This story is a work of fiction. Any similarities to events or persons living or dead in your world is purely coincidental.

Windows, Ceilings, Walls, Floors, Locks, Staircases And Doors

But You Can't Be Lost In Darkness When I Take My Hand In Yours

8/11 Monday

Lunch

Reiha was surprised to find a persistent knock at the door the next morning. Once she opened it and saw the visitor the sleep cleared from her eyes and everything made sense again.

"Tsuruga. Hm." Her black-garbed arms dropped at her sides. "I guess Vitienne didn't waste any time telling you about what happened, right?"

Their group leader hardly looked as annoyed as she ought to be in this situation. Like Noel, she mainly just seemed concerned by it. "Yeah, he texted me about it at breakfast. Man, he's fast at that. His words-per-minute must be triple digits. Anyways, I thought we'd get this taken care of now. Where is it? The canister?"

Grateful that her current roommate was gone for the summer vacation, she let the door fly open, letting her guest take the dorm's surroundings in for the first time. "Nothing?", she asked, sounding disappointed as she studied the shockingly plain walls and windows. "Really? Nothing at all? Seriously? I can't believe it!"

"Oh, what?", Rei mocked her surprise, "Did you expect me to cover all of my walls with screaming death metal posters and pentagrams or somethin'? Besides, you know how touchy Ekuya-san is about that stuff. Better to just leave it be. I don't really consider this room to be my home anyway."

"At least your roommate has some sense of style", Aiko observed more appreciatively, sizing up a tall folding mirror on a desk, accompanied by a large and colorful wardrobe shielded by a fancy screen with a large pink bird on it.

"Yup. Tayume-san's all about style", Rei explained resignedy. There was a reason she'd been hoping Tsuruga would never come in here. "She's big-time in the drama club, after all. They really couldn't have found a bigger contrast between us, but we don't get in each others' way most of the time so it's fine."

"Oh, I dunno about that", Aiko remarked, momentarily fascinated by the various fancy robes, hair pieces and even books on acting. "You're quite the dramatist when you want to be too, in case you forgot why I'm here right now. You made sure to put your gloves and your makeup on before you answered the door, didn't you?"

Staring blankly at the black gloves in question, Reiha shrugged. "Eh. Force of habit. That's different. Tayume-san... she really takes it to the next level. She's already got it all worked out ahead of time; exactly which master actor's colleges she wants to go to and everything."

"I wish I'd met her", Aiko declared, her attention returning to the massive ceremonial wardrobe in front of them, alongside a diverse collection of cosmetics to go with it. "Maybe I did see her once or twice before, but I didn't know she was your roommate. You never thought about seeing if she could have rented some of this stuff out for the festival?"

"I told you", she grunted, "we stay out of each other's way, and that's how we both like it. After six months, I'd wager we've barely said a hundred words to each other." Amused by her friend's curiosity, she shook her head. "I don't think that she'd be interested in getting to know you either, Tsuruga. She only makes friends with popular people."

"No problem."

Her brow slid up. "Not that kind of popular."

Conceding the point, she fell silent, pulling open the desk drawer to reveal the canister. For something that had caused such a great fuss, it looked incredibly small, the reflective liquid sloshing about inside like it was just a spare water bottle or something. Don't think any good would come of drinking it though. At the very least it would cause major hallucinations. Hallucinations that might not be hallucinations.

The two girls stared at the canister in silence for a while until Aiko realized that she had absolutely no idea about how to safely get rid of it. "We can't just dump it in the water", she declared immediately. "There's been more than enough of that already. We're definitely not giving it back to the Masked Circle."

The more ideas she ran through, the more Reiha looked at the canister like it was something akin to was dangerous toxic waste instead of just water from another world. "They do say to never drink the water in another country", she noted bemusedly. "Especially not 'seawater', aight?"

"Seawater", Aiko snapped her fingers. "I've got it. We give it to Dr. Spica. He's been trying to harvest it from all the coral samples I bring in anyway. He'll totally love this."

"Just so long as we don't have to tell him where we got it from", Reiha warned.

"He knows that it's important to keep some things secret", Aiko agreed. "Like your real name." Moving the canister into her own bag, she frowned. "Wait. Is that why you wanted to do this, senpai? So that you could use your real name again?"

"Hardly", Reiha growled. "I know I'll prolly never be able to do that. No, I just really hate the Dragon Syndicate. And you would too, if you knew all the evil shit they've done. I want them to face justice for it. Not just to me, but lots of other people in Tokyo too."

"Always the protector of others", her friend observed wistfully. "Never yourself. No wonder you get along so well with Pela-tori."

"I wouldn't say 'well'", she smiled back despite it. "But yeah, he's definitely a curious little bird-boy, isn't he? I can't help but be interested in a friend who isn't even human. I mean, come on. You can't say you wouldn't be interested if we had a friend who was like, a werewolf, or a demon, or even an angel."

"Well I do have have some demon and angel Personas", Aiko pointed out. "Matador and Virtue." She had accepted Rei's ongoing fascination with the inhuman- with the mythical, usually fictional creatures of the night, mainly- but now it seemed all the more obvious as to why exactly that was. Hail horrors. Hail infernal world.

Because whatever else she could say about Shadows and monsters... they weren't Yakuza.

"Virtue?"

"A new Persona. I haven't used it very much yet. I made it to help out with Niyoga-kun's 'test', whatever that is."

"Are we going to find that out today?"

