Minako really needed to talk to someone. Fortunately, Yukari happened to be in Tokyo at the time.

"Oh, wow." Yukari was incredulous at hearing Minako tell her Maruki's story. "He really tried to do that?"

"He did," Minako confirmed. "I checked with the Phantom Thieves, and they confirmed it."

"Sooo, after hearing that, you wanted to talk to me?" Yukari asked.

Minako looked down at her hands folded in her lap. "Anyone really. It's just… when he talked about how he brought people back, I couldn't help but think about…"

"Minato," Yukari finished for her. The atmosphere in the room immediately darkened tenfold as the two women shared a moment of grieving silence.

"It's been almost ten years now," Minako told her. "I didn't even know he'd died until weeks later, and before that I hadn't even seen him for more than a year…"

Yukari slid next to Minako on the couch and put an arm around the other woman's shoulders. Yukari was barely holding back tears herself. "I know how you feel."

Minako gave a little snort of laughter. "I bet you wanted to be calling me 'sister-in-law' by now, right?" Yukari gave a short laugh of her own. Minako smiled at her. "You know how Minato always wore that dead expression? When we were kids, he was no different. I always thought he was sad, so since I was the older sister, it was my job to cheer him up and help both of us get over our parents' deaths."

"True," Yukari remembered. "Still, whenever he spoke to me, it was always surprising just how much heart he could put into the simplest sentences. And even when he gave me just the tiniest of smiles, it felt like he was looking right through to my heart."

"Wow, you were really smitten with him," Minako giggled. "Funny though. When I asked him about whether he was interested in girls while we were just starting high school, he just gave me this confused deadpan look like I'd just asked him if he'd like to put on a skirt or something. You must have really done something to impress him if he actually fell for you."

"That or him seeing me in trouble activated his savior complex one too many times," Yukari laughed ruefully. "That idiot." Yukari looked up at her again. "Didn't your relatives split you up back in grade school though?"

"Yeah, they did," Minako said ruefully. "Unfortunately, our aunt and uncle weren't the best people, and they really didn't like the Arisato family. Our grandparents got into a big fight with them over how they were raising us, especially after they insisted we change our names so we'd be Makoto and Kotone Shiomi instead of Minato and Minako Arisato. Eventually, our grandparents managed to get them to let Minato stay with them. Guess how long I stayed 'Kotone Shiomi' after I graduated high school."

"I'm guessing not very long since you were already Minako again when we found you," Yukari guessed.

"Yep," Minako confirmed. "Ditched that name as soon as I could. Still, I wish I could've gone to Gekkoukan with all the rest of you. Then I probably could've kept that idiot from sacrificing himself."

Once again, there was a sad silence as the two women reminisced.

"Minako…" Yukari ventured, "Well, how do I put this? After Minato became the seal, the weird stuff wasn't over quite yet. Not all of our group were ready to move on from his death. I know I sure wasn't. And in the month following his death, the remnants of our group somehow found ourselves in a place called the Abyss of Time. We saw the doors that Minato gave his life to seal. And we saw why he had to sacrifice himself."

Minako looked at her, incredulous. "I thought you already told me how he needed to seal away Death."

"Well, that's what we thought too," Yukari admitted. "But the thing is, the seal isn't there to keep what's beyond the doors from getting out. It's to keep something else from getting in."

"Something else?"

Yukari nodded. "I don't know all the specifics, but there's a massive Shadow called Erebus. Apparently it represents all the negative emotions of humanity, humanity's wish to die or something like that. And it wants to get past the doors in order to awaken Nyx and get her to destroy the world. Back when we were in the Abyss, we managed to kill it, but according to Elizabeth, it regenerates every year or so. Even she can't find a way to kill it permanently."

Minako's eyes widened. "But does that mean that if we can, we'll be able to bring him back!?"

Yukari looked at her like she'd gone insane. "But that's impossible! He died!"

"Well, that didn't stop Maruki," Minako stated. "If he could resurrect people out of memories and cognitions, then surely we'll be able to bring him back once we no longer need the seal! Heck, what if that's the reason Aigis got to keep his Wild Card abilities? Proof that he's not gone for good!"

