A Magician's Psalms: PHASE 01

by kalakauai

Ar Tonelico x Persona 4 crossover; After the events of Arena Incident, the Investigation team took it upon their selves to investigate the Malevolent Entity behind the recent case. But during a pause in their investigation, a certain member was handed a CD music and things went out of hand when he heard a song... (On to Phase 2

10. Rescue Mission and More Diving?

I do not own neither one, They are Respectively owned by GUST and ATLUS

Also, other additional add-ons from various games, I do not own them either.

---

Rescue Mission and More... Diving?

(Daytime) Blue Heaven Trail

Yosuke and his friends Finnel, Kanji, and Teddie were just recently tasked to rescue Aoto when they reach Eternus Shaft. However, along the way, Kanji started to wobble and then passed out, immediately exhausted for some unknown reason.

"... Wow Kanji, How did you just pass out like that?" Questioned Yosuke as he sat down on a dry log. Kanji, for some reason, passed out before they just reached the campsite they passed many times now.

"The hell... should I know...?" Complained Kanji, weakly. He was rather dazed after a half-hour passed.

"Maybe... You should take a break." Finnel suggested. "You and your persona did cause a lot of damage back there..."

Kanji: "Don't... remind me..."

After they rested, they contineued their way ip the path when Teddie sensed a familiar threat. "...?"

"Ted?" Yosuke wondered. "What's wrong?"

"Sh-Shadows! Up ahead!" Teddie alerted.

Exclamation marks Popped above the three, responded with surprised expressions. "Shadows!? Now!?" Finnel exclaimed.

"What!?" Kanji grunted as he then squatted down from exhaustion. "Agh... Shit..."

"Whoa, Kanji! We got this." Yosuke said, signaling for Teddie and Finnel to take the front with Kanji in the rear.

They continued up the stairs and saw the pair Great Fang soldiers at the checkpoint, shooting away at the Beetle shadows shadows encroaching them from the other side of the bridge. A Minotaur shadow appeared, grabbing the helpless soldiers off their feet, staring them down.

"AAHH! H-Help! Anyone!" A soldier cried, as both of them were struggling when the four arrived.

Kanji: "What the heck...?"

Finnel: "Wow, Teddie's senses were right on the Leaf."

"... Aaaaannd... They have their sights on us...!" Yosuke followed as the shadows spotted them. Minotuar shadow dropped the soldiers and marched towards the Persona users. "Let's go!" He yelled, drawing his blades. He and Teddie took the front while Finnel began her song magic.

---

EXEC_HYMM_BATTLESPHERE/.#Finnel extracting

Yosuke dashed towards the Minotaur Shadow as it lunged at Yosuke, throwing its fist at him. Yosuke quickly reacted and jumped on to the shadow's hand, ran up its arm, and sliced a hit at the side of the head, then quickly jumped off. Yosuke took a quick breather as he watched the Minotaur shadow staggered. As he observed the shadow, he thought about himself as was able to pull off new tricks he never knew. "Weird... now that I think of it, I became faster when Finnel sings her song magic. Is it possible to regain our ability's power when Reyvateils sings...? Yosuke thought.

Yosuke looks over to the other side of the battlefield and watches Teddie fights. Teddie uses claws out of his paws and consecutively slashes at a Beetle shadow and then lifts over its back with three TV sets raised under it. Teddie uses his persona, diving into Kintoki-Douji below him and appears out of the top of the TV sets and immediatly takes form of 200-ton weight and pounds himself on the Beetle shadow, dissipating it. As Teddie return to his bear form, he wiped dust off of his bear suit and noticed the other Beetle shadow charging at him, causing Teddie to run, squealing like a girl.

Yosuke sweatdropped as he set his eyes back to the Minotaur shadow, recovering from stagger. It roared out loud and charged at Yosuke And he uses Magaru as he side-step to the sides. The charging Shadow kept charging at Yosuke as he kept evading and using his skill. "Really? Wind's not working?" Yosuke complained. Whole he kept dodging the attack, he landed behind Finnel while she kept singing. The shadow continued to rush him while Finnel was right in the shadow's path.

Finnel: "? ...!"

"Huh? Oh Crap!" Yosuke glanced at Finnel, then to the shadow. In line of attack, the Minotaur shadow rushed towards Yosuke, presumably Finnel, in the line of threat. He ran towards Finnel's side while slashing his Tarot card. "Blow 'em away, Jiraya!" He yelled as Jiraya appeared on Finnel's other flank, pushing the shadow away with a strong air blast. As they retained their space away from the Shadow, Yosuke showed a thumbs up to Finnel as he went up front.

The Shadow Minotaur regained its balance as it continued after Yosuke "Persistent...!" Yosuke thought as he had Jiraya stamped his hands on the Shadow's head and inhaled air until its stomach was fat enough. "Let's try this! Tentarafoo!" Yosuke commanded as Jiraya exhaled light-green smoke, making the Minotair shadow stagger in confusion.

The Shadow blurred its sight, seeking out the Persona users. It then spotted Teddie running around, away from the Beetle shadow, chasing Teddie. The Minotaur shadow set its sight on him, charging at him, but instead of Teddie, the shadow rammed the Beetle shadow, sending it flying and dissipating it and all that was left was the Minotaur shadow. Yosuke cued Finnel at her 1st layer purge and had her Mind Guardian fire her song magic at the shadow.

Yosuke withdrew his Persona before Momoko fired and Teddie bear-ly ran out of the way, save his tail. The powerful fire blast burned away the shadow, dissipating away.

"I guess our powers regains its strength while Song Magic's being produced..." Yosuke pondered.

"If that's the case, we'll be able to fight with bear-tastic, graceful rhythm!" Teddie replied.

The shadows are defeated and gone, for now.

---

After the battle, Kanji caught up to them with little less fatigue on them. "Whoa Senpai, you guys kick ass!" He cheered, bit then took a closer look as Yosuke and Teddie's fatigue started to get them, too. "Uh... You guys alright?" He asked.

"... Oh geez... I'm started to feel tired all of a sudden..." Yosuke winced. "Is everyone good?" He asked. They all nodded and turned their attention to the soldiers.

"Uh... Th-Thanks..." Said the Soldier, getting up. Although they were glad to be saved, the Persona users and Finnel were staring at them both.

"W-Whoa... What is it?" The other Soldier stuttered.

Yosuke: "Well..."

Kanji stepped in looking down on both of them for a reason. "You guys ratted us out, didn't you?" He questioned with a threatening tone.

Both soldiers jump from the revelation, they've been caught. "I... uh..." The Soldier stuttered. They didn't had anymore ammo and Kanji was a tad taller. So, a several seconds later, they went down to their knees and bowed to the delinquent. "W-We're sorry! We didn't mean to do that to you guys! I swear!"

"Yeah! We wouldn't had to do this if those Clustanian skunks had to threaten us!" The other Soldier whiningly added. "Please, don't kill us!"

They begged for forgiveness and the trio behind Kanji felt bad, yet Kanji had an answer of judgement and walked up to them. "The hell are you guys doing? Get up." He ordered softly. The two Soldiers looked up to him and stood up straight. "You guys were just following orders right? So I can't just blame you." He said. "But you guys better not do that shit again, dammit!"

The two Soldiers flinched. "W-We won't get in your way, I promise...!" The Soldier confirmed.

"But we can't help you or anything, otherwise we'd in trouble." The other Soldier followed. "We actually had orders to capture you guys." he added as he flipped a wanted poster with the Persona User's faces on it, excluding Teddie as he had his costume on. "You three were causing a lot of ruckus in Great Fang, your big friend was brought up to attention just recently, too.

Upon hearing what they said, Kanji snatched the wanted poster away and shared it with Yosuke and Teddie, along with Finnel, coming around to look.

"You have got to be kidding me!" Said Yosuke with a disgust expression.

"Hmm... Hmm... Now that is beary good quality." Teddie commented.

"Now's not the time for bear puns, we're wanted men! Agh! This can't be real...!" Yosuke complained.

"Um... If you guys are heading to Eternus Shaft, they shouldn't find you there." The soldier suggested.

Kanji: "Really?"

"Wait, how would we know you guys are luring us into a trap?" Finnel retorted with suspicion.

"Well, Aoto's there, in our base. If we can get you in, are you gonna get him out?" The Soldier asked.

Exclamation marks appeared over the four. "Hold on, you guys know about Aoto?" Yosuke said with surprise.

"We came from the Hamlet, so the mayor told us. We owe you guys a lot for sending the Clustania army out. Plus you guys did save us back here, so we 'could' help you guys somehow." The other Soldier mentioned.

The four looked to each other for any agreement. They all nodded to have the soldiers to assist. "Alright. Let's head into town and plan from there." Yosuke advised as they all proceeded.

---

Eternus Shaft

At least near five minutes, they reached the entrance and they arrived at the square. Yosuke was impressed it took so little time on the path. "Well, that was quick. It wouldn't take this short to get here..." Said Finnel.

"Us Great Fang soldiers have knowledge of different paths in order to flank our enemies." Said the other soldier.

Kanji: "Uh huh..."

Yosuke looked around seeing the townsfolk minding their own business, especially when Teddie took his costume off. Either they don't know or they're not getting themselves involved. "Okay... for now, we'll check if we need anything and meet up at the bistro." Yosuke ordered. "Sounds good?"

The soldiers nodded and they left for the Bistro along with Kanji, leaving Teddie with Yosuke and Finnel. "So... What are we gonna do?" Teddie asked.

"Wha-... er..." Yosuke stuttered. "I'd hope to help Finnel with her Song Magic and-"

"You want to Dive in me to improve my Song Magic, right?" Finnel bluntly interrupted. "Sure, that's fine. I'm okay with it."

"Er... oh... Alright then!" Yosuke replied with surprise. "We'll be right back, Ted." He said to Teddie, who was dumbfounded.

"Huh? But I want to see what diving's like!" Teddie complained. "I mean, to delve into another's heart, to see a world of your lovers and-"

Yosuke, however, didn't want to hear it. "Your not coming with us, Ted! End of discussion!" He retorted. He started to blush pink and Finnel pretended not to hear Teddie's poetry. "Look, at least check around town while we're busy, it could help us." He suggested. "Besides, no one knows you without your costume on, you'll be fine."

"Okay..." Teddie moped as he walked away, depressed.

Finnel: "Well then, to the shop."

---

Eternus Shaft, Dive Shop

Yosuke and Finnel enter the shop where they first dived and they both see the same shopkeeper with the attitude. "Hello... Oh, it's you guys, again..." The Shopkeeper greeted reluctantly.

"Yeah, I can see that you haven't changed..." Yosuke said with sarcasm.

"Hmph, so what now? You both gonna dive?" The Dive Shopkeeper.

Yosuke & Finnel: "Yes."

They payed the fee and entered their pods. Thus, beginning their next dive. Yosuke hoped to improve their odds of saving their friends by helping Finnel find some more Hyumas, so they Dove once more.

---

Dive Sequence Activation, Finnel's Cosmosphere, Level 2:

Initiare#%$/&

Yosuke twitched all of a sudden and then opened his eyes. "Huh? This is new..." Yosuke said to himself. He scanned all over the soulspace seeing chess pieces everywhere, some over forest pillars. "Chess Pieces? Is this place a chessboard, this time?" He said, walking off the Stonehenge. He looked around some more, noticing giant walls surrounding the eye. "The walls are sorta close, too..."

"Hi. Welcome back." Momoko greeted as she flew in front of Yosuke.

"Oh, you again..." Yosuke muttered, seeing how unamused to her simce last time. So, you came here to bully Finnel again?"

"Don't say such mean things." Momoko replied with sarcasm. "I've never once bullied her, and... You asked if I came here to bully her, but I'm a resident of this world."

Yeah... right... such a meanie is clinging to Finnel." replied back with sarcasm as well. "I feel bad for her..."

"You're misunderstanding me. Finnel wants me here." Momoko corrected.

Yosuke: "... Right..."

