Disclaimer: I do not own Persona or Fate or anything in the nasuverse, any resemblance to any other Persona 4/Fate fan fiction is coincidental and plagiarism is not intended. No flames please, constructive criticism only.

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[September 12th, Dojima Residence, Inaba]

Later in the day when the sun was beginning to set Yu was in the living room.

"Good afternoon! This is Eye News bringing you a Special Report." The announcer lady on the channel stated.

"Our special Guest tonight is more than just your average high school student," The announcer stated. "He's also an accomplished private detective with serious credentials. Most recently," The camera panned to its left to look at Naoto. "He helped the police with the serial murders in Inaba and his innocent façade is hard to resist. The Detective Prince… Naoto Shirogane."

"Thanks for having me on the show," Naoto greeted.

"So is it true?" The female announcer asked. "Has this mysterious roller-coaster ride of a murder finally come to a close?"

"It hasn't…" Naoto answered. "When you step back and look at the case as a whole, I find it hard to reach the same conclusion as the police have."

Suddenly Nanako came downstairs in her pyjamas and began rummaging through the fridge.

"So what are you trying to say?" The announcer asked taken aback by what Naoto was saying.

"I'm not prepared to make a definitive statement yet but…" Naoto paused for a moment. "…something doesn't feel right."

"I met him at the festival!" Nanako exclaimed holding a glass of milk in her hands.

"Well…" The female announcer chuckled nervously. "What would that be?"

Naoto paused before delivering her next statement.

"There were three victims in this case, which means the next step is to look at even the slightest inconsistencies…"

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[September 13th, Yasogami High, Inaba]

The next day after school had ended the team began walking home

"You know; I was kinda surprised…" Chie stated.

"By Naoto going on that program last night?" Yu asked.

"Yeah!" Chie replied. "It was so weird. He doesn't strike me as the type to go on a TV show."

"From what little, I saw from meeting him he doesn't seem to be the attention seeking type," Yukiko commented. "Going on Television seems out of character."

"Agreed…" A voice interrupted. "I would have preferred not to do it…"

Everyone stopped looked and saw Naoto leaning against a tree just outside the school gate.

"Naoto…" Rise spoke the detective's name.

"Can we talk for a second?" Naoto asked

[-]-[-]-[-]-[-]-[-]

[September 13th, Souzai Daigaku, Inaba]

After Naoto had led the team to Souzai Daigaku, everyone had taken a seat at a table just outside the store. Yosuke had bought a Quelorie Magic, Kanji had bought Topscicle's, while Chie was eating a Steak Skewer.

"This won't take long," Naoto assured them. "You see I have some new thoughts on the case and I'd like to go over them with you all…"

"What's the point?" Yosuke asked. "The case is solved and closed already…"

"You said that something didn't seem right to you…" Yu stated.

"Yes…there are some things the victims have in common…" Naoto said. "All three victims were kidnapped before they were murdered. In addition to that, the victims had been the subject of recent media attention, which had forced them into the limelight. But besides those similarities, there's nothing else that makes these victims particularly unique…"

"However…if you look at the history of some of those at this table, you start seeing a wider connection…"

"Really? How do you get that?" Yosuke asked.

"There was a larger gap in time between the second and third murders. But still, what didn't slow down were the number of disappearances that fit the criteria; Yukiko Amagi, Kanji Tatsumi and Rise Kujikawa " Naoto listed the three off "All three of you went missing after you were featured on TV, and yet…all three of you managed to survive, or maybe a survivor is what you disguised yourself as, in order to avoid suspicion of the police…"

"Exactly what are you suggesting?" Rise demanded with an edge in her voice.

"Some of you had direct contact with the victims, so I'm merely deducing the possibility that one of you might be…"

"Alright that's enough," Yosuke said angrily "I'm not gonna sit here and-"

"Yosuke!" Yu spoke the other boy's name to calm him down.

"Hey look!" A girl pointed at Naoto. "Isn't that the 'Detective Prince'?!"

"Yeah…He's so hot!" Another girl giggled.

Two other girls joined in and started whispering with the first two girls about Naoto.

"Let's take this elsewhere…"

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[September 13th, Samegawa Flood Plain, Inaba]

Naoto had led the team to the river where they had taken a seat at the table beneath the gazebo.

"So let me get this straight. You think that someone from this group is some kind of crazed serial killer…?" Chie asked sceptically.

"I did consider the possibility but now I think it's actually the complete opposite of that," Naoto replied walking closer to the group.

"And how so?" Yu asked.

