Disclaimer: Shin Megami Tensei: Persona belongs to ATLUS. Touhou Project belongs to Zun. I have no ownership of the copyrights of either series in any way.

Chapter 27: Starting Again

I rubbed dry the last bits of moisture off my face with the towel, scrapping past long strands of hair that I was still unused to. Opening my eyes, I was greeted by a girl of wavy reddish-brown hair that almost went past her waist wearing pink pajamas that seemed a bit tight for her around the chest area. I sighed as a bit of identifiable malaise swept through me again. Inevitably it would get easier with time, but that time wasn't now, nor would it be soon. I Minato Arisato, had become a girl. Not of my own volition. When I got back to Gensokyou, I was going to have smack someone very hard for this; very hard, and repeatedly. I don't care if she was a friend, she was getting it.

"Um… Are you finished up in there?" A voice asked from beyond the locked door to the bathroom. "Do you need some help?" Rise offered, trying to lessen an awkward situation as best she could.

"I'm just about finished," I told her, with a voice that still caught my attention. Though I could feel the air pushing past my vocal chords, and feel those chords vibrate, the sound was without a doubt one of a teenage girl's voice, rather than the male voice I was used to in the past. I rubbed my temples with my left hand, my right distracted with the task of putting the towel back. Damnit Maribel. Couldn't you have gone with a seriously less traumatic transformation?

"Alright then, when you're done, come to my room so I can help you get dressed. You're still not used to putting on bras, right? I'll help you until you're used to it." With that, I heard foot steps fading away as if in decrescendo before being accented with the sound of a door closing at what sounded like the end of the hall.

Rise had been kind enough to let me stay with her and her grandmother, of whom was moved by Rise's story of mostly true events. It was mostly a vague telling of how I was without a place to stay for the moment and abandoned. I don't remember the full details, but certainly Rise has most likely read worse shlock throughout her career. I was surprised to hear that she was an idol of all things. All the paraphernalia of her career such as calendars, photos, clothing, and even glow sticks that dotted the room I was staying in was enough to know she must have been quite popular. Well, former idol apparently.

She didn't tell me anything as to why she quit, not that I pursued, but she did complain. The look on her face told me that she's still probably hiding something regarding the move, but it's not my place to pry. Admittedly though, I think she seemed familiar, and not just having seen her during her peak. Now wasn't the time to dwell on it, however.

I looked at the mirror again. I knew on a logical standpoint as to why Maribel made such a drastic change. Who would suspect that the current me was in any way related to Minato Arisato. It's such a complete change that unless you were some sort of conspiracy theorist, making the connection would only be entertained by the insane. On an emotional level though. I really wish she hadn't done that. I know it might have jeopardized my being here given that I was supposed to be dead, but I couldn't help but want to just have stayed how I was. I mean would that have been so bad? I liked being me…

"What the?" That's not right. A shake of my head later, I reopened my eyes to see that it probably was only an illusion. "I almost thought I was a guy again…" For a second, I thought I saw my original self, in the same pink pajamas sure, but it was my original male self; not a single bit of this female form present. Even my voice for that short exclamation was my previous voice. I must be more tired than I thought if I hallucinated that so suddenly. Still I was, for the time being, a girl. Without the offending party, changing back was a pipe dream. I'll just have to get used to it. Note to self, have Armageddon ready when I see Maribel again.

"Alright then," I said as I left the bathroom. "Let's get this over with."

-0-0-27-0-0-

"And done!" Rise flayed her hands out as if to display my hair, a slight jazz hand showing in the mirror of her vanity. She'd done this for me yesterday as well, tying my hair up so it wasn't going all over the place using the accessory I bought yesterday in the shape of a roman numeral meaning twenty-two. It spoke to me for some reason, on a fundamental level, like I just had to have it.

"Thanks, you're really good at this," I told her as I turned my head about, wondering how my hair got so scrunched up. I wasn't new to having hair in my face, but the current amount was just too much. The results still puzzled me as to how so much hair just got so small. Despite my experience, girls sometimes still seem like magic, even the ones outside Gensokyou.

"No problem. I've had to learn all sorts of ways to style myself, not that I had to do it myself most of the time, but you know. I'll teach you later when there's time."

"Right, school…" I reminded myself. It was a Monday, meaning that Rise and the others would have to go to… I believe they said Yasogami Highschool.

"It's going to be the worst soon. Midterms are next week and it's even more nerve wracking than the first time I went on stage. I wasn't even aware that was possible. I didn't have a lot of time to study so my grades are probably going to be super bad." I don't know what that would be like, but I'll take her word for it. "Ugh, you're so lucky you don't have to deal with that. I mean I love going because it's where I can see Yu-senpai and the others now, but when will I ever have to use English or math. I'm already used to handling my finances and I can always just get a translator."

A nostalgic smile escaped my lips. I remember when Yukari (Takeba), and Junpei would mull over their grades. It felt so long ago, going to school, clubs, listening to lectures, sleeping in class. I sort of missed it honestly. But that time was passed, and certainly I wasn't going to attend high school again. Though I wonder if me still being alive makes me a high school dropout. I never did graduate after all. Hopefully I might not have to see Mitsuru about it… she'd kill me, again.

"Well, do your best. I never finished myself, but I can help you if you're struggling anywhere. I might not look it, but I did get the top grades in my class back in the day. I can probably help you up to year two material."

"You too? Man, you really are like Senpai." Senpai probably referring to Yu Narukami. "But thanks, I don't want to seem too dumb in front of him. Aw crap is it really that late?" She said as she looked at the clock. "I got to go. What are you going to do until we meet at Junes?" Right that was a thing.

"I think I'll just wander around the town for now. I'll be living here for the time being after all. Might as well try and get used to the town."

"Alright, just be careful. It's a safe town, but you never know."

"A safe town with a murder spree problem," I rebutted.

"You know what I mean!" She ruffled my hair a bit, getting a few strands in my face. I swatted her away and tried to put it back to how she initially done it up. I think that's right? "Anyways I'll see you later Bye!"

"Yeah, later!" The shut of the door didn't at all muffle the rush of steps that thundered across the hall and down the stairs. A stuffed shout of what I could only assume to be Rise saying bye to her grandmother was the last I heard of her before she disappeared completely from hearing range. "I guess I better get going soon." Getting up from my seat in front of Rise's vanity, I checked myself one more time in front of the mirror.

A simple orange top with a pink shirt underneath and a white skirt; it was one of many outfits that the girls had picked out for me yesterday. I knew before hand how much girls cared about appearances, but it was strange for others to be fussy over how I looked. Nobody cared about how I looked back then, except for maybe Kenji, and even then, it was nothing compared to the dress-up play I was subjected to yesterday by the other girls. I don't know if that was normal, but I wasn't able to say otherwise.

