After Yosuke left, Yu sat on the door for god knows how long before he decided to get up and walk to the TV. The clock in his room showed it to be a few minutes past midnight, and the screen remained empty and quiet. Figuring the lush green fields were more welcoming than this cold room, he stepped through the screen.
Yu took a deep breath, the scent of the flowers filling his lungs. Ever since they had returned the world back to its original state, he liked coming here to unwind with Yosuke. Tonight he didn't want to disturb the boy any further though, opting to wander the place aimlessly.
It was always beautiful and breathtaking when he was here, the light warm on his skin. He took off his blazer and draped it over his arm, walking nowhere in particular. Eventually, a tv set rose in front of him. The kitchen. His stomach rumbled. Yu remembered that he hadn't eaten anything since breakfast that morning. No one is awake at this hour, no one should notice if I just make myself a little something. He climbed through the TV set and just about tackled Minato, who had been trying to pilfer snacks from the cabinets. Yu scrambled backwards, trying to escape back through the TV while Minato wailed over his spilled snacks. Yu managed to get back through the TV, panting from many different feelings at once. He could hear Minato gather his snacks back up before approaching the screen.
"Yu? Are you in there?" He didn't respond, silently pleading to whatever gods were left that Minato would just leave. "This is stupid. I'm talking to a screen. Tch." Yu thought he heard some shuffling of feet before a very loud BANG echoed through the entire area. He leaned back through to see Minato curled up on the ground, swearing up a storm. He carefully crawled out, crouching beside the boy. Did he try to go through the screen?
Akira happened to have walked in at the same time, raising his eyebrows at the boy at the floor, then flicking his eyes up to fix Yu with a questioning look. "Wanna explain to me why Minato is in the floor and I just watched you come out of a TV?"
"Not particularly, no, but I'll do it anyway. After I make us some food." Yu eyed the unhealthy snacks that Minato had amassed together, grimacing a bit. "God, Minato. Are you trying to kill yourself?" He picked the boy up who had since stopped swearing and started trying to staunch the flow of blood from his nose. Yu felt his stomach wrench at seeing the crimson dripping down, but he swallowed the feeling.
"Shut the hell up Narukami."
"Sit down so I can make you something with actual subsistence." Minato huffed but sat down at the nearby counter, where Akira joined him. He grabbed a towel to pinch his nose with, the blood still trickling from his face. Yu pulled ingredients out of the fridge, then turned on the stove. It was silent for a moment, before he spoke again. "I'm one of the only people who can pass through the screens on my own. I can help people through, but no one else can go through by themselves. On the other side is a wide, expansive world. It used to be foggy, but we beat the person making the fog. Using that world is how we managed to solve the string of murders in Inaba.
"That place makes these big dungeons based on the person who gets thrown in. We had to fight the Shadow of their person at the top, so they could face their darker side and gain their Persona. I led them for a few reasons, but mostly because I could use multiple Personas." A prideful note crept into his voice as he walked over with omlettes for the other two, as well as one for himself. He sat down next to them.
"You mean, more than just your normal Persona?"
"Yeah, and it's not like you, Minato. I have the power of the wild card-"
"Oh me too."
Yu was startled by the response from not just Minato but also Akira. He gazed at the two boys who were staring at each other in shock. All three of us? "Wait, so… all three of us are wild cards? This whole 'three groups of Persona users being sent to the same school' is starting to seem a lot less coincidental."
Minato pressed his fingers to his temples and groaned. His nose had stopped bleeding, though the towel he had used was completely covered. I'll make sure it gets washed later. "It might be someone trying to get rid of the Persona users." Yu looked over as Minato ate half of the omelette in one bite before continuing. "Think about it. Even without our other Personas, we're a threat to anyone trying to take this world for their own. Our bonds are what powers us." Minato finished his food in yet another bite. "Holy hell, Yu, why didn't you tell me you could cook this well?"
"You never asked." Yu tapped his fork against his plate thoughtfully. "Wouldn't it have been easier to take us down when we were separated instead of trying to kill us all together?" It didn't quite make sense. Three teams of Persona users were most certainly harder to defeat than just one.
"I thought about that." Akira tugged at his hair, and Yu wondered how he hadn't pulled any out yet. "Don't you remember what happened earlier today? Maybe whoever's behind this knew our personalities and tried to get us to kill each other instead." His other hand drummed at the counter. "I mean, it almost worked. Zurui captured us almost effortlessly."
"They admitted it themselves. Persona users are notoriously hard to kill, even with the power of a god. Hell, they call us God Slayers." Minato stood and started to clean up his mess, tossing the towel in the trash. "Whoever this is, they know who we are. Zurui knew I was supposed to be dead."