"You aren't responsible for the murders. But somehow…you were able to pursue the killer in a way that no one else could. Each time you rescued somebody, you gained a new ally in the chase. Look at it in that angle…and all the dots begin to connect. But if that theory is correct then it raises a flag around Mr Morooka's murder." Naoto explained. "No media attention and he didn't go missing first either, more importantly, the way his body was found…"

"What do you mean? They found his body hung upside down the same way Ms Yamano and Saki were." Yosuke pointed out.

"Yes, the bodies were found in similar positions, however, for the other two cases, the medical examiner couldn't determine the cause of death, but in Mr Morooka's case, it was clear that he died from blunt force to the head. The police tried to resolve this discrepancy and ultimately couldn't do it…The prefecture was desperate to close the case…"

"Keep going…" Yu urged at Naoto's pause.

"Well…at this point, my next step is to uncover some evidence…" Naoto walked closer to the picnic table. "…That is conclusive, let's see what I can come up with."

"Now you're just gonna walk off?" Yosuke asked. "Where are you going?"

"Listen, this is not some sort of game for me," Naoto said before walking off.

Naoto then turned around and walked away leaving the group.

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[September 14th, Dojima Residence, Inaba]

The day after Naoto's conversation with them came and went very quickly. Yu decided to check the Midnight Channel, it hadn't been raining yesterday but was forecast to do so all day today.

Like clockwork, the TV came to life and Midnight Channel appeared. A familiar silhouette appeared on the screen for a moment.

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[September 15th, Classroom, Yasogami High School, Inaba]

The next day the team were gathered in an empty classroom during lunchtime discussing what they had seen on the Midnight Channel.

"Did you guys see the Midnight Channel last night?" Chie asked. "Wasn't that Naoto on there?!"

"It sure did look like him…" Yukiko conceded.

"I asked Teddie to check out the TV World, but he said no one was there," Yosuke stated.

Kanji was just looking out the window scowling at the raining sky.

"We already know that the killer is connected to the Midnight Channel somehow but whoever it is didn't create it," Gawain stated his arms folded.

"The Midnight Channel, I don't think it was created by anyone." Medea chimed in as she materialised in front of the blackboard.

"What do you mean?" Rise asked.

"When we're in that place I've never detected any bounded fields, nor complex magecraft of any kind." The Caster began explaining. "While true a skilled enough magus with enough time and resources could perhaps create a similar place, a mage from the Age of Gods like myself would detect it easily, but I haven't sensed anything, and it's not a reality marble either. But then…"

Medea began mumbling to herself clearly trying to theorise an answer.

"It is most strange though," Diarmuid stated wandering over to a window in spirit form. "Whenever we go through the TV, I had to describe it say that it almost feels like we're stepping out a room made of jello and into the fresh open air."

That was when Medea suddenly became alert again, her eyes widening "Through a doorway….that's it!"

"What's it?" Chie asked confused.

"Our opponent is not magus" She declared with absolute certainty in her voice.

"But how can you be so sure?" Drake asked with a raised eyebrow.

"It's like Diarmuid said, you've noticed haven't you? In the Midnight Channel, the lack of pressure on your bodies, like you're weightless and more powerful?"

"Now that you mention it I do feel freer there." Tamamo stated, "Like there's nothing holding me down."

"Exactly!" Medea took up a piece of chalk and drew two circles next each other on the chalkboard, one bigger and one about half the size of the first one and then pointed to the larger one. "This circle represents The World, the one that we live in." She promptly wrote The World just above it. "And this…." She wrote Midnight Channel just above the smaller one "Is the Midnight Channel."

"Are you saying what I think you're saying?" Cu Chulainn suddenly burst into the conversation with disbelief materialising and staring with wide eyes at her drawing.

"Ok, I'm lost can you guys explain this for those of us who aren't Mages?" Yosuke requested.

Medea let out a sigh.

"Ever since the Age of Gods ended magecraft has been in decline. Basically, as technology has advanced, the ability of magic users has only declined, magecraft relies on mysteries to exist, those are just the rules of The World that we live in." Medea decided not to go into the specifics.

"However, the Midnight Channel exists outside of The World that we live in and thus outside of the rules, specifically outside of Gaia's influence."

"And Gaia is?"

"The embodiment of the planet, it see's magecraft as an anomaly and tries to stamp it out. You see, back in the Age of Gods mankind used to live side by side with the truth of the universe, but here in this Age of Man, your civilization is trying to search for that truth. Basically, the Earth obeys the law of the most prosperous species on its surface. During the Age of Gods that was Gods and the Phantasmal species, Dragons and creatures you've no doubt heard in fairy tails, as such Mystery thrived and so did magecraft. However when that era ended the rules of the world were completely changed from one that obeyed Mystery to one that obeyed Physics. The Phantasmal Species began ceding the Earth's surface to humans and moved to the Reverse Side of the World, where Mystery still thrives. As for the Gods well...no one knows where they went, maybe the Reverse Side of the World too. However, not all of them are gone."