She shook her head. "Nah. Not today. Everyone's too busy with other stuff right now. Same goes for us. We'll go tomorrow, I think. I asked everyone to keep that afternoon open."

Checking the balmy sunlight outside, Reiha refocused. "We won't be that long. Just have to go to the doc's lab and back."

"Oh", their captain corrected her with a light smile, "we have a little bit more to do today than that."

"It feels too tight", Reiha complained.

"Sorry!", Aiko replied from over the room's wooden partition. "I didn't know your measurements! I just went for a large size. If it's really too tight, there's bigger sizes here."

"I didn't ask for this."

"You didn't need to ask for this. I did it because I wanted to. If there's a better way to beat stress, I haven't found it."

Minutes after, she opened the changing room door and stood before her. The new dress was unlike anything Reiha was used to wearing. Instead of black, it was patterned with a bright crimson and dark blue, the sides flexible yet comfortably flush against her legs. Tiny beads of varying colors decorated the front, forming a pattern neither of them recognized.

"Well, senpai? How is it?"

"I told you. Tight. Any tighter, and it would be a qipao."

"I was told this type was inspired by that style, yeah", Aiko noted thoughtfully. "No wonder it's considered 'niche'."

"And so you thought I would like this?"

"Well? Do you?"

Bending down, she forced a laugh. "Don't get me wrong. It's nice and all, but... it's just not my thing."

"Not a problem", Aiko raised another large outfit. "We've got plenty more outfits to choose from, and plenty of time for you to try them on."

Reiha shook her head in confusion. "Why are you doing this, Tsuruga-chan?"

Looking momentarily surprised, she simply smiled and gestured downward with one hand, indicating the black and white pleated dress. "Remember this one? You got it for me when we first went shopping together months ago. It's still one of my favorites, and it always reminds me of that special day we spent together. I just thought I'd return the favor for you now."

Relenting, Rei stared into the next outfit's pattern of colors. It looked even brighter. "...Oh. Okay. Just as long as that's the only reason."

A malicious grin. "Who said it was?"

"Oh boy..."

Five tryouts later she finally gave in, yielding to take a dark violet mini-dress, devoid of the beads from some of the earlier tryouts and instead accompanied by a long fabric neckband folded into it. Despite her efforts, it looked downright regal on her once she had it on right.

"It looks great!", Aiko assured her eagerly. "Better than your usual!"

Exasperated, Rei ran her own eyes down the new attire. "And what's wrong with my usual? I feel like a...a..."

She wasn't sure how she wanted to end that sentence. Fortunately, Ai didn't seem to mind. "Just thought it might be a good idea for you to try something new, y'know? This one you got for me was the fanciest outfit I've ever had." Winking back, she took in the rest of it. "Together, we totes look like we belong in the Tokyo fashion scene!"

"Great", Reiha rolled her eyes. "Woo-hoo. Just what I always wanted."

"Come on." Finding a table for them, she pouted. "Y'know, if you're gonna keep calling me captain here by 'accident', I might as well take advantage of that." Taking a moment to survey the lines at the food court, she nodded back. "In fact, as your captain, I hereby order you to go find another outfit that you like while I'm holding our spot in the lineup. It may not have any black, belts, rips or zippers on it whatsoever. Here's some money for it. Do you understand your assignment?"

"What? No way! I-"

"It's your captain's orders, Hayato. Are you going to 'mutiny' now too?"

Reiha made a mental note to avoid using that title outside of Faraway Lands any more. She did end up completing the 'assignment' though, bringing back another dress, similar but more royal-looking, midnight blue shades limned in faded gold, the sides cut open.

"There!", she nearly scowled, plopping it down. "Are you happy now?"

"Very", Aiko looked far too pleased with herself. "Of course, if you toss these ones out or give them away, then I'll have to order you to go get another one. And I'll make it one with ribbons and bracelets next time."

"You are insane", Reiha surrendered in irritation. "Look, I get it, aight? I know that this isn't actually about the clothes. It's about me."

"And you say you're not that bright", their leader sniffed. "Go ahead. You did well so far."

"Are you serious?"

"Completely. Go on."

Thus resigned, Reiha took her seat, and her meal. "You know me, Tsuruga. You know exactly how I feel about the Heavenly Kings. They're a bunch of rotten, rich old men who have more power than even the prime minister of this country. The cops can't do anything against them. No one can punish them. No one... except for us. If we used the Dreamwine, if we created a chance where we could use our Personas' powers against them..."

When the pause stretched out too long, the pale-haired girl took over. "...We could kill them. Is that right? That's what you want to do?"

One day ago, she might have said yes right away. But her time with Noel had created a newfound reluctance in that admission. "...Maybe we don't have to kill them. Maybe if we just scared them, threatened to do them for real if they kept it up. No." She frowned. "No, that wouldn't work either. They wouldn't stay scared for very long. And then they'd try to kill us."

"The Phantom Thieves could have done something like that", Aiko reminded her. "They chose not to. Do you know why that is, senpai?"

Studying her new regal dress or the mall tiles yielded no answers. "Easy. They didn't have the time for it. I talked with Nijima-san about that part, actually. Stealing a heart takes a lot of work and effort. Just as much as, say, saving the ruler of a Land. More. That's why they could only ever steal the heart of one major criminal per month on average."

"Along with a lot of smaller ones in Mementos", Aiko reminded her. "But Mr. Kurusu also told me about the problem that came up more and more as the Phantom Thieves grew in popularity."

