Everyone that night had blacked out on their beds once they were able to, and it was no surprise after that attack that they would be tired. Granted, they weren't able to get rid of everything since their members had gotten injured, and while they could've certainly went on, going up against opponents and aggravating their still healing injuries would've been a bad move in the long run.

Anyways, there was one person that against his better judgement, stayed up for something important. Minato had been tired from the strain of summoning for a Fusion Spell yet still he wanted to stay up. He wasn't as low on SP as he thought he was, but it was still a painfully small amount.

He put his mind to work as he eyed Maiko's message and gave it a once over. Think of a reply you dolt. Minato sighed deeply. This wasn't working.

THUD!

Minato fell asleep on his desk.

…

Taka yelled as he was pushed into a swimming pool. Crap! He couldn't swim, and all he could do was flail about in the water for dear life and glare at those damned bullies that pushed him.

He would've liked to tell someone about this kinda thing, but he decided that he was going to be independent for as long as he could hold out. He was one of the lucky ones that didn't get kicked out of their parents' homes as soon as they could get a job or worse, when he was twelve instead.

He had to try and be an adult, and adults were respected. He was going to get respect. He would demand it. Taka had his eyes on the bullies as he ever so slowly, started sinking lower below the water. Can't… breathe…

"Can't… caught… here…"

Taka was yanked out of the water and thrown onto the ground like a ragdoll. He coughed as he tried to regain his breath, and all the while he had his hawk eyes on the bullies as they laughed and talked trash to him.

Then he was kicked in the stomach.

Taka spluttered out a mixture of blood and water and he tried to wipe off the blood that was trickling out of his mouth.

What kind of people were they?

He was picked up by the collar, but Taka didn't have the strength in him to try and fight back. He knew he could, but at this moment he wasn't when his clothes were waterlogged and heavy, and when he could barely get a breath for a few seconds before having it painfully knocked out of his chest and leave him wheezing and scrambling to get air back into him.

He didn't know. But he did know…

A silver glint appeared in the corner of his eye, and immediately Taka tried to break out of the bullies' grip. He couldn't die here! It wasn't an option!

They didn't deserve respect.

He blacked out.

…

Kanashi had been feeling very tired the next day; more tired than he had ever been in a long time. The ass-ass-in of his got the jump on him again, and because of that, they had to cut off the operation short. Although, considering the amount of damage that they had done to the tower already, if they were able to strike back again later while they were still recovering they could probably take the tower down for good and end all their troubles up until then.

But of course, everyone had to recover and Minato said that he didn't want to try again until Kanashi and Yashiro could summon their Personas. It made an infuriating amount of sense. And that was because it only reminded Kanashi that until they could get any Persona, he couldn't ever be stronger than the rest of SEES, let alone Minato.

And even then, he still couldn't be as strong as them with all the experience that the team had built up before in the Dark Hour. Sure, he was fairly strong, but with people like Minato, Mitsuru, Akihiko and Aigis around along with all the other members, how could he ever be stronger than them?

"Kanashi, can you come with me for a sec?" Minato asked, breaking Kanashi out of his thoughts. Oh right. End of school.

"What for?" Kanashi replied.

Minato sighed and from his pocket he took out a neatly folded paper with tiny writing on it. "I can't really think of a way to reply to this," he explained sheepishly.

"Oh, but why're you asking me?" Kanashi laughed.

"Well, you're the only other guy that knows about the friendship that I have with her," Minato replied, ignoring the small amount of stares that were then being directed to him. It was mostly from the girls. Figured.

"Alright man," Kanashi replied. "People gonna be thinking you actually have a relationship with a girl in this place."

Minato groaned. "But I don't and don't particularly care," he muttered as they stepped out of the classroom.

After a while, the two of them ended up at the pier that Minato liked to go to when he needed to calm down and get away from everything. Which Kanashi… Well, he couldn't understand why Minato liked going to a pier of all places.

"Actually, you say that you don't wanna be a relationship or something, but why?" Kanashi asked, squinting at the ocean.

"Because, I haven't found the girl that I like yet," Minato said simply. "The fan girls aren't any option obviously, and the SEES girls… well," he sighed.

"What?" Kanashi said.

"I just don't see myself being in a relationship with any of them, that's all," Minato shrugged.

"What about Nyx? What're your thoughts on her?" Kanashi asked.

Minato's eyes widened and he looked at Kanashi with an incredulous stare. "Dude, no. Without her around at all, I wouldn't be in this situation at all!" he said, gritting his teeth. "No seal, no threats hanging over my head… That girl's the reason why my parents died, and the reason the world could be ending!"

"You said she was a 'girl,'" Kanashi smirked.

"What do you mean I said she was a gi-" Minato stopped himself just before he finished his sentence. Did he think of her as a girl and not as a goddess? "What does it matter anyways?"

"She's JUST a girl. That's what you're saying. And not a goddess? Girls might have power, but not as much as a goddess, you know that!" Kanashi chuckled. "It's obvious! You think of her as human!"