"What she's saying that with Gods and Phantasmal Species disappearing, with only the few that remain, sleeping the centuries away. A side effect of this is modern magi getting weaker and unable to create new mysteries." Cu Chulainn continued "Magi jealously guard their secrets as much as they can. If they were to discover a place like the Midnight Channel, where those Rules don't apply and The Age of Gods continues, then its unlikely they'd go broadcasting about its existence without wiping your memories before you left."

"You forget one thing." Li Shuwen cut in drawing attention to himself. "Magi are rather inhuman as it is. When they study their craft they drive themselves apart from the values of common people. Morality is not something they are concerned about. So it is possible that a mage is behind this, if one discovered the Midnight Channel then they'd be like a child in a candy store, they wouldn't know where to begin, so its possible they've simply gone insane and you all entering and leaving is part of some Four Dimensional chess like experiment in magecraft."

"So to sum it up we're probably dealing with some crazy mage, and Ms Yamano and Saki were just casualties of his experiments?" Yosuke yelled angrily.

"Could be." The Hound of Ulster shrugged

"Ah crap, the deeper we go into this the less we know," Kanji complained.

"Yeah, we have more questions than answers now." Rise sighed.

"What is the Midnight Channel exactly and where did it come from?" Yukiko wondered aloud.

Only silence was her answer as no one had a real explanation. Then the school bell rung marking the end of lunch.

"Lunch time's over, let's keep an eye on the TV for now," Yu ordered them.

The team nodded in agreement and left the classroom to return to their own classes. The Persona's however lingered behind. Medea began erasing her diagram from the chalkboard.

"How long must we keep this up?" Diarmuid asked upon seeing a nod of confirmation from Li Shuwen that they were alone "This deception does not sit well with me."

"I hear ya, we all know the truth already. A Magi Experiment, that's a load of crap." Cu Chulainn grumbled "This is a Holy Grail War and we all know it. The Midnight Channel was created by the Grail as a battleground then altered later by someone else, hence why people end up back in the real world when they die. We know because the Grail supplied the info just like a regular war."

"But this is not a regular war." Li Shuwen stated, "While all we Persona's will have our wishes granted should we succeed in this ordeal, only one human may their wish granted."

"In that case its likely that our masters will turn on each other for such a wish," Diarmuid said downcast. "They may even fight to the death for it."

"But remember it is in our best interests that our masters live and work to together, part of the pact with Grail states that if our respective master dies then we will not attain our wish. That was part of the reasoning behind this lie, why we kept the Grail and War's existence a secret." Drake pointed out.

"The Archer position is to be filled soon." Gawain spoke up "When it is, I suggest we come clean, we tell them about the Grail and the War, then pray that their bonds can overcome the temptation of the Holy Grail."

"Any objections?" Assassin asked looking around, seeing none then he nodded "Alright after Archer is revealed we'll come clean."

With that, they decided there was nothing more to talk about and one by one began returning to their respective master's souls until only Medea and Gawain were left.

"White Knight, I hope you are correct about the power of our master's bonds, for all our sakes." The Princess of Colchis said before vanishing as well.

"As do I, Caster." Gawain sighed looking out of the window "As do I."

Eventually, he too vanished returning to his master's soul.

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[September 15th, Dojima Residence, Inaba]

That night Yu was in his room as the clock struck midnight the TV popped on. On the screen, there was the silhouette of Naoto from the night before. Then there was static and the picture turned to what looked like a science lab.

"Hello there, everyone. I'm the Detective Prince Naoto Shirogane." Naoto's shadow introduced itself. "This is the Genome Project and it's the experiment of the century, I'm about to undergo a body altering operation…"

"What's that mean?" Yu wondered.

"The technique I will use is forbidden and fantastic!" Shadow Naoto continued "As I embark on this journey, everyone can follow. Watch closely, for what you are about to see, is a person born anew before your very EYES!" As Naoto said this, various implements like a couple of robot arms with clamp, a drill head, a saw, and a light appeared as well.

"Once the surgery is complete, it will be a commemorative day. A day I can walk down a whole new path. I would very much like to share this moment with you. So be sure to tune in…"

Then the picture faded out as another rumble of thunder was heard. Then Yu's phone rang.

"Hey, …what's…?" Yu said as he answered.

"DUDE! I JUST SAW HIM! IT WAS NAOTO! I SWEAR IT WAS PLAIN AS DAY!" Kanji yelled from Yu's phone.

"Just calm down…" Yu tried to say, but Kanji continued.

"Well if the little pissant's been kidnapped, it's not gonna do us any good now is it? I swear, something about that kid seriously bugs the crap outta me." Kanji said. "Want me ta get the group together?"