Folding her arms- the only part of her left still covered in black, she nodded. "...Okay. I'm listening."

"The Phansite", Aiko explained slowly, eyes rigid. "It completely blew up. More and more requests started coming in, as more and more people started to believe that the Phantom Thieves were real and could steal hearts. They thought that they could be the answer to everyone's problems. All they had to do was steal the hearts of all the evil people, right?"

"Exactly!", Reiha confirmed in triumph. "If they hadn't been so busy trying to avoid getting caught by Shido and his damn lackeys, then maybe..."

"They couldn't", Aiko shook her head sadly. "That's what Mr. Kurusu told me. Life... life just isn't that simple. As awesome as the Phantom Thieves' powers were... they can't be expected to solve complex social problems like that. And neither can we. In fact, our powers are actually even more limited that way."

Thinking back to what the famous Phantom Thief leader had told her then, she smiled lightly, eyes veiled. "In a way, I'm kinda grateful for that. It means that we're way less likely to be tempted to abuse our powers. We also have a really good example sitting right up in our faces as to why we shouldn't."

It took a moment for her casual-seeming words to dawn on Reiha, and when they did she looked beyond insulted by the accusation, hammering the table with a fist. "We're not the damn Masked Circle. Those guys are evil. They only use their powers to lure weak-hearted people into joining them. They have no interest in saving anyone at all."

"And that's all we've done so far", Aiko acknowledged. "Save people from being swallowed up by Faraway Lands. Saving three lives- hopefully four soon enough- that's way less than anything the Phantom Thieves accomplished." Taking a long sip of her drink, she tipped her head to Rei. "I'm starting to hope that maybe Niyoga-kun can help us accomplish more than that once we save him. Assuming he's okay with cooperating with us."

"Yeah, planning a bit far ahead there", Reiha chuckled. "You've seen for yourself just how Niyoga is. He's not like us. He would never be a Phantom Thief. He only ever thinks about himself."

"Not according to Vitienne-kun."

That earned another barking laugh, but only a short one. She couldn't ever forget what had happened between them yesterday. And one secret I don't mind keeping for his sake, since it doesn't hurt us at all.

She had learned the necessity of keeping some secrets early in life.

"Whatever happens", Aiko continued, "no matter how much you might want to... we can't fix every problem in the world just by punching people." Leaning back, she smiled. "If we could do that, then I'm pretty sure you would have done it by now."

"But this is our chance to do exactly that!", Reiha implored with her black-lined eyes. "Don't you see, Tsuruga? This is the opportunity of the lifetime for all of us! If we could just figure out a way to safely use this power in the real world, if we could do that..."

Aiko stared back into her friend. It was very strange for her, seeing this kind of passionate plea etched onto the face of someone whom she respected so much, someone who was taller and older and more mature who could very easily beat her bloody if she ever felt like it. Almost like I'm speaking with Mr. Kujou again. An adult.

But Reiha didn't deserve that kind of comparison, or anything close to it. "That", she replied bleakly, "is what the Masked Circle is trying to do, or at least that's what we know so far. That's their 'Salvation'. Allowing Shadows and Personas to exist here." Spreading her arms, she shook her head. "I don't need to tell you how bad that would go."

"N-no", Reiha agreed, momentarily stricken by the mere thought of it. It would be much worse than those 'black boxes' we took out. We could try to protect this city from harm, but everywhere else... "That's... not what I'm looking for. I'm just trying to find some middle ground here, okay? Something that lets us use our powers without letting the Shadows in."

Their leader gave her another long, painstaking look. "Because we're the only ones who deserve to use that power. Is that right?"

"Well!", she stammered. "Y-yeah. Maybe? I know that Vitienne would definitely never abuse it."

"Maybe not", Aiko allowed gently. "But who knows how long it would be before one of us gave into temptation? Rosea-kun... or even me? I know I have some trouble controlling my temper towards people sometimes, just as much as anyone else."

"And by 'people'", Reiha suggested, some of her old teasing tone returning, "you mean 'Kujou', right?"

"N-not always!", Aiko defended, embarrassed. "Sometimes other people annoy me too! The point is, the instant any of us used a Persona in this world, in public... then that's the end of our lives as normal students. And prolly the end of our lives shortly after."

Looking around the food court as if she was actually worried someone might overhear her even with the usual miasma of noise, she smirked. "Another thing that Niyoga-kun was right about. If we have the power, and no one else does... then that makes us like gods. At least, until the police and the SDF get involved. Even the Phantom Thieves... they would be in the right to take us down then. We would deserve it."

The iron weight of her words finally made Reiha fall silent, thinking all the possibilities of her proposal over and not liking any of them. "...Alright. I understand. I'm so sorry, Tsuruga. I didn't think this through all the way. You're right. Just like Vitienne was right. It's just that this opportunity... This could be the one chance that we ever get to make a real, positive change in this world!"

"You want to make a positive change in the world? By killing someone?"

"By killing an evil person. A person who ruins the lives of thousands of other people. Someone who organizes the marketing of drugs and the murder of people they don't like. Someone who arranges to have attractive young women forced into becoming prostitutes."

She clearly expected the last word to have some kind of effect on their leader, but she merely absorbed it without much reaction.

"That wouldn't change anything though. They would just get replaced."

Relenting, Reiha leaned back. Smiled wearily. "Yeah, Vitienne told me that exact thing too. And ya know? He was right."