At some point I noticed that my gaze had focused on my face. Despite the change, the expression looked all too wholly familiar. An almost expressionless gaze that stared right back, unflinching. It was strange to see a girl who looked so… blank, even more than Aigis if that was possible. I forced my face into different looks, trying out expressions one after the other to try and look a bit more normal. Eventually I settled on one, with just a small impish smile; not too big yet not too small. I felt that this expression matched the face better, but it was tiring. The moment I relaxed, I returned to my usual look. I suppose you can't force it.

"Well, time to waste some time," I said as I finally got going. I wonder what's around town?

-0-0-27-0-0-

"You've got to be kidding me…" I let out as I stared at the velvet blue door in front of me. Just earlier, as I was about to leave, a blue glow caught the side of my eye, and lo and behold, this was standing just outside Rise's home. What were the odds? Though the door was significantly more ornate than the ones I was used to. Reaching into my pocket, a strange feeling thanks to the skirt, I grabbed the key and tested it out. My heart skipped a little when the key fit right in and slid as easy as usual as it made contact with the tumblers inside. Before I knew it, white filled my vision, blinding me as per usual, and then the next, velvet.

"Ah, welcome back," Igor greeted me as per usual. "Quite interesting that you would use that entrance." Inside the Velvet Room was, in stead of the strange glass room it had become prior, was instead a limousine of incredible opulence. Drinks, a television set, mood lighting, and the like decorated the inside, however the table from all the previous rooms remained a constant. There was what appeared to be a loose sheet of paper on one side of the limo's seating opposite Margret, but I was too far away to read its contents, whatever they may be. The outside of the limo was covered in a thick, impenetrable fog. As I continued to look around, a different voice that I didn't recognize began to speak to me.

"My apologies, for the change in venue. You see this room in particular is meant to reflect another of our guests. However, due to the intertwining of your destinies, it would seem that your room is temporarily being overwritten. Again, our apologies for the mishap. We will attempt to rematerialize your room by your next visit," The woman said to me.

Like the other Velvet Room attendants, she had platinum hair and yellow eyes. Unlike Elizabeth and Theodore however, she was much more mature; unmistakably an adult, lacking the almost innocent whimsy the other two had. Or in Theodore's case gullibility. Was this what Elizabeth would look like in the future? Certainly, then she had more room to fill out.

"Allow me to introduce to you another of the room's assistances. This is Margret." Igor gestured towards her as if she was on display. "She is here simply due to the short notice, so I hope you will forgive us."

"I believe you are acquainted with my younger siblings. It's a pleasure to finally meet you for myself."

"You're their older sister?" I asked, making the only logical conclusion.

"Correct. I worry for them at times. While they are good children, they can be… odd, to say the least." Odd's not even half of it.

"They aren't bad though. It's endearing to be honest."

"Yes, I agree. I can't imagine them any other way." A smile escaped Margret's lips, a loving one that spoke volumes of her feelings for her family. Though small it was clear to see for anyone who would look.

"Since you are already here, do you require our services in any capacity?" Igor asked, his expression still the same as always.

"No, I just wanted to test the door I found. I'll probably ask next time, though," I answered honestly. It was surprise to even find a room in this spot, so I didn't really have anything in mind for a proper visit. A bit embarrassing, but I'd done before in the past and they didn't seem to mind then. The nod Igor gave me told me that it still wasn't a problem now.

"Then until we meet again, farewell."

-0-0-27-0-0-

"Huh… it's really different…" I looked in a bit of astonishment at what was available to purchase in the electronic section. At some point I found myself at the Junes. I'd already gone to the more urbanized shopping center in the next town over, but I became a bit bored when I had exhausted what money I'd rationed myself for food. Standard fare, nothing special. Though I did notice I was getting looks as I was walking around town. I'm used to it though, given that I got similar looks back in Gensokyou during gatherings like the sakura viewing parties. I guess back then it was because I was the only guy around.

Here though, it's probably because I'm a girl. I remember the other girls of the Investigation Team calling me fairly attractive, so it makes sense I'd get looked at. I'm not sure how I'm supposed to feel about it. I just don't feel anything when I think back on it. It just feels like a thing, and that's it. Though maybe I was getting looks because I ordered 10 burgers and downed them all in about fourteen and a half minutes. That could have been it too. Girls probably don't pack it away that hard, unless you're Elizabeth, and I guess myself now. Good to know, my stomach hasn't changed.

The team had made plans to meet at the Junes after school, but that was still a couple of hours away. As someone who usually had something to do but is now kind of neglecting their duties, it was weird to me needing to try and find a way to fill the time. However, I soldiered on regardless.

"TV's have really gotten flat," I noticed as I walked through the aisle. I remember when CRTs were still the main TV model and flats still had some depth to them. Now they're really getting thin. They're probably not even thirty pounds and will probably get thinner as time goes on. "Would you look at that." One of the images being demoed on the screen was one of the Moonlight Bridge, the place where Aigis and I first met, and where we fought the Hanged Man Shadow. "At least that hasn't changed."

Then again it might have been a recording of it from years ago, but still, I was happy to see a place I recognized. Looking about, I realized that I was the only one around. It was currently work and school hours for most people, so business being slow was to be expected. No employees immediately in sight, despite my having passed by a couple earlier. Once I was sure no one was looking, I went up to one of the bigger displays, and placed my hands against the dark screen. As I expected, my hand slipped right past the screen after only a moment of resistance, black and white stripes emanating from the place my hand was like waves on water.

"Yup, still working." I waved my hand a bit, the only feeling passing by my fingers being a bit of wind, as if the screen wasn't there and it was but an open window. There was, however, a bit of a vacuum effect pulling me in, but I'd experienced worse from Sanae. Compared to her winds, this was but a gentle breeze by comparison, so staying put wasn't an issue. I pulled my hand out, my curiosity satisfied by the result.

"Guess Persona users just have carte blanche when it comes to going into TVs." What a weird power. Perhaps the power in and of itself is related to the incidents. Well if they haven't figured it out yet, I suppose I won't in the meantime. I was never the big thinker back in SEES. I was field leader. My job was to run the fights and that's it. The actual direction we went in was still in Mitsuru's hands ultimately, at least once Ikutski no longer was around. Running out of things to do here, I found myself listlessly wandering about, before I realized.

