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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[21st November, Residential Area, Inaba]

"Not the killer?! But he-"

"-Summoned his Persona for the first time in that world when we caught him." Yu cut Yosuke off with a loud yet serious tone. "Think about it, all the fanfare and then the shadows merging with her, why did that happen? And remember the bunker?"

"Right, the killer's Persona attacked us then and was concealed by the fog." Rise pointed out. "So if Namatame was the killer, why didn't his persona use the fog in the fight?"

"That's not all, the killer's persona showed up in the middle of the fight," Naoto said.

"Wait, when? I don't remember seeing them." Chie asked with confusion.

"It was when Archer was using Rho Aias to shield us from her Noble Phantasm." Naoto explained "Yu and I managed to open our eyes during that, and we noticed the fog getting thicker, then something leapt over our heads."

"And then Saber raised Excalibur and sent the blast over the shield, presumably because she saw them coming." Archer finished crossing his arms and leaning against a wall as he materialised.

"It annihilated the killer's Persona all in one go, and that was after taking down Heracles and a few minutes against the Aias." Yu recounted.

"Sheesh." Kanji gulped.

"It's not that surprising, the' kings holy sword was a thing of legend even before she wielded it," Gawain commented.

"She isn't considered a top class heroic spirit for nothing." Archer chimed in.

"So we're back to square one, what do we do now?" Yosuke grumbled.

"Now, we wait for Namatame to be able to talk and get his side of the story, he has to have done these kidnappings for a reason," Yu answered with a nod.

"And if we know why, we'll be one step closer to knowing who the killer might be." Naoto agreed. "At this point, even the smallest clue could be a big hint."

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

[?, Class 2-2? Yasogami High? Inaba?]

Yu found himself seated at his desk in class. But something was off. For one he was alone. Secondly, the sun was setting, nearly halfway below the horizon. No, it was more than that, he couldn't really hear any sounds of life at all. No birds, no insects, never mind anyone else in the school.

"You need to stop." Yu was startled by the voice and shot up from his desk and whirled around to see a blonde, blue-eyed 12-year-old Caucasian girl wearing the Yasogami high uniform seated just next to him.

"W-what? Who-"

"You can me Abby." The girl smiled brightly at him before adopting a more serious expression. "You need the Persona of the Jester, you cannot defeat the culprit without it."

"But, the Jester is empty, there isn't a persona there," Yu told her, he was sure of it, it had been empty since it first manifested when he bonded with Adachi.

"It's not good to lie to others, but more importantly to yourself." She lectured him with a stern expression on her face, she kept going cutting off any retort he might have. "Ever since you began to see more and more of who he truly was, you've had an inkling that he might be the culprit, but you treasured your bond so much that you suppressed those feelings."

Suddenly the Jester Arcana manifested itself in front of Yu, spinning gently in the air. Ten it flew off towards the blackboard and burst to reveal a humanoid figure who was very deeply shrouded in a black aura, so much so that no details could be made out aside from being humanoid.

"She's right of course," Yu said to the silhouette. "I rejected you, because of what you meant, what you represented about me. I...I hate my parents. I can accept that now, these feelings. So can you give me another chance?"

The figure seemed to grin and then stuck out its hand, Yu took it and felt a surge of power. The wind seemed to pick up throwing desks around before a jolt of power shot through him. He then felt the pact had been complete. The figure returned to the Jester Arcana which settled inside of Yu. He could feel it, another soul from beyond within him.

"There's one more thing," Abby said, unaffected by the display. "I spoke to Alice."

This got Yu's attention and he whipped around to face her.

"I can go anywhere, even to the place where the dead are," Abby explained. "She told me, that she wants you to forgive your parents for what happened and move on from her. They did what they did to protect you, as a wraith, she was draining the life force from you, even if she didn't want to hurt you."

Yu felt himself fall and sit on the teacher's desk. he sighed as he looked at Abby. A million things flew through his mind before his thoughts settled down.

"If it's Alice asking, then I can forgive especially knowing the reasons," Yu said with resignation. "However, Alice is just one part of it all, they abandoned me with one uncaring relative or another until I came to Dojima. They never listened or talked to me unless they wanted something. Now they just decided my future because it benefits them. They don't know my favourite food, my favourite colour, they don't know anything about me. There's so much that I just can't forgive, so much that I hate them for, I'll have to live that."

