Stroll 1: Getting to Know You 1

The nutty antics that the Persona-users had engaged in were now tapering off, much to Shinjiro's relief. However, left in their wake was a mess for the ages: loads and loads of confetti, broken balloon pieces, a miniature river of water, a massive tub of rice used to make mochi that had spilled all over the floor, scuff marks, some stray bags of chestnuts, a shooting gallery that had been turned over, a broken window, some vomit stains, and at least fifteen more bottles of alcohol that Shinjiro never saw prior to this. Collapsed in a magnificent heap in front of said bottles were an inebriated Maya, Katsuya, Ulala, and Baofu, with a completely shitfaced Yu Narukami stumbling nearby, going off on a tangent.

"They're gun' fin' me…they're gun' fin' me…that lady's gunn'a fin' me…n' feed me t' the…the…fuckin fishes'…these people always fin' me…"

Ominously, he pointed to Margaret, who was whipping her hair in satisfaction; a now-bruised Theodore was left in her wake, shaking his head in dismay.

Yu drunkenly grabbed a wayward handkerchief and stroked the side of his face with it, as if he were finding solace in its touch. "There's no…way…out…."

He stroked and stroked, his eyes completely wide and blank. "No way out…no way out...no way out…no…way…"

He hit the ground with a soft thud, still muttering.

Silence befell over the entire hallway, instilling a sense of unease within both Shinjiro and Kotone. The only sound that rung out was the sound of a traumatized Ken Amada falling out of the spilled rice tub.

"What the fuck!?" Shinjiro shouted.

"That devilish woman, Maya-sama…"

Shinjiro and Kotone turned to Theodore, who was slumped over, his hand on his forehead in dismay. "She and her crew had the nerve to plunder a significant stash of alcoholic beverages that I had acquired for myself…before we knew it, they were doling it out like someone giving free samples on the street…the madness you see before you is the result of that…"

"Seriously!?" Shinjiro exclaimed. "Even Amada!?"

"Even Amada." Theodore shook his head. "Fifteen of my finest, all wasted away like that…my tequila, my vodka, my gin, my favorite bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon – "

"Sake for the win, motherfuckerrrrrrrrrs-!"

Kei Nanjo, also sloshed, shot up at breakneck speed from the pile of rice on the floor, dual peace signs ablaze. With that statement, he collapsed back down, unconscious, like a domino.

"…And Kei-sama indulged in nearly two bottles of some expensive sake that were given to me as a gift." He dramatically sighed, slumping down further if it were possible. "You children have only conquered one labyrinth and you're all an absolute mess…"

When she saw Theodore rise up, Kotone hid behind Shinjiro, looking away. The man sluggishly stood, summoned the Persona Compendium, and opened it.

"I can at least partially clean this up." He summoned Narcissus, a Lovers Arcana Persona, and commanded it to cast a Garu spell. The beautifully nude man that stood before them complied, gently waving one of the flowers that shared his name in the air. A green-tinted breeze blew away the debris, sending it off into oblivion. Now, only the wreckage of the scuff marks and any larger debris remained.

"I think we ought to let everyone unwind on their own," said Theodore, shutting the Compendium as Narcissus vanished. "Besides, you've all been getting to know one another quite well. Perhaps you should all convene and talk about how you shall approach your upcoming battles or something of that nature."

"Yeah…" Shinjiro nodded his head in agreement. "You're right, but…"

"But what?"

"We can't exactly go to the next labyrinth yet, Theo."

To Shinjiro's surprise, Kotone boldly stepped from behind him, gazing at the blue-clad man. Theodore softly gasped.

"Kotone-sama! But I thought you were asleep!" He exclaimed, hand over mouth. "I was going to keep you away from Akihiko-sama and the scrutiny of my sisters…"

"I can't keep hiding, Theo." Kotone shook her head. "My presence is affecting this place as much as Rei-san and Zen-san are. If I don't do anything, then all of the Persona-users will likely be stuck in this place."

"Kotone-sama…"

"Besides, when I was asleep, a demon from one of the mazes came at me. Even if Bushyasta didn't find me then, she would've found all of you eventually." She rubbed her arm absentmindedly. "You were right in the end. I need to get all of the Trapezohedrons back. I need to defeat the Fiends."

"But Kotone-sama…"

"If I don't bear witness to all of my memories, then there's no hope for me, or everyone else who's trapped here. Please, Theo…let me take back what I said before about hiding me. I have to go to the Mazes...I need your help, even if I don't deserve it."

She met his eyes, afraid yet resolute. He, in turn, bowed his head, taking it upon himself to serve one of his most treasured guests yet again.

"At your behest, I will lend whatever power I have to you, Kotone-sama, for your future battles. I have far more bravado now when it comes to dealing with my difficult sisters. Even if they scorn you, you have my assistance." He took his left fist and laid it upon his heart, taking the oath.

Shinjiro shook his head, cracking a very, very slight half-smile at the girl. "Hear hear."

She turned to face him. "And good to see you're still with us. Now, want to know who the Fiends are?"

"I want to know who you are, Shiomi. And what's the deal with these…Mazes," Shinjiro sighed. "From what you said, they're like the labyrinths: lengthy, and with someone waiting for a fight at the end of each one." He ran a hand through his hair. "This fighting's gonna be the end of me..."