Finally starting to get a bit tired herself, Aiko studied her friend's new outfit for wrinkles. "...I hope I've made my point, senpai."

"You've made several", she admitted, heaving a long breath. "And... yeah. Yeah. I get it now. Throwing away my life like that... it wouldn't accomplish much. Adrestia told me that, too. You'd think one of you would get the truth though my thick skull already."

"Old habits", Aiko remarked in honest sympathy for her. "They aren't easy to break, I know. I still have to remind myself to call my mom sometimes, that things are different between us now."

"That's why the dresses", Reiha recognized. "To remind me that things are different."

"Nah!", she corrected, teasing back. "The dresses are just for fun! I told you, this is the best way I know to blow off stress, and we're not done yet."

"We're not?!"

She produced a tiny flier, yellow and red text denoting a new spa opening up elsewhere in Tosashimizu city. A coupon. "As your captain, I do hereby order you to come and enjoy sauna with me. And a facial treatment and deep-tissue massage afterwards."

Her friend's reaction was predictable as well. Completely predictable for someone who had long ago resigned themselves to a life removed from any kind of luxury, someone who had trained themselves to view comfort and leisure as the enemy.

But she also understood what their leader was actually trying to do.

"Well... okay. Um... thanks."

Her return smile was positively predatory. "Y'know, I think I've finally found something actually fun about this position..."

Reiha snorted. "And here you were just warning me about abusing power. What next? You're gonna order Rosea-kun to play video games and watch movies with you? Order Pelagio to actually take a vacation?"

"Eh. Maybe next week?"

8/11 Monday

Afternoon

Reiha didn't know how to feel about it. Only that it felt pretty good. Better than she had ever expected from something that had always sounded so incredibly stupid in her mind. It's just water. Just hot water mist and aromas and thick towels and and cream and someone pressing down hard on my back muscles in spots...

Ignoring the scars that were still there.

It felt like they had visited another planet.

But she couldn't argue with the results. There were aches in her back and shoulders she hadn't even recognized that had been replaced with a strange, indescribable sensation.

It was clear by the look on her face that her friend felt the same way as she came up behind her. "Well, I'd consider that a success. I guess I should bring Dada Yangyu in here too sometime. It's only fair."

"If I can enjoy that", Rei agreed grudgingly, "then so can Sorano-chan. Just be careful with that, aight? Coupon or no, that can't be cheap."

"It's not", Aiko admitted, checking her bag for a moment. "But I thought it was fitting for this."

"And what", she wondered aloud, "is 'this', exactly?"

"Helping you."

The resulting laugh was mocking, but still brief and awkward, and she immediately regretted it, preferring instead to stare back at her friend's earnest gaze until she could forget it had happened. "...I'm so sorry."

"Don't be", Aiko advised her. "I know that's your habit by now, senpai. Push everyone away so that they can't hurt you, and you can't hurt them. Help the people you like, but from a distance." A firm hand clasped her shoulder, feeling just like Noel's had. Alien, but too powerful to be denied. Not when it was so warm. Not when it belonged to someone she cared about.

"But y'know... some things are worth a little pain. I totally know that sometimes friendships are painful. But I don't regret a single one of them. You taught me that."

This time, she couldn't even come up with an appropriately sarcastic remark. All she could do was stare back, waiting for whatever her captain had to say next.

"Please, don't throw what you have away. We're here for you, senpai. Just like you were there for us, always covering our backs. Always giving me advice when I needed it the most. Just like a senpai should."

And the more Reiha listened, the more she found herself drifting back to old, fond memories.

Spotting Aiko for the first time out the window of her classroom, when she was in the courtyard facing the very worst of her old 'friend' Benihime Kujou's influence as punishment for standing up for Mira.

Seeing the way she managed to remain brave even while crying, even while threatened with a public indecency that could have stuck with her the rest of her life, a never-ending scar of the mind.

Confronting her afterwards, and realizing that the new transfer student from Tokyo was much more than some airhead, but a compassionate soul... and someone who seemed to experience the same lack of self-worth as her, channeling that into a desire to help others.

Watching that lack she knew so well transform into a quiet, understated confidence as her friendships grew and changed, a small handful of people who proved more than enough to offset her initial loneliness. And now, it was easy to recognize Aiko and Noel's attempt to achieve the same thing with her, slowly repairing the damage she had once embraced.

Hearing her Persona's own true voice, making her finally understand that whatever her wardrobe said, whatever she told herself... deep down she still wanted to try to have a life of her own. That her life didn't have to be a life of pain and solitude. Not if she didn't want it to.

Returning to herself, Reiha turned back to the sight of the new sauna's exterior and smirked. "I'm not stupid, y'know. I know there's more solutions to problems than just being strong and hitting stuff. I can do more than that."

"I never said that", Aiko promised. "Besides, we regularly visit a world where being strong and hitting stuff is the only way. You've been really helpful there."

"Really helpful at getting us humiliated by Niyoga over and over?"

"That's Niyoga-kun", she waved it away. "The other places we've visited are a lot more straightforward than that. We travel, Shadows appear to attack us, we beat them up and keep moving forward until we get where we need to go. It's not your fault that Niyoga-kun's Land is so different from the others."

"Guess so", she admitted.

"Besides", Aiko continued, "that's not why you're our friend. You showed up to help us when no one else would." Stopping to glance at the pharmacy, she shook her head and moved on. "You... You were always looking out for us. For me. The more I saw of that, the more I wanted to be like you, senpai. Someone mature who other people can rely on."