"Well, that's the best we'll get I suppose." Abby sighed. "Well, the Holy Grail war is reaching its climax, but your journey has so much farther to go, but please don't give up, remember its always darkest before the dawn."

"The way you talk, have we met?"

"No." Abby giggled "At least not yet, I'll be watching over you until we do though, so make sure you don't give up."

She placed her hand on his cheek and then, with a start Yu found himself sitting upright in his bed. Outside his window the sun beginning to rise over the town. The dream he just had, was already beginning to slip away, however, he remembered some important parts, the jester, he needed it and had accepted it, making a contract. Now he knew what he had to do. Talk to Namatame and then, confront the real killer.

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

[3rd December, Inaba Municipal Hospital, Inaba]

Having gotten a call from Adachi, Yu rushed to the hospital with the gang in tow. However, when they got into Nanako's room, they didn't find the little girl in danger, but instead her sleeping soundly along with two others in the room. It was Romani and Aika.

"Man, we got here just in time." Romani sighed before flopping into a nearby chair. "Oh hey, you don't have to worry, I managed to stabilise her. Medical magecraft is my speciality after all."

"Oh thank goodness." Rise sighed, the others all agreeing with her giving him thanks.

"Thank you, for saving her," Yu said gratefully looking over at his cousin.

"No problem, I am a doctor after all." Romani smiled. "You should also thank Aika if she hadn't given me a ride I might not have made it on time."

"I hypnotised the hospital staff and Dojima, as far they're concerned nothing happened," Aika stated.

"Hey, didn't Adachi give you the call, where the hell is that guy?" Kanji asked looking around outside the room but not spying the cop anywhere.

"Well, he wasn't here when we got here, but he did appear and take Dojima back to his room after Aika hypnotised him," Romani stated rubbing the back of his head.

"He just popped up to take Dojima back to his room? He never checked on Nanako?" Naoto inquired.

"He might've been here and left before us," Romani answered with a shrug.

"Forget Adachi, we need to talk to Namatame." Yosuke pointed out.

"Nanako's going to be ok, I'll be back later," Yu said before turning to leave the room with the others.

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

The team headed to the secure ward where Namatame was being held. With hypnotism, it was simple to get past the guard and a bounded field ensured that their conversation would be private.

Namatame sat in his bed. His eye's widened at seeing them.

"Nanako survived," Yu told the man. "If it weren't for Romani then she really would died because of you and my feeling would be much different than they are."

"Namatame. There's something we'd like to ask you." Naoto began.

The man silently waited for her to continue.

"It's tempting to think that you were the culprit behind this entire case. And to be honest...there are many in this town who hope you are. But we are here to learn the truth. So please...answer our questions."

"Is "saving" killing people?" Yu asked.

"No...If nobody saves them, they'll be killed...That's why...I put them in there..." Namatame replied.

"Did you kill those two girls?"

"They were killed...I couldn't save them..."

"Who'd you throw in first?"

"Huh...? Me?" Yukiko exclaimed as Namatame pointed at her.

"Then tell me if my estimation is correct so far. After discovering the Yamano and Konishi incidents, you realized an appearance on the Midnight Channel meant certain death. Thus, to "save" her from that fate, you kidnapped Yukiko Amagi...You couldn't let her be killed, so you threw her into the TV, preventing the killer in this world from reaching her." Naoto stated recapping events. "And you repeated the process, as more individuals appeared on the Midnight Channel...It all falls into place. His body is weak, but his mind is sound. He's trying to tell us the truth..."

"Yeah, but if the stuff he's saying is true..." Yosuke trailed off.

"So it was the real killer who murdered the first two victims..." Rise finished. "Just like we thought.

"Indulge us in a few more questions.

"Why the warning letters?" Yu asked this was a critical piece of evidence that he needed to get out of the way.

"Letters what are you talking about...?" Namatame asked confused.

"I was sent two warning letters, the first said "don't rescue anymore" And the second one said, if you don't stop this time, someone close to you will be put in and killed," Yu told him.

"Hold on that doesn't make sense." Rise chimed in. "Why would he tell us to stop saving them if he thinks he's trying to do the same thing."

"Yeah and now that I think about it the way those letters were written is kinda messed up too." Kanji "I mean, wouldn't the killer own that shit and say 'I'll throw them in and kill 'em.'"

"That proves it, he's not the killer that we were after, he only summoned his Persona for the first time recently, and his mentality doesn't match the warning letters," Naoto said rubbing her chin thoughtfully. "Alright Please...Tell us everything you can...Calmly and slowly.