Kotone guiltily shivered, idly moving her hands. "You don't have to come with me, you know. I mean, helping with Bushyasta is a wonderful thing and all - so will the help from your friends - but still – "

"No buts."

He abruptly stood tall over her. A shudder ran down Kotone's spine. "You're likely to get screwed if you go by yourself. Maybe not right away, but these types of guys get stronger as you progress. I don't like the prospect of more fighting, not at all. But it sucks less when you have others backing you up. Understand?"

He firmly planted a hand on Kotone's shoulder, with a feeling of warmth sputtering inside of her. How utterly abrupt his determination was! She sensed nothing of this when she first saw him. But time would tell on whether this change was genuine or not…

She nodded her head and smiled.

"...I think I'm ready to meet everybody now. And I'll tell plenty about myself too," She added softly. She glanced side to side, trying to spot someone. "Why don't we start with SEES - er..." She awkwardly giggled. "...Your friends?"

"She knows what our group's name is." Damn. Another point for her, regarding that she knew them. No, it was still too hard to believe. Shinjiro brushed that aside. "My friends...yeah, that sounds - "

"'eeeeey, Shinji!"

In staggered Akihiko, pants missing, shirt torn open, trails upon trails of saliva dangling from his mouth, and in his right hand was a frail, unconscious Chie Satonaka. In his left hand was a bottle of vodka that he managed to chug down. "I win, Shinji! I drank more booze than' you! Neiner neiner neiner! You big bitch!" He threw Chie on the ground. "You're a big, fat pussy! You suck! I got a bigger cock than' youuu-urp!?"

He unceremoniously vomited on the floor, which horribly stank and was a foul shade of brown. With a sway and a huff, he fell over on top of Chie's frail form, blacking out.

Shinjiro cringed in sheer embarrassment. "Theo, I think some people are gonna need Elizabeth's services more than others…"

"Y-Yes…" Theodore sighed, grabbing a wayward mop and bucket.

Maki Sonomura, who managed to survive the onslaught by tequila, was off to the side with a sleeping Naoya on her right shoulder. She gave a good look at this strange newcomer: she looked like a deer in headlights, yet looked determined and set to go all at once. Shinjiro was already at her side, vouching for her, and Theodore seemed a little enamored with her. She, in turn, looked grateful for their help, even if what she said betrayed that.

She looked like a ghost of a girl who was on the run from something. It looked as if it were catching up to her, and running would do her no good now.

Kind of like Maki herself.

Like the real Maki, and Aki and Mai…

It all happened such a short while ago, yet Maki's heart was still thick with denial. The touching words and companionship of her friends were a cold comfort.

Neither changed the fact that she was a figment of someone's imagination.


The Nurse's Office, for the umpteenth time

"But in all seriousness, you're absolutely right, Senpai. We ought to get to know how everybody fights. That way, we can formulate how we attack the labyrinths from this point on…oww…"

Sakuya, who avoided the boozefest entirely and instead had a bout of smacked-his-head-on-the-urinal-too-hard syndrome, nodded his head toward Shinjiro in thanks. Much like a sleepover, the beds were clustered together. Four of the six "factions" had to be taken into the nurse's office, while the remaining two were coping far better: SEES took up one corner of the room, the adults were next to them, followed by Rei and Zen, and finally, Tatsuya's crew.

The game plan was thus: Shinjiro could sense how nervous Kotone was, despite her desire to meet the team. He asked her to wait outside instead, and after having a chat over battle strategies, he'd bring her in. And wait she did, getting a cart of medical supplies in order with Theodore. Every so often, Sakuya would spot the brown-haired girl meandering about, never quite able to get a glimpse of her face.

When the tuft of brown hair first entered his sights, Sakuya's heart was erratically beating, but he felt nothing otherworldly…at least, he hoped it wasn't otherworldly.

"That's a great idea…yeah…ugh…!" Katsuya was curled in a fetal position on the bed, his stomach still churning from the shots he devoured. Latched on his arm was a puke bucket. "Oh god, I hope I don't throw up again…"

"Let's start with us…owie…." Sakuya sighed, gingerly rubbing the large bump on his head. He slowly sat himself up.

"You use a short sword, right Sakuya-kun~?" Maya slurred, still in a daze but sober enough to speak coherently. "It looks super easy to wield~"

"Y-Yeah…" He muttered. "It doesn't reach very far, but it's nice and light."

"And your Persona mainly seems to use fire attacks~."

"Orpheus does use fire attacks, yeah…ugh…" He whimpered. "He can learn many different types of skills, it seems…he's more inclined to magic, but he's quick too. I'd consider him the best Persona I've wielded if it weren't for the fact that he leaves me vulnerable to lightning attacks and darkness spells…"

"Oooh, double whammy~. Poor Orpheus. It's just like the myths where his wifey died~" Maya giggled.

"I hate Mudo…it doesn't feel very nice…" He cast his gaze downward. Junpei and Yukari looked at him, both uttering "what the fuck?" to one another.

"Mudo stinks~! I know how you feel!" Maya jerked her arm, pointing to Yukari. "And what do you specialize in, Yukari-chan~?"