"Oh!" I wandered into the phone section. It was small comparatively to more dedicated stores, but the selection was still appreciable. I picked up one of the display boxes and looked at it for a bit. "Are these specs real?" They made my current phone look like a chump. Granted it's been 2 years since I'd seen another phone, and mine was already a year old by the time I was admitted to Gekkoukan. "Things really change fast." I think Fuuka talked about it once. That technology increases on an exponential curve rather than linear. Despite that I still found myself surprised by the advancements that I'd missed.

"And touch phones are really getting more popular." Touch phones were more popular overseas from what I've heard, but it seemed it was gaining some traction here in Japan, if the number of available models were of any indication. All the team still had flips, but that might change soon in a couple of years. Opening my phone, I found that there was still about an hour until everyone was out of school.

Damn, things are boring when you've got nothing to do. I used to fill the time by cleaning the shrine, doing paper work, and hanging out with somebody, most of the time at the shrine. Now though? Nothing. Walking around the store after I decided that a new phone was too rich for my blood, I eventually found a set of massage chairs set out on a show floor. Try them out, the sign next to them said. I suppose I'll take them up on the offer.

"Might as well relax until its time." Sitting down, I then played around with the controls until I found a setting that I liked. I hadn't had anything like a massage since that Kyoto trip. I really needed it after that hot spring incident. A shiver ran down my spine as I remembered it. Hopefully nothing like that happens ever again. After settling back down from my minor PTSD episode, I set an alarm on my phone for when they were supposed to show up and closed my eyes. Time for sleep…

-0-0-27-0-0-

"Alright, I think I understand the gist of it." I, along with all the others of this 'Investigation Team', sat at a table in the Junes food court. They'd just finished explaining what had happened so far for them. Apparently, a couple of mysterious murders had occurred with the victims hanging upside down from various high locations without any visible signs of injury. Then, Yu and Yosuke fell into the TV World where they then met Teddie and learned about Shadows, Personas and what not.

As I've learned before, the TV world is place that manifests the hearts of those who are inside of it. Though as they've told me, if someone without the ability to defend themselves is thrown in, then on a foggy day, the shadows go berserk, and kill the person inside. Before they are thrown in, the person would appear on something called the Midnight Channel, which only appeared at midnight on rainy days. Yukiko, Kanji, and Rise were all thrown in, but saved by Yu and the others. Rise was the latest victim, rescued not even a couple of weeks ago. I'd rate this perhaps a 7 on the weird scale.

"Honestly, at this point, I've seen weirder," I told them, once they'd finished explaining their story to me in full.

"Considering what happened last Saturday, I'm willing to believe you," Yosuke said with a bit of an exasperated look. "That was way more intense than anything we'd seen before."

"I seriously thought we were gonna die in there," Kanji added. "The shadows in that place were nothing compared to what we'd seen before."

"No kidding. Shows that we've got a long way to go huh? Not only that but that was one super creepy place." Chie shivered just a bit as she was, most likely, recalling the events that took place. "If you weren't there, I think that might have been the end for us."

"I think you all held up well given the circumstances. As long as you continue to hone the use of your Personas, you should be fine," I told them. They weren't at SEES' level yet (original SEES specifically), but they had potential. We were that weak before as well, but in time we grew strong enough to take on almost anything in Tartarus. "I wasn't always this strong. Just keep at it and eventually you guys will catch up." On the Persona side, not the Danmaku stuff I've been learning, I didn't say. That would take a dedicated trainer or two.

"That's reassuring to hear," Yukiko said. "Anyways, how are you holding up? Any problems so far? Anything you still don't know or need help with?"

"Other than us forgetting to buy you Pajamas…" Rise added with a bit of embarrassment.

"I mean… I'm fine, I guess. I don't feel mentally different."

"You also don't act different either. You still feel like a guy for the most part," Kanji bluntly stated.

"I'm not sure if I should reprimand Kanji-kun for saying that, or not," Chie said with a pained expression, probably trying to work that one out. "What do you think Mina- I mean Kotone-chan." It was agreed that in public, it was probably best to call me by a different name. We just decided on Kotone Shiomi, partly because it was already suggested, and partly for my laziness.

"It's reassuring. It means I'm still me."

"As long as your fine with it," Yu finally spoke up. "I know you said that you'd help us before, but I just want to be sure. You still want to help us, correct?"

"I'm already here, so I might as well. Also, we don't know if that guy will show up again. If he does, I don't you guys are ready to face him just yet," I reminded them. A solemn atmosphere descended as each member of the team fell silent. They were probably remembering the prior encounter with that thing. "Don't worry, I'm here… well okay still worry, but not as much. We beat him once before, we can do it again."

"Thanks. It's really assuring to have someone as powerful and experienced as you around," Yu said as his shoulders became lax, probably from being a bit nervous about asking. "Do you mind giving me your number?"

"Sure," He and I brought out our phones simultaneously, and proceeded with exchanging our phone numbers. "I'm not entirely sure how I still have service, but I'm not complaining. Let me know if you guys need anything."

"That was blunt," Yosuke said suddenly. "I'm not sure I could have done that."

"I'm surprised that Kotone-chan had no reaction to that. Maybe it's because she is, or was, a he," Chie followed up. "Just so you know, don't just give your number out like that in future, okay Kotone-chan?" She sounded a bit concerned there for some reason. It's just a phone number.

"I mean, I do need his phone number, and everyone else's too. Yosuke-kun, Kanji-kun, mind giving me your numbers?" I asked them. I'd already exchanged numbers with the girls during our shopping trip for clothes on Sunday. For some reason the two of them blushed a bit as I asked and wouldn't look at me. Was that what Chie meant by blunt? Yeah, it's unusual for a girl to ask for a guy's number just like that without an ulterior motive.

"Da-dammit I know that's a guy but…"

"Uh, Yosuke-senpai how about you give her your number first."

"Oh, just give it to her already you two! Don't make this weirder than it has to be." Chie gave the both of them a light slap on their backs, finally prompting them to pull out their phones. After a bit more back and forth, I finally got everyone's phone numbers.

"That should be everyone," I said as I checked my registry to make sure that everyone present was in there. Right… they're numbers are still in here. I hadn't really needed to use my phone much in Gensokyou, given a lack of signal. Everyone's phone numbers were still in here, even Shinji's for as short a time as the number was relevant. There were even the numbers of those who weren't in SEES like Kenji, Hidetoshi, Kaz… Am I still in their registries?

"Are you okay, Kotone-chan?" Yukiko asked. As I took a breath to answer, a sniffle escaped, which I tried to hide to my best ability, but I don't think it worked all too well.

"I'll be fine. I just haven't really looked inside this in a long time. Got a bit nostalgic," I answered, trying to cover it up with a bit of truth.

