Mitsuru had finished setting up the mini-shrine to Pixie. It had been 2 weeks, and she had kept her grieving private. She would be unsurprised if after looking over the last couple weeks she had let some of it seep through, but she did her best to limit her emotions when dealing with others. She knew Yukari would probably scold her for trying to keep it all in and not let others help her, but this isn't something she could very easily talk to most people with. However, other recent events have proven quite advantageous.

The use of the Velvet Room and the restored Devil Summoning App with it peripherals had actually managed to beef up the Kirijo Group's security forces, new investigative and consulting agency. Some of the demons were even useful at helping her researchers understand more about the occult than they had in the many years under her father and grandfather. Mitsuru had taken care to ensure all the research had met strict ethical standards, and had to hire an entire branch of people to audit the research division to make sure no more attempts would be made to call forth Nyx or some other doomsday demon, of which there was no shortage. Hell, she had to put up with short term disability when she had some researchers discover that Cthulhu was not a truly unique being, and there were even more powerful beings roaming the higher planes, which drove them to temporary madness. Though apparently there were those from the Angel and Megami clans that had the time and ability to piece minds back together so it was only a short disability and no lives were irreparably wrecked in the process.

While the program was originally only meant to handle 12 demons at a time, but her own development team managed to expand those capabilities through cloud computing and there were hundreds of demons in active direct employment of Mitsuru. However, there were certain beings that she could make pacts with she opted to avoid doing so because of her mishandling of the program. However, that seemed to come to an end when a Valkyrie that was acting as a personal guard informed her that Titania and Oberon had appeared and wished to speak with Mitsuru. Mitsuru steeled herself for the event and proceeded to her own living room.

Titania was in her usual green dress but Oberon had decided to dress himself in a human tuxedo, the pair looked rather odd sitting next to each other. Mitsuru came in and offered a deep bow before Titania told Mitsuru to take a seat.

Titania sighed, "I understand you've been avoiding making pacts with the Fairy clan despite your recently recovered ability to use that program."

Mitsuru tried not to let her frustration into her voice, "I did not wish to potentially take more of your subjects when the one entrusted to me died in my care."

Oberon seemed to let out a low chuckle and Titania glared at him for a moment. Oberon recomposed himself, "Child, death and demons don't necessarily mean the same thing it would mean to you humans.
Yes, demons fear their own deaths and are sad when they have to part with company of ones that they have come to care for. However, demonic essences are quick to recover such events. It's why your kind can never fully extinguish us. Even if you manage wipe out those that currently exist, we'll come back into being within a hundred years. Our existence is tied to the true nature of reality. A nature you've brushed up against many a times and I doubt you fully grasp it."

Mitsuru took a hard look at Oberon, but Titania chose to continue, "So, yes it is sad that Pixie died, but she'll be back most probably within your lifetime. Indeed, your demon compendium should still be linked to her essence allowing you to bring her back now if you so desired, though the bond would take a little time to fully reform. I would actually advise against it unless you have means of making her substantially more powerful. If you've been fighting the like of Beelzebub, only those who are like Oberon or me will be at all useful to you. In fact, you may wish to start fusing some of the demons at your command to make them stronger. Don't worry over much about what you are doing to your demons. You are at most inconveniencing them as they will be temporarily out of existence only for a short time."

Mitsuru looked to the fairy royals, "So, you are forgiving me for the loss of your subject?"

Titania nodded, "That is perhaps a simplification of what we just said, but yes."

Mitsuru then decided to ask, "I hope I am not overstepping my bounds, but what do you mean by the true nature of the world?"

Oberon sipped some tea that had been brought by the staff, "It is best you discover the full details for yourself. However, I will say this: The foundation of existence is mental and spiritual, not physical."

Mitsuru nodded, and Titania picked up her own cup before continuing the conversation, "Now on to more pleasant things. Have you decided what you wish to do with existence yet?"

Mitsuru almost choked on her own drink, "I'm sorry, I'm not sure I understand the question."

Titania giggled, "You have been set upon a path that you will affect how reality is for the remainder of the cycle. While the conflict at the root of all of this is a conflict within the fundamental force frequently known as law, it does have bearing on both the neutral and chaos forces. In all likelihood, you are the one that will make that choice. Much like when Souji Seta dispelled the fog of deception, and the effects of that decision is having an impact on the world, so too will decisions you make determine what will happen to reality and the influence law has on reality."

Mitsuru blinked several times, "How is my trying to free Minato have anything to do with law?"

Oberon finished swallowing a cracker, "These are delicious, do you know who makes them?"

Mitsuru had a feeling her question was going to be dodged, "I would have to ask my staff."

Oberon nodded, "When you get the chance, as for your question: The Abrahimic God is frequently seen as the highest power of law. And do you know how many different opinions of Him there are?

Mitsuru grimaced for a moment, "I believe there are several hundred."

Oberon nodded again, "Yes, but most of those opinions are subsets of roughly 3-4 major opinions, including the ones that He doesn't exist. Just as curiously, there are several distinct beings that all claim to be the true YHVH. Yet, there is only really one who can truthfully make that claim. No one can prove beyond a doubt which one it is, except for the original who has reasons of his own, I'm sure, for allowing the confusion to exist at all. Minato was a messiah and he somehow tapped into the true YHVH when he created the seal. The Universe arcana can tap into no other force but one of the supreme beings of existence."