"I think of her as human?" Minato mumbled to himself.

Then he stopped walking.

"Maybe I do," Minato muttered, "But that really shouldn't matter anyways…"

"Well, whatever happens… we still need to figure out what to say to Maiko-chan," Kanashi sighed, changing the subject.

Minato sighed too, happy to get off the subject of Nyx for then. "Oh right. Well," he started, thinking about what he could say. "I think I have some things now that I've talked to you…"

"Cool," Kanashi nodded. "I can't exactly help a guy with this kinda thing. I mean, seriously. What made you think that I could help you think of the words to say?"

"I dunno man, I dunno," Minato chuckled.

…

Tsume was a decent student in school. Granted, he never really studied for any tests, but he always paid attention in class enough so that he knew what was happening at the time. Besides, Japan's education system was a bit messed up to him and he never really wanted to stay where he was for long.

He had dreams to try and get away from everything and make a name for himself. Not for anybody else to see, but to prove to himself that he could get what he wanted with his very own hands and claw his way up to what he wanted, and what he needed.

But say that he was so focused on himself and getting himself through life by himself? He couldn't watch his back and what was directly in front of him at the same time.

Tsume saw the foot that was coming to trip him but he didn't see it in time. However, he managed to recover just before he hit the ground. Tsume didn't pay too much attention to who it was and only knew that it was one of those popular guys in the school. What the hell though? It wasn't as if Tsume was well known throughout the student body, and he usually kept a low profile.

So why was it that there were people trying to trip him?

Within a few days he knew the reason why. Hmph. Bullying.

Not that Tsume ever let himself get down on it. However, there was one thing that was for sure to him. He was starting to become paranoid. All these other people around him, sometimes he talked to them and now, he was trying to understand how people thought. And it was that quality of him that scared him.

These people, he constantly tried to think about what they were thinking about. Was it about him? Was it about something else? Or were they secretly thinking badly about him because of that rumour that had gone around the school? He didn't know anymore.

He couldn't trust anyone, only himself.

The one day that it had been different was when there was a new transfer student; a girl. They called her Mari. Mari was her name.

Of course, Tsume kept to himself. But whenever he saw her, he began to become curious. That girl, she seemed to like most of the things that he did. Rock bands, blues, cards; everything.

So he finally talked to her.

And for the first time in a while, he smiled.

She was new, so of course she wasn't as familiar with the rumour that had been spread about him before. Mari also smiled at him, and he couldn't help but feel a bit happy there was someone that he could talk to. Maybe, just maybe… everything else didn't matter if he could feel that happy around a friend.

Even if she was his only friend, that would be fine. And she didn't seem to mind either.

AN: Welp, that was cool. Plz box me yo thoughts and imma see ya guys later.

Nights: Haha, glad you liked it dude. Yes, the rivals, and there's a Crow! Yes, indeed.
Ish like: *gaspy face*
Oh, I thought it would be a good idea. It was also kinda convenient with how they were going to partially destroy the place.
Mmhm.
Indeed, it won't be.
Thanks, I'll do my best!

Raidou: Ah, yes, Kurow. There'll be mystery behind him… Will do!

Yoshikunitsu: Yeah. But I wonder who got on Kanashi's bike when they were getting back to the dorm as well. Because I didn't exactly work that out.
tbh, I have a lot of fun hurting characters in fights when I very much intend them to get their asses beaten. Hm…
And thanks.
I will.

Eivexst: Haha, well, it was fun to write.
Hehe, there's more to come. Much, much more. I'm almost giddy with excitement myself.
Well, if it were up to me, I'd be a stealthy assassin, but not like the ones in the actual group of assassins. That sounded convoluted.
Hmhm, well hopefully CD will satisfy you guys. I actually felt really sorry for the Codename OCs when I was writing their CD…
I am, and I'll be seeing you guys again very soonish.

Q/A SECTION

(Nyx) Question? 1: You know that light inside you? Nyx, that's not just sadness, I'm going to be spelling this out for you; you are in love with Minato. Also, I'm fully aware that alternate universe you is in love with Minato as well. And did you know Minato has a female doppelganger, Minako?

Nyx: …You aren't going to stop pestering me with these 'I love Minato' and 'I'm going to fall in love with Minato' comments are you? Hmph, no light is ever a symbol of the simple dealings of love. You imply I'm lying to myself about the 'fact' that I love Minato? I have no reason to lie, and I am a goddess, so I don't. Well, keep deluding yourself then. I said to check back in two months, did I not?
My alternate universe self must've made a mistake then.
…well, that was information that I didn't need. *rubs temples*
*looks back* Why are you forcing me to do this again?

Hoshiro: Because I thought it would be fun and funny.

(Akihiko) Question 2: How awkward was it to ask Yashiro how he would have felt being electrocuted?

Akihiko: It wasn't that bad.

Yashiro: For the record, I don't think I would choose to get electrocuted. But it's not anything too daunting like how Kanashi used to be afraid of Koromaru.