As he looked around he sees a path connecting to the forest pillar with a knight chess piece connecting towards a cage at a distance and decided to check there. Along the way, a girl mysteriously appeared walking aside from Yosuke to the opposite direction. The girl had violet hair with ponytail hanging to her left side. After Yosuke notice the girl, he turned around and saw nothing. "What the... Wait, what just happened...? Was that Finnel, just now?" He thought. Who ever she was, she disappeared. "Hmm... I guess I'm seeing things..." He said to himself and proceeded to the cage.

---

Level 2 area: Purgatory

As Yosuke reached the cage, he spots Finnel sitting down on the ground.

"Oh, Yosuke!" Said Finnel as she sees him walking up.

"Are you locked in a prison now?" Yosuke asked, looking up at the cage.

"No, I'm hiding here on my own." Finnel replied depressingly.

Yosuke: "Hiding? Why...?"

"Because someone's chasing me. So, I figured nobody'd chase me into a prison..." Finnel suggested.

"Huh? Someone's after you? It's probably Momoko, isn't it?" Yosuke speculated. "A real bully if you ask me. I could set her straight for you."

Finnel: "No. Momoko is... well... my friend."

Yosuke: "Your friend...? You sure?"

"Oh no! You know that the walls are closing in, right!? Someone... I don't know... is gnawing on my soul... It's slow, but constant." Finnel explained, depressingly. "The wall's are approaching us. Above the walls isn't my world, so I can't even go over them. Plus, I've almost been killed many times."

"Huh? Almost killed you!? Who's trying to do that?!" Yosuke asked, looking worried.

Finnel: "I'm not sure... someone who looks like a clown, a scientist woman, and..."

"There's more than one person...?" Yosuke pondered. "A clown? Could that be Soma...? But who's the scientist women...?" He thought.

"I won't lose to them! I won't give in to their threats!" Finnel stated.

Yosuke sweat-dropped after hearing what she said. "You say that while you're hiding in a prison... that's not very convincing, ya' know?" He replied. "Although... If beyond the wall isn't your world, then... Your world would be here. With a floor that has fetters, and the Stonehenge..." He added while surveying the known areas. "I'll go check around, see if I can do anything."

Finnel: "Okay. Be careful..."

As Yosuke left the prison area, he started to ponder, figuring out what to do next. He was just as confused about this world and he suspected that it'll about to get more worse. "I have a bad feeling about this. I better check around..." He thought.

"I'm her friend." Momoko stated as she floated to the said of Yosuke. He only stared at her with a gloomy expression. "She said it herself! I'm her friend! I'm so glad I'm Finnel's friend!" Said Momoko with cheerful sarcasm.

Yosuke: "... As much as you mean it, I seriously doubt it."

As he continued his survey around the pillar he noticed another pillar at a far end with small stalagmites with flat surfaces leading to it and hopped towards it. Unbeknownst to him, the same girl, that he caught glimpse of, was watching him, discreetly.

---

Level 2 area: Shackles

Yosuke arrived on the pillar only to seeing more shackles on the ground. Other than that, he saw a small figure floating around. "Huh? That's a... uh... Another Hyuma? Hey!" He called out to it.

Excuse me? My name is Unita." The Hyuma readdress. She is small as the last Hyuma, but this one wore a cyan one-piece dress with a same color arm-frills And green hair with a bird cookie-looking hairpin. "Did you call for me?" She asked.

"Huh... Another fruitcake shows up..." Yosuke muttered. "I'm guessing she another personality of Finnel's..." He thought. "I have a quick question, is it possible to get up to that chessboard-looking thing?" He asked, pointing to the pillar above to where Yosuke is.

"Well... you definitely can't get up there. I can barely get there." Unita replied.

"Yosuke: "You can? But then, why can't I?"

"You're accepted by Finnel, but that's it." Unita answered. "I'm a resident of this world, so I can walk around here... to a degree. That's why."

Yosuke wondered about the restrictions, especially about the other people inside Finnel's Soulspace. "So, I'm accepted by Finnel, but that's it? Is there anyone else, other than Finnel here?" He asked, but Unita waved her head with her hands up, meaning she's not sure. "I see... then, can you do me a favor? Can you go up there and see who's there and what they're doing?"

"Hmmm, I can do that. I'll see you later." Unita replied as she flew to the pillar above Yosuke.

Yosuke: "Huh... I wonder if everyone who lives in the Cosmosphere is like this..."

While Yosuke waits for the Hyuma, someone spoke from behind him. "You're going to get a glitch here, as we speak." Said a female voice behind the Persona user.

"Huh!?" Yosuke jumped as he turned around 180* only to see a girl standing with her hands on her hips.

Again, she had violet hair with ponytail hanging to her left side and has brown-gold eyes. She wore a blue jumpsuit that extends to her arms along with a visible bellybutton with pink and white strips and golden rims. She also wore white gloves with pink on the fingers. Her blue boots were the same colors with white with pink diamond shapes and gold rims at the top, too. Also a small gold brace on her waist, too. "Like I said, a glitch. You're gonna hit a wall, soon." She said.

"Whoa..." Yosuke mumble with his mouth open, by the Mysterious girl's appearance. But came to sense by what she meant. "Wait, a glitch? What are you talking about? And... who are you?" He begged the question.

Alas, before any answers were given, Unita returned, flying back down. "I'm back! but that place was occupied by another guest!" She said.

Yosuke turned around to see the Hyuma. "Another guest?" He wondered. He wondered if she was talking about the girl behind him but when he looked back to the girl, she mysteriously vanished from sight. "Huh? Hey, she's gone...? Seriously, what the hec-" Yosuke bit tongue when he turned around as Soma appeared out of nowhere. "Holy Crap! Soma!? Why are you here!?" He yelled with surprise.

"... Why are YOU here? You're the one who's not supposed to be here." Soma responded.

"Finnel asked me to come here! You have no right to keep me from coming here!" Yosuke retorted as he took his fighting stance. "Are you the one who's trying to kill Finnel!? Why are you after her life!?" He asked drawing his weapons.

"... It's truly tiring to talk with you. All the affairs of this world don't revolve around you. Leave, immediately." Soma ordered.

Yosuke: "Hell no!"

"Then, I shall remove you by force!" Soma exhale as she lunged towards Yosuke with her scythe at hand.

"Wh-Whoa!" Yosuke back-stepped and continued to dodge Soma's attacks. "Geez, attacking all of a sudden!? You really are an assassin!" He replied as he parried the scythe away. "Alright, time to taste some air!" He said as he kept his distance from the clown assassin. "Let's go, Jiraya!" He called out, but still nothing appear... then, recalling the first dive, knowing he cannot summon them in here. "Oh, crap! I forgot... Dammit I'm gonna get killed!" He grunted as he kept avoiding and repelling Soma's attacks. As Yosuke became more weary, Soma saw an opening and flipped him to the ground "Oof...! Oh, Damn!" He grunted. He looked up to Soma readying her scythe. "Crap...!"

Finnel: "... Wait!"

Finnel appeared before them with Soma slashing her.

Yosuke: "Finnel!?"

Soma looked at her with her menacing clown head. "Youske's not related to this! If you're gonna kill him, then please kill me first!" Finnel demanded, covering her wound. Soma said nothing, all but stare.

"Finnel! You shouldn't have come out of the cage!" Yosuke yelled, but Soma placed her scythe at her ready, making him whimper. "Dammit!"

"It's okay..." Said Finnel, clenching her fists. "I just couldn't stand seeing you get killed..."

Yosuke: "But still! You sacrificed yourself..."

Finnel: "It'll be alright, as long as you survive."

"Finnel, Hey! I not gonna let her touch you!" Yosuke stated. "Ah hell, Finnel's in danger...! ... Huh?" He thought as he notice Soma withdrew her scythe and ran off into the darkness. "Soma? Hey wait!" He demanded, but Soma disappeared before anything else. "Shit! ... Why now!?" He grunted. He then sees Finnel collapse. "Finnel! Hey, you alright? I got you!"

"I'm glad I was able to help you in the end..." Finnel, gasp weakly.

"You dunce! Don't say that that crap! You're gonna be alright!" Yosuke said to Finnel. But when he examined the wound, it wasn't even close to fatal. "Uh... Wait, is she serious..."

Finnel: "Yosuke, please do me a favor... Stay with me till the last moment."

"Uh... Of course! I'll always be with you...! This isn't over yet! I will save you!" Yosuke said. Although, he wasn't sure if he should feel sad or something, so he continued to play along. "Really now, What am I supposed to say...?"

Finnel: "Yosuke, thank you..."

Moments after, wind blew upon them both. Yosuke looked back at the Stonehenge, seeing it flashing. "...? The Stonehenge! Wait, does that mean we did it?"

"What wonderful story. I'm so moved..." Momoko commented, with crocodile tears.

"Alright! Hey, Momoko! Help me carry Finnel!" Yosuke ordered.

"I just can't do something like that. Have you seen my arms?" She mentioned as she showed her hands. "Do you think I could even lift a toothpick?"

"You say that after kicking the Beef bowl out of her hand...? *sigh* ... Nevermind, I'll handle this myself." Yosuke groaned in disbelief. He piggyback Finnel on his back as he made his way to the Stonehenge. While he did that, the mysterious girl on a far pillar watched him and looked disappointed.

---

Level 2 area: The Stonehenge

Yosuke and Finnel arrived at the Stonehenge. whereas it was shining just as bright as the last one.

"This is... another Paradigm Shift? Awesome!" Yosuke cheered.

Finnel: "Hehehe. I guess..."

"So... What happened? Are you scared or something?" Yosuke asked, showing concern. Finnel was sounding sort of off.

"N-not quite. It's more like... I'm kinda... thrilled." Finnel replied.

"Oh, I see. In any case, why was Soma here...?" Yosuke questioning himself.

Finnel: "Yosuke, let's go!"

"Oh, sure. Yeah, let's go!" Yosuke said as he went into the light before Finnel.

"... Yosuke... will you be disappointed with me this time?" Finnel asked behind him. "You might hate me as you get to know me better... I'm excited, but... what if you hate me? I can't... even imagine that..."

Yosuke: "Huh? Say what now?"

Dive Sequence, Finnel's Cosmosphere, Level 2:

C#%%^6omp&38lete56%Ϟ

---

Eternus Shaft, Dive Shop

As the pods opened up, they both awoke and got out of it.

"You cause another Paradigm Shift. That went very well." Said Finnel.

"I know!" Yosuke agreed with his winking expression. "If we could keeps this up, we'll get you a lot more stronger than usual. Is it okay to go further?"

Finnel: Oh, sure... I guess..."

"Alright then. Hey, can we go another round, shopkeeper?" Yosuke asked, turning to the shopkeeper.

"Already? You guys in there for a few minutes and you guys want to dive right away?" The Dive Shopkeeper questioned with disbelief.

Yosuke: "... Is something wrong with that?"

"... Bah, never mind, just get inside already." The Dive Shopkeeper sneered.

Yosuke: "Alright, alright..."

The Persona user and the Reyvateil went inside the pods again to dive further and the shopkeeper finds it strange. "Hm... The last dive was completed to quickly. What's going on?" He wondered.

---

Dive Sequence Activation, Finnel's Cosmosphere, Level 3:

Initi00000#%$/&

Yosuke's opened his eyes so suddenly after some sort of chill went down his spine. "Whoa, what was that feeling...?" He wonder as he sat up. He looked around to see a change of scenery. Green fields with casino-like structures on pillars. "Whoa, what is this...? Looks like a... Theme park? Ted would really love this place..." Yosuke commented after scanning the area.

"It depends on the Reyvateil. Finnel's world is like... the World of Fate game." Momoko explained as she flew in, again.

Yosuke: "World of Fate game?"

"She likes games." Momoko simplified.

"Really? I don't know if it's right to bring a giant board game to her world just because she likes them." Yosuke said, hypothetically.

"You're so dense. I never said she likes 'board' games." Mentioned Momoko.

"... So then... 'Games' in general, right?" Yosuke suggested.

After Momoko claims that she wasn't sure Yosuke started to look for a path. He found a only path that only leads down to a dark and small place.

---

Level 3 area: Purgatory

Yosuke arrived to a tiny dark room, as this was the only accessible path to take, and noticed Finnel sitting down, looking depressed with her head near her knees.

"Finnel! There you are. What's up?" He asked, although she wasn't looking good. "You don't look very happy."