"Yeah, we'll all get going tomorrow after school," Yu stated hanging up the phone.

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[September 16th, TV World Entrance, Inaba]

The next day everyone had gathered in the TV and was waiting at the entrance while Rise scanned the place to try and find Naoto. Teddie was in his fur trying to sniff for any hint of Naoto in there.

"I don't know where, but someone's definitely here…" Rise said as she used the mirror to scan the area. "And it seems this world is growing larger too."

"Good going with the sniffer Rise, it seems my schnozz is a little burnt out want a massage?" Teddie asked.

"Don't distract her bear!" Yosuke yelled cuffing Teddie on the head.

"So the case isn't over yet?" Chie sighed.

"If that's the case then….that's why Naoto went and did that TV show!" Yukiko realised.

"I think you're right…He's testing the theory that only locals who show up on TV get kidnapped." Yu stated.

"The kid made himself bait?!" Kanji yelled angrily.

"That's dumb!" Chie said. "What's he thinking? He could die!"

"Freakin' asshole! He could have warned us he was going to do something stupid like that…" Kanji grumbled.

"He did say this wasn't a game to him…" Rise said downcast before her expression brightened. "I've got a lock."

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[September 16th, Secret Laboratory, Inaba]

"What the hell is this place?" Kanji exclaimed as he saw a building that had grey rusted metal paint and two antenna dishes on it come into view.

"It looks like a hideout from one of those pumped up action flicks," Yosuke commented as they went inside.

The inside was littered with wall consoles, security monitor screens, security doors.

"They say acting in those things is hard. " Rise said "They got a ton of lots making it super-hot, then they throw in smoke everywhere"

"Teddie, all the events and buildings in this place are constructed from people's repressed emotions right?" Yu asked the bear.

"Yes indeed," Teddie confirmed.

"Remember what Naoto said on the Midnight Channel?" Yu asked, "What I took from that was Naoto rejecting his life as a superstar boy detective."

"So how does that play here?" Yukiko asked looking around.

"Maybe this is some kind of secret lab," Yu suggested.

"Naoto is running away from something." Kanji stated, "I'm sure of it."

The screens started to light up and show static before clearing into an image of Naoto.

" I was getting tired of waiting for you," Naoto said looking at them through the screen. "I've just had about all I could take of this ridiculous, blubbering child…"

"No! No, please!" pleaded a copy of Naoto wearing a lab coat and a beanie cap with its head at its knees and hands on its ears. Naoto was calmly standing by watching. "DON'T GO!"

"THAT's Naoto's Shadow?" Yosuke said surprised.

"Seems like a scared little kid," Kanji said pointed out.

"Guys! Look up!" Rise said as Tamamo sensed incoming shadows.

They all looked up and saw Shadow matter oozing on the ceiling.

"It's coming from the floor, too!" Teddie exclaimed as shadow matter began oozing from the floor as well.

The two different parts broke up into small strings, which then coiled around each other, and then created strands linking the coils, with circles that formed faces when they stood up. They looked like DNA strands with faces, Rise called them Fail Gene's.

"Here they come!" Yosuke said.

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"Trying to talk with you is exhausting. I'm leaving," Naoto turned around and started to leave the lab. It had two large surgical lights and a metal table where the "surgery" was supposed to take place.

"Why? Why do people always leave me? I'll be alone forever. You know what it's like. Don't leave me alone!" Shadow Naoto whimpered

"We may share the same face. But do not imply that we have anything else in common." Naoto said coldly looking over his shoulder at the shadow. "As long as you continue to act like a child, I will never be able to relate to you."

"Who are you trying to fool? You know the truth." The shadow chuckled as the lights turned on. "You know it well. I. Am. You."

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"I'm not acting like anything. This IS the real you." Shadow Naoto continued.

"Don't!" Chie said. "Arguing will just make it worse!"

"You're wrong!" Kanji said. "He has to stand up and face this! Stay strong, Naoto!"

Kanji took out some more Genes with the Axe-Sword.

"We had to go through this too," Kanji said leading the team deeper into the place created by Naoto's heart.

The Laboratory was a veritable maze, eventually, they came to a sealed door which Kanji simply smashed open.

"Come on let's hurry up get to that kid already," Kanji demanded impatiently.

[-]-[-]-[-]-[-]-[-]

The team finally got to the hallway of the final floor, Rise detected that Naoto was in behind the door ahead. One again they could see inside of the lab on the monitors that they passed as they headed for the door, where they saw Naoto and his shadow. Who was frozen in place, shock and fear keeping the detective from moving

"You heard what they all say…You're just a little kid…A little stupid kid…" The Shadow said with a malevolent smile on its face. "No one cares about you. Just your ability to solve puzzles. Once they're done with you, then it's back to the playpen."