"You're willing to listen...to my story...?" Namatame asked with surprise.

"Yes, you might have an important clue that could identify the real killer," Yu said. "So please start from the beginning."

"...All right..."

Soon after my affair with Mayumi became common knowledge, I returned to my parents' home, as if to run away from the scandal...And I started drinking heavily to drown my anxieties...I hadn't been able to reach Mayumi at all, and that didn't help, either.

She'd been disgraced on all the afternoon shows and forced to resign from the program she was on. I caused her so much trouble...I wanted to at least apologize to her, but I couldn't even do that...I lost the will and energy to do anything...Then one day, the rumour I heard some time ago came back to me. Since I had nothing better to do, I sat down blankly in front of the TV and watched my own reflection and all of a sudden there was Mayumi on the TV screen.

Mayumi inside the TV looked as if she was calling to me for help. When I reached out unthinkingly to touch her. My Arm disappeared into the TV as if I had dipped it into a pool of water.

"I was so shocked that I lost my balance and nearly fell face-first into the TV. I was so scared. I couldn't understand what just happened. I thought maybe I'd gone insane. In the end, I decided to think of it as just a dream, and I went back to the city the next day after finishing work. The next afternoon, when I got to work...I was fired on the spot, as I expected. That wasn't what broke me, though..." Namatame cast his downward pitifully. "It was Mayumi being found dead. And not just that, but it had happened in my hometown."

"I was dumbstruck, but later on...I remembered the image of Mayumi I'd seen that night. "Was it not a dream...? Could it really have been an SOS from Mayumi...?" I hadn't touched another TV, because the first time was so terrifying, but I decided to try it again...And I confirmed that none of it was a dream. So that image...Was it something Mayumi showed me, calling for help?... That's how I felt."

"And eventually...you learned of the Midnight Channel," Naoto concluded.

"I remembered that when Mayumi was alive, she was chasing a rumour about some bizarre TV program. I'd heard about it before, but I thought it was just an urban legend." Namatame continued his explanation. "But then Mayumi appeared on it, and later turned up dead. The more I thought about it, the harder it became to believe that the two events were unrelated. Soon after that, I came back to Inaba to answer the police's questions. I'd lost my job, and I wanted to know the truth of Mayumi's death for myself. Then, on another rainy night, someone else appeared on the Midnight Channel...It was a girl. She looked like she was calling for help, just like Mayumi. The first thing that came into my mind was, "Maybe this girl will be the next to die..."

"And that was Saki-senpai..."

"I'd been following all the news about Mayumi, so I noticed right away that she was the girl who found Mayumi's body. And if my hunch was right, she'd be the next victim. I didn't want her to die the way Mayumi did. So I desperately kept watching...I was consumed with the idea of rescuing her. Then...little by little, her image on the screen came into sharper focus."

"It became sharper...?" Chie wondered.

"...How did you find out it was her?" Yosuke asked seriously.

"After I came back, my father couldn't bear to see me in such low spirits and gave me a job with the family business. I met that girl when I delivered a package to the liquor store..." Namatame answered sadly. "After agonizing over it, I decided to meet her and told her to be careful."

"You used the business as a cover in order to get around town and get into contact with the people who appeared on the Midnight Channel," Teddie exclaimed. "Beary clever."

"That same night on the TV, She looked as if she was being engulfed by some black shape. She was writing in pain." Namtame gripped his blanket tightly with anger before releasing a sigh. "The next day, they found her dead."

"I knew she was gonna be murdered, but I couldn't save her. I blamed myself, thinking there must have been something I could've done...There was no one who depended on me. Nobody at work...Not even my wife. Mayumi was the only one who accepted me for who I was. But she was murdered, and the same person killed another girl...I was...I was beside myself...I couldn't forgive myself for doing nothing!"

"You really did love Ms Yamano..." Chie realised.

"Yes, from the bottom of my heart..." Namatame confessed. "Before I was married, my wife made it big in show business. I was happy for her, but it put a strain on our relationship."

"...I think I can kinda relate." Rise said with a sigh.

"It was around that time when I met Mayumi...She was interviewing our candidate for the next election. She was a big-name announcer, but she only worked with local stations, and her attitude towards work was similar to mine. We both came from Inaba, so she was easy to talk to...I knew it was wrong, but I couldn't help getting intimate with her. She...gave meaning to my life." Namtame continued his confession. "Soon after Saki was found dead, yet another girl appeared on TV...That was you."