"Really? That's not true..." Finnel denied.

"*chuckle* So, why are you in such a dark place? There are plenty of better places than this..." Yosuke mentioned, recalling the surface above this room.

"Yosuke, don't you know? This is the only part of my Soulspace that's left." Finnel explained "There are plenty of colorful places around here, but they are no longer part of my world." She referred, outside the dark room.

"Huh? The world outside is not yours?" Yosuke asked. "I supposed that explains how this place is getting smaller... It's depressing..." He thought, looking around the room, thinking back from his last dive. "So then, why is your world always so... depressing?"

"That's because... I'm a failure." Finnel stated. "Oh, Forget about it. No matter what the reason is, this much is clear: The only place I can claim is this ghost town."

Yosuke: "Seriously...?"

"Yep, you're a piece of garbage, so you should live in a ghost town garbage dump." Momoko sneered.

"Wha... Shut the hell up, Momoko...!" Yosuke grunted, giving Momoko the stink-eye. "First of all, why is she trash or... a failure?"

"Because I couldn't live a successful life like her." Finnel answered.

"'Like her'?" Yosuke wondered. "Who are you talking about?"

"Everyone other than that loser." Momoko replied, snickering.

Yosuke: "You're not helping, Momoko!"

Finnel: "When I was born, I was predestined to be a loser."

"Yes, you're the lowest and most pathetic form of life." Momoko commented, cheerfully.

"But how could that be true..." Yosuke asked. "Just spinning the wheel won't simply do anything."

"But when I turn the Wheel of Fate, it never stops on a happy place." Said Finnel, looking away. "That's how I ended up in this ghost town."

Momoko: "That's her fate. Sorry, but just give it up."

Yosuke is growing annoyed by the Mind Guardian and thought of what he could do. "Then, let me turn the wheel. I'm, somehow, lucky when it comes to roulette games, I think... So how do I turn it?"

"It's not going to work! Didn't you hear her? This murky, dark place is the only place in her world." Momoko mentioned. "The wheel is in someone else's space. You can't go there or turn the wheel."

"Exactly. So, I can't go anywhere. This is the only place where I can exist." Finnel stated. "And even this ghost town is destined to be occupied. My Cosmosphere will be annexed by someone, and I'll disappear..." She started to cry.

Momoko: "And that'll be goodbye forever!"

"Well, we can't just stand here and do nothing, right?" Yosuke exclaimed, gripping his fists.

Finnel: "Huh!?"

"You're probably being brainwashed by this stupid Mind Guardian. Life is not decided by some damn roulette game." Yosuke stated with his angry expression. "You can always make a lot of changes to your fate! If you can't go, I'll make it happen. I'll turn that stupid wheel, get a good outcome. I'll make you happy!

Finnel: "Yosuke..."

"I'll be right back" Said Yosuke, climbing back up. "I'll find out how to get to that roulette wheel and get it spinning!" He exclaimed as he climb up the cliff. However, as he got back to the surface, He felt a gust of wind blowing in front of him. The Stonehenge has been activated, flashing upon the pillar. "What the... A Paradigm Shift? Already!?" He stated, seeing how he didn't do anything. "Okay, that was too easy..." He thought.

"Yosuke! Wait!" Finnel called out to him, climbing up to Yosuke. "It's alright now. I'm filled already."

"Filled... with what!?" Yosuke responded. He assumed something suggestive, but did noticed that he did nothing for a Paradigm Shift to happened. "Wait a second! Weren't you just...?

"I'm fine now, so let's go to the Stonehenge." Finnel interrupted, as she proceeded to the Stonehenge.

"H-Hey! Wait, Finnel! Nothing's been resolved yet! I didn't even do anything!" Yosuke called out to Finnel, but she was out of range. "Okay... this getting ridiculous. How can we finish this layer like this?"

"Hmm... I don't know." Said Momoko, with her hands behind her back.

"Momoko, you know something, don't you!?" Yosuke asked, annoyed by the Mind Guardian's reluctance.

"I dunno. I have no idea what you're talking about. I just thought this was how Finnel is really like." Momoko shrugged. "To top it off, you better go now or she'll do the Paradigm Shift alone."

"Hm..." Yosuke pondered. He thought he was doing this correctly, but something is starting to go off course. Despite all of this, he went after Finnel at the Stonehenge.

---

Level 3 area: The Stonehenge

"Yosuke, you're late!" Said Finnel, cheerfully when Yosuke arrived. she looked happy despite Yosuke not doing anything, which made him worried.

"Hey, Finnel. Are you sure this is fine?" Yosuke asked. "Nothing's been resolved."

"That's not true. Yosuke, you promised you'd protect me." Finnel replied.

Yosuke: "Well yeah, but I didn't do anything..."

"That's enough for me. Besides... I thought I wanted you... deep inside me..." Finel stuttered as she blushed.

"...!? Wh-what!? What did you just say!?" Yosuke exclaimed.

"N-nothing. Anyway, it's kind of addicting... this feeling when we Paradigm Shift."

"Addicting?" Yosuke wondered, and his expression turned from normal to a troubled expression. "You mean... exciting, right?"

"No, that's not it... It's more like... it tingles... in places... Hehehe!" Finnel giggled as she started.

"Okay, now you're creeping me out..." Yosuke muttered. He thought he was getting closer to know her, but she started to sound horribly off.

"H-Hey! I'm just scared, okay? I'm scared that you'll finally get tired of me and start to hate me..." Said Finnel, though she started to sound off again. "But... That fear is addicting... or something."

"What are you..." Just then, Yosuke heard a heartbeat and his eyes blurred for a moment. "Huh?" He pressed his heart as the sound of it pulsed him for some reason. "Whoa, what just..."

"Let's just go!" Finnel stated as she pushed Yosuke into the light

"Wh-Whoa, Hey, hey wait!" Yosuke stuttered as he was pushed into the Paradigm Shift.

Dive Sequence, Finnel's Cosmosphere, Level 3:

Com#%l^ &)#$e$t&e

---

Eternus Shaft, Dive Shop

The pods opened up and they both got out. Something was going on while diving and kept bugging Yosuke.

---

Skit Topic: Diving Technical Difficulties, Part 1

Finnel was curious about Yosuke's thoughts, since she wasn't aware of what's been going on. So she decided to ask about it.

Finnel: "Yosuke, when you Dove into me... Yosuke?"

Yosuke: I... didn't like that Paradigm Shift."

Finnel: "Yosuke, you're not mad, are you?"

Yosuke: "How can I not be!? I just can't just let this go! I didn't even do anything! And all of a sudden, that light appeared! I doubt that's how it works...!"

Finnel: "... Is there some abnormality inside me?"

Yosuke: "That could be it. I'm not sure... Anyway, I'll Dive into you again, so please support me."

Finnel: "Alright..."

---

The two agreed to dive once more and payed the fee to the Dive Shopkeeper, again. "You two really want to again? That last dive was at least under 5 minutes." The Dive Shopkeeper explained.

"Yeah, that's why I want to be sure." Yosuke replied, astonished by how short of the time period was. "We're going in, again."

The shopkeeper reluctantly confirmed and set them up again, both Persona User and Reyvateil into their pods.

---

Dive Sequence Activation, Finnel's Cosmosphere, Level 4:

Initi0012326813835

Yosuke woke up immediately, like something hit him. "Ow... What?" He grunted, and rubbed his is head. "Ngh... that wasn't suppose to happened..." He thought as he stood up. He looked around again, but this time he didn't wind up on a Stonehenge he was upon a entrance to a castle overlooking the soulspace. Every pillar has different layouts that looks 16-bit. A town, a lake, desert, forests, mountains, and a tower nearby. "What... the... This is level 4? Wait, now this layer looks old-school, is this...?"

"There you are, Mr. Hero." Momoko interrupted as she flew in.

Yosuke: "Mr. Hero?"

"Yes. You're a hero here. A newbie one, but eventually you'll be the chosen one who leads this world to peace." Momoko explained. "The heart mark on your neck symbolizes your heroic destiny."

"A... hero...?" Yosuke muttered, when he though of that, he thought of his shadow saying something as such. Although, he realized that she mentioned something on his neck. "W-Wait! A what on my neck!? Don't put something embarrassing things on me!" Yosuke blushed as he rubbed his neck. He didn't feel anything out of the ordinary on his neck, so he thought he's fine. "Though, I'm surprised at your creativity to make such a weird video game-looking world, though."

"Mr. Hero, you must hurry or your ally, the Witch Finnel, will get lost and starve to death somewhere in the Overlord's Castle." Momoko stated.

"Okay, okay, I'll do it!" Yosuke whined and he delved into the castle, gung-ho. "I'm coming Finnel!"

---

Level 4 area: Overlord's Castle

Yosuke arrived inside the castle. Everything that needed to be an Overlord's Castle looked very accurate, the chandelier at the ceiling, gargoyle statues and one big stair case. As Yosuke got the stair case he finds Finnel at the base spotting him as well.

"YOSUK! OVER HERE!" Finnel called out Yosuke.

"Finnel! Good! You're still fine!" Said Yosuke, relieved.

"FINNEL? I'M NOT FINNEL! MY NAME IS FINNE. NICE TO MEET YOU, YOSUK" Finnel, or "Finne", screamed.

A subtitle bubble appeared before Yosuke saying: "FINNE HAS BECOME YOUR ALLY!" including a fanfare to it.

"Wh-What? A system message? Is this layer like a video game now!? He thought. Then he changes the subject to the names. "W-wait! Why is your name Finne? No 'L' at the end? ... And why is my name 'Yosuk'?!"

"YOSUK, IT CAN'T BE HELPED. DUE TO MEMORY ISSUES, WE ONLY GET FIVE LETTERS IN OUR NAMES, SO OUR FULL NAMES DOESN'T FIT. WE ARE SO UNFORTUNATE..." Finne blurred out.

Yosuke: "O-oww! W-Why are you yelling!? Can't you tone it down!?"

I CAN'T, EVEN LOWERING THE VOLUME WON'T WORK." Finnel exclaimed. "WHAT A BUMMER. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE A REAL CLASSIC RPG!"

"G-Geez, so it IS like a video game...!" Yosuke mutter, with his ear ringing. "Well, I think we're all done with that old stuff..."

As Yosuke, or as Yosuk in this world, was figuring out what to do next, he heard steps coming down the stairs "I heard nosie from the gate. Looks like puny humans are making it." Said a familiar voice. "Are you brave enough to enter the Overlords castle?"

Yosuk took a good look to the person upstairs. It was Tatsumi who's looking down on them. "Tatsumi? Hey, Tatsumi. What are you doing here?" Yosuk asked as he took a step, but suddenly, Tatsumi lunged towards him with his V-Board weapon striking him off the staircase. Yosuk barely dodged the attcking jumping back down. "Huh?! W-Whoa! T-Tatsumi, what the heck, dude!?"

"How dare a puny human talk to me! Impertinent fool! Live within your means!" Tatsumi stated.

Yosuk: "What the hell!?"

"YOSUK, DON'T EVEN THINK OF CROSSING HIM! HE'S SECOND IN COMMAND AT THE OVERLORD CASTLE, SHOGUN TATSUMI!" Finne explained, loudly.

Yosuke: "Ow... S-Shogun Tatsumi?"

"Idiotic human crowd, what brings you here?" Questioned Shogun Tatsumi. "Then again... It's a waste of air vibrations to even bother to ask. You came for this, have you not?" He asked as a Hyuma floated aside him.

Yosuk: "Hey, that's...!"

"THAT IS... A MANASPHERE!" Stated Finne.

"... A Manasphere...?" Yosuk wondered.

Finne confimed with her volume at high. "YES! MANASPHERES... ARE THE ONLY BEINGS THAT CAN REGENERATE THIS WORLD... GIVE IT TO ME!" Finne requested, but was tossed back down by Shogun Tatsumi. "KYAH!"

"Finnel! Hey, what was that for, Tatsumi!? That's going to far!" Yosuke barked at their attacker.

"Who would give this to you just because you said so? We, the Overlord's Army, will rule the world with its power!" Shogun Tatsumi stated. "History is upon us. If you really want it back, try taking it from me through force!" He evil laughed as he escaped upstairs.