Mitsuru had serious doubts about how well she was hiding the shock she was feeling. It only drove the point home when Titania said, "I think our more pleasant things are less than pleasant for our host. Perhaps we should discuss economics? Do you think having a debate about the philosophies of Keynes and Hayek would be acceptable?"

Mitsuru smiled, apparently weighty matters for humans was small talk for powerful supernatural beings.

Mitsuru had met up with her fellow shadow operatives, this time at a quick serve restaurant that served some local specialty. Mitsuru was still more accustomed to high class service, but it was still a bonding experience to have with her fellow teammates. Souji had apparently managed to wrangle Margaret to come and Elizabeth was evidently almost a point of embarrassment for the older Velvet Room sibling. There were both less informed about what eating at a place like this was than Mitsuru was, and the schadenfreude of the moment was making this a very comfortable and enjoyable experience for her.

Aigis looked as Elizabeth tried tying the spaghetti together in a weave to eat with her hands, "No, Elizabeth-san it is not meant to be eaten like that. You are supposed to use your fork."

Elizabeth picked up a fork, "I thought this was for your hair."

Souji snickered, "Yeah, I got a weird look when I asked for chopsticks the first 4 times. You'll get used to it."

Margaret smiled clearly appreciating Souji's efforts to make her sister feel more at ease about interacting with the human world.

Naoto shook her head, "Perhaps it would have been best to have given them etiquette lessons in private. We are attracting a lot of attention."

Mitsuru just smiled, "No, it's fine. The attention will eventually stop and nobody is calling the police, harassing us or asking us to leave. So we are just a curiosity."

Elizabeth looks around, "How disheartening. I heard that getting thrown out of a restaurant was a right of passage."

Mitsuru shook her head, "No, you're thinking of a bar, and that's only for immature college students in local frat and sorority houses. One of my VPs was talking about that after a meeting last night."

"Mitsuru, we need to talk," came a voice from behind her. Mitsuru looked up to see the rest of SEES standing there and Akihito was in front and was the one speaking to her.

Mitsuru got up and was pleasantly surprised, "Akihito, you never told me that you would be coming. If you had I would have made sure you got picked up at the airport at the very least."

Akihito shook his head, the look in his eyes was not friendly and looked rather enraged, "You're going to cause the Fall if you continue on this path."

Mitsuru focused on them and hear Aigis and Elizabeth both get up. It was Elizabeth that spoke first, "Miss Kirijo, I suggest stepping away from your friends. They aren't themselves."

Mitsuru could see it too, there was a yellow hue to their eyes, but it didn't completely dominate their eyes. She tried to talk them down, "Akihito, I don't know what's going on here, but there is something wrong with you. If you'll come with me I can try to help you, and then we can talk about your concerns about triggering the Fall."

Akihito threw a punch, Mitsuru was shoved out of the way and Souji took the punch to the face and went sailing back several feet, despite the evidence of having a persona resistant to physical attacks being active. Akihito spoke, "No, we're going to just take you down and not worry about it. The Fall must not come to pass."

Mitsuru reached for her phone, hopefully whatever was affecting them didn't have complete control. She could see Naoto and Margaret tense up when she grabbed it, clearly they were expecting a demon summoning to come next.

"Akihito, I don't know what's gotten into but as a police officer, you should understand that this nation has emergency phone numbers. My phone already has it entered in and all I have to do is press call and the police will be here in minutes. In an all-out fight you would win, but your lives and reputations would likely be ruined. I don't want to do this but I will not fight you. Stand down now."

Akihito stopped mid wind-up for a next punch and let down his dukes and let out a disappointed click, "Alright, have it your way, we can still have our shot when the police can no longer interfere. You know when I'm talking about. Watch yourself; I don't want this to be too easy of a fight."

With that and not saying another word, the SEES group simply turned around and walked out, the rest seemed to be preparing weapons or Evokers that they had been hiding. Mitsuru breathes a sigh of relief as she sees them go.

Naoto was the first to break the awkward silence, "How did you know that would work?"

Mitsuru shook her head, "I didn't, but I didn't want to fight them or see them get hurt."

Souji picked himself up, a bit of swelling develop where he took the hit, "I don't think this is over."

Aigis picked up whatever was knocked over when Souji went flying, "It isn't, but why are they so eager to fight us?"

Mitsuru pulled out her card to pay the damages to the place, "Because someone doesn't want us finishing our task and thinks using my friends against me is going to do something other than enrage me. Rest assured, we're freeing them and then I am executing whoever is responsible."

-
NOTES: The Cthulhu reference is to Shin Megami Tensei II where Cthulhu is a random encounter with a level somewhere in the high-60's. So all Lovecraft fans I'm not knocking on your favorite eldritch abomination, I'm referencing an early game. So kick and scream all you want, but I have warned you and I will ignore all rants to the contrary.

The metaphysics and spiritual talk done for this story are meant to only apply to this story and is, in part, my own interpretation of some things from the SMT games.

Also, I apologize for the random and lengthy gaps between publishing, but I do have a life and other hobbies (not the least of which is trying to get some original fiction published) to pursue so my fanfic writing is a relatively low priority. This project is not abandoned, just there is a stack of other things I try to devote time to and frequently this gets put off in favor of those.