"That was when you made the connection, that people who appear in the Midnight Channel will die, but if you knew that then why didn't you try and talk to the police?" Naoto inquired. "Even a crazy lead is better than none."

"I tried after Saki's body was found." Namatame insisted. "But the guy on the other end said that it sounded like a fantasy, that if I really thought something was going to then I should give her shelter somewhere safe. Then after he hung up the Midnight Channel came on and I saw her again." He motioned to Yukiko. "The image of her on the TV seemed to smile at me, and it came to me. That maybe the other side was safe, or at least better than being killed and I figured I could just let her out again once things had calmed down."

"You gotta be kidding me you-" Chie was cut off as Yu suddenly held his arm to silence her. "Narukami?"

Yu was silent for a few moments, pieces of evidence put themselves together in his mind. Leading to a single conclusion. But more flashes went past his mind's eye, of the times they shared together. Part of him a small but dark part didn't want to do it. Yu pressed on regardless.

"Amazing, that basically proves that it was him," Yu spoke the words exactly.

"Wait, proves what?"

"Who?"

"I'm kinda lost here Senpai."

Naoto, however, caught on to what he was saying and gasped with shock.

"Are you saying what I think you're saying?" She asked looking to him with shock as the gears in her head began to turn.

"As a cop, he could easily keep track of the investigation and all he had to do was get lucky, and be the one to answer Namatame's call," Yu stated logically. "I've hung out with him more than a few times, and I've seen glimpses of his true self no matter how well he hides it, putting all those pieces together he probably directed Namatame to do all this for kicks," Yu explained with a sigh.

"It makes sense, he'd be able to get close to Mayumi Yamano and Saki Konishi and no one would think twice about it." Naoto realised as she began putting the pieces together. "And he's had his Persona since the beginning maybe even longer, after all, they attacked you in the bunker, but not only that they killed several officers in the Port Island Police department and destroyed the security footage as well as the equipment just before they went in and attacked you."

"Ok, hold can you guys please clue the rest of us in!" Yosuke demanded frustrated at being unable to follow the conversation.

"Yeah, who is?" Teddy inquired.

"It's Adachi," Yu revealed simply causing the others to gasp with shock.

"Adachi? That useless asshole?" Kanji asked sceptically.

"That can't be...I mean, he said he came to escort Ms Yamano and..."

"What...? Was he at your inn when the announcer was staying there?" Naoto inquired cutting Yukiko off.

"When Ms Yamano was staying at our inn, the media were swarming all over it. That's when Adachi arrived, saying he had been assigned to guard her...He told our waitress that fame could be rough..." Yukiko explained.

"Guard her...? He didn't spend the night there?"

"Huh...I wonder if he knew Ms Yamano..."

"I dunno about that, but I heard he did call out to a girl in my class," Kanji said. "I found out this afternoon. But I thought, y' know, that's just how cops are, so I didn't think it had anything to do with the case..."

"Detective Adachi also questioned Saki, the one who found the announcer's body, on numerous occasions. I heard it was because there was so little information about the case at the time, but..." Naoto said. "It's certainly unusual to question someone with as strong an alibi as hers multiple times..."

"Then you think he had something else on his mind?"

"And that "something" is what connects those two victims to Adachi-san...? Come to think of it...We've been running into that guy a lot, in all sorts of places. And every time, he'd tell us what the police were doing before saying "Oops, I said too much" and clamming up." Yosuke realised, his eyes widening. "Was that all to throw us off the trail...?"

"Nah, I bet he was leading us on," Kanji growled. "He was playing us for suckers."

"It would be no problem for him to drop that warning letter into your mailbox, either..." Rise pointed out. "Not to mention the fact that he can destroy any evidence that might point to him."

"There's only one way to confirm this, we need to talk to Adachi," Yu said firmly.

The team turned and began to head to the door, only to stop as Namatame called out.

"Wait! Your hand!" Namatame pointed at Yu's right hand, which upon inspection had a rather strange red circle on it glow with power. "Then, you're in the Holy Grail War too?"

"You know?" Naoto inquired

"Saber returned and spoke to me when I was recovering on my own." Namatame explained "She told me about the war, the Holy Grail and how it can grant any wish. When she told me, I was elated, I could bring back Mayumi and Saki, but then I remembered what I'd done. All damage I've caused. I'm not worthy to try and get the Grail, but you. You can, you have to stop the killer from getting it."

