War Arc:

Chapter 38: A New Plan

Yu Narukami

Foggy – Morning – 24/11/2012(Saturday) – Dojima Residence, Inaba
(6 days before War arrival)

"Kanji, get the door, get the door!"

"Give me a sec, dammit! I opened it!"

The little argument between Yosuke and Kanji by the entrance of Dojima Residence was a relieving scene to watch after the important decision was made by Ryotaro Dojima last night. Naoto and Yukiko were inside prospering the living room to ensure the most comforting stay for the recovering patient. Chie volunteered to transfer all baggage into the house, daring for one trip with three bags in one hand. Rise dealt with the fees for the cab with the amount shared equally among them. It was at this moment Yu wished he had taken a driver license, so that he may be the one to bring his uncle home from the hospital, but a cab was a better choice than Dojima's stubborn idea of trying to take the wheel for himself.

Yu and Teddie, including Nanako, were supporting the weight of Dojima with utmost care as they walked him out of the cab and towards the front door. Yosuke and Kanji stacked the shoes on the ground away and cabinets aside for the ill man to enter the house without damaging his bandage beneath the loosely worn outfit. The walk led them to the couch where Yukiko and Naoto had layered a soft pillow for him. After the third count, they dropped him on the soft spot, and finally, all members captured their breath simultaneously.

It had been proven more than twice by the doctors that he is not medically cleared to be released from the hospital. But Dojima's insistence on getting out of the hospital paid off. Besides, the citizens of Inaba recognized Dojima's position in the quiet town, plus the heated case which the media referred it as "Tragedy of Inaba" was the hottest topic in Inaba ever since it happened. Dojima was the only choice for every insane case that needed to be solved ever since he proved his capability when Adachi was arrested last year. Until now, no one knew it was the Investigation Team who deserved the fame, but they're smart enough not to risk the secret of TV world being revealed.

"Ahem! So, without further ado…" Teddie, while prompting drum effects from Kanji and Yosuke, officially welcomed the detective home, "Welcome home, Mr. Dojima! I wish you the best of luck and get well!"

"Welcome home!" The rest of the team, including Nanako, gave their best welcome to Dojima who couldn't stop looking away in awkwardness.

"I don't need all this party. It's nothing, really. All I need is a quick nap and I'm ready to go," Dojima commented, but the gazing eyes upon him turned bitter, which he laughed it off, "I'm joking, I know I'm not ready for work, but hospital doesn't suit me."

"I guess I'll be staying here watching you," Yu suggested, "In fact, we're all be staying here for a while in the morning."

"Don't worry, we won't disturb you," Rise revealed a bag packed with books, adding a question to Dojima's confusion.

"Wait, they're all staying here? What's going on?"

"It's final exam, uncle," Yu answered, "Our finals will be next week, so we'll be busy for the whole day, today and tomorrow."

"Oh, is it that time already? Seriously, I feel sorry for you guys. In the span of a few weeks, there's bombing, meetings outside the town, thick fogs outside with some weird plants spreading everywhere, and now you have to take care of me. The school must be cruel to decide an exam on such dates."

'Damn right it is…' Yu agreed as he thought.

"Alright, I'll just… tune down the TV while you do your revision."

"Hold it!" Yu froze the scene, "We need to make sure everything is perfect. Food?"

"Check!" Chie revealed the foods made of fast foods and snacks.

"Pillow?"

"Check!" Yukiko said with pillows she borrowed from the inn.

"Any sound disturbance other than TV?"

Yosuke heightened his hearing sense and thumbed up, "Check!"

"Any complaint from the outside regarding Kanji?"

"No, idiot! I'm not doing that anymore!" Kanji shouted before he corrected himself, "I mean, check!"

"Rejected any deliveries to this house and close all the windows to prevent outside fog?"

"Check!" Teddie said as he locked all windows.

"Nanako?"

"Check, check!" Rise raised Nanako's arms as the young girl tried to contain her laugh.

"Silencing all phones…? …Naoto?"

All eyes were on Naoto who was sitting at the corner, engaging a serious conversation on the phone with someone. She apologized at the gathering eyes on her when she was done with the conversation.

"Sorry, I need this call."

"Who is it?" Chie asked as she laid out the books on the table.

"It's Miss Kirijo. I informed her of our situation, and I apologized in advance for not able to provide help for them if an emergency arises. Besides, we still haven't found Marie."

"I don't think we can do anything with the place so closely blocked," Rise responded, pondering her inability to search the alternative path to Yomotsu Hirasaka.

"You're right, Father Time said so," Yu Narukami revealed the message on his phone to the team. It was from an anonymous number who sent a single message to him.

"This is Jun Kashihara, sending the intel to you from Father Time that the chain of 'Mountain' is still tightly shut. Your friend Marie would be out of your reach for now. My advice would be to cease your operation and wait for your order.

P.S. You do remember me, right? I'm Suou's friend, who gave me your number."

"I don't actually get this chain of 'Mountain' thing, but it means we can't go over Nakatsukuni, huh?" Yosuke said, sadly.