"Hey, am I just going to keep getting ignored!?"

"Oh, right. Teddie, you're here." Yosuke almost sounded disappointed when he acknowledged the bear near the table. Right, he was there. I forgot about him almost entirely. Doesn't help he was standing behind me so that I couldn't see him at all, even in my peripheral vision.

"Is that, all I get? A 'you're here'?" Teddie became downcast, tears welling in his big eyes. Was this supposed to be cute?

"We've already seen you coming out of the TV world, so seeing you here again isn't that surprising," Yukiko stated without much decorum or regard for Teddie's plight. Man… that's cold, and not even maliciously so. It was just such a disregard that I wonder if Teddie even mattered to her. Probably, but it was hard to tell when she was just so nonchalant about him.

"Though it was surprising seeing you sleeping right next to Kotone-chan on the massage chairs," Chie noted. "On that note, Kotone-chan, you were wearing a skirt without anything like shorts underneath, right? You're lucky we found you before some creep came up to sneak a peek, you know?" She gave an aside glance to the guys. Not just her, but the Rise and Yukiko as well gave the others varying glares. Though is it just me or did Rise look at Yu a bit differently? Oh, I get it. Anyways, Yosuke and Kanji looked a trite guilty while Yu simply gave a confused glance. My alarm apparently was set to silent for some reason, so they had to find and wake me up. As a result, I don't exactly know what happened when they found me, and next to Teddie for that matter.

"I think we should work on your girlish instinct next," Rise began. "You look like a girl, but you still act like a guy. I understand that it's hard not to, but it's going to get super awkward, super fast if we don't drill you on the basics soon. At least enough that you could pass for a tomboy. I'll help you out when we get home."

"Thanks, I apprecia-"

"Ugh… it's sweltering in here…" Exasperated breaths escaped from Teddie, sweat visible on the suit. "I think I'll just take this off…" Well that's certainly an escalation.

"Oh no you don't! There are kids here!" Yosuke was the first to object. "They'll be scarred for life if they see an empty mascot walking around." Empty? What?

"Ah, but you see, I'm no longer a hollow bear! You see I've been undergoing training so that I may someday score with Chie-chan and Yuki-chan, and now I finally have an inside!"

"Scoring?" I asked. That was not terminology I was expecting to hear from him. Wait, does that mean the others don't know about the fact that he has a body in there?

"Can't we give it a rest with the whole 'scoring' thing?" Turning to me, Yukiko gave me a stern look in the eye. "And you don't need to know what that is about, trust me." I just stayed silent, not sure how to respond. Sometimes silence is golden.

"Agh! It's too hot! I can't stand it any longer!" Without waiting any longer, Teddie reached for the zipper behind the back of his head and unzipped himself. For a moment it looked like Yosuke was about to try and stop him but before any of us knew it, the head had popped right off, and in was settling the sight that lay within.

"No way!" I heard Chie cry as a familiar blonde boy re-entered my sight.

"Ahhh, much better," Teddie let out as he reached for a nearby drink and gulped it down. "Now that hit the spot!"

"Did none of you know about this?" I finally asked as Teddie put the now empty drink bottle down on the table.

"You did!?" Yosuke was completely off balance by the turn of events. "I mean, he was a hollow bear until just recently." Evidently, I'll believe them. Again, I've seen weirder. Heck I've heard rumors of a new youkai around who can both stretch her neck and detach her head. I hadn't seen her personally but there'd been reports from some of the humans in the village.

"I guess the training paid off. Do you have any clothes to wear?" Yu asked Teddie.

"Nope, I'm like a newborn under this," He answered.

"Wait, newborn? As in naked?" Chie asked, a blush having found its way onto her cheeks.

"Don't take that bottom part off!" Rise demanded, also blushing as she tried not to stare.

"Come on, let's look for some clothes before things get out of hand."

"There should be some on the lower floors, quickly!" Yukiko suggested, as the three girls now dragged Teddie by the suit towards the elevator, as if forgetting the rest of us were here. Given the circumstance though, understandable. All eyes stayed on them until they disappeared behind the doors, leaving us guys alone. Well us guys and a girl.

"So, you guys didn't know."

"Well how did you? You've known him for way less time than we did." Yosuke asked, to which I answered with a shrug.

"When I met him, I popped his head off, and I saw what was inside."

"Well that would explain how you knew… by the way what was the fur like?" Kanji asked, a bit of a stutter peppering his speech despite his attempt to hide it.

"Not bad, I guess? I'm not an expert, though," I answered him honestly. "Though getting him some normal clothes will probably be better than him walking around in a bear suit."

"It would be unbearable." None of us followed up on what Yu had said. I don't think any of us knew what to follow up with either. Admittedly I wanted to say the same at some point, but now that I heard it, I wasn't sure what to think.

"That was lame…" You said it Yosuke. Unable to figure out a way to continue, all of use continued to just sip on our drinks, silently. I'm going to ignore the new places where sweat is accumulating thanks to the sun. Just ignore them. The silence stayed until finally, the girls had returned with a newly dressed blondie in tow.

"How do I look?" Teddie asked once he'd gotten the table with a run, getting ahead of the girls. With a twirl he seemed to try and show off his clothes.

"Tacky," I told him. It was just… a dress shirt, black pants, and a rose corsage? What the heck was this? I just don't get fashion. I have been around too many Mikos and weird people, but even then, this still looked kind of tacky.

"R-really?"

"Eh, you look fine Ted."

"Ted…" Teddie seemed to focus more on the new nickname Yosuke christened him with rather than the pass for his attire he sought just earlier.

"I mean you could have done without the corsage, but it doesn't look too bad," Kanji added.

"How expensive was that?" Yu asked the girls once they'd caught up with the excited bear boy.

"Uh, not too bad…?" Chie said, she and the other girls looking a tad guilty.

"Wait… these are from our more expensive lines… How could you afford this?" Yosuke said as he leered the ensemble and determined its origins.

"Well… funny story about that… Yosuke, you're a nice guy, right?"

"I might not be nice for long…" Yosuke muttered in what almost sounded like a growl.

"We didn't have the cash for it, so we put it on your account…" Yukiko said truthfully.

"YOU WHAT!? I never said you could do that! You guys know I just bought a motorcycle! I'm broke!"

"Well what difference does a little more debt make then?" Chie said, trying to weasel her way out.

"Come on baby, stop fighting ov-"

"Shuddup! This is your fault, you know!" Yosuke was now yelling at Teddie, whose attempt to defuse the situation only cause Yosuke's fuse to shorten even further. However, it seemed that his financial situation was also starting to hit him, as Yosuke's anger gave way to melancholy. "Ted, you better take really, really good care of that! If you get so much as a single tear, then I'll make your next set of clothes out of the bear hide you just took off!"