"'Mature'", she could only snicker. "Sure. My body, maybe."

"Not just that", Aiko maintained, nearly breaking off in embarrassment before resuming. "Um. Actually, I wanted to ask you, if it's okay... Have you ever... Um... Y'know...?"

Reiha didn't, in fact, 'know'. She had to make Ai repeat the answer several times before anything higher than a frightened squeak came out. "Have you ever... Kissed a boy?"

Rei laughed out loud. She couldn't help it, and a passerby stared at them awkwardly for a moment before continuing on. Mockery came to mind but was dismissed this time. Her 'captain' didn't deserve that from her. "...No. As you've seen, I tried really hard to distance myself from everyone before you came along. I was friends with Kujou and her group, but you know how that turned out. I can't stand them now."

"Maybe", Aiko allowed. "But you still know her way better than any of us do. If we're ever going to save her, then we could really use your help with that."

"And I'm telling you right now, that's prolly not gonna happen", she insisted before relenting, studying the wet sidewalk. "But then... It wasn't that long ago that I believed I would never feel anything for any boy. After all, all those horrible Yakuza I was talkin' about? All men. All those bastards who the Phantom Thieves stole the hearts of? All men." Letting that sink in, she smirked. "Guess Vitienne sure showed me, huh?"

"Yep. Vitienne-kun sure is one of a kind", Aiko agreed gently, her eyes nearly closed. "Just like..."

Reiha pretended not to hear that last part. "You want me to go to Vitienne", she observed.

"I... senpai, I just want to see you be happy, okay? Everyone deserves to be happy. Especially you."

Once again she looked like she wanted to argue the point, but let it go. It's just hard to believe anyone who says something like that with a straight face could be so good at beating up Shadows in the other world.

But then, maybe that, not her rivalry with Benihime Kujou, was what had drawn them together. Beneath that cheery high school girl facade was a warrior just as fierce as her. "You want to see me happy?"

Aiko blinked if the question was obvious. "Happiness, I've found, is contagious. Seeing other people enjoy themselves and be happy... it makes me happy. And vice versa. And now you know why I like hanging around Vitienne-kun and Rosea-kun so much, even if the two of them couldn't be any more different. My secret's out."

Another joke, and one that actually managed to put a smile on the older girl's long face for once. She tried to turn away, tried to hide it, but was impossible. "I... appreciate it. Just like I appreciate everything else we did today." Stopping to check a persistent puddle, she saw the warped reflection there and chuckled.

"Happiness doesn't come easily to me. Not knowing what I know, seeing all the shit that I've seen. It's crazy. My life is such a goddamn mess... But somehow... Somehow, you always find a way to make me smile, Tsuruga-chan. Thanks."

The visit to the Doc's lab, incredibly, went off without a hitch. When they left, he was happy too.

8/12 Tuesday

Afternoon

Surveying the waters around them for signs of emerging Leviathans or the Reaper, the Dream Voyagers set a straight course for the tower in the distance with renewed purpose, only realizing after a moment that something was different.

"It's changed", Noel spotted it first from his spot in the crow's nest. "It's... different."

"Well, he did have a lot of repairs to make after last time", Jiachi considered. "Actually, didn't your Land do that too, Witch?"

Reiha took a bit to respond, like she had briefly forgotten her code name. "Yeah. But that was just my Shadow trying to keep you guys out. I'm guess this has something to do with the 'test'."

The tower had formerly been a spire of glass and antique gearworks and still was, for the most part. But the entire middle section had now ballooned out from the center, becoming square instead of circular and at least twice the thickness of the previous structure, the sides resembling the flat banks of windows adorning tall urban skyscrapers, looking almost like solar panels. Everything else, such as the bright beacon locking onto Pelagio as soon as he drew near, remained the same.

"You said that Lands are born from dreams", Noel considered, "a reflection of the mind. Does this mean that we've had an effect on him?"

"Hmph. I should hope so, after all that happened last time", Pelagio's voice came to them. "At least the entry point hasn't changed. I shall land there now."

Shukiji's Shadow, the annoying rhyming elf who had greeted them for a previous visits, was nowhere to be seen either. Instead, it wasn't until the six of them were back on the main lift that the tower showed any real signs of life, the Fresnel lenses lining each side of the tower flashing to life to generate the familiar giant golden head of the Land's ruler, looking not exactly pleased but far from angered.

"You've returned", Shukiji observed. "I estimated you would either yesterday or today."

"We needed to rest", Aiko explained. "And you needed to fix up your tower for this 'test'."

One consequence of having such a large avatar that he might not have expected; every slight motion was magnified, and everyone could see the slight flicker of pride passing through his gaze. "Of course. You still persist in trying to take all this away from me."

"You heard us the first time we said it", Reiha rolled her eyes. "You stay here too long, you stay forever and your body goes bye-bye! Pretty sure a 'genius' like you knows that's a bad thing!"

Far from offended, he merely narrowed one eye. "Interesting. Perhaps that's your purpose here; to be my messengers. I can remain here and discover the way to save our world, and you can return and deliver that knowledge to the people."

"What? T-that's... Ridiculous!", Mira sputtered. "There's no way we would agree to doing that! You must return with us, or else your soul will be trapped here forever!"