"That mark, what does it mean? Do you have one?" Naoto interrogated him.

"Yes, here, see," Namatame revealed his own right hand and showed one half of a mask, not dissimilar to the symbol that appeared in the circle Yu first summoned his Persona's. "Saber told me, that these seals, are part of a key. They only appear when the end phase of the Holy Grail War begins, it was triggered when we fought. These seals when put together become the key that opened the pathway to the Holy Grail. You can't get to it without them all."

"Which means, Adachi probably has the last one." Naoto sighed. "Which means conflict is inevitable."

"Take mine, and beat him, I know you'll do more good with the Grail than I could." Namatame insisted. "And Saber too, I know her power will serve you well."

"Wait, what do you mean Saber too?" Chie asked

"I don't understand all the details, but heroic spirit personas can be transferred to another person, because of the nature of the system and their contracts with us," Nametame explained. "She wants to help make up for what we did, not just because of her wish."

"My king," Gawain spoke gently materialising beside Yu.

Arturia appeared after a few seconds. Her skin a healthy colour, her eyes a gentle green, and her armour and dress a sky blue colour. She had a shamed look on her face and looked away from her knight.

"Sir Gawain, what you saw was…"

"Completely natural," Gawain stated firmly, causing her to flinch.

"But-"

"We knights thought only of ourselves back then. Never realising the immense burden you put onto your own shoulders." Gawain said sadly. "You always did try and do everything yourself without troubling others, but that's what we were there for to help you share your burden if only you'd told us of it. Humans are meant to share their burdens with friends and comrades after all."

"Merlin told me when I pulled out Caliburn, that to be a King was to no longer be human," Arturia replied still unable to face him.

"Then Merlin was a fool," Gawain stated harshly causing Arturia to gasp and almost turn to face him. "He may have been a powerful mage, a wise sage but he was far from infallible. To be a king is to no longer be human, that is nonsense. You have people who care about you, who finally understand your reasons."

A rumble of agreement came from Lancelot who materialised next to Gawain, nodding his head.

"So please, don't turn away. Let us carry this burden together, not just as your loyal knights, but as your comrades."

Both Lancelot and Gawain each held out a hand towards her. Finally, she let out a choked sigh. Her arm raised towards her eyes and brushed something away before she turned around and placed her hand in theirs with a smile.

"You have learnt to use your words Sir Gawain." She laughed.

"I have had much time to practice," Gawain replied with a smile.

"Now, then, master." She looked at Namatame who nodded.

"Please give me your hand." He requested, Yu obliged and put his right hand in Namatame's own.

"I Taro Namatame herby forfeit my rights to fight for the Holy Grail, and grant my key and my Persona to Yu Narukami." The red marking on Namatame's hand vanished, art the same time Arturia transformed into a card which floated just moving from his hand to Yu's as the mask half appeared within the circle.

The Card burst and Arturia appeared again.

"Under the Arcana of Judgement, in the Class of Saber I Arturia Pendragon accept this new contract, with my Holy Sword I shall light the way to the Holy Grail for you." She vowed as a small gust of wind blew through the room before settling down.

"Alright, just one thing left to do now," Yu stated.

"Yeah, we have to go confront Adachi and put an end to this," Yosuke said clenching his fists. "That scumbag is gonna pay."

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

Outside of Nanako's room, Romani and Adachi were talking. Aika stood a short ways away waiting for Romani to be done.

"Well, I'm happy you were able to save Nanako," Adachi said with a smile. "You're one hell of a doctor."

"Haha, thanks," Romani said rubbing the back of his head. "I don't get compliments too often, my boss is always saying what a slacker I am, but I work hard, wish she'd cut me some slack."

"I hear that." Adachi nodded with agreement. "One time, Dojima-ACK!" The detective suddenly flinched as something cut his right hand, and the glove he'd wearing on it fell off.

"Nice mark Adachi." Yu complimented him. "Looking for the one Namatame had?" he then held up his hand revealing his mark which had both parts.

"Tch!" Adachi clicked his tongue with annoyance and sneer appeared on his face. "Damn brats."

"Get away." Aika suddenly grabbed Romani and moved his away from, Adachi, retreating behind the Investigation team.

"What's going on?" Romani asked totally confused.