The colour of the operating theatre lights changed from light green to malevolent red.

"When they need you, they're nice and when they're done they're not and that's hard for you to take. It makes you a lonely child…" Naoto tried to retreat backward while gasping. Screens in the background behind Naoto displayed the Shadow. "I'm finally ready to grow up and be a man for once. I want people to see me for who I really am! I want a reason to stay alive!"

"Go away. I can find my own reasons to stay alive…" Naoto fell to his knees.

"No, you can't. Not unless you can change the person you are. A child."

"Stop saying that!" Naoto demanded covered his ears.

"Remember all those handsome, strong men you read about in detective novels? You wanted to be just like them, didn't you?" The shadow continued its taunt. "Flip it around and you'll see…you admired them because you knew you always would be a child."

"It's not true!" Naoto whimpered.

" Naoto Shirogane. Such a rugged, masculine name you've got, but…"

"SHUT UP!"

"…it still doesn't change the truth…"

"STOP IT!" Naoto said, grabbing the Shadow by the shirt.

"The gender barrier is so difficult. Overcoming it is daunting. That's why you tried so hard to be this cool, powerful man. But that would be rather difficult since you're not even a guy!"

Everyone let out noises of surprise.

"Whoa! Did I hear that right or did things just get wacky in my head?"

"So wait…that dude isn't a dude, then?" Kanji asked shocked.

"There's no point in whining over it…" Naoto said, her voice beginning to crack. "It's not going to change anything!"

"You've heard that from a whole lot of people, haven't you…'Stop crying, Naoto, it won't fix anything. Just get over it," The Shadow said on one of the large screens. "But that just makes you want to cry more…and here you are, saying the exact same thing. What're you trying to protect?" The Shadow moved forward and put her arms on Naoto's shoulders. "You can stop pushing yourself. I know exactly how you feel. I promise. I mean, after all, I am you…"

"You're not…"

"Don't say it!" Chie cried.

"Lay off! She has to get through this…" Kanji yelled as he ran towards the door to the lab.

"Kanji!" Yu called after the boy.

"If we don't help her through this, she'll suffer forever!" Kanji pulled his arm back and smashed down the door with a powerful punch.

"You're not me. You're NOTHING LIKE ME!" Naoto yelled.

"HA-HA-HA-HA!" Shadow Naoto laughed, and then purple fog enveloped her and she transformed.

"Right…now get ready…" Kanji said.

When Shadow Naoto appeared again, she had changed. For one her face was robotic and She was dressed in a tattered red coat with a black tight and sleeveless shirt with silver accents and a metal plate on her collar. Her black pants had two black straps on her thighs, and another two strapped around her shins separate from each other. She wore black metal plated shoes, which appear to be attached to her trousers. There were also jet wings protruding from her back and there were jets on each side which allowed her to hover.

"I am a Shadow…of your True Inner Self…"

"We just gotta do our thing and kick some serious ASS!" Kanji cried a fist clenched in determination as installed Heracles.

"How dare you act so high and mighty? You're a hothead…and I loathe hotheads. Your emotions always get the best of you…Come on, it's time to reassign some body parts!"

"No, don't!" Naoto cried as manacles clamped around her forearms and lifted her onto the operation table. "Lemme GO!"

"It's time!" Yu declared as he installed Gawain.

"YEAH!" Everyone else agreed, installing their own Persona's.

"What? More people tired of who they are?" Shadow Naoto asked. "Well, I'll just have to add you to the operating table!"

In her right hand appeared a matte black, western-style straight bow. In her left was a sword, except it was strange, the blade of the sword coiled into a spiral. When the shadow placed it on the bow it seemed to change, becoming more like an arrow.

"What is that?" Yosuke asked.

"Oh Shit." Cu Chulainn cursed.

"IT'S A NOBLE PHANTASM SCATTER!" Rise cried urgently which caused everyone to run in different directions.

The Group was just barely away when the arrow was loosed, when it impacted their previous position exploded, the sheer power sending some of them flying even while escaping the worst of the damage.

"My ears are ringing." Yosuke groaned from on the ground across the room.

"What the hell was that?" Chie groaned as she stood back up.

"It was Calabolg." Cu Chulainn growled, "That was Uncle's Noble Phantasm, but how did this shadowy bastard get it?"

"I don't think we can keep ourselves, ok come Gawain!" Yu commanded, releasing the install and summoning Gawain directly.

"Another pest I must destroy!" A pair of hands seemed to build themselves out of Shadow Naoto's back, each on holding some kind of sword. The arms promptly detached began flying like rockets homing on Yu. Gawain intercepted the sword holding arms but they both exploded upon contact with his sword kicking up smoke.