"And yet", Shukiji faced her respectfully, "Sorano-chan. Dancer... do your people not follow a religion that believes in the rebirth of souls, or 'Ori' as you call them? I recognize your costume now. It's similar to the priestesses of the Orisha in that region. And that Persona you use... Oya. The Orisha, or spirit, of the Storm. Also named 'The Mother of Nine'."

Momentarily thrown, Mira collected herself and nodded. "...Y-yes. You know about that?"

"I read up on many things", Shukiji explained. A humble tone, for him. "I always considered religion to be a waste, but it can make for some good stories. Stories that offer insight into the culture of the people who wrote them long ago. Moreso, now that I know of this world, where many of these Shadows are actually warped forms of mythological figures. It's all quite fascinating, really."

"I can see why you might be enraptured by the way this world reflects our own in so many ways", Noel agreed. "But... mein freunde, if this world is truly to be considered one of spirits, then you know that a mere human spirit cannot endure it here among gods and demons."

"Why not?", instead of facing his friend, Shu continued to focus on Mira. "Your people's religion also states that a human who attains proper knowledge, or 'spiritual growth' can themselves become an Orisha. A belief that's shared by many other systems across the world as well; that a human who follows the teachings perfectly can shed their mortal shells, and become something more. Something akin to a divine being. Become as Gods."

"Bullshit!", Julian broke the uncomfortable silence and the doubt that seemed to shroud Mira. "You think doing this is gonna make you into some kinda god? You didn't even believe in gods until a few weeks ago! And I know you, bro. You're the 'rumor king', remember? You're not the kind of generous guy who'd sacrifice themselves for other people."

"Gunslinger", Shu shifted his gaze, his avatar growing stern again. "Always the blunt one, but never clever. An imbecile such as you has no idea just how much I'd be willing to sacrifice to safeguard humanity's course. In fact, I would gladly give up my body. Even if no one ever knew it. Even..." Pausing, he stared out the narrow windows of the tower, as if expecting to see something out there. "Even... even my own soul, if that was what it took to get the world back on track."

While the others faltered, it was Pelagio who stepped forward, catching Shukiji's gaze with his raptor's eyes. "Sir Niyoga. No one here is doubting your commitment to noble and worthy causes. However, even you must admit that you have no idea what you will be able to achieve from here, whether or not you will ever be able to find this knowledge you seek. Even from beyond death."

"I will never know", Shukiji contended, his gaze growing distant. "Not unless I search. I must search. I have to find the answer. I'm the only one... the only one who..."

"The only one who what?!", Reiha stepped up alongside Pelagio, palming a fist angrily. "Moron. You think that you're the only one who cares about the world? Never. We all do. We all want to make a difference in it, to try and make it better for the people in it who are suffering." Glancing back at Aiko, she gave a sly wink. "-Each of us in our own ways, really. But it's not easy for one person to get anything done, right? Damn near impossible, in fact."

"Until now", Aiko echoed, stepping up beside her with her own sly wink back. "Until we found this place, which gave us access to power and knowledge that almost no one knows of."

"-But this world is dangerous", Mira joined them in the line, her gold-wreathed arms clasped as if in prayer. "More dangerous to us than anyone else. Niyoga-kun... Please listen to us. Just because this world contains mythological figures doesn't make it some kind of spirit world. And you will not transcend into an Orisha spirit if you remain here. You will not transcend into anything at all."

"That's right", Noel agreed, stepping up despite looking downcast. "If that were the case, then the same fate would have happened to... Futusato-chan. But we haven't seen any sign of her in all this time. Not even a Land. Which means..."

"Sorry, bro", Jiachi shook his head, tilting his bandana slightly. "Didn't mean to start nothing earlier. But you admitted it yourself: You don't know what's gonna happen, do you? All we know is, it's not gonna be anything good, yeah?"

"Perhaps that will be my sacrifice then", Shukiji mused. "To acquire data. To show you all what happens. To further human discovery in the field of cognitive psience. Sacrifices are often necessary, in order to discover and achieve knowledge..."

"Enough!", Aiko cut him off, feeling the full support of the others behind her words. "You... There's no need for you to sacrifice anything, Niyoga-kun. Not here. But you've also made it clear that you won't listen to us unless we pass this 'test' you've created for us. So go ahead, then. Bring it out now. Whatever it is, we'll beat it. Together."

The golden head avatar nodded in understanding. "...Of course it comes to this. You imbeciles are just too persistent to give up or even try to cooperate with me. But as I promised, I will give you another chance to prove that you're not imbeciles after all. Take the sub-lift directly ahead of you, and it will bring you to the test."

"Taking a test during a summer vacation", Julian grunted under his breath. "Sacrilege!"

No longer suspicious of any traps, the six simply walked forward onto the smaller platform to the north, riding it up several levels onto a large vaulted chamber, wall consisted of the same uniform rectangular windows they'd seen from outside, while the floor...

"What...?"

The chamber beyond the lift was divided up by narrow green lasers emitted from the lenses arranged along the room's length, bisecting the floor and forming a grid of squares spanning the entire way forward, a total of nine rows and nine columns. Closer inspection showed several of the squares to already be occupied by collections of arrowhead-shaped tiles, each one bearing characteristics in bold kanji. While the majority of them lay clustered at the far end, they spotted six more pieces positioned at their end pointed the opposite way, with several others stacked outside the squares on currently inactive sub-lifts.

It was a lot for them to take in and process at once, but it was Aiko who first put it together and stared up into the avatar formed by the lenses further up, identical to the previous one they'd spoken to.