Then it just got worse from there as Chie and Yosuke started arguing even more. I looked at the others. Rise just gave me a shrug, apparently this being the first time she'd seen them argue. Kanji began comforting Teddie, giving the guy a drink, and Yu… well he was like me, just watching everything unfold. Eventually things died down as both Chie and Yosuke just got too tired to continue yelling at each other, thank goodness. I didn't pay attention to anything they said after some point.

"Oh right, all of us were so caught up with everything that's happened this weekend that we totally forgot to tell you about King Moron," Yosuke said with a jerk as he remembered this 'King Moron'. Not a flattering name.

"Oh yeah, that's right! I can't believe we forgot all about him!" Chie shook her head in embarrassment.

"Who?"

"He was our home room teacher," Yu answered for me, pointing to himself, Yosuke, Chie and Yukiko all the while.

"The guy had a reputation for being an asshole, from what I heard. The guy's rep was so bad that even the first years heard about 'em. Basically, you don't ever want to be in his class." Kanji followed up, further explaining just who this guy was.

"So apparently, they found his body hung up on a water tower the same foggy night I was supposed to be killed by my shadow last week." Rise crossed her arms, recalling the events of the incident itself.

"Was he in the TV world when it happened? Did he show up on the Midnight Channel?"

"Nope. I was still inside that world when it happened. There wasn't anyone else around, I'm absolutely positive!" Teddie gave as serious a look as he could muster.

"Have we given Rise's abilities a shot?" I then followed up. "Maybe find some remnant of him in that world?"

"Not yet actually… but given what happened this past weekend, I think we're still all too exhausted to go back in," Yu said, now giving the new idea a bit of thought.

"That day was actually the first time since they rescued me that I used my Persona," Rise explained. "And here I thought fighting Teddie's shadow was a crash course." From what they told me earlier, it sounds like it.

"Yeah, we're thinking that the killer didn't use the TV though, instead just killing King Moron through some other means," Yosuke added. "Just, we don't know the reason for the sudden method change."

"We prevented the last three attempts, so perhaps that's why he changed methods," Yukiko speculated.

"Which if it's true, means we can't stop the murders anymore unless we catch the guy here in the real world," Kanji said, a bit of anger seeping out.

"So, then we're stuck until we have more leads then…"

"I'm afraid so…" Yosuke said as he hung his head. It became quiet in the group as the it became clear that we had no direction. I came in at a bad time it seems. A sudden twist in the investigation is quite a lot to handle as is. Oh well, we'll just have to keep going. SEES kept going until the very end, and I don't see any different here. "We've already basically explained everything we needed to today to Kotone-san. Why don't we call it a wrap and meet up tomorrow to discuss what we'll do going forward?"

"I mean it's not like we have any better ideas," Chie agreed offhandedly. "Perhaps a day or two will give us a new perspective." With that she got up out of her seat and turned toward Yukiko. "Want to see if they have anything on sale in the women's section, Yukiko?"

"Alright, Chie. I'm not expect back until a little bit so I can hang out."

"My shift starts soon, so I'm staying here. Ted you stick with me. I guess I'll look after you."

"You mean it Yosuke?"

"See you're not such a bad guy!"

"Shut it, Chie!" And there they go again, almost like clock work with these two.

"I'll stay here," Kanji spoke up before those two got any louder. "I don't got any better place to be anyway." Though he said that, he seemed to eye the fur suit that still sat at the end of the table. I'm not going to kink shame, not after what I've seen in Gensokyou, or read from Kosuzu's book renters.

"Um, Kotone-chan, do you mind if I go with Yu-senpai for a bit?" Rise asked me in a quiet voice, as Kanji proceeded to go and buy a popsicle, his eye still on the suit. "You can go home without me." I looked at Yu who didn't seem to notice Rise and I's conversation. I nodded, giving her the go ahead. "Thanks, I'll see you when I get back. Oh, senpai, you're not doing anything after this right?" And there she went. Good Luck, Rise. I turned back to find that Yosuke was still arguing with Chie as Yukiko and Teddie looked on while Kanji seemed to edge a bit close to the suit. Feeling that it was my time to go, I went ahead and made my exit. Time to head on home and think about this 'King Moron', I suppose.

-0-0-27-0-0-

The sun beat down on me as I made my way through town. The sounds of cicada buzzed in the air as the occasional car whizzed past, giving me a slight breeze of relief. I couldn't fly around town, given that it would be absurd and probably caught on video online. It'd been a while since I had to just walk to get to some place. I mean I had to walk through the Bamboo Forest of the Lost and such, but most of the time I flew to where I needed to go. I really need to ask Rise how she deals with sweat there…

As I walked past the Chinese restaurant near Rise's house, I found a boyish looking girl standing in front of the shop. For a moment I thought it was a guy but having spent a long time in the company of almost exclusively women of varying degrees of femininity, I've come to be able to tell if who I'm dealing with is a girl or not. This was especially so after meeting Wriggle Nightbug.

The girl wore a teal male dress shirt and yellow tie with black slacks, and on top of her head was a detective-esque hat that complemented her hair and eye color, all being a distinct dark blueish in color. It was a simple ensemble that was economical and helped to establish her masculine looks. That is assuming that was what she was going for. Women's fashion is something I'm going to have think harder on in the future, I guess. Why is dressed like that? Regardless she pulled the look off quite convincingly. Had I not had prior experience with such an androgynous look, I probably would have thought of her as a boy.

Of course, one look at her hands the lengths of the ring and index fingers reminded me that she was indeed a girl. I have to thank Eirin for telling me that particular piece of trivia. Women's index and ring fingers are typically similar in length, while for men there is a greater difference between the two. I'm only lucky enough that this person was relaxed enough to where she wasn't placing her hand in odd positions. It wasn't a full proof indication, but it's general enough that it helped when I was still confused about Wriggle.

"Can I help you?" I asked her, noticing that she seemed to be waiting for someone or something.

"Hmm? Oh no, I'm not in need of any particular assistance," the boyish girl said as she turned her attention towards me. "Though I do appreciate the concern. My name is Naoto Shirogane."

"I'm… Kotone Shiomi," I forced myself to answer, rather than my actual name. Still not used to it. Need to establish the habit if I'm to stay out here.

"Is something the matter, Shiomi-san?" I shook my head, both to answer as well as clear myself of any lingering feelings. This girl was sharp, almost dangerously so.

