face was a ghastly pale and looked like it was drained of its essence.

"What's wrong with Iori?"

"I think he's tired from all the studying he's been doing," Yukari answered. "All of the little studying."

As Makoto thought about what he should do about Junpei, he suddenly remembered that the obstruction has been removed in Tartarus. He didn't remember where he heard that from, but he was sure it was true. "How about going to Tartarus tonight?"

When Junpei heard the word "Tartarus", his eyes lid up like a child opening his birthday present and color returned to his face. "Tartarus? Are we going? Please don't tell me your joking because that would be too cruel."

"Well, I was planning that S.E.E.S. take the week off to study, but..." Mitsuru closed her eyes and fell deep into thought.

"There's a possibility that the barrier had been taken down so we should at least check," Makoto suggested.

"True..."

"Well, Junpei does look like he'll die at this rate," Yukari said. "Tomorrow is also a Sunday..."

Mitsuru let out a sigh and said, "I'll allow it for tonight, IF and only if, Takeba agrees and we don't stay out as long as usual."

"Yessss!" Junpei shook his fist excitedly. "Yuka-tan, you're going right? Don't let me down now." He placed his hands together as if he was praying to her.

"Okay, okay. I could use some exercise. Plus, my studying has been going well so I guess a break is fine."

"With that decided, you three should continue to study before our appointed time," Mitsuru ordered.

"Alright, senpai," Junpei said with a salute. "I'm all fired up and I feel like I can do anything!" He sat down on the couch and took out a textbook. After he opened it, he fell into a deep concentration as he tried to memorize everything on the page.


Dark Hour - Tartarus Lobby

"Let's not waste anymore time and get on with it," Junpei declared as soon as the three junior members arrived at Tartarus.

Mitsuru had left a little earlier because she wanted to bring her special motorcycle to the scene. She said that it will help her scan the higher floors even if they couldn't climb that far. Now, she was busy tinkering with the radio on the motorcycle.

"You guys go ahead, I got to tie my shoelaces," Makoto said.

"Okay," Yukari replied before she and Junpei walked to the teleporter.

After the two were out of sight, Makoto looked at Mitsuru and saw that she was still distracted with the machine. In a quick dash, he made it to the glowing blue door in the corner of the room and walked through it.

When he was in the Velvet Room, he noticed that Igor wasn't there and the only person he saw was Elizabeth. She was pressing buttons on a blue cellphone and was fully engrossed with what she was doing that she didn't notice Makoto standing there.

"Elizabeth-san? What are you doing?" He walked over to where she stood near the center table. His movements created a loud enough sound to disrupt Elizabeth's attention.

She looked up with a start. "Oh...Makoto, when did you get here?" She asked, her eyes growing large because of her surprise. The phone in her hand instantly disappeared into the air.

"I just got here actually. I'm surprised that you didn't notice. Was there something interesting on your phone?"

"Master recently gave me a portable phone for me to use," She replied with great enthusiasm. "I've been using it to...what you call it? Surf the net?" She raised two fingers on both hands and wiggled them up and down. "I'm learning more about the human world and it is exceedingly fascinating.

What Makoto found fascinating instead was that there was cell reception in this world. He took out his cell phone and it was confirmed when he saw five bars.

"I just got a good idea," Elizabeth suddenly announced. "If it's okay with you, can you show me around the human world sometime? I really want to learn more about that world and I think it would help me if you guide me."

"Uh...okay," he replied after giving it some thought.

"Then I look forward to it," Elizabeth said with a smile. "With that out of the way, I like to change topic as to why it took you this long to return to Tartarus when it has been about a week since I told you that the obstruction has been removed."

"Wait, you mean that we could climb higher in Tartarus?" Makoto asked with a confused expression. "And when did you tell me that?"

"Last Sunday when I called you."

"You did?" Vague memories of Sunday morning came to mind and he could somewhat recall a phone call. "Now that I think about it, I think I did talk to someone. Although, I was too tired to remember. The main reason why we didn't go to Tartarus though was that we have Midterms next week and we were busy studying for it."