Yosuk: "Wha- Hey!"

"HE RAN AWAY! YOSUK, LET'S CHASE TATSUMI!" Finne shouted as she ran for the Shogun.

"Ow, my ear! Uh, Hey! Wait a minute! Don't go by yourself!" Yosuk told her, but she was at the top, already. "Agh...! What a pain! Hey wait!" He grunted as he join the pursuit.

They chased Shogun Tatsumi to a hot, volcanic area where lava is gushing down.

"Whoa, that's hot!" Yosuke exclaimed, feeling the scorching heat. "...? What is this place?!"

instead of a reply, Finne has spotted something terrible, waiting for them. "YOSUK, LOOK AT THAT!" She pointed out.

A voluptuous lady hovering into the scene appeared. With pale red hair with a golden butterfly-shaped hairpin on her hair. She wore pale red priestess robes with light blue strides on the tips of it. She also had 3 sets straight bending wings on both sides. Also holding a expensive looking pipe. "Welcome, unintellegent, barbaric humans!" Greeted the lady, looking down on them both.

Yosuke: "What... Whoa... Who is she?"

"My name is Demon Lord Chisel!" She announced herself. "I'm the one who will conquer this world! Tatsumi told me all the details. You're trying to take the Manasphere away from us?" She assumed as she looked down on them.

"YES! I'LL BEAT YOU WITH MY FAMILY SUPERMOVE: DIAMOND VAJRA MOUNTAIN RYU DRAGON FIST SOUL-CHISELING SLASH..." Finnel stated as she chanted her spell.

Yosuke: "Wha...? That's way too long for an attack name...!"

Demon Lord Chisel: "Silence, human!"

"KYAH!" Finne was knocked out by the Demon Lord's attack. With a flick of her pipe, she sent Finne to the ground With a subtitle bubble stating: "Finne has been knocked out."

"F-Finne! What are you doing!?" Yosuk questioned. "You're way too weak!"

Finne: "THAT'S BECAUSE... I'M LEVEL 1."

"What!? You barged into the Overlord's Castle and..." What struck Yosuk is that he's probably as weak when he entered the Castle, too. "Wait a minute... Now I'm in the same situation as you!"

"BUT THAT'S BECAUSE THIS IS MY ONLY WORLD! THE OVERLORD'S CASTLE IS PRETTY MUCH THE ONLY PLACE TO GO AROUND HERE!" Finne exclaimed. "EVEN IF I WANTED TO LEVEL UP, THE FIELDS, MOUNTAINS, AND CAVES, THEY'RE NO LONGER A PART OF MY WORLD...!"

"Seriously!? No place to grind!?" Yosuk complained. "... Then how are we supposed to defeat a Demon Lord, let alone a regular boss at Level 1!?" He questioned.

"Are you done with your final words?" Demon Lord Chisel interrupted. "Then... perish!" She swished her pipe and a dark hole appeared under the Hero and the Witch, causing them to fall.

Finne: "Oh Nnnnnooooo!"

"Oh Crap!" Yosuk yelled in defeat. Thus, while falling, a subtitle bubble appeared before him saying: "YOSUK AND FINNE DIED." followed by a gameover fanfare, which annoyed Yosuk even more. "I can take a hint, you stupid bastaaaaarrrd!" He cursed rapidly as he was falling.

Our defeated heroes fell into darkness with the Demon Lord sealing up the dark hole.

"How pathetic... They were so optimistic... I'm not going to let them regenerate this world so easily." Demon Lord Chisel boasted. "Alright, this is the end of the world. Collapse!" She ordered and the bright light flashed through the entire soulspace... concluding the end of Cosmosphere Level 4...?

Even the bright light beamed through the dark hole where Yosuk and Finne were.

Yosuk: "Guh! Huh!? Who, whoa, whoa! So bright...!

Dive Sequence, Finnel's Cosmosphere, Level 4:

Complete0

---

However, after the bright light faded to black, Yosuke now opened his eyes as he realized he's falling out of the sky... Again...

Yosuke: "Huh!? ... Oh, SON OF A BITC-!"

---

Dive Sequence Activation, Finnel's Cosmosphere, Level 5:

Initiate0

"...aaaaaaaAAAAAAAHHHH! *crash* Oof... Dammit...!" Yosuke fell on a nearby platform, face flat on it, aching a lot from the fall. He somehow miraculous survived it and recover. "... Huh? ... Holy crap! I'm still alive...!" He groaned. As he got up, he check himself if there's any broken bones or ribs, but he felt nothing of the sort, thus he's fine for now.

"Uh... What's going on...? Where am I?" he asked. He looked around only to see a very old bed on a pillar on a far end, along with eye still there. "What the heck? There's nothing here." He commented. "...Oh yeah, I remember now. I dived in Finnel again and that Demon Lord Chisel person destroyed the world..." He pondered. As he turned around, he only notice a toilet upon a pillar and only a toilet. "Uh... Why is there a toilet over there?"

"Indeed...!" Momoko agreed, hovering down to Yosuke's side. "What kind of defecated world leaves a toilet...? Hmhmhm..."

"... What a troll..." Yosuke sighed. "So where are we? This can't be the next layer, is it?" He asked.

Momoko: "Yep! Level 5!"

"Level 5? Wait, that can't be right!" He exclaimed. Although, as he was thinking about the toilet, he was starting to feel slightly queasy down below. "Ngh... Out of all the time..." He grunted. Apparently he hasn't used the restroom for some time now.

"Why not use the toilet, over there?" Momoko asked, sarcastically. "I'm sure 'No one' will mind..."

Yosuke: "... Shut up..."

---

Level 5 area: Toilet

Yosuke hopped towards the pillar with a toilet as it is the only thing on the pillar along side Finnel pacing around.

"Finnel? Hey Finnel! Are you alright? Did it hurt when she defeated us?" Yosuke asked as Finnel immediately glanced at him back.

"Yosuke, don't come near me! Stay away!" Finnel demanded.

"What? Why? There's nowhere else for me to go..." Yosuke replied, looking back. It was completely black. "There's literally nothing..."

"I don't care if there's nowhere else to go! Go away!" Finnel shouted.

"Don't ask me to do the impossible!" Yosuke retorted as he came closer. A intense stench filled the air that Yosuke was breathing in. "... Wait, that smell! Agh, whoa! What the heck's that stench!?" He complained as he covered his nose.

"I said stay away! This toilet won't flush..." Finnel reluctantly mention.

Yosuke's face went into disgust. "Oh... You didn't, did you...?"

"That's correct. Finnel's freshly baked log is floating in the toilet..." Momoko pointed out.

"Nooo! I said stay away!" Finnel pouted. "It's so embarrassing. Please don't say anything..."

"Agh, I didn't need to hear that either...!" Yosuke included, talking to Momoko. "But... what should I do? We're surrounded by an abyss, along with this toilet. There's no more places to go to!"

"So... why don't you guys get closer to the toilet?" Momoko suggested.

Yosuke & Finnel: "NO!"

"*Sigh*... Look we shouldn't be embarrassed over this. We're all living beings." Yosuke explained, getting back to his composure. "We all have to do it, too... Besides, mine's probably reeks as bad, too."

Hearing that, Finnel was looking down. "I know that, but..."

Momoko: "Finnel's is a special bomb."

"Ugh... I can't stand it anymore... Please stop saying things like that..." Finnel requested.

"Uh... So anyway... this is the only space left in this world, isn't it? It's gotten really small..." Said Yosuke.

Finnel: "... Yeah."

"... Wait, does that mean the Stonehenge is gone, too!?" Questioned Yosuke. They needed a Stonehenge to move on.

Finnel: "... I guess so."

"Seriously? Then how can we make the Paradigm Shift happen!?" Yosuke added.

"... I don't know." Finnel replied.

"Damn... *sigh* This is hopeless. We're stuck in this tiny, stinking pillar..."

"Don't say stinking!" Finnel retorted.

Moments later, Yosuke started to feel his bladder overloading. With a toilet over there... "So... Um... Can I use the Toilet?" He asked.

"What!? Why would you want to use it! In fact, why that one!?" Finnel complained, pointing at the toilet she used. "Aahh! P-Please don't tell you're gonna pee your pants!

We've been diving the whole time! I-I haven't had a chance to go... Aaarrgh!" Yosuke complained. "I can't... hold it for long!"

AAAAHHHH! No! Please not the toilet. Don't use THAT toilet, you idiot!" Finnel retorted, panicking.

"Then where the hell can I use the restroom!?" Yosuke yelled, holding it in. "Ngh... Fine, I'll just do it off the ledge, don't look!" He continued as he rushed to the ledge and was about to unzip his pants.

"*Gasp* No No No Noooo-!" Finnel screamed as she pulled Yosuke back. "AAHHH! Don't just pee in MY cosmosphere you, Stupid Jerk!" She shout at Yosuke.

"Then where the hell can I? I can't keep this up, you know?!" Yosuke continued. "Huurrg... Uh... then... is there any way to get out the cosmosphere!?" He asked.

"Oh... I have clearence for you to exit the dive." Momoko mentioned.

Yosuke: "Wh-What, You can do that!? Why didn't you tell me earlier!?"

"You didn't asked." Answered Momoko. "Plus, it was funny how both you and Finnel suffer. It brings me such joy!"

Yosuke's temper started to flare. "Y-You little pixie! Get me out of here!"

"Hey! You don't have to be rude! It hurts my feelings..." Said Momoko, producing crocodile tears.

Yosuke grunted, holding it in for long so he tried to ask nicely. "Please... send me out of here..." He stuttered.

"Okay! setting a course for the outside!" Momoko stated as she then spoke in a different language.

Just then, a white circle appeared under him and then pulled up. "I'll be back." He said to Finnel as the white circle warped him out of the Cosmosphere, temporary ending the dive.

---

Eternus Shaft, Dive Shop

Both pods opened up and Yosuke was the first to get out. "Oh, Geez!" He thought as held the pressure. "H-Hey, sir! Is there a restroom around here?" He asked the Dive Shopkeeper.

"Wh-What!? This ain't a public restroom, go somewhere else!" The Dive Shopkeeper retorted.

"Oh, come on! ... Ngh...!" Yosuke grunted as he exited the dive shop, holding it down.

Finnel got out her pod seeing him struggling. "What happened? Is he alright?" She asked.

"The hell should I know? He probably saw something." Said the Dive Shopkeeper, leaving her confused.

---

Yokkora Bistro

It wasn't long before Yosuke got out of one of the two only known restrooms in town, inside the bistro, where Teddie once used. He then sat down on the table where his friends and the two soldiers were waiting at, including Teddie in his costume.

Everyone was looking at him so skeptically. "... Not a word of this, okay...?!" Yosuke grunted.

"Uhh... right... so what are we gonna do now?" Kanji mentioned, getting on subject.

"Oh right! We still hafta get Aoto and the others out!" Finnel mentioned.

"Yeah, now that we've finished our business, we can get to the part where we get in... and that's where you guys come in..." Said Yosuke, looking at the two soldiers sitting aside from them.

"Uh... Well... we can get you guys in as... prisoners." The soldier suggested. "Yeah... and you guys can take care of the rest."

Finnel and the Persona users all sweat-dropped from the answer.

Kanji: "The hell? You guys bailing on us!?"

"W-Whoa! Hey, listen, dude! We can't just abandon our people for you guys. Plus, we're be abandoning our posts for this!" The other Soldier whispered to him. "Seeing how you guys have those abilities, you guys should fine without us." he said, back in his regular tone.

"Yeah, you guys did got us here, so how is this gonna work...?" Yosuke asked.

The two soldiers looked at each other and thought it through, with their empty guns pointed at them. "Sorry bros, these are our only options, we don't even have a lot of cells to keep check." Said the Soldier. Our four heroes had shocked expressions. Seems like they don't have much choice right now...

---

Eternus Shaft, Old Eternus Gallery

The four were guided into a passage that connected Waterforest Square and Reverse Lamp. Yosuke was sorta surprised that there was a secret passage deep within the path that connected the two.

"Hmm...? Whoa, hey there!" Said the Guard standing watch. "Why are you two here and who're these guys?" He asked mentioning the Persona users.