"Narukami!" Chie cried.

"Be careful!" Rise warned, using Tamamo.

Analysis: Attack will be repeated.

"She's about to use the same attack. Quickly! Change Personas!" Rise yelled as another pair of arms with a sword in their grasp appeared on shadow Naoto's back and launched themselves.

"Lancelot!" Gawain vanished in a swirl of blue flames and Lancelot took his place letting out a roar.

He charged forwards, snatching the sword from the grasp of the flying hands which simply exploded and kept going towards Shadow Naoto, who already had more sword hands ready, six instead of two. Even so, Lancelot was not impeded, with skill he slashed and destroyed the arms, preventing any of them from getting past him.

He quickly closed the gap only for Shadow Naoto quickly fly away leaving Lancelot a sword which quickly became brighter before exploding in his face.

"She's so fast!" Yu growled as Shadow Naoto avoided the attacks from Lancelot again as she flew around the room.

"Indeed." Came the voice of the Persona of the Hermit Arcana. "With those wings, she's far too fast, she'll just keep retreated and striking from a distance."

Shadow Naoto took the opportunity to fire far more swords at the, luckily Chie and Kanji intercepted them while Yukiko tried counter-attacking with gunshots.

"Summon me, Then I'll use my Noble Phantasm, it should at least create a weak point after that, use my student, he'll be able to do more damage and close the gap."

"Alright, here goes, change Chiron!" Lancelot vanished in a swirl of blue flames, in his place was a calm-looking man, gentle like a calm sea. He wore a somewhat archaic style of dress. He was a man of delicate features clad in leather Armor.

"Are you sure about this? What if she dodges?" Yu asked Chiron who chuckled in response.

"Worry not, my Noble Phantasm has a tracking ability and will always hit the target I decide." Chiron responded, "However its power is rather low, so you'll need to follow up."

"Guys, keep her busy, I have a plan," Yu ordered receiving nods from the others.

"Culverin Canons!" A pair of canons appeared beside Yukiko and fired at the shadow which continued flying around and dodging.

Yosuke followed up with a jab from Gae Buidhe as she passed by, but she moved to evade and kept on going. She made a sharp turn upwards to avoid a sweeping attack from Kanji.

"You are all so annoying!" Shadow Naoto growled as she launched several swords at Chie who was blown backwards.

"Stop it! That's enough! Don't hurt them anymore!" Naoto pleaded.

"I just need them to sit still! Otherwise, how can I fill their bodies full of holes?" Shadow Naoto asked darkly. "Ever since I was little, I've been bad at making friends. Then my parents died in that accident and Grandfather took me in, I haven't made a single friend since…"

Naoto was unable to deny it, this was true. She hadn't made any friends since her parents died.

"That's why Grampa would allow me to tag along and help solve his cases…Before long, I was the 'Genius Child Detective.'" Shadow Naoto laughed mockingly. "At first everyone went crazy over me… Then the critics tried to discredit me…pointing to my age or gender. That's when I decided to grow up and become an adult. But it's much harder to change the fact that I'm a girl…And growing up will not change that fact. That's why my little present to you is gonna be a whole new life!" The Shadow pointed the bow at Naoto

Naoto closed her eyes and braced herself for what was to come next.

"Cut the crap, bitch!" Kanji yelled as Heracles hurled a piece of rubble at Shadow Naoto.

Naoto opened her eyes in time to see her Shadow dodge the makeshift missile.

"Look, I really suck at making friends too," Kanji yelled "But who GIVES A SHIT?!"

Naoto gasped at Kanji's words.

"I really hate muscle-bound buffoons…" Shadow Naoto commented.

Heracles picked up a steel girder and ran at Shadow Naoto, Kanji himself let out a battle cry as he charged with his Persona.

Shadow Naoto retaliated by loading an arrow into the bow and firing it at the Persona, who simply shrugged it off and kept charging. When the next few shots didn't work she fired at Kanji instead, forcing Heracles to stop his charge and protect his master.

"Ok now. Antares Snipe!" It was quick, from the ceiling, a thin yellow beam crashed down and struck true spearing Shadow Naoto through the back directly between her shoulders. "Now Achilles, finish it!"

"Change, Achilles!" The Arcana changed becoming the Temperance and out it appeared a young man with roguishly handsome face and blonde hair that almost looked like it was green, his eyes were that of a Raptor constantly in search of prey.

"Alright, my turn." Achilles smirked gleefully.

The armour around his legs vanished and so did he. One moment he was in front of Yu and the next he was next to Shadow Naoto.