"Don't worry, Tengu will help us find a way to Marie, after dwelling that place for long," Yukiko said, easing the mood of the team, "But for now, let's focus on our study. So, don't worry about her."

Yu could see perfectly the expressions on the team's face were stiff, but they choose to believe in Marie's safety and followed Yukiko's advice. Now that the stress was finally lifted from them, the fate of their future career is brimming with possibilities. Final Exam didn't terrify them much currently, but nobody succeeds with excuses and without effort. Thus, the thickest of books were ready to be highlighted and read in the span of two days, but everyone knew it was more than enough for the leader to be the top of the class, again.

Dojima was extremely cautious in balancing the volume on the TV as to not disturb the study session. Teddie was playing hide and seek with Nanako around the house, though Yu forbade them from using his room. The notes were massive, but they all agreed to Naoto's suggestion on a quiz game to lessen the boredom.

Almost about half an hour later, Dojima suddenly asked them to quiet down as he enhanced the volume on the screen.

"I'm sorry, but give me a second."

All their attention was shifted to the screen that displayed the morning news, mostly local things, and politics. But one name caught Yu's full attention when the reporter announced it with sincere pride.

"…As the election approaches, a new mayor will be elected soon for town Inaba. Today, we would like to interview one of the competitors in this election, Taro Namatame, who was involved in controversial issues and his divorce with the enka singer Misuzu Hiiragi last year. He had run for election in October…"

Yu jumped from his seat to the couch to find the best angle for the shot of the man on the screen who seemly exited the anonymous van, surrounded by few residents crowding him for questions. He was a worldly apart from the last time he saw him; absence of dark bag eyes, thickened black hair, muscles gained, but most of all an expression too mysteriously bright that it was impossible to believe him to be the same man that was suspected of the murders committed by Adachi. The determination was reflected in his eyes by the camera's light and not a glimpse of timidity or fear was seen as he waved his hand towards the camera with utmost politeness.

Yu observed his friends' reaction and saw that they were half surprised as he did, but they gleefully smiled in respect for him.

"You didn't know?" Yosuke explained as he faced Yu, "You had no idea how much this guy wants to be mayor of this town for the past few months. Do you know he stood in the middle of heavy rain for a whole day just to keep his followers waiting? Without an umbrella, too!"

"That man walked around the town more times than anyone, watching over the townsfolks or newcomers," Yukiko added his glory.

"That guy apologized to me and Nanako about what happened last year every single time we met, that I almost forgot why I wanted to kill him in the first place," his uncle joined the conversation, but the team ignored the last sentence.

"He's a pretty nice guy when you get to know him," Rise said, "It looks like he really wanted to redeem himself for what happened."

"He'll make a good mayor, so I'm gonna vote for him," Kanji voiced his thoughts.

Yu returned his eyes to the screen as the reporter passed him the microphone. His voice was fresh that it was settling to hear.

"I love Inaba. There's a lot of bad memories there, but ultimately it is my home now, and I found my hopes and guidance by the people who live there. It may be rural and secluded, but you don't see the sun as bright as anywhere in the city than Inaba. I don't want to keep it just the same with peace. I want to change it for better, and I won't waste this opportunity given to me. Ah, yes?"

Another reporter slid in between and aimed the mic, "Mr. Namatame, what are your thoughts on the tragedy that befell Inaba earlier this month regarding the bombing at the police station costing the lives of 10 people that caused panic to the town?"

Namatame's face turned grave as he answered, "I have heard of the incident. It breaks my heart that so many innocent lives were lost to such a terrible act of terrorism. I was frustrated that I was not there at the time of the incident and the week afterward because of outside issues that I need to handle. Which is why I will return to Inaba as soon as I can to support those people who are distraught by the incident. I see it as my first task if I'm elected as a mayor to ensure Inaba rebuilt from the traumatic incident. This is my promise."

"Impressive," Yu blurted his amazement at his speech, followed by the rest of his friends. Even Nanako applaud at the confidence he had to help the victims of the incident. Dojima gave a short chuckle as he criticized the man and, from the small bag next to him, revealed a small file towards Yu.

"I'm sure he'll keep his promise alright," Dojima said, pinning his finger at the document, a request from someone who turned out to be Taro Namatame, "He spent days tracking my numbers and asked me the conditions of all the victims from the incident. When he begged me to take his request of sending flowers to each and every single one of them, how can I refuse?"

"Is that why you so insistent on leaving the hospital?" Chie said, almost sounded to furious, "Did he know you're stuck on the hospital bed too?"

"He didn't even know I'm there at the scene, never crossed his mind that a large boulder slammed my back. Of course, I won't do the work, but the surviving officers will help to distribute the flowers to them, paid by Namatame himself."

"We even help to donate our stuff to the victims' family," Yukiko added, "Our inn is doing everything they can to help. Tengu, especially, bring life to the depressing mood around the inn. We got a lot of attraction ever since Tengu came."

For a moment, he thought he misheard it, but Yu noticed Teddie cracked a rough tone when Yukiko said it.

"Wait a sec," Kanji searched around, "Where is that bird anyway?"