"You didn't know? These guys are wanted by the Clustanian army." The Soldier answered. "For... uh... wielding dangerous abilities and stuff...?"

Door guard: "! What? These guys!?"

"Duh...! Some of our guys were able to subdue them, they're pretty much vulnerable to our guns, if you know what I mean... Besides, it's better to keep them alive for the Clustanian's to experiment on right?" The other Soldier proposed. "We'd hoped to keep these punks here, until we can get them transport, later."

"Y-Yeah, sure. Send them to the dungeon and I'll called the Mayor." The Guard suggested. He moved aside and the two soldiers continued to guided them in until... "Hold it, what about the Reyvateil?" He addressed to Finnel, which surprised all four of them.

"What did you think? This bitch has been supporting them, in their wake!" The other Soldier stated, mockingly. "She'll be going with them." The door guard, shrugged off, and closed the door behind them. "Yeah, sorry about..." Said the Soldier.

Finnel: "Yeah... you're forgiven..."

Even the Persona users sweat-dropped from the cruelty.

They got to the cells and placed them separately, for a reason. Kanji and Teddie at the far end and Yosuke and Finnel before the end, the cell which Aoto was lying down in.

"What the...? Aoto!?" Yosuke gasped as he and Finnel rush to the downed Aoto, seeing if he's alright.

"Alright, you guys take care from here." The Soldier said, closing the cell door with the other soldier appearing in view. "Take care of Aoto." He requested as they left.

Yosuke: "Uh... Thanks...?"

At the far end, Kanji and Teddie were in a fix, finding a way to get out. "Tch... alright... what can we do to get the hell out of this mess..." Kanji wondered as he gripped the iron bars.

"I hope Saki-chan is alright..." Teddie whimpered.

From the noised the two made, they awoke their neighbor in the back. "Nnngh... hmm?" The neighbor took a good look at them seeing that they're familiar to them. "...! Teddie? Kanji? What are you guys doing here!?"

The two look behind them seeing Tatsumi sitting up against the wall. Kanji and Teddie were jumping for joy to see that their friend is okay.

Kanji: "Tats!?"

"T-Tatsy!" Said Teddie, approaching him "I'm so glad that your okay!"

"... I'm fine, but what about you guys?" Questioned Tatsumi. "You've been caught!"

"We had a beary good reason to be here, of course! "Teddie replied. "It's to rescue you guys!"

Yosuke-senpai and Finnel-senpai should be in another cell, planning to get us out of here." Kanji explained.

Tatsumi: "Yosuke and Finnel's here, too?

Back at the other cell, Yosuke and Finnel were trying to figure out how to get Aoto up. "Aoto! Hey, wake up, dude!" Yosuke shouted. Aoto was still unconscious, seeing if the drug was still in effect. "Geez... what was that drug they used...?" He wondered out loud.

"Just drain a Spunky-V drink down his mouth, that should wake him up." An older women explained. "I see we're lucky Soma didn't show up."

"Huh, who... Uhh..." Wondering who said that, Yosuke turned around, seeing a gorgeous Lady in a nurse's outfit that was standing in Finnel's place. Yosuke all but stare at her, seeing how beautiful she look with her glasses, her nurse cap, syringes at her side, a nurse with Yosuke's ideal picture perfect in front of him. "Uh... I... You are...?" He stuttered.

"I wouldn't expect you to fluster at the sight of me, Yosuke. Or would you prefer Finnel to dressed up like me?" The Nurse suggested.

"Huh? N-No! No, it... it's just..." Then he realized that She's a nurse and she could help Aoto. "Er... Wait, you're a nurse, right? Just give him an energy drink?" He mentioned.

"You could tell by his eyelids, the drug should wash away by any other fluids." The nurse explained as she gave Yosuke the drink. "And that Spunky-V should recover his vitality." She included.

"Huh... that makes sense..." Yosuke agreed as he chugged the drink down the unconsious Aoto's mouth.

"Okay... now hit him on the head." The Nurse explained as she salvage through the junk in their cell. "The shock should wake him up."

"Just hit him?" Yosuke wondered. The Nurse nodded up and down saying it was okay, thus, Yosuke pounded Aoto on his forehead, causing him shuffle around.

Aoto eventually woke up annoyingly. "... Mm... Umm? ... Yosuke...?"

"Yo." Yosuke greeted back. "You okay? Uh... you were out, like a light."

"Huh..." Aoto sat up and then scan his field of vision. "Where... are we?"

"A dungeon." The Nurse answered, minding her business at the iron bars.

"A-A dungeon…!?" Aoto then remembered what just happened to him. "Oh... we were captured by Clustanians... Shit! I broke my promise!" He grunted, slamming his fist to the ground.

"No use crying over spilled milk, buddy. You're better off figuring out how best to move on." The Nurse replied.

Aoto was wondering who the Nurse was. "So, who are you?"

"Oh yeah! I never gotten your name either? And you know Finnel?" Yosuke asked. "Wait... where is Finnel? She was just with us..."

"I'm... Finnel's friend. That's all I can say for now. Name's Yurisica. Nice to meet you both." She greeted.

"Friend...? Oh, where is Finnel!? And what about the others!?" Questioned Aoto as he stood up.

"We're not sure, you're the only one we found here." Said Yosuke. "I'm guessing you're the only one who was brought to this prison."

"Then... were they taken somewhere else?" Aoto assumed.

Yosuke: "Looks like it, Kanji and Teddie came with me, so we'll have to get them out as well."

"If that's case, we have to break out of this cage first, yes?" Yurisica replied.

"I guess you're right." Aoto agreed. "Have any idea how we can do that?"

Yosuke: "I could blow the iron bars out, but that would make me tired..."

Yurisica gave off her daring expression. "Silly boys. First of all, I was sent here for that exact purpose."

"Sent here...?" Yosuke muttered. Then thought of a possibility. "Oh... No wonder Finnel's around..."

"What? Wait, are you... one of Finnel's other personae?" Aoto guessed.

"... Oh, you two are smarter than you look. As you both deduced, I am another of Finnel's personae. She seemed to be in trouble, so I decided to come out and help her." Yurisica replied.

Yosuke: "We are in a prison. So I guess that makes sense..."

Aoto: "So, there are more than just Soma?"

"Bingo. But don't worry, I'm somewhat more personable than Soma." Yurisica assured as she stood up and started backing away from the iron bars. "Anyway, I'm ready now."

Yosuke: "... Ready for what?

"To break us out of this dungeon. Honestly, I was worried about what I could do with such limited resources. Yurisica explained, whimsically. "Luckily, fossil fuel has been leaking from that old pipe. With that, I think I can manage to get this job done."

Aoto: "Uh... what job?"

Yurisica: "*Giggle* This job. Say 'ello to my little friend!

"Wait... Did you say 'Fossil Fuel'...?" Yosuke asked just moments before... *Boom*! The iron bars were bent from the explosion causing Yosuke jumped by surprise as he fell.

"Oh, that's awesome!" Said Aoto, with amazement. "Did you make that bomb all by yourself!?"

"You know, I travel the hazardous zones. If I wasn't able to do stuff like this, I wouldn't be alive today." Mentioned Yurisica. "... I could teach you the recipe."

"Yeah, thanks... Ow...!" Yosuke grunted as his ears were ringing. He was fipped over his legs struggling to get up.

Three of them proceed out of their cell scanning if there were any hostilities.

"There are cells everywhere... How do we get out!?" Aoto questioned.

"Let's find the other guys." Yosuke suggested. "We'll have to figure this out together."

As the continued to look around the area, Kanji's voice got their attention. "Huh? Hey, Yosuke-senpai, Is the you!?" He shouted, getting their attention.

"I heard Aoto's voice as well." Tatsumi followed. "Aoto! Are you there!"

"Kanji...? And that's Tatsumi! Sounds like they're around here!" Aoto exclaimed.

They sought their friends out nearby. Turns out their cells were right next to each other. "Whoa... Seriously...?" Yosuke commented, unamused.

"Guys! Hold on a sec... we'll be right there." Aoto assured. He and Yosuke signal for Yurisica for her ordnance. She set her little bomb and asked the three to back away. *Boom* Her bomb did just that like the last one and Teddie, Tatsumi, and Kanji, in that order. got out of their cell.

"Damn! Miss... you've been packin' serious shit!" Kanji commented.

Yurisica: "Hmmhmm... Of course."

That was quite a festive entrance, but thanks, you saved us." Said Tatsumi..

"Who is this lovely Nurse? Hello, I'm Teddie, love to make your aquaintence." Greeted Teddie.

"Charming. I'm Yurisica. Nice to meet you all." Yurisica replied back.

So, Where are the others? Weren't they with you?" Tatsumi asked.

"We're not sure, not yet at least." Yosuke replied. "We should get out of here first."

Aoto: "Let's get the hell out of here! Get up!"

Tatsumi did just that and they all left the dungeon.

---

Skit topic: Lax Security and Yurisica

To have two people in one cell, one of whom is a Reyvateil, but you have other prisoners from the same group of people right there? The two soldiers were right on the money, somehow.

Teddie: "Hey... doesn't this place seem a little empty?"

Aoto: "Yeah... This is supposed to be some sort of Headquarters. But, there isn't a lot of people..."

Yosuke: "W-Wait, aren't supposed be getting out? We're not looking for soldiers... *shiver* I do NOT want to be shot at..."

Tatsumi: "That's something I agree with. We're humans and all..."

Aoto: "So... How much farther do we have to walk before we get out of here?"

Teddie: "Nuh...? Is was quick for us to get to you, they should know the way out..."

Kanji: "Why the hell are you lookin' at me!? Senpai, do you know the way?"

Yosuke: "Uuuhhhh..."

Aoto: "Oh come on guys... What do we do now?"

Yurisica: "Grumbling already? Don't be such a wuss. We haven't even been trapped in this place for a whole day..."

Yosuke: "... You seem to have a lot of survival experience."

Yurisica: "Being polite isn't the only virtue for a girl. If you can't break out of a fort or two, no man'll want to marry you."

Kanji: "Cunning and independent...? I guess that makes sense..."

Aoto: "I'm not sure if that's necessarily true..."

Tatsumi behind the, however, seems suspicious about Yurisica.

Tatsumi: "By the way, I've been curious..."

Aoto/Yosuke: "Huh?"

Tatsumi: "... You guys seem really close to a person who you've just met..."

Aoto: "Uh... that's..."

Yurisica: "You're a little too distant. Young people today are supposed to be sociable, like us."

Teddie: "Huh? I thought Yosuke simply likes nurses..."

Yosuke: "Wh-What!?"

Yurisica: "Oh?"

Teddie: "Yosuke has a lot of sexy pictures of Nurses stash back home. They look just like-"

Yosuke: "AAAAAAAHHhh...! Sh-Shut the hell up, you damn bear!"

Yosuke interrupted Teddie by pushing him down as he rolled back up.

Teddie: "What the big bear deal?! It not my fault that you have a lot of those magazines, you... Nurse-lover!"

Aoto: "Oh, so Yosuke has a Nurse-fetish or something...?"

Kanji: "Oh yeah! Didn't Yu-senpai gave you that-"

Yosuke: "AAAHH! H-Hey! Not Now! L-Look, can't we talk about escaping, instead!?"

Aoto: "Oh... Oh yeah! I'm worried about Saki. If she really was abducted, I have to find her as soon as possible!"

Tatsumi: "That's right. I'm worried about the Doc and Finnel, too."

Yosuke: "Oh, Finnel's fine."

Tatsumi "How do you know that?"

Aoto: "Huh!? Uh..."

Yosuke: "Er... I, uh... well, I think she's..."

Kanji: "Wait, Senpai, wasn't she with us when we got here?"

Yosuke: ...! Um... we were separated just after we got to the cells... and I told her to meet us at the Bistro... Yeah..."

Tatsumi: "... You guys are acting weird..."

Aoto: "I am not..."

Yurisica: "Anyway, let's go."

---

They continued down the corridor and then heard some muffled noise in a locked room, right to them.

Aoto was first to hear it. "That noise... Hey, is anyone in there!?" He wondered as he approached the door.

