Chapter 2: A Sign of War

Tatsuya Suou

Night – 30/10/2012 - Sumaru City

Currently enjoying his peaceful night break, Tatsuya Suou(Persona: Apollo) was sitting on his chair with his legs on the table. He was sitting in his office, and had just found the time for a break after a long work with a case left for him. But despite all the work he had to do, he felt no regret following his brother footsteps as a police officer, because this is his own decision.

He woke himself from his slumber when someone entered his office. He turned to the door, and couldn't help but smiled at the person in front of him. It was his brother, Katsuya Suou(Persona: Hyperion) standing by the door.

"Still working, at a time like this?" Katsuya said, walking towards him. "Maya will get worried if you stay up late."

Tatsuya was stunned for a moment, and looked at a small picture on the right side of his table. It was his wedding picture of him and his wife, Maya Amano(Persona: Artemis).

"Nah, she'll be fine. I told her about today's work, so she shouldn't be worrying much." Tatsuya replied as he slowly stood from his chair and reached for his jacket. "But I think you're right, I should go home to check on her to see if she's ok." He walked toward the door and turned to his brother, "I'll see you tomorrow."

With his bike, Tatsuya rode to his home, not far from the police station where he worked. It had been a couple of years after their marriage and they're blessed with one son, he lived happily even with his busy schedule and Maya active role as a writer for teen magazine.

But when he reached home that night, all the peaceful feeling had suddenly perished when he saw Maya. She was shivering and crying on the sofa, hiding her face in both of her knees. When she saw Tatsuya, she rushed to his side leaving Tatsuya in a confused stat. He slowly lifted Maya face and wiped her tears.

"Maya, what's wrong? Did our son see you like this?" He tried to calm her down.

Slowly, Maya began to ease herself and said, "No, he's didn't see me. I ask him to sleep early for his school, but…" Maya stopped herself again, trying to find the strength to tell her husband the truth.

"It's okay, you can tell me. Take as long as you need until you're ready." Tatsuya stroked his wife hair. With her husband words finally calmed her down, Maya looked directly into Tatsuya eyes.

"I have a strange dream, where Nyarlathotep comes back and destroy this world." Maya sadly said. The name Nyarlathotep itself brought terror to Tatsuya face, but she wasn't finished. "But in that dream, he bring along many more of his ally. They were four of them, and from the looks of it, they were more powerful and fearsome than Nyarlathotep himself. And at the middle of that destroy city where the four shadow stand, I saw four people, human, stand there facing the shadows." Maya stopped, almost like she's unable to say anything anymore.

"Wait wait wait, what do you mean by those human and shadow?" Tatsuya asked with curiosity, "Describe them for me. I really need to know."

Maya begin to speak again, "Behind Nyarlathotep, there were four shadows equipped with knight-like armor and weapons, riding a horse and looked like some warriors from ancient war. Facing them, there were four people wielding a weapon in hands. The first person appears to be wearing a black coat, probably in his early 30 and he has earring pierced on his ear. The second person is a young man with grey hair, wearing a school uniform and appeared to be holding a glowing blue card. The third person is a young man with blue hair, holding a gun and MP3 player is seen hanging on his neck. And the last person…" Maya paused for a moment and said, "He look just like you, holding a lighter on his right hand." She finished her word with depression in her eyes. Tatsuya himself is at lost for word when Maya mention him in her dream, he took out his lighter which he received a long time ago and put it back in his pocket after a quick observation.

"Tatsuya, I'm scared. What if everything I dream is real? What if that last person was really you?" Maya was in tears again, "What if anything happen to you?" Tatsuya again tried to find the right word to calm her again.

Holding her tight, he said, "Nothing is going to happen, okay? Besides, don't you remember? We defeated Nyarlathotep. Plus, me from the 'other side' had disappeared along with him to a distant place where he can't return 12 years ago." Tatsuya slowly released Maya from his hold and look at her eyes, "Even if they are real, I promise I'll be fine, I will defeat Nyarlathotep again, and I will never leave you, so don't cry anymore. 'Always think positive!', you always said that, right?" Tatsuya gave a warm smile towards Maya, and Maya thanked him before smiling like she always did.

"So that means you can still fight if the world still need you. Then I will ask you, lend me your strength once again, and save this world."

They're both startled by the sudden voice in the living room. Of course, they recognized Philemon's voice far too well, but he was nowhere to be seen. Instead, a mysterious velvet colored door appeared in the middle of the room, blue light emitting from inside. They looked at each other, and without a second thought, they opened the door and entered.

Night – 01/11/2012 – Velvet Room

Tatsuya and Maya were surprised to see the changes inside the room. There was no person to play the piano, no person to sing and no demon painter, unlike the Velvet Room they had seen. Instead, the room had become larger, large enough to fit 30 people inside. There was no furniture and decoration, except for seven chairs in the middle of the room facing forwards in the same direction. There was a big table in front of the seven chairs and on the other side of the table, Igor was seen sitting, placing his elbows on the table. Every four corners and wall of the room seems to be covered with velvet color, leave aside a large window behind Igor with nothing but blue fog for sight-seeing.