"Oh, well…"

Not long after their talk with Tatsuya, Yukari skulked off. To her shame, she indulged in the booze that the adults found, having felt a bout of depression. She had managed to get the liquor under control for the time being, although she still felt woozy. "Uh, I use a bow, so I can fight from a distance, and Io uses wind magic and can heal. She's a very magic-heavy Persona, and since I'm not that strong physically, I rely on her a lot." She sunk her head down, trying to ease the dizziness. "She's weak to electricity though…b-but there's nothing I can do about that!"

"Are you okay, Yukari-chan~? There's no shame in having a Persona who's vulnerable to something~! It's totally normal~!"

"I guess you're right…"

"Oh, oh, me next! Me me me – agh!" The minute Junpei tried to shoot his arm up, he toppled back on the bed, having eaten far too many sweets. For personal reasons, he avoided the booze like the plague. Every word out of his mouth came out in a frantic rush. "I use broadswords! They're big and awesome and can cut through anything! I can't be too far from the enemy tho, cuz if I am, I'mma cut y'all instead!"

"No kidding…" Yukari sighed.

"An' Hermes, he can use, like, fire attacks, but he sucks at magic so he just beats shit up. He can cut 'em, and bash 'em, and look really cool when casting shit. Oh, Hermes is tanky as fuck too. Like, he can take an explosion to the face and survive it. Oh, the only thing he sucks with is wind. He's weak to wind. But that makes no fuckin' sense cuz wind is oxygen or some shit and that makes fire burn." With speedy legs, he stood on the bed, pumping both fists in the air.

"I, Junpei, will cut you all down~~!"

He angled his leg forward and proceeded to crash face-first onto the floor.

"His P-P-Persona is named Hermes t-t-t-too…?" Jun coughed. The water Yukino had thrown on him was icy to the point that it made him suffer a brief bout of hypothermia. "B-B-But I have H-H-Hermes…"

"No one human is identical to the other," said Elizabeth, "But each person bears similarities to another, and can reflect the same archetype that a Persona represents. Hermes is a Persona who is very multifaceted indeed. Many people reflect him."

"R-R-R-Really?"

"Yes," Elizabeth said with a hint of amusement in her voice. "Junpei-sama's Hermes reflects the kinder intentions of the god. Unlike his fellow Olympians, Hermes was always eager to lend mankind a helping hand, much like when he helped Psyche in her quest to win over Cupid. Junpei-sama's intentions are good, jealousy of Sakuya-sama aside."

"B-But what about me?"

"Hm…" Elizabeth put a finger on her chin, analyzing Jun. "You, my dear, represent Hermes' more mischievous, sinister side. Despite his kindness, Hermes enjoyed deceiving others, and had domain over wit and thievery. You, my dear boy, look like a frail young boy who wouldn't look out of place in a boys' love manga, and yet I can sense something inside of you…you're quite vicious, and you're good at hiding it."

Jun gasped. "I…I look like an uke!?"

"And you're just realizing this now….!?" Lisa muttered to herself.

"So you have Hermes too..." Sakuya uttered, gaping slightly at Jun. "Tell me more."

"Hermes, you say…" Since the power of Persona had only recently returned to him, Eikichi, and Lisa, Jun was still a bit unused to Hermes' presence. Dealing with his haunting memories and horrid sins on the Other Side was terrible enough, even if Hermes embodied his rebirth from said sins.

"He is…very balanced. He has power over wind, he can boost peoples' agility, and he can poison others. He's more of a magically-powered Persona, but he gives me enough physical power to get by. He's just defensive enough, just lucky enough…he's very good, save for leaving me vulnerable to lightning." Jun was able to stop shivering, feeling Hermes linger inside of him. "And as for me, well…I can throw flowers at the enemy and hurt them."

"…I'm sure there's a damn reason you can, and it probably doesn't make a lick of sense," said Shinjiro, sighing.

"I can't quite explain it either," said Jun, taking the azalea in his shirt pocket and fiddling with it. "It's as if they're being filled with power when I touch them. They're like throwing knives." He caressed the flower. "And like many flowers, they can do quite a bit of damage on their own. This azalea can poison."

"You're like a thorny rose…but you're a boy…" Sakuya mouthed in a nonsensical manner.

"Ehehe…" A tipsy Tatsuya awkwardly chuckled. "That's one way to describe him, I guess."

"Mmm, you can call me anything you want, Ta-chan~." Jun sighed, snuggling up to Tatsuya.

"Oh Jun, you're ridiculous…" Tatsuya sighed, feeling content. "But in any case, the Persona that I primarily use is Vulcanus. He's a physical brawler, and compliments it with both fire magic and fire-themed attacks. He can also defend anybody from being overwhelmed by their weaknesses." Indeed, after the battle with the Queen of Hearts, Vulcanus learned Re Patra, a spell that could prevent anyone from being incarcerated from their elemental weaknesses, even though it couldn't completely block out the attack. "I myself use a two-handed sword."

"Once again, the laws of battle demand our heroes use swords, people!" A face-planted Junpei shouted from the floor. "And nobody fuckin' copies my Hermes!"

"I'd say you're copying my Hermes, Iori-san," said Jun coolly. "I am from the year 2000, and you're form 2009. I win."