"You mean Tengu? I don't know, maybe something to do at the inn," Yukiko answered, but doubted herself, "But that bird never told me anything aside from Japanese history. I only heard something about a speaker-"

Creaaaaakkkk!

The entire residents of Dojima clutched their ears by the sound. A horrible static sound could probably be heard all over Inaba beneath the dispersing fog outside. Moreover, the long buzz akin to a speaker was strangely close to their area. The Investigation Team with Nanako and Dojima exchanged looks with extreme caution. For a moment, they thought it was another attack by the enemies regarding the prophecy, desperately trying to immobilize their steps by attacking Inaba itself.

It was when the terribly crooked voice finally decided to test the mic that they realized it might be Yukiko's nightmare. Again, the voice was loud and clear:

"Ahem! People of earth, children of heaven, denier of Yomi, heed my call! Lord Amaterasu shine her lights to you every day when Tsukiyomi put you into the darkness of moonlight, she is the goddess that rules in heaven! But Amaterasu has been struck by an obstacle! It is a test to prove her godhood to you, people of Inaba. It's the monstrous test known as 'Final Exam'! So please, send your prayers to the great Amaterasu-sama so that she can pass her final exam and enshrine her lights to you again!"

Yukiko's face was boiling red, as red as a tomato that it didn't go unnoticed by Nanako and Dojima, who were clueless about the mention of the Japanese goddess.

"That voice… Isn't that your new mascot called Tengu?" Dojima asked, but with a suppressed laughter.

"I… I need to go. Sorry, but I have some 'trouble' I need to deal with…"

Yukiko, who could not hide her red face that was about to melt, sprinted outside with insane speed. A small laughter was heard in the living room from Yosuke before they all joined the small laughs. Teddie didn't laugh, however, but he proceeded to follow Yukiko outside. Yu stood up and suggested the curious teammates go and witnessed the event.

Morning - 24/11/2012(Saturday) - ?

Mitsuru Kirijo had the least confidence to express what she saw. The scene was blurred between reality and dream, vaguely painted with colors and dimensions. Perhaps she was dreaming, for the sunlight out of the window seemed so dim and mysterious, the table where she rested her head was stretching for miles in distorted perspective. The room which she recognized as her office in her facility was distorted with horrific corners, and the sense of odd brought full awareness that she was in a dream.

It was then she noticed another presence's back against her, standing firmly with both hands in his pockets. It was a man, tall, well-built, short hair, but most of all a figure that invoke extreme emotion in her. When he turned his face to her, Mitsuru widened her eyes in shock, for the man was someone she had loved and his photo never left her side.

"F-Father?"

Mitsuru stood from her chair upon the man with the face of Takeharu Kirijo. His eyepatch was loosely worn around his head, with one visible eye staring fiercely at her. He looked impatient, waiting for the moment to speak, but Mitsuru was too speechless to comprehend his attitude for the yearning for her father consumed her.

"Father, is it really you?" Mitsuru said while still catching her breath from the sudden glimpse of the supposedly dead man. Minato's return was the ultimate joy she had in her life, but to have her father's presence was undoubtfully blissful too. Yet, when she observed the figure, she noticed his aura was different, like a stranger voided of all pasts and memories, even emotions. His eye gave a sign of a warning, and his lips began to twitch.

"Mitsuru."

"Y-Yes? What is it?"

"Don't let them destroy the Arcana Shadows, or have you not learned your lesson?"

Morning – Kirijo's office, Kirijo Main Facility, Tatsumi Port Island

Riiinggg!

"!"

Mitsuru jerked from her desk by the strong vibration which turned out to be her phone that she placed on the table among the stack of papers. She checked and realized it was Naoto Shirogane of Inaba calling her. She palmed her forehead, wondering how did she fell asleep during the most crucial time for all, until she remembered her lack of sleep, eating, or even rest for the sake of the investigation to unveil the spy possibly looming in her company.

"Mitsuru speaking."

"Mitsuru-san, I hope I won't be a bother, but…"

The word 'Final Exam' truly brought her back to her memorable but painful high school year when Minato averted the end of the world during her last year. It brought a painful memory, but it was in the past and now the Investigation will encounter the same obstacle as her, plus for it to happen during the prophecy was an injustice for their future.

"It is perfectly fine. It is us who should have apologized for not helping you find your friend."

"You don't have to, Mitsuru-san. We certainly do not wish to burden you with our problem."

Fuuka came in right after the phone call, but she backed away from the door to avoid any disturbance to her conversation. Mitsuru permitted her as she rested the phone, lamented silently when she saw a new set of folders waiting to be marked. The intellectual girl, curious about the conversation, wasted no time to ask a question.

"Who is that?"

"From Inaba," Mitsuru answered, "They will be having their final exams next week, so they will not be able to help us with our progress."

"Oh? That's right. It should be next week," Fuuka said in realization, but her eyes instead focused on Mitsuru's baggy eyes, "You fell asleep."

"I did," The Mitsuru admitted shamelessly, knowing the pointless effort to fool her personal assistant. But the distorted dream she experienced a moment ago had doubted her logical mind. She recapped the short conversation with the man who could only be her father, warned her with such seriousness that she felt it was too real to be a dream.