So while Shadow Naoto was fast she was no match for Achilles who was famed for his speed. Which threw Shadow Naoto off, he promptly used his spear and with a couple of powerful swipes, the shadow screamed as the screeching of metal came from her back, her wings let out a small explosion and erupted into fire sending her spiralling downwards to crash into the ground.

When the shadow sat up she found a spear pointed at her throat.

"You're beaten, now die with some dignity." Achilles said.

"You're a fool if I were you I'd watch my Achilles Heel!" The moment the words were spoken, a red arrow impaled itself into the legendary heel. The effect was instantaneous, the invincibility which Achilles was famous for, left him. Then swords surrounded him, and impaled him all at once, piercing his lungs, his heart, his stomach, everything that could be pierced was.

"G-gods damn it!" Achilles cursed as blood dribbled from his mouth. "It's has been a while since my last loss. ...My bad, Master."

With that, the legendary Hero vanished, forced to retreat back into Yu's soul to recover.

"W-what happened?!" Chie cried.

"He was defeated?"

"He got cocky." Chiron told them with a sigh "He was so assured of his victory that he never saw it coming, a rookie mistake."

"Guess I just have to finish this off, ok, come Altera!" Yu summoned the Death Arcana which had the image of a Saber on it. But instead of being rushed like normal, it seemed to crackle, then all of a sudden, chains wrapped around the card before it vanished. Any attempts to summon it caused Yu a headache.

"What the hell?" Cu Chulainn gasped.

"What happened to the Death Arcana?" Gawain asked with confusion.

"It looks like it was sealed, but how and why?" Medea asked.

"Alright, fine, let's try Vlad" The Devil Arcana appeared, a Lancer class this time.

The Persona was dressed in a royal fashion, appearing as black as a shadow in the night, contrasted with his pale face and long, silk-like white hair.

"Finally, It is my turn. I will finally erase that stain from my name!" Vlad laughed "But first, begone from my sight, Kazikli Bey!"

It happened in an instant, several stakes appeared from the ground impaling the shadow and rendering it helpless.

"Now it is truly over, no matter what Noble Phantasms you copy, you cannot escape death." Vlad declared.

"NOOO!" Everyone suddenly looked to see someone standing atop a large castle shaped amplifier.

The figure was a young fair girl with mid-back length pink hair tied with purple ribbons and light blue eyes. She had slender figure and is clad in a cyber-goth-loli dress with white detached sleeves, with a circular skirt and several belts on the top connected to her collar that covers her chest area and wore knee-high shoes with two sharp spikes. She has long pink claws instead of fingers. Her most prominent features were the dragon horns, and the protruding dragon fangs, along with a long draconic tail and pink scales scattered throughout her body. In her hand was a lance that doubled as a microphone stand.

"No, no, no it can't be over yet! I haven't had the chance to debut yet!" She cried with distress.

"Uh, who is that?"

"You fool what are you even doing here?" Vlad yelled losing his composure "The battle is decided."

"I don't even remember calling on her," Yu commented.

"As the number one idol in the world, I can't allow myself to be overlooked for a debut, after all, who knows when the next chance will come." She responded, "Now be in awe, I am Elizabeth Bathory and now prepare to hear the greatest hit among heroic spirits."

"I'm not supplying her with prana so how is she getting ready to use it?" Yu wondered.

"Forget it just run for it!" Vlad yelled urgently as Elizabeth took in a deep breath.

Kanji lifted up Naoto and the whole team did as instructed. They could hear the cacophonous noise coming from behind them. As it continued the whole structure began to crack and break apart causing them to run faster until finally, they cleared it just as the whole thing came down.

[-]-[-]-[-]-[-]-[-]

With the battle finally over the team was gathered around Naoto.

"I guess…now you know my whole story…" Naoto said, her voice now more feminine.

"Do you think people won't take you seriously as a girl? Is that why you dress like a boy?" Yukiko asked.

"It just doesn't match my image of a cool detective," Naoto said. "And I don't want to be sidelined by the stupid critics, so why give them more ammunition for that?"

"Sounds like a load of shit to me…" Kanji stated bluntly causing Naoto to gasp.

"You know the real truth, right?" Yukiko said with a smile. "You don't want to become an adult… or for that matter even be changed into a man…"

"Time for you to try facing yourself," Yu said motioning her head towards her shadow which had returned to the form with the too large scientist lab coat.

Naoto turned and saw the crackling static form of her Shadow, back in the scientist guise.

"Look, I tried my best to ignore you…" She said as she got up and started walking towards her Shadow. "…And keep the child locked deep inside. But no matter how hard I tried, you were always there. I am you… and you are me."

"It's been my dream to someday become a cool,hardboiled detective!'" Shadow Naoto said happily as she became enveloped in a blue glow.