"... Aoto? Is that you Aoto!?" Said the familiar voice behind the door.

The lot of them recognized the voice. "Huh? Isn't that the Revy...?" Questioned Teddie.

Aoto: "... Rev. Gengai!?"

Tatsumi: "Master! What're you doing here!?"

"Anyway, we'll be right there. Reverend, please back away from the wall. We're gonna blow it up!" Aoto told the Reverend.

*Boom*

Once the smoke cleared, they all entered the room to see the Reverend's condition, and why he's here.

"Master? What are you doing here?" Tatsumi asked.

"I could ask the same of you. What about the others?" Rev. Gengai asked as he looked around. "Where's Saki!?" He asked.

Aoto sweat dropped. "Uh... she was abducted..." He explained.

Rev. Gengai: "What...!?"

"I know I said I would protect her, but..." Aoto looked down.

"... It's pretty pathetic to admit, but even if I was guarding her, that still woulda happened. The Reverend sighed. "I mean... look at me..."

"What happened to you? I thought you had a Community Assembly at Great Fang Headquarters..." Tatsumi mentioned

"They decided to go conservative." The Reverend explained, with an annoyed expression. "The Vice Chairman, Eternus' mayor, doesn't want to provoke Clustania's wrath. Plus, they set a hit on you three." He address to the Persona Users.

Aoto: "What!?"

Yosuke: "Wait... what?"

Rev. Gengai told the story of what had happened.

---

(Flashback, few days ago) Eternus Shaft, Great Fang HQ

The Reverend and the other high ranking officials were discussing what to do to handle the Clustanian Army. Although, the meeting wasn't really going well for Rev. Gengai.

"How absurd!" The Reverend barked as he slammed his fist on the table. "Now's the time for our coalition to lead the people against them! Don't you agree!?"

"You're being absurd, Rev. Gengai." Said the old man with the round-puffed cap, next to him. "If we keep a low profile, there won't be any cause for further bloodshed."

"... Mayor, you don't understand them at all. Do you seriously believe they'll cease their assault as soon as they recognize our white flag?" Questioned Rev. Gengai.

Eternus Mayor: "What are you trying to say?"

"Don't underestimate Clustania. Remember the Cleansings, abductions, and assassinations? Did you forget how nasty they were to us!?" Reminded Rev. Gengai. "We don't have any choice! Stand up now or we'll all die!"

"... Are you done barking?" The Mayor sighed. "I hope you're satisfied, FORMER Chairman Gengai."

Rev. Gengai: "Wh-What...!?"

Eternus Mayor: "That was a splendid speech, but you no longer possess the authority to address this Board."

"Explain that to me!" The Reverend retorted.

"You've allowed your own hometown, Fallen Heaven Peak, to fall and have made the survivors political refugees. Not to mention you have let loose strangers with these diabolic abilities. As they roam free, these strange black creatures appeared before us because of them!" The Mayor explained and then sighed, again. "What a fiasco... We cannot condone your actions. You will be stripped of your position and expelled."

A pair of exclamation marks appear above the Reverend's head as he became furious. Even a pair of soldiers hand to hold him down. "... You sonuva...!"

"We now have their identities, two of them have the same unique uniforms and one among them wears a bear costume. We are to capture them and turn them in to Clustania." The Mayor explained and gave a glare to the Reverend. "Rev. Gengai, as of today, you're expelled from the Great Fang Coalition."

Rev. Gengai: "DAMN YOU!"

---

(Present) Eternus Shaft, Old Eternus Gallery

After his explanation, most of them had their jaws open.

Yosuke: "No way! That's why we're wanted men!?"

Tatsumi: "And they threw you out? No way... You've gotta be kidding...!"

"Then... after being bullied and harassed, the Great Fang Coalition isn't gonna resist or retaliate at all?" Aoto summed up.

"What the hell!?" Kanji grunted, gripping his hands very tightly. "Friggin' cowards!"

"They can only feel their own pain. After all, they weren't the victims. I was dismissed as a heretic and kicked out." Said Rev. Gengai. "I don't have any backing anymore. I have to make up my own mind."

Aoto: "... Okay."

Teddie: "... What's Diabolic?"

"*sigh* It seems cracking a joke doesn't really lighten the mood a lot, Mr. Teddie."

"Aw..." Teddie muttered.

The Reverend then took a look at the Nurse behind the boys. "... So, who is that young lady? Forgive me for not introducing myself earlier."

Yosuke: "Ah... we just met her, she is..."

"Yurisica. I too, just met them myself." She greeted back.

"Yurisica... how fascinating... That's the name of an ancient fire deity."

Yosuke: "Ancient Deity...?"

"I thought Sarapatra was the name of a goddess from ancient mythology..." Aoto mumbled. "Is it just a coincidence?"

"At any case, I'm Gengai. I'm just the leader of a small resistance army. Pleased to meet you." The Reverend greeted back.

Tatsumi stepped forward, getting back to the situation. "Alright... now that the introductions are outta the way, we should leave this pla-...!" He stopped there as his voice went up high, which caught everyone's attention.

"...Huh? Hey, Tatsumi, your voice is a little weird... You sound like two people talking at the same time..." Said Aoto.

"H-hey, Tatsumi! You look sick! Go take a short rest! I'll take care of ya! Aoto, Yosuke, you guys go ahead! We'll meet up once sh-uh, he feels better."

Aoto: "Huh? But there's no place to rest around here..."

Rev. Gengai: "Just go already!"

Aoto/Yosuke/Kanji: "Y-yes, sir!"

Yurisica and the guys left the room with Yosuke dragging Teddie along.

"Geez... what's wrong with them?" Kanji wondered looking back, behind the closed door.

"It sounded like Tatsumi has some sort of... voice disorder?" Yosuke guessed. "I definitely heard something feminine..."

"Who knows? Maybe you'll figure it out soon enough..." Yurisica reassured. "Anyway, there's no need to stick around here. Let's go."

The boys agreed and went to search for there way out. After a while, they came across a fork, coming down a small cliff.

"Huh? This place looks familiar." Aoto mentioned as he looked around.

"It should. This... is a common path that connects Waterforest Square and Reverse Lamp." Yurisica explained.

Yosuke: "Oh crud... I forgot we came through here..."

Aoto: "Does that mean... we managed to escape!?"

"So it seems. But we must stay alert. Let's head into town." Said Yurisica.

They head towards into the town square and sighed with relief, believing they're hone free. "Alright! We made it!" Kanji boasted.

"Alright, guys, I think I shall take my leave of you now." Yurisica said the men. "It'll be troublesome if I do this after Tatsumi returns.

Aoto: "Oh, you're right. Good idea."

Teddie: "Aww... You're leaving already?"

Kanji: "Do what...?"

"Right, I forgot..." Yosuke mumble. "Don't tell Tats about any of this, but she's the same as Saki an her Personae."

Whoa...! Like Saki-chan!?" Teddie exclaimed.

Kanji: "So your another persona? Well damn..."

"Indeed." Yurisica nodded. "But before I switch back to Finnel, I want to tell you about something... about her."

Teddie: "What about her?"

"She may act tough in front of everyone, but she's really vulnerable. I know it because my role is to heal her body." Said Yurisica, checking her glasses.

"Does she really get injured that often?" Aoto followed.

"When Soma comes out and becomes violent, she usually ends up in dangerous places... Like when we first met you guys." Yurisica explains.

Yosuke: "I see..."

"Whenever she's lost in a dangerous place, I come out and take her back to safety." Yurisica continued. "She has always been a clumsy girl, and because of that, the Clustanians treated her badly. So, I can't leave her alone."

Teddie: "You seem to care about her a lot."

"So some personae get along well, and others don't?" Kanji said, processing his thoughts.

"... In a way. We personae are all independent beings that share one body."

"... So, is that the same as Saki and Sarapatra?" Aoto thought out loud.

"... Hey, guys, what do you think about Finnel?" The Nurse asked.

The question struck the men in the group and decided to speak their thoughts.

Aoto: "Well... she's a reckless fool who's noisy and clumsy..."

Yosuke: "I'm impress that someone like her holds a job. That's something."

Teddie: "Filly-chan's fun to be around! She's even like Yosuke when comes to certain points..."

Kanji: "I haven't met each other for long, but I'm sure she's a nice person."

Yosuke recalled what Teddie said just now."...? Wait, what certain points?" He growled at Teddie, while he whistle, looking elsewhere.

"... Is that all?" Said Yurisica, requesting further details. The guys pooled in more descriptions.

Yosuke: "Well... sometimes she makes me wonder if it's all an act, a façade or something... or maybe, she's bottling all her stress inside."

Aoto: "She's kind of stubborn, if you ask me. She should rely on other people, sometimes. I can maybe help her by doing whatever I can..."

Kanji: "Hey, if someone's pushin' her around, I'll give that bastard a good beating!"

Teddie: "Kanji's right as a true gentlemen, even a grizzly bear like me will not tolerate a women harm!"

"I see... *chuckle* I'm relieved. I think she'll be in good hands..." Yurisica commented. "At any case, I want to ask a favor of you all. It's about Soma..."

Yosuke: "What about Soma?"

"A Hymn Crystal has been installed in us that forces Soma to the surface. I want you to uninstall it before anyone else notices." Yurisica explained. "If you can do that, it'll go a long way in helping her heal."

"Huh, Me? Wait, how can I do that?" Yosuke asked, dumfoundedly.

"When Soma emerges, you must remove the Hymn Crystal from her Installer Port."

Aoto: "... Oh. That sounds easier than I thought."

"Easy for you guys, what are you talking about?" Yosuke egged the question. "I'm not being ignorant, but what this about this 'installer port' and what's a 'Hymn Crystal'?"

"Oh dear, you really don't know?" Yurisica assumed. "Odd, I thought you knew..."

Yosuke: "Huh...?"

"Unfortunately, it's a lot harder than it sounds, so we're back to square one..." Yurisica stated as she took out a piece of paper and pen. "I wrote the key spell on this note. Ask Finnel where her Installer Port is. Also, asked the doctor if you're lost..." She explained as she gave Yosuke the slip of paper.

Yosuke: "Yeah, alright. You got it."

"There's one more thing, Mr. Hanamura." Yurisica addressed which got his attention. "Does the name 'Yuto' mean anything to you?" She asked.

"... No, I heard that name a couple times and Soma started to call me that a few times after..." Yosuke explained.

"Does this guy have something related to Yosuke? Maybe some connection that has to do with Finnel?" Aoto followed in.

"I see... He's definitely a person of her interests, but that's another problem to solve..." Yurisica said, discreetly.

Yosuke: "Why? You know something?"

I'm afraid that's a little difficult for me, but I suggest that you stick around if you're interested in that 'Truth'" Said the Nurse, checking her glasses. "At any case, let your mind be your guide, and search every inch of her mind. You'll find the crystal... eventually. I'm glad I got to talk to you about this and that, everyone. Goodbye."

Yosuke was still confused even more. ""H-Hey, what a sec-..." However, a bright flash appeared before them and Finnel appear in Yurisica's place. "Whoa...! Finnel?"

Aoto: "Finnel..."

Kanji: Finnel-senpai...!"

Teddie: "Filly-chan!

"Oh...uh...I..." Finnel stuttered, while dazed a little.

Yosuke: "Welcome back."

"Y-Yosuke!" Finnel replied, surprisingly and then noticed the other three as well. "Aoto!? And you two!? ...Did I...do it again?"

Kanji: "Uh... No one, but us, saw it, Senpai..."

Once the atmosphere cooled down, Tatsumi and the Reverend came from behind. "Oh, I didn't know you guys found Finnel."

Exclamation marks appeared overhead, the four men, tried to think of an excuse. "Oh, yeah! Isn't that lucky? I just ran into her... by chance!" Aoto stated.

Kanji: "Y-yeah, that's right!"

But I told her to meet us at the Bistro. Right...?" Yosuke gave off a wink to Finnel for sign of fibbing."

"I... Uh... happened to sneak out when no one was looking... Tee hee..." Finnel lied.

"Okay...?" Tatsumi said, sounding skeptical. He looked around seeing that the Nurse was not around. "Where's Yurisica?" He asked.