"You're the killer Adachi," Yu said matter-of-factly, "You wrote the letter, and you egged Namatame on into trying to 'save' people when you got his phone call, didn't you?"

"Two for two, clever," Adachi confessed with an annoyed growl.

"It was you?" Everyone looked to see Dojima standing there off to the side between them all. "You did all this?"

"I was the best in the academy and look where it got me," Adachi stated angrily.

As Adachi began his rant Yu watched Naoto silently project a knife and then reinforce it. Yu nodded at her and Naoto readied herself.

"Adachi!" She yelled getting his attention "Think fast!" She threw the knife at him with lightning speed.

He flinched back as the knife began approaching him, aimed squarely for his head. However, suddenly a familiar figured shrouded in thick fog appeared ad deflected the knife embedding it into the solid wall nearby.

"Damn it." Adachi cursed.

"What the hell is that?" Dojima asked with shock.

"It's his Persona," Yosuke explained.

"You should have kept a tighter leash on it ya punk," Kanji said.

"Yeah, if you hadn't let her attack us in the bunker and come in the middle of our fight with Namatame it might have taken us longer to figure out he was innocent." Chie declared.

"Yeah, well not a lot of things go my way," Adachi responded. "Anyway, I'll be going now, but follow if you dare you brats!"

With that, the fog became thicker and soon shrouded everyone's vision. The sound of retreating footsteps echoed through the hallways.

"Adachi!" Dojima yelled as the rookie escaped.

"I'll be waiting for you, morons, don't take too long. I want that wish, don't make me come for keys." Adachi taunted as he was gone.

In a few seconds, the fog cleared away, revealing the empty hallway. Adachi and his Persona had already escaped.

"What the hell was that? And what did he mean by wish?" Dojima demanded.

Before anyone could say anything Aika stepped in and Dojima's eye's glazed over.

"Don't worry." She said looking at Yu. "He'll only remember Adachi confessing and running away, but not the other stuff."

"Thank you."

"That would've been really complicated to explain," Yukiko said.

"So, do you guys need anything from me?" Romani asked. "This looks really bad, I'll do whatever I can to help."

"Don't worry about it. Come on." The team gave chase and entered a room which they heard the door to slam just a few seconds earlier. They burst in only to find the TV rippling and shoe vanishing into the screen.

"Damn it, he got away," Kanji yelled.

"We should all go home and rest up, tomorrow we'll go after him," Yu told decisively.

"Senpai, please don't go on alone." Naoto pleaded with him. "I understand that it must hurt since you seemed to have a personal relationship with him."
"Maybe that's why I can feel some sort of presence coming from the TV kind of like yours." Rise theorised. "He might be calling out to you."

Rise paused before realising something and continuing.

"Wait, never mind! Forget I said that! We're all going together, okay!?" She yelled

"Promise us," Yosuke demanded.

"I promise I won't chase or fight him alone," Yu replied.
That gained satisfied nods from the people around him.

"Alright, we should get some rest, tomorrow is gonna be a big day," Naoto stated turning away to leave.

"Yeah." "Sounds good." "Let's go." "I'm beat."

And just like that, the team departed from the hospital heading home to rest up.

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

Instead of heading home, Yu found himself sat upon the ground just near the corner of the bookstore with Marie by his side. He'd found her waiting outside the Velvet Room. So he greeted her and she began walking and listening to him before seating themselves not far away.

"You want to go and see him?" She asked having listened to his story.

Yu nodded silently in response.

"But you promised your friends, you wouldn't chase him or fight alone." She pointed out.

"And I won't," Yu said finally. "He's calling out to me, if he goes into a dungeon I won't follow, but I know he'll be waiting, I just have to talk one more time."

"And what if he doesn't come to you?" She asked, "What if he wants to fight?"

"Then I'll leave, but I just have to know if he really is beyond saving."

"If he really is your friend, then go. But remember your promise to the others." Marie said firmly.

"I will, thank you." Yu stood up and walked away.

Marie also stood up and watched him go, heading towards Junes. She stopped just short of the door to the Velvet Room. She whipped around when she thought she heard fingers snapping but saw no one. Then she fell to her knees.

"W-what is this?" She groaned, gripping her head which felt like her brain was on fire.

Yu was too far away to here her as information flooded like a tidal wave into her mind.