Yukari still wanted to protest. "But… but… how do you know something like that will even work!?"

Minako set her jaw. "I don't." Then she looked Yukari in the eyes and smirked at her. "All I can do is hope that it's possible. Don't you want your boyfriend back?"

Yukari was dumbstruck for a second before she found her resolve again. "Yes. I do want him back. I want him back more than anything." Blue flames started boiling around Yukari's feet as she spoke.

A thought struck Minako, and she gave a little self-depricating laugh. "It's funny, I think I just figured out why I'm still stuck using an Evoker. I've been so hung up on Minato's death that I never really decided what I wanted to do." Minako looked Yukari in the eyes again. "I'm not going to run from it anymore. I'm going to take a leap of faith. I'm going to go on my own journey and find out how to bring Minato back."


The next morning came all too quickly for Rumi Tominaga. Sleep had been hard to come by for her for a while, but questions about Sho only amplified the problem. She just didn't understand him. He was rude, abrasive, loud, reckless, and all manner of other things, but for some reason she got the feeling he was only pretending not to care so that he could hide some sort of pain. He might not have been friendly with them, but his attitude had turned out to be all talk.

And then there was that young woman who came to find him. Rumi didn't know what had made her freeze back when that Minako lady had brought out her Evoker. But it wasn't the first time she'd suddenly had a random panic attack for no reason. It happened sometimes when she tried to remember what happened to her parents. No matter how hard she tried, whenever she tried to remember them, her brain refused to connect. And if she pushed too hard, she would get a sudden flash of memory that would cause her entire body to seize up in shock and her stomach to roil with nausea.

She knew something bad must have happened to them. That was the only possible reason for these sensations. She had no idea why she couldn't remember, but she did sometimes hear a soft, loving voice while she was in shock, coupled with a sensation of being closely held. She couldn't remember this person either. More mysteries. All of these thoughts had cycled endlessly through her mind throughout the night, so strongly that even the sleeping pills Takemi had prescribed barely kept them at bay.

Rumi pushed such frustrating thoughts from her mind. She had to get going, or she wouldn't be able to check on Sho before the Shadow Operatives came for him. She stepped out her door and began the short walk to Takemi's clinic. Her steps suddenly paused as she detected a whiff of something… out of place. She sniffed harder. Something smelled very distinctly of decay.

Rumi wrinkled her nose at the smell. What the heck? Had someone smashed a bunch of rotten eggs in a nearby alleyway? Rumi continued her walk, holding her nose, before pausing to look down an alleyway where the scent seemed to be strongest.

Immediately, Rumi wanted to vomit. Hiding in the alleyway was a big black Shadow, its appearance akin to a giant pile of gunk. It was rummaging around in a dumpster with its mouth, before long pulling out something gleaming and golden, but Rumi didn't have time to tell what it was before the Shadow swallowed it whole.

The Shadow was covered in a dark aura and immediately began to grow in size. Terror filled every cell in Rumi's body as it bellowed into the air. Her limbs seized up and she stumbled backwards, immediately drawing the Shadow's attention. Bellowing again, the Shadow began to ooze towards her.

Rumi ran. If she stayed where she was, she was definitely going to die-

Pain instantly coursed through her mind. Rumi cried out and fell to her knees as the Shadow closed in behind her. She was utterly helpless. She was going to die, just like her parents-

"ADAM!"

There was a flash of blue light and something rammed into the Shadow from the front. Someone was in front of her, trying to get her to respond. "Tominaga-san! Are you alright? Please answer me!"

The Shadow roared and struck back at the attacking Persona. The azure figure tumbled backwards and skidded to a stop between Rumi and the Shadow, giving her enough time to get a good look at it. It was shaped as a tall, muscular humanoid, beautiful but with eyes that were golden and uncanny. Its top was bare, and several old scars traced across various joints, as though its body had been cobbled together.