"Shaddup pretty boy…eugh…"

Jun and Tatsuya chuckled, and Sakuya found himself smiling again. Eikichi suddenly gave a manly slap in the back to Tatsuya, making him gag. "Always the macho one, aren't ya Tatsuya! Even with another man at your side like…that…"

"You're feeling better, Mishina-san," Sakuya observed.

"Of course I am!" Eikichi was burning with embarrassment on the inside, as he wound up in the nurse's office not because of booze, but because he stabbed himself in the eye with his eyeliner pencil. A blood-soaked bandage was sporting over his right eye, and it still stung. "But in any case, the fabulous Michel's main man is Rhadamanthus, the awesomesauce judge of the dead! Master of the high seas and big-time asskicker is he, and capable of withstanding any kind of attack!" His big grin shifted to a frown in a nanosecond. "Well, any attack that isn't ice-related….brrr…"

"That's all well and good, but where in God's name did you get your sub-machine gun from?" Sakuya asked flatly. Eikichi twitched.

"Uhhh…Internet?"

"In 2000? I don't think so," said Sakuya.

"What's it to you!?" Eikichi exclaimed angrily. "It's my sub-machine gun and my guitar case and I love it and why should it matter…?" He whimpered the last few parts. "It's super cool. Leave me alone…"

"We cannot leave you alone, as you so wish." Aigis shot up from behind him, making Eikichi scream. "That is a very high quality automatic weapon you have in your possession. I must know where you procured it from, Mishina-san."

"Never!"

"Aigis, please leave him alone. He's probably lost a lot of blood..." Sakuya sighed.

"…Will comply."

With that, Aigis activated the rockets located at her foot stubs and shot to his side, analyzing his current state. "Though Sakuya-san's health is my topmost priority at the moment, I shall explain my own battle parameters to all of you. My main Persona is Palladion. With her support, I can withstand blows from weapons and attacks that thrust and can normally pierce through material like metal. However, she cannot withstand electrical attacks, as it is dangerous for my circuitry."

"Circuitry…you really are a damn robot!" Eikichi exclaimed.

"We've seen flying magic Nazis crash-land on our city riding in mech suits, Eikichi. Aigis-san is completely normal compared to them," Tatsuya stated flatly.

"W-Well yeah, but still…"

"If you are done with your thinly veiled insults, I shall continue," Aigis stated with an air of snark. "Palladion's powers are completely physical in nature. She is also capable of taking blows in place of others. As for myself, I am equipped with high-caliber weaponry, allowing me to attack at any distance." She stopped for a moment, letting her Antikythera "headphones" whirr. "I am also equipped with a special function called 'Orgia Mode.' In Orgia Mode, my internal limiters are disabled, drastically increasing my output of power. However, it is unstable, and after a time, I will overheat. A cooldown period is required, so if you opt to take me into battle, please be mindful of that." She smiled and pumped her fist, unnerving Tatsuya's group.

"Is she for real?" Lisa, who was also dizzy from the alcohol, asked. Her eyes were blossoming with curiosity.

"I am, as you say, 'for real,'" said Aigis. She tilted her head, gazing at Lisa. "Your eyes are the same color as mine, Lisa-san. The hex triplet number for your eye color is #89CFFO, otherwise known as 'baby blue.' You must have been the apple of many a man's eye back in Japan."

Lisa blushed, feeling somewhat uncomfortable. "Y-Yeah, I was as I got older, but when I was a kid, I was picked on because of how different I looked. I hated how I stood out so much. I was like any other kid, but because I had this blonde hair and these blue eyes…" She sighed, trying to cast those feelings aside. Now wasn't the time for it.

"Lisa, it's okay," said Tatsuya, tenderness lacing his voice. "That's all over now. You were born and raised among the Japanese people, and that's that. It certainly matters not to me and the others that you're Caucasian."

"Chinyan…"

"Besides, I've always liked your eyes. They're like a clear blue sky."

Lisa stuttered, her own bravado growing.

"Y-You really are the best, Chinyan!" Lisa exclaimed happily, pumping a fist. With joy, she faced the others, grinning. "My Persona is Eros! She's super-quick! Her element of choice is earth, and she can heal and charm enemies! Unfortunately, she can't withstand water attacks." She flexed an arm muscle. "I haven't had proper training, but I can sort of do kung-fu, so I'm more of an in-your-face fighter." She rubbed the back of her neck, suddenly more demure. "I…can't take too many hits though. Whether I'm getting thrown around or struck by magic, but I am, uh, good ad dodging. Ehehehe…."

Sakuya smiled. Lisa had a sunny disposition, but she was frank, which he found refreshing. And it was a bit ludicrous to simply find her good looks due to exoticism, but they genuinely entranced him. "Well, you've got a diverse set of skills for a four-man band. This is gonna be interesting."

Sakuya turned his head to Shinjiro, giving him a smile. "Well, Senpai? Tell them about you."

The Senpai in question looked a tad embarrassed, but Sakuya and Kotone were rubbing off on him. "I like using hammers and axes. They're limited in their range, but they're strong. I've used them for three years, and I'll stick with 'em. As for Castor, he's like Palladion. He's a hard-hitter. He's not really resistant to anything, but he isn't vulnerable to anything either. I guess that's it."

Koromaru came speeding into the room, cuddling by Shinjiro's leg. No one could really understand why, but the Shiba Inu looked completely relieved on top of that.