For that sole reason, she had a second doubt to hide the scene she had from Fuuka, who was currently reading her expression. She gave up, deciding that bearing the secret to herself would fuel her misperception of the prophecy, which itself was already complex beyond words. Perhaps sharing it with someone would convince her that the dream was just a sudden yearning for her deceased father.

"I had a dream," Mitsuru exposed, "I saw my father in my dream, calling my name."

"Really?" Fuuka said with widened eyes, struggling to show the correct expression to her. Ever since Mitsuru took over the company, she had always been strict with herself, shutting unwanted eyes away from her fragile side, especially over her loss of Minato. Fuuka was one of the few who saw her complete routine, and she was the closest to know how much Mitsuru forced herself as the leader of the Shadow Operative. But among the expression she would expect of Fuuka, it was a smile of relief, gleaming over her braided bluish hair.

"Maybe he is worried about you from up there," Fuuka presumed, but slipped in an undertone of concern. Mitsuru nodded regardless of the reason, and as always, knew much rather than upsetting her friends. She had tried to contact Nanjo ever since morning came, but perhaps the paperwork for the head of Nanjo company was twice as much compared to her, added with the coming of Conquest. He might be too busy, hopefully, he will answer when she tried another call soon.

"By the way, about Labrys," Mitsuru brought up the topic which intruded her theory of the eerie voice responsible for the kidnapping of Labrys. She specifically said that the mysterious stranger was a young man, blood red hair dressed in a school uniform, but the most distinguished part was the deep X-scar on his face, which she's struggled to convince her friends that it was glowing in red. There was no room for doubt when Labrys had to chase after him and, possibly, being led to the trap, laid by the embodiment of Devil Arcana itself. She failed to identify whether it was her kidnapper or not, but the probability is high. Then, there was the lightning strike that electrified the Arcana shadow, but that topic will have to wait.

"Of course, we tried to search for the list of experimental children who were forced to undergo the experiment by Kirijo-" Fuuka rapidly changed her words when she noticed guilt had begun to resurface on her, "I-I mean, by your grandfather and Ikutsuki. So, there is a high chance that one of them can experience the Dark Hour and perhaps trade information with the enemy's team."

"Did any one of them fit the description of Labrys?"

"Well, there're about hundreds of names and images, but all of them are old and photos of their childhood, so it might take a while for me to sort everything."

"Oh dear, is that so? Forgive me for burdening you this much. You've been a great help, Yamagishi," Mitsuru praised, which she accepted shyly, "Speaking of which, I need another cup of coffee to keep me awake. Anything else?"

"About the Pegasus project…" She paused, intentionally waiting to catch Mitsuru's full attention. The head of Kirijo, for the first time in a while, curved a satisfying smile towards her friend. The Pegasus project, the secret project that Fuuka developed for over a year ago had finally fructified a result.

"Is it complete?"

"The prototype is done. Hopefully, there is an opportunity for us to use it on Aigis," Fuuka smiled.

Aigis

Cloudy - Morning – 24/11/2012(Saturday) – Iwatodai New Dorm, Tatsumi Port Island
(6 days before War arrival)

It was getting dark outside, with the cloud impatiently waiting to release the rain. Labrys, after resting for days since her last fight with Arcana Devil, was tempted to find a training ground to sharpen her skills. Aigis, as her sister, was to watch over the dorm and safeguard it from the giant axe. She couldn't think of a more spacious place than the lounge for her sister training. The couches, TV, table and any breakable objects had been removed. Rain will approach soon, and it would be wise not to bring the trouble outside.

Aigis was watching closely at her sister as she flung a few swings around her. But it was clear that she did it just to hone her body, and finally, ended her quick training as she leaned her axe on the wall not far from the front door. Then, Aigis noticed footsteps descending the stairs, and it was Yukari who sat next to her on the staircase. She might be bored, for the rest were away, save for them and Kikuno, Yukari's personal caretaker.

"Hi, Aigis," Yukari said with her tone manned differently.

"How are you feeling?" Aigis asked as she noticed the ashen color of her skin. She took the hand of the vulnerable friend and noticed her temperature was cold. Yukari didn't resist the metal hand but merely reassured her wellness.

"I hate this," Yukari said, recalling the event before Minato left for the alternate world as she buried her face in her palms, "I was so happy to see Minato again. But that time, I looked so… pathetic in front of him. All those years and the first impression he saw was my weaker part that I don't want him to see."

She exposed an irritated expression, but not to Aigis as she continued, "If there is a way I can fight Shadows with my current state, then I will waste no time. I'm the Pink Argus of the Phoenix Ranger Featherman V, after all. What kind of superhero I am if I'm just sitting around getting pampered, anyway?"

"Then let's show him the best impression of you when he returns," Aigis pressed Yukari's shoulders and shifted her front towards her, forcing Yukari's full attention to her proud smile, "Everyone's only thinking of what's best for you, Yukari-chan. But if you want to fight by our side, I won't stop you. Just… don't get hurt, okay?"