"Midterms? Oh yes, you mean those routine written exams that determine whether one is fit to be part of society or whether one is doomed to become a failure? It also requires one to devote so much time into preparation that it becomes a life and death battle itself, right?" She began to rub her hands together in excitement. "I must someday participate in this grand test and prove my abilities."

"...Uh, yeah...sure," Makoto quietly replied as he averted his gaze. "Maybe I should cancel that guide thing." She wasn't exactly wrong with her description, but she was making a great exaggeration. "Anyway, where is Igor-san?"

"Huh? Master is-" Before Elizabeth could finish, Igor suddenly appeared sitting on the sofa.

"Forgive me for I was just taking a quiet nap in the other room," Igor explained.

"Is that so?" Makoto replied with a surprised expression.

"Why do you look surprise? Even mysterious long nosed individuals need rest too you know." Igor let out a chuckle. "So now, what can I do to help you?"

"I think you know why I'm here."

"About that battle, correct?"

Makoto nodded his head in confirmation.

"You certainly are an interesting young man," Igor said with a smile. "You have now become acquainted with a Death God and an Archangel."

"There's also a mysterious old man in a wheelchair, a mysterious long nosed man and a peculiar elevator girl in blue.".

"Even I was a bit surprised when you were pulled into the underworld. However, it should be expected as your destiny is a unique one that will attract those that would harm you and those that would help you. Whether they are gods or angels."

"How are the Angels and Death Gods related to me?"

"You will find out soon enough," Igor answered with a smile. "Now, I'm sure you heard about the blockade lifting so you should carry on and continue your exploration."

Makoto shook his head disappointedly as he once again learned nothing. "Okay, I'll take my leave now. I'm hoping that the next time I see you, I actually learn something."

Igor smile just grew wider in response before Makoto walked out of the Velvet Room.

He found himself once more in the lobby so he hurried to where Junpei and Yukari were waiting. "Let's go."

Junpei and Yukari nodded their heads and the three of them were enveloped in a bright light as they were teleported to the highest floor they had climbed.

"Whoa, it really is gone," Junpei announced once they arrived on the floor. Just as he had said, there were no desks piled on each other. It was just the large set of stairs leading up to the next floor.

"I could sense that the obstruction is gone and you are clear to proceed," Mitsuru said. "You may continue whenever your ready."

"No time like the present," Yukari said before she began walking up the stairs.

"I wonder what the next floor's like?" Junpei asked in anticipation.

The three of them slowly walked up the stairs, careful about not looking down otherwise they'll probably lose their balance and fall to their doom. After about a minute, they reached the top and were instantly in a different area. Unlike the previous green colored school room area, this one had a dark purple scheme. It didn't look like the inside of a school anymore, but more like a dark creepy dungeon.

"Keep close," Makoto ordered as the three of them continued their exploration.

Not long after, they saw something approaching them from the far end of the large hallway.

"What the hell is that?" Junpei screamed.

"Shadows!" Yukari drew an arrow to her bow in anticipation of an attack.

The monsters in front of them were two large square objects that resembled casino gambling dices. They were about 3X3 feet and were bouncing up and down as they approached the three Persona users.

"I'm scanning them right now," Mitsuru announced.

"While we wait for the analysis, we maintain a defensive formation," Makoto ordered. "Don't use your Personas. Junpei, just attack with your sword once they come within distance. Takeba-san, fire an arrow to check what kind of durability we are dealing with."

"Roger." Yukari shot an arrow at one of the dice, which became stuck within its body upon impact.

Makoto wasn't sure if that caused any damage as it continued to move forward. Before he could issue anymore orders, Yukari fired off another arrow and it landed smack in its center. Like before, the damage appeared to be minimal at best.

"These Shadows are weak to fire and strong against physical attacks," Mitsuru announced. "Proceed accordingly."

"Ok, it's my time to shine." Junpei said before he summoned Hermes. "Show them what you're made of!"

Hermes called forth two blazing balls of fire and threw them at each of the dices. The Shadows burned under the heat, but it wasn't enough to finish them off.