"It's just been a long day." A boring one save for when I was with the others. "And a hot one at that," my sweat reminded me, not helped by the hat on her head that made things seem even hotter.

"I see… Actually, I do believe there is something you might be able to help me with." Naoto took another breath as she prepared herself as if beginning a well-practiced speech. "Although it might be difficult to believe, I'm here investigating the multiple murders that have occurred in the area."

"Excuse me?"

"I'm a detective, to say it more bluntly. As such, would you mind if I ask you a few questions on the subject?" Before I could answer, she sped ahead in the midst of my confusion. "Were you familiar with the latest victim, Kinshiro Morooka?" She asked, not adding any more details.

"I believe he was a teacher at a school… wasn't he?" I was about to add on the fact that he was the home room teacher to Yu and the others. I caught myself right before though, trying to act as natural as possible. I don't know if the others know about this girl. Something about her is making me overly cautious, like I'm talking to Maribel, only without the assurance that it isn't going to be too bad if I screw up. "I mean that's what the news says anyways."

"Hmmm…" Naoto studied me, looking up and down my body, probably to try and find any tells that could help her. Thank goodness talking with Kaguya's gotten me used to that. "I suppose that is what people would generally think. Tell me, what do you think of the fact that the second kidnapping victim was a student of the same school that Morooka-san was a teacher at?"

"Could there be a connection?" I feigned. There wasn't one. The team concluded that it might just be coincidence. In fact, I was the one who brought up the possibility of a copy cat killer.

"Possibly." I couldn't discern what her tone meant. Sarcasm, curiosity, agreement, it could have meant any of these things. "Last question, if you don't mind." Again, I opened my mouth to answer, only for her to barrel on through anyway. "What connection do you have to former idol Rise Kujikawa?" My eyebrows twitched for just a moment as I tried to keep down any level of shock of surprise. Not that difficult for me in all honesty, but it's possible I could have missed a spot. From her expression I don't think I have aside from that initial gaffe.

"She's a friend that's letting me stay at her place for the next couple of months or so. We met while she was still an idol at an event she was at and we bonded quickly. A week or two ago, I thought it was best for me to get out of my little bubble and see what it was like outside my usual stomping grounds, you know get some real-world experience. I told her, and she wanted to help. That's how I know her and how I came to stay at her place." Part of that was me making things up on the fly, the other was some embellished truth, and the last parts were things Rise and I agreed upon in case anyone asked.

"Fair enough I suppose, but why go through this much trouble to gain, as you said, real-world experience?" For a moment something seemed off about her? Was it something I said? Possibly, but I couldn't tell if there was. Before I could ask what was wrong, she asked another question. "What was unsatisfactory about where you stayed before?" I shrugged.

"Perhaps I thought the major shift would better help set things in?" I came up with.

"Not unsound reasoning." Naoto stood there contemplating my words for a bit, not that it was easy to tell. Her eyes shifted to the upper left only ever so slightly before she forced them back onto me. It was tense and quiet as the two of use stood there staring at one another, waiting for the other to move. "Thank you for your time. I apologize for obstructing you from returning to your abode."

"Oh, no I was just passing by on my way to another place." That was a lie. I didn't know if Naoto was going to stick around any longer, but I don't trust her. She was hanging around for a reason. It's best if I don't get involved and try to bide my time until I can get everyone else's thoughts on the matter.

"I see, well then have good day. Stay safe."

"You too…" I walked away, not destination in my mind, but I tried to make myself look as busy as possible to mask that fact. Hopefully it'll pass muster, but with this girl, I couldn't tell. Better then to just be out of the way than have a chance to screw up. Even when I passed the corner at the edge of the street, I kept walking. Just need to get away. Need to wait until night fall, or Rise calls me.

-0-0-27-0-0-

I sat at a bench and table set near the river bank. It'd be a couple of more hours until Rise was done with her date with Yu. Everyone else has gone off to do their own thing, with Yosuke having to deal with Teddie and Kanji. I don't know where Yukiko and Chie were. I contemplated contacting them but doing so one by one would have been a pain and could end up with some miscommunication if something went wrong. Also, if I contacted them now while they were out, they might get overheard. Who knows if the culprit might hear?

The only thing I could do was kill time until Rise returned tonight, and we could both quickly and safely get it done… Only I had nothing to kill time doing. I hadn't realized how busy I was in the past, even before going to Gensokyou. My time was filled almost everyday with either meeting up with people, improving myself, or preparing for Tartarus. I really need to find something to do. Something white hopped about at the edge of my vision.

"Huh?" Some rabbits are gathered on the side over there. It's a bit strange to see more than three at a time, and here there's maybe seven or eight. Of course, there were exceptions, like when Reimu would hand feed a few that would come to her shrine. It was surprising that such a strange tempered girl could so serenely feed animals like that. Especially ones as jumpy as rabbits. "What are you guys doing over there?" I jokingly asked them. While most of them ignored me, a couple of them turned to face me in a measured manner. "That's odd…" normal rabbits don't act like that…

"What's odd is seeing you here. I thought it would take a bit more work to find you." I zipped my head around to find a girl sitting next to me, a smug look on her face that was proud to have caught me off guard. "Hey there, lover boy, or is it girl now?"

"Tewi Inaba," I so named her. She was the leader of the Earth rabbits that hung around Eientei. Eirin told me on the sly to be wary of her despite her appearance. She looked to be nothing more than a little girl like all the other Earth Rabbit youkai, wearing a pink dress and carrot necklace. The only thing rabbit-like about her were her white ears and tail, alongside red eyes. Curiously she was still barefoot. "What are you doing out here?" I asked her. Youkai should be outside the barrier last I checked.

"What? I'm not allowed in my old stomping grounds? I mean sure it's not where I made my legend, but it was home," The white hare said with a mock sadness that was easy to see. "Fine, tough crowd," She shrugged with a bit a jeer when she realized I wasn't exactly reacting how she wanted me to. "I'm here because the princess asked me to look for you using my rabbit network."

"Kaguya? Right, I have been missing for a couple of days now. But Yukari Yakumo should have let them know I was going to be gone for a bit." It was almost an everyday occurrence that I'd meet up with someone, at the very least Reimu and whoever else decided to show up at the shrine.

"Like that would cause your absence to have any less impact. I've kept tabs on some of your other acquaintances. They've gotten worried that you haven't shown up recently. Are you hiding because you don't want them to see you experimenting with your form?"

"What now?" Experimenting with my form? I mean yeah this would be awkward to explain, but what does she mean by that?

"You know it's not a unique ability for non-humans to transform right? Well I'm not going to dwell on it, if you aren't."