It was then she sensed a presence from the front door of the dorm. Someone was clearly standing outside, but it's unknown if it was friend or foe. Labrys was able to sense that presence too, but she was clearly more hostile than her sister. Yukari noticed their powerful glare towards the door as Aigis stood up, and she quickly backed away with caution. It might, although unsure, be the mysterious man who's been stalking Labrys for the past days.

"Do you detect someone?" Yukari whispered.

"Yes, but it may be the enemy, for it haven't moved from its spot," Aigis answered, loading her bullets in her finger machine gun. She didn't expect Labrys to take a less stealthy method to approach the stranger. Firmly gripping her axe on the wall and pinpointed its exact location to be directly in front of the door, Labrys swung with full force. The dorm's front door was once again shattered apart days after Temperance Arcana Shadow tore it down.

"You're not getting away!"

She was an inch away from slicing in half the face of a man who turned out to be Ryoji Mochizuki, the god of death. Ryoji, with his blank face, was frozen by the sudden attack, processing the scenario with a gust of fear caressing his hair. The concrete ground below him was shattered like a foam, rooting its cracks all over the road. Labrys wasn't able to stop the momentum of her axe, even after confirming his hostility, but managed to pull away at the last moment. Aigis and Yukari could only gasp in shock, for it happened too sudden beyond their senses. The impact was so thunderous that Kikuno, who heard the impact from the third floor, had jumped from the second floor to witness the scene, which wasn't like how she's afraid for.

"W-Wow! You sure miss me that much, huh? You don't need to break down the door, have a little patience," Ryoji commented with a comedic smile as he felt his legs trembling by the shock. Labrys, still wandering her eyes between the axe and him, gently released the grip and bowed slightly, speechless by her own reckless actions.

"H-Hi," Labrys said.

"Hello, Labrys. I believe this is our first conversation," Ryoji introduced himself to the sister of Aigis, "I am Ryoji Mochizuki. It's an honor to meet you."

"I-I'm the 5th Generation Anti-Shadow Suppression Weapon, Labrys. Nice to meet you, you must be Aigis' friend. I'm sorry for attacking you," Labrys completed her full bow with apologetic manner.

"Ryoji, you have returned from Mikage-Cho?" Aigis said amidst the easeful sensation she felt when Ryoji was in perfect condition. Ryoji seemed lively, but she could sense misery beneath the forced smile. The presence of Aigis and Yukari never seemed to dim his anxiety, for he had seen something beyond the point of happiness. Conquest was the only one that came to mind.

It was then she noticed the strange object next to him, alloyed with materials so strangely made that her scanner couldn't analyze it. The spherical machinery cloaked in night black was neatly placed on Ryoji's side, and there was a trace of his hand lifting the object the last moment before Labrys's impact damaged it. The eyes of the god of death were sharp, for Ryoji caught her eyes examining the curious object despite meters apart.

"Hey, what is that?" Labrys asked as she pointed her fingers at the sphere, clearly puzzled by its nature. Ryoji's face reflected a distressful expression to select the correct explanation but finally decided to be direct.

"Ladies, gaze your eyes upon the artifact of myth, the Pandora's Box."

Yu Narukami

Cloudy – Morning – North Central Shopping District, Inaba

The fog had begun to disperse as the sky matted Inaba with a thick and darkish cloud. The rising smell of drains poisoned the foggy air around them. From afar, Yu could hear a faint cry of rain approaching the town, setting to shower soon if they didn't find shelter.

None of it seemed to bother Yukiko, who was walking so fast the rest had a hard time chasing her while sprinting. What fate shall befall Tengu, nobody knew, but it would be a lie if the speech won't spread around for a few days, for even the most slothful person would be curious enough to glance out their windows and searched for the source. A hand chop was certainly too merciful now for Tengu, and Chie and Yosuke shuddered when the eyes of Yukiko was burning, her mind began to organize a punishment worthy of her embarrassment.

Tatsuhime Shrine was frequently visited almost every day, thanks to Yu's help last year. But it was the first time he saw a number of people, roughly 20, crowding at once at the gate to the shrine. On closer look, the Investigation Team saw that the residents' attention wasn't on the shrine, but to the bird mascot standing on a small podium made of Amagi's sake's cabinet. The little podium was placed under the left red torii, which was entwined by rooted gigantic plants, where the podium balanced hardly to support his costume's small feet. The old red loudspeaker seemed to be functioning well, but clearly, Tengu needed to scream to reach the suitable volume to attract an audience.

Most of the audiences thought he was a politician who was so desperate for votes that he resorted to wearing a cute costume. Tengu didn't seem to be bothered by the amount of audience that came, for it was all to pour the limitless love for the sun goddess. The Investigation team felt sorry for him as they arrived, for even Kanji didn't dare to approach the angry Yukiko as she dashed towards the crowd. It was when Tengu began the verse that Yukiko was second-doubting herself to approach the commotion, not wanting all eyes to shift to her yet.