The man who summoned it grimaced in pain as the Persona withstood the Shadow's attack. "Zanma!" he chanted, directing the Persona to blast the Shadow back with force magic. Rumi knew this voice. She cried out again as the memories stabbed through her mind, and all at once, Rumi's entire world shattered.

"T-Taku…" she whispered.

Takuto Maruki flinched as he realized she'd just called him by her pet name for him. "Rumi?" he whispered back.

In the next moment, he too cried out in pain as the Shadow hit hard enough to destroy his Persona. Takuto grit his teeth and clutched his whimpering beloved. It had been far too long since he'd last used his Persona. Adam was a sharp downgrade from the godlike Azathoth and Adam Kadmon, reflecting his degraded will. Was he strong enough to carry Rumi to safety? The Shadow loomed overhead and formed a black, oozing appendage with which to strike them both down.

CLANG!


What the hell am I doing!? Sho thought to himself as he desperately blocked the oozing Shadow's attack, his sabers crossed in an X above his head. He grunted with the effort, still feeling twinges of pain from his wounds. He didn't have to save them. He could've just let them get eaten. Protecting them would just put his own life at risk.

But then a tiny voice in his head said right back, But they cared about you when they didn't have to.

Sho slowly let out a breath and addressed the Shadow. "You know something? I really. Hate. People."

His sabers slashed like a pair of scissors, severing the appendage. With a roar of fury, he summoned Tsukuyomi to his side and began to rant out loud, punctuating each emphasized word with ever-stronger and faster slashes of his sabers.

"They're selfish, ignorant, loud, obnoxious pricks with basically no redeeming qualities whatsoever! I mean really! Look at all they've achieved! Genocide, illegal experiments, reality TV, it's just a never-ending parade of failures and f***-ups! They are, without question, a complete write-off of a species, AND HOW DARE YOU MAKE ME CARE ABOUT THEM!"

Sho finished off his rant with a powerful overhead slash with both sabers, slamming them into the Black Ooze's head and splitting the Shadow in half. The Shadow immediately dissolved, leaving behind a few stones and a golden feather. Sho panted for breath, already exhausted.

"Rumi? RUMI!?" came Maruki's voice behind him. Maruki was cradling Tominaga in his arms. She was going into shock, curling up into a fetal position, clutching her head and hyperventilating.

"What's wrong with her?" Sho asked.

Maruki looked up at him, panic in his eyes. "Help me get her to the clinic. Please!"


It was less than fifteen minutes after she'd received the call from Takemi that Minako, Aigis, and Labrys made it to the clinic. Maruki was the one to greet them in the reception area.

"We came as soon as we heard," Minako gasped. "Is Sho-"

"He's still here," Maruki told them.

"And Tominaga-san?" Labrys asked.

Maruki's expression darkened. That was all the answer Minako needed.

Minako rushed into the examination room, Aigis and Labrys right behind her. Sho was standing over the bed alongside Doctor Takemi, Joker, and Oracle, all four of them displaying varying levels of concern. Tominaga was curled up on the bed in a fetus position, still hyperventilating. Oracle was tapping at several holographic screens that floated in the air around her. Maruki followed the three women inside, shutting the door quietly behind him, his expression devastated.

"How bad is it?" Minako immediately asked.

"Bad," Joker said shortly. "She won't respond to anything we do."

Maruki slammed his fist against the wall, tears already streaming down his face. "Dammit, this is my fault! I just had to go and erase her memory, and now look at where we are!"

"Grow a spine, you baby!" Sho spat at him. "She's still alive, ain't she?"

Maruki and the three Shadow Operatives blinked in surprise. "Is… he actually showin' care for somebody else?" Labrys asked in a dumbstruck tone.

"Well, what do you know," Aigis smiled. "It turns out he actually does have a heart."

Sho glared at them. "Shut up you scrap heaps! Just tell us what we're supposed to do!"

Oracle suddenly let out a squeak, drawing everyone's attention. "Oh no, this is really really bad! Her Shadow's suddenly woken up! We have to get her somewhere safe now, before her Shadow bursts out of her!"