"Of course. This is your 'test', isn't it? This is a Shogi board."

"Of course it is", Shukiji's avatar echoed. "I could tell you would be more responsive to something a bit less... intellectually-based. Here it is."

"Shogi board", Julian whispered, studying the enormous board arrayed before them. "Like the school club? You said you learned that he used to be part of it, then he quit."

"Yes", their captain spoke more wistfully. She had known that period had been a source of bad memories for Shukiji, but it didn't make a mind like his any less of a perfect fit for it. "Some believe it's the game that Chess was based off of."

"I know what Shogi is", he snapped back. "I've seen a few games. But..." The more he looked at the board, the more his apprehension grew. "But I've never played. Not once. Anyone?"

"My apologies", Noel shrugged. "Mein freunde never tried to teach me, and I was never interested."

"Do I even need to answer?", Reiha sighed in defeat.

"I've seen a few games as well", Aiko considered. "It's popular in Tokyo. I watched online, tried to learn the rules... but I'm still just a novice. We're going to be going up against a master here, and from the way we only start with six pieces instead of twenty I'm pretty sure there's going to be other variations on the rules here too. Stuff that can trip us up. And if we lose..."

"You will not die", Shukiji promised them. "You will simply be returned to the bottom floor. Afterwards, I would appreciate if you conceded, as all graceful players do, and stop trying to interfere with my work here."

"No", she shook her head. "No way. This isn't a fair test. None of us even know the rules of the game, and you're an expert."

"What happened to your confidence earlier? This, Tsuruga", the golden avatar growled, "is the only test that I'll give you. You're welcome to turn around and go home. Any time."

"Captain", Reiha whispered, strained. "Your feet."

Aiko looked down. Sure enough, the inescapable transparent shackles from their first visit had formed around all their feet, once again demonstrating Shukiji's absolute control over his Land. The bonds crumbled and faded after a moment, having made the point they were meant to.

"It seems there is no choice, captain", Pelagio spoke up. "If we wish to succeed in our goal of saving the Niyoga lad, then we must play this game, and win. That is the only way we will be able to make him listen to us."

"B-but", she stammered helplessly, "we can't! We don't have a chance of winning here. It's just like the first test. Completely rigged."

"No." A new voice cut her off. Mirambela, who silently drifted to the back of their formation, not speaking up until now. Yet, now everyone's eyes were on her, drawn by the sudden strength in her voice. "We can win, captain. We're together now. And... I can show us how to win."

"You can?"

"Yes." Wilting under the sudden attention, Mira pulled her golden mask up tighter. "At least, I think so. I've studied the rules of the game as well. My brother, Omoni... he's an avid player of chess. I saw his games all the time. You said this game is similar."

"Similar", Noel echoed in a warning tone. "But this game is very different from chess in several ways. Otherwise, I might be of some assistance with it. But even small differences in the rules create massive changes in the best way to play. And remember, Niyoga-san is an expert."

"Not like we have a choice", Julian sighed. "Either we win, or we go home and let him die. Wanna take a vote on that?"

"No point", Aiko declared. "We already know which way we're going to vote. I just don't see a way for us to win this. And I'm pretty sure this is the last chance he'll be giving us."

"If we fail", Reiha maintained, "then we try another way. And if that fails, we'll come up with another. However many it takes." Sensing their doubt, she gazed into Mira. "After all, we have an evil mastermind on our team, don't we? Two of them, in fact."

"I'm not evil!", Mira pouted. "I just..."

"You 'just' have the highest grades of all of us by far", Reiha pointed out. "4th place on the 1st semester exam, right? Sure, that was year one stuff that you're taking over again, but..."

The mention of that fact alone was enough to stir Mira into action, and she studied the board again. "...Alright. If no one else wants to try... someone has to decide the strategy, call out the moves. It can't be the captain this time, since she's never played. So... it has to be me. I'm the best chance we have, aren't I?"

"Looks that way", Aiko agreed, instantly feeling a great swell of pity for her best friend. "Don't worry, Dancer. We'll do whatever you ask us to. Promise."

"That's what worries me", Mira held her face in trembling hands. "If we lose, it's my fault. If we can't come up with another plan, Niyoga-kun dies... and it's my fault."

"Hardly", Jiachi called. "It's his fault for creating such a freakin' impossible test." Taking his own survey of the board, he spun his weapons, as if already preparing to shoot the pieces on the other side of it. "Too bad it's not a light gun game, or I'd rock it myself. I'd offer to help you out with this one too, but... yeah. You're right that just one person is gonna have to direct us all on this. And we can't discuss our moves out loud either, or Niyoga will hear us."

"I can hear you now too", the avatar announced cheekily. "While I was fixing this place up, I located those 'Breaches' that Mender was using to move around my Land undetected before. That was very clever... For you. But I've taken care of that problem now."

"Screw you too, buddy", Jiachi mumbled back, refocusing on Mira. "Look... all we can do is try it. Test stuff out, learn the rules. To start with, I'm pretty sure we're supposed to have more than six pieces on our side. How many on his?"

"I count twenty", Noel observed. "That must be what these extra pieces on the lifts are for. Yes. Fourteen pieces exactly, twenty total."

"And to clarify", Pelagio studied the avatar's face closely. "The condition for victory is the elimination of all twenty of the enemy pieces, correct?"