"Listen, people of Inaba, for Amaterasu, our gracious lord of the day and sun, is heeding our calls. I, Tengu, guardian of Amagi Inn, shall represent her glorious enlightenment to all of you! Do you want her beautiful black pearl eyes to shed a tear of regret for failing this exam? Do you want her beautifully combed hair to be scruffy from all the wakeful nights of studying? Do you want her shining smile to fade like the sands of by the sea when she sees an 'F'? Do you want all her hard work to go to waste? No? THEN PRAY TO AMATERASU-SAMA! PRAISE THE SUN GOD-"

Out of nowhere, Tengu was dragged from the podium and his mouth was sealed from continuing his speech. Yukiko's face was now mixed between anger and embarrassment as she prepared to drag Tengu away with her hand locking his mouth. The rest of the team were hesitant to interfere, for the commotion was big between the audience who witnessed Yukiko's sudden interjection with confusion. Even she was too distracted to explain the motive behind the mascot, but it was time for friends to step in.

"Ahem!" As the leader, Yu stepped into the scene with a cough, "Forgive us, but the Amagi Inn is currently celebrating the honoring day for the goddess Amaterasu. Tengu is here to promote such celebration."

"Y-Yeah, promoted by Tengu, the mascot of Amagi Inn!" Yosuke lied with falsely laugh, "It's a blessing to all the students who will take their final exam next week!"

"Yeah! Go, go Amaterasu! Amaterasu bless us!" Kanji shouted to convince the realism of their lie to the audience. It was then he noticed his mother, who was the owner at one of the shops in Shopping District, was watching him with puzzled expression. He turned silent, knowing that his mother was watching his every move.

"The Amagi Inn is giving a blessing to the students who will be taking the final exam next week!" Chie added.

"Free cosplay of Amaterasu by Yukiko Amagi!" Rise posed as she contributed to the lies.

"Everyone please, there's nothing else to see here," It was Naoto who decided to disperse the crowd, "Do wish us good luck for our final exam."

The audience, little by little, exited the scene with much chatter among them. The Investigation Team breathed in relief, and they weren't aware of Yukiko, still dragging Tengu by the collar, had already drifted away home, preparing herself the lesson of a lifetime for the new mascot. Eventually, the rest of the team returned to Dojima's residence, while Yu hoped that Yukiko will be joining them for the study soon, for the sky wasn't friendly with the thunder preparing its whistle of the wind.

Perhaps Igor's words to him in the Velvet Room had influenced his curiosity towards the most mysterious friend in his team. For when they return to his house, his eyes were always searching for Teddie. And there he was, standing quietly by the side of the road, his eyes tracking the disappearing Yukiko and Tengu from his view. In his glassy eyes, Yu could see an expression he never thought Teddie could show. It was not malice since he knew Teddie was too gentle for such thing, but he certainly had a bitter mind that Yu failed to read.

"Teddie, what's wrong?" Yu decided to approach him, but he was extra careful to make sure he know his trouble. Teddie reacted weakly to him as his eyes seemed to plead sympathy, but refused to express it.

"Sensei, do you like Tengu?"

"Huh? What do you mean? If Yukiko likes him- I mean, aside from what happened- I don't see why I should dislike him."

"Well, everyone likes him…" Teddie said, "He even made a speech just for Yukiko-chan. I think Yosuke likes him too…"

Yu could somehow see the truth behind Teddie's expression. He was about to comfort him until he saw Teddie's sinister expression. His mind had designed another ridiculous idea…

"Oh… I know just the right thing to do, even better than that bird…"

He left immediately with a sudden excitement, leaving Yu alone on the district. He was so lost in his thoughts that Yu failed to notice the rising smell of the dripping water, the darkening sky, and the cry of the rain starting to taint his shirt. Not wanting to wet himself, he returned home.

Aigis

Cloudy - Night – Iwatodai New Dorm, Tatsumi Port Island

She was horrified to hear the whole incident regarding Conquest's awakening by Ryoji as he came by earlier. Other than Aigis herself, Yukari, Kikuno, and Labrys were the only one to know of the unpromising news by Mikage-Cho's team. Junpei, Ken, Koromaru, and Akihiko were uninformed as they returned, for they wished for the incident to be shared together among them together.

Aigis, who was sitting on the couch with Labrys next to her, glanced at the clock on the wall, grimacing the lateness of Mitsuru and Fuuka. Yukari, sitting on the couch opposite her and accompany by Kikuno at her left, noticed Aigis metallic eyes as she read her magazine. She shut closed the book and called out to her.

"Maybe she's busy," Yukari said, stealing Aigis' attention away from the clock.

"I know," Aigis replied, "But we need to tell everyone about this, about the Pandora's Box."

"About what again?"

Ken, walking out of the bathroom with a towel hanging over his neck, heard their topic. He should still be tired from all the football games he's playing in the evening, but he's not dumb enough to overlook the strange tension between the girls. Aigis saw no fault in hiding it, thus she announced it straight to him.

"We had a guest today. It's Ryoji Mochizuki," Aigis said, "There's something we need to talk to everyone tonight, so we were waiting for Mitsuru-san to gather all of us in the meeting room."

"What about the door?" Ken asked, pointing to the newly placed door. Kikuno was quick to call the repairmen in the evening to fix the door before Mitsuru return. Labrys leaned down her head, not wanting to make eye contact with the rest for she knew her mistake.