"And this little guy here's Koro-cha…er, Koromaru. He can fight too."

"I know, he's amazing!" Lisa exclaimed.

"His Persona…is it Cerberus? It would be fitting if it were," said Jun.

"That's right." Shinjiro rubbed his nose, holding back a chuckle. "Koromaru's Persona uses fire and dark magic. He's also pretty damn agile, and good with a knife. It's what makes him so…uh, admirable." He spotted Koromaru shying away from the bright lights of the office – what an intuitive dog he was, Shinjiro thought. "Oh, right…Cerberus is vulnerable to light attacks. Watch out for that."

"Aww, we sure will!" said Lisa, fawning over the dog.

"Heehee, this is great~!" Maya cooed. "Now Sakuya-kun and Tatsuya and I can actually make plans when we venture out! It's like we're playing Battleship!"

"Well, that is a good thing…" said Shinjiro, "But we'd need to know more about your Persona, Amano-san…" He braced himself for her half-drunken tirade.

"Ohh, right! Maia! She's my Persona~! And she's a black mage, through and through! She can use lotsa magic! She can splash you with water, freeze you with ice, and kill you with light! Ka-bwoooooogh! She heals too! And she can block out both light and darkness! And look, look!"

Focusing, Maya shot her palms upward, bringing Maia forth from the sea of her soul. A Moon tarot card splintered into pieces, summoning a flurry of blue flames that nearly forced her companions off of their beds. Despite the impact, and despite the sheer level of shock that everyone had, Maya kept on smiling.

"She's wearing a super-fabulous pink kimono-thingy! And a visor! Isn't she cool!?"

"That looks like an outfit straight off of a Parisian fashion runway," Aigis observed. "It is quite peculiar because Maia is a Greek deity, yet this Maia is wearing a kimono."

"I told you she's cool!" Maya bought Maia back, suddenly frowning. "Ohh~, but she crumples when I get slashed in the face with something. Like Tatsuya's sword…" She then perked right back up, taking out a pair of gaudy pink handguns. "But that's what I have these guns for! Pow-pow!"

"Amano-san, please be more careful with those!" Katsuya explained worriedly. "I don't want you or the others to get hurt…urp…"

"I'm fine~, I know what I'm doing…Kat-su-ya~!"

"Wh-Wh-What did you just…!?" Katsuya's face burst aflame – which was promptly wrecked when he had to bend over and vomit in his bucket. Giving Yu Narukami tequila and indulging it with him was a terrible idea.

"Heehee! You're so cute, Katsuya~!"

"M-Maya, please calm down…" Tatsuya tried to coax Maya. "You're making my brother feel uncomfortable…"

"Oh…" Maya sobered tenfold. "I'm sorry, Tatsuya…I'm still feeling lightheaded. I don't know what came over me."

"It's no problem. We're all having tons of fun, right?"

Quiet laughter rang throughout the room, which woke up the members of SEES that were still sleeping, save Fuuka. Ken came to first, rubbing his bleary eyes.

"Huh…?"

"Are you feeling okay, Amada!?" Shinjiro shouted a little too loud. "I found you in a massive tub of rice! What happened?"

"Oh…" Ken sighed, digging in the cesspit of memories that seemed to mostly escape him. The only thing he could instantly recall was Kei Nanjo leaving behind a bottle of what Ken thought was sake. Of course, in order to be a strong adult, one had to withstand the bitterness of alcohol, right? Naturally, being only eleven years old, Ken toppled like Jenga blocks after a few sips, somehow falling into the mochi rice pit with Kei. Everything else was blank after that.

"I fell into the rice pit. That's all I can remember."

"Did you drink too!?" Ken twitched in fear. "Don't tell me that someone made you drink something!"

He didn't want Shinjiro's concern, or sympathy, at all. Instead, he became angry.

"Leave me alone, Aragaki-san! Y…you're not my fucking mother!"

He heard Kanji cussing like a sailor earlier, hence his discovery of the word. Shinjiro was taken aback. "Who told you that word…?"

"Are you deaf!? I told you, you're not my mother! Back off!"

"Ah…"

Shinjiro resigned himself, slumping over like he usually did. Why was he so surprised? Ken hated him with a passion. "You're right. I'm not…I'll…uh…" Shinjiro sat down on the desk in front of Elizabeth's request log, facing away from the others. Before the rest could object to Ken's behavior (indeed, Baofu looked near-ready to slap the poor kid), he began to angrily sputter out his own "battle parameters:"

"I use a spear, and it has prongs that you thrust with. It's long, so I can attack at a distance. My Persona is called Nemesis, and she uses light magic and can save anyone who gets knocked out. She's able to resist light as well, but is weak against darkness. Nemesis is good at shrugging off magic too." With a loud "harrumph," he stomped off, out of the nurse's office.

"What a brat," A now-sober Baofu spat. "He's got some nerve, that kid."

"There's a reason he's like that," Shinjiro said quickly, defending him. "Just leave him alone." Baofu grunted in dissatisfaction.

"W-Well, you're up and about Baofu-san," Maya said nervously. "Tell the kids about how you fight."