Yu stared at his hands. She knew how many gods I've killed. Whoever is behind all this has malicious intent, I can feel it. "Whoever it is, we're what's standing between them and this world." He washed the dishes he used, letting the water run a little too hot. It's just a little past midnight...and I'm so tired.
Akira was sitting on the counter, still tugging at his hair. "Let's just agree to work together from here on out. It's the only way." Yu nodded, shaking water off his hands before drying them. "Besides, our friends will be needing us."
A scratchy chuckling echoed through the room, a blue glow being cast on the walls. "We've been waiting for you." That's Igor's voice! Yu turned to the source, a blue door in the middle of the kitchen. Clearly it led to the Velvet Room, but none of the leaders moved towards it yet.
As if to push them towards the door, footsteps sounded down the hallway, followed by a familiar voice. Shit! It's Kouji!
"There are students awake way past curfew. I've got some write ups with your names on them."
"Shit, get in!" Akira flung the door open for the other two, who didn't waste any time in hurtling themselves in. With a slam, the door shut behind them, those familiar blue walls arching upwards. "Wait! Kouji's still going to be able to see us?"
"Do not worry." Margaret's voice softly rang out through the room. Yu felt relief settle on his shoulders upon seeing her. "By the time he gets to you, you'll be back in your world, ready to evade capture. We have only called you here to give you what you desired, at long last." The book in her hands opened, and Yu could have jumped for joy at seeing his arcana cards inside, lined up so neatly.
The other two attendants opened their books as well, offering the multitudes of Personas to the other two wild cards. The taller one with rather short hair spoke next. "We had no intentions of withholding your Personas from you at first, but once you were at each other's throats we knew we couldn't allow access to them until you had agreed to work together."
"The power of the wild card will always be with you, and with it, trouble and trials." The youngest spoke, in a soft, light voice. "Your bonds are what make you so strong, so you must hold tightly to those if you are to win. Your Personas are returned to you. Use them just as well as you always have."
It was Margaret's turn again. "Imagine this room as just another of those resting places within the building you call home for the time being. It is a room of power, where you cultivate your immense strength. Return to us when you so desire." With those final words, the room dissolved away, bringing back the kitchen and the increasingly louder steps of Kouji.
Without waiting for a response from the others, Yu grabbed the closest to him, which happened to be Minato. He hauled him over to the same TV he had come out of earlier. "I need you both to be quiet for a second if we're going to get out of here. It's going to feel weird as hell, but just wait for me on the other side." He threw Minato into the screen, feeling a weird pang as the blue haired boy's protests were completely cut off as he sank in.
"Yu, what the hell-"
"No time for questions." Yu grabbed Akira next and forced him in before following closely behind. Sinking into the TV world was the same as ever, if a little more rushed, leading him back into the colorful world behind the screen. He sighed softly, the clean air feeling better than the city.
"Ok so are you going to explain why you threw us into a TV of all things, as well as why there is an entire world behind the screen?" Minato was glaring at Yu, though it was just irritation at being forcefully shoved inside a screen.
"Like I said before, this place used to be filled with fog, but we cleared it. Come on, if Kouji doesn't find anyone down in the kitchen he's going to start checking rooms." Yu led the other two over to a large row of TVs, each one marked with a room number and name. "Don't worry about why there is a TV for everyone's room, nor consider the possibility that I can just get anywhere in these dorms, just find the one that belongs to you." Yu didn't wait to see if they understood, instead diving into the one marked with his name.
Swearing as he fell on his hands, Yu tumbled from his TV rather loudly. Normally, he'd take a moment to get readjusted to the real world, but he didn't have the luxury. He nearly popped his buttons off as he flung his shirt from his body before practically dive-bombing his bed.
Yu buried himself in his covers, half of which were Yosuke's clothes. He laid there, unmoving, as the door creaked open and Kouji peeked in. After a moment he left, and Yu got back up to turn on the light. He gazed about his room with a bit of irritation. It's a mess in here. He moved around the room, neatening up his things. It was a mind numbing task, letting him relax from outrunning Kouji.
"Yu."
A soft knock followed by a harsh whisper sounded on the other side of his door. He opened it to reveal Minato and Amada. Yu furrowed his brow. "What-"
Minato pushed Amada into the room and shut the door behind them. "Shut up. Kouji only went back to his room five minutes ago. I've got a favor to ask."
Yu crossed his arms grumpily. "What is it?"
"What are the rules for you being able to teleport through those screens?"
"What, do you want to steal something?" Yu narrowed his eyes. "I don't know if you know this, but I'm not like Akira."
Minato turned on him, his gray eyes filled with irritation. "I'm not asking you to steal something, Yu. I'm asking you to help me steal Ken's dog and bring him back to the dorms. You'll get something out of it too, don't worry."
"Oh really? And what's that?"
"Koromaru is a Persona user."