"Woof!"

Koromaru, who was supposed to be resting on the second floor, suddenly jumped down the stairs and barked rather happily at the door. It was a signal in their dorm they used often to indicate the incoming residents of the dorm. The identities of two people currently turning the keyhole should be obvious. Kikuno, as the servant, willed her reflex to proceed to the front door and greeted the remaining members. Fuuka, as the one held open the door, wasn't expecting most of them at the lounge waiting for them. Mitsuru came right in afterward, observing each of them with wonder. They noticed the different door being installed, but Kikuno gave her the signal to not mention it.

"Greetings, Mitsuru-san and Yamagishi-san," Kikuno bowed gently upon them as the front door was shut.

"I didn't expect all of you to wait for us. Are we really that late?" Fuuka asked apologetically.

"Of course not," Yukari answered, "We just need to talk. I mean, all of us need to. It's important."

"I can't guess the rush, but it must be important indeed," Mitsuru said and gave her order, "Alright, tell everyone to go to the meeting room."

"I'll wait there first. Come on, Koro-chan," Ken said as soon as he took the command, bringing Koromaru with him.

Meeting room

It was about half an hour afterward when the entire members of Shadow Operative finally took their spot in the room, freshly bathed and ready to listen, except Kikuno who excused herself outside the room, refusing to interrupt the meeting.

"I hope nothing bad happens," Akihiko said, crossing his arms as he laid on his chair, with anxiety visibly shown on his face.

"Meh, just make it quick…" Junpei said with a hint of sleepiness, for he was forced out of bed when Yukari found him in his room. His mood wasn't good since it was his routine to sleep earlier for the baseball training, with the exception of Dark Hour. Since there was no baseball practice tomorrow, he added extra hours to his sleep until he was called to the meeting.

"I thought you said Ryoji came to visit. Where is he?" Ken asked, searching around for the young man. Those who were not informed of his visit were clearly widening their eyes, including Junpei who was ready to fall asleep on his couch.

"Tell us, Aigis."

Cue to Mitsuru's question to her, Aigis shot Labrys the eyes. She stood up making her ways to the door and exited. A few seconds later, Kikuno's voice was heard in awe as the door swept open, revealing Ryoji with the object. Ryoji chuckled at the face of Junpei, who observed intensely at the 'box' next to him.

"Hello, guys! Good to see you doing well," Ryoji said, prompting to lift the mood of the room before he dropped the terrible news, "By the way, Conquest has awakened."

It took him quite a time to sort out the outburst of the news from them. It was not that they blamed the team led by Naoya in Mikage-Cho but merely cursed the idea that the Four Horsemen were one rider closer to be complete. This included Mitsuru's shock by the news of Nanjo's state, which she was not informed by Sumaru City. Eventually, silence began to slip in, and Ryoji continued the part about the object known as Pandora's Box.

Pandora's Box, as claimed by Father Time, is the way to save Elizabeth and spare Minato without the need of Great Seal. How it is done, he was not informed. But a box is meant to seal something, a lesson learned from the tale told of Pandora opening the box and released all evil to the world. Nyx and Erebus were listed, but for now, nobody could relate the box with the salvation of Elizabeth.

Then, Mitsuru spoke.

"I hope we do not forget the objective of SEES we were tricked to complete by Ikutsuki," Mitsuru reminded the team of the cold truth they wished to suppress, "And now, the new Arcana Shadows are coming, should we do the same mistake as before? Imagine that the first 13 shadows were able to bring the Fall, what can the rest of these Arcana Shadows do? I say we sealed them inside the box rather than letting them loose and run amok, but avoid killing them as well. We can study the purpose of them later to make sure they weren't related to the Fall."

It was a brilliant idea from Mitsuru. Nobody said a word for the first few seconds after she proposed her suggestion before the room was filled with white noise as they murmured between each other. There was no objection to the proposal. Finally, the new objective was added to their mission: to capture all Arcana Shadows.

The night was long for Aigis after they concluded the meeting. The raindrops knocking on her windows weren't gentle. Once in a while, she heard thunder striking dangerously near the island and a flash of lightning trying to disturb her.

It was then her sensor detected a strange presence in her room. It was not a presence of a human or shadow, yet it was not hostile.

"Aigis-sama."

She turned to the corner of the door and saw a familiar face with the attire of Velvet Room. Theodore was in the room, with warm expression embodied his visit to this room. Though she was sure he looked oddly exhausted.

"Theodore, why are you here?" Aigis said as she stood from her resting chair.

"*Heavy breathing*… Hah! My apologies, Aigis-sama. It seems I am not used to the streets here and strayed away from my intended path. I was planning to give something to your friend, Yukari Takeba. Who would have thought this would turn out to be such a difficult job?"

"Is that so. May I ask what is it you want to give to her?"

From his pocket, he extended a small bottle with mysterious liquid inside. Aigis was swift to respond in excitement upon the object.

"Is that a cure for Yukari?"

"To be perfectly honest, I do not know. Master Igor did not inform me of such things. I will not promise anything, but I wish your friend the best of luck-"

"Theo, what are you doing? We need to hurry."