"Oh, yeah…" Baofu sighed. "If you think I'm a weirdo for using coins, it's because I empower them with chi. What is chi, you ask? Go read a book about it, you kids can figure it out." He leaned forward, still feeling a bit hung over. "Odysseus is the Persona that I primarily use. He uses wind spells and can strike multiple enemies at once. What he's vulnerable to is earth spells." He brushed a strand of his long hair out of his face, frowning at the children. "I'm not exactly the fatherly type, but I can't stand a high school-aged brat who thinks they know everything. You don't know everything. Don't be stupid, kids."

While the others were gawking at Baofu's words, Sakuya found himself nodding in agreement. Mitsuru could certainly use a few words from the older man.

Speaking of Mitsuru, she finally woke up, feeling completely ashamed. A wave of nausea washed over her; she indulged in some wine as she pondered over the Persona Game. Before she knew it, she had nearly blacked out. "Ugh…"

"The Ice Queen awaketh," said Baofu acidly. "What did you have? The wine?"

"I…I feel so ashamed of myself…"

"Don't. I'm more of a whiskey guy myself, but a good glass of red wine goes great with a nice meal. First-timers always drink booze too fast."

Mitsuru blushed. "I shouldn't have…" She gazed around the room, with the awakened Persona-users looking at her. She began to feel delirious. "What is going on? A-Are you all playing the Persona Game…?"

"Do we look like we're playing the game to you, Kirijo?" Baofu said with an air of sarcasm. "Most of us got drunk like you. And we're talking battle tips, or…something."

"B-Battle…tips…? Ah…yes…" That was something logical to talk about. It appeared as if they had been discussing that topic for a little while as they recovered. "What kind of tips are we discussing?"

"We're speaking about our Personas, actually – the primary Personas that some of us have started out with," said Tatsuya, noting that despite being hung over, Mitsuru made an attempt to sit up straight and assert herself. She was in no condition to do so. "I figure that we'll have to learn on the fly when some of us begin using even more Personas than what some people are used to."

"Some people…" Mitsuru shook her head. "I'd prefer that we'd try and do that right away, but I suppose it isn't possible…but if we are discussing Personas, mine is named Penthesilea." Mitsuru tucked her lone curly lock of hair behind her ear. "Penthesilea's primary skillset involves ice-based magic and weakening the enemy by ailing them. She can also heal, albeit not to the extent of Takeba's Persona. As for myself, I am a fencer, and thus am better suited for the front lines in battle."

"Haha, 'better suited for the front lines.' I heard that in a movie once. It's like you think we're going off to war, Kirijo," Ulala teased.

"B-But we are in a war…of some flavor," Mitsuru objected.

"And I guess we need uniforms too?" Ulala giggled.

"Of course!" Mitsuru's shout actually made a few people jump. "These are merely school uniforms, but a uniform is highly important in general. SEES wears its armbands and uniforms as a duty…"

Baofu, Ulala and Maya all snickered. Katsuya sighed.

"B-But it's…true…"

"You're clearly out of it, Kirijo," said Baofu. "Go back to sleep, and don't wake up until you can talk more coherently."

What a boor that man was! Mitsuru sank back onto the comfortable mattress, forcing herself awake so that she could keep up with whoever was left. She tilted her head toward Akihiko, appalled at his sorry state. A blanket was thrown over him because no one could find his pants, and a dribble of vomit was still on his chin. Aigis trotted to his side, taking note of his vitals.

"Sanada-san's vitals are still not functioning at their optimal level. In his stead, I shall tell you all of his battle parameters. He practices the martial art of boxing, therefore, he fights at a very close range. His Persona is dubbed 'Polydeuces,' named for a Greek demigod. He is quite balanced, capable of using lightning magic with ease. Polydeuces can also weaken others with some special spells."

Akihiko moaned and coughed, rolling over on his side. "Mmh…gimme tha' beef…"

Aigis' hand, like a feather, grazed the bump on Akihiko's head. "You must forgive Sanada-san for the worrying intensity of his passion for battle. He had suffered a head injury prior to our arrival, and the result has increased his aggression at least three times his usual level."

"So he's always been aggressive?" Ulala sighed.

"Mostly in battle or when boxing at school," said Aigis. "Indeed, prior to the incident, Sanada-san was remarkably insightful and could restrain himself. Unfortunately, both of those traits have vanished. It is getting harder and harder to reign him in, and he demands five-hundred percent more protein than what is actually recommended for most humans to consume."

"That stinks. I wonder if there's a way to fix that…" Ulala mused. She glanced at the gray-haired boy's sleeping face, awash in a childlike vulnerability. She smiled. "I'm gonna take a cue from Ma-ya on this one. Your little boxer pal is kinda cute."

The members of SEES gasped. Junpei in particular was twitching with shock.

"Y-You think he's cute!? How old are you again!? And what do you mean, 'take a cue from Ma-ya!?'" That remark earned him a rightfully deserved dope-slap from Yukari.

"If it weren't for this damn headache, I'd throttle you by now…" Ulala hissed. "But it's my turn to speak. I'll kick your ass later, Iori."

Junpei whimpered.

"My Persona is named Callisto. Her element of choice is earth. She can also charm others, as our fight with the FOEs has shown you…oh, and she can now cast a spell that can bind the enemy too. I guess she's pretty balanced? She makes me quick on my feet, and that's good because I box…" Ulala scrunched her brow. "Damn, describing Persona abilities is hard. I must sound awfully cheesy right now."