"No, let's dwell on it, what do yo-"

"No, no I getchya, I getchya! I mean, I wouldn't recommend the outside world as a vacation spot, but you look human enough to pass for it, and I'm not going to judge you."

"What do you mean, not human?" I was finally able to push through by making my voice stern and unyielding. When she finally heard me, she gave me a shocked look of incredulity.

"Huh? You're joking right? Far as I've known you, you aren't human. You don't smell like one, and you don't feel like either. You also don't seem like a youkai," Tewi finally explained. "Look, I'm only telling you this since you showing up's made my day easier. Anything more and you're going to have to trade for it." I gave up, not wanting to get into any sort of deal with this old rabbit. I settled back down in my seat, realizing that I'd gotten somewhat too out of it to properly talk to her thanks to the long day and info dump I'd been given prior.

"Not human…" My mind raced as I thought on it. When did that happen? When Maribel freed me? Or was it earlier when I became the seal. No, I'm not alive, so maybe that's what she meant. "Well, I am technically dead. Are you sure it's not that?"

"Meh, sure, if that's what you think it is. I don't really care honestly." That wasn't the answer I was looking for. Was this a trick? Was she just being coy to prank me, or was it something else?

"That look on your face, ugh," she intoned with clear disgust. "I'm proud of my tricks you know? So look, I'm not lying, cross my heart," she said with one of her hands crossed over her heart just as she claimed. "Though I can see that anything else I have to say isn't going to be worth my time."

"Tell them I'm fine…" I said, burying the issue. I can't trust what this rabbit says, at least given what I've heard from the rest of those around Eintei. But what if she is right? When I get back I think I have a few questions I need to ask. For now though, it's important I let them know I'm not dead… er.

"I'm alright with lying for you, but is that okay? Your face might not change all that much, but when it emotes, it emotes." I place a hand on my face, half in desire to hide it and another half to feel for myself what she meant. Sweat and tension, that's what it felt like under my hand. At least what I assumed to be as such.

"Yeah," I answered as I continued to gather myself, forcing through my own nervousness. "I don't want them to worry. I'm out here because of my own choices. I'll be back at some point. Just tell them it's personal business or something."

"I can't guarantee anything with just that," Tewi let me know.

"I don't know if I can give you more than that." Not without possibly worrying them. I can handle it with this new team of Persona users. I'm not doing this alone. She and I looked at one another a bit more until finally she just shrugged.

"Okay, just don't hold me responsible if they come looking for you." As usual, Tewi seemed to just not care about much was around her. I would be too if I were as lucky as she was. I'd seen her get around just about anything with just sheer luck. I wonder if it's just coincidence or her ability. I wouldn't be surprised if luck was her ability, given all the others powers I'd seen so far.

"I won't, but hopefully it might delay them long enough for me to finish this soon." I just must finish this in a few months, then I can go back. It can't be that hard. No, it very well could, but that just means that I should work hard to prevent that. Besides, given what we've talked about King Moron, we might be close to cornering the culprit.

"If you say so." Tewi hopped off the chair in a childlike fashion, standing in a Y shape once she landed. "And look, I guess you were human in the past, which explains how you act, but it's not so bad not being human. Embrace it! Otherwise you're just going to make things harder on yourself. Not that it's any of my business, but it would probably get annoying if Kaguya-sama gets any testier than she is now. Welp, my work here is done. I'll see you around the next time you swing by Eintei!"

She gave me a small wave, of which I returned automatically. Afterwards, for one moment she was there, and the next, she zoomed high into the sky before becoming a dot that raced past the mountains in the distance, probably back to Gensokyou. A second or two after she disappeared, I sat staring at the horizon where Gensokyou technically lay. When she left, I leaned back into my seat, the small of my back hitting against the table, in an uncomfortable fashion, but I didn't have the energy to readjust myself.

"Not human…" I said again. I got up from my seat, a couple of rabbits still around scattered as I made my way over to the road. Once I was on the side walked, my feet felt like they moved on their own. "I need some fresh air." I need time to process this. I need to think on it. "I'm still me…" I said to myself as I looked down at my own hands… hands that weren't technically the ones I knew all my life. Okay… maybe I'm not still me as much as I thought I was. Shaking my head from that confusing statement, I just continued walking. I just… didn't know what else to do.

-0-0-27-0-0-

When I finally paid attention to my surroundings, I realized that I'd come to a junkyard of some sort. My mind had kept racing over and over about what Tewi meant, and what Maribel might have done to me that I wasn't in my full mind. I guess I wandered around a bit. I felt parched and hungry, given that the summer sun had already nearly set, it was probably past dinner time, and that fast food lived up to its name.

My eyes scanned the surroundings, a bit fascinated by all the trash that was strewn about. I didn't know if this was an official dump site, or just a place where the regular populace decided as a community to throw out old junk. Nevertheless, it was an impressive pile for Japan all the same that spanned a couple of acres.

I sighed as I remembered I still had a lot to think about. Not human… I couldn't get it out of my mind no matter how much I tried. It shouldn't be a problem. It shouldn't, but it bothered me despite my protests. I shook my head. I just needed rest. That's it. I just need rest. Looking around, I tried to make sure of just where I was, trying to see just what was out on the horizon so that I could make my way back to Rise's home.

That's when I noticed a mop of short blonde hair that I recognized, standing in the middle of the junkyard. As if I was a child again, I found myself frozen in place as I watched her, my gaze unable to look at anything else. Only one thing escaped from my lips.

"Aigis?"

-0-0-27-0-0-

According to the contact, a free TV was supposed to be here in the Junk yard. I came here in order to, without arousing suspicion, investigate the report's claim of detecting strange phenomenon from TVs within the town of Inaba, as well as identify any signs of shadow related activity. If anything turned up, I was to report back to Kirijo-san and the other Shadow Operatives and await further instruction.

As I waded through the piles of discarded items, I finally found what I was looking for. A large screen TV sat alone in a relatively clear part of the junk yard. I carefully approached the set, making sure that none were around as drew closer. Once I was in front of the TV, I inspected it from each and every angle. From the looks of it, it was simply a normal looking television. A large one, but it was not one of the newer flat screen models that were recently becoming cheaper according to average consumer pricing. I did, however, find its larger volume to be more comforting to the strange reports that I read over the day prior.

The reports specifically mentioned how a group of students had been seen entering a television in the area. In addition to the strange string of murders in the area, as well as the readings the Kirijo foundation detected in the area, it is speculated that shadow activity is involved. Not only that, but this area may also contain the answers to a different incident that occurred just recently. While I do hope in some part to find a clue as to the cause of the incident, it still is somewhat unnerving for so many things to be occurring all at once in such a localized manner.