"No", Mira studied the six pieces already laid out. "To win normally, you have to put the enemy king in checkmate. I can see his king piece from here, that's the goal, but ours..." She craned her neck up at Shu as well. "Is our captain also our king? Or... will it be me?"

"Neither of you", the avatar answered. "To win, I must eliminate all of your pieces."

"All of them", Aiko smiled, her earlier confidence slowly returning. "So you are giving us a handicap after all, Niyoga-kun."

"A small one. As you said, this is a game I've mastered."

The smile faded, but the strange satisfied feeling remained with her. Every time I think I can't stand another second of Niyoga's stupid arrogance, he goes and does something like that. Maybe there is a chance after all.

It would all depend on Mirambela. Mira, who never wanted to be the leader of anything at all. Mira, who now looked more than ready to faint from the pressure. At least, until their leader's hand grasped her shoulder like an anchor. "Don't think of it as life and death, Dada Yangyu", she advised. "You'll melt down if you do that. Just... play. Just play the game. Play the best you can. Win or lose, no one blames you. No regrets, okay?"

"...Alright", her best friend heaved after a lengthy silence, pushing past her hand. "Although I'm already beginning to see why you don't like when we call you 'captain'... Saber." Taking one final check of the rows of pieces arranged on the far side of the 'board', she nodded. "If it's alright, I'd like to have a few minutes alone to think. Plan a strategy. You know."

The golden avatar expected nothing less. His large eyes shimmered against the darkness outside his tower. "I know. You wouldn't have returned if this didn't matter to you. To all of you. Take as long as you need, I'm in no hurry."

"No clock", Aiko demanded, staring venom up at him. "No timer. Not like before. No pressuring Dancer any more than you already are. Dancer gets to think her moves out for as long as she wants to, got it?"

"Within reason", Shu agreed.

Silence fell on the huge room then, no one wanting to interfere with Mira as she stalked down the edges of the board, occasionally murmuring something incomprehensible, intended only for herself and no other. "It's okay", Aiko whispered to the others. "She does that when she's studying, repeats stuff to herself so she'll remember it better."

"No big", Julian shrugged innocently. "Maybe I should try doing that too if it helps me remember stuff."

Reiha was even more cautious in her words, barely audible: "Do you think we have a chance?"

"Of course we do", Aiko whispered back. "We just have to trust Dancer. Unless you...?"

"Never. I never even saw a game. Didn't interest me."

"Then she's our best bet. Just do what she asks."

Sure enough after several more terse minutes, Mira stopped at the edge near the six pieces that were already on the board, stared into Shukiji's avatar one last time and nodded. "...Alright. Got it. The promotion zones are still three rows, right?"

"Of course", Shu called back. "Standard rules."

"As if anything about this game will be 'standard'", she joked back, amazing even herself with how much the pressure had lessened in the last few minutes. Returning focus back to the board, she turned to see the expectant eyes of her friends.

"We need to stack the extra fourteen pieces on top of those six before we start. Over here."

The Shogi pieces were surprisingly heavy, requiring both hands for most of them to lift. Only Reiha was able to carry more than one at a time, and the process ended up being slow due to needing to stack them exactly the way Mira wanted them. By the end of it, the stacks had become waist-high obstructions.

"Hmph. I can already tell this is going to be a different kind of battle", Pelagio remarked.

"Very", their captain observed. "Just do what Dancer asks. If anyone can actually pull this off..."

Sure enough, once they had stacked the remaining pieces, Mira carefully climbed up onto one of the center pieces, testing it to make sure there was no danger of falling off. "It's safe", she announced. "Mender, if you could please take the piece to the left of me? Saber, please take the one on the right."

One by one, they each climbed onto the strange giant pieces, almost like they were surfboards of the kind Aiko sometimes saw used on the coast. It felt just a bit too awkward to stand up, and sure enough she saw that everyone was knelt down on their pieces, wary of falling off of them and incurring some kind of penalty.

"You're ready to begin, then?", Shukiji confirmed.

"As ready as I'll ever be", Mira agreed, drawn-out exhalations hiding fear. Then her face smoothed out, becoming more like stone. "...I call the first move. Mender, move all the way to the pawn piece in front of you."

Noel hardly looked like he had a say in the matter. His piece moved automatically beneath his feet, earning a yelp of surprise, gliding across the enormous board and transporting the astonished man directly before one of Shu's frontline pieces. As soon as he reached the space, Aiko saw that the image of a Shadow formed above the empty piece.

A weak Shadow, she observed. One of the red-skinned ogres they had fought back at Jiachi's Land. Back then they had been extremely formidable enemies, but time and training had changed that for them all. They weren't much of a threat any more. Still, Noel can't attack it. Why would she...?

"Now, use Dormina on that Shadow."

Noel looked as surprised as any of them, but didn't hesitate for long, invoking his Persona with a tilt of his priest's cap to use the skill requested of him. As expected, the sickly green vortex engulfed the creature's tall horned head until it was sleeping soundly.

Only Shukiji frowned. His avatar's brightly glowing pupils studied the board with new concern. "That's far from a standard move, Sorano-chan."

Refusing to buckle under his glare, Mira shrugged innocently. "I told you, Niyoga-kun. This isn't a standard game. And here... I am Dancer."

His distress only lasted a moment, however. Before long he had recovered, and actually laughed at the development. "Ha... haha! Amusing. Very well then... Let's play."

A/N: To be continued. Actually, to be concluded, as next time will finally see the end of the Shukiji 'arc'.