"N-No, this can't…..I'm not!" She cried, tears falling from eyes as the pain throbbed as more information kept coming. "D-damn it!"
[-]-[-]-[-]-[-]-[-]

Yu arrived quickly in Junes electronic department. Nobody was around and so he quickly snuck into the TV world. Rise wasn't wrong, so Yu followed the presence and found himself back at the apartment building that he Yosuke and Chie had found when they first met Teddie.

"Are you sure about this?" Cu Chulainn asked. "You know as well as I do that this isn't going to go the way you want. He was never the person you thought he was."

"I know," Yu answered softly as he began making his way up the stairs. "It's stupid, foolish and its never going to work. But still, I need to turn this page myself, so I can face without any regrets."

Eventually, Yu came to the floor, and following his instincts entered the room which belonged to Mayumi Yamanno in this world. The room seemed empty as he looked around. But he knew Adachi was here.

"This is a problem." A familiar voice said from behind him as he felt something pressed again the back of his head.

"Why didn't you bring the rest of 'em?" Adachi asked "You're such a party pooper. You couldn't even bring your wannabe detective friend?"

"I need to talk to you," Yu replied simply.

"To...what, change my mind?" Adachi sneered. "Don't kid yourself."

The feeling of the gun vanished Yu turned around to find the space empty. He looked around and Adachi sat on a stool.
"Your whole gang should be here. You know, work together, beat the bad guy." He taunted mockingly. "Friendship, effort, victory...You guys love that stuff."

"I believed in you," Yu stated sadly.

"Oh really." Adachi scoffed before sneering at him more. "Just what was it about me that made you want to believe in me so bad?"

"Well?" He demanded after a silent pause. "I don't have anything to say to YOU. If crimes could be solved by appealing to morality, we wouldn't need the police! The person you believed in was a version of me who only existed in your head. You decided on your own to believe in me, and that decision betrayed you. Why complain about it to me?"

"I had to be absolutely sure," Yu said shaking his head. "That there really was no going back for you. Now I can do this without any regrets at all."

"You say the dumbest shit." Adachi snorted. "It's people like you, who come to be alone, naively thinking you can 'turn me around,' that piss me off the most." He drew his gun again and pointed it at Yu. "What do you think will happen if I shoot you?"

"You won't shoot me," Yu replied unafraid and ignoring the protests of his Persona's within.

"Wow, very optimistic! Is your brain rotting or something?"

There was a bang, and Yu felt the bullet brush past his ear, he could smell the acrid scent of burning gun smoke.

"Do you get it now?" he asked. "Let me tell you something when you beat Namatame, my Saber got a whole of information. I need you and your friends, alive. I'll take the key off you and when I do I'll drag you eight to the Holy Grail, there I'll throw you all inside it where you'll be sacrificed to power it. That's right, it needs you idiots for energy so I can make my wish. So I need more than just your part of the key. The grail will burn you up like fuel, mind body and soul and that wish will be all mine."

"To get a wish, I need to-"

"Sacrifice me and your little friends, or this war 'll never end." Adachi chuckled. "Now get lost I won't miss next time."

It didn't seem like a threat...But Yu don't think that could talk to Adachi anymore. He knew now that his relationship with Adachi has changed dramatically. Then he felt it, another Arcana, the true bond of his with Adachi. The Jester was still there, but this was new, and truly was empty. No soul connecting from beyond.

"Now choose, go back to your friends and bring them all here...Or you can die now."

Before Yu could speak, he included Arturia and raised Excalibur where it clashed with another sword. There Adachi Persona was, shrouded in fog, their sword fixed against his.

"Damn it, can you please cool your jets for once," Adachi complained.

"That sword is…" Before the persona could finish Yu channelled power into the sword. A bright golden light enveloping the blade.

"Gah, you crazy son of a-"

But there was no blast, just a massively bright light, which blinded both Adachi and his Persona. Allowing Yu to escape.

"Adachi, I'll be back and you will pay for what you've done," Yu called back to him.

"Come and try and you lousy brat!" he yelled after him.

Yu ran back to the entrance, the revelations whirling inside his head. However before he could use the exit, the whole world seemed to whirl around him. Then suddenly he was in his room in the Dojima household again. He quickly ran to the window and found the sky was normal, clear and starry, he wasn't on the other side anymore. But how? When he looked, he thought he a girl with a stereotypical witches hat tip her hat at him before vanishing and returning his reflection to normal.

Yu sighed and fell onto his backside. He needed rest.