"It's rather difficult to describe a Persona any other way, Serizawa-san," said Katsuya. "I'll give it a try…Helios is the name of my own Persona. He is like Vulcanus in that he uses fire-themed attacks. He can also attack physically, and can cure people who might get poisoned, or…gee, this is difficult."

Zen had remained silent the entire time. Rei was asleep in his lap, and being as ignorant of certain subtle behaviors as he was, he saw nothing unusual about it. He silently observed the four groups sound off their abilities, and took the time to carefully analyze each and every one of them. How utterly peculiar these people were: they were all quite different, and yet there were a number of similarities between them as well. The red-haired woman and the gray-haired boy both practiced the fighting style they called "boxing," and the Suou brothers both had Personas that wielded fire.

"But I have seen Tatsuya and Katsuya fight. They differ quite a bit. The younger uses a sword, the elder that mechanical weapon that's much like my crossbow. This must relate to 'personal styles of fighting' that Shinjiro mentioned earlier."

There was still much to learn, clearly. Perhaps he could learn more of that as he recovered his memories.

"Four labyrinths…we have conquered one. Three remain. There are three guardians and three treasures."

Three more labyrinths…

"Oh," Maya softly gasped from a ways off. "We've forgotten about poor Zen-kun."

"...Hm?"

Zen's head rose and met with Maya's violet eyes. She appeared to be what the others deemed "concerned:" Her brows angled upward, her mouth drawn downward. He decided to take a cue and address her state. Perhaps it could allow him to understand these people better.

"Are you 'concerned' about something, Maya-san?" Zen asked, his voice as even as ever.

"You didn't tell us about how you fight in battle, Zen-kun!" Maya exclaimed more clearly. Her drunkenness had subsided. "You've been curled up in a corner the whole time! Come on up and talk about yourself."

"Myself...?"

Now there was a conundrum that Zen could not tackle with ease. He was what he was, nothing more, nothing less. He used a pair of automatic crossbows and could cast elemental magic - as for the source of the magic, he did not question whence it came from. It was the same for Rei's ability to cast healing magic: he knew not why, and did not question it. He did not even question just why he felt this strange, often uncomfortable tug in his chest whenever she cast a spell, or why she only did it when she was in his arms' reach. As one who fought alone, the notion of teamwork was alien to him. The concept of synchronicity with others did not click, hence, the inability to full grasp how everybody explaining their fighting styles was important. There was no 'thrill' in battle (as Akihiko put it); no 'fear' in battle (as Yukari put it); no 'sadness' in battle (as Tatsuya put it) - there was nothing.

It was like clockwork - one all-encompassing motion, endless. It was the same as the gears in the clock tower in front of the school. More than it being to keep Rei out of harm's way, battle just was.

He, Zen, just...was.

"...I am who I am." He tilted his head. "I am the one who protects Rei, and attends to her needs. That is all."

Maya frowned. "Uhm...okay? Could you be a bit more specific? Like, how do you wield two crossbows at once?"

Zen held up one of said crossbows. He gazed at it, as if he were pleading it to answer that question for him. It looked like a scaled-down recurve crossbow: very light in the front, a single string to shoot with, and fairly wide. He reloaded them with a mental command: when he wished for a new set of bolts, he would have them instantaneously. These, too, he did not question, nor did he question as to why he used two of these devices.

"I have always used two of these," Zen replied after what felt like an eternity. "I had them with me since I woke up. They are fairly light in their weight, and can hit the enemy from a great distance. I summon the bolts when I wish to use them, in case you were curious."

Maya frowned for once. It was a lousy answer. Despite SEES' plead for her to give up, she kept pressing on. "Gee, that got us nowhere...okay, well...let's talk about your magic." She smiled again. "It's you who seems to be casting spells, and not a Persona. You aren't a Devil Summoner either." She gave him a pleading look. "Can you explain about...your magical power?"

"...That, too, I have always had. I have sets of spells that I have at my command, and I utilize them as the situation demands. The spells grow in power as I do in battle."

His left index finger glimmered with a faint, green light. With nary a second thought, he let several short, rapid bursts of wind burrow through the ground. It dug like a drill through the tile, with the requisite shattering sounds waking those who were asleep and scaring the piss out of everyone else. Rei let out a high-pitched screech as she tumbled out of Zen's lap, right onto the floor.

"Eeeeek! Zen!"

It never occurred to the man that he was the one who indirectly put her in danger. One of his crossbows was at the ready, pointing dangerously close to a terrified Koromaru. It was only when Rei tugged at his pants leg from the floor that he was able to relax.

"Are you all right, Rei!?"

She did not smile at him - as air-headed as she could be, even she found his little act to be moronically stupid. She blew out her tongue at him and sighed.

"You're hopeless..."

"Rei?"

She shook her head and glared at him - for once, he was taken aback. "You're an idiot, Zen! You're an absolute idiot! Ugh!"

Rei stomped off with all the dignity of a donkey. Zen, as usual, was left in the dust, completely bewildered.

"Rei..."