"They're stunned so let's get them while we have the chance," Makoto ordered.

The three of them then moved toward the Shadows and unleashed dozens of slashes along with a few arrows. The battle quickly came to an end soon after.

"That was easy," Junpei said and he began walking down the passageway.

"Let's just hope that everything else in the area is as easy," Makoto muttered.

The three of them continued their exploration and were able to find the set of stairs. They ascended the stairs and were immediately welcomed by a surprising set of Shadows.

"You know that we're entering higher level territory when we see a few of these running around," Junpei said with excitement.

"Shh, keep quiet," Makoto whispered.

Moving around a few meters in front of them were three large beetles who were identical to the dark shelled beetles that attacked them on the first floor. They showed no signs of noticing the interlopers.

"Kirijo-senpai, can you scan them while they remain oblivious to us?" Makoto requested.

"Understood." Mitsuru took about twenty seconds before she came back with a result. "Resistant to physical damages, but very weak against wind."

"That's good to hear," Yukari said as she took out her evoker. "I'll actually be able to do something this time around."

Makoto nodded his head and got his evoker ready as well.

"Takeba-san and I will commence with the initial attacks. Junpei, you follow up."

"Roger."

Makoto summoned Titania while Yukari summoned Io.

"Use your wind attacks," the two of them said in unison.

Two powerful gusts of wind appeared and descended upon the oblivious beetles. The howling wind devoured the Shadows until it lifted them high into the air and dropped them back down. With their underbellies exposed, Junpei summoned Hermes to finish them off with a few diving kicks.

"That's what teamwork's all about," Junpei said when the Shadows were no more. "I think we can take on anything now."

"I doubt it," Makoto disagreed while he looked around for any signs of other Shadows.

"Let's clear this floor and call it quits for today," Yukari suggested.

"Already?" Junpei asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, I want to get back early so I could get a good night's sleep." Yukari let out a small yawn.

"Okay, fine." Junpei shook his head disappointedly, but gave in to their plan regardless.

The three of them spent a few more minutes defeating a few Shadows on the floor before they found a teleporter and used it to return to the lobby.

"Good work," Mitsuru greeted as soon as the three returned. "Now that we know the obstruction is removed, we are again free to explore Tartarus. Our exploration schedule will resume to normal once Midterms are over."

After Mitsuru made her announcement, the S.E.E.S. members returned to the dorm and rested for the day.


Monday May 18, 2009 8:05 A.M. - Class 2-F

For the remainder of the week, the Minatodai Dorm residents were busy taking midterms and studying in between. Everyday there was a test and it would continue until Saturday. When Makoto sat down on the first day of exams, he wasn't sure what to expect. He thought he was adequately prepared because he studied for hours a day. In the past, that had been enough for him to not only pass the exams, but achieve high marks as well.

A few minutes before the tests were passed out, Makoto looked around him and could see that his classmates were mostly stressed out and nervous. These classmates included Kazushi who had expressed his early confidence on numerous prior occasions and Kenji who didn't even once mention the midterms. Looking across from him, Makoto saw Junpei who was in a wrecked state. All of the time he spent playing around instead of studying seemed to have finally caught on. Lastly, he turned his gaze forward at Yukari. From what he saw, she didn't appear nervous at all.

"Begin," Toriumi announced as soon as she passed out the exams.

Makoto cracked his knuckles and opened his test booklet. After briefly scanning the test questions, he knew that he would do well. In fact, he ended up finishing with a few minutes to spare that he used to think about the next test.

After Monday came to an end, Tuesday arrived and once again, Makoto completed the exams with little effort. It seemed that he had been a little too prepared as he dived through the remaining tests with little worry.


Saturday May 23, 2009 7:52 A.M. - Gekkoukan Front Gates

On the final day of exams, Makoto ran into Akihiko near the school gate.

"Hey Yuki," he greeted with a wave. "Today is the last day of midterms, huh. If the doctor gives me the O.K., then I'll be able to fight with you guys again...finally."

"That's great. I could finally start relaxing out in the field and concentrate on doing my own thing."

"Uh, yeah...about that." Akihiko scratched his head awkwardly. "I have a favor to ask. You've been doing a great job leading the team in Tartarus so would you mind continuing after I come back? That way, I can concentrate on building my strength."

"What?" Makoto nearly yelled after he heard Akihiko's request. "Shouldn't the senpai take care of the kouhai?" He moved his hands up and down in order to illustrate his statement. "Besides, I want to concentrate on building my own strength too."

"Normally that's true, but our organization is not like the normal school club and work environment." Akihiko then stopped and looked at Makoto with a serious expression. "I may be able to lead if the situation calls for it, but I'm not ignorant as to believe that I can do a better job than you can. I've been observing you and I know for a fact that you have exceptional abilities as a leader. You turned that amateur duo into competent team players in barely a month. You already realized how dangerous the situation is already don't, you? To prevent life threatening injuries and fatalities on our side, we need the best leader on the field. With the available members, that would be you."

Akihiko paused for a moment so Makoto could say something in response. Once Akihiko realized that Makoto wasn't going to say anything else, he continued. "Well, I already talked to Mitsuru and she was okay with it. So if you have a problem with that, then I suggest you bring it up with her."

After Akihiko was done with his grand speech, he hurried into the school all the while laughing to himself. Makoto just stood there with his mouth hanging open for a few minutes until he heard the bell rang.


4:03 P.M. - Minatodai Dorm

Once the exams were over, Makoto, Yukari, Junpei and Akihiko all headed back to the dorm together. They were seated at the dining table in the lounge as Akihiko talked to his doctor on the phone. The three of them were listening intently to Akihiko's X-Rays' results.

"Hmmm, okay. I understand, doctor." Akihiko hanged up his phone with a pleased smile.

"Senpai, you're fully healed," Yukari happily declared.

"Congrats, man!" Junpei patted Akihiko's shoulders.

"I wish I could be as happy," Makoto murmured as he remembered the morning talk with Akihiko.

"Yeah. I need to catch up on my training," Akihiko said in a serious tone. "I've slacked off for a whole month." He looked down and examined his fists.

"Shouldn't you take it easy, though?" Yukari suggested. "You don't wanna re-injure your arm."

"I've already wasted precious time." Akihiko suddenly looked up with an excited expression. "Besides, we found another Persona-user."

His announcement came as a shock to everyone as they just stared at him with wide eyes. Junpei was the first one to snap out of his surprise.

"We did? Sweet! Is it a girl?" Junpei looked like he couldn't contain himself any longer because of all the recent great news coming in at the same time.

"Actually, it is. She's a junior who goes to our school. Fuuka Yamagishi. Do you guys know her?"

"Yamagashi...?" Yukari tried to remember where she heard that name before. "Oh, that girl in 2-E. She gets sick a lot from what I heard. I don't see her at school very often."

Makoto thought that the name sounded familiar, but he wasn't so sure. He had been bad with people's names lately.

"She was at the same hospital as me," Akihiko said. "That's how we found out about her. But, maybe she's not cut out for battle. I had an evoker made for her too." He looked disappointed at not being able to recruit the prospective member, but Junpei had looked even more disappointed despite never meeting her before.

"What? We're giving up on her already? I was gonna offer her some private lessons." Junpei moved his eyebrows up and down suggestively as he made the statement, which in turn made everyone stare at him.

Their gazes were filled with disapproving thoughts.

Junpei moved a bit further away from the others. "Wh-Why're you looking at me like that? C'mon, I wasn't planning anything. Honest!"

The air became thick once again as the others continued their accusations in silence.

"Well, we're going to continue observing her so who knows what might happen in the future," Akihiko said, finally breaking the silence. "I'll notify you guys of any updates that occur. For now, you should all get some rest. I would've preferred to go to Tartarus today, but you're all probably too tired to even advance far. We'll pick it up on Tuesday." Akihiko then went upstairs and left the junior members who continued to think about the girl called, Fuuka Yamagishi.