From the black portal next to him, she could swear it was a familiar voice. Panic engulfed Theodore when he heard the warning from the woman.

"I know, you have a job for me. Oh well, Aigis-sama, it seemed my sister has called me. I wished you the best of luck."

Theodore vanished into the darkness at the corner of the room after lending her the antidote. Hopefully, this will brighten Yukari's mood when she revealed it tomorrow.

Heavy Rain – Night – Amagi Inn, Inaba

It's been an hour since she returned from Dojima's Residence. Tengu was waiting for her like a loyal dog at the front door, providing her with a back massage and cold drinks. Yukiko had scolded Tengu enough that she ran out of word to shout over his actions in the afternoon. Tengu nodded to her every word, deeming himself fit only for seppuku for his crimes. Since the issue was resolved almost instantly, she dismissed her anger towards the bird who thought only the best for her, despite the stupid method he used.

Tengu had prepared her bed and was ready to accompany her to sleep, for his 'room' were inside her big wardrobe, something she somehow regretted selecting when she sometimes felt Tengu's eyes watching her from the creak of the wardrobe's door at night when she slept. But tonight, her sleep should be soundly, for the team have covered most of the major topic for the exams.

"Tengu," Yukiko called out for the little bird in her room as she sat on her bed. Tengu was reluctant to stay in her 'goddess's chamber but felt overjoyed to be granted permission by her.

"Yes, Amaterasu-sama?" Tengu humbly bowed, but Yukiko dismissed him quickly.

"I forgive you for today, but don't ever do that again. I don't want to attract any unwanted attention by people."

"B-But," Tengu refused to hide the distressful expression on his face, "I just want people to wish for Amaterasu-sama's success for the Final Exam! Not fair! Not fair at all! Amaterasu-sama shouldn't be burden with works and shadow hunting when you have an exam! Why is it that nobody ever thought about that?"

"Tengu, it just had to be that way," Yukiko responded with her eyes soothing to his concerning outlook on her struggle, "It's alright, this is all part of a test as a goddess."

"Amaterasu-sama's kindness is too pure for this world! Such dedication and purity! As expected of Amaterasu-sama!" Tengu praised with astonishment, "You will definitely pass the Final Exam! I pray for your success!"

Listening to Tengu's words made her realized that despite the strange mania he had for her, he was extremely sincere for her well-being. It was not friendship types of sincerity, but it was more than enough to boost her confidence to survive the test and continued the search for Marie soon. Tengu's sparkling eyes melted all fear and anxiety, and Yukiko caught herself smiling foolishly at his confession. She now refused more than ever for him to see her as a god figure, for she is a mortal and she refused to ignore Tengu's belief of her status.

"Tengu, can you do me one favor?"

"Anything, anything you need!"

"From now on, you can't call me Amaterasu-sama anymore. I don't want you to see me as your goddess."

"Eh?! B-But-"

"Listen, Tengu. Maybe you see me as a goddess, but in this town, in this place, in this room, I am no more than a high school girl named Yukiko Amagi. I want to see you as a friend, but I can't do that if you don't see me like that. It's alright for you to be a friend, it makes me happier that way."

Tengu's eyes began to swell with extreme joy and gratitude, exposing an introvert manner. He spoke with his crooked voice that pitched higher, almost womanlike, when he asked.

"Can I really be your friend?"

"Of course, Tengu."

"But what… what should I call you?"

"Oh, right…" Yukiko realized before she gave a long thought, "Hmmm… How about Yukiko-chan? Wait, that's too common… How about…"

"Yuki-chan."

"Huh? Yuki…" Yukiko heard his suggestion loud and vivid.

"How about Yuki-chan?"

"That's… That's good!" Yukiko seemed happy by the suggestion when she replayed the calling comfortably in her mind, "I think it's fine if you call me Yuki, too."

"Yuki-chan…" After suppressing the tears for a while, Tengu finally burst into a cry and jumped on Yukiko's lap, "I-I'm so happy!"

"There, there…" Yukiko patted his furry hair. It was a while to remove him and sent him to bed as she too began to yawn. The strong rain certainly raised her mood for a peaceful dream tonight, added with a new friend to stay with her.

"Yuki-chan," Tengu suddenly called from the wardrobe.

"Yes?"

"Do you want to see Izanagi-sama again?"

"Huh? Izanagi…" She recalled Yu's Persona and doubted, "I-I'm not quite following."

"If Izanagi and Izanami can be together again, then Kotoamatsukami won't have to seal the Sage… zzzzzz…"

Yukiko almost jumped from her bed as she returned the question, "Wait, what's this about Kotoamatsu… what was it again?"

Unfortunately, she could hear Tengu oddly soft snore, forcing the question for another day.

A/N: Sorry for the late update. I'm extremely busy these days. Now that we see Tatsuya's part of the story, I should show what happened to Shadow Operative and Investigation Team as well. This chapter is mostly about their new objective, with some new relationship and development, that's all because I'm putting all my focus on Tatsuya's part of the story. About Namatame? He is back as the candidates to be the mayor of Inaba. Marked that he will be important soon enough.

Please wait patiently for the slow update.