Maya put a hand on her mouth. But, no matter how much she wanted to scold Zen, she couldn't bring herself to do it. The look in Tatsuya's eyes, as he looked at her, told her that he couldn't do the same. This Zen was more than just a bit addled in the head from memory loss.

This girl was one of his three constants, aside of the culture festival and the clock tower that loomed over them. He blankly stared at her and her distressed state, doing absolutely nothing about it. It was as if he were a toy robot that repeatedly broke from something mundane, and he'd break again and again should Rei fall into a state of distress once more. The first memory he rediscovered - his so-called "task" - effortlessly molded into his robotic state. Only time would tell whether or not this state would change as they trekked through new labyrinths.

It suddenly struck Tatsuya - Zen's state, and what it reminded him of -

"Like a toy robot...he's a little bit like a...a demon..."

Demons were unchanging and static. They were stereotypes, set from birth to function one or two ways. What separated a demon from a Shadow was the personality given to them and their appearance. In exchange for a human's ability to grow and change was a demon's immortality - in this case, sustenance due to humanity's thoughts. A human's personality was as malleable as gold; a demon's was not. And if a demon's personality was as malleable as magnesium (a non-malleable metal), then Shadows were about as malleable as liquid boron.

It was probably far too soon to assume such a thing, but the resemblance was eerie.

The second Tatsuya opted to speak, Zen let out an intense shudder, feeling his stomach churn.

"Ah..."

There it was: a painful churn that shook his brain. He felt it when he touched the rabbit that they found in You In Wonderland. This time, it went beyond a churn and evolved into a violent rattle.

Zen felt nauseous. He collapsed.

"Zen-san!"

The healthier fighters rushed toward Zen's side, all of them voicing concern. Lisa placed her hand on his forehead. Sweat had stuck onto her palm within seconds.

"Wh-What the hey…? Zen-san's burning up!"

"But how!?" Eikichi explained. "He didn't do anything when we were partying! It's not as if he could've gotten sick, or…"

"…Fi…end…"

That was the million-dollar word Zen uttered before passing out. Silence permeated the room, as the group began whispering among themselves.

"Fiend…? What does that mean?" Maya asked.

"Maybe it's related to his memories…?" said Tatsuya, who looked frightened for a change. "Or perhaps..."

Perhaps that strange correlation between Zen and demonkin wasn't so ludicrous after all?

"No, of course it...is...?"

Sakuya didn't move from his bed. Instead, he himself was shuddering, completely overwhelmed by a prickling sensation that rocked his entire body. He, too, broke out in a sweat. He, too, began to pant.

"Hfff...haaah..."

Shinjiro was alert. He emerged from his stupor and went to his leader's side, removing a handkerchief from his coat pocket. Without a word, he began dabbing the sweat off of the boy's brow, grabbing a water bottle from nearby. During his nights in Tatsumi Port Island's back alleys, he had seen the dregs and addicts and prostitutes get like this when panic struck them. As he felt Sakuya relax a little with a few rubs on his back, he secretly hopes to himself that the feverish states he and Zen were in would pass.

Outside, he could see a wary Kotone sneak a peek into the room, still waiting for Shinjiro's cue. As it was, her timing was poor.

"Psst!" Shinjiro gestured her to him with a wave of his hand. "You can come in in a second!"

Despite his command, she began to nervously shirk - but not before catching the azure glimpse of the boy Shinjiro was taking care of.

And he, too, caught her own crimson.

*...b-bmp...*

It lasted for a mere second.

Sakuya could feel his voice leave him completely, his heartstrings yanking free from its trappings. In his panic, he felt as if all were being drawn from him, and yet -

"Ah...I'll, I'll be, uh...uh...!"

The girl's voice climaxed to a whine as she ran off in fright.

"Hey, Shiomi! Get back here!"

Shiomi...?

"Ah - no, I don't mean you, Leader," Shinjiro said in a hurry, looking frazzled. "That girl, she - "

"Girl...?"

Sakuya felt himself go limp, with Shinjiro catching him frantically.

"...girl...the...girl..."

The boy choked. The pain that swished within him was lethargic and alien. It felt as though his brains would pour out of his ears at any moment -

"Senpai..." He grasped the older boy's coat.

"Y-Yeah...?"

"Who - "

Sakuya retched.

Shinjiro forcibly dragged him to some random basin where he could throw up. Sakuya was retching because the girl he had seen was the same shadow of the girl he saw when he played the Persona game. Normally, he'd feel triumphant at seeing the source of that phantasm, but this went far, far deeper -

He couldn't explain why.

He and that girl were bound by a - a rope. That was the only word he could think of in the heat of the moment.

It was rope thicker than rope used by seafarers. Rope that left behind the harshest of burns on the skin.

Rope that crossed beyond space-time.


Notes

- Revised once more! The previous version of this chapter to me had a rushed ending.

Strolls are kind of like what they are in the game: side fluff, but with some plot-heavy material within them. Here, we have a really weird attempt to explain how everyone fights, which accumulates to about four strolls in the actual game, along with some more Kotone-Sakuya-Zen fuel...yeah, Zen and Rei are in this story! Remember them? I nearly didn't :p.

This will be a mega-sized fic - requests, strolls, and plot will all be here! I ping-ponged on making an accompanying fic for requests, but in the end, it probably won't work.

R & R is always welcome~