"Why hello there, we meet again, after all these years." Igor spoke, breaking the long silence in the room. "It's a pleasure to meet the persona users that defeated the 'Crawling Chaos' himself. It seems that you two have quite a wonderful life together. But on behalf of my master, I have to interrupt you two with a bad news. So please, have a sit." Igor gestured his hand towards the seven chairs. Tatsuya and Maya slowly take a seat and had just notice the two figure standing beside Igor.

"My apologies, I forgot to introduce to you to my assistant. This is Margaret," Igor raised his hand to his left side to show a woman with long blonde hair holding a book, her cloth was colored with velvet to resemble the velvet room itself. "And this is Theodore." Raising his hand to his right side to show a young man with short blonde hair who's also holding a book and wearing an outfit that resembles the room.

"It is an honor to meet the both of you." Theodore(Wild Card) and Margaret(Wild Card) said and bowed in a unison.

"I will discuss this matter as quickly as possible, since we don't have much time left." Igor smiled, but with a serious expression. "The reason I summon you here is to tell you two about the prophecy, a new one, after the 'Oracle of Maia' destroyed the other world. But this prophecy is unlike any other disaster that bestow upon mankind, and if this prophecy destroy this world, then Philemon can no longer save humanity like he did on the other world. There will be no other world to go, like what your alternate self did. " Igor turned to Tatsuya to point the fact of what happen 13 years ago with Nyarlathotep.

Tatsuya quickly rose from his chair with anger on his face, what Igor said was too impossible for him to believe. "A new prophecy?! What do you mean by that? I through we already defeated Nyarlathotep, so there shouldn't be any more prophecy!" Tatsuya shouted at Igor, unable to control his frustration after hearing the awful news.

"Tatsuya, please calm down!" Maya rose from her sit to make him sit back on his chair. As Tatsuya calm down, Maya faced Igor. "What did the prophecy said?" Maya said, "Is there a way to prevent it?"

"Well, this is the reason why I summon you here, to tell you how to stop it. Surely you have seen them in your dream, those four individual that includes your husband. Since you are the key to fulfill the Oracle of Maia, you are one of the few people that can see what happen in the new prophecy. " Igor took out a piece of paper and handed them to Maya. Tatsuya and Maya read closely what's written on it and gave a change of expression before looking at Igor again. "You, Tatsuya, will be one of the four persona users that can stop this powerful shadow. As you read in the prophecy, there are three other persona users that were mentioned in it and they were my former guests in the Velvet Room. Your task is to find these three individual and seek for their power."

Igor took out another paper and handed it to Tatsuya. On the paper, there is a list of name:

Naoya Todou

Minato Arisato

Yu Narukami

"You do not have much time. Before the end of this year, all four of you must gather here in this room and meet my master. The rest will be on him to finish what's left." Igor said.

Tatsuya read the names again before he stand with Maya, "…Very well, I will find these guys and bring them here. Then there shouldn't be any danger to the world again, right?" Tatsuya asked to confirm his decision and took Maya's hand before headed toward the exit.

Igor simply smiled and answered, "There will always be danger upon this world. That is why persona user exist, to protect this world whenever the danger may come and to join force to defeat powerful thread." Igor pointed to the door, "I shall hold you no further, please go now." Inspired by Igor word, Tatsuya and Maya nodded before walk towards the door and exit the room.

After they left, Margaret spoke after remaining silent during the entire conversation. "You said you required all four persona users, master." She faced towards Igor, "But what about Minato Arisato? He's supposed to be dead two years ago."

Igor chuckle and tilt his head towards Margaret, "Then where's your sister, Elizabeth?"

Yu Narukami

After midnight – 30/10/2012 – Somewhere in the city

The phone's loud ringing had woke Yu Narukami(Wild Card - Initial persona: Izanagi) from his sleep. With a sleepy eye and weak voice, Yu answered the phone, "Hello?"

"Hey, Yu. It's me, Marie."

Yu quickly lifted his body from his bed and rub his eye to make himself fully awake. It was Marie(True shadow: Izanami-no-Mikoto), calling at late night with a stressful breathing can be heard from the phone. "Marie? Why the sudden call? It's not like you at all to call me up this late."

"I know, I'm sorry. It just that I had to talk to you right now and I can't wait until morning."

"Alright then, I'm all ears."

"Okay. Remember that I can decide the weather because of my power?"

"Yes, what about it?"

"For the last few days ago, I think I lost it."

"Huh, lost it? You mean, you lost your power over weather?"

"Yes, exactly! It's like whenever I tried to use my power, a stronger force is preventing my power and change the weather forecast. Forget about me, don't you see the weather news? Every weather reporter almost lost their job because of the weird change in weather, including me!"

"Now that you mention it, I do notice the weird changes. All the weather news seems to be inaccurate. I thought you're the one who made them, until your report was also proven wrong."

"Yu, I know I'm being weird for asking this, but can you return to Inaba and see your friend? I have a bad feeling about what's going to happen there."

Yu were shocked to hear what she said, "Marie, I know you're worry, but why all of the sudden?"

"I don't know. I just… have a very bad feeling."