Everyone in the room froze except for Takemi. "Well!? Get her out of here! I don't want my clinic getting destroyed!"

"My car's parked nearby!" Maruki exclaimed. "I can drive her somewhere isolated so we can let her Shadow out and defeat it."

"I offer my assistance in carrying her," Aigis stated.

"Please," Maruki begged. Aigis nodded to him and picked up the petite young woman, cradling her body like an infant. The group filed out of the clinic one by one. Sho was the last to leave, right behind Minako.

"You still sticking around?" Minako asked.

"What?" Sho demanded. "You think I'm gonna leave right when things are getting interesting? Hell no. I'm seeing this through to the end."

Outside, Joker was talking to Oracle as Aigis and Maruki guided Tominaga into Maruki's car. "Notify anyone who's currently available," Joker told the navigator. "I have a feeling that even as powerful as we are, this fight's going to be a doozy."

"Setagaya Park is nearby," Oracle told him. Her goggles vanished as Al Azif appeared above her and beamed down a green pillar of light. "I'll tell everyone to meet up at the sports field near there," she finished before vanishing into her Persona.

Minako got into her car with Aigis and Labrys, with Sho joining Maruki and Tominaga in Maruki's car, Joker running alongside them courtesy of his enhanced speed and stamina, and Oracle flying in Al Azif. Naturally, as soon as they drove into a more populated area, people began to take notice of Joker's coat and mask, and anyone who happened to look up could easily spot Al Azif. As a result, as the streets started to become more populated, Joker was forced to start resorting to using his grappling hook to latch onto buildings and stoplights to bypass the crowds.

It was almost too late by the time they reached the park. Tominaga's condition had severely worsened, and she'd gained a black and red aura that was slowly overtaking her body. Maruki still didn't hesitate to carry her out of his car though. People started to crowd around, wondering what was going on, at least before there was a roar of a motorcycle, signaling Queen's approach.

"Get out of the way! This is serious!" the steel-masked strategist yelled at the crowds, who parted like the Red Sea, fearing her wrath. Agnes vanished back into her mask, and she sprinted over to Joker, who was supervising Tominaga's handling.

"Who else is coming?" Joker asked.

"Panther and Skull are nearby," Queen reported. "And Violet's on her way as well."

There was a sudden poof of smoke and a boy with cat ears suddenly appeared next to Joker. "I'm here too," Morgana said proudly. He was actually wearing clothing that resembled a Thief outfit, with a black mask tied around his head, a yellow neckerchief similar to his old Metaverse form, and a skintight black suit with white boots and gloves and a utility belt around his waist. His cat ears and tail were on full display.

Joker smirked. "Tired of being stuck on reconnaissance, Morgana?"

"Hey, it's not like I have a secret identity for anyone to spoil," Morgana retorted. "Besides, why the hell would I miss this? I already sat through the entire car ride to get here with you."

"Well, we appreciate the support," Joker replied easily. "Come on, let's get going."

Maruki carefully laid Tominaga down on the sidewalk before stepping back. A light was beamed down from Al Azif and instantly transported her into the middle of the field. Sho, Minako, Aigis, Labrys, Maruki, and the three Phantom Thieves then jumped the fence as the aura around Tominaga intensified.

"Here we go again!" came Oracle's voice, right before the shadowy aura exploded out of Tominaga's body.

Screaming. Screams of pain and cruel laughter echoed around the area. Shadow essence leaked out of Tominaga's body, oozing and molding itself into shape, and taking Tominaga's body with it. The echoing laughter, which had been previously male and Minako had assumed belonged to the man who'd killed Tominaga's parents, intensified and became effeminate as the Shadow gained a humanoid form.

Her skin was pale as ivory, her hair white and choppy, her dress black as midnight. Her lips curved in an exaggerated sneer and her yellow and red eyes looked at the world with scorn and derision. The right hand bore long, bloodred fingernails, and the left held a cage, imprisoning Tominaga's body.

"Rumi…" Maruki whispered in horror.

The Shadow cackled again. "I am Eris, the goddess of strife. And all who look upon me shall know pain."