My head snapped as I realized that there were footsteps coming from nearby. It did not take long for my eyes to adjust and lock on to the person standing in the distance.

The reddish-brown haired girl hobbled into place at the top of the hill. She looked lost, and disoriented. I had frozen up a bit, unsure of how to proceed with her sudden appearance. Though I wanted to hide myself the moment I saw her, for some reason I also desired to make myself known to her. This confliction in my objectives caused something similar to a logic bomb. Of course, that was impossible for me to fully experience, but I'm certain this was as close to it as I would perhaps come to know.

As I watched her, a strange feeling overcame me, an extension of that desire I've previously made mention of. It was as if I was meeting a friend after a long time of having not met them, however the feeling was mixed. On the one hand the feeling came in the form that was closest to what the others have told me might be a familial longing. From something within, I felt something like a kinship with the girl.

But the other feeling, was one I was more familiar with. I had ignored the feeling the last few nights before, due to the impossibility. However, the girl standing before me was now giving me that same feeling for some reason. The same feeling that he gave to me, a sense of belonging, a desire to be next to; always. This feeling was supposed to belong only to him, seared into me permanently. So why did this girl also give me the same feeling in my heart?

"Aigis?" My body tensed up into a combat ready stance. How did this girl know my name? As I stood there, taking stock of any sudden movements, I realized that I was struggling to maintain a fighting stance, as if my body did not want to confront this person. It was not a feeling borne of fear, but rather, matching my previous feelings, it was a desire to not hurt this person, to want to protect them, I realized.

"Ma'am," I began. "Please vacate the premises, or I will have to remove you by force if necessary." For a moment the girl looked unsure of what was happening, before a visible sadness washed over her face. She appeared to be struggling to say something, her mouth opening and closing every so often as if the words died before they left her.

Despite that, I hung on to her every expression, my breath quickening each time it appeared as if she was finally about to speak. I wanted to know what she was about to say, with each failed attempt nurturing my anticipation. However eventually, her stance faltered, and resignation appeared on her countenance. She'd given up?

"Ma'am? Is something the matter?" I asked, trying to goad her to try again. I desperately wanted her to speak to me. Right now, more than anything, I wanted her to speak to me, anything at all.

"No, I'll… I'll go. I'm sorry for bothering you." The girl turned back around from where she came from and began to walk. Though slow at first, she accelerated bit by bit into a jog, and then into a run. As she did so, as I watched her get smaller and smaller, a feeling welled up from somewhere that could be considered like a stomach; a feeling that if I didn't chase after her, I'd regret it forever, as if I was letting him go again. I didn't want that. I don't want that. My feet moved before I realized it; wind blowing past my mechanical ears and hair as I dashed forward.

"Please, wait!" I cried, chasing after her. I immediately made for full sprint, a speed that guaranteed my ability to catch most humans. However, despite my best efforts, I wasn't catching up. For a moment it looked like I was closing the distance, but as time passed, I realized that I was being outpaced, and the girl was getting faster and faster. Her legs off the ground almost as if she were flying. "Wait! Please, wait! Ah!" My foot tripped on a small indentation in the path, distracted as I was by an attempt to activate my jet thrusters. I closed my eyes, bracing for the impact with the ground. Though it would not hurt, I now had no chance of catching up with the girl.

What followed was not the hard crash into the ground as I had expected, but instead I felt myself become enveloped within a pair of arms. Gentle arms that felt nostalgic. Opening my eyes, I saw that the one who was holding me was the girl from before. She had become a bit disheveled and her hair somewhat loosened, but there she was, right in front of me.

"Are you alright?" She asked me, as she held me in her arms. As I stared blankly at her, that familiar feeling became clear and without obstruction. Without a doubt in my mind now, I knew that she was most likely the cause of that feeling, but why?

Why does she feel just like him?

Author's Notes:

Decided to post this a bit early since I'll be out of town this Christmas with such a limited access to a good keyboard and computer that it's best I just post this now.

Admittedly I still don't have the plot to follow fully planned, but I knew that I wanted this chapter to be a much slower paced chapter in contrast to the previous one. Luckily writing this did jumpstart my brain for more ideas going forward, and hopefully I can keep the train going. It's a short chapter but I believe it gets done what a new opening chapter should get done. This chapter's focus was mainly setting things up, describing the new setting, showing possible plot threads, getting a new ball rolling essentially, with just a few moments of levity. This time a lot more introspection on Minato's self as well.

I was surprised by the amount of pushback I got last chapter on the gender change. Some very, very strong pushback actually. It was a novel feeling receiving such strong emotions through the reviews. A valuable experience ultimately and one that I'm glad to have had. So much so that I reevaluated some of my plans for it and came up with a new plot thread to go with it. Obviously, I'm still keeping it, but rather than it being as vanilla as it was initially planned to be, I've added a couple of other ideas on to it to change the point of the incident. Ideas I've hinted at here in this chapter.

Another main thing here, was practice for writing the P4 cast. I'm now finally writing other guys in this fic that aren't bit parts! I've played P4 so much in all it's incarnations and spinoffs that these people are practically family to me. Hell, it felt like a reunion when I played BBTAG. Hopefully I'm getting their core personalities down and can continue to do so going forward.

I'm also experimenting with adding more POV Changes in order to get around limitations regarding, well, First Person POVs. Of course, hopefully my writing is strong enough to not need a blatant telling of the POV change, but practice will hopefully help on that front if it's not yet good enough. Like any tool it needs to be used as it's needed, I suppose.

Lastly, I did actually have plans for Minato going to Yasogami initially, but ultimately decided against it since it would probably be obvious and be the least interesting idea possible. With him not going, it allows me to free up his time to do other things and give more space to better integrate Touhou stuff into the crossover. I think this was the better decision overall since I really wouldn't know what to do with Minato just going to school again.

Anyways, as always, I hope you enjoyed yourselves. Please leave a review and tell me anything you felt wasn't up to snuff or what you liked. Just saying hi is fine as well. If you'll excuse me, I need to toy with an idea of a crack fic where Dante, from the Devil May Cry series, has his guns possessed by Nanoha and Fate, and see if I really want to write that.

Thanks for stopping by and have a good day!

P.S. I am a little disappointed by the lack of people who caught the Rin Satsuki reference I made last chapter. I felt that was clever, but oh well, what can you do?

P.S.S I've slightly modified the time line, which I'll just hand wave as a ripple effect from strange things happening with Koishi and the Touhou involvement… Expect more modifications on some things given the nature of Cross overs.