Yu thought for a moment, trying to find a solution for the problem, before he answered again, "I will talk to my parents about going back to Inaba. If I did go, I will call you again."

Marie was overjoyed to hear this, "Thank you, Yu! Promise to call me when you arrive at Inaba."

After finishing the phone call, Yu thought about what Marie had said. Hearing her request to meet his friends was bothering his mind like no other. Why Marie couldn't decide the weather anymore? Why does she need him to return to Inaba and meet his friends? Why now, of all time? With no clue of what's happening, Yu laid back on his bed and slept.

Aigis

Dark Hour - 30/10/2012 – Tatsumi Port Island

"Aigis, wake up."

She was awake by the voice that calling out her name. Stood from her machinery chair, Aigis(Inherited Wild Card - Persona: Pallas Athena) searched for the voice around her room filled with the green atmosphere and bloody smell that caused by Dark Hour. There, besides the door, stood Elizabeth(Wild Card), with velvet outfit, holding a book and a card on her right hand. She was grinning and looked towards Aigis before greeting her.

"We meet again, Aigis, after the event that happened a few months ago inside the TV world." Elizabeth bowed to her, "Thanks to you and that Narukami boy, I have obtained my very own 'Fool' arcana."

Aigis simply smile toward her, "It's good to see you, Elizabeth-san, and I am happy for your achievement." Aigis walked towards her.

"Before we talk any further, let's have you meet this person." Elizabeth threw the card on her hand in front of Aigis and the card emitted a bright light that glow throughout the room.

After the light fade, a familiar individual appeared before Aigis and stood beside Elizabeth. From the first look, Aigis knew that person very well, he was Ryoji Mochizuki(True shadow: Thanatos). "Ryoji?! What are you doing here?" Aigis said, feeling hostile toward him. "Weren't you supposed to go back to where Nyx is?"

Ryoji walked towards Aigis, "Relax, I didn't come here to bring the 'Fall' again. Elizabeth had me sealed in her card to be use as a persona, that's how Elizabeth managed to summon me to fight through the tournament a few months ago, and that's how I'm here." Ryoji said and stopped close opposite Aigis, "The reason I come here is because I want to personally tell you something."

"T-tell me? What is it that you want to tell me?" Aigis asked, returning to her usual position. Ryoji look at Elizabeth before looking toward Aigis with a smile.

"She did it, Elizabeth finally did it. She knows how to release 'him' from the 'Great Seal'." Ryoji delightfully tell Aigis and left her in shocked to what she heard, "You mean, Minato?! You know how to save him?!" Aigis said to confirm what she heard.

"Yes, and all that is left is to return his Wild Card that you inherited from him." Elizabeth said, and move to Ryoji side.

The smile filled Aigis' face but then turn to defeat, looking at Elizabeth and Ryoji. "But how? How do I give Minato back his Wild Card?" She walked to the table near her chair and took an Evoker, a gun used to summon persona, and walk back to them. "This Evoker belongs to Minato, which hold his Wild Card. But how am I going to return it back to him?"

"Well you don't have to." Elizabeth said, "Just give me the Evoker and I will give it to him." Elizabeth reached out her hand.

Aigis, however, felt hesitated to give her the Evoker, "Can I… can I give it to him myself?" Aigis asked, pleading Elizabeth to take her.

All of the sudden, Elizabeth and Ryoji face was filled with guilt, "I'm sorry Aigis," Ryoji said, "but you can't come with us to meet him."

Aigis was unhappy to hear that, "But why? He's going to come back, right? So why can't I meet him?" Aigis said.

Elizabeth replied, "Because of the process needed to release him. We can't have anybody there except us when the 'Great Seal' being open. And besides, Erebus can appear anytime, and it's not easy to open the seal, so it will have to take a few days to ensure Minato's safety to come back." Elizabeth looked at her directly in the eye, "So please, give me the Evoker and I promise you, you will meet him."

Aigis, finally feeling satisfied, handed her the Evoker, and she firmly hold the gun before turning towards Ryoji, "Let's go." With the Evoker in her hand, Elizabeth opened a black portal and Ryoji walked through it. Before she could do the same, Elizabeth tilted her head towards Aigis, "Goodbye, Aigis. When you finally meet Minato, tell him that I'm very grateful for helping me in my wonderful journey." After that, she and Ryoji disappeared along with the portal, leaving Aigis alone in the room. She couldn't help but felt excited to meet her precious person again.

?

?/?/2012 - ?

"Father…I am ready, father...to seek my vengeance upon humanity…this time, I will win…"

A voice echoed throughout the space,

"When the fifth seal is broken, that is our time to destroy everything… They will kill all Philemon apprentice, and we will lead everything to the world's true Judgement…"

An evil laugh was then heard before the voice faded away.

A/N: I have finish this chapter few days ago, but there is something wrong with this site and I can't publish this chapter. So I am sorry for my late update. To all Persona 2 fans, I have choose TatsuyaxMaya pairing in this story, hope you all agree with me. If anyone wonders who Marie is, she is an important character in Persona 4 Golden. As for Minato, it's going to take a few more chapters before he can actually come back, be patient with me.