"When I should have wished for…No…What I will wish for…is not to become an adult or man. But rather to accept you as you are…"

Naoto's Shadow changed in a flash of blue. The Shadow reformed as a tall tan-skinned man with white hair, wearing a red cloak.

"I am just a nameless Persona under the Archer class of the Fortune Arcana, I'll be your Persona from now on." He said simply before changing into a card an Arcana card, the Fortune Arcana. It spun down into Naoto's hands. She cupped them and took the card causing it to vanish and turn into a warm blue glow which sank into Naoto's body.

"I don't know how you guys did it…It's impressive…Keeping this secret so long. No wonder the police couldn't gain any traction… in this… case…" Naoto fell to her knees as her legs buckled beneath her.

"That's quite a fight you had…" Yosuke said with a chuckle.

"You went all out…" Chie said. "You totally put your life on the line."

"I had faith in you. I knew you guys would come for me…"

"Dumbass, it was a huge gamble!" Kanji said. "You ain't no genius at all. You're just frickin' crazy…"

"Maybe, but now I know for myself, that this case is far from solved."

[-]-[-]-[-]-[-]-[-]

[Wizard Marshal Zelretch's office, Clock Tower, London]

"What the hell was that?" Waver demanded glaring at the old vampire tossing a Saber Class card down on the desk that seemed to change to the Death Arcana before settling back on the image of Saver. "Is this one of your pranks?"

"I had nothing to do with this." Zelretch replied calmly "Hassan of the Hundred faces was supposed to be in the Death Arcana, but someone else meddled with it and put Atilla the Hun in their place. I managed to seal her before Narukami could summon her proper and the contract was established."

"Ok, but who would switch out Hassan for Atilla the Hun and Why?"

"Easy to discern who simply guess what her wish would be," Zelretch told him

"And what would that be?"

"The Destruction of Human Civilization, so if our side won the War all their Persona's would get their wishes granted and we lose by winning."

"There aren't many with the power to alter this Holy Grail never mind tap into the system and bring another heroic spirit into the system." Lord El Melloi II rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"It's Nyarlothep, turning our victory into a defeat so he wins his wager with Philemon its one of his favourite tricks." Zelretch sighed and bridged his hands, "Oh and you might want to back away from the Card."

"Why?" Waver asked before glancing down at the Card and seeing a pitch-Black Butterfly had landed atop it, seeing it gave Waver a sense of dread.

The butterfly began to fly off, with the Persona Card firmly in its grasp, as it did so a malicious chuckling could be heard in echoing throughout the room.

"Nice laugh jackass, go back to Saturday morning cartoons where you belong," Zelretch called after the butterfly as it vanished taking the card with it.

"He stole the card!" Waver exclaimed.

"Let it go, he's thinking ahead planning his next move for after the war." Zelretch placed his hands behind his head and looked up at the Stoney ceiling of his office.

"Well, there another matter, pretty much everyone in the Clock Tower is staying away from Inaba as you said, except for one group, they dispatched a pair of magi to make contact with Narukami." Waver said.

"Idiots he's an awakened Persona User, they'll never leave that place alive."

"But they want to talk to him about their own goals, they don't know."

"Doesn't matter, the Nakamura's have special permission to be near Persona users, have them record what happens to those messengers and I'll forward it to 'them' and they'll think twice and wait patiently like they should have." Zelretch leaned back in his chair. "Oh and one more thing, I had to put Kojiro Sasaki in as the Magician Arcana's heroic spirit."

"Wait, what about Semiramis?" Waver yelled with frustration.

"Well…"

[-]-[-]-[-]-[-]-[-]

Outside the Velvet, Club Semiramis stood opposite a person who had asked to speak with her in private, as such they were outside and away from the windows, fortunately, another brawl was going on inside so everyone was pre-occupied thus allowing the her the person she was meeting to remain undisturbed.

"So, what do you think of my offer?" The figure opposite her asked calmly.

"Hm…to do what you request would require me to sever my current contract and put my wish on hold," Semiramis replied with an even tone but the other person could tell she was intrigued. "Plus I would require a new Persona user chosen by the Grail in order to contract with."

"Don't worry, I have such details all figured out, my sponsor can make sure the Grail will select my candidate, and that the Grail start another war very soon after this one." They chuckled "All of the pieces are in place, including the energy needed in order for the Grail to actually grant our wishes. All I need is your trust."

"Hmmm…very well I agree, I can wait, I am nothing if not patient and I am wasted here anyway." In the palm of her hand materialised the Magician Arcana, she promptly took it and tossed it aside, it lost its glow as it did so and floated gently to the ground, the contract severed.

"Well, let's depart shall we?"

"Indeed, I've had enough of this place."

With that, the two walked away vanishing into the starry void near surrounding the Velvet Club.