"Oh... she left!" Aoto answered.

"Yeah, she was in a hurry. I guess she really had to do something." Yosuke added. "Anyway, we're back in town. I don't think they'd followed us..."

"Hmph... their security was pretty lax. Were they trying to insult us...?" The Reverend grunted with disgust.

Kanji: "Tch... Nothin' but a bunch of pansies if you asked me."

Rev. Gengai: "Yeah, I'm inclined to agree young man...!"

"Aside from that... What do we do next...?" Yosuke suggested.

As the question was in the air Tatsumi brought up something of importance. "Oh, hey, did you see Doc anywhere?" He mentioned.

"Not sure." Yosuke replied. "Maybe he got away without being busted?"

"Luckily, we're in Eternus." the Reverend mentioned. "Let's go to his clinic."

Aoto: "Sure, why not?"

They headed towards his clinic. Alas, the Doctor wasn't around, no sight of him around, so they decided to search elsewhere.

---

Yokkora Bistro

They decide check the bistro for any leads and founded Auntie Leu sweeping away. "Finnel!" She said spotting her with her friends.

Finnel: "Auntie Leu!"

"Oh, thank goodness! I was worried about you 'cause you disappeared all of a sudden.

Sorry, Auntie Leu. I was with Dr. Gojo, but he disappeared." Finnel explained. "He isn't at his clinic. Have you seen him lately?"

"No, I haven't seen him for a while." Auntie Leu replied.

Finnel: "I see..."

"Then he's probably still being held hostage somewhere..." Aoto assumed.

"Dr. Gojo is a very competent Reyvatologist. He'd be a precious asset to Clustania. I doubt they'd kill him." Rev. Gengai mentioned, rubbing his beard.

"Maybe they're holding him in a special place..." Tatsumi wondered.

"Sounds like a really ominous topic. Did something bad happen?" Auntie Leu questioned innocently. "It seems like the Fangers have been really busy lately."

"In Great Fang...?" The Reverend pondered. "Then... maybe they took him to that place..."

"Rev. Gengai, do you know where he went?" Tatsumi wondered.

The Reverend was thinking of a possible idea. "...The Great Fang HQ is in the Old Eternus Gallery, and is only accessible by officials. That's where they'd keep him..." He assumed.

"So, you think the Great Fang Coalition is holding him hostage in there?" Said Yosuke.

"After their coup d'etat, I wouldn't put it passed them..." Rev. Gengai sighed.

"Let's go then! We have to save him!" Aoto declared. "Plus, Doc may know where she was taken!"

---

Eternus Shaft: Old Eternus Gallery

They returned to the corridor, where they entered the prison, only to find their path barred by a pair of soldiers.

"Oh geez, I'm too young for this..." Yosuke complained, knowing what's coming.

"Well, push comes to shove, we gotta beat the shit out of them!" Kanji cracked his knuckles.

"Then lets give them a surprise..." The Reverend suggested and came up with an idea.

They walked up to the big doors where the guards were watching and they noticed the upcoming group with a certain VIP in the group. "R-Reverend...!?" One of the soldier stuttered.

"Hey, we're passing through here... You're not just gonna step aside, are you?" Rev. Gengai assumed.

Great Fang Soldier:" Unfortunately, I must capture you, Reverend."

Rev. Gengai: "Hmph! Go ahead and try!"

The Reverned signaled Yosuke and the others to charge the soldiers. Kanji tackled one of the soldiers with a fist to face, instantly knocking him out while he had his attention on Rev. Gengai.

"What!? You punk!" The other soldier grunted as he pointed his rifle on Kanji. However, he wasn't able to even shoot as both Yosuke and Aoto made their move, taking him down. Tatsumi followed knocked him out with the pommel if his weapon. The soldier no longer struggle as he was out cold.

Yosuke wiped dust off as he got up along with Aoto giving a thimbs up. The Reverend stood on the spot, staring down on the K.O.'ed soldiers looking discontent. "Is that it?! What a disappointment!" He complained. "Let's go guys!" he order as he approached the door. "Alright. I hope my ID pass still works..." He took out his ID card and swiped it on the cardreader. It flashed green and unlocked the door. "Great, it worked!" The Reverend cheered.

---

Skit topic: You Shouldn't Say That

As they proceed throught the door with the Reverend leading, Aoto, behind them, wanted to say something.

Aoto: "As residents of Great Fang, they were such a disappointment."

Yosuke: "I know, they were much weaker than we thought."

Finnel: "They were prepared to bring that huge machine into the fight, but they weren't able to do so..."

Aoto: "I guess... As Rev. Gengai said, they aren't what they say they are."

Finnel: "I think so, too... But Rev. Gengai wasn't fighting that time, was he?

Yosuke: "Uh... Yeah, he wasn't. We charged them, but he didn't join us. Wait, what was he doing the whole time?"

Kanji: "Does it matter? I think he figured we could have handled them without his help."

Finnel: "Really? That doesn't really make sense to me."

Yosuke: "I'd say he shouldn't say that. It'll make the Reverend look lazy..."

---

They continued their search, without getting into any conflict. Although, they couldn't avoid them all, so they had to beat them up without killing them, since it was Yosuke's suggestion. Being humans that have a reason to protect their families they don't deserve to die. The Reverend agreed and proceed discreetly. The group has arrive at the dead end with a few doors to go by.

"Hey, I think I heard something in this room..." Aoto told them, as he put his ear on the door. "That sound like... the Doctor!" He added as he opened the door and everyone followed.

"Wait, guys!" Yosuke uttered, addressing to Teddie and Kanji. "We might get in for a surprise. Hide real quick when someone comes..." He asked and they agreed.

Rev. Gengai: "Yo, Doctor!"

"Reverend?" Hikari Gojo looked up, check his glasses, in response, seeing everyone entering the room. "Tatsumi! You guys... It's so good to see you!"

"You alright Doctor? Are you hurt anywhere?" Tatsumi asked.

"No. I was only being interrogated." The Doctor replied.

"Doc! Where's Saki!? Do you know what happened to her?" Questioned Aoto, walking up to him.

"Clustanian soldiers took her away."

Aoto grunted, gripping his hands tightly "... Saki!"

Teddie: "Oh no! Saki-chan...!"

"Rev. Gengai, I heard you were expelled from the Coalition Committee, but did you hear about Ciela Gate?" Told Doctor Gojo to the Reverend. "The Coalition decided to concede Ciela Gate to Clustania so that they won't provoke their wrath."

Aoto: "Ciela Gate!?"

"It's the only place where Great Fang can gain access to the Tower." The Doctor explained. "I can see why they chose it to be Clustania's tribute."

"That's ridiculous! How could they abase themselves like that!?" The Reverend grunted.

"I also heard that Clustania seized the Moebius Factory. They've been using it as a base." Doctor Gojo added. "Saki's supposed to be there."

"Saki's there!?" Aoto responded.

However, they were interrupted by a few people pouring into the room. "Oh, I can't believe you, Rev. Gengai. You can't get out of jail without our permission." said an old man with a round puffed-cap, walking into the room.

"You...!" The Reverend growled. "Eternus' Mayor, you bastard...!"

"We'll ratify a treaty with Clustania soon. If a sinful, war-monger, clergyman like you is loose, it'll be bad for us." Eternus Mayor stated, sarcastically. He then glare his attention at Yosuke. "Especially you fiendish conjurers... Your existence is truely a threat to Great Fang, and needs to be dealt with."

"Wh-What the hell!? We've been trying to find our way back home!" Yosuke retorted. "We got nothing to do with your problem!"

"Besides, what treaty!? If Great Fang gives in to Clustania, everything we've defended for years will be lost!" Rev. Gengai added.

"They said that if we accept their conditions, they'll never take any forceful actions against us." Eternus Mayor told them. "They need to be apprehended." He pointed to the Persona user in front of him.

"Hmph! Are you out of your mind!? Is your head stuffed with rotten spaghetti or something? This is Clustania's plan...!" The Reverend exclaimed. "You'll be massacred by Soma, Great Fang will be conquered by Clustania, and we humans will be enslaved forever!"

"Whatever you say, our decision won't be subverted." The Mayor stated. "Capture this freak and get rid of the Reverend. You needn't take him captive." he ordered.

Rev. Gengai: "What the hell!?"

The kill order was issued... But it only landed on deaf ears. "Whew... Good thing we had that plan, guys..." Yosuke winked.

Even the Mayor was stupefied after he turned around. Kanji and Teddie was hiding behind the Mayor and his pair of soldiers, Kanji behind a book case and Teddie standing on the side without even moving an inch. Kanji knocked out a soldier with his shield behind him and Teddie knocked the other one with his imitation baseball bat. The Mayor was shocked knowing that three Persona users were in the room without even realizing it. "What!? No! It... It can't be!" He yelled as he back stepped into a corner.

"Tee hee...! That was beary easy!" Teddie cheered.

Kanji and the Reverend went up to him, readying to finish him off.

"Hmph! Thought you can take Gengai down so easily? Go train up in the mountains for 100 years!" He stated.

"And I'm Kanji Tatsumi! And we're called Persona Users!" Kanji followed.

They both rammed their fist into the Mayor, Reverend's to the chest and Kanji's to the face. The double impact sent into the wall. "Guuuh..." He slid down on the ground, into a comatose.

"Ya' know, punchin' an old geezer like that, sorta feels bad..." Kanji commented.

"Hmph, this coward deserved it." Rev. Gengai replied. "Now the Great Fang Coalition will be quiet for a while. You little bastards..." He scowled.

"Alright, then! Now that we got everyone, let's head to our HQ for now." Yosuke motioned. Which got everyone's attention with a question mark on their heads.

"We... have a headquartes...?" Questioned Aoto.

---

Yokkora Bistro

Everyone was sitting on a table and started eating. "You call this place your headquarters?" The Reverend asked, amused of the impression.

"Eh, why not?" Yosuke replied. "We've been passing this place a few times now. I thought it'd be a good idea.

"But... How are we going to pay for this meal?" Hikari Gojo asked.

"Maybe we put it on a tab?" Kanji suggested. "That Mayor bastard owes us, big time!"

"Amen to that, brother!" Rev. Gengai replied, cheerfully. The Doctor sweat-dropped from their idea.

After they finished their lunch they to discuss their next move. "So, Doc, is it true that Saki's been taken hostage at Ciela Gate?" Questioned Aoto.

"That's probably true" The doctor replied. "I overheard a conversation between some Great Fang Soldiers."

"I want to go save Saki." Aoto told them. "This time, I must never give up. I must rescue her, no matter what."

"Hell yeah!" Kanji boasted. "We'll rescue our friend, alright!"

Teddie: "No lady will never be kidnapped! Not on this bear's watch!"

Yosuke: "Geez... Calm down, guys...!"

"If we're going to go, we must go now. I'm sure they're planning to take Saki back to their headquarters." The Doctor explained. Though, he looked down pondering. "... And yet, Ciela Gate's already become the enemy's fort. It won't be easy to get there."

"It's impossible." Tatsumi stated. "We can't even get to Ciela Gate now."

"Hmm... You're right... The gate is probably closed by now..." The Reverend sighed.

"And simply flying over that place makes us a live target, huh?" Yosuke assumed, giving them gloomy expressions. "Isn't there any way to get there? Some sewage pipe or something?"

"... Well, that is one way to sneak in..." Aoto agreed.

Yosuke/Tatsumi: "What!?"

"... There's a secret path to Ciela Gate. If we use it, we can probably avoid the enemies' gaze." Aoto explained.

Rev. Gengai: "Is that so?"

Aoto: "... Yeah."

"Holy crap, Senpai. You're on the mark!" Kanji replied, amazed.

"Alright, here's the plan: You guys go through the secret path. I'm not suitable for undercover missions..." Rev. Gengai explained. "I'll meet comrades that I still have in Fallen Heaven Peak and re-seize Ciela Gate with them."

"Wait, Master. I'll go with you..." Told Tatsumi.

"No, Tatsumi, you go with Aoto and the others. Hold onto this Telemo and keep me in the loop." Said Rev. Gengai, lending that cellphone to Tatsumi.

Tatsumi: "...Master..."

"Well, Luphan may be back, too. Don't worry about me." The Reverend reassured. "You guys better go now. If you're a real man, never give up when you must keep fighting, but don't waste your life."

Aoto: "Thank you."

"So, where is the entrance to the secret path?" Yosuke asked.

"Well, we have to take the regular way, until just before we get to Ciela Gate. So let's go normally for now." Aoto explained.

"Alright! Let's get going, yeah!?" Kanji told them pumped up.

As they got up and paid their bills, Yosuke wanted to ask Aoto and Doctor Gojo aboit something." Oh, by the way, Gojo-san!

Hikari Gojo: "Hm...?"

"Well... There was something going on during our dive... I was wondering if I could borrow that program that Aoto's using with Saki." Yosuke asked.

"Huh... Oh, sure. But Aoto has the program with him." The Doctor mentioned as turned to him. "Aoto?"

"Yeah, sure." Aoto nodded and gave the disk to Yosuke. "Why? Is there something wrong with her?"

"Uh... Sorry... it's a little personal..." Yosuke muttered.

"Well, when you start to dive again, give the shopkeeper that program, and he'll get you running." The Doctor explained.

"Right!" Yosuke confirmed and rushed out with Finnel at hand. "Be right back, guys!"

"H-Huh!? Wait, where are we going!?" Finnel questioned as she was pulled away.

Rev. Gengai: "*chucke* Young love..."

Kanji: "Damn... Senpai..."

---

Eternus Shaft, Dive Shop

Yosuke handed the program to the Dive Shopkeeper as he gazed upon the disk. "So let me get this straight... You want me to install this to your dive?" The Dive Shopkeeper asked.

"Will you believe me if I tell you that program's from Doctor Gojo?" Yosuke mentioned.

The Dive Shopkeeper looked skeptical, but what comes from the Doctor, he knows best. "Alright, fine. Get going."

"Alright, thanks!" Yosuke bowed as looked to Finnel, still looking confuse. "Uh... Do you remember when you said there was an abnormality inside you? I'd hoped to check that if it's okay..."

Finnel: "Oh! Um... Sure...?"

And so as usual they got into their separate pods, starting up the dive to where they were currently.

---

Dive Sequence Reboot, Finnel's Cosmosphere, Level 5:

Initiate0

Yosuke opened his into the dark depth of Finnel's soulspace along with the giant eye still there. "Great... Nothing changed... Let's just hope that program works..." He muttered to himself." He then sets his sight on the toilet and Fineel where he left them...

---

Level 5 area: Toilet

Yosuke approached the toilet and Finnel as she was still resentful after what just happened.

"Hey, I said don't close to me... What's the matter, Yosuke, are you by any chance one of those coprophiliacs?

"... What? No, Geez...! I'm trying to come up with an idea to get us out of this reek crisis." Said Yosuke, with a disgusted look on his face.

Finnel: "Huh...?"

"I seriously had enough of this place... Alright, what was program called...?" Yosuke thought. He recalled the name and he thought it would appear by calling it's name. "Hey, Teppo! Come on out, please!" He called out its name... But the program didn't appear. "... Was something supposed to happened...?"

"Whoa! Who is she? She's cute." Said Finnel as she set her head on the girl behind the unexpecting Yosuke.

"Huh...? Whoa!" Yosuke jumped after turning around. It was the same mysterious girl Yosuke saw that was in few layers back. "Wait... So are you the one who holds the program?" He asked.

"Program...?" The Mysterious Girl wondered. A few seconds for thoughts and she confirmed correct. "Uh... Yes, I'm the program Teppo...! That's what I'm here for!" She stated.

"Oh... cool!" Yosuke commented with a surprised look. "So, what do you think about our situation?"

"Well... It comes complete with an extremely foul smell, sir!" She smiled.

"... I take it back! She's not cute at all!" Finnel retorted, blushing from embarrassment.

Even Yosuke face-palmed from the joke. "I mean, we're stuck. Why are the edges being eroded? Is it because of the other personae?" He asked.

"Huh...? Oh, I see what you mean." Said Teppo, getting the picture. "Very well, then, I'll perform an SH Scan on this place. Please note that during scanning, the platform may behave irregularly." She explained.

Yosuke: "Uh... Sure, okay.

Finnel: "Huh? What's gonna happen?"

Teppo: "Alright, beginning the scan!"

Teppo raised her hand and a flash went out causing the background, including the pillar that they were standing on, to shatter, turning it all into raw data stream of a Soulspace. Expressing high-frequency H-waves in their natural form produces some odd results.

Yosuke and Finnel were stupefied from what's going on. Even what they're standing on was raw data streams.

"Whoa! What's going on!?" Questioned Finnel.

"You got me, even I don't know...!" Yosuke followed.

"Hmm... Okay..." Teppo mumbled, getting to understand the current concepts of the situation. " Okay, to put it simply, I'm scanning the H-Waves, which are dividing the Cosmosphere into separate worlds." She explained. "First, the Cosmosphere is a virtual world formed of Steady H-Waves, which are also sometimes called mental waves. The Dive Machine merely manifests it into a tangible form. Therefore, if you bypass the physical structure, the Soulspace becomes a stream of digital data, as we see now."

"Oh wow... If she puts it that way, it makes this a lot more complex the the Midnight channel..." He thought. "... Okay... so... did you find anything?" He asked.

Hmm... Hold a moment..." She said as she stared a the scanning screen very carefully. Red color data started to appear on the screen and it look bad, especially when Teppo's expression took a turn for worst, she even sweat-dropped. Then the chime went off. "Oh, It seems like the SH Scan is done."

Yosuke: "So, how was it?"

"Here's what I found in conclusion. As you suggested, Finnel's Soulspace is full of cracks." Teppo explained. In other words, several personae inhabit this place. This erosion is related to changes in their influence over her." Yosuke nodded, confirming what he proved to be right. "In fact, there is another interesting discovery that I've encountered during the scan." She added.

Yosuke: "Really? What is it!?"

"You don't have official H-Wave clearance to be in the Level 5 Layer, where you are now. Finnel is overriding it."

"Official... H-Waves...? Uh... You lost me there." Yosuke said losing focus.

"To make it simple, the only reason you're here, Yosuke, is because Finnel is protecting you." Teppo explained. "Therefore, without her protection, you couldn't exist in this layer of her Cosmosphere."

Yosuke: "... What!?"

"Huh? I'm protecting Yosuke? But I'm not doing anything." Finnel followed, as she was just as confused.

"Your conscious self is unaware of it. This is something that your true self, deep within your subconscious, is doing." She added. "That is all I've discovered. I don't know what's causing this irregular state."

"Her true self...? I guess that makes sense, somehow..." Said Yosuke, relating to what happened to him and his friends.

The scan has ended and they returned to the current soulspace. "Because of the nature of this situation, it may be possible to access the other personae's worlds through the cracks." Teppo explained. "I recommend going to the level you have clearance for: Cosmosphere Level 2. If you're lucky, you may get swept into a crack."

"Seriously!? L-Level 2...?" Yosuke said with and exclamation mark above him and Finnel.

"That can't be true...!" Finnel whimpered.

"That result is more accurate than any other data I've accumulated." Teppo said as she signed off from the scanner. "You can migrate to other personae's worlds, but I'd recommend staying in Level 2... unless you have a death wish."

Yosuke: "I guess... Yeah, thanks for the advice."

Finnel: "Huh!? You've come this far..."

Well, what choice do I have? I can't even advance any further. I might die, if I try." Yosuke told her."... Plus, this place smells."

"... *scoff* I don't care where you go anymore, idiot!" Finnel responded, irritatingly.

"Okay, I shall perform three tasks: Exceptional level downs, crack detection, and relocation of your body." Teppo stated. "Please stay out of the Cosmosphere in the meantime, or this may affect your mind."

Yosuke: "R-Right!"

"I'll disconnect you from the network for now." Teppo said As the world around them turned white. Yosuke wave to Finnel, saying 'See you later'.

---

Eternus Shaft, Dive Shop

After they got out the pods, Finnel was wondering what happening and was curious on Yosuke's feedback.

---

Skit topic: Diving Tecnical Difficulties, Part 2

Yosuke started to explain about what's going on during the dive, Finnel was sort of disappointed.

Finnel: "We have to restart back at Level 2!?"

Yosuke: Yeah, the program, Teppo, said it all, I'm afraid... Looks like we're back to square one..."

Finnel: "Ugh... I wish you didn't told me..."

Yosuke: "Sorry, I needed to get that off my chest. Besides, since your subconscious was the one who's making it worst, we have to backtrack to the part where it all started going haywire."

Finnel: "Yeah, I guess you're right."

Yosuke: "Okay, Teppo's working on the cracks right now, so let's dive later on when we get the chance."

Finnel nodded as they need to return the their group.

---

Waterforest Square

Yosuke and Finnel returned to their group, as they've been waiting for the pair. "Yo, what took you?" Questioned Aoto.

If you keep dating this long, we'll just leave you two behind." Teddie complained, in jealousy.

Finnel: "D-D-Date!?"

Yosuke: "... Shut up, Ted..."

"Alright, that's enough you guys. Are you ready to go?" Doctor Gojo asked.

"Yeah, let's go." Yosuke confirmed.

As they were about to press on towards their mission, a sound of ringing fill the air around the group. "Huh? What's that sound?" Aoto wondered.

Tatsumi brought out his telemo, but it wasn't ringing. "It's not mine..." Tatsumi told them. The ringing continued and they rounded up the sound coming from Yosuke.

"Huh?" Yosuke glance left and right at his allies that were staring at him. "Wait a sec... that's mine!?" He realized. He took his cellphone out of his pocket as it was his cellphone that was ringing.

"I didn't know you had a telemo of your own..." Said Aoto, looking astonished.

Hikari Gojo: "Who's calling you?"

Yosuke was looking at the phone's screen, looking at the Caller ID. "No way...! Is that...!?" He uttered as he pressed the call button. He took the call knowing that person's ID was completely familiar. "Chie...? Chie, is that you!?" He questioned deliriously.

Chie: "...! Y-Yosuke!?"

---

A/N: And that's a rap... What the hell!? That was horribly long. Now that I think of it, I definitely past my anniversary of this fanfic... Geez... If I'm this slow, I won't be able to get to the ending... *sigh*... At any case... Happy Anniversary... I guess...

Also, there is some I'd like to discuss, for recurring elements in the future. I was thinking it all over, seeing that I misinterpreted the research that I looked up. Thanks to some of you viewers, I've been figuring out many aspects from the Persona series into the EXA_PICO universe and how the power of Persona can or could be a counter balance to the Reyvateil's Song Magic.

Persona users are somewhat the human opposites of the Reyvateils. Persona users draw their powers from their own psyche, which would make them fatigued if over usage, as Reyvateils draw their powers from the Tower.

In the concepts of Personas in that world, their Tarot Cards serves as a Dynamic D-Wave construct to their Arcana type and the Persona's form and shape is basically... Static D-Waves. Which leaves their skills and other abilities as H-Waves, both Dynamic (physical attacks) and Static (magic attack).

Persona and user are one and the same, when the Persona takes damage, so does its user and a very weakened Persona will start to show a bit of static in its body (Megami Wiki, persona concept), they are tamed shadows, manifestation of a person's personality.

Q: As for the Shadows from the Persona Series, would they count as Rogue H-Waves that took form from Human minds.
For example, they battled Ultimate Boarder Humans along the way, those who loss their humanity and sanity, thus becoming mindless shells. They'd make perfect hosts for shadows (or what I say, Rogue H-waves).
If shadows had to gather into one place where there's any nearby host, it could change the empty shell into shadowfied creatures.

A: translating the Shadows to Ar tonelico concepts, they would be mostly made from Static H-Waves and have a very small part of Static D-Waves when they have a tangible appearance. However, if they lose that tangible form, they would turn into invisible lumps of H-Waves that can easily possess any living being that comes near them.

I had help from a pro researcher and he pretty sure made a lot of senses. He said "Nothing in EXA_PICO's universe can exist without the love of a higher level will."

*EXEC_HYMM_BATTLESPHERE/.#Finnel extracting by Haruka Shimotsuki